Dear Editor,
The 14th annual Bahamian Shakespeare in Paradise (SiP) Theatre Festival actors were preparing to go on stage at the Philip A. Burrows Black Box Theatre on Friday night as I listened, aghast and incredulously, to our minister of tourism excitedly gushing about bringing Broadway to The Bahamas, New York style!
In my late husband, Jackson L. Burnside III’s letter to the press, dated February 12, 1992, he emphatically stated, “Few countries can compare with The Bahamas for creativity and innovation…
“The creativity of our people is our greatest resource…
“Our survival depends on the commitment of the leadership and the full appreciation of ourselves. By placing value and appreciating our native ingenuity, culture can become our most productive social, economic as well as political resource.”
Fast forward to 30 years later, and I am sitting down to my computer, once again, distraught and angry, to put pen to paper yet again to address the unconscionable foolishness that continues to discourage the talented creatives of this country and make us wonder why we cannot be treated with the respect and dignity we deserve by the powers that be — be they mustard or ketchup since there really is no difference with respect to this scenario!
Year in and year out, decade after decade, we, the Bahamian people, who are the world class creators and makers of the unique Bahamian Orange Economy, are bombarded left, right, and center with the very same infuriating ignorance that continues to stifle our development as a people and as a country. How will we survive when the powers that be remain oblivious to the obvious, and cannot see what they looking at — even though it is staring them right in the face? Frankly and sadly, the powers that be do not have a clue about all the amazing cultural things that are taking place in the very country they are supposed to be leading! And to add even more insult to injury, they do not even pause to ask, and seek, and find!
Yet they are ready, willing and able to go traipsing all around the world on our dime with huge questionable delegations to dialogue face to face with foreign, take photographs with celebrities, and spout off in front of cameras about bringing “udder people tings” home — at considerable expense I might add – to contaminate our own culture!
Are they ever going to get it? It means: be who you is not who you ain’t; drop ya bucket where you stand; put ya money where ya mout’ is; consider operating from the bottom up by taking care of we, the people, and our unique Bahamian culture, first; otherwise, say ya sorry, then shut up and listen, bring ya money, and register for ongoing classes on “Bahamian Culture: How to be a ‘true true’ Bahamian” 101, so we can learn ya!
P.S. and FYI: The SiP Theatre Festival runs until October 8 at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, which is located on Mackey Street next to the Ranfurly Home for Children. Tickets are $30 each and are unfortunately mostly sold out, but I am sure that the SiP administration team and cast would consider putting on paid encore performances for all the members of Parliament and Cabinet, including the huge delegation that traveled to New York, because you all need enlightenment – and as an additional bonus: attendance credits can also be applied towards your examination scores!
— Pam Burnside