Wife of Bahamas’ Majority Rule Prime Minister demands apology from the PLP

By Sherrica Thompson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, January 15, 2023 – Dame Marguerite Pindling, the wife of the first Prime Minister of The Bahamas, the late Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, on Tuesday, January 10, demanded an apology from the Minister of Public Service and National Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Fred Mitchell, for forgetting to acknowledge her in the protocols of a wreath-laying ceremony held in honour of her late husband.

During her remarks, Dame Pindling ruffled feathers but demonstrated stern finesse when she criticised the PLP government for making the Majority Rule Day celebrations too political.  She accused the party of using the holiday as a ‘stepping stone’ rather than a celebration of her late husband’s remarkable achievement and legacy.

“I come here today in respect of the work that my husband has done along with his other fellow workers in this country… and I do not want anyone to use this to pay him cheap because I will not stand for it,” she said as a matter-of-factly.

She also noted that Majority Rule Day was only possible with Sir Lynden Pindling, who negotiated masterfully when the black-led PLP and white-led party UBP were tied for seats after the general election.

“There was a man called Lyden Pindling who walked, talked, didn’t know a thing about South Andros until I had to go and tell the people that he coming to run against Cyril Stevenson, cause if we hadn’t put Pindling there, Stevenson would have won,” Dame Pindling explained.

Though the former governor-general’s demand went viral, captivating the interest of the nation as it was a surprise to many, she never got an apology from Mr. Mitchell.

Majority Rule Day is one of the most critical events in the history of the country as it commemorates the day The Bahamas saw its black majority represented more equitably in the House of Assembly.  The dramatic shift happened in 1967 and was the demise of the United Bahamian Party, a white led group of aristocrat Bahamians who until this event, had ruled parliament and the country with an uneven hand.

The day ushered in, what many said was a level playing field and greater fair play for Bahamians of all races, particularly those of African descent.

The comments of Dame Maguerite, also a former Governor General of The Bahamas has led to robust dialogue on how the day ought to be commemorated.

The wreath-laying at her husband’s gravesite, where she expressed her disappointment and demanded an apology was a PLP function.