By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
SOME of the hottest acts in dancehall and reggae music will grace the stage for this year’s Hennessy Artistry concert tomorrow night.
Now back after a two-year hiatus, the event promises to deliver an explosion of energetic music at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium starting at 8pm.
Headlining this year’s event will be international dancehall artists Skeng, Jada Kingdom, Spragga Benz, Elephant Man and LaaLee.
Local artists Judah Tha Lion and Bahamian Trae will also hit the stage.
Performers will be backed by international and local deejays like DJ Puffy, DJ Melody, DJ Tank and Ovadose.
“These artists were chosen because we wanted to curate a show that was high energy and fun,” said Mia Marshall, Spirits Brand Manager at Commonwealth Brewery.
“Skeng and Jada Kingdom are extremely hot in the dancehall arena, while Elephant Man and Spragga Benz will bring their catalogue of songs that our attendees both young and older can enjoy. We could not host a Hennessy Artistry event without including some of our local talent. Judah Tha Lion is so eclectic and interesting, while Bahamian Trae is fun and unique in his style. They both definitely appeal to the Bahamian public and complement our international talent well.”
While the event is part of an annual concert series, this year, Hennessy Artistry Nassau will feature more of a festival style approach, with engaging experiences and opportunities for guests to indulge in a variety of Hennessy brands, including cognac tastings, as well as infused food experiences, unique photo ops and more.
“To make sure all of this is possible we have moved to a larger space that will allow more space to explore the new festival approach and to
construct additional sky noxes, premium food court and to once again offer the all-inclusive VSOP Privilege Lounge,” said Mia.
“Hennessy Artistry is the premier night life event that our patrons look forward to yearly and we are thrilled to be back and execute this event that is so loved by the Bahamian public.
Mia told Tribune Weekend that there are always surprises and
unexpected moments, but this year guests will want to come out early to enjoy the new design of the space and giveaways that will be available.
“This year is like no other. We have exciting food options, specialty cocktail experiences, premium festival style design and stellar stage and lighting production by Zamar Productions,” she said.
In keeping with the event’s core aim of blending different styles of
music into one grand affair and experience, Hennessy Artistry in the Bahamas aims to bring together some of the most talented acts on stage.
As has been the case with all the global events, Hennessy Artistry seeks to offer complete sight, sound and taste sensations in a combination rarely to be found in one music event.
By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
Iyeasha Storr-Williams wears many hats; she’s a nail technician, a florist, a small business owner, and now a designer of home décor pieces, including Christmas welcome boards.
But with every new venture she embarks on, she has one goal in mind: to bring joy to the people with her creations.
Under her brand The Bloomroom, her latest offerings include festive decoration pieces to outfit your home for the Yultide season.
“I’m a wife, mother and an entrepreneur who finds joy in creating and inspiring,” she told Tribune Weekend.
“My experience in becoming an entrepreneur was a lot like a roller coaster. I had good days and days when I thought things were not so good. But there came a point when I realised it was always in me to think about creative ways that garnered the interest of individuals. So why not use it? Whether it was work or in my personal life, my entrepreneur skills became efficient, motivating, unique and appealing to many.”
Even though there is still room for growth, Iyeasha said she is absolutely in love with what she has learned and created so far.
“I love the idea of learning new things and producing them. My brand became official when
I got a chance to create some Valentine boxes a few years back. When I saw the response from the public, I was motivated. My mind kept going, and with God’s strength and His divine favour, I began to think of even more things to create,” said Iyeasha.
She understands she will not be the first to create some of the items she provides, but her work still offers a form of uniqueness.
“My business has definitely grown over the years, as I am learning more techniques. Producing more content might have had its challenges, but with God all things are possible,” she said.
“We offer floral décor for weddings and events, also, our most recent product, our greeting boards. These boards indoor and outdoor boards, and can be made with wording and colours of your choice. Business logos can also be applied.”
Iyeasha said her goal is to design and create content for any space, and for her creative content to be appealing to all.
She never dreamed she could find success as a professional artist, but last week a dream came true which definitely proved her initial beliefs wrong. She tells Cara Hunt about participating in one of the world’s most respected contemporary art showcases, and how she strives to celebrate the joyful disposition of the Black man’s experience.
Bahamian artist Kachelle Knowles recently reached a career milestone with her participation in the SCOPE Art Show in Miami Beach.
She represented Baha Mar’s Current Gallery and Art Centre at the prestigious event.
With over 85 art shows spanning more than 20 years, the SCOPE Art Show in Miami, New York, and Basel, Switzerland is celebrated as the premier showcase for international emerging contemporary art and multi-disciplinary creative programming. It is renowned for its uncanny ability to forecast new visual trends that are embraced globally.
“My major career highlight is definitely participating in SCOPE Miami Beach. This is my first fair, so I’m proud I was able to make it here thus far,” Kachelle told Tribune Weekend.
The art fair took place from November 29 to December 4. Kachelle was joined by The Current Gallery and Art Centre in booth 13. She is a part of the gallery’s 11 Strong collective, which has united 11 artists across different mediums to tell stories unique to Bahamian culture and daily life.
The collective’s most recent exhibition, “Beguile,” which Kachelle co-led with fellow 11 Strong artist Dede Brown, was featured at the grand opening of ECCHO (Expressive Collaborations & Creative House of Opportunities), a new multifunctional creative platform for local and international artists that opened just last month at Baha Mar.
Fellow Bahamian and 11 Strong Collective artists, including Samantha Treco, Sue Katz, John Paul Saddleton and Dede Brown, also attended SCOPE to support Kachelle’s showing, along with notable Bahamian artist, influencer and The Current’s own executive director of Arts & Culture, John Cox.
Through her work, Kachelle seeks to magnifies the Black Bahamian male’s lack of visibility and accessibility in the Bahamian landscape. As she delves deeper into her practice, her subjects unravel multilayered contexts such as colonialism, colourism, and classism.
Her SCOPE presentation shone “a soft and delicate light” on the joyful disposition of the Black man’s experience. Layered in these depictions on a brown paper material, is Kachelle’s observation in the limited public access beaches left for locals to enjoy in Nassau.
She explained that the pieces she showed were a part of a series she did on questioning Black visibility within spaces that are becoming consumed by tourism development and the importance of cultural preservation using the Black male figure as the main subject.
Her participation in the major art event shows just far the artist has come in her career.
“I was always artistically gifted as a child, but I never saw it as a potential career. I used to be enamored with animated
movies and TV shows and thought that being an animator was the way to go,” she said.
“I attended an art after-school programme following the encouragement of a teacher and then I applied to the University of the Bahamas, and the rest is history.”
She graduated with an Associate of Fine Arts from the University of the Bahamas and received her Bachelor’s degree in Illustration at the Emily
• In 1965, the animated TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” debuts on CBS, instantly becoming a holiday classic. It is the first TV special based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M Schulz.
• In 1979, smallpox is officially declared eradicated – some 10 years after the World Health Organisation began a global
Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, Canada.
“From the beginning, I have been working within portraiture, but my style and process work has definitely evolved with the use of more mediums and a cleaner style. I believe it’s only been maybe five years since I have found a comfortable place within my art style now,” she said.
Kachelle has also had to learn to be better prepared and more focused along the way,
“I would say my major failure was that earlier in my career I was very unprepared for a lot of group shows
and exhibitions that I have been invited to. Some of the work I was not proud of, embarrassed of even, and others I had to decline. Luckily, I cleaned up my process and became less hard on myself for my career’s sake,” she said.
And Kachelle is now open to expanding her comfort zone and trying new things.
“I am slowly including installation work into my practice. I’m trying to find ways to make the work more engaging since I have fallen in love with the community conversation,” she said.
“There are so many genres I want to explore: public art, mural work and sculptures. I’ll soon be an interdisciplinary artist. Give me a few years.”
And looking forward to the more immediate future, Kachelle said she has a few projects in the works.
“I do have another exhibition planned for Toronto in February that I am working on currently that will be a little different from my SCOPE work but still focusing on the Black figure. Afterwards, that show will travel back to Nassau in March. Definitely keep your eyes open for that,” she said.
vaccination programme against the disease, for which the earliest evidence dates to around 1500 BCE. It the only human disease to be eradicated.
• In 1901, five years after the death of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite,
the first Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. Nobel had founded and endowed the awards through his will.
• In 1967, the American singer-songwriter and soul legend Otis Redding dies in an
airplane crash near Madison, Wisconsin. The private plane crashes into the frigid waters of a small lake three miles short of the runway. His signature
song, “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay”, is released in its “unfinished” form several weeks later after his death.
• In 1936, Edward VIII becomes the first British monarch to voluntarily abdicate the throne following his decision to marry the American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Edward served as Governor of the Bahamas from 1940 to 1945.
• In 1972, astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt become the last humans to walk on the Moon during NASA’s final mission of its Apollo programme.
Fans of Ternille Burrows, better known under her stage name TaDa, are in for a special Christmas treat this weekend, when the singer returns to the stage for the first time in 12 years.
TaDa is a four-time Caribbean Marlin Award winner and the Grand Prize title holder in Hip hop category for the 2000 John Lennon Songwriting Contest. She is also the talent behind many commercial jingles locally.
She has appeared on the 2002 “Honey Drops” compilation CD released by Universal Music Canada/Phem Phat Productions and her music videos have been watched by millions of viewers throughout the Caribbean and Canada on TEMPO and Much Music Television.
Speaking with Tribune Weekend about her upcoming comeback, TaDa explained that performing had taken a bit of a backseat over the past few years as her focus was more on her advocacy work with Rise Bahamas.
The organisation was formed in 2014 following the 48-hour demonstration “Occupy Rawson Square”. Their mandate is to call for government accountability, public disclosure and the establishment of a Freedom of Information Act.
Since its inception, the group has successfully advocated for the implementation of the MARCO Alert, which stands for the Mandatory Action Rescuing Children Operation Alert, and is named after the late Marco Archer, an 11-year-old sixth-grade student who was reported missing in September 2011.
The group has also helped post missing children’s posters on social media and brought greater attention to the public disclosure status of parliamentarians.
Rise Bahamas further provides a forum for free speech and promotes the right to peacefully assemble, protest and petition for a cause. It encourages citizen action on issues of national importance while focusing on the protection of the most vulnerable people.
But despite her activism, performing has always been TaDa’s first love.
“I realised that it was the 25th anniversary of my first recording, so my diamond jubilee, and I decided what better way to commemorate that than by having a concert,” she said. “So many people have followed my career and
asked when I would be back and I am so grateful for their support over the years.
“I have not been performing by choice, because I wanted to focus on my activism, but also because I wanted to see the industry grow in the country a bit more and so for me it just made sense to hold out for a bit.”
But now, she is excited about her return to the stage and tomorrow night’s concert. TaDa said the evening will be a great time for family and friends.
“We will be doing a lot of old favourites and a couple of career highlights,” she said. “There will be a couple video clips and highlights shown as well.
The concert will include VIP access and a meet and greet ahead of the show.
TaDa’s concert takes place on Saturday, December 10, at the Atlantis Theatre.
Meet and greet access begins at 6.45pm and the concert begins at 8pm. Tickets are $45 and are available exclusively through Eventbrite. com
Good day, gardeners. The poinsettia: a ubiquitous plant in December and a sure sign that Christmas is just around the corner.
It is a pain in the belly for growers and greenhouse managers; it is a delicate plant to ship or to move around. It is a magnet for whiteflies, and it is generally just a hassle to deal with.
It gives a massive show though, and its popularity is always increasing, as you may notice more and more folks trying to flog them off every year around this time. The poinsettia requires very specific growing conditions in order to color up in time for December.
In the native environment in the highlands of Mexico they begin colouring up in December.
The plants that are available to buy in just about any place that believes them to be a profitable item to sell (they’re not, but you know how we go, if we see someone apparently successfully selling something then everyone wants to get on board and then the market gets saturated), are forced to colour up by growers that darken the greenhouse to reduce the amount of light that the plant receives. It is the shorter hours of daylight that force the bracts to show their full color potential. Is my pessimism beginning to show? Yeah, with this plant it does.
I can’t stand these things and they are the bane of my growing calendar year, but….. they are beautiful!
There is a research centre in southern Ontario, Canada, whose sole focus is the breeding of poinsettias in the hopes of creating new varieties. The Dutch are also heavy into the breeding of new varieties. Generally, our availability is much more limited to widely grown varieties, and every now and again some variegated ones will show up on the benches of those brave enough to mess with them. There used to be a double-bract poinsettia that was widely available, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside as many plants do as more and more growers find them to be a waste of time and resources. I enjoyed the double, but I have not been able to get hold of any for quite some time now, but then again, I am
not interested in the hard-to-find poinsettias. They’re enough of a pain for me already!
I’ve got to say though, they bring me cheer when I walk into a house or an office and to see poinsettias being used, they bring a color to the indoors that no other plant has the ability to give. Seeing our greenhouse benches packed full of them is a beautiful sight, almost as beautiful as seeing empty benches before Christmas Day.
What doesn’t sell becomes trash, they are not worth the resources to keep them going, for me. To keep them looking good through Christmas and into the new year at home is quite simple: do not let them dry out. Do not let them remain saturated. If the leaf gets pale, it needs more daylight. If spots develop on the bracts (colored leaves) it is a sign of water damage and usually it is caused by water droplets sitting on the leaf. Avoid wetting the leaves
if possible. If the bottom leaves are falling off (they always will, but the goal is reduced leaf drop), then usually that is a sign of over watering or underwatering.
Gotta love the exact science of growing plants!
At the first sign of whiteflies, spray them immediately with any spray labelled for whitefly (not dish soap!) or apply a systemic insecticide such as imidacloprid or similar. Generally, I am very much against using imidacloprid as it is a type of insecticide in a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids, and they are harmful to any insect that may take nectar from the flower (bees, beneficial wasps, etc.) and also the target pests that damage the plant through sucking and piercing the leaf. I strongly advise against using neonicotinoids anywhere other than inside the home or office.
There is an issue with insects dying off. Less birds? The domino effect on the circle of life is a real consequence of the overuse of chemicals in our environment. You’ll find some nurseries (I know of a great one on Bernard Road) have much stronger and fuller plants than others.
It is with regret that I learned of the passing of Eugene Duffy, the managing editor of this publication. He will be missed as a friend, and I am eternally grateful to him both for his friendship and for him encouraging me to write this gardening column. Condolences go to Gill and the rest of his family. Thank you, Eugene, may you go in peace and may the force be with you.
• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at Fox Hill Nursery on Bernard Road. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@ gmail.com.
Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the American singer, songwriter, activist and actor, one of the most successful Jamaican-American pop stars who popularised Caribbean calypso music.
“Artists are the gatekeepers of truth. We are civilization’s anchor. We are the compass for humanity’s conscience.”
– Harry BelafonteHarry Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York, the son of Jamaican-born parents Melvine (née Love), a housekeeper, and Harold George Bellanfanti Sr., who worked as a chef.
From 1932 to 1940, he lived with one of his grandmothers in Jamaica. When he returned to New York City he went to George Washington High School, after which he joined the US Navy in which he served during World War II. During the 1940s he worked as a janitor’s assistant. He met Sidney Poitier and the two financially deprived residents shared a single seat to local plays, trading information between acts.
Belafonte started his show business career as a club singer. His first performance was backed by the Charlie Parker band which included Miles Davis. Initially singing only pop music on the Roost record label, he switched to folk music and made his debut at The Village Vanguard – the legendary jazz club. In 1953, he signed a contract with RCA Victor and recorded with the label until 1974.
Calypso (1956) became Belafonte’s breakthrough album, and the first LP album in the world to sell over a million copies in a year. It spent 58 weeks in the top ten in the American charts and introduced calypso music to American audiences.
then-controversial film roles. In Island in the Sun (1957), there were undercurrents of an interracial affair between Belafonte’s character and Joan Fontaine (something that did actually happen). The film also starred James Mason, Dorothy Dandridge, Joan Collins, and Michael Rennie.
Two years later he played a bank robber uncomfortably teamed with a racist partner (Robert Ryan) in Odds Against Tomorrow. He also starred with Inger Stevens in The World, the Flesh and the Devil (1959). However, he refused the part of Porgy in Otto Preminger’s Porgy and Bess (1959), where he would have again starred opposite Dorothy Dandridge, because he objected to the film’s racial stereotyping.
Frank Sinatra to perform at John F Kennedy’s inaugural gala in 1961. Later that year, RCA Victor released Jump Up Calypso, which became another million seller on the charts. During the 1960s he was responsible for introducing a great many talented artists to American audiences, including South African singer Miriam Makeba and Greek singer Nana Mouskouri. His 1962 album Midnight Special introduced the young Bob Dylan.
“Art in its highest form is art that serves and instructs society and human development.”
Moving into the mid-1960s, Belafonte’s style of music lessened in popularity. Pop singers and groups like The Beatles and Rolling Stones began to dominate the US pop charts.
Belafonte at The Greek Theatre (1964) was his last album to appear on Billboard’s Top 40. “A Strange Song” (1967) was his last hit single. He received Grammy Awards for Swing Dat Hammer (1960) and An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba (1965).
During the 1960s, Belafonte appeared on TV specials with Julie Andrews, Petula Clark, Lena Horne and Nana Mouskouri. He also performed at the prestigious Saratoga Arts Centre in New York.
From February 5 to February 9, 1968, he guest-hosted The Tonight Show, replacing Johnny Carson, and interviewed both Martin Luther King Jr and Senator Robert Kennedy. He began using his popularity for Humanitarian Activism and the Civil Rights Movement. His recording activity slowed down considerably, and Calypso Carnival (1971) was his fifth and final calypso album. He made his last album for RCA Victor in 1974.
- Harry BelafonteA good looking man, he starred in several films. He first appeared in Bright Road (1953) opposite Dorothy Dandridge. They starred together again in Otto Preminger’s hit musical Carmen Jones (1954). Subsequently, he was able to take several
Disillusioned with most of the film roles offered to him he concentrated on music during the end of the 1950s and 1960s. In 1959 he starred in Tonight With Belafonte, a nationally televised special that featured the black singer “Odetta” (Odetta Holmes). Belafonte was the first Jamaican-American to win an Emmy for Revlon Revue: Tonight with Belafonte (1959).
Two live albums recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1959 and 1960 enjoyed critical and commercial success. He was one of the singers chosen by
Belafonte spent most of the mid-1970s to early 1980s on tour in Japan, Europe and Cuba. Turn the World Around (1977) was released by Columbia Records – but not in the United States. It had a strong focus on world music. Back in the US he appeared on The Muppet Show in 1978 and performed a memorable spiritual song Turn the World Around with the Muppets resembling African tribal masks. It was Muppet creator Jim Henson’s favourite episode – repeated at his Memorial Service.
“Each and everyone of you has the power, the will and the capacity to make a difference in the world in which you live in.”
“You can cage the singer but not the song.”
Belafonte made two films with Sidney Poitier: Buck and the Preacher (1972); and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). He then produced and scored the musical film Beat Street dealing with the rise of hip-hop culture.
Several years later, in the mid 1990s, he appeared with John Travolta in the race-reverse drama White Man’s Burden (1995); and the next year in Robert Altman’s jazz-age drama Kansas City (1996) – for which he received the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in the TV drama Swing Vote (1999). Seven years later he appeared in Bobby (2006), the drama about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. Finally in 2018 he appeared in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman as an elderly civil rights pioneer.
Belafonte’s deep commitment to USA for Africa in the mid-1980s saw a renewed interest in his music, culminating in a record deal with EMI and his first album in over a decade: Paradise in Gazankulu (1988). The album contained ten protest songs against the South African Apartheid policy and is his final studio album. As UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador he attended a symposium in Harare, Zimbabwe, to focus on child survival and development in south African countries. As
part of the symposium he performed a concert for UNICEF.
After a lengthy recording hiatus, An Evening with Harry Belafonte and Friends, a televised concert, was released in 1997 by Island Records. The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music recorded in the 1960s and 1970s was eventually released by RCA Victor in 2001. Belafonte went on the Today Show to promote the album on September 11, 2001, and was interviewed by Katie Couric only minutes before the first plane hit the World Trade Centre. The album was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Historical album.
Throughout the 1950s, stretching into the 2000s, Belafonte performed sold-out concerts globally. His last concert was a benefit for the Atlanta Opera on October 25 2003. In a 2007 interview he stated that he had retired from performing.
“As a matter of fact, compromise is what oppression feeds on.”
Harry Belafonte was a dedicated supporter of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s and was one of Martin Luther King Jr’s confidants. As King’s family earnings as a preacher amounted to only $8,000 a year, Belafonte supported King’s
family. During the 1963 Birmingham Campaign he bailed King out of Birmingham City Jail and raised $50,000 to release other civil rights supporters.
BELAFONTE became the first Black man to win an Emmy. He won for Outstanding Variety or Musical Performance in 1960. (AP Photo)
she would not allow the special to be aired. The American press reported the controversy, and Lott was relieved of his responsibilities. The special was aired, and attracted high ratings.
Belafonte appeared on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on September 29, 1968 performing a controversial “Mardi Gras” number intercut with footage from the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots. The segment was deleted by CBS censors, although broadcast in full in 1993 in a complete Smothers Brothers re-run.
The Grammy Award-winning song “We Are the World” was helped by Belafonte and other singers to raise funds for Africa in 1985. He performed in the Live Aid Concert that same year. In 1987 he was appointed a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, following which he travelled to Dakar in Senegal where he served as chairman of the International Symposium of Artists and Intellectuals for African Children.
BELAFONTE in 2017 (Photo by Andy Kropa_Invision_AP, File)
In 1994, he launched a media campaign in Rwanda to raise awareness of the plight of Rwandan children. In 2001, he travelled to South Africa to support the campaign against HIV/AIDS. The following year, Africare awarded him the Bishop John T Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award. In 2004, he went to Kenya to stress the importance of child education in the area. He has also been an ambassador for the Bahamas.
Belafonte has long been a critic of US foreign policy, and has made inflammatory and controversial comments on the subject, as well as being critical of President George W Bush’s administration, and the 2003 Iraq War.
Colin Powell called Belafonte’s remarks “unfortunate”, but Condoleezza Rice was more direct: “I don’t need Harry Belafonte to tell me what it means to be Black.”
Belafonte was married to Marguerite Byrd from 1948 to 1957. They have two daughters Adrienne and Shari. On March 8, 1957 Belafonte married his second wife, Julie Robinson. They had two children, David and Gina. After 47 years of marriage, Belafonte and Robinson divorced. In April 2008, Belafonte married Pamela Frank.
He financed the 1961 Freedom Rides, supported voter registration drives, and helped to organise the 1963 march on Washington. During the “Mississippi Freedom Summer” in 1964 Belafonte bankrolled the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and flew to Mississippi that August with Sidney Poitier and $60,000 in cash to entertain crowds in Greenwood. In 1968 he
appeared on a Petula Clark primetime television special on NBC. During the programme when they sang On the Path of Glory Petula Clark smiled and briefly touched Belafonte’s arm. This simple act prompted Doyle Lott, the advertising manager of the show’s sponsor Plymouth Motors, to demand that the segment be re-taped. However, Clark, who owned the special, refused and told NBC that unless the segment remained intact
Belafonte has won three Grammy Awards – including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He received the Kennedy Centre Honors in 1989, and in 2014 received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Sixth Annual Governor’s Awards.
• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; and Harry Belafonte – Calypso (2013) by Michael Shnayerson.
Today, if one mentions the name Dundas it would very logically be identified with the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, successor to the Dundas Civic Centre, started by Lady Dundas, wife of the then Governor Sir Charles Dundas.
In his 1955 book, “African Crossroads” (He spent many years in on the African continent), Sir Charles wrote about his two tours of duty in the Bahamas, first as Colonial Secretary (1929- 1934), about which he wrote: “The system of government… was ‘representative’ but not ‘responsible’…ultimate responsibility was dubious, for neither the Legislature, nor the Governor, nor even the Secretary of State (in London) had full power of control.
“The Constitution derived from Stuart times (1603-1714) and had never changed…there was a Parliament, composed of an Upper Chamber, the Legislative Council, whose members were appointed by the Governor, and an elected Lower House of Assembly, the latter being the dominant body.
“The Governor’s position was comparable to that of the King, in Stuart times, minus the Star Chamber, Tower and other props of Royal authority, in those days. And, following the practice of Stuart times the House of Assembly was concerned to keep the Crown, that is to say, the Governor, under control. Moreover, again, as in Stuart days, the Governor, or Government, was virtually unrepresented in the House and, therefore, unable to enact any measure of its own authority. In short, the so-called Government did no govern. The Governor had only the negative power of veto and the prerogative of dissolution of Parliament, which was not always effective, because the same members were, nearly always, re-elected.
“Theoretically, this Constitution was unworkable, but it had worked for a couple of centuries, if creakingly and not always for the people…
“I found it intriguing to be involved in the operation of this antiquated machinery of government. It was part of the old-world life of this island colony. At all vents, it was cherished by Bahamians and there is
something to be said for a Constitution with which those who live under it are content.
“On the executive side, control by the administration was diluted, because almost every public department was controlled by a Board. On my arrival in Nassau, I received a message of apology from the Attorney General that he had been
unable to meet me – he was engaged on inspecting sewers! It seemed an odd occupation for the chief law officer, but it transpired that he was Chairman of the Water and Sewerage Board. It was customary for members of the Governor’ Executive Council to be chairmen of the Boards. An exception of that rule was the Board of Pilotage, whose
chairman was the Lord Bishop. His Right Reverence was wont to appear in clerical dress, gaiters and all, with a yachting cap…I was awarded the chairmanship of the Board of Agriculture and Marine Products.”
In 1934, Sir Charles returned to Nassau as Governor and was then transferred to the post Governor of Uganda in 1940, to make room for the Duke of Windsor.
• For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com
Christmas is a time for loving and giving, right?
Christmas is for us to find the joy of givingthe joy of sharing and maybe for a brief period, the art of forgetting self? Sound familiar or challenging ?
I hope that I am preaching to the converted here and that all of us are enjoying the preparations of Christmas and take pleasure making others happy.
Sometimes it is really easy to do something kind that adds a sparkle to somebody’s eyes or a bounce to their step.
Love of each other, love of all those living creatures who surround our lives. If you have a dog or cat, or some other pet, this is a very easy time to forget all about them because you are so busy getting things ready.
Having a party, shopping and buying gifts and then long hours of wrapping, and it is so easy in your determination to get it just right to manage to forget the very beings who always have your back, who guard you, care for you and do not judge you for those other 11 months of the year.
They are not January-toNovember pets, you know; they are dependent on you all 31 days of December too, and should not be left out of it now. They should never be forgotten.
Every year we have the following conversation, and I beg your indulgence if you have heard it all before and are thinking “Oh, my goodness, do you really have to say it all over again?” Yes, I most certainly do.
Pets are not appropriate gifts unless you already have the approval of the homeowner or guardian before getting the pet. Now, if you are a parent and you want to get your kids a puppy, that is awesome and wonderful, because you are the homeowner, the custodian of the kids, and hopefully you already realise that you will be doing most of the work.
If you want to buy a furry gift for a friend or relative, you need to make sure that the person who you plan to give the pet to is ready, willing and able to take responsibility of a living, breathing creature who needs to be fed more than once a day, needs fresh water always available, and access to a garden or the outdoors to do their business outside. Can you guarantee that the animal will have love and careful attention; will the pet have a safe and warm place to sleep? These are all essential for an animal to be able to settle into a new home.
It takes a dog quite a while to feel he belongs in a new home, even a small puppy. New voices, smells, different things expected of him, things he probably knows nothing about. So, is this the best time of the year to introduce a new pet into the home you are planning to bestow this new furry member? Maybe a gift certificate to the Bahamas Humans Society is the better option, so the person can go and pick out the animal they want to live with for the next 15 years themselves. It is a big commitment for sure, and a certain amount of thought has to be given to the matter.
Also is a dog or cat right for you or your friends? Maybe another animal might fit their lifestyle better, but
”Check me out! I’m dressed for the holidays!”
Kendico looks pretty snazzy in his built-in tux, and he’s ready to celebrate the holidays with you. This teenage cat is friendly and sociable
if you do get a bird or a fish, please get a container or cage big enough to allow the animal to move around easily and happily. I remember being told once that every animal should have an area they call their own, where they can go and sit quietly.
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. Whatever you gift your loved ones, please remember the less fortunate. It is so easy to come home to our cozy homes, pet running up to us to greet us, bellies full and tails wagging, but out there, not very far away, is more than one dog looking for a home; hungry, thirsty and quite possibly sick. People drive past them with eyes firmly on the road. Those animals are suffering.
We have in us the capability to make life better for the lonely ones. If every single person took up the challenge to help just one lonely animal, to find them a home, to feed them or take them in, if everyone in the Bahamas picked up this challenge, we would see a huge difference. But that is not going to happen, not now, not today or tomorrow, but maybe this will light a spark and rare moment of reality and shame.
They are our streets, now, should they be lost, homeless, hungry, frightened and lonely. Why do we allow this to happen on our watch?
After all, ‘tis the season of giving…
with humans and good with the other cats at the Bahamas Humane Society as well.
Kendico would like to have an awesome home in time for the holidays, and hopes you’ll be that home. Come to the BHS to meet him or call 325-6742 for more information. Kendico looks forward to hanging out with you.
• BHS Raffle tickets are now available! Tickets are $5 each or a book of 21 for $100. The grand prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from Super Value. The draw will be held on December 29. Tickets are available at the BHS or Fox Hill Nursery.
WHEN you’re fresh out of ideas, holiday shopping for the ones you love can be a drag. Add living on the islands where shops that offer a variety of items are few and far in between, and snagging great gifts can get even more difficult.
Filling the gap in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera, is the More Things Pop-Up Shop, back once again this Christmas season with the simple task of making holiday shopping easier for those on the island.
More Things is an intimate outdoor bi-annual pop-up market that features small businesses with locally made goods, apparel, accessories, home décor, holiday pastries, games, and more.
Talk of The Tee Boutique is one of the organisers, in conjunction with Tri Tu’s Governor’s Harbour and Pivotal Flow Advisors.
The event is set for December 16-17 on Cupid’s Cay.
“It’s a truly a great feeling to host this event for the third annual time,” said the event organiser.
As pop-up shops have become more and more popular in recent years, the organisers are enthusiastic about presenting their version to the island of Eleuthera.
“I can remember thinking of pop-ups before they even had a name. I texted my close friends and family and sent them a list of event names that I considered calling the pop-up, and the votes were all in favour of More Things. That is how technical I am. With my business, Talk of The Tee Boutique, being brand new last year, I had already had the experience of hosting a small pop-up in Nassau just to try things out. I was so nervous, but I had an encouraging group of people in my circle that told me to go for it. After that experience I said to myself, I can do this. I loved taking my brand on the road and meeting my clients face to face. So with all this in mind, I wanted to take this idea to my hometown, Cupid’s Cay, Governor’s Harbour,” said the event organiser.
“I reached out to my god-brother, Omar Micklewhite, who owns a food and natural juices takeaway spot. I ran the idea by him, as his location was the perfect spot to host the event. And from that day to now, we have been rocking. I am thankful for all the people that believed in this vision and me, especially my sister, Anya Ferguson.”.
This year, organisers are pulling out all the stops to ensure that the event surpasses expectations and offers something the whole family can enjoy.
“A lot of time and effort, goes into this,” they said.
“All team members have to be on the same page and deadlines have to be met to make it stress free. After getting your necessary licence approvals to host your event, because we believe in doing things properly, you should then attract your vendors. After that, it’s full force into planning. Yes, the goal is for vendors to make money, but it is also for vendors and shoppers alike to have an experience and meet business owners and shoppers that may have never had a chance to run into each other otherwise. You may not get that person as a client at the pop-up, but you may get them as a long-term patron going forward after sharing business cards and information.”
This year’s event will feature new elements like a Christmas photo booth as well as a 360-degree booth. The event will be hosted by Empress Shannie of Karaoke Royalty, music will be by Popstylers Entertainment, and hopefully Santa Claus will make an appearance.
This year’s More Things Holiday Pop-Up vendors include: Sweet Tehy’s, a dessert and pastry business; BeYoutiful Boutique, which is a clothing boutique; Cost U Less Bargains, showcasing its bath and body works, fragrances and candle products; Tri Tu’s most known for its natural drinks, healthy food options and Fish; Talk of The Tee Boutique known for their customs t-shirts, apparel and accessories; Lorria Mena’s - offering women’s underwear, lingerie and pyjamas; BB’s World Of Games - are a team that offers toys and games for both kids and adults to enjoy; Caribbean Sushi - most known for what the name suggest; Pineapple Splash - offering their wacky waffles, fruit lemonades, corn dogs, and more; Kracked Fruit will launch its sweet fruit products; Da Big Juica Smoothie and Juice bar; Sister Sister Sandals; Top Shelf Thick Girls Boutique; Basic Bling’s Children’s Clothing; KLK Aquatics; Aliv and Rev Bahamas.
“I always say this, but what I like about our selection is that there is always a little bit of everything in the shopping experience, just like last year. You may have someone out looking to purchase a fragrance at Cost U Less and find themselves over at Sweet Tehys’ eye-catching cheesecakes and brownies. Or someone looking for a custom tee shirt and end up getting a fish tank from KLK Aquatics. And while they are at it - grab a delicious snack or meal at Caribbean Sushi, Tri Tu’s, and Pineapple Splash.
“That’s what I love, the diversity in the selection. We want you to just park your cars, take your
time and walk around in an effort to support all vendors. The parents are going to absolutely love the atmosphere for the children, so we encourage them to bring the kids out in the safe and intimate space,” the organiser said.
Even as they prepare for next week’s event, the future is always on the organisers’ minds.
“No matter how big the event gets in the future, and it will…the idea is to always keep it in an intimate space. Cupid’s Cay is the home of Tri Tu’s, Talk of The Tee Boutique and Pivotal Flow Advisors. It’s our home so it means so much more. It’s more than an event space; it is a platform we are bringing to our doorsteps and something new for locals to learn about and enjoy. It’s also intimate and the goal is to keep it that way.”
For more information, follow More Things Ultimate Shopping Experience on Facebook and MoreThingsPopUpMarket on Instagram.