The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Agriculture and Local Government V Alfred Gray gave his blessings to the newly formed committee for the All-Andros Regatta as they embark on “bringing back” the popular sailing competition to the island during the Independence holiday weekend.

The committee, headed by Senator Greg Burrows, paid a courtesy call on Gray, who is responsible for regattas, on Thursday at his office, putting in their plea for their financial assistance for the week-long festival slated for July 7-14 in Morgan’s Bluff, Andros.

“I’m glad that a new committee has been put in place because I was concerned for the future of the Andros Regatta,” Gray said. “As minister responsible, it’s my serious desire to see that all of the regattas that I met in place continue and those islands that feel that they have an opportunity to have a regatta, I want them to come on stream too.

“Regattas bring economic life to communities that would otherwise be dead and so whenever regattas could be had, it is my desire to ensure that they are held and I will not do anything to prevent the growth of regattas throughout the Bahamas and whether they are not now, I am encouraging people to get involved because this is our country and regattas are so important to the economic life of our country.”

Gray said his only concern is that the regattas are not overlapping by being held at the same time because as the minister, he would like to be able to show up and participate in all of the regattas and he welcomes the new committee and encouraged them to go forth with the new life that they will inject into Andros as they show the world that they are back.

Last year, the regatta had some difficulties when the local organising committee resigned, leaving a lot of uncertainty about the future of the event. The new committee made a plea for an increase in the funding to cover their expenses and Gray assured them that he will do whatever he can to assist them in that regard.

Burrows said the committee, which includes honourary advisors Karl Spencer, Frank Hanna and Rev Dr Philip McPhee, will be using the theme ‘Andros Come Alive’ to show the rest of the Bahamas that after 21 years since the inaugural event was held, they are still proud to keep the legacy going.

“We expect to have this year’s regatta as big as it was in the early days,” Burrows said. “We expect to have the involvement of both the overall committee and the sub-committee in Andros, chaired by Alphonso Smith, to get the ball rolling early. There is a lot of excitement from this committee. The expertise speaks for itself, so we only expect the best in Andros this year.”

Hanna, the colourful owner of Hanna’s Cleaning, said he’s delighted to be a part of the committee.

“We’re going to be doing our very best to keep sailing alive in Andros,” he said. “The regatta is going to be very successful because we have a very good working team with a number of persons who have been around from the inception. We are looking forward to Andros having one of the best regattas ever.”

And Spencer, who was mandated in 1994 by then Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Algernon Allen to get the regatta started in Andros, said he’s excited about coming on board the new committee and he will be doing all he can to ensure that this year’s regatta is a tremendous success.

Other members of the committee present were Maxine Bowe, vice chairman, Latisha Fowler, assistant treasurer, Aileen Spencer, secretary and Arnett Rolle-Hanna, assistant secretary.