Tuesday of this week marked one year since the death of the Hon. Obadiah Wilchcombe who died while serving as the Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini and the Minister for Social Services, Information and Broadcasting.

Members of the House of Assembly paid tribute to Wilchcombe on Wednesday.   The Member for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, the Hon. Kingsley Smith said, “being the Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini I have come to know that no matter what happened throughout Obie’s term as MP, whether good or bad, he has left an indelible mark on the hearts of the people.  They will never forget him.”

The Member of Parliament for Seabreeze, the Hon. Leslia Brice also spoke highly of Wilchcombe.  She said, “his contributions to our society were profound, impacting various sectors and leaving a legacy that will endure.  Obie’s journey through life was a remarkable one characterized by his unwavering charisma and dedication to his country.”

Wilchcombe entered frontline politics in 1994.  He served two stints as Minister of Tourism from 2002-2007 and from 2012-2017.

Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament for Marco City, the Hon. Michael Pintard remembered the fallen minister as a regular at church services.  “Obie Wilchcombe was a fixture on behalf of the Progressive Liberal Party at various church services.  And so you cannot help when you go to a convention remembering that when you were there two years ago, three years ago that Obie Wilchcombe was there.”

Wilchcombe was laid to rest in his beloved West End in October 2023.  A concert was held in his memory on the island of Grand Bahama on Wednesday evening.