JOURNALISM GIANT ED BETHEL DEAD AT 82

as consul general to New York, Bahamas high commissioner to the United Kingdom and ambassador to the European Union.

“Specifically, Mr Bethel’s service as consul general to New York was marked by his dedication to the wellbeing of Bahamians living in the United States, while his service as Bahamas high commissioner to the United Kingdom and ambassador to the European Union was marked by his commitment to advancing the interests of our nation in Europe,” Mr Davis said.

He said Mr Bethel was a devoted family man and a community pillar. The Bahamas Press Club also expressed sadness over Mr Bethel’s death.

“His death certainly leaves a void in journalism — broadcast and print — in The Commonwealth of The

Bahamas,” said club president Anthony Capron.

“He was a consummate professional, a gentleman and was instrumental in preserving the integrity and standard of the profession, characters which his peers and upcoming journalists strived to emulate,” Mr Capron said.

Mr Bethel received The Etienne Dupuch Lifetime Achievement Award — the highest honour presented by the Bahamas Press Club — at a media awards gala held on February 29, 2020.

After beginning his career at The Tribune in 1959, Mr Bethel joined ZNS in 1963 as a sports reporter where he spent many years. He also worked at JCN and other news agencies and previously served as executive director of Bahamas Information Services.

As coordinator of ZNS’ coverage of the 1973 Bahamas independence, Mr Bethel along with the late orphan.

Sir Charles Carter and Carl Bethel were the broadcasters at Clifford Park on the historic night of July 9, 1973, who told the world that a new nation named The Commonwealth of The Bahamas was born.

Among his other career achievements, in 1975, Mr Bethel provided blow-byblow coverage of the Elisha Obed vs Miguel de Oliveira championship bout from Paris, France.

Mr Bethel along with Charles Carter and the late Calsey Johnson inaugurated local television, ZNS, Channel 13 in July 1977. Mr Bethel is also a founding member and president of the Bahamas Press Club during the late 1990s. He remained active in the media until his retirement in 2012. He leaves behind a wife, Dawne Adderley, four children and 10 grandchildren.

PRIME Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis with several members of his Cabinet last night attended the 97th Biennial National General Convention of The Church of God of Prophecy.

In congratulating the church on holding the convention, Mr Davis reminded those gathered that the Church of God of Prophecy was first established in The Bahamas in 1909 by Bahamians Edmund and Rebecca Bar.

He also acknowledged that the country held a special place within the international assembly as it was the first country outside the US where the Church of God of Prophecy established tabernacles and evangelical missions.

“A clear message and a clarion call must go out from the highest office, especially as we enter our 50th year of sovereign nationhood, that we must develop a national culture of telling our story and memorialising exceptional and visionary Bahamians who have quietly made significant contributions to national development,” he said.

“Many Bahamians are of the impression that foreign missionaries established these churches in The Bahamas, but history shows that our forefathers and foremothers established many of our churches and have mightily shaped our Christian heritage, moral values and built a powerful and influential church community.”

Mr Davis said despite the evilness in the world, as a Christian nation, we must fight for the protection of our families, communities and for the soul of this nation, “knowing that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places.”

“It is therefore critically important that saints of God and the church remain obedient to the great commission to go ye into all the world and preach the gospel,” he added. “The record shows that the Church of God of Prophecy has never wavered in its divine commitment to bringing the good news to the lost and reaching out to the sick, the shut in, the poor, the dispossessed, comforting the broken hearted, the assisting the widow and the