The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey visited her alma mater yesterday, launching the first of a number of school visits as part of the Grand Bahama Independence Committee’s Road To 50 activities.

Ms Moxey, a graduate of the Freeport Anglican High School, was greeted with cheers by the Bishop Michael Eldon School Warriors on her arrival at the school around 8.30am.

She encouraged students to support and participate in the celebrations leading up to July 10, when The Bahamas celebrates its golden jubilee, marking the 50th anniversary of independence.

Ms Moxey said young people have an essential role in shaping the nation’s future.

“You are not the leaders of tomorrow, rather you are the leaders of today, and it is up to you to build on the progress that we made and take our country to even greater heights,” she told the students.

“Seize every opportunity to show your Bahamian pride and remember to look toward the future of our nation, with hope.

“The Road to 50 looks incredibly bright. But with you students at the helm, I am genuinely excited to see what lies ahead for our beautiful Bahamas.”

Ms Moxey said as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence, Bahamians must take stock of where we are as a nation and commit to charting a course for a future that is inclusive, equitable and sustainable.

“This extraordinary occasion for our nation… represents half of a century of freedom, democracy and true Bahamian pride,” she said.

She said the road that led the nation to independence was a difficult one to travel.

She said that as a result of the determination, bravery, and tireless efforts of the countless Bahamian men and women who fought for an end to injustice, inequality and gender bias, The Bahamas was poised to successfully gain independence from Britain in 1973.

“This achievement put an end to the years of political struggle endured by our ancestors to afford us the opportunity to live in a democratic inclusive society,” she said.

Ms Moxey stressed that the late Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, the first Prime Minister of an independent Bahamas, was a central figure in the fight for independence.

“He was joined by other politicians, activists, and everyday citizens who collectively inspired the Bahamian people to stand up for their rights and demand the right to self-determination,” she said.

“It is because of their vision that we enjoy the rights and freedom we have today,” Ms Moxey stated.

“And as I stand here this morning, a former Freeport Anglican High School Warrior, and the first female minister for Grand Bahama, I believe that I am looking into the faces of future leaders who are filled with ambition and an unrelenting desire to make a difference in our country, just like I was when I was a student at BMES many years ago,” she said.

The GB Independence Committee is co-chaired by Leslie Dorsett-Lewis and Cecil Thompson.