Recipients of Gold Medal Awards for GGYA and representatives of recipients are pictured with Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Governor General Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Dr. Daniel Johnson, GGYA Chairman of the Board of Trustees Sir Orville Turnquest, and Principal of Queen’s College Andrea Gibson.
Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling along with visiting HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, and his wife HRH The Countess of Wessex presented 34 young people the prestigious Gold Award of the Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA) programme on Thursday, March 3, 2016 for their outstanding achievements during a ceremony at Queen’s College High School.
GGYA was re-established in 1987 through The Bahamas Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Programme. Through GGYA participants between the ages of 14-25 develop important skills, contribute valuable service to the community, and participate in physical recreation activities among others in an effort to achieve a Bronze, Silver or Gold award.
Students of Queen’s College and other well-wishers waved flags as the Royal Couple greeted them on their arrival. The school’s band serenaded the audience prior to and during the event. Among the dignitaries in attendance were Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie; Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Dr. Daniel Johnson; former Governors General Sir Orville Turnquest, who is also Chairman of the GGYA Board of Trustees, and Sir Arthur Foulkes. Also present: Senator Dion Smith, GGYA Management Council Chairman Jack Thompson, members of the clergy, administration, staff and students of Queen’s College, parents of the honorees and GGYA participants.
Dwanisha Henderson, who collected an award on behalf of a recipient, chats with HRH The Prince Edward as other recipients look on.
Prince Edward congratulated the recipients. He said it is so important that through events such as this, their achievements are recognized.
“What you do outside the classroom is just as important as your education and it should be recognized,” he said.
HRH Prince Edward gives remarks at the Gold Awards Presentation.
Prime Minister Christie said the Government’s affirmation of the GGYA programme is the reason it receives “the lion’s share” of the budget of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
“Any programme that lends itself to the core values such as service, adventure journeys, skills, physical recreation, and residential projects is worth implementing in all schools throughout The Bahamas,” he added.
He challenged the leaders of GGYA to devise a method to introduce the programme in all of the high schools in The Bahamas. “I am convinced that we should extend the benefits of this programme to other children in our Commonwealth,” he said.
Minister Johnson said the awardees have worked hard and it is only fitting that their success is rewarded by such a milestone.
“To date, over 10,000 people have passed through the programme and none of them, I have no record of any of them in jail or in trouble,” said Minister Johnson.
GYA Gold Medal recipients interact with HRH The Prince Edward during a reception following the presentation.
Their Royal Highnesses’ itinerary included visits to C. V. Bethel Senior High School, St. Augustine’s College High School, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force base and a trip to Abaco in the Northern Bahamas.
By Kathryn Campbell
Bahamas Information Services
Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex greet students of Queen’s College on their arrival at the school for the Governor General’s Youth Award Presentation on Thursday, March 3, 2016.
HRH Prince Edward converses with a Queen’s College Prefect before the ceremony.
Jada Ritchie, a student of Queen’s College, presents the gift of a painting to Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex. (BIS Photos/Patrick Hanna)
