Sidney Poitier on hand as Bahamas bridge renamed in his honour; call for protests ignored

NASSAU, Bahamas – Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier is being honoured in the Bahamas, with no sign of any protests called for by an opposition politician.

Hundreds of spectators cheered as Poitier and Prime Minister Perry Christie arrived at the bridge that is being renamed in honour of the actor as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Bahamian independence.

Poitier spent much of his childhood in the Bahamas, mostly on sparsely populated Cat Island, and he has served as a Bahamian ambassador to Japan and UNESCO. Christie noted at Friday’s ceremony that he has also made philanthropic contributions to the Bahamas.

Opposition candidate for parliament Celi Moss and others said the Paradise Island Bridge should not be renamed for a foreigner. But protests never materialized at the ceremony.

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