By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 18, 2021 — I always looked forward to attending the Ecumenical Service held in Washington, D.C., annually as one of the major events held to celebrate The Bahamas becoming an independent nation on July 10, 1973.
Because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian in the country in 2019 and the ongoing impact of COVID-19 world-wide, major events celebrating our country’s independence – including the Ecumenical Service – were not held since 2019.
So, I want to personally thank Mikhail Bullard – with whom I worked for four-plus years when I was Press, Cultural Affairs and Information Manager at the Embassy of The Bahamas in D.C. — and members of the Bahamian American Association Washington Mid-Atlantic Region (BAAWMAR) for arranging the live stream of this wonderful virtual service.
Special thanks are also due to those who officiated: Bishop Delton Fernander, President of The Bahamas Christian Council and Pastor New Destiny Baptist Church, and Pastor Mario Moxey, Bahamas Harvest Church.
I did not get to see the virtual service live, but thanks to His Excellency Sidney Collie, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), who posted a reminder to tune in on his Facebook page, I was able to view the entire service recorded on YouTube.
Thank you Mr. Ambassador for continuing to do the excellent job you are doing as The Bahamas’ top diplomat in the United States.
As you posted on Saturday on your Facebook page, it was also good that scores of Bahamians in the diaspora, mostly in the DMV area, “turned out in droves” on Saturday, July 17, to celebrate The Bahamas’ 48th anniversary of Independence at picnic, which was also an annual event, but was not held for the past two years.
As you noted, “A wonderful time was had by all.”
It is my fervent hope that this COVID-19 pandemic will be history by next year and we can return to celebrating the anniversary of The Bahamas’ attainment of independence in the grand style to which we were accustomed.
Anticipating that this will indeed be the case, let me go on record now in suggesting that the featured entertainer at our 2022 independence reception in D.C. should be Sweet Emily.
Here’s a link to the 48th Independence of the Bahamas Service of Thanksgiving for the Bahamian Diaspora. https://youtu.be/y0P4FdluCzw
