'All Things Considered'

Sun, Mar 12th 2017, 11:37 PM

Nearly 10 years ago, I began to write a column in The Nassau Guardian almost by accident. Inspired by events going on all around us, I felt compelled to share my thoughts on The Bahamas and the direction it was going in letters to the editors of the local dailies. When The Nassau Guardian's editor suggested that I transform those thoughts into a weekly column, "Consider This..." was born.
For quite some time, several friends have strongly suggested that I collate the articles from the weekly columns into a book. Later this week, I plan to launch such a collection in a book entitled "All Things Considered".
Therefore, this week I would like to Consider this... What were some of the factors that motivated this author to write a weekly column about our beloved country?

The early days
Consider This... first appeared in The Nassau Guardian in the closing months of 2008 after Erica Wells-Cox, managing editor at the time, invited me to write a weekly column about some of the subjects that were covered in various letters to the editor that I had written. I readily accepted, although I did not have any idea that this weekly column would still be going nearly 10 years later. I was driven by an intense desire to chronicle my thoughts about some of the ongoing events in our society, including political, social, economic and general interest situations and developments that caught my attention, and that I hoped would be of interest to the readers of this column.
The column came on the heels of a 15-year parliamentary career, 10 in the Senate and a single term in the House of Assembly as the representative of the great constituency of Englerston, an experience for which I will be eternally grateful.
I entered frontline politics as a member of the Official Opposition. The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) had just lost the general election on August 19, 1992. My first term was perhaps the most challenging, because many of my close friends who supported the newly elected Free National Movement (FNM) government wondered if I had lost my mind by accepting Sir Lynden's invitation to serve as a senator at a time when the environment could best be described as belligerently and vitriolically hostile to PLP supporters and standard-bearers.
But that was understandable. There were many Bahamians who felt, that in the waning years of Sir Lynden's 25-year "reign", some PLP politicians had become disconnected from the average Bahamian, and that it was truly "time for a change", which was the FNM's election battle cry. The Bahamian people agreed, and so said, so done.
While in Parliament, I was privileged to be able to comment on matters of state at a national level. I was always driven by a burning desire to advocate for policies that would improve the common good.
Occasionally, while in opposition, I was criticized for commending the FNM government when, in my opinion, it was deserved and applauded when taking the government to task for policies with which I disagreed.
After serving 15 years in Parliament, from 1992 to 2007, the desire to be engaged in discourse on public policy had not waned simply because I was no longer there. Hence, my thoughts on national matters in letters to the editor, as I indicated, were a precursor to the weekly columns.

'All Things Considered'
Today, after nearly 10 years, the column is still published weekly in The Nassau Guardian. After being encouraged by many persons, especially Sir Arthur Foulkes; Sean McWeeney, QC; Sir Franklyn Wilson and the late John Dean, formerly Fr. Bonaventure Dean (the former prior of St. Augustine's Monastery and headmaster of St. Augustine's College), I finally decided to compile a series of articles into a first volume of "All Things Considered".
I was equally inspired to write the book by the desire to compile a selection of articles that would potentially reach an even larger audience. This first book chronicles 89 selected articles from 2008 to 2012 from a total of approximately 200 articles that were written and published during that period.
Topics in the first volume range from the goals of governance to the fundamental function of the fourth estate; from the behemoth Baha Mar project, which at the time was in its infancy, to the precariousness of politics, policy formulation and national development.
This collection will remind both the regular and the first-time reader of these columns, of the scope of history contained in these years, from the struggles of the third non-consecutive Ingraham administration to the riveting run-up to and astonishing aftermath of the 2012 general election.
Also included in this collection are features about Bahamian history, reflections on what our realities should be for the best Bahamas possible, and commentaries about our leaders, past and present.
This book contains information and opinions about The Bahamas, all shaped by my primary purpose to encourage readers to consider subject matters from alternative perspectives and features illustrations from the "Sideburns" archives of Stan Burnside, which creatively capture in cartoons the essence of the book's 13 chapters.
The book is dedicated to my parents. "All Things Considered" was extensively edited by Patricia Beardsley Roker and formatted and laid out by Sheila Bethel. The foreword was written by His Excellency Sir Arthur Foulkes with an introduction by Sean McWeeney, QC. There are other important persons who have provided critical commentary on various articles throughout the period covered who are acknowledged in the book.

From author to reader
One of the most fascinating experiences that I encountered while reviewing the articles that were selected for the first volume, was the completely different perspective I developed as I found myself transformed from author to reader.
Each week as I prepared to write the column, I reflected on the myriad of factors that impacted the subject matter on which I proposed to write. After much reflection, research and fact-checking, I committed my thoughts to paper. Once completed, rarely did I return to read the pieces unless I received a critical comment that challenged the point that I sought to make or needed clarification from a reader.
However, in the past six months while preparing this volume, I was amazed, and at times even impressed, at how prescient some of the articles were. It was almost as if time stood still, and in some instances, some of my prognostications many years ago came true.

Conclusion
It is a singular honor and privilege to be afforded the opportunity to address the nation, sometimes even reaching far beyond our shores, on a weekly basis. It is a responsibility that I take very seriously. There is an awesome burden to be accurate, fair, objective, balanced and, above all, honest in the views that are proffered each week. I am still amazed by and grateful to the many persons from all walks of life who regularly encouraged me to continue to write.
I would like to publicly thank the publishers of The Nassau Guardian for their continued confidence in this columnist and the many readers who have regularly commented on my submissions. My dedication to contribute to the public discourse each week is truly a labor of love. Invariably, I honestly feel that I have benefited more by thrashing out and mulling over ideas and researching the subjects about which I wrote than those who read the column. Hence, my weekly writing has become, for me, a continuous educational exercise.
In his introduction to "All Things Considered", Sir Arthur Foulkes observes: "The print medium with its professional journalists, editorialists and columnists has played an indispensable role in the development of modern democratic societies." I trust that those who read this book will agree that in some small measure my writing has contributed to the national discourse and can be viewed as eventually assisting in the advancement of our society.

o Philip C. Galanis is the managing partner of HLB Galanis and Co., Chartered Accountants, Forensic & Litigation Support Services. He served 15 years in Parliament. Please send your comments to pgalanis@gmail.com.

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