Continuing on its national tour, for the second time in Eleuthera, the 40th Anniversary Independence Flag landed at the North Eleuthera Airport by the Air Wing of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force on the morning of Wednesday, June 19th, 2013. It was then safely delivered to Harbour Island, where at about 9:30am a very brief flag raising ceremony was held. By 9:45am it was all over and the flag then made its way by boat to the mainland at Three Island Dock and then back to the airport for a more rousing welcome by residents of North Eleuthera.
Mr. Derek Elden (left) and Mr. Gordon Cash Jr. (right), both members of the North Eleuthera community assisted RBPF Constable Gilbert Knowles (center left) and RBDF Petty Officer Gladstone Moss (center right) in the raising and lowering of the national flag during the ceremony held on the grounds of the North Eleuthera Airport.
Community members were out to support the flag raising in North Eleuthera, including a young softball team from Spanish Wells on their way to compete in the 11th Annual Andre Rodgers National Baseball Championship.
Javan Ward (left) played the national anthem on the trumpet, accompanied by Raymond Ward Jr. (right) on the baritone during the raising of the flag in North Eleuthera.
It was then on to Spanish Wells, where under the beaming midday sun, the flag was once again raised. It didn’t unfurl in the wind as it had done so brilliantly in Lower Bogue but the historic sense of seeing the Independence flag, 40 years after it was first flown in the country was poignant.
Dr. Philip Pinder (former Educator – far right) and Mr. Kenny Roberts (Youth Pastor – center right), assisted RBPF Constable Gilbert Knowles (left) and RBDF Petty Officer Gladstone Moss (center left) in the raising and lowering of the national flag during the ceremony in Spanish Wells.
The scene played out in much the same manner on the three stops with sharply attired Constable 3144 Knowles of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and Petty Officer Moss of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) formally assisting with raising the flag, ensuring it was folded with precision when lowered and then delivered in honour to the Administrator, Mr. Jolton Johnson. At the end of each ceremony, Mr. Johnson passed the flag on for its next stop.
Having been flown earlier (on Friday, June 14th) in Rock Sound and Governor’s Harbour, Wednesday’s stops ensured South, Central and North Eleuthera were a part of the ongoing national tour.
