Victory or Enslavement

The Nassau Herald — PAGE SIX
Victory OR Enslavement
BY CHRAY CURIO
A RING OF SOLID STEEL

You, the Negroes of this Colony, have my greatest sympathy as well as my wholeheartedly support in this your struggle to throw off the yoke of oppression that has been kept upon you from "olden times until now".

I feel it my duty as a human like yourselves and also a Christian at heart to speak to you as one who's well conversant with all the plans which have been and still is being initiated to keep you in darkness about things which are happening behind the Bay Street Iron Curtain — things which will ultimately reduce even the small chances of freedom which you seem now to enjoy.

Although I move with that group of Oppressors, I definitely am opposed to their aims and plans. I will continue to associate myself with them only for your benefit, so that I might be able to inform you and keep you up to date with all the happenings.

I realize, dear people, that I am white; but I consider myself no better than the Negro who possesses the same heart, flesh and blood and worship the same God which I worship.

Take a quick glance at the political set-up in the Bahamas today. What do you see? I am sure you will notice that Bay Street Politicians seek to put a ring of solid steel all around the Bahamas so that they might continue to dominate you.

What Districts are being invaded by this clique of oppressors of the Negro? Inagua, Grand Bahama, Andros, Cat Island, Exuma, Long Island or any other District which has been represented by a Bay Street politician will never be opposed by another Bay Street Oppressor.

Why? "It's real careful planning?"

One of the seats in the Assembly for Cat Island will be vacated by the coloured member in June, it is feared. Bay Street has planned it for Godfrey Kelly, a Negro-hater, to represent Cat Island.

Why couldn't Kelly contest the seat at San Salvador or Inagua or Grand Bahama. Oh, No! Kelly won't even try to contest the seat for Andros, for he fears that Basil McKinney and Philip Bethel (careful planners) are to firmly entrenched there.

Roy Solomon is needed on the Iron Curtain staff, hence no opposition from Bay Street.

Do you see the picture?

In other words, these men plan to trample you, the Negroes, on your own soil, in your own homes, for your own seats in the Assembly, for their own ultimate glory and gain.

These men, who think themselves too good to sit in your seats in your individual houses, covet your seats in the Assembly and try to fool you into allowing them to represent you.

You will be quite amazed to hear the comments these men will make of you after you have reposed your confidence in them. You are often called glutton, drunkard, fools etc., for allowing them to deceive you. They have decided to carry out the same tactics of catching you Negroes in the coming Elections with food, rum, false promises and money.

They feel as if those things are good enough bait to trap you. They think of you as being satisfied to remain in one stage (like the hog) all your days. They want your seats in the House of Assembly to effect their own selfish plans and give you in exchange for your freedom — your rightful heritage — rum and all the other material things enumerated above.

The Golden Rule says "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Why should white men who care nothing about coloured men seek to represent the coloured? One would say that there is nothing wrong with that. There definitely is nothing wrong about it if the Negro, as a consequence, could be reasonably assured of proper representation. This cannot be satisfactorily guaranteed you in this Colony where discrimination is as rank as poison and reigns uppermost in the hearts and minds of most of the white people.

Will any voter of Spanish, Wells, Harbour Island or Abaco give you, the Negro, a vote in preference to one of his own colour? I feel definitely assured that for you to offer yourself as a candidate for those places will be deemed a "disgraceful act" by those people. They, of course, will never let down their "conchy joe" race for you. Why then, should you take what little you may have and give to them instead of giving to your own race?

I grieve to see the ill-treatment meted out to you by men who call themselves your Representatives, but in reality, are enemies of your race. Of course, if you are a keen observer, you will readily see deception on the visages of all Negro-haters. They fit among you like square pegs in round holes. They have relentlessly time and again proven themselves dishonest even in the kind of representation they spasmodically give.

Too often have they come into your Districts and Islands and refer to the construction of a wharf or road or clinic as "results of representation" whereas, in nine...

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