In keeping with its new vision ?To better the lives of the Grand Bahama community, and by extension, The Bahamas through the unique features offered by our island?, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited announced in a press conference on Thursday, April 16th, their agreement to partner with the YMCA and Basketball Travelers, Inc. by donating $15,000.00 towards the refurbishment of the YMCA?s basketball court floor.

Mr. Ian Rolle, President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited, Mrs. Ginger Moxey, Vice President and Director of Training Mrs. Geneva Rutherford, were on hand for the presentation.

Mrs. Rutherford noted that the ?Y? as it is affectionately known, has a vast history behind it. ?Let me begin by saying that every city needs a Y.M.C.A. And so it was that just 10 years after the founding of Freeport , the planners of this city saw fit to establish our Y.M.C.A. They saw the need for a recreational facility which was to be used by all ages for all types of sporting and other activities held by schools, civic organizations, churches and youth groups on the Island of Grand Bahama,? she explained.

?In fact, the very reason we are here today, is that the Basketball Travelers Inc. started bringing their annual ?Junkanoo Jam? Basketball Tournament every November since 2003, to the Y.M.C.A. Due to the devastation caused by the Hurricanes of 2004 & 2005 which destroyed the ?Y?, they were unable to hold tournaments at this site. After the hurricanes, Sir Jack Hayward, Patron of the ?Y? made a donation of $40,000.00 toward the rebuilding effort. However, it has been a slow process to bring the Y.M.C.A. and its facilities back to full use by the community. Indeed, their willingness to spear-head the renovations of the new basketball court for the gym is highly commendable, and, we at The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Ltd. And Group Companies appreciate this kind gesture and we are very happy to partner with Basketball Travelers on such a significant project? stated Mrs. Rutherford.


Sean McShane, Junkanoo Jam's tournament director explained. "We are excited to work with the Grand Bahama Port Authority to help give something back to the Bahamian community.? The tournament continues to attract elite teams and this will be good for the future of the Junkanoo Jam as well as Bahamas basketball!"

The court is valued at approximately $40,000 and is made with durable first rate materials created by SportCourt.

Since 2003, Basketball Travelers, Inc. The Ministry of Tourism, and President Lawrence Hepburn of The Bahamas Basketball Federation have worked together to produce the Junkanoo Jam tournament, one of the prestigious women's events in NCAA DI college basketball. When the YMCA sustained major hurricane damage, Basketball Travelers, Inc. approached the YMCA with an idea to assist. Installation of the court will commence on April 27th and is schedule to be completed May 1st.


Photo: From left to right: Mrs. Karon Pinder-Johnson, Executive Director of the YMCA; Ms. Betty Bethel, General Manager of Business Development for The Ministry of Tourism; Mrs. Ginger Moxey, Vice President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited; Mr. Ian Rolle, President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited; Mrs. Geneva Rutherford, Director of Training for the GBPA Group; Sean McShane, Director of Basketball Traveler?s and Mr. Lawrence Hepburn, President of The Bahamas Basketball Association.