Bahamas News
Author Former Governor General Orville Turnquest Toiled 15 Years on the Historic, Revealing
Nassau, Bahamas, December 2, 2016 – With a foreword by Sir Sidney Poitier and praise from leading Bahamians, Sir Orville Turnquest’s new book What Manner of Man is This? The Duke of Windsor’s Years in The Bahamas, unsparingly examines the character of the man who abdicated the throne of England and was appointed Royal Governor of The Bahamas from 1940-1945, a post that he considered banishment rather than the honour it was.
Author Sir Orville Turnquest served as the fifth Governor General of an independent Bahamas from 1995-2001, uniquely qualifying him to address this historical subject. He began writing the history of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s years in The Bahamas when he left the governor’s mansion, Mount Fitzwilliam. Fifteen years later, the book What Matter of Man is This? The Duke of Windsor’s Years in The Bahamas, will hit book stores December 5. The book sheds new light on the reign of the Royal Governor and on the lives of Bahamians during the tumultuous backdrop of World War II.
Fifteen years after former Governor General Sir Orville Turnquest pledged to dedicate his literacy prowess and fascination with history to writing the story of the Duke of Windsor’s reign in The Bahamas, his much-anticipated work, What Manner of Man is This, The Duke of Windsor’s Years in The Bahamas, will hit local bookstores on December 5. The book, now available in hardcover and paperback, will also be sold through online retailers shortly after publication in paperback and e-Book editions.
An official launch will be held at Government House with a small group of family, friends from The Bahamas Historical Society, Historic Bahamas Foundation and media. Sir Orville, who served as Governor General from 1995-2001, will present the first copy of the book to the current Governor General Lady Marguerite Pindling with a brief ceremony celebrating the book’s worldwide publica
tion.
Although many books have been written about the royal couple, Sir Orville’s incisive book is the only one that focus exclusively on the Duke’s administration while Royal Governor of The Bahamas from 1940-1945 after he abdicated the throne as King of England in order to marry the twice-divorced Mrs. Wallis Simpson.
While the world reveled in what was portrayed as both one of the greatest love stories of all time and the scandal of the century, the reality for The Bahamas was that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor viewed his assignment as Royal Governor as severe punishment, banishment to a far-flung island country without any of the trappings of a royal life. Though they gave of themselves personally in times of crisis, they never truly warmed to the people of the island nation, nor did they reciprocate the warmth with which Bahamians showered them.
As World War II raged, disrupting lives globally including in The Bahamas, the Duke of Windsor was both symbolic of the superiority of royalty and symptomatic of the times. Turmoil surrounded his tenure in this island nation – the Burma Road Riots, the Bay Street Fire, The Project, The Contract and the still-unsolved murder of Sir Harry Oakes, the richest man in the world at the time.
The Duke’s friendship with a German industrialist who had taken refuge in The Bahamas during the war further aroused suspicion and, moreover, he never denied his affiliation and friendship with those who British allies would have considered their most bitter enemies. He also never entertained a black Bahamian at Mount Fitzwilliam (Government House), though black Bahamians were so excited to see the ‘romantic couple’ that they insisted on a ceremony at Clifford Park to welcome them to The Bahamas when only a private ceremony had been planned.
Diane Gedymin, publisher of Grant’s Town Press, states that, “This incisive book reveals the Duke and Duchess as racially biased, unwilling to disturb the status quo, and who fell far short of making a positive impact during his tenure.”
In the foreword, Sir Sidney Poitier calls the book “an unvarnished fresh look” at a crucial period in Bahamian history. He points out that the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s time in The Bahamas was not unlike apartheid, and notes that although the term was never used, the foundation was there – economic and political rule by a white oligarchy.
Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham called the work “insightful, informative.” Turnquest, he said, “has produced an easy, readable history of the period, well-informed by his own personal experience as a young black, who overcame the absence of the opportunities gifted to the Duke of Windsor to become the Duke’s successor in the office of governor general of an independent Bahamas.” Other praise came from Tribune publisher Eileen Carron, two former Governors General Sir Arthur Foulkes and Dame Ivy Dumont and from Lyford Cay resident Harry Oakes.
The book will be available at all major book stores in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island and Abaco as well as the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and The Linen Shop on Bay Street, Nassau. The hardcover edition will be available at $35 and paperback for $25.20 and the eBook on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, iBooks and other eBook retailers worldwide. Publisher is Grant’s Town Press (www.grantstownpress.com).
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – An American woman has been arrested in The Bahamas, accused of conspiring with two men, one of them alleged to be her lover, to murder her estranged husband.
The woman, 36 year old Lindsay Shiver and the two men, 28-year-old Terrance Bethel, the alleged lover and 29 year old Faron Newbold, were taken into custody last week following police investigation of a reported burglary at
Grabbers Bar and Grill restaurant on Great Guana Cay.
The police looked into their cell phones and found WhatsApp messages detailing the assassination plot to kill her husband.
The couple, who built a life in South Georgia have three children and are home owners on the island in the Abacos.
News outlets throughout the US have reported on the scandalous story, including that a nasty court battle over the couple’s reported, $5 Million dollar fortune and three children was underway. Shiver, an entrepreneur is a former beauty Alabama queen, her husband a former football player was an insurance executive.
According to US media, the husband, Robert, recently filed for divorce from Shivers after a decade of marriage upon discovering she had an alleged extra-martial affair with Bethel whom she met in The Bahamas.
While the husband claims infidelity on the part of his wife, the wife claims he was abusive.
The suspects Shiver, Bethel and Newbold appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on Friday July 28th. Their next court date is set for October 5th.
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – The Bahamas is now facing an unfortunate reality as sexual assault has become and is a growing issue since 2023. Women and girls are said to be living in fear for their safety from these perpetrators.
The Royal Bahamas Police force has reported on instances of assault in press releases found on their Facebook page.
One report spoke of a 50 year old they were searching for after he burglarized a home and sexually assaulted an elderly woman, 82 years old. She was reported to be asleep when he woke and assaulted her.
This took place on Tuesday July 11th, 2023 at the home in the Centreville area of Nassau.
There is another incident that took place on July 17th, 2023 which the police are seeking in catching the suspect as they investigate. It involves a man believed to the perpetrator in for an armed robbery and sexual assault.
According to preliminary data, he approached the victim, a female, with a firearm, robbed her and sexually assaulted
her. He proceeded to enter the house and robbed a male and escaped. This happened in the Cowpen Road area; also in Nassau.
The assaults continue to grow in number as the police reported that they were investigating two other incidents that took place on July 24th.
The first had to do with a female, 30 years old who reported she was driving on West on Marshall Road when two men approached her after she slowed down near Faith Avenue. One of the males with a firearm, forced her from her vehicle and took her to nearby bushes where they sexually assaulted her after which they escaped.
The second incident involved à 32 year old woman who was sexually assaulted by a male known to her. It is reported that she was walking in the Fleming Street area when she accepted transportation from the suspect, who drove her to a dirt road off Gladstone Road where he presented a firearm and proceeded to rape her.
Furthermore, another assault, this time involving a 9 year old girl, was reported. As revealed by preliminary information, the victim was playing with friends outside where she lives on Saturday July 29th, 2023 when the suspect, a 42 year old male of Summerset Estate, driving a white Nissan Skyline, arrived and gestured to her to enter the car.
She entered the car after which he took her to an unknown location, threatened her and sexually assaulted her. She was later found somewhere in Spikenard Road; this also happened in Nassau.
Fortunately, he was caught and arrested for abduction and sexual assault on Sunday July 30th by officers affiliated with the Drug Enforcement Unit.
There are other reports of sexual assault throughout The Bahamas as well as rape and attempted rape during the earlier parts of the year, dating back to as early as February.
CAPTION: Women Leaders, including Ann Marie Davis, wife of the Prime Minister filled the gallery of The Bahamas Senate this week as members of the upper chamber debated the Protection Against Violence Bill 2023. The debate came just as the country experiences a spike in sexual assaults against women and girls. Photo by Patrick Hanna, BIS.
#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2023 – On August 3rd, 2023, Premier Misick met with the Leader of the
Opposition of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the Honorable Michael Pintard. The discussion was highly productive, and they delved into matters of mutual concern between their neighboring nations. Hon. Pintard was accompanied by other opposition members, including Senator the Honorable Darren Handfield and Mr. Joshua Sears.
Group photo caption:
From Left to Right: Mr. Joshua Sears, Senator Hon. Darren Hendfield, Premier Hon. Charles Washington Misick, Bahamas Leader of the Bahamas Hon. Michael Pintard and Deputy Premier Hon. Erwin J. Saunders.
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