“We mourn the passing earlier today of Her Excellency, Beryl Hanna, beloved wife of our Governor-General.  Although she had been seriously ill for an extended period, Her Excellency’s death is nonetheless an occasion for great sadness throughout our nation; a nation that she helped build over the course of more than fifty years of dedicated service to the Bahamian people.  In expressing these sentiments, I also wish to record my personal sadness over the loss a lady for whom I had very great affection and admiration.

“Mrs. Hanna deserves to be remembered as a lioness in the historic struggles for Majority Rule, the Rights of Women, and Independence.  After emigrating to The Bahamas in 1955 from her native England as the young bride of Arthur Hanna, she immersed herself in the work and struggles of the then fledgling PLP, standing shoulder to shoulder with her husband and the other gallant warriors of that period.  She distinguished herself as an activist extraordinaire, a woman of deeply held beliefs, unflinching and unyielding in her determination to help usher in the reign of political and social justice in our country.

“Beryl Hanna had a particular affinity for the poor and dispossessed, especially in her husband’s constituency.  For well more than thirty years, she was a faithful and reliable surrogate, tirelessly filling in for him in his constituency on a virtually daily basis as he busily attended to affairs of state as Deputy Prime Minister.  Her compassion for those in need and her patient attention to them won Beryl Hanna the admiration and respect of colleagues and foes alike throughout The Bahamas.

“In recognition for her outstanding service to the Progressive Liberal Party over many years, Beryl Hanna became one of the first persons to be inducted as a Stalwart Councillor when this highest of Party honours was inaugurated in the 1970’s.

“In later years, following her retirement from active politics, Mrs. Hanna continued to give great service to our country, especially as the gracious wife of His Excellency, the Governor-General.  She performed this role with enthusiasm, warmth, and distinction.

“Mrs. Hanna was a deeply devoted wife to her husband and to their children, (Arthur) Dion, Mark, Sean (now deceased), Dawn, and our dear colleague, Glenys Hanna Martin, to all of whom I extend deepest condolences on behalf of the entire family of the PLP and on behalf of my wife, Bernadette, and on my own behalf.

“Beryl Hanna was a great lady in every way.

“May her soul rest in peace.”
 

Statement by
Deputy PLP Leader
Philip ‘Brave’ Davis MP

“Today I join all Bahamians in mourning the passing of Beryl Hanna. Mrs. Hanna was an agent of change in the Bahamas; the place where she was not born but called her home. She fought on the frontline of the Women’s Suffrage movement, marched fearlessly to usher in Majority Rule and championed the rights of ALL Bahamians.

“Lady Hanna’s entire adult life was lived in service to this country, for which Bahamians today and generations to come unquestionably owe their debt.  Her contribution is unequivocal and her name will live in perpetuity in the history pages of The Bahamas and in the hearts of its people.”

“Ann and I prayerfully extend our condolences to the family, His Excellency The Honourable Arthur Hanna, Glennys Hanna-Martin, Deon, Dawn, and Mark Hanna and to the extended Bahamian family.  May her soul rest in peace.”
 

Statement by
Fred Mitchell Fox Hill MP

“This morning I learned with great sadness that I had lost one of my closest friends in politics and in my family Beryl Hanna.  I grew up calling her Aunt Beryl, a sign of the closeness of my late mother to her husband Arthur, our Governor General, who lived with my grandmother Gwendolyn during his years in high school.

“She was a trooper, a real advocate for the rights of Bahamians and people everywhere to equality justice and fair play.  We were kindred spirits.  My favourite recollection of her is that iconic photo in the newspaper of herself, Dame Marguerite Pindling and the late Daphne Wallace Whitfield with the placards supporting the demonstration on Black Tuesday in April 1965 following the PLP’s then leader Lynden Pindling throwing the  Speaker’s mace out of the window of the House.

“Our closeness grew when she agreed to join The Bahamas Committee on Southern Africa on which I served as its Vice President and she as its Honorary Chair.  It was the main anti apartheid organization in The Bahamas.  It was my proud honour to personally obtain and deliver to her a letter of thanks from Nelson Mandela for her work in the struggle.
 
“I was only too pleased as a Minister of the government to support then Prime Minister Christie's choice for Governor General her husband Arthur Hanna, because I knew that at his side her work, her hard work; one half of this country and its people would be recognised.
 
“Beryl Hanna came from Britain and joined the fight against discrimination. She was one of us.  She often told the story of witnessing her first PLP demonstration, a parade in the 1950s being led by the late Dame Albertha Isaacs down East Bay Street, leading the parade on her bicycle.

“I owe a debt of gratitude to Beryl Hanna and I shall miss her dearly.

“The people of the Fox Hill constituency, which her husband once served as the representative, join me in extending condolences to the Governor General, to my colleague Glenys Hanna Martin and the entire family.”
 

Statement by
PLP Women’s Branch Chair Manita Wisdom
 

The Women’s Branch of the Progressive Liberal Party join with other members of our party and the general Bahamian public in extending heartfelt condolences to the family of our late sister Beryl Hanna.

History will recall the distinguished career that Mrs. Hanna engaged in and particularly, her fight for the rights of the down-trodden, the rights of women; and the rights of all disadvantaged people, both in The Bahamas and anywhere where people were being discriminated against, denied justice and equal opportunity.

Although she was not born in The Bahamas, it is safe to say that there were not many individuals more patriotic and loving of this country than Beryl Hanna.  She stood up for the rights of all Bahamians when many others living in this country were afraid to. In doing so, she assisted in creating the modern Bahamas as we know it today.

We know that a suitable memorial tribute is in order, to celebrate the life and contribution of our dear sister, and we offer our assistance in the execution of a suitable memento.

Condolences are extended to the family of our beloved Governor General, the Honourable Arthur D. Hanna, including our sister and former chairman (both of the Women’s Branch and the PLP) Glenys Hanna-Martin, Deon Hanna, the grand-children and the extended family.  Remember earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure!