Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt, the country’s 12th governor general, was sworn in on Friday and stated that during her tenure, she will look around and see where support is needed.
“We shall accomplish great things if we work together,” she said during her address, as she called for good citizenship to achieve the best for all, particularly the young, who should be encouraged to rise, those with special needs, who can progress to make a positive contribution to nationhood, and the elderly, who need an outstretched arm to help them live in dignity.
“Support the weak, lift the fallen,” she said. “I pray that, with God’s help, we will lift our eyes to the rising sun and build our nation in peace, love, and joy.”
Prime Minister and Minister Philip “Brave” Davis praised the newly-appointed Governor-General, whom he lovingly described to as “The Lady from Coconut Grove,” for her varied accomplishments and character.
“We are here today to honor a woman who has served in so many capacities – and with such dignity and grace – that she earned the title ‘Mother,’ a name that reveals the affection and gratitude of the many, many people she has cared for and helped throughout her storied career,” Davis said at the Induction Ceremony.
“The number of lives she has touched is in the thousands,” he continued. “I am not alone in believing that she has a special calling – an anointing, to say – to be a protector and comforter for the Coconut Grove community and many others throughout The Bahamas.”
