by Dr. Donald M. McCartney, D.M.

"It is never too late to move with purpose to a higher loftier plane. We need to rise above the divisiveness and acrimony and come together on common ground to build this nation." ~ Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor-General

These are fitting words by the Governor-General as she demits office. Equally, as fitting will be the commitment of all leaders in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to take to heart the wisdom and advice given. It would be most fitting for leaders in the home, church, school, business, and government to reflect the advice given, not only in their words but in their deeds and actions.

For too long, as a people, we have paid lip service to the principles that unite the Bahamian people. The focus, for too long, has been on what divides the Bahamian people.

If truth and honesty are to be recognized and spoken, it has been our national leaders, particularly our political leaders, who by commission and omission, have contributed to the scourge of divisiveness that has descended upon The Bahamas like the plagues that were sent by God upon the Egyptians for not heeding His demand to let His people go.

With such an excellent and timely admonition coming from Dame Marguerite Pindling, as she demits office in the shadow of the 46th anniversary of independence, as the ninth Governor-General since the achievement of independence in 1973, it is an opportune time to reflect seriously on her words.

Dame Marguerite Pindling knows well the import of the words of advice she has given because she has been a partisan political advocate, who has risen to the position of Head of State.

Dame Marguerite Pindling's days of political activism in and of itself may be seen by some as adding to the divisiveness and acrimony that exists in The Bahamas. It is a historical fact that there has not been one Bahamian Governor-General who has not been involved in partisan politics in one form or the other.

There may be those who feel that Dame Marguerite Pindling should not have been appointed as governor-general given the fact that she was the spouse of The Bahamas' first Premier and subsequently first Prime Minister, which in itself can be divisive and acrimonious. The fact of the matter is that she was appointed as Governor-General, and to her credit, she has been able to keep her head above the "political fray."

From where she sat, as perhaps the nations chief representative and diplomat, in the past five years, she has seen the negative impact that national divisiveness and acrimony can have on the national progeny.

Sometimes, in this life, Bahamians must learn that there are times when knowledge and wisdom can be gleaned from one's mortal enemy if they listen in the best interest of the national progeny. In this case, it is a woman, yes, a woman, who has benefitted much from the national largess of The Bahamas.

However, is not possible, if Bahamians would put their political and personal opposition and grievance aside and take their heads out of the "sand" the wisdom of Dame Marguerite Pindling's, the wisdom of her words taken to mind and heart will do The Bahamas and by extension Bahamians a world of good as they try to work their way out of the quandary, quagmire, and nightmare in which they find themselves. By so doing, the search for a better Bahamas found in the words of its national anthem may be discovered…

I conclude with the words of Mauricio Marci, "There is more that unites us than divide us." These words underpin and unconditionally support the message enshrined in Dame Marguerite Pindling's final address as governor general.

Let the change begin within the hearts and minds of every Bahamian…

The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of Weblog Bahamas (which has no corporate view).