11th September 2008
It is James Baldwin’s Amen Corner that I often use as
an example of the twists of fate that occasion us in this life, that bring
men and women together in all kinds of ways that are unexpected and unimaginable.
I call them Dickensian moments. My interaction with Eric Wilmott
is just such a moment.
He was amongst my first editors as I began my career as a writer at the nascent Bahamian Information Services. In fact, it was on this very platform just over a month ago that I stood and reminisced about that terrible morning in Freeport in 1971 when after a night of too much of too much, I ended up thinking that I had caught the flu and called Eric to tell him I could not come in to work. When I reminded him of the story, he laughed that hearty laugh that he always gave us.
This year was the 20th anniversary of the present Fox Hill Festival Committee. He was a happy man that his community and the Committee had honoured him for all of his work in the community. His name was stretched across the banner across the road. His name was proclaimed across the radio and on television. We named it the Eric Wilmott Fox Hill Festival. It was interesting that this was met with no protest but with universal acclaim.
He believed in this community. He loved this community. To say it that way does not express by half how much he supported this community, its place in the history of The Bahamas and where he thought it should remain in The Bahamas. He was always anxious to let the younger people know what this community, Fox Hill, was and why it should be protected.
When the Ministry of Tourism was looking for a reliable source and font of information about this community, inevitably all roads led to Mr. Wilmott’s home right here south of the parade. He seemed like he would be with us forever.
This year he announced that he was finally retiring from the Festival. I am 74 years old, he said and I never thought I would reach 74. Indeed, his parish priest tells that he heard that same story, just hours before his death. Who would have thought I would reach 74, he told the priest?
Another light has gone out in Fox Hill tonight. He was a giant of a man. He was this village’s unofficial historian. He was a friend to everyone, from all sides, of all ages.
He supported my cause and was a freedom fighter in his early years. He never wavered in that cause and in that fight.
When it was my good fortune to represent this community in Parliament and in the Cabinet, he came to me once and said there is only one thing that I wish to get and that is if you have any kind of influence would you see that I am able to obtain an honour from Her Majesty the Queen. I thank the Rt. Honourable former Prime Minister Perry Christie and all of my colleagues for making it possible to honour this son of Fox Hill with the British Empire Medal from Her Majesty the Queen in 2007.
Another Dickensian moment, the other individual whom I helped to obtain one of those honours was the late Levi Gibson who died just over a month ago as well.
I said on another occasion that when we lost the general election, I began to think how we had let so many people down in that loss, and I knew that if it ever came our turn again, so many of the noble warriors, the sons and daughters of the struggle would not be there with us. Indeed as this day is promised to no man, I may not be there myself. We are reminded in Eric’s death, that which we all do know: that we must work while it is day, for night comes when no man can work.
Eric Wilmott worked while it was day. He ran the race and finished his course. I know all of us will miss him.
Mrs. Altamese Isaacs told me how when she worked up here at the branch office, every Monday he would bring over a cake or sandwich or a meal. That was Eric.
On behalf of the people of the Fox Hill constituency, and in particular the Fox Hill village, the Progressive Liberal Party Branch, our condolences his son and his wider family of sisters, brothers, nephews nieces, grandchildren.
God bless you Eric and god speed until we meet again.