Mitchell calls for an explanation on National Honours

1
1953

Hon. Fred Mitchell

STATEMENT BY FRED MITCHELL MP FOX HILL

Fred Mitchell MP for Fox Hill issued the following statement from Freeport Grand Bahama on New Year’s Day:

The Free National Movement administration must explain to the Bahamian people why for the second time in a row, the government has not provided national honours for deserving Bahamians. They did not do so for the Queen’s birthday list and now have not done so for this New Year.

This is surely disgraceful. Each year there are deserving Bahamians who should be honoured by their country. The PLP passed a law to abolish the Queen’s Honours and to provide local honours but the FNM has refused to put the law into effect. So what we have is the system left to us by the British.

Since we have it we should use it. I have on two occasions provided recommendations to the Prime Minister regarding Queen’s honours, one for a former Parliamentarian and the other for a deserving police officer.

The Prime Minister last year personally assured me that the honour for the Parliamentarian would be considered. Nothing has been done. I call on the FNM to explain fully this slap in the face to deserving Bahamians and to bring into force the National Heroes Day legislation which will create a National Heroes day holiday and the national honours for deserving Bahamians.”

1 COMMENT

  1. I agree with Fred. There are many persons in the country that deserve to be recognised for their contributions to our national life. As we have no distinctly Bahamian honours we contrinue to use, or at least we did, the British honours system. Deserving Bahamians received medals or titles from the Queen of The Bahamas recommended to her by the PM.
    Twice now no royal honours have been forth-coming and we still are a monarchy and the queen is our Head of State. I hope that this oversight is made up for in the Birthday List next June. We’re overdo.
    Even if we have local Bahamian honours they would continue to be issued in the queen’s name as Head of State on behalf of our national family and presented by the GG.
    But, yes Mr Mitchell I agree with you…at least on this anyway. happy new year all.

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