Press Statement
A call by Minister of Urban Renewal and Community Relations, the Honourable Lisa T. Rahming, for investors to consider the children who will inherit Grand Bahama’s future inspired an immediate pledge of musical instruments for the Grand Bahama Urban Renewal Band.
Addressing local and international investors during the Freeport–Riviera Beach Trade Mission on Monday, November 9, Minister Rahming, who was serving as Acting Minister for Grand Bahama, brought 15 young band members forward to put faces to her appeal.
She urged those in the room to consider how their investment decisions could shape the opportunities available to these children as they grow, enter the workforce and eventually assume leadership of their communities and country.
Among the young musicians standing before them, she suggested, could be a future minister occupying her position or a future leader taking the place of the Honourable Michael Pintard. Investing in Grand Bahama, she told participants, means investing in these children and the generations who will follow.
The appeal prompted Riviera Beach Police Chief Michael A. Coleman to come to the microphone and pledge a musical instrument for each member of the band.
The Grand Bahama Urban Renewal Band has 200 registered members and is led by Band Director Inspector Rovan Carey, supported by Assistant Directors Corporal 1268 Ferguson and Reserve Assistant Superintendent Robert Higgs.
Minister Rahming highlighted the band’s immediate need for uniforms, instruments and other resources to support its young musicians. She called on potential investors to see the connection between economic development and the programmes that help children build confidence, discipline and skills.
Her message placed the young people at the centre of discussions about Grand Bahama’s growth, asking participants to consider the lasting benefits their decisions could bring to families and communities.
Chief Coleman’s pledge offered an immediate response to that appeal, connecting the mission’s discussions about international partnerships with a practical commitment to the island’s youth.
The Freeport–Riviera Beach Trade Mission, taking place November 8–11, brings together government officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs to explore trade, investment and cooperation between the two cities.
For the young band members who joined Minister Rahming before the gathering, those discussions carried a personal message — their talents, ambitions and futures belong at the heart of Grand Bahama’s development.
