Copyright thenassauguardian
With the Bahamian flag draped on his coffin, Vaughn Miller was marched to Bahamas Faith Ministries International for one final farewell on Friday morning. Miller, who died suddenly last month, was minister of the environment and natural resources and the MP for Golden Isles. He was a pastor and veteran broadcaster who was known for his convictions, deep faith, and community activism. Glenn Miller, Vaughn’s brother, said he was not ready to let his brother go. “You were my best friend,” Miller said during his tribute on Friday. “I will always be proud of the strength and love you showed me. Although you’re gone, the joy you brought into my life will never fade. I will carry your memory in my heart and live with the same joy you shared. “You showed me many things, but you forgot to teach me one last thing – how to let go of you.” He added, “I was not ready to say goodbye, but I know you are at peace resting in the bosom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that brings me comfort. “I already miss your laughter, your teasing, your unexpected wisdom, and the way your presence fills the room. “I still hear your laugh in my dreams. It reminds me that love never dies.” In a written tribute, his wife Cassandra said, “My heart is broken. I have wailed and wept like never before over your sudden passing, as I slowly come to grips with reality. I grieve for two – myself and our son. “Thank you for giving me the experience of love. You made me feel special, even as I learned to share you with the people.” She said, “I know the man I married and I will forever cherish our memories. I loved you, and I know you loved me. I’m at peace with the life you lived and the legacy you have left behind.” Vaughn Miller made his mark as a broadcaster while at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB), where he served as director of radio from 1986 to 2005, and worked as a talk show host on ZNS 1540 radio. An ordained pastor, he led Resurrection Ministries International for 29 years. Miller was also a trade unionist and an advocate for the community, serving as the founder and CEO of the Vision Group, a motivational organization geared toward the enrichment of young people. As a politician, Miller first ran under the Free National Movement (FNM) securing the Golden Isles seat in 2017, and served as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Urban Renewal and Social Services. However, after voting against the government’s move to raise value added tax (VAT) from 7.5 percent to 12 percent in June 2018, Miller later quit the FNM. For a brief period, he became an independent, until he crossed the floor in 2019 and was reelected as Golden Isles’ MP in 2021, under the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) where he served until his sudden death. Prime Minister Philip Davis said Miller was a man of calm conviction, defined by his integrity and humility. “He was a man whose faith anchored him, whose integrity defined him, and whose respect for the natural beauty of our islands became part of his public ministry,” Davis said. “When you spoke with him, you sensed someone grounded in principle. He carried within him a deep stillness that came from knowing what he believed and living by it. “He did not equate power with noise. He believed strength could be quiet, and that truth, when spoken softly, could still move mountains. That quiet strength defined his life and his leadership.” Davis continued, “Vaughn believed that public service was sacred work. He saw it as an opportunity to practice compassion through governance and to make the work of the state an act of care. “He once said that leadership is about lifting the weight off the shoulders of others, not adding to it. “That statement is the foundation of a moral vision for leadership.” Former prime ministers Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie were among many former parliamentarians who joined the sitting Cabinet to pay respects to Miller. Reflecting on Miller’s life and his contributions to The Bahamas, FNM Leader Michael Pintard referred to Miller as a friend. “Vaughn had a servant’s heart,” Pintard said. “He was a giant of a man who loved his family. “Despite that huge stature ... he had a tender heart.” He added, “The truth is, while he was in office, he maintained friends on both sides of the political divide.” Miller, 64, suddenly died on September 28. Born on Eleuthera on August 22, 1961, to Mary and Hubert Miller, he grew up on the settlement of Green Castle and later moved to New Providence where he finished high school. He is survived by his wife, his son, Vaughn Miller Jr., his mother, siblings, and other relatives.
