Following his efforts to help the island following the devastation of Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Tyler Perry visited the Bahamas recently to help celebrate 50 years of Bahamian independence from the colonial rule of the United Kingdom.
In a Sept. 24 Facebook post Prime Minister Philip Davis’s Office of the Prime Minister acknowledged Perry.
“Earlier this weekend, Tyler Perry paid Prime Minister Philip Davis a courtesy visit to celebrate The Bahamas’ remarkable milestone of 50 years of independence,” the post read. “During their meeting, Perry shared warm congratulations and expressed his admiration for the nation’s achievements. He also highlighted the incredible potential for growth in The Bahamas’ Orange Economy, emphasizing the exciting new opportunities for the creative arts and cultural industries.”
According to the Bahamas Development Bank, The Bahamas’ Orange Economy refers to all sectors of the country’s economy based on the creation of intellectual property.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that the “main purpose of the Orange Economy, is the production or reproduction, promotion, dissemination, and/or the marketing of goods, services and activities that have cultural, artistic, or patrimonial content.”
Perry, who owns a private island in The Bahamas, has described himself as an adoptive son of the island in the past.
“I very much feel like a part of the Bahamian people,” he told The Tribune. “If we go back to our history and our culture, and how we all got into America and this part of the world, you know, we all have a common bond. So to have a country celebrating 50 years of independence is pretty amazing, especially being people of color who know what it takes to be independent and to make their way through things.”
Perry also stated his commitment to involving The Bahamas in future projects.
“I write what I know and what I understand,” Perry said. “I never want to be insulting to anyone. So until I fully get immersed and understand and spend time with some real downhome Bahamians—and here’s the other part of it, each island is going to have their own different flavor and feel so until I can understand all of that I don’t want to insult anybody,” he said.
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