GUEST COMMENTARY: BY CHESTER COOPER
(The Hon. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, posted this Independence Day message on Facebook that I decided to share with readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE as a Guest Commentary.)
NASSAU, Bahamas, July 10, 2022: What I love most about The Bahamas is not the sand, sun, sea and everything in between – though those are breathtaking.
What I love most about The Bahamas, what makes me proudest to be Bahamian, is the Bahamian people.
Those who were born here and those who have made The Bahamas their home make this the greatest little country on Earth.
We have vast challenges, of that there can be no doubt.
But our commitment to each other, to our values and principles and our enduring faith, stand out like a beacon in the night sky.
We have experienced bondage and storms, a quiet revolution and, for nearly the last half century, independence, along our journey, and it is just that – a journey; a never ending trek forward, onward, upward, together that requires great sacrifice but reaps great rewards.
As the milestone of our 50th anniversary of independence comes ever closer, we celebrate that 49 years on, we are more resilient and more prosperous.
We are a nation of self-governed citizens who see the promise our country still holds.
The Bahamas is our home and we work to keep it so that we may continue to build it for our children and their children’s children.
And we must always remember to ask the Lord to protect us and guide us in our determination.
On behalf of my family, and all Bahamians, I wish you a Happy Independence Day, Bahamas!
May the Lord continue to bless you all.
~ Your DPM
