Chair of the National Independence Secretariat, Her Excellency Leslia Miller-Brice announced the division winners in the 50th Independence Poetry and Song Competitions, during a press conference Thursday, May 18, 2023, at the University of the Bahamas.  

In the Poetry Competition, titled: “Our Nation, Our, Legacy, Our Future” -- the winner in the Primary Division is Daliyah Culmer, Grade 5, Woodcock Primary School. 

Also for Poetry, in the Junior High Division, the winner was Gabriel Pinder of Temple Christian Schools; and in the Senior High Division, the winner was Shamaar Nottage of C.V. Bethel Senior High School.

In the Top 10 for the Song Competition, randomly announced were: Zoe Turner, “Oh Bahamas”; James Hepburn, “The Greatest Place on Earth”; It’s a Celebration”, by Georgina Martin; “Golden Jubilee”, by Nicholas Huyler; “Black, Aqua and Gold”, by Iisha McPhee; “Together As One”, by Karrington McKenzie; “One Nation”, by Chris Carey; “My Bahama Land”, by Ebony Gibson; “Soar”, by Antonio Thompson; and “One Nation’s Legacy” by Dale Knowles.

In attendance at the press conference were Permanent Secretary Jack Thompson; members of the National Independence Secretariat; Sharon Scavella, Coordinator, National After School Literacy and Numeracy Remediation Programme who headed the judging process in the schools; Dwayne Higgins, Assistant Director of Student Development in the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training; Sonia Culmer, Undersecretary, the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training; and Demetria Rolle, Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training.