IT WAS INDEPENDENCE DAY 48TH VERSION ( HISTORICAL FACTS)

DID YOU KNOW:

FORTY EIGHT (48) YEARS AGO, 1973 GAVE US A NUMBER OF FIRSTS:

1972, DECEMBER, THE BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT HEADED BY PRIME MINISTER THE RT. HON. LYNDEN PINDLING AND THE ROYAL OPPOSITION HEADED BY SIR KENDAL ISAACS LED A DELEGATION TO LONDON TO DISCUSS THE INDEPENDENCE CONSTITUTION. 

THE SURVIVING FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE BAHAMAS ARE: SIR ARTHUR FOULKES, THE HONOURABLE ARTHUR D. HANNA, SIR ORVILLE TURNQUEST, THE HONOURABLE A. LOFTUS ROKER, THE HONOURABLE GEORGE A. SMITH AND THE HONOURABLE PHILIP M. BETHEL. 

DECEASED SIGNATORIES INCLUDED SIR LYDEN PINDLING, SIR MILO BUTLER, THE HONOURABLE PAUL L. ADDERLEY, SIR CLEMENT T. MAYNARD, THE HONOURABLE CARLTON E. FRANCIS, SIR KENDAL ISAACS, THE HONOURABLE CADWELL C. ARMBRISTER, THE HONOURABLE HENRY J. BOWEN, AND THE HONOURABLE NORMAN S. SOLOMON.

THE FIRST BAHAMAS INDEPENDENCE SECRETARIAT WAS CHAIRED BY HON. GEORGE A. SMITH, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, OPM WITH COORDINATOR HAROLD A. MUNNINGS.

THE RT. HON. LYNDEN PINDLING CHAIRED THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.

TALENTED BAHAMIANS CHAIRED VARIOUS INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION COMMITTEES: THESE INCLUDED CLEMENT BETHEL FOR FOLKLORE AND MUSIC; HERVIS BAIN, PATRICK RAHMING AND JAMES ROLLE FOR ARTS AND CRAFTS; BISHOP MICHAEL ELDON FOR POETRY, ESSAY AND DRAMA; HORACE WRIGHT FOR THE FLOAT PARADE AND GUS COOPER FOR TRACK AND FIELD. 

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS SPENT US$2 MILLION ON THE INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS. USING THE INFLATION RATE OF 3.83 % PER YEAR SINCE 1973, THAT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO US$12,125,900.90 TODAY.

SOUTH ANDROS WAS THE FIRST ISLAND VISITED BY THE RT. HONOURABLE LYNDEN PINDLING ON HIS ISLAND HOPPING INDEPENDENCE TOUR.

1973, “MARCH ON, BAHAMALAND” COMPOSED BY TIMOTHY GIBSON IS ADOPTED AS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

1973, THE ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE BAND’S ALBUM TITLED, “MARCH ON BAHAMALAND” CONTAINS THE FIRST RECORDING OF THE BAHAMAS NATIONAL ANTHEM. THE ALBUM WAS PRODUCED AT THE ACE RECORDING STUDIOS IN MIAMI FLORIDA. 

1973, “GOD BLESS OUR SUNNY CLIME” IS THE NATIONAL SONG OF THE BAHAMAS. THE LYRICS WERE PENNED BY REV. DR. PHILLIP RAHMING AND COMPOSED BY TIMOTHY GIBSON & CLEMENT BETHEL.

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIENCE WAS WRITTEN BY REV. Dr. PHILLIP RAHMING.

A NATIONAL COMPETITION PRODUCED THE MOTTO FOR THE COAT OF ARMS. THE COMPETITION WAS WON BY TWO 11-YEAR-OLD SCHOOL CHILDREN – VIVIAN F. MOULTRIE OF INAGUA PUBLIC SCHOOL AND MELVERN B. BOWE OF THE GOVERNMENT HIGH SCHOOL IN NASSAU. 

BAHAMIAN ARTIST HERVIS BAIN PREPARED THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF THE COAT OF ARMS. 

1973, 2nd APRIL, HON. R. F. ANTHONY ROBERTS, MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS ANNOUNCED IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY THAT THE BAHAMAS HAD A NEW FLAG 

1973, 6th MAY, THE BAHAMIAN MUSEUM AT JUMBEY VILLAGE WHICH WAS FUNDED BY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF THE BAHAMAS WAS DEDICATED TO THE NATION. 

1973, MAY, THE FIRST DELEGATION TO THE CARIFTA GAMES.

1973, 1st JUNE, SALATHIEL HARVEY THOMPSON CMG, MVO, QPM, CPM BECAME THE FIRST BAHAMIAN COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS. HE SUCCEEDED MR. JOHN H. HINMARSH OF BRITAIN. HE SERVED UNTIL 1980. 

1973, 7th JUNE, BAHAMASAIR BEGAN OPERATIONS. 

1973, 30th JUNE, THE INDUSTRIAL PARK WAS ESTABLISHED BY HON. CARLTON E. FRANCIS.

1973, 29th JUNE – 5th JULY, INDEPENDENCE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AT C I GIBSON GYMNASIUM. 

1973, 4th JULY, SIR LEONARD KNOWLES BECOMES THE FIRST BAHAMIAN CHIEF JUSTICE.

1973, 5th – 7th JULY, THE INDEPENDENCE REGATTA WITH THE THEME “SCENES FROM BAHAMIAN HISTORY” OR “A SCENE DEPICTING THE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE” WAS CHAIRED BY HORACE WRIGHT. 

1973, 8th JULY, DIGNITARIES FROM 52 COUNTRIES ATTENDED A FORMAL RECEPTION AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE HOSTED BY PRINCE CHARLES. 

1973, 8th – 14th JULY, A NATIONAL ARTS AND CRAFTS EXHIBITION WAS HELD AT JUMBEY VILLAGE ORGANIZED BY CHAIRMAN JAMES ROLLE AND CO-CHAIRMAN HERVIS BAIN. 

1973, 8th JULY, REV. DR. R. E. COOPER DELIVERED THE SERMON AT THE INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AND ECUMENICAL SERVICE. 

REPRESENTING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AT THE INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS WERE MR. & MRS. STANLEY  SCOTT. 

1973, 9th JULY, PRINCE CHARLES LAID THE CORNERSTONE OF THE CENTRAL BANK. 

1973, 9th JULY, A MUSICAL AND CULTURAL DISPLAY ENTITLED “PAGES FROM BAHAMIAN HISTORY” WAS HELD ON CLIFFORD PARK DURING THE EVENING. THE SHOW WAS COORDINATED AND DIRECTED BY WINSTON SAUNDERS AND CLEMENT BETHEL WAS ITS ARTISTIC AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR. 

1973, 9th JULY, THE ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE HELD A DISPLAY AT CLIFFORD PARK IN THE EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE FORCE MARCHED AND DID ROUTINES ENHANCED BY MUSIC. SUPT. DENNIS MORGAN WAS THE MUSICAL DIRECTOR. 

1973, 9th JULY, ONE MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT, THE UNION  JACK WAS LOWERED FOR THE LAST TIME AS THE OFFICIAL FLAG OF THE BAHAMAS. 

1973, 9, JULY, BISHOP ALVIN S MOSS, NATIONAL OVERSEER OF THE CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY, PRAYED FOR THE NATION. 

1973, 10th JULY, ONE MINUTE AFER MIDNIGHT, A CROWD OF 50,000 SAW THE BLACK, TURQUOISE AND GOLD, FLAG OF THE BAHAMAS BEING RAISED INSTEAD OF THE UNION JACK. 

1973, 10th JULY, PRINCE CHARLES READ A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II.

1973, 10th JULY ALL CIVIC, CULTURAL AND LABOUR ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE BAHAMAS MARCHED IN A PARADE. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EVENT WAS RUDOLPH MOULTRIE. 

1973, 10th JULY, PRINCE CHARLES SPOKE AT A YOUTH RALLY. 

1973, 10th JULY, THE FIRST EVENING FUNCTION OF THE INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS WAS A FASHION SHOW. 

1973, 11th JULY, THE VALLEY BOYS WERE THE WINNERS OF THE $1,000.00 TOP PRIZE IN THE INDEPENDENCE DAY JUNKANOO PARADE. THIS WAS THE HIGHEST EVER TOP PRIZE FOR  JUNKANOO A TRADITIONAL EVENT. THE THEME OF THEIR COSTUME WAS “BEAUTIFUL THINGS OF THE BAHAMAS.” THEIR BANNER READ “A NATION IS BORN.”

1973, JULY, THE BAHAMAS APPLIED FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE UNITED NATIONS. 

1973, SEPTEMBER, THE BAHAMAS WAS ADMITTED AS THE 138th MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATIONS. 

1973, 1st AUGUST, SIR MILO B. BUTLER BECAME THE FIRST BAHAMIAN GOVERNOR GENERAL. 

1973, AUGUST, A POLITICAL PARTY NAMED THE ABACO INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT (AIM) WAS FORMED. ITS GOAL WAS TO SEEK SELF-DETERMINATION FOR ABACO WITHIN A FEDERAL BAHAMAS. 

1973, THE BAHAMAS HOTEL TRAINING COLLEGE (BHTC) WAS ESTABLISHED. 

1973, DAME DR. DORIS JOHNSON, WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. 

LIVINGSTON B. JOHNSON WAS THE FIRST AMBASSADOR OF THE BAHAMAS TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS.

DELTA AIRLINES PRESENTED A GIFT TO THE BAHAMAS. THE MONUMENT WAS PLACED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE NEWLY OPENED BOTANICAL GARDENS. IT IS CONSTRUCTED OF GRANITE WEIGHS 4,300 POUNDS AND BEARS THE BAHAMAS’ COAT OF ARMS AND MOTTO. 

BAHAMIAN INDEPENDENCE CAME AFTER THE PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL PARTY (PLP) WON THE ELECTIONS ON  THAT PLATFORM IN SEPTEMBER 1972. IT ENDED OVER 300 YEARS OF BRITISH RULE.

HAPPY 48 BIRTHDAY THE BAHAMAS.