The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IN an effort to reinvigorate the regatta community and establish a water sports culture on the island, Eleuthera will host the All-Eleuthera Regatta as a prelude to the country’s Independence celebrations.

Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, V Alfred Gray, presented the All-Eleuthera Regatta Committee with a $45,000 startup to aid the development of the event, to be hosted July 1-7 in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera.

“My ministry stands ready in asserting the philosophy ‘bridging the Bahamas together through regattas and sloop sailing.’ The economic benefits that will be derived from this event will be a true financial blessing to the entire island,” he said. “I am always delighted to speak to regattas everywhere. I am committing some $45,000 and hoping that will go a long way in ensuring some success. Regattas are very important to the economic landscape of the Bahamas  and Eleuthera your time has now come.”

Mr Gray underscored the importance of re-establishing the committee on the island.

“The All- Eleuthera Regatta Committee was originally formed about 25 years ago under the leadership of the Hon. Philip Bethel, former MP for Governor’s Harbour and Minister of Transport. This committee lasted for several years and hosted many successful regattas, unfortunately the committee became defunct,” he said.

“Today under the leadership of the Hon Damien Gomez, Minister of State for Legal Affairs at the Office of the Attorney General and MP for Central and South Eleuthera, a new committee now gives birth to the return of the All Eleuthera Regatta in 2015.”

Mr Gomez reiterated the importance of the regatta to his constituents on the island.

“We have a rich tradition of having regattas but the last time we had any of a particular size in Central Eleuthera was around 1992. What we did last year in South Eleuthera with the King Eric memorial regatta, was reinstitute something that was a regular annual event,” he said.

“It is intended that we will be promoting Eleuthera as a family water sports destination and regattas help to pass that message along. We also have a cultural component to this. We will have Junkanoo and marching band competitions and we are setting up for a grand time as a prelude to our Independence celebrations so it will be something special to my constituents. It marks a part of the calendar where more people are coming to visit and enjoy what our people has to offer. We are hoping to use summer as a water sports period and this year marks our entry into those activities. We hope to soon have sailing camps, we already have a fledgling youth sailing programme which we hope to promote. Their are jet ski operators who may wish to participate and it is hoped that they will eventually be included. There is a plan afoot, but we are starting small and hoping to grow into something larger.”

A total of 37 boats in various classes have committed to the event thus far.

“We want everyone in Eleuthera to come together and give them our best effort. This is the first 45 in the pot and we are looking for further contributions,” said Lionel Fernander, commodore of the All Eleuthera Regatta Committee. “We have 37 boats agreed to come, A, B and C class boats. We are also hoping Optimist Nationals take part in the regatta to foster the growth of young people sailing in the regatta.”

With several regattas set to be staged over the course of the summer months, Gray suggested that business persons on the host islands be mindful of the economic situation of the boat owners and sailors travelling to compete and entertain.

“Regattas are expensive to stage. I am going to invite you to consider the boat owners and sailors in a special way. I made the point in Exuma that breakfasts were going for $18. That’s kind of harsh for a boat owner that gets $25-$50 per person per day. These boat owners and sailors have a fixed daily allowance. If breakfast is going for $18 then lunch is about $30 then dinner must be $60,” he said.

“Of course, it is becoming a little too expensive for the boat owners to even make a dollar from the prize winnings they may get. So I am inviting people to be particularly sensitive at regatta, because if the boat owners and sailors cannot make the trips, regattas will become a thing of the past.”