NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government the Hon. V. Alfred Gray announced that the second phase of the Local Government Junior Council Programme commences on Monday, January 7, 2013, at the R. N. Gomez All-Age School in the Berry Islands. “The Local Government Junior Council Programme was first launched in Bimini with the students of the all-age school there in 2006, when the first group of Local Government Junior Councillors was sworn-in,” Minister Gray said at a press conference, on January 3, 2013, at the Department of Local Government. “Over the years, the programme has grown and expanded to now include 11 schools in nine Local Government Districts.” Minister Gray also congratulated the “movers and shakers” in his Ministry, particularly Ms. LaShanta Fowler and Mrs. Sindy Gay, for leading the Ministry’s effort in organising the programmes throughout the Family Islands – with the support of the Family Island Administrators, the Local Government Councillors and Practitioners and the Local Coordinators, who train and supervise “these future Local Government leaders of our country”. “For their collective efforts, I am eternally grateful,” he said.
Minister Gray noted that The Bahamas Government has always fully supported the programme and as a result, funds the programme up to $80,000 per annum.
He said the various districts will hold elections and the swearing-in of the elected in the Family Island Districts, starting on January 7, 2013 in The Berry Islands at R. N. Gomez All-Age School. On January 9–10, 2013, elections and swearing-ins will be in the Exumas at L. N. Coakley High School. January 11, 2013 is slated for San Salvador at San Salvador High School; January 14 will be the city of Freeport and West Grand Bahama exercises at St. Georges, Jack Hayward and Eight Mile Rock High Schools; January 21 will be South Andros at South Andros High School; January 23, will be North and Central Andros at the North and Central Andros High Schools and January 24 – 25, 2013 will be in North Abaco at the S. C. Bootle High School. Minister Gray said that it is to be noted that the spirit and competition for being elected are “as exciting and aggressive as general elections in The Bahamas”. As a result, he added, campaigning has already begun in the islands affected and the officer in-charge has advised that candidates will make their election speeches just prior to elections on the dates previously mentioned.
“As Minister, I wish every candidate well and will remain in the centre of opposing sides, since it will be my glad duty to work with and support those elected for the ensuing year,” Minister Gray said.
“As Minister responsible for the programme, I encourage all Family Island Local Government Districts to prepare for their inclusion, as the programme expands over-time to all of the Family Islands. Caption FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASSAU, The Bahamas — Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resource and Local Government the Hon. V. Alfred Gray speaks at a press on the Local Government Junior Council Programme in the Family Islands, on Thursday, January 3, 2013, at his Ministry on West Bay Street.
