Bahamas confers highest national order on former slave

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The Bahamas Wednesday conferred the  Order of National Hero to a former slave as the country celebrated its 51st anniversary of political independence from Britain.

A statement issued by the Office of the Governor General said that former slave, Kate Moss, had received the Order of National Hero posthumously and that the National Honours Committee recognises her for her “timely and determined courage demonstrated against racism and slavery”.

In the 1820s, Henry and Helen Moss were plantation owners in Crooked Island. Kate Moss was a young house slave there. She was accused of theft, insubordination and insolence by the plantation owners.

“During her early service, Kate refused to mend clothes as instructed by her owners, and consistently refused to carry out negative orders from her 'owners'. Her refusals in the era of slavery, caused her repeatedly severe punishment from which she eventually died,” the statement from the Governor General's office noted.

“Abolitionists in England learned about the plight of Kate and called Kate 'Poor Black Kate' and when the authorities in Nassau heard about her death, they charged Henry and Helen Moss with murder. They were found guilty, and the magistrate sentenced them to pay fines totalling £300 or spend five months in Nassau's common jail.”

It said that Kate's death and her action against slavery became big news on both sides of the Atlantic in the late 1820s and 1830s, and it was used to strengthen the growing demand for the abolition of slavery, a movement in England led principally by William Wilberforce.

“Kate's actions to stand up for herself would become an act of defiance that was strong enough to make an impact on slavery worldwide and impacted on the history of The Bahamas and the world and must never be forgotten,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of CARICOM, Dr Carla Barnett said that since independence, The Bahamas has established itself as an example of remarkable socio-economic development within the region and has demonstrated an indomitable spirit to recover from setbacks and move forward.

”I express sincere appreciation, on behalf of the Community, for the leadership of The Bahamas in the multilateral arena on issues such as climate change, human rights, and the multifaceted crisis in our sister nation, Haiti. These are priority matters for the Region and The Bahamas has made significant contributions to advance the positions of the Community through its advocacy,” she added.

The Bahamas is a member of the regional integration grouping and Barnett said “it is fitting that the Community endorsed The Bahamas as host of the Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, noting your historic role as the first CARICOM Member State to serve on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

”The Community welcomes the continued active participation of The Bahamas, under your leadership, and joins the Government and People of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in celebrating your Fifty-First Anniversary of Independence and extends wishes for ongoing success, peace and prosperity,” she said in her congratulatory note to Prime Minister Phillip Davis.

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