By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ANGLICAN Bishop Laish Boyd said he has sometimes been disappointed in the behaviour of politicians and urged them to moderate their attitudes.

He delivered his commentary yesterday at the annual parliamentary church service.

“Many times in my lifetime, I have looked and listened to the activity in your respective chambers, and I have hung my head with disappointment,” he said. “I say that to you in respect and in love and I challenge you to aim higher.”

He encouraged them to be agents of “de-politicising”, adding that party politics and partisan behaviour often overshadow national priorities.

“We cannot deny political affiliations and partisan identity, that’s life,” he said. “However, too often we allow them to tilt the balance, to cloud better judgment, to stifle higher thinking and to limit overall national development. Over the last 50 years, in my opinion, I have seen both political parties do this. To your credit, it doesn’t happen all the time, but it does happen, and I’m calling you to aim higher.”

“There’s too much emphasis on scoring political points, on ensuring that we win the next election, on upstaging and on tripping up others.”

“I know that this movement is strong and sometimes you have a difficulty containing your followers and your base. It is a real force to reckon with, and something that I know you grapple with constantly.”

Bishop Boyd expressed concern that many voters engage in what is commonly known as “pork barrel politics,” where voting decisions are influenced by personal favours done for them or their families.

He acknowledged the significant pressure this dynamic places on representatives in their constituencies, adding that he often prays for and encourages them. He noted that the challenges faced in the course of representative democracy are greater than many people realise, emphasising that the pursuit of such politics is a serious issue to contend with.

Bishop Boyd stressed the need for elected and appointed officials to elevate the tone of political discussions and behaviour to foster growth among their supporters and the entire nation.

He argued that meaningful progress would be impossible without a vision for a better political system, a desire for higher-quality engagement, and a commitment to challenging themselves and their constituencies to think differently. He emphasised the importance of bringing talents and ideas to the forefront, harnessing them to drive national development.

Without this drive and determination, he said, there would be little point in striving to build a better country.

Bishop Boyd urged officials during the church service to strive to “raise the bar”, encouraging them to be their best selves and to pursue what is noble and right.

He reminded them of the importance of maintaining a sense of national urgency, pointing out that they are not only parliamentarians but also voters, citizens, and children of God. He emphasised that their decisions directly impact the lives of citizens, including his own family, noting that the future of his children and grandson depends on their legislative actions. He added that while this responsibility may be immense, it reflects the reality of serving in their roles for the betterment of the nation, reminding them that “we only have one Bahama land.”