ANDREW BURROWS STORY OF FNM VICTIMIZATION

( This first appeared on Facebook)

On 6 November 2017 I was victimized officially when I was seconded to a ministry that was notoriously the “Siberia of the Public Service” – Agriculture. I was one of the corporation’s best assets. Kicked to the curb over politics, nothing else.

I could have been mad at every slight they threw at me. They treated me like a criminal. I couldn’t walk anywhere in the corporation without an escort even though I know every inch of that place. Not surprised though. When I was still in charge of news, they put locks on the doors and gave everyone a key. Except me. They turned my cell phone off being spiteful, then said it was a mistake even though the BTC lady showed me their letter. There’s more but for every slight, I reasoned that that was them being them. I’m better than them and they know it, so these things won’t phase me.

What did I do in the time I was gone? I improved the game on so many fronts. I made a new model for government PR that has since been repeated to great success under the last and current administration. People were talking about my ministry, they were seeing and feeling us all over the place. I put us on TV in ways nobody imagined and went on an ambitious campaign to document what is happening in the sector. Who decides to do a whole documentary series, solo, in one year? I know folks who take a year or half a year to do a documentary. These things aren’t easy. I did 8 of them in one year. I won awards.

I took sailing from just being a Montague thing and put it on Cable Bahamas. Then I was a part of the team that brought Long Island and Exuma regattas to the rest of the nation. Cutting edge and nation-building stuff! I was all in on the national sport thing. Then I brought it to the national network. The same one that pushed me out for nothing but politics. I knew the game and flipped it. I’ll show them just what they rejected like how your ex suddenly becomes much more attractive after being spurned.

I was invited to work on the independence celebrations by someone much more thoughtful and nation-focused than my colleagues. He didn’t care about politics. Together, along with some other nation-building creatives, we changed how we celebrate our country’s independence. The high point came when I went back to The Hill to show them the future with the first virtual independence celebration this side of the world. For the first time, two other countries would be carrying our Independence celebrations on TV. Ironically, both of these countries are dependent countries that used our moment in virtual to inspire their people. Yes folks, the stone the builder refused had Bahamian Independence playing live in Puerto Rico and in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

And on and on. I could have been bitter and angry and rightfully so, but I decided on a different tact. I would focus on bigger things and let God decide the rest. Doors that I never knew existed were opened. My creativity was challenged in ways I never anticipated. I produced more shows than folks who were on the hill getting paid to produce programs. One person versus a company and I ran circles around them. This past year, I had two Christmas specials on national TV, including one that played on the three big networks. They had zero.

Tomorrow, I’m returning to that boardroom that I walked out of on 6 November 2017 as something much more than when I left. My third arrival on The Hill starts in just 8 and a half hours.

Watch what God did and be grateful. I know I am.