After a month-long hectic round of activities locally and abroad, members of lodges that come under the umbrella of the Bermuda Provincial Grand Lodge of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, are packing their regalia for another trip abroad. This time the will be heading for Havana, Cuba for the 150th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge there.

Bermuda Prov. Grand Master, RW Bro. St.Clair (Brinky) Tucker said he has informed the Cubans he was honoured and pleased to accept the invitation from the Cubans for an official visit. He plans to attend along with his Deputy Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Keith White and several other brethren of the Irish Constitution in Bermuda.

Their plan is to leave early next month for Nassau, Bahamas, join up with the Bahamian brethren and travel together to Cuba. Bro. Tucker said one of the main aims he has for his tenure at Provincial Grand Master is to forge greater fraternal relations between lodges in the Caribbean and the US eastern costs.

Historically Bahamas, Bermuda and Turks and Caicos Island have a lot in common, dating back to the slave trade, "so I thought we should develop relationships Masonically. That has been one of my main goals for my tenure, to provide the foundation for a bright future. With regard to Cuba that's unsheltered waters," he added.

This has been an unusually busy year for Prov. Grand Master Tucker and the Bermuda Grand Lodge, which included the wrap-up in June of the year-long centenary celebrations of Abercorn Lodge in Hamilton; entertaining visiting dignitaries from the Grand Lodge in Dublin, Ireland. Also they accompanied Hannibal Lodge No 224, GRI on a memorable trip to lodges in the Bahamas.

And only last week they entertained the first official visit to Bermuda of the Grand Master of Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, M.W. Bro. Charles Bishop. Previously only two or three Grand Masters from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts had connected with Bermuda.

He said Grand Master Bishop was overwhelmed by camaraderie he found in Bermuda, not only between Irish Brethren, but with those of the other Constitutions. He has extended an invitation to Hannibal Lodge to attend the Prince Hall Pennsylvania grand installation and banquets next October.