BY OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 3, 2019 – During my more than four years as Press, Cultural Affairs and Information Manager at The Bahamas Embassy in Washington, D.C. that ended shortly after the change of government in The Bahamas in May of 2017, I introduced a regular article on BAHAMIANS IN THE DIASPORA, highlighting the accomplishments of Bahamians living abroad.
Since establishing BAHAMAS CHRONICLE, I have occasionally revived that feature, as was the case back in August of 2018, when I featured Nicole Evans-Holder, a travel consultant who owns Lady Guliver Travels in London, in keeping with the core reason why BAHAMAS CHRONICLE was established – to keep Bahamians and nationals from other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries living in the diaspora up-to-date on selected news from their respective countries.
he response of Dr. Bert Williams, a Bahamian living in Frederick, Maryland, to the devastation caused to two northern islands of The Bahamas — Grand Bahama and Abaco — during the first week of September was initially the reason why I decided to write this article, but I quickly concluded that Dr. Williams would be an ideal choice for my BAHAMIANS IN THE DIASPORA feature.
In conjunction with Asbury United Methodist Church, Dr. Williams is hosting a “Jazz Brunch Pre-Holiday Affair” on Saturday, December 14, from which proceeds will benefit “Bahamians impacted by Hurricane Dorian.” The event is being held at Morningside Inn, 7477 McKaig Road, Frederick, Maryland, and is being headlined by sensational jazz vocalist Iva Ambush. Also featured will be pianist Pete Frassrand and violinist Rhaine Williams, who is the daughter of Dr. Williams.
Dr. Williams has roots in Stanyard Creek, Andros, an idyllic settlement in the largest island of The Bahamas where I was also born and spent my boyhood years growing up with my grandparents Ben and Mabel Elliott. He is much younger than I am, and I did not know him growing up, but I knew older members of his family very well. His family homestead was on the East Ridge almost opposite my grandparents estate on the West Ridge, right across the creek the separates the West and East Ridges of Stanyard Creek.
I actually met him for the first time while he was a student at Howard University in the 1980s when I previously lived in Washington, D.C. for 21 years. Bert had been a member of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and had studied at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, England, before he left The Bahamas to attend Howard University, where he became a very close friend of my son, Dwight Brown, who also was a student at Howard in the 1980s.
Bert was a frequent visitor to my apartment when I lived at 738 Longfellow Street, N.W., especially on Sundays, which was also true with regard to a number of other Bahamian students attending universities in the Washington, D.C. area in the 1980s.
I consider myself to be a fairly good cook, especially when it comes to Bahamian dishes, and religiously on Sundays, my apartment on Longfellow Street was the “place to be” for some Bahamian students, who could look forward to having a good Bahamian meal.
Here is an official brief biography provided by Dr. Williams’ office: “Dr. Bert Williams, MD, FACS is a board-certified urologist who has practiced for 20-plus years in Frederick, Maryland. He is the CEO and founder of Mid-Maryland Urologic Services, with offices in Frederick and Gettysburg. Pennsylvania. Dr. Williams also serves as a consultant in The Bahamas and has served as the Chairman of the Urology department at Frederick Memorial Hospital.
“Dr. Williams is a Diplomate of the American Board of Urology and the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is licensed to practice medicine and Surgery in the State of Maryland, the State of Pennsylvania and The Bahamas.
“Dr. Williams is a graduate of Government High School, Nassau, Bahamas; Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, England; Howard University and Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, D.C. He completed general surgery and urologic surgery training at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He currently practices urology in Frederick, Maryland, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
“Dr. Williams has received numerous honors and awards throughout his education and career. Some of these include induction into the American College of Surgeons, Washington Metropolitan Who’s Who among physicians, Consumer’s Research of America top urologists, multiple Top Doc Awards from Frederick Memorial Hospital and the Frederick magazine, Excellence in Medicine Award from Howard University Hospital. He is a member of multiple honor societies including Phi Beta Kappa, and the Golden Key National Honor Society.
“Dr. Williams is a member of the National Medical Association, American Urologic Association, Mid- Atlantic section of the American Urologic Association, the American Association of Clinical Urologists, the American College of Surgeons, Washington Urologic Society, Maryland Urologic Society and Pennsylvania Medical Society.
“Dr. Williams has done numerous presentations, nationally and internationally on subjects related to his specialty and has an interest in men’s health issues and female incontinence and pelvic floor issues.”
Dr. Williams and his wife Dr. Trevia Hayden, a psychiatrist, have a teenage daughter, Rhaine Elan Williams, a gifted violinist who will perform at the “Jazz Brunch Pre-Holiday Affair” on Saturday, December 14.
