Lynden Pindling: …If Bahamians are not prepared to to stand up and defend their own Bahamas, then ya don’t deserve to have it…

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Bahamian film maker, Calvin Harris is pleased to present the trailer for his documentary film called “On the Wings of Men” about the Life & Times of the late Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling.

In this film he interviews many political figures from The Bahamas.

Watch the film’s trailer within which features Dr. Myles Monroe, Frank Wilson, Loftus Roker, the Rt Hon Perry Christie, Senator Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Leslie Pindling, Bishop Neil Ellis, Charles Carter, Sir Aurthur Foulkes, John Marshall, the Rt Hon Paul Adderley, and Sir Orville Turnquest

Film Synopsis: “On the Wings of Men” is about the Life & Times of the late Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling; first ever Prime Minister of the Bahamas.

Sir Lynden was born in Nassau, Bahamas in 1930. He was the only child to Viola & Arnold Pindling. His father was a policeman who originated from Jamaica. His parents, wanting the best education for their son, dedicated all of their resources to send him to England for a college education. Sir Lynden didn’t disappoint them, returning home in 1952 with his Law Degree from the University of London,

He became a lawyer, and was later called to the Bahamas Bar in June 1953. Wanting to see a change in the political landscape in the Bahamas, Sir Lynden decided to join an up and coming political group known as the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), headed by then leader and founder; H.M Taylor. Not satisfied with the direction of the party, Sir Lynden was eventually elected leader of the PLP in 1956.

His ultimate goal, along with the other members of the PLP, was to fight for equal rights for every Bahamian, especially the black majority. They constantly appealed to the British Parliament to revise the Constitution so that all adults regardless of race or wealth would have an equal opportunity to vote towards the political future of the country. Towards this goal, Pindling and the PLP fought an uphill battle against the white British Oligarchy of White Merchants ruling the country at that time. A group known as the Bay Street Boys.

Pindling, in 1956 married a light skinned island girl from Andros named Marguerite McKenzie. They eventually had four children; Obi, Leslie, Monique, & Michelle.

Pindling showed his political talent by bringing the world’s attention to the black man’s plight. With the support from such notable black leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States; Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., & the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Pindling continued his antics until he wore down the White Oligarchy and eventually lead the PLP to a landslide victory January 10th, 1967.

With the title of Premier (1967-1969), Pindling eventually became Prime Minister (1969 -1992) of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. He successfully led the country to Independence from England July 10th, 1973.

In 1983, Prime Minister, Lynden Pindling became The Right Honorable Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, after being knighted by Queen.

Pindling’s life wasn’t without controversy. He faced two major hurdles in the 1980’s. First, his decision, along with then Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, to push the political process forward which lead to the release of prisoner Nelson Mandela, who eventually became President of South Africa. To show his appreciation, Nelson Mandela first flight from prison was to the Bahamas, to personally thank his good friend, a fellow student at the University of London in the 1950’s, Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling.

His second major obstacle was being accused as a drug conspirator by the United States Government. After a year long Royal Commission of Inquiry in 1984, Pindling was cleared of any and all charges. Though his reputation challenged, Pindling still lead the PLP to another election victory in 1987. This would be his last term as reining Prime Minister. He would eventually serve 5 consecutive terms (25 years), the longest only behind Cuba’s Fidel Castro.

In the 1992, Pindling & PLP was defeated by a former protégée of Pindling; The Right Honorable Hubert Ingraham and the Free National Movement (FNM).

Before retiring from politics in 1997, Pindling faced his third Commission of Inquiry. This time regarding the Hotel Corporation. Defended by The Right Honorable Perry Christie, another protégée of Pindling’s, he was again cleared of all charges.

Diagnosed with prostate Cancer, Pindling eventually died August, 26th 2000. He was laid to rest in September 4th, 2000.

Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, who many Bahamians referred to as Father of the Nation”.

ABOUT CALVIN HARRIS:

Calvin Dwight Harris was born on the sunny Caribbean island of New Providence, which is among the seven hundred islands and chains that make up the Bahamas. In 1988, at the age of 18, Calvin left home on a track and field scholarship to attend Murray State University. After transferring to the University of Idaho in 1990, Calvin graduated with an Engineering Degree in 1994 and soon afterward moved to Denver, Colorado. His love for watching movies and a passion to one day make a difference in the film industry is what inspired Calvin to become a film maker.

With an inspired vision, Calvin founded Harris Entertainment in the spring of 2004. The first film released under the Harris Entertainment banner was; “The Great Recession”. This film  explores the history of America’s Economic woes from the Great Depression to the current financial meltdown facing the United States. Many of the country’s best economist are calling this current storm; “The Great Recession”. This film, completed in the spring of 2010, is currently out to several distributors in the United States.

Calvin’s second feature length film; “On the Wings of Men”, is about the Life & Times of the first ever Prime Minister of the Bahamas; Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling and his fight against US foreign policies in the 1980’s. This film is currently in post production with an anticipated release date of December, 2010.

Calvin has also co-written several screenplays including “Cable Cal Center” and “Black Moses”. “Cable Call Center” is about a group of employees who band together to blackmail the Vice President of Cable World into a one year severance package before their jobs are outsourced to a company in India.

“Black Moses” is the narrative script that was developed about the Life of Sir Lynden. Calvin hopes to use the projected success of the feature length documentary film about Sir Lynden’s life; “On the Wings of Men”, as a vehicle to secure funding to eventually bring this film “Black Moses” to the Big Screen.

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14 COMMENTS

  3. Hopefully the documentary will be available the local Theatres. It’s history all Bahamians should be aware of. I look forward to seeing many more of these documentaries, it would be good to look back at how the early settlers came to the family of islands, how they acquired the land mostly waterfront and how it was stolen and they were made to move inland in the name of flour and sugar. It would be so interesting to dig up this history and talk to some of the old people before this generation die out. Now, the second home owners are reaping all of the benefits even earning income from the land and we have lost a lot of our land due to our very own ignorance. We have been robbed of so much land in the family islands especially, please let us seek save what is left for our children.

  4. CALVIN DWIGHT HARRIS – a man whose time has come! This is where Bahamians will rise up and right for our great Bahamaland!

    Rise up, Bahamians! Our late great former leader, Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, Sr. has made the mountain top call and is begging us to stand up and step forward, upward, onward, together!

  5. BP. Many Bahamians did not know Lynden Pindling. They only know of him through the lies told before and after his death.I remember the first House session after the FNM won in 1992. Hubert Ingraham and Algernon Allen made sport of Sir Lynden who was gravely ill. We now see as life unfolds that Sir Lynden although flawed, had the interest of all Bahamians at heart.Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie cannot say the same thing although Mr Christie tries. The movie, like the revelations after Sir Lynden s death will show Bahamians what a great leader he was but, unless we record our history in books later generations may be mislead by wicked people.

    • BP intends to bring Sir Lyndens voice back into the land. His voice has hushed and not one YOUTUBE with Sir Lynden exist online. THIS IS OUR MISSION!

      STAY TUNED!

      BP

    • Mr. Brown, I also hope that we capture this legacy before Sir Lynden Pindling’s generation dies out. That is my parent’s generation and that group is steadily dying off now.

      If we could just uplift the positives that occur in our country and stop promoting and promulgating all of the petty stuff – on a daily basis – we can move this country forward faster.

      It is only expected that Sir Lynden Pindling would have been chastised at the end of his run by those waiting to ride on his coat tails and licking their chops to get control of this country and as a result – run it into the ground.

      We definitely should herald his accomplishment and let our future generations know that from country so small came a voice so strong and resilient that under his guise we were able to get our sovereignty from the grips of a European power. He has gone on now so I think it only right for us to never forget the good he has done for our country, honor him and forgive any transgressions he may have had while building a foundation for the Bahamas to propel from!

  6. This documentary is most meaningful when one reads http://www.globalresearch.ca. entitled Haiti’s Nightmare: The Cocaine Coup and The CIA Connection. Haiti began a booming drug trade in 1985 around the same time Sir Lynden Pindling was the focus of corruption. The Bahamas was known as a Nation For Sale within a short period of the nation’s independence. Interesting enough the corruption and unsavoury practice in the Bahamas seem to be more of a focus than Haiti whose corruption and unsavoury practices were never taken into consideration. The departure of a dissident from the PLP to the FNM government brought about an unsuspected change in the nation of which the aspiration of a people whose hospitality brought visitors from all over the globe to the shores to a place where it is barely recognized anymore.It has moved undoubtedly in the direction of suppression and oppression for all who oppose the new administratio which is Pro-Haiti and Anti-Bahamian. The biography speaks where… Ingraham has often spoken of his goal to “conduct the affairs of The Bahamas ‘in the sunshine,'” and put in place a system and mindset where the misdeeds of the previous era would not be possible. “What I want to bring about,” Ingraham told Peter C. Newman in Maclean’s, “is to shape a new political culture–to trigger a genuine revolution in … the way Bahamians see themselves. SURELY MR.INGRAHAM HAS FAILED TO TAKE NOTE THE TIME OF HIS SCRUTINY COMES FROM POINTING THE FINGERS AND BLASTING OTHERS. Welcome Mr.Ingraham to the world of accountability. Your pointing out unsavoury practices and corruption in the era of Lynden Pindling now resting in peace, awakes the light of truth for you now to explain yours.

    • You are correct on so many levels. Its one thing to be critical of each other as Bahamians but I think Ingraham and others crossed the line when they cut deals with the US. It seems Mr. Ingraham would do anything to win. I’ve said time and time again that what Mr. Ingraham did, if it proves to be true amounts to treason. I’m sure its not only Ingraham though, its many who people regard as upright citizens in this country. No loyalties to the Bahamas and our people. Self interested bastards they are. They want to be seen hob nobbing with embassy officials at parties and events. Truth be told these guys are civil servants with no policy making powers. They are loyal to their country and to its interest. All we ask is that our leaders be loyal to ours.

    • Hopefully it will come out in time before we go to vote. Bahamians should be reminded of how far we have come from and just how much we stand to lose if we don’t get our chit together.

      If we haven’t learned our lesson yet about how being grabalicious and over zealous towards one another is choking the life out of this country – God help us cause change ein coming fast enough.

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