(Eleuthera, Bahamas) -The office of the North Eleuthera Administrator, Mr. Jolton Johnson, has confirmed receipt of approval from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to use the Principal’s residence in Upper Bogue, for the next six months.

In a letter to the Administrator, the Ministry also acknowledged that an organization in the community had previously been offered the building for use as a Community Centre but that that offer is now being suspended for at least six months.

Since a July 2nd fire that destroyed the Administration building in Upper Bogue,  a dispute developed over use of the unoccupied “Principal’s Residence” that a community group had been outfitting, with written permission from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to serve as a library and community resource center. Up to then, they had secured a donation of books and shelving, and a promise of computers and other materials.

Unfortunately for the community, the Ministry responsible for Local Government, headed by Minister Alfred Grey nationally and through Administrator Jolton Johnson locally, in the wake of the fire, sought to use the same building to, according to the Minister, “temporarily” house some of the staff and operations displaced.

The letter from the Ministry will now mean, that the Community Centre idea will have to shelved, at least temporarily.

It has long been a goal of some members of the community to develop a library in Upper Bogue with initial attempts being thwarted when the now destroyed administrative building was reclaimed by Government in 1992/93 after brief use as a library following the amalgamation of the local school into the primary school in Bluff. Fear has now become reality as this second attempt is being impaired by the recent circumstances.

 

Mr. Kevin Collins, a Council Representative on the North Eleuthera District Council, was actively involved in the development of the Centre and in July outlined some of the history behind the pertinent buildings in the community:

Dear Editor,

I pen this article with a heavy heart, even while purposefully optimistic for a positive outcome.  Please allow me a few lines in your paper to present an overview of my beloved community of Upper Bogue, nestled between the Glass Window Bridge in the south and Lower Bogue in the north.

My intention and approach is from an educational perspective for our public school and to establish our public library.

I am told by community historians, those of whom are left, that the first public school in Upper Bogue began as the residence of one Mr. Julius Ward.   The residence was purchased in the early 1950’s and the negotiations were conducted by Sir Alvin Brennen, who was the Member of Parliament and Chairman of the board of Education.

It was also during that time another residential building was purchased from a Mally Moss, by the Board of Education , coincidentally directly across from the school house, but more on that later.

The structure which became our first school was extended by then contractor, Errol Symonette, under the guidance of Sir Alvin Brennen, Joe Albury and Foster Clark.  Public school prior to the establishment of this was the Anglican diocese which had established an educational facility.

As time went on an impressive array of educators graced the walls of the Upper Bogue All Age school. They collectively left behind a rich history covering decades of our rises and falls. Names that can be recalled include:  Noris Thompson of Wemyss Bight, Percy Saunders of the Bluff , Mervin Gibson Ferguson, Father Harry Ward, Charles Rahming, Veronica Jones, Melvern Davis, Donald Sawyer and Mr.Keith Moss.

I must pause here and apologize for any person/s omitted due to the lack of available information.

During the mid-nineties the Upper Bogue All Age school P.T.A association, due to the increasing number of children, it was decided that a new extension was needed.  Through fund raisers, personal sacrifices and perseverance an additional 14’ x56’ structure was added on to the existing building with parents and well wishers looking on.

In 1992, it was a sad day when the community was informed by the M.O.E (Minster of Education) C.A Smith of the closing of our school in favor of amalgamation with the Bluff primary school.

 For a short time following this, our community enjoyed use of the building as a library and community center which helped to impact the community in a positive way.

It was short-lived, however, as we were again informed in ‘92-‘93 that the building was needed as an administration complex.  So the community was left without any area designated as a resource center or even a public park for recreation by youth and older residents.

I would like to bring your attention back to the second building to which I referred earlier which was acquired from Mally Moss.  This residence was demolished and a new building erected by the same contractor Errol Symonette and later renovated by Ralph Albury.

In recent times this building was occupied by various educators working in the district schools.  In 2012 the residence was vacated by way of transfer of the principal of the North Eleuthera High School and the successor owning a home in a neighboring settlement. As a result the building remained vacant for a period, potentially presenting a new opportunity for the community of Upper Bogue.

In my capacity as the Local Government representative, I wrote to the Honorable Minister of Education, Science and Technology indicating the Upper Bogue community’s desire to utilize the vacant building as a library and community center / recreational center.

In one of my most joyous moments, I received a favourable response from the Minister who granted us permission to develop our community.

I immediately contacted Mrs. Susan Siel, founder of “Freedom to Read”, a non-profit organization that has generously donated pallets of books and other resources to schools all over the island.

We have since become great friends and she personally took part in collecting books for our library as well as the North Eleuthera High school.   Susan, also through generous donations, paid freight charges on all books imported, with us only having to organize the pickups. In addition I have commitments from the Member of Parliament for North Eleuthera for a donation of three computers and printers. Also through the assistance of Susan a donation of six computers has been secured from Mrs. Kimberly King and Briland Modem, another non-profit organization.

Requests for donations are ongoing. We are now in the processes of constructing book shelves and are in need of computer desks and chairs.

Words can hardly express my gratitude to the Minister for helping the community of Upper Bogue in achieving our goal of building a better community one mind at a time.

 

Yours gratefully,

Kevin Collins

 

Council Representative

North Eleuthera District Council