The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Ragged Island Cultural & Heritage Association (RICHA) has announced plans for its second annual homecoming in July in Duncan Town, Ragged Island.

Association President Elkenny Lockhart said the aim of the organisation is to give back to the community and to reach out to all Ragged Island residents and descendants living in Grand Bahama to join the effort to assist in the redevelopment of Duncan Town.

RICHA co-ordinates its homecoming to coincide with the homecoming of its sister association chapter in Nassau.

The homecoming is scheduled during the week of the country’s independence anniversary. Activities planned include a welcome/prayer service, fishing tournament, historical treasure hunt, and corporate beach picnic, among others.

Some of the projects that the association has committed to doing includes the restoration of Lookout Tower located on the property of Captain Horace Lockhart to be used as a tour site; the restoration of the windmill at Horsewell; reviving the salt ponds that brothers Duncan and Major Taylor originally used and developed in the 19th Century to create a robust salt mining industry, and to erect a monument in honour of fallen Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers of the HMBS Flamingo.

Ragged Island has a small population of about 72 residents.

The descendants of the island are those with the surname of Bridgewater, Curling, Hepburn, Joffre, Lockhart, Maycock, Moxey, Munroe, Pintard, Wallace and Wilson.

Persons interested in traveling for homecoming are asked to contact Blanche Wallace at 442-2431 in Freeport and Amanda Curling at 457-0941 in Nassau.