Guyana/Bahamas Association – Keeping the Independence Flame alive

May 29, 2016 Countryman, Features / Columnists

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By Dennis Nichols
Located in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, The Bahamas, Caricom’s most northerly nation,

shares its history, and contemporary post-independence status, with much of the region. This includes, within the framework or regional cooperation, a cordial working relationship with other Caribbean countries, including Guyana, its most southerly ‘neighbour’.
It is therefore no surprise that an organization known as the Guyana-Bahamas Association exists and functions as a cross-cultural entity of connected interests among professionals there. Over the past quarter of a century, thousands of Guyanese have travelled to the 700-island archipelago to take up jobs within its public and private sectors.
Most of the Guyanese professionals in The Bahamas are teachers, so the fact that the association is made up of mainly these professionals, from public and private schools at every level of the education system, also comes as no surprise, although there are a few persons from other professions.
The Guyana-Bahamas Association was established in the capital Nassau, on March 30th 1996. One year later another association was formed on Grand Bahama, the nation’s second largest metropolitan area. One of its main aims is to foster unity through social interaction among Guyanese residing in that country, along with Bahamian and other non-Bahamian compatriots.
To this end, the association holds monthly meetings on the first Saturday of every month to socialize, take stock of itself, and plan future activities. The members usually meet at various school venues; the most utilized and accommodating being the C.I. Gibson Senior High School off Marathon Road in Nassau.
Recent meetings have, not surprisingly, focused on activities to mark Guyana’s 50th or Jubilee Independence Anniversary. During last week, the association’s Immediate Past President, David King, and Secretary, Melisa Pearson, gave a brief overview of some of these events.
Celebratory activities, they disclosed, kicked off with a church service at the Epiphany Anglican Church on May 1st and culminated with an evening of commemorative culture on May 26th. Between those two events, a T20 cricket tournament was designed as the highlight of the jubilee activities.
For that event, four teams competed – Guyana, The Bahamas, Jamaica, and a ‘Rest of the World’ eleven. Guyana eventually won after defeating defending champions, Team Bahamas, on May 16th at the Haynes Oval in Nassau. Team Guyana, led by a century from J. Jagroo, lifted the championship trophy donated by sponsors National General Insurance Corporation. (NAGICO, Bahamas)
On Thursday evening at St. John’s College, members and their families reflected on the significance of Guyana’s 50 years of freedom from colonial rule and the sometimes turbulent events that preceded, and followed, the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead on May 26, 1966. They did so in speeches, national songs, poetry, and an impromptu folk-song jam, and then feasted on a variety of delicacies including roti & curry, phulourie, cook-up rice, and Guyanese fried rice.
The day’s celebration coincided with the graduation exercise of Bahamas’ highest tertiary education institution, the College of The Bahamas. It was therefore an opportune moment for the Guyana-Bahamas Association to pay tribute to two young Guyanese who received their BSc. Degree in Biology, (with a minor in Chemistry) Deion Nichols and Nasika Meadas. Their efforts were lauded by the association, and by Guyana’s Honorary Consul to The Bahamas, Mr. Jairam Mangru, the evening’s guest speaker and himself a member of the group.
Earlier in the programme moderated by Mr. King, a minute’s silence was observed due to the passing of one of the association’s stalwarts, Mr. Terrence Jordan, who died recently in Guyana. Other items included a musical interlude by Mr. Wilston Anderson, a poem by Sasha Khellawan, the singing of the National Anthem and national songs, and the recitation of the Pledge by all present. The Golden Arrowhead was ubiquitous.
Secretary Melisa Pearson disclosed that over the years, the association has been involved in a number of social and community exercises. These include a book donation to C.I. Gibson, donations of food and clothing to charitable institutions, annual awards to Guyanese students who have excelled academically, participation in the annual International Cultural Wine and food Festival (held every October) and cricket matches.
The association was honoured in 2014 with a plaque from the Salvation Army which it helps with donations, as well as fund-raising activities such as cooking and selling local (Guyanese) food, the proceeds of which are funneled to that charitable organization.
According to Mr. King, donations have also been sent back home to local charitable institutions that cater to the needs of the destitute and to orphaned children. Ms. Pearson added that there is currently a drive on to purchase 100 bicycles which will be donated to the Guyana government sometime in July.
Members of the association voiced their gratitude for the sponsorship role that NAGICO has played in its activities since its first financial input in 2013, particularly in the area of participation in the International Food Festival, the hosting of the Awards ceremonies, and the cricket tournaments, including the provision of trophies, cash prizes, and cricket paraphernalia.
The association was scheduled to hold elections for office bearers yesterday, after which it will undoubtedly continue to recharge its efforts to keep Guyana’s multi-hued image and culture alive. For the time being, the independence jubilee flame burns with undiminished radiance.

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