Courtesy of Broadcasting Corporation Of The Bahamas
On Sunday September 24th, the late Hon. Obie Wilchcombe gave what would be his final address to the Grand Bahama Women’s Branch of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).
Wilchcombe told those gathered before he became the Minister of Social Services he was not knowledgeable of what people contend with. He said, “I’m the father of hundreds of children now because they live in one of the homes whether its in Nazareth or Ranfurly, I’m the father. I’m the ward of the state. And the truth is the children who came to us are all children broken.”
Wilchcombe appealed to the women to find the issues and try to bring solution to them. He said, “don’t just do it when its election time only, let’s do it now. The Progressive Liberal Party, or party should always be in the forefront. Should we not be out there leading? Should we not be putting things together now? Should we not be organizing? Should you not be asking Social Services what are you gonna do we have 200 or 300 that need their mammograms? Should you not be putting pressure on your government to deliver the service not to be quiet because its your government. Its to demand of your government because that’s our responsibility.”
The late Minister also told the women’s group, “feed the poor, guide the youth and bring peace to every heart, that’s our responsibility, we introduced that. And if we did should we not get up off our feet, work with Social Services, organize.”
The Minister was pronounced dead the following day after being found unresponsive.
