By Gladstone Thurston,Bahamas Information Services
Emerald Bay, Exuma οΎ— Lamenting the decline in morals in the society, Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt has urged Bahamians to “balance good fortune with personal responsibility.”
“Sadly,” she said, “one has to observe that our personal standards and an acceptance of what is right and wrong seem to have declined in direct proportion to our levels of prosperity.”
That is not a good, especially for The Bahamas, which was founded on Christian principles, she told the 70th annual convention of the Exuma District of the Bahamas Baptist Union.
She joined the Union last Thursday at the Four Seasons resort here in a banquet honouring their superintendent Rev Dr Charles W Saunders, well-known community leader John Rolle, businessman Sam Gray and 21 others last Thursday.
“Your life’s achievement and your contribution to this community fully justify (the honour),” she said told them.
Honoured were Rev Dr Ernest C McKenzie, Rev Dr Irvin Clarke, Leader John Rolle, Deacon Nigel Rolle, Don Smith, Rev Alfred A McKenzie, Cathrina Saunders, Samuel Gray, Jennifer Kettel, Shandria Brown, Deaconess Etoy Bethel, Leader Thomas Rolle, Deaconess Esthermae Bodie, Deaconess Albertha Bullard, James Williams, Sister Mavis Rolle, Sister Estella McKenzie, Deacon Hartman Rolle, Deacon Emmanuel Rolle, Deaconess Magnola Clarke, Elder William Rolle, and Rev Dr Charles W Saunders.
Rev Cedric Smith heads the Exuma District of the Baptist Union. Dignitaries included Rev Dr William Thompson president of the Bahamas Christian Council and the Bahamas Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Deputy Commissioner of Police John Rolle, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly and Member of Parliament for Exuma Tony Moss, Controller of Road Traffic Brensil Rolle, Senior Administrator Everette Hart, Chief Councilor Rev Franklyn McKenzie.
Mrs Pratt noted that Exuma “has moved into a stratosphere of its own and is without question the fastest growing island in The Bahamas, outside of New Providence.
“From Norman’s Cay to William’s Town has been discovered and can now boast of economic development offering employment to hundreds and bringing visitors from far and wide to this paradise.
“Exuma has become the magnate for employment attracting young Bahamians from all over and this is how it should be.”
While she was happy with the “turn of good fortune,” for Exumians, Mrs Pratt said she was “constrained to point out however, that we as a people must balance good fortune with personal responsibility.
“There is a fine line between development and the true aspirations of people…The real question is how do we handle prosperity and what should be the benefits to us as individuals.
“Sadly one has to observe that our personal standards and an acceptance of what is right and wrong seem to have declined in direct proportion to our levels of prosperity.”
Issues of faith and values, she said, “are as important for the growth and development of our nation as are economics and commercial development.
“Sadly however, one must proclaim that this generation in large numbers has abandoned faith, values, morality and other virtues as being relics of the past.
“Many view those of us who hold on to these attributes as persons whose time has past.
“All of us must surely know the limits of moral behaviour, self discipline, tolerance, respect for individuals, and love and charity in our hearts for one another.
“No society can hope to progress must less hope to survive without the underpinning of these core values in place.”
She described as “unnerving and disconcerting to see daily the statistics about the wasted lives of so many of our young men and now increasingly young woman who commit offences without regard to the personal consequences for them or the consequences of their victims.
“At the core of many of our criminal problems is a fundamental break down in the family structure and a disregard for the morals, values and institutions which hold our society together.”
By: Gladstone Thurston, The Nassau Guardian
