Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Monday, 21 November 2011
Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling - Father of The Nation
Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, is known as The Father of the Nation He was the man with the common touch, and loved his Bahamian people. Sir Lynden became the first Premier, 1967, and the first Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, in 1969 to 1992. He was prime minister for 25 years.
In 1983, his title changed to The Right Honorable Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, after being knighted by the Queen of England.
He was born on the 22nd of March 1930, to Mr. Arnold Franklin Pindling and Viola Bain-Pindling
With a humble beginning, he grew up in East Street. He initially schooled at the Eastern Primary School, which was located on School Lane between Shirley and Dowdeswell Streets.
Between the ages of seven and nine, Lynden attended Eastern Junior School Government High School
As time progressed, he travelled to London King College , London University in London
By the end of 1953, Pindling joined the Progressive Liberty Party as its legal advisor and became treasurer of the party in 1954, and chairman in 1963.
Starting his political career, Pindling successfully contested Nassau’s Southern District in the 1956 General Election. After the 1956 Election, for the first time in the history of The Bahamas, six P.L.P (Progressive Liberal Party) won 6 seats and the members were called the “Magnificent Six”.
The initial members were Cyril Steverson, Clarence Bain, Sammy Isaacs, Milo Butler, (The first Governor General) and Pindling.
Also on May 5, 1956 was the date Lynden Oscar Pindling got married to Marguerite McKenzie of Long Bay Cays Andros Island and they had four children, two boys and two girls.
With a full political agenda for The Bahamas, Pindling and his Party fought for the Bahamian people.
In the late 50s, the U.B.P, United Bahamian Party was in power and Pindling saw the plight of his people.
Black Bahamians had inequality of life style, and were not allowed to go in most public places, such as the theatres and work in the banks.
Majority Rule came in 1967, when Pindling focused on Bahamianization.
Radio Bahamas, ZNS, staff members, such as Calsey Johnson and Charles Carter were sent to Toronto, Canada to become more qualified as Bahamian Journalist.
Focusing on Education, The College of The Bahamas of The Bahamas was opened in 1974, and young Bahamians were given the opportunity to go to college abroad to become Doctors and lawyers.
Sir Lynden's vision was that Bahamians could become qualified to run the country, and, so he mainly focused on education.
He changed the mindset of the people by building a stronger nation, including the Family Islands, introducing Evening Institutes for education. This served for those who wanted to continue, as the official school leaving age at one time was fourteen.
Pindling and his party had the vision to move the Bahamas forward, giving the people the opportunity to work, and moving them from Over the Hill to the new areas of the Eastern and Western areas, where the white people lived at the time.
He knew that a social change was needed, and his contribution to the social environment is utilized by Bahamians today, such as Bahamas Telecommunications, National Insurance, Water and Sewerage, Defense Force, The Royal Bahamas Police Force, (with all Bahamians), Hotel Corporation, and many Bahamian hotels, such as the Royal Bahamian Hotel, Whyndham, Hotel, Crystal Place and the Nassau Beach Hotel.
Sir Lynden's philosophy was that Bahamians not only would have positions in the educational field, as teachers, or secretarial field, or even nursing, but he focused on Bahamians becoming General Managers of its own hotels.
On July 10, 1973, The Bahamas became an Independent Nation, and made a tremendous change for the Bahamian people.
The Bahamas has freedom of speech, and has a population of over 300 thousand; the Father of The Nation died on August 26, 2000.
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