At this time of year, a variety of kids’ camps appear as predictably as summer flowers, but seldom are they as enduring and anticipated as the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) summer camps, which have been held over the past 22 years.

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), a long-time supporter of positive, nation-wide, proactive youth development and community betterment programs, has donated funds to help defray costs to run the camps on New Providence and many Family Islands settlements. Leon Williams, BTC’s chief executive officer, said he remembers well the summer camps he happily attended as a child and said that he sees positive changes and benefits from the developmental activities scheduled for the RBPF summer camps.

“Camp somewhere, doing something, was very much a part of summer holidays growing up. But I notice a change for the better in today’s management of the community programs where we are involved. [It is] one that seeks to steer youngsters toward learning civic pride and personal responsibility. Developing awareness in kids today, giving them a reality check and an apprehension of the type of societal dangers that can ruin lives, we believe, is paramount in the current environment of increased crime and unemployment.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Stephen Dean said the police summer camps, which cater to approximately 4,000 students each year, have grown tremendously since their inception in 1993. “The need to keep kids safe and productively busy over the summer months has only increased as have the numbers attending, because we cannot turn any child away,” said the assistant commissioner. BTC’s sponsorship helps us provide a safe environment, a positive place where parents know their kids are going to be being cared for in a fun and productive learning environment.”

Acting Inspector Darvey Pratt has overall responsibility in Nassau for the operational logistics and works along with New Providence camp staff drawn from the National Crime Prevention Office.

Each camp has four leaders, two of whom are police officers and two civilians. Additionally, each camp has 15 instructors.

“We have several camps on New Providence and a daily schedule is prepared to include fun sports, creative arts and crafts and also life skills development. We bring in qualified speakers on subjects such as conflict resolution, the dangers of drug use, etiquette and public speaking. We go on field trips and recently went to Consolidated Water, at Blue Hills; Scottdale, where they make mattresses; and also Fox Hill prison to enforce our teachings on living a crime free life. We have a speech competition at the end of the six weeks and also a basketball championship game,” said Pratt. “We are very grateful to BTC for their contribution to our efforts to bring a useful and productive summer time to our children.”

The summer camp in Mangrove Cay, Andros this year was “superb”, according to the officer in charge, Superintendent Bastian, who just closed the month-long center. “We just finished it; it was superb. We can’t thank BTC enough for their sponsorship.” Activities were varied and included basketball with Kendal Taylor, learning how to make soap and lotion from coconut, nature walks to identify the local flora – including medicinal plants – and fauna, and even fly-fishing from Elgin Rahming.

“Every day [there was] something different to learn and enjoy” said the superintendent.

Five hundred kids on Eleuthera had a summer to remember with five camps, one for each of the settlements on Spanish Wells; Harbour Island; and North, Central and South Eleuthera. Their varied activity schedules included dancing and music, guest lecturers, arts and crafts, sports and games and field trips. Superintendent Wright said the five-week-long camps were a great success. On July 29, a grand finale was held at St. Patrick’s Hall at Governor’s Harbour.

“The kids had a good time and hopefully learned something whilst enjoying themselves. We’re all looking forward to the closing event when all 500 kids will be together; we’ll be giving each child a new back pack with school supplies to take home.”

BTC’s sponsorship assisted the many Police Youth Programme summer camps on New Providence and settlements on Eleuthera, Exuma, Cat Island, Andros, Grand Bahama, the Berry Islands, Bimini and San Salvador. The annual camps cater to ages eight through 17 for six weeks. This year, the camps end on August 7.