Friday, October 2, 2009

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Four new courts for Andros By KELSIE JOHNSON ~ NG Sports Reporter ~ kelsie@nasguard.com: The 1st Annual All Andros Back-to-School Basketball Classic will tip off on September 19 in Stanyard Creek, Andros on one of the settlement's newly built courts. The court is just one of four courts which was recently refurbished by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The facelift to the courts is a part of Minister Desmond Bannister's initiative of uniting all communities in the various Family Islands through sports. The tournament will be used as a vehicle to connect settlements like Stanyard Creek, Lowe Sound, Red Bays and Fresh Creek where the tournaments will be held. The first annual tournament will be held for four weeks, concluding on October 10. According to Bannister, one of the priorities of his ministry is promoting sporting activities within communities throughout The Bahamas, and also supporting healthy lifestyles and promoting healthy living. He said: "We are honored because we have now been able to construct four beautiful, new state-of-the-art basketball courts in North and in South Andros. I want to thank Mr. Emil Knowles for ensuring that the courts were completed properly. They will be a wonderful addition to the communities of Lowe Sound, Stanyard Creek, Red Bays and Fresh Creek. I want to thank him for his very efficient completion of the work and also for making a substantial donation to the project. "I wish to point out that the hosting of these basketball games in the communities that I have just noted is only possible because of widespread community support. We anticipate that the young people in these communities that I've mentioned earlier will be able to be brought together for this event and also that we would leave in these communities the appropriate recreational facilitates that will help them to continue to develop their athletic skills." Member of Parliament for North Andros, Vincent Peet thanked the minister on behalf of the people of Andros for providing opportunities for persons living in the various communities. He also thanked contractor Brian Cleare for his commitment to the island, praising him for his endless work toward building strong communities throughout the island. The Member of Parliament viewed the hosting of the tournament as timely, as it is a means of unifying everyone, and also bringing some financial relief to communities. MP Peet said: "This is important to those who live in Andros and we want to thank you the minister and you Mr. Brian Cleare, activities officer who has been a spark in Andros when it comes to community development and who has been a pillar for activities in Andros. The announcement of the basketball tournament in Andros is very timely. It creates opportunities for youngsters especially, where we know there is a depressed economy and people need to have positive things to do. This is a very positive initiative building on the sporting activities in Andros right now. "I was pleased to have started some six years or so ago, softball competition in Andros which has acted as a very important catalyst to bringing communities together and that is what sports does, it brings the communities together. I expect that this basketball tournament will be a very similar gesture and that it will have a similar impact on the community. Bringing people together, not arguing or fighting, but to enjoy competitive sports in a very positive way, that helps to build character and even helps with the economy." Also thanking the minister on behalf of the people of the South Andros constituency was Picewell Forbes and the president of the Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA), Wellington Miller. Friday, September 4, 2009