The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS National Youth Council held a festive event on Saturday to concluded a long series of events celebrating the achievements of young people all over the Caribbean.

Commemorating Caribbean Youth Day, which is recognised annually on September 28, the BNYC began celebrations with a Caribbean Youth National Forum and ended with a Pompey Square event.

Youth leaders and agencies across the region also joined the celebrations in the Bahamas. Countries including Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republican had an array of native dishes on display. Tyson McKenzie, BNYC President, said there was an array of fine food and native dishes to sample.

“With the events, as always, we wanted to sensitise young Bahamians to Caribbean culture and show them that there are other Caribbean countries other than the Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad. This year we wanted to really focus on creating a stronger Caribbean region through change, creativity and passion. We want to focus on how can we build a stronger Caribbean region and a stronger relationship with our Caribbean brothers and sisters,” said Mr McKenzie.

At the National Forum held at the College of the Bahamas, Mr McKenzie said they purposely invited young Bahamians to come in and speak, to get their opinions on this year’s theme.

“We wanted to see how young persons contribute to the discussion so we had young speakers like Joey Gaskins, Teran Mackey and Deangelo Cartwright. The University of the West Indies, Mona also sent their UWI STAT Ambassador, Tijani Christian, who also brought remarks from Jamaica,” said Mr McKenzie.

“On Friday we went snorkelling because in building a stronger Caribbean region, you must build a stronger environment. So we also cleaned up Jaws Beach and along with the members of the BNYC, there were also members from COBUS, Bahamas Reed Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) and Rotaract. A lot of our events are done in partnership with other youth organisations, just to build relationships and empower each other,” said Mr McKenzie.

Even though Caribbean Youth Week is completed, Mr McKenzie said they still have a series of road march and festivities in Pompey Square that people can look forward to soon. “The sensitisation not only occurs in one event, but in a series of events,” he said.

Mr McKenzie said it may sound cliche, but it is important to celebrate the youth because “they are the future.”

“It’s all about motivation, empowerment and basic encouragement, and to be celebrated means that you have to value us as young people. This event is all about youth celebrating youth as well. Despite their circumstances, we are still valuable to the sustainability and the future of our country. So once young persons are realising that, then they can contribute to building a stronger nation in the Bahamas and the Caribbean region,” said Mr McKenzie.

He said this is not the end for the BNYC, as they are proposing to the Minister of National Security, Dr Bernard Nottage and the National Art Gallery (NAGB) to assist in a community art programme.

“We want to get 15 to 20 young persons within the community and teach them a skill. And at the end of the day they are going to go through a series of training for 6 to 8 weeks. After the training is completed, they are going to go to different areas in their communities with the Member of Parliament responsible for the area to identify buildings that they can paint murals on just to beautify their community. There is also a ‘Turning the Houses into Homes’ programme we want to do, where we go into the homes and help donate furniture and maintain the homes. It is basically strictly community service for the rest of the year,” said Mr McKenzie.