After starting its journey in Exuma, the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games, the baton has arrived in Grand Bahama.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. I. Chester Cooper, who will represent Exuma and Ragged Island in the upcoming Bahamas Games, passed the golden baton to the Hon. Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama. 

Present for the baton’s passing in Grand Bahama were island ambassadors Latoya ‘Latoya Laughs’ Dean and Z’haneo Newbold, better known as ‘Sarge’. They assisted with promoting the games by creating and sharing marketing content on their social media handles, providing entertainment, and enacting the passing of the baton before the official handover between the island representatives.

According to the Senior Director of Marketing for The Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games, Fernerin Hanna, “Each island has a local talent and representative who is excited about helping to promote these games and what they represent for our nation and upcoming Golden Jubilee of Independence.”

Hanna hopes to excite Bahamians across the archipelago about the upcoming games and 50th Independence celebrations. A significant factor, according to Hanna, is the involvement of everyone from our Prime Minister, Hon. Philip Davis, to every member of parliament and island representative to the youngest child, “These games and all of our other celebrations are about celebrating what is unique and beautiful about being Bahamian and what brings us together as a people.”

The baton, long a symbol of camaraderie and competition, also represents the unification of our islands, according to Hon. Mario Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture, “In this quest to reinstate the Bahamas Games, we should all be reminded of the importance of the Games as a tool of national integration and sports development.” Bowleg believes this year’s games should focus on unity under the slogan, “Our Nation, Our Islands, Our Games.”

The sixth edition of the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games, scheduled for July 7th to July 15th, 2023, is among the activities approved and included for the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations.

These upcoming games will feature 16 disciplines, including ten teams representing ten islands or groupings of islands, hosted at numerous venues across New Providence. In addition to Baseball, age group categories of competition will only apply to the individual disciplines of Boxing, Track and Field, Swimming, Lawn Tennis, Cycling and Bodybuilding/Powerlifting. There will be a single Open Division in all other sports. The minimum age category for all competitions is high school for all disciplines. Children are only allowed to participate in swimming; however, this is under review, and the public will be notified accordingly. 

A major plus for this year’s games is the inclusion of local talent, who represent each of the major islands or grouping of islands. Each team’s ambassador has been pushing the message of friendly competition, unity, and inclusion. The ambassadors include local artists, performers, DJs and well-known radio and television personalities, working together to excite, educate and empower Bahamians to participate in or support the upcoming games.

More photo highlights below:

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