Baha Mar donates to band's New York trip

As of Tuesday, October 7, 2014

More than a dozen rake n’ scrape band members yesterday left for New York, where they will perform at churches and colleges in and around the city.

The Bahamas Rake n’ Scrape Company, led by its director, Nathaniel Adams, will perform at several landmark New York locations, including the Roman Catholic Church of the Epiphany and Vassar College, ending in a one-hour concert at the United Nations (UN).

Mr Adams said the Bahamas Rake n’ Scrape Company started with an idea and six Gerald Cash Primary School students. Now the band, which also goes by the name ‘Rhythm n’ Youth’, has grown to 25 skilled members, aged from five to 16 years-old, from nine different schools across New Providence.

Mr Adams said he was truly grateful for a donation from Baha Mar, which has helped to defray the overall cost of the trip.

“For five years we have been building and working on the rake n’ scrape programme. It’s about the music, but music is only a vehicle,” he explained.

“Baha Mar donated to our group, which is a big deal. We can use that money to get items to get some things that will help the band to move forward.”

Baha Mar is one of several sponsors that have helped to make the band’s international trip a reality. The minister of education, science and technology, Jerome Fitzgerald, praised corporate sponsors, including Baha Mar, for investing in youth and education.

“Education is everybody’s business. That requires everyone in our country to get involved and get behind it. Of course, the government doesn’t have sufficient funds to get everything done,” he said.

“It’s refreshing when you have corporate sponsors who are sufficiently engaged and understand the importance of contributing toward education. For us, the public-private partnership is critical moving forward.”

Baha Mar’s chief operating officer, Paul V. Pusateri, added: “Baha Mar wants to introduce the world to the art and soul of the Bahamas. There is no better way to showcase authentic Bahamian culture than to invest in our youth, which is the future of the Bahamas.”