Pictured at the press conference to announce the Potters Cay Boat Show, seated from left: Honouree Emmett Munroe; Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources & Local Government Permanent Secretary Rena S. Glinton; the Hon. V. Alfred Gray, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources & Local Government; Ministry Parliamentary Secretary the Hon. Anthony Moss; and Ministry Regatta Desk Representative Cindy Gay. Standing from left: Robert Dunkley, Bahamas National Sailing School; Gerard Moxey, Commonwealth Sailing Club; James Wallace, National Sailing Association; Delareese Carey, C.V. Bethel Sailing Club; Aubrecia Moxey, president, C.V. Bethel Sailing Club; David Rolle, Potters Cay Association; Philip McPhee, Jr.; Ministry Regatta Desk Representative Cristian Palacious; Ministry Undersecretary Cephas Cooper. Third row from left: Rev. Dr. Philip McPhee; David Rolle, sailor; and Stafford Armbrister, Bahamas Boat Owners and Sailors Association. (BIS Photo/Gena Gibbs)

NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Advancing the Sloop Sailing Sport to bring awareness of a Bahamian tradition, the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources & Local Government is sponsoring a one-day boat show in honour of Captain Emmett Munroe, a well-known Boat Captain, Engineer and Sloop Sailing pioneer, who championed many sailing competitions over the last 40 years.

Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources & Local Government, the Hon. V. Alfred Gray on Monday announced the opening of the Potters Cay Boat Show in the Ministry’s Conference Room at the Island Traders Building, East Bay Street, as the start of the summer sailing calendar which will launch Easter Monday, April 6.

Minister Gray explained that Captain Munroe is a native of Ragged Island who built boats in the settlement from the tender age of nine, using the Kamalamae tree. He added that the Ragged Island boys developed the sport by competing with each other to see who could reach the cay first that was two miles away, which eventually inspired the Potter’s Cay Boat Show.

“Having made impressive inroads over the past three years in revitalizing this sport, my Ministry is pressing forward and presently a number of sailing events that will be hosted in the upcoming months. It is my hope, that with increased efforts of my Ministry, Bahamians will have a greater interest in and appreciation for the skill of sloop sailing,” said Minister Gray.

“It is my wish that sloop sailing will one day be formally recognized as the national sport of The Bahamas.”

Minister Gray said this event would undoubtedly assist in educating those who know very little about sailing or sloop sailing, and in strengthening the camaraderie within our sailing community and the advancement of the sport of sloop sailing.

“I, therefore, invite Bahamians from all walks of life to come out on Easter Monday on April 6, 2015, to Potter’s Cay to view first-hand Bahamian craftsmanship at its best, and to honour Mr. Munroe for his contribution over the years to the sport and the total development of sloop sailing in The Bahamas,” said Minister Gray.