For the family of Don Saunders, former Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, life changed drastically after 9 pm on the night of March 27 when he was senselessly gunned down during a robbery.
This was Holy Week.
At 9:47 pm that night, I received an alert from the police that a male had succumbed to gunshot wounds in the area of Gambier Village and it was clear that the scene was still active.
At 10:06 pm I was informed by a colleague that the deceased was my friend and brother, Donald Saunders, former Member of Parliament for Tall Pines. At first I was numb and I summed up the victim to be someone with the same name, but then my coworker insisted it was my friend. I spoke with the ZNS news team to confirm and then quickly changed my clothes and reported to the crime scene in tears still hopeful that it was someone else.
Although less than five minutes from my house, Gambier Village seemed like a forty-mile drive that night. I arrived at the scene which was not only active, but charged with raw emotion, after all a twin brother, husband, father, community leader, church man and friend lay dead – gunned down like a commoner.
Don Saunders was no commoner, though. He was the son of Archdeacon Keith Cartwright, husband to Tiffany, father to Danielle and Don Don and I am proud to say a real and genuine friend to this writer, Tanya Smith-Cartwright.
Don, his brother, Anthony “Tinny” Musgrove and I were really good friends. We would hang out, talking politics and making predictions for hours on end. I felt both were good, intellectual talkers so I encouraged them to pursue careers in politics and in so doing, I always invited them to participate in political round tables on the TV shows that I produced.
Wherever I worked, my colleagues would know who Don and Tinny were, as I would drag them along with me wherever I went. They had to be there to talk politics and push their points to the max. Oh how I enjoyed how they could hold an argument better than anyone I knew – repeating the same line continuously until their opponent either agreed or “ran hot” as they smiled.
Don was the cooler head, but I kept a watchful eye on Tinny as he was the hot head who would not think twice to “lay out” his opponent if it got to that point. That Exuma boy doesn’t play!
So this talking and talking finally opened the door to real politics. When the door was opened and it was time to walk in, Tinny ushered Don in and said he will wait for a bit. I was very disappointed as truly I saw Tinny as more of a politician than Don, minus the hot head, but he was happy to cheer his brother on as he became the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Tall Pines. Don turned out to be a really good politician.
We watched with pride as Don made his mark in politics. He truly cared about his constituents and was only guilty of “over promising”. He wanted to help everyone and sometimes this got him into spots of trouble with his constituents as they looked eagerly for what he promised. He was told a million times, “Don you can’t save the world! You can only do, as much as you can do.” Don would still try.
My friend was also the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly – one of the best Deputy Speakers I can remember. I enjoyed watching him relieve the Speaker and carry out his duties with fairness, giving the opposition just as much play as his governing party. Don always tried his best to be fair and honest in his dealings, sometimes to his detriment, but that was just how Don was.
Don was a loyal friend. If he called you friend, then you were truly his friend and there is nothing he wouldn’t do for you. Don loved his wife and children. He would talk about them all the time and would do anything for them. He was so proud of his children’s academic and athletic achievements.
He was a church man. Don would never neglect his duties as an altar server. I can picture him now in his black and white robes serving as the good, God-fearing man he was. His son Don Don is walking in his footsteps as an acolyte and is now my favorite thurifer permeating the air with the sweet, delicious scent of holy incense. My favorite thurifer no longer has his dad to cheer him on, but we are here to continue cheering in his absence.
Don, Tinny and I had something in common – our fear and respect for one Archdeacon Keith Cartwright. Fadda, as we call him, was surrogate father for Don, Tinny, Randy, D’Angelo, Martin and others. Fadda was always a stern father and leader. We know how far to go with him.
One of my favorite and mischievous memories of Don was on Maundy Thursday some years ago. Don, Tinny and I were out somewhere and let’s just say, “liquids” were involved and we suddenly remembered we were due at Maundy Thursday Mass; it was Holy Week and Fadda (then rector of our church) would be expecting us in church. We weren’t far so we jumped in our cars and headed out to Lyford Cay. I arrived last and saw them standing outside on the pavement.
When I got out of the car I asked, “Why are you dudes outside?” Before they could answer I realized we were all dressed inappropriately for Maundy Thursday mass. One should be attired in white apparel, however, I had on a black maxi dress, with a coral colored sweater; Don had on a colorful shirt and Tinny had on something similar to an Hawaiian print.
We stood outside contemplating our next move as these were the sons of the priest in charge dressed inappropriately and my last name is Cartwright. We should be setting examples. We stood outside grumbling until Fadda came outside, looked at us suspiciously and asked in a Fadda type way what we were doing outside. “You gatty come inside,” he said. We were praying he didn’t come too close to us and me being the bold one pointed out our colorful clothes. Needless to say Fadda was not impressed by our strange behavior and ordered us to come in and sit in the back.
Don and I were not trying to test Fadda so we eagerly came in and sat in the back at his command. Tinny was not having it and refused to come inside saying he was returning to where he was before mass. Don eventually left me in church and joined Tinny outside. They were always inseparable. When mass was done they were still outside talking politics and we decided it was Holy Week and we should go home.
Holy Week 2024 did not have such a humorous ending for Don. Someone held a gun to him, killed him and didn’t think of Holy Week so there was no going to his earthly home for my friend Don.
That night I saw his wife and son cry inconsolably. My heart broke into several pieces. Nothing we said or did comforted them. I hugged Tiffany and I wept with her and I cried with Tinny. Someone had cut down our husband, brother and friend. We were left only with Don’s silence. We won’t ever hear his voice again …. ever.
That dreadful night I felt enraged at the perpetrator, but also felt a whirlwind of gut wrenching sadness, as my friend had abruptly gone home …. his heavenly home. I found myself speaking to our country’s top cop asking him what was going to happen next. He promised that the perp or perps would be found. I am happy to hear that people are in custody for killing my friend. I’m sorry but as it stands, they don’t have my forgiveness and I don’t wish them well.
Some might say I’ve painted a beautiful and perfect picture of a mere man. Don, like everyone else, had his weaknesses and faults. I did say he was an “over-promiser”, but it was because his heart was so good and he wanted to help all who needed help.
As members of this society we have to be committed to raising our children properly. There’s no way anyone should be brave enough to cut someone down in the prime of their lives by holding a gun to them and ultimately turning their wives into widows and leaving their children fatherless.
When this culprit is eventually convicted, I hope the death penalty is finally reintroduced and carried out. After all, I want my friend to rest in peace knowing that justice was served. Well that’s how I see it, anyway.
“AS I SEE IT” DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions represented in this column, “As I See It” belong to the columnist and do not necessarily represent those of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas. The views and opinions expressed in the column are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. This column is for informational purposes only.
