By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 25, 2023 –The Nassau Guardian today posted a poignant collection of photos on Facebook of the body of Minister of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe arriving in Nassau from Grand Bahama that I absolutely had to share with readers of my online publication BAHAMAS CHRONICLE, which has a huge following among Bahamians in the diaspora across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as well as in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean.
The Office of the Prime Minister issued a statement early on Monday morning, saying: “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Cabinet Minister Obediah Wilchombe, who served as Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting and Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly. Minister Wilchombe dedicated his life to public service and made significant contributions to our nation.”
Mr. Wilchcombe, a former Bahamas Minister of Tourism, was a former Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), whose headquarters is in Barbados. In a press release today, Kenneth Byran, the current Chairman of the CTO, said that CTO plans to honor the life and legacy of “this eminent Bahamian leader” at the organization’s upcoming business meetings and the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Turks and Caicos next month.
The Nassau Guardian posted the photos of Mr. Wilchcombe’s body arriving in Nassau with the following narrative:
The body of Minister of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe was flown from Grand Bahama to New Providence this afternoon. Wilchcombe’s Cabinet colleagues, many of whom were emotional, were present at Odyssey Aviation when his body arrived. The West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP died earlier this morning. PHOTOS: TORRELL GLINTON
