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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2022 - 4:43:30 PM |
MINISTERS PRESENTS – During official swearing-in and installation ceremony for newly elected Local Government officials for the West Grand Bahama District on Thursday, February 10, 2022, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, Hon. Clay Sweeting and Minister for Grand Bahama, Hon. Ginger Moxey presented Council member Alecia Dorsett with her certificate.
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EIGHT
MILE ROCK, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas -- Minister of Agriculture, Marine
Resources and Family Island Affairs, Hon. Clay Sweeting told newly
elected Local Government officials that now is a good time to be in
local government.
During the official installation of West Grand
Bahama District Local Government officials on Thursday evening (February
10), at Bethel Deliverance Center in Eight Mile Rock, Minister Sweeting
said, as the Minister responsible for Family Island Affairs, he wanted
to give new councilors an idea of the times in which they had chosen to
serve.
“We find ourselves with not only our Prime Minister and
our Deputy Prime Minister holding Family Island seats, but also myself
and the Parliamentary Secretary [holding] a special place in our hearts
for the Family Islands,” said Minister Sweeting.
HONORARY MEMBER – Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe (left) pins Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, Hon. Clay Sweeting with a insignia, making him an honorary member of the West Grand Bahama District of Local Government officials, during swearing-in and installation ceremonies on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at Bethel Deliverance Center in Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama.
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“As a result, this is a great time to be in local government.
“You
see, you have to understand that I sat where you sit. Those concerns,
longstanding issues and the matters evolving [are] what I personally
experienced. So, be advised that you will be heard and your matters will
be addressed. This Davis-led administration is Family Island friendly.
“Your successes will be our success and that of our local communities. So, we are in a good place.”
Minister
Sweeting pointed out that the new Local Government officials were set
to serve in a time in which change is absolutely necessary; where
amendments are a must. He said there is a need to take action with those
ideas where Local Government gets the shot in the arm that it needs.
ENCOURAGING NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICERS – Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, Hon. Clay Sweeting, who was the keynote speaker at the West Grand Bahama District of Local Government swearing-in and installation ceremony of Local Government officials on Thursday, February 10, 2022, told the new officers that with a lot of positive changes taking place in Family Island Affairs, now was a great time to be a part of local government.
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“We
know that you can never be paid for your service to your communities
and we know that this is a tremendous sacrifice to your personal life
and to your family. So don’t get faint and don’t get weary because this
is a great time to be in Local Government,” said Minister Sweeting.
Of
the 36 officials who were installed during the ceremony, Minister
Sweeting noted that four Local Government professionals were interviewed
to become consultants. This, he said was in an effort to make a new era
of Local Government a reality.
Of those four, two were selected
and one of those is a Grand Bahama resident, who will work out of the
administrative office in the city of Freeport. The other, a New
Providence resident, will work out of the Local Government Office in New
Providence.
“Hence, the recommendations to transform Local
Government will come from you; not me, but from all of us,” said
Minister Sweeting. “So, they are going to call you and they will
prepare a draft and once the draft is prepared, it will be shared
amongst you for your final tweaking. Then and only then will it be
advanced for debate in our Honorable House of Assembly, before becoming
law.
EMR CHAIRMAN – Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, Hon. Clay Sweeting (right), along with Minister of State for the Public Service, Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle, presents Mr. George Smith with his certificate as Chairman of the Eight Mile Rock West Township, during installation ceremonies on Thursday, February 10, 2022.
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“At all levels your voices will be heard. This is a good time to be in local government.
“All
government services must be facilitated and encouraged throughout the
Family Islands. I have directed our director to re-establish our Family
lsland Help Desk. You see, when the Prime Minister created the Ministry
of Family Island Affairs, I don’t know if he knew how serious I was
about Family Islands. If Family Islands are not taken care of, then we
lose what it is that really make up who we are as a nation. This Family
Island Help Desk is proposed to be a physical presence in Grand Bahama,
Eleuthera and Inagua, with a central command point in New Providence.
Any and all matters must be addressed.
“I am the Minister, but we are all elected people. We must serve and we must serve together.
“Again, I say, there is no better time to be in local government.”
Also
on hand for the installation ceremony were Minister for Social Services
and Urban Development, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe; Minister for Grand Bahama,
Hon. Ginger Moxey and Minister of State for the Public Service, Hon.
Pia Glover-Rolle, all of whom assisted with the pinning of newly elected
councilors.
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