her view was to mine: “if each before his doorstep sweeps, the village will be clean.” Our Carmichael is being that change you want to see. Nothing about Our Carmichael is political…
DSM: On that note, I understand your desire is not to get involved in politics. We’re living in this society though whereas we are to a great extent controlled by a government. They create the rules, they enforce the rules, or they don’t. How can a community with limited power ultimately be the best it can be?
REH: I think Our Carmichael proves that you do not need the government to bring about some of the immediate changes that you need. For example, we have 50,000 people in the Carmichael community whose homes are not insured; they built them out of pocket, for instance. They couldn’t afford it prior to us doing what we are doing.
We went to an insurance company representing these 50,000. We said, “You want people to sign up for insurance and we want our home owners to be insured; but, we can’t afford what you charge. That company sat down in that meeting, and they actually asked if we brought an agreement. They not only discounted rates for our community, but also turned around and asked us to take a percentage of what is collected and give to our community centre.
DSM: This is pretty powerful stuff. Do you not think then that this type of drive and leadership would be beneficial in our government?
REH: Yes, and that’s why Our Carmichael has transitioned to We March. We March is spearheaded by Our Carmichael.
We laughed so much at the beginning when we heard We March is political. It is the same Our Carmichael Board. We March was sparked by Our Carmichael. Our Carmichael belongs to the people. We have 14 board members and these persons make the decisions.
DSM: Would you say that your approach on religion is similar to your outlook on politics, which is, not following a particular group? Religion?
REH: I grew up in an environment with a number of different nationalities. When I went to college, the campus was equally split between Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and Rastafarians. I’ve never known prejudice, closed mindedness, racism. I wasn’t raised that way. I’ve never understood that, I’ve never been taught that, I’ve never lived that.
For me, I’ve was raised first by my grandparents who were Anglican, I moved to my parents who were Baptist, I went to a catholic high school. As an adult I attend an Anglican church but I also attend my wife’s Hindu church with her. There is only one God. All people are created by one God.
I don’t understand the prejudice and racism and the division, which is why I am so anti political parties. Political parties represent a divide. When the PLP is in power it’s a PLP
agenda; when FNM is in power it’s an FNM agenda. What I’m advocating for is a
Bahamian people agenda. It doesn’t matter who is in power, this national development
plan benefits all the people.
DSM: Afkft lyjf lf ltf f lj fg jf j fkl ljfy jhf lyfyuf ylf lyf yf luf d gfh fulyfrkdd kdt td tdk?
RER: Ay fuylf uyf yfh fytdesetesf jy fdr dkyd kf uyf y uf yuyufu kj fkuyfkkt dtdtkkh d tlf hfhgf rdksariyuypiligy jfyfdt d tf kyf kyf yufy f lfi yff hffyd krd kduyl fuy.
rap session