By FARRAH JOHNSON

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Phillip “Brave” Davis said Bahamians must acknowledge where the country has come from in order to appreciate the progress it has made in providing all citizens with equal opportunities to succeed.

Reflecting on Majority Rule Day at the PLP’s walkabout on East Street Thursday, Mr Davis said the historic event has opened doors and given hope to many Bahamians.

“An exercise that I have done some years ago is to look into the Yellow Pages in 1967-1968 and look under the rubrics of our professionals and see how many Bahamians were there,” he said.

“For example, look at architects and you’d note that there were maybe about three Bahamian architects. Look under accountants and you’ll see about two, look under doctors and you’ll see about five. Look under the lawyers and you may see about 12.”

“And then, take the Yellow Pages of 1992 when the Progressive Liberal Party was voted out and compare and see the transformation of the professional class and how persons like myself, who came from the underbelly of this society, (managed to) reach the heights that we were able to.”

Mr Davis maintained that the number of Bahamians working in respectable professions today sum up what Majority Rule means to him.

“Majority Rule means that we ought not to be and don’t have to be limited by our circumstances once those who are in power and the policies of government release the shackles of oppression so that equal opportunity and justice will prevail for all,” he explained.

“Once that has happened, we Bahamians have that indomitable spirit and that desire to achieve. And once you allow that to happen, it will happen. Majority Rule meant that.”

Insisting the historic event released the country from the “shackles” that had kept it bound, Mr Davis also said the day “opened the public’s eyes” to a world of possibilities.

“Yes we may be barefoot today (and) we may be poor today, but there is hope,” he asserted. “There is that opportunity for me to do be whatever I would wish to be once I am aided by others (and) once I have that desire, commitment and dedication to be somebody. And every Bahamian I think, desires to be somebody.”