Austin Thomas: ‘The Lion Of Parliament’

The late Parliamentarian Austin Thomas has been celebrated as a fallen lion by former National Liberal Party colleague Lionel Simmons – a lion whose roar resounded through Bermuda’s corridors of power but one whose heart was filled with boundless compassion for the island and its people.

Mr. Thomas died last week following a short illness. He was 77.

At a First Church of God funeral service on Thursday [May 12], Mr. Simmons eulogised his longtime political colleague and friend as a tireless champion of the poor, the dispossessed and the disenfranchised.

“This giant of a man, this mighty lion, saw how great Bermuda could be and how great each of us could be, if we could just begin to believe in ourselves,” said Mr. Simmons.  “And so he stood as a guiding light, pushing, prodding, cajoling and inspiring change within Bermuda and for many of us, change within ourselves.

“His courage fanned the flames of bravery within our hearts and each of us is better, stronger, and greater for having learned from him and from his leadership by example.”

Mr. Thomas, who trained as a teacher, joined the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party soon after its founding and was first elected to Parliament under the party’s banner in 1968.

Along with fellow teachers the late L. Frederick Wade and Arthur Hodgson, Mr. Thomas resigned his position in the public school system so he could run as a Progressive Labour Party Parliamentary candidate in the 1968 General Election — the first held under Bermuda’s newly introduced Westminster-style party political system.

Mr. Thomas, along with the late Dr. Pauulu Kamarakafego [Roosevelt Brown] were the successful candidates in the constituency of Pembroke East. In the next General Election in 1972, Mr. Thomas was joined by Ottiwell Simmons and he continued to serve that constituency for the Progressive Labour Party until he joined the National Liberal Party.

Mr. Simmons Full Tribute To Mr. Thomas Appears Below:

Senator Edward Kennedy in eulogizing his brother Robert Kennedy once said, “Love is not an easy feeling to put into words. Nor is loyalty, or trust, or joy. But he was all of these. He loved life completely and he lived it intensely.”  The Lion of America’s Senate could very well have been speaking about Bermuda’s own Lion of the House of Assembly, Mr. Austin Thomas.

A brother, a mentor, a comrade in arms, a leader, a father and a friend; Bermuda’s Lion let forth a might roar for freedom justice and equality; Let forth a might roar for the oppressed, dispossessed and disenfranchised and let forth a mighty roar for righteousness, integrity and sacrifice.  He loved life, was unswerving in his loyalty, engendered a deep and abiding trust in those he met and he brought joy to all who knew him.

A braver, more courageous, more gallant champion of our people we have never seen.  Roaring words to shape men’s minds change the course of history and tear down walls of oppression.  Yes this mighty fallen lion has served his people well and we salute him.

I was blessed to sit next to Mr. Austin Thomas in the House of Assembly and welcomed his counsel, guidance and occasionally chastisement!  He saw the best in Bermuda and saw the best in each of us even when we sometimes didn’t see it ourselves.

This giant of a man, this mighty lion, saw how great Bermuda could be and how great each of us could be, if we could just begin to believe in ourselves.  And so he stood as a guiding light, pushing, prodding, cajoling and inspiring change within Bermuda and for many of us, change within ourselves.  His courage fanned the flames of bravery within our hearts and each of us is better, stronger, and greater for having learned from him and from his leadership by example.

Winston Churchill once said, “In war you can be killed once, but in politics many times.” If Mr. Austin Thomas had been the kind of man, who went along to get along; if he had been the kind of man who placed position over principle, if he had been the kind of man who placed being honored above being honorable, if he had been the kind of man who placed doing the expedient over doing the altruistic, perhaps he would have held his seat in the House of Assembly a little bit longer, perhaps his life would have been free of controversy, conflict and challenges.  But he was who he was and no mere title, no mere position; no mere office would ever sway him from doing what was right.

The old lion, whose roar shook the halls of power and filled the hearts of the unjust with fear, was also filled with a warmth and compassion that could light up a room and transform your life.

I remember once serving on the Treatment of Offender’s Board on the day that an incorrigible, unrepentant, violent criminal was brought before us.  And as we tried to break through his walls to reach the man within we soon became frustrated and disenchanted.  Many of us felt that we should cage him like an animal, lock him up and throw away the key! But that mighty lion, that giant of a man who had sat ever so silently as we tried to reach out to this human ball of anger, distrust and malevolence suddenly spoke.  He asked the prisoner, “What is your relationship with your father?”

And with that simple question, this prisoner, a man who had brought so much fear, hurt and tears to others broke down in tears himself.  That old wise lion had looked within the prisoner’s heart, had seen the scared, angry, hurting little boy inside and like the Good Samaritan cleaned and bound the emotional wounds and began the process of bringing out the greatness within him.

And from that revealing and inspirational moment, Mr. Austin Thomas encouraged each of us to look below the surface, recognize the impact that absentee father’s were having on our young black males and pushed for rehabilitation that addressed this issue.  A visionary, Austin Thomas saw the need for a strong father figure in a young man’s life something that what we all accept as common sense today, yet still struggle to address.

In these times of difficulty, in these days of division and in these hours of disillusion it is easy to question, to become disenchanted and discouraged.  It is easy to But Austin Thomas never took the easy path and neither should we.  Now is the hour for men and women of integrity stand up! Now is the hour for men and women of courage to take action! Now is the hour for our next generations of Lions to Roar! While today we inter the body of our leader, our champion, our mentor, and friend in the words of Senator Edward Kennedy, “The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on.”

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