Prime Minister Perry Christie has challenged the co-chairs of the Urban Renewal Commission to work assiduously towards increasing the number of young people learning and playing music under the auspices of the Urban Renewal bands across The Bahamas.

Former parliamentarians and Cabinet Ministers Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Algernon Allen serve as the co-chairs of the Commission.

Mr. Christie said his government was prepared to assist the programme as best as it could due to its significance to the development of communities.

“Let there be 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 who are able to do this because you are actually giving them an opportunity to be smart,” Mr. Christie said.

“You have to have a brain to be able to play music; you have to be smart to play music and when you look at some of the kids who are currently in the bands who are eight and nine years of age and can play multiple instruments; that is a special thing. The reaching out and lending a helping hand, the coaching, the providing them with an opportunity to be in uniform and to experience the pride of being recognised is very special.”

Mr. Christie was addressing the 2012 Graduation Class of the Centreville Urban Renewal Computer Programme last week. 

“It is a movement that is intended to reach everyone in those communities where offices have been established, and to give young children, in particular, opportunities to develop their gifts and talents and to be the best they can be whether in the classroom, whether in the community, through music, or through sports and other activities,” he said.

“The whole point of Urban Renewal is to recognise that there are children in particular in these communities who are exposed to circumstances that they were born into and that those circumstances are challenging for them. We must never give up on our children. The children who are taught music are taught discipline by the very nature of their trade. They have to be discipline to stay with it, to learn it and to be able to present themselves in a way, which is a magnificent development for them.”

The prime minister said his government was prepared to provide the Urban Renewal Programme with the resources “as best as possible” to ensure that their work is effective.

He also said the same will be done in the Family islands as well.

“This is something I believe in, something I am prepared to support and something I am prepared to dedicate the country’s finances too, to help those of you who are involved in this programme because there is a great need for it,” Mr. Christie said.

“I don’t apologise for introducing it because I think it will go on to be something defining in this country.”
Mr. Christie applauded the graduates for their hard work and dedication to the programme, adding that their successful completion of the computer literacy programme should propel them to even greater heights and self-fulfillment.

“I congratulate those who graduated from the course because I know how you feel; because I know how I felt when I sent my first email; it‘s as if you have been released. Don’t stop now though, become even more proficient at it,” Mr. Christie added.