Monthly Archives: March 2022

By Shanieka Smith & Deandrea Hamilton

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, March 12, 2022 Her life demonstrated that you begin in the pit, but you dont have to end in the pit.

Cynthia Mother Pratt, most popularly known as Mother Pratt, a Bahamian born, who grew up in an inner-city called Coconut Grove, came from extreme poverty but modestly walked her way up to becoming the second in command as the Deputy Prime Minister and the first female Minister of Defense for The Bahamas.

Her target with this inaugural book is young people, and her message is that their start does not determine their end.

A gated community, money, or privilege were not Mother Pratts easy climb out of the pit. It was her internal desires, hard work, discipline, humility, and determination. It was not until age 34 that Mother Pratt went to university; she sat, learnt, and graduated with 17 and 18-year-olds.

Nonetheless, I wanted to achieve my goal, she said.

At the time Mother Pratt went to school, students had to leave at age 14 if their parents could not afford the fees. She said she grew up in the lower class; that then and now is a major discouragement for people in similar situations. This was where the inspiration for one of her three literary contributions, From the Pit to the Palace, originated.

I want the masses to know, the world to know, that there is a woman who God brought from the pit, the gutter, so to speak and who emerged to the very top. If it happened for me, it can happen for them, she said passionately.

From the Pit to the Palace, an autobiography of Mother Pratt was published in January 2022. According to Mother Pratt, the book is for everyone young and old.

You have many adults who tend to give up on life because things didnt work out for them. They believe that they are a failure, and that is why the book will explain, and encourage, and enhance, edify, to tell them that there is hope, she expressed.

To reinforce Mother Pratts humble nature and soul message from her autobiography: she still resides in an inner-city after all she has accomplished.

And Dr Cynthia Mother Pratt has accomplished a lot. While her first term in service to people was in the teaching profession and as a sports coach, Mother Pratt and her escalating popularity attracted leaders in the political arena.

They had to almost pry me into first of all getting involved in politics, period, I never was interested; never been to a meeting. But what had happened at the time, I was at the college in Bahamas, I was assisting the director and there with student activities part-time lecturer, and I got a message there from the sitting Prime Minister that he would like to meet with me, she expressed.

There was an invitation extended and suffice it to say, there was a big fat no at the onset, but the Progressive Liberal Party and Perry Gladstone Christie, would not take no for an answer. Persistence paid off for Christie and an attempt, bound to fail from Mother Pratts perspective, turned into a 10-year career in politics, starting in 2002 until she retired in 2012.

A deputy party leader, the first for a woman in The Bahamas; a deputy prime minister who would go on to hold the prime ministers post during a time of illness for Mr Christie and numerous other ceiling shattering accolades. Yet none seemed to change her heart, which was first and foremost for God, then for family.

Mother Pratt has six children: three boys, an adopted son, who is now deceased and one biological daughter. She also has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pratts husband, Joseph Benjamin is also deceased.

They [my children] reminded me the other day, they said, mommy, we have never really had you for ourselves as our mom because you were always looking after somebody else. And at one time, I had six children in my house until at one point and my husband got to the point where he says Cynthia, dont bring another one in here, she chuckles as she reminisces.

Global prizes were also not unusual for Mother Pratt, but one presented to her in 2019 is truly cherished as it bears the name of one of historys most valiant freedom fighters. At a ceremony at her church, Prayer and Praise Assembly in Coconut Grove, the little girl from the Grove was awarded the Nelson Mandela Award for her long-standing commitment to community building, and it cemented that a book to chronicle this achievement must be penned. And so it was.

The thing about my growing up is that I was never satisfied with where I was. I always wanted to belong and when I say belong: belong to those who are trying to get to another level. I was not satisfied with one thing; when I got that I was never satisfied because I knew there was something better. And so I knew then there was something pushing me to say you can achieve it, you can do it, says Mother Pratt. She added that she was never afraid to fail.

On her porch is where she shared these fascinating nuggets and cherished memories with us; her front porch in the Grove. An area which she served and represented in parliament, and an area though often considered a shady side of Nassau town, is treasured as her launch pad, a stepping stone and the birthplace of her desire to be more.

The inner city is where we live, but we have to make it what it is. The community does not build us; we build the community, she said.

Dr. Pratt, who is admittedly social media shy adds that if you really want to make something of your life, you need to dig deep, pull your bootstraps up and know that if Mother Pratt could make it, then I can as well.

This former sports coach, who earned the name because she became such a positive force to young people, made it clear that little opportunities present themselves, and it is only fitting that young people grab on to them. The first step, she said, is to believe in yourself.

[Opportunities] are there, but you have to go out and get it. And in other words, God would have given them manna from heaven, but they had to go and get the manna. And that is how youre going to achieve because you must want to change.

I cant make you do it, but you must want it from within and then grab a hold of opportunities when they present themselves because it may not be there tomorrow.

From the Pit to the Palace is now available on Amazon at a cost of $20 dollars. It can also be found in Bahamas-based bookstores.

Undoubtedly, expectedly, the book authored by Mother Pratt will be a raw, real, humourous and inspiring account of a life that continues to be well-lived.

Read the rest here:

Expect an Excellent Read from Mother Pratts NEW BOOK, From the Pit to the Palace - Magnetic Media

By Shanieka Smith & Deandrea Hamilton

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, March 12, 2022 Her life demonstrated that you begin in the pit, but you dont have to end in the pit.

Cynthia Mother Pratt, most popularly known as Mother Pratt, a Bahamian born, who grew up in an inner-city called Coconut Grove, came from extreme poverty but modestly walked her way up to becoming the second in command as the Deputy Prime Minister and the first female Minister of Defense for The Bahamas.

Her target with this inaugural book is young people, and her message is that their start does not determine their end.

A gated community, money, or privilege were not Mother Pratts easy climb out of the pit. It was her internal desires, hard work, discipline, humility, and determination. It was not until age 34 that Mother Pratt went to university; she sat, learnt, and graduated with 17 and 18-year-olds.

Nonetheless, I wanted to achieve my goal, she said.

At the time Mother Pratt went to school, students had to leave at age 14 if their parents could not afford the fees. She said she grew up in the lower class; that then and now is a major discouragement for people in similar situations. This was where the inspiration for one of her three literary contributions, From the Pit to the Palace, originated.

I want the masses to know, the world to know, that there is a woman who God brought from the pit, the gutter, so to speak and who emerged to the very top. If it happened for me, it can happen for them, she said passionately.

From the Pit to the Palace, an autobiography of Mother Pratt was published in January 2022. According to Mother Pratt, the book is for everyone young and old.

You have many adults who tend to give up on life because things didnt work out for them. They believe that they are a failure, and that is why the book will explain, and encourage, and enhance, edify, to tell them that there is hope, she expressed.

To reinforce Mother Pratts humble nature and soul message from her autobiography: she still resides in an inner-city after all she has accomplished.

And Dr Cynthia Mother Pratt has accomplished a lot. While her first term in service to people was in the teaching profession and as a sports coach, Mother Pratt and her escalating popularity attracted leaders in the political arena.

They had to almost pry me into first of all getting involved in politics, period, I never was interested; never been to a meeting. But what had happened at the time, I was at the college in Bahamas, I was assisting the director and there with student activities part-time lecturer, and I got a message there from the sitting Prime Minister that he would like to meet with me, she expressed.

There was an invitation extended and suffice it to say, there was a big fat no at the onset, but the Progressive Liberal Party and Perry Gladstone Christie, would not take no for an answer. Persistence paid off for Christie and an attempt, bound to fail from Mother Pratts perspective, turned into a 10-year career in politics, starting in 2002 until she retired in 2012.

A deputy party leader, the first for a woman in The Bahamas; a deputy prime minister who would go on to hold the prime ministers post during a time of illness for Mr Christie and numerous other ceiling shattering accolades. Yet none seemed to change her heart, which was first and foremost for God, then for family.

Mother Pratt has six children: three boys, an adopted son, who is now deceased and one biological daughter. She also has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pratts husband, Joseph Benjamin is also deceased.

They [my children] reminded me the other day, they said, mommy, we have never really had you for ourselves as our mom because you were always looking after somebody else. And at one time, I had six children in my house until at one point and my husband got to the point where he says Cynthia, dont bring another one in here, she chuckles as she reminisces.

Global prizes were also not unusual for Mother Pratt, but one presented to her in 2019 is truly cherished as it bears the name of one of historys most valiant freedom fighters. At a ceremony at her church, Prayer and Praise Assembly in Coconut Grove, the little girl from the Grove was awarded the Nelson Mandela Award for her long-standing commitment to community building, and it cemented that a book to chronicle this achievement must be penned. And so it was.

The thing about my growing up is that I was never satisfied with where I was. I always wanted to belong and when I say belong: belong to those who are trying to get to another level. I was not satisfied with one thing; when I got that I was never satisfied because I knew there was something better. And so I knew then there was something pushing me to say you can achieve it, you can do it, says Mother Pratt. She added that she was never afraid to fail.

On her porch is where she shared these fascinating nuggets and cherished memories with us; her front porch in the Grove. An area which she served and represented in parliament, and an area though often considered a shady side of Nassau town, is treasured as her launch pad, a stepping stone and the birthplace of her desire to be more.

The inner city is where we live, but we have to make it what it is. The community does not build us; we build the community, she said.

Dr. Pratt, who is admittedly social media shy adds that if you really want to make something of your life, you need to dig deep, pull your bootstraps up and know that if Mother Pratt could make it, then I can as well.

This former sports coach, who earned the name because she became such a positive force to young people, made it clear that little opportunities present themselves, and it is only fitting that young people grab on to them. The first step, she said, is to believe in yourself.

[Opportunities] are there, but you have to go out and get it. And in other words, God would have given them manna from heaven, but they had to go and get the manna. And that is how youre going to achieve because you must want to change.

I cant make you do it, but you must want it from within and then grab a hold of opportunities when they present themselves because it may not be there tomorrow.

From the Pit to the Palace is now available on Amazon at a cost of $20 dollars. It can also be found in Bahamas-based bookstores.

Undoubtedly, expectedly, the book authored by Mother Pratt will be a raw, real, humourous and inspiring account of a life that continues to be well-lived.

Read the rest here:

Statement For The Recommencement of Regattas and Homecomings - Magnetic Media

Dear Editor,

I know that last week I should have been celebrating International Womens Day (March 8th), but I just did not feel that inspired at all. Sadly, the last few months have been quite brutal for women in The Bahamas. We still do not have Marital Rape Laws, equality in citizenship, equality in pay and opportunity or fair, proportional representation in our government.

I would have loved to have been thrilled about the day. I would have loved to celebrate with my daughter and reassure her that all would be well, that her life as a Bahamian woman would not be one exhausting battle after another. That she wouldnt have to fight too hard to be seen as equal to her male counterparts. That she would never have to explain why her no means NO, or why she should get paid the same as a man doing the same work she will do. But, sadly we are still not there.

While I should have been happy to see women smiling and posing with the break the bias stance, which was featured all over our local newspapers and on social media I wasnt. Im proud of the message break the bias held up by so many women (and some men). As women, we know the cost of that bias and inequality. It should have felt empowering, but it didnt. Against the backdrop of the many stories of violence perpetrated against women locally, the gap between where we are and where we need to be is more glaring than ever. It feels superficial when our most fundamental rights, protection and access to opportunity remain so unequal and, simply, just wrong.

I dont think I can blame this failure entirely on successive Governments. Members of government on both sides of the political divide have promised us and promised international bodies that they would make womens rights a priority. They have regaled us with stories of how much they respect women, how they value the contributions of women, and how they want a fair and safe world for their own daughtersand yet NOTHING. In fact, these last few weeks have seen our elected officials back-peddle so far in this regard that theyve now deemed the word rape TOO HARSH to assign to men who rape their wives. No matter how often they tell us that the rights of women are important, their actions tell us differently. We are still not where we need to be.

Even more distressing is how many women are also party to their continued oppression. The now-viral video of a woman speaking at a recent PLP mens meeting .. you know youre not sexy, youre not easily arousedthen stay single!. Her contribution made me angry but I was equally devastated for the countless women in this country who suffer silently in their homes, those women dealing with such horrific family situations, women who I am sure dont feel ready or sexy when enduring abuse at the hands of their spouses. I dont know the woman in the video but her comments were unbelievable. Unfortunately, as women, many of us dont feel we should have the same rights, opportunities and protection men do. At first, I wanted an apology, not just for myself but to all womenbut why single her out, after all, she is just one of the countless reasons why we are still in the same situation as we have been for decades.

This letter is not about garnering pity. I dont want anyone to feel sorry for womankind. Instead, I want to remind my fellow women, mothers, sisters, work colleagues, friends on all political sides, neighbours, and daughters that the battle is not over. Remember, one day will never give us equality. While we celebrate the wins of women everywhere, we must never become complacent because we are still not there.

Please, friends, consider your fellow woman. You know the one who wears too much make-up because shes been beaten and shes hiding a bruise. Or the girlfriend who agrees to go back to the violent boyfriend who promises he will be better. Or to our daughters who we have to remind to watch their drink so it does not get spiked, or to never walk home alone, and to put your keys in your hand, or carry mace to be safe.

If we are going to be equal, then we have to stand together, no matter what. And together say ENOUGH is ENOUGH. And when our laws change and we are treated as equals, in a country where there are more women than men then I think we, as Bahamian women, can truly celebrate along with our sisters (and brothers) around the world.

Sarah Kirkby

Continue reading here:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Not Feeling this year's International Women's Day we are still not there! - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Patrick J. Bethel High School on Abaco is expected to receive several supply teachers to address the ongoing teacher shortage and will return to face-to-face learning in a phased manner by this week, according to Minister of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin.

This comes after several teachers and parents of Patrick J Bethel High School and JA Pinder Primary School demonstrated and staged a sick-out last week to protest the shortages on the island.

Education officials have said the challenge stems from the housing crisis in Abaco in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

Speaking to the matter at Cabinet, Hanna-Martin said: The engagement of teachers is underway through the public service system but in the interim, we have recruited supply teachers who are trained experienced teachers, some of who have already retired, whove agreed to come back.

With this new injection of teachers, that would reduce pressures on teachers. We are actively tackling this issue of teacher shortage.

She said there was a staff meeting with those teachers who were briefed and it is expected that classes will resume face-to-face on a phased basis, starting with Grade 12 this week and building on the other grades.

This is a great breakthrough for the children and teachers of the community that surrounds that school, she said.

The education minister also addressed concerns surrounding the J A Pinder All-Age School in Sandy Point, Abaco.

She noted that the ministry has identified a principal who will be deployed to the school.

She said she met with parent and community stakeholders recently and a strategy was devised that would allow for that school to go face-to-face very soon.

She noted that the government has been trying to address challenges on the island on all fronts, including housing concerns, severe damage and housing concerns in the aftermath of the deadly 2019 storm, and perennial teacher shortages.

Hanna-Martin explained that the education system is short in key teaching areas, specifically generalists or primary school teachers and English and Mathematics teachers.

The dilemma is not so many physical bodies the dilemma is finding teachers in key areas where there is scarcity, she said.

So we have to consider how when we move forward how we can cause for the training of teachers in specific areas to meet the demand of what is required in the nation.

She added: We will seek to ensure that children are not compromised by this concern.

Read the original post:

Abaco schools to receive new teachers, some students return to face-to-face this week - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Captain Keino Knowles, grandson of an 84-year-old woman who was found dead in her home two weeks ago said yesterday he was shocked to learn that an autopsy report confirmed the Abaco resident was strangled to death.

This week, Acting Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said the victims son, who Eyewitness News understands is Sean Laing, was in custody and assisting police with their investigation.

Police initially classified the matter as a sudden death, but Fernander said information from the pathologist uncovered that Pearl Laing died from strangulation.

Knowles said while his family appears to be split, he does not believe his uncle, the youngest of Laings three sons, killed her.

At this point, I dont know what to believe, he told Eyewitness News.

I thought it was natural causes until the autopsy came back.

My mother demanded a private autopsy be done, but I thought she was overdoing it.

She had suspected foul play from the night of.

Knowles said his uncle has claimed he was set up.

He said: He is my uncle. I love him. He is not that type of person. He has my support.

Other members dont feel the same way.

He is innocent until proven guilty.

Knowles questioned how the person responsible for the death got into the home as only he and his grandmother have keys.

Asked if he could think of any reason why someone would want to take his grandmothers life, Knowles said he could think of none.

Knowles, who lives on Abaco and built a home near his grandmother to be closer to her, said he learned of her death via a neighbor.

Im just in disbelief at the moment, he said.

Its unreal to me. We lived together from [since] I graduated. I moved right next door. I work extreme hours, but I also have a lot of time off and in that time [I] and my grandmother would spend time daily.

I moved east thinking my grandmother would come and live with me and she still didnt come. So, I bought the property next door to Grammy and built a house there.

Knowles said: I love my grandmother. She is my heartstring. My uncle Sean loves my grandmother just as much as I do. Thats why Im still hoping this accusation is not true.

Original post:

HE IS MY UNCLE, I LOVE HIM: Grandson of strangled woman does not believe her son is responsible for her death - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Police have reclassified the sudden death of an 84-year-old woman as murder after an autopsy report revealed that she died of strangulation.

Acting Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander advised members of the media that a pathologist report completed over the weekend revealed the woman had injuries on the neck.

He said the woman was found by a relative in her Windsor Place home, off Soldier Road, on March 7; however, there were no visible injuries found.

Fernander explained that a relative called the police and said they met the woman on the floor alone in the home.

The victims son is currently assisting police with the investigation, he said.

Fernander couldnt confirm how long the woman had been dead before she was found, or whether it was her son who made the call.

He noted that there are several other relatives who also live in the home.

The acting commissioner also provided an update on another suspicious death under investigation.

He advised that skeletal remains were recently found in a well-field off Carmichael Road.

He said police found clothing and identification nearby and are following significant leads.

However, Fernander said a cause of death and identity cannot be confirmed until after the autopsy.

Its being investigated as a suspicious death for now, he said.

Continue reading here:

SUDDEN DEATH TO MURDER: Autopsy reveals 84-year-old woman strangled - EyeWitness News