The Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister for Grand Bahama, on Thursday welcomed Dr. Rodney D. Smith, President of the College of The Bahamas to the island and its Northern Campus during a courtesy call at the Ministry.

As a graduate of the College of The Bahamas in 1978, Dr. Darville said he and the Government of The Bahamas are committed to moving the facility from College to University status. It is believed, he said, that the brightest minds of the College should be the nucleus to assist when there are problems, not soliciting assistance from outside of the country.

"We should have the academic expertise at the College of The Bahamas to assist," continued the Minister, and as such, the goal is to establish the University of The Bahamas.

To assist in building the student body, high school students should be attracted to the College of The Bahamas, so that the numbers are in place.

Minister Darville said that although he has a problem with where the campus in Grand Bahama is located, strides are being taken to develop the campus. Funding of three million dollars has been secured for the construction of the new dorms, and the bridge on Grand Bahama Highway is in its final stages of completion to render easy access to the College.

As a graduate of both the College of The Bahamas and the University of the West Indies, Dr. Darville further stated that the College has "the parameters in place to make a fine university that we can all be proud of."

Dr. Smith noted that it is the hope of the College that the Northern Campus will be autonomous and that someone will make a significant contribution such that through such an effort the facility will be renamed in their honour, thus removing the name Northern Campus.

The existing partnerships with government and the private sector, he said, will take the campus to the next level and will be for people not only from The Bahamas, but all over the region. The campus in Grand Bahama will be attractive to students from Nassau as well as the Family Islands as a place to go to College, rather than leaving the country.

It is also hoped, said Dr. Smith, the facility has and will have the talent and expertise to deal with local research, but is in need of resources. These funds injected into the facility will save money rather than sending it outside of the country. To this, Dr. Darville agreed and added that everyone would agree it was money well spent.

The discussion turned to the construction of a new hospital in Grand Bahama, to which Dr. Darville added they would like to establish a functional medical school. There is currently a clinical programme in Nassau, but not a pre-clinical programme. The experience for this to happen exists on the island, he continued, and this would open "huge doors" in the region.

"Medical education means tremendous revenue for the College, but this can only come about with the establishment of the University of The Bahamas," said the Minister.

The delegation from the College included: Dr. Ian Strachan, Vice-President of Advancement at the College of The Bahamas; Dr. Sophia Rolle, Executive Director of the Culinary and Hospitality Management Institute at the College of The Bahamas; Mr. Arthur Jones, member of the College of The Bahamas Council; Dr. Ellamae Johnson-Dennard, Associate Vice-President of the College of The Bahamas Northern Campus; and Ms. Davinia Blair, Director of Development.

MINISTER MEETS PRESIDENT - The Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, met with Dr. Rodney D. Smith, President of the College of The Bahamas during a courtesy call at the Ministry on Thursday. Shown from left are: Dr. Sophia Rolle, Executive Director of Culinary and Hospitality Management Institute at the College of The Bahamas; Dr. Ellamae Johnson-Dennard, Associate Vice-President of the College of The Bahamas Northern Campus; Minister Darville; Dr. Smith; Dr. Ian Strachan, Vice-President of Advancement at the College of The Bahamas; and Mr. Arthur Jones, member of the College of The Bahamas Council. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)

COURTESY CALL - Dr. Rodney D. Smith, President of the College of The Bahamas, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville (left) at the Ministry on Thursday. During the meeting, they discussed some of the future plans of the College. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)