It has been 12 years since the country lost Sir Lynden Pindling and yet his legacy hasn’t waned one bit.

Sir Lynden, the country’s first prime minister, died on August 26, 2000 following a lengthy battle with prostate cancer.

The former leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) stood at the forefront of the quiet revolution in The Bahamas, ushering in political freedom, social change and hope of economic prosperity for all Bahamians.

On Sunday, as she has done for the past 12 years, Dame Marguerite Pindling, Sir Lynden’s widow, placed a wreath at his gravesite.

The anniversary didn’t escape the PLP’s New Providence Women’s Branch, which honoured its former leader’s legacy yesterday.

“The man referred to in many circles as our ‘Black Moses’ possessed the gift to unite the Bahamian people toward a common loftier goal. He rose up during an era when many third world countries and colonies were engaged in the struggle to freedom,” the branch said in a statement yesterday.

“A freedom fighter, he fought for proper representation of the masses by leading the cause toward majority rule, but unlike many of his counterparts across the globe, he did so in a manner that saw no bloodshed or major social unrest. Hence, he can be hailed as the leader of the quiet revolution in The Bahamas and was a respected leader both on the national and international stage.”

Sir Lynden, a British educated attorney from Mason’s Addition, joined the newly formed PLP as legal advisor in 1953 and eventually led the charge to bring about social and political freedom for a people oppressed by a small oligarchy of businessmen.

Sir Lynden was elected to the House of Assembly in 1956 at the age of 26 along with five other PLP candidates known as the ‘Magnificent Six.’

He subsequently became the parliamentary leader in the House of Assembly for the PLP and leader of the PLP.

The succession of events that transpired leading up to Majority Rule, including the 1958 General Strike and Black Tuesday in April 1965, is well documented.

Sir Lynden later went on to lead the PLP to victory at the polls in 1967 defeating the United Bahamian Party (UBP).

He also made history by becoming the first black premier of The Bahamas and forming the first black majority government in Parliament.

He later led the PLP to victory at the polls in six consecutive general elections and was elected to Parliament nine consecutive times until his retirement from frontline politics in 1997.

Sir Lynden led The Bahamas to independence in 1973 and orchestrated and implemented multiple economic and social reforms.

The former prime minister has been honoured over the years in The Bahamas with the Nassau International Airport (NIA) being named after him; his portrait appears on the Bahamian one dollar bill, a housing subdivision has been named in his honour and more recently the PLP’s headquarters was renamed in his honour in 2011.

“The New Providence Women’s Branch of the PLP honours the legacy of the late Sir Lynden O. Pindling – the father of our nation and a true Bahamian patriot. Today, we pay homage to a great man whose name has been and will be written in history for the positive impact he made on The Bahamas domestically and internationally,” the branch said.

“Sir Lynden was steadfast in his commitment to The Bahamas and the PLP and was no doubt an agent of change for the Bahamian people. We remember from whence we came and remain committed to educating future generations of Bahamians about our national heroes.”