By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Governor General Arthur Dion Hanna was lauded as a staunch nationalist and one of the founding fathers of an independent Bahamas at a special dinner to mark his 91st birthday.

The revered statesman received tributes from former Prime Ministers Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie, both of whom credited his mentor-ship, and sitting Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling.

He was lauded for his contributions, particularly as the architect of Bahamianisation for which he held strong conviction.

Mr Ingraham said: “I am especially grateful for the support you gave me Hanna. When I was with you, when I was not with you, and to say on this ocassion not only are you a patriot and a nationalist but you are also a founding father of this nation. The first minister of education, part of a majority rule government.”

He continued: “And one of the things not many acknowledge or know but you opened the floodgates for scholarships for students to go to university. In fact, every Bahamian who got accepted to (University of the West Indies), everyone had their fees paid for by the government of the Bahamas, whether they got a scholarship or not.”

During his tribute, Mr Ingraham recounted his earliest political experiences with Mr Hanna - first in 1972 on the campaign trail in Abaco, and again in 1977.

He noted Mr Hanna always treated him fairly regardless of his political moves, but stressed he left an immeasurable impact on his political career due to his mentorship.

Mr Ingraham continued: “He was extremely fair to me and my constituency, in fact he did for me something that endured to my benefit throughout my public life. He decided that he would take me as a part of his delegation to every meeting of the IMF and world bank in Washington, Toronto, South America. For seven consecutive years I attended all those meetings, sat with him. He ensured that I had the opportunity to participate and he did his utmost to ensure he drilled into my head the ethics of government and whats good, fair and what is honest.”

Both men were close with Mr Hanna, and recalled eating lunch together on Cabinet days.

For his part, Mr Christie also paid tribute to Mr Hanna’s late wife Beryl Hanna, whom he described as integral to the political movement of the country, and the “wind beneath his wings”.

Mr Christie said: “He was the prime mover of (Bahamianisation) and as a minister he vigorously implemented, even to a point where others would be concerned of how forceful he was in putting Bahamians first, in as many circumstances as he could.

“(Mr Hanna) belongs to that school of public contributors who evidence the high principles of public life, all that is necessary as an example to young people today. The principle of incorruptibility, the principle of believing in what you’re doing, the principle of being able to relate not to those who have, but to a greater extent those who are without.”

Mr Christie added: “He was one of those men in public life who took principle conduct to the point where he was even prepared to pay the price that goes along with that. Hubert and I are here today because we share something every enriching in common with A D Hanna because however we want to view history, he stood with us. “