Tourism Minister Visits Island School at Cape Eleuthera - Hints at Government Energy Saving Initiative In the Works.

Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, touring facilities at the Island School in South Eleuthera

(South Eleuthera, The Bahamas) - Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace was a special Guest Speaker at the Spring 2009 Student Research Symposium, held at the Island School at Cape Eleuthera on May 30, 2009.

The symposium marked the students’ successful completion of a wide variety of projects centered on marine studies, conservation and sustainability. 

The Minister was treated to a complete tour of the facilities by three Students including a BESS program, (Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholar –filled by Bahamians) enrollee, who acquainted him with upgrades since his last visit in 2000 and highlighted many of their initiatives.

In particular, students brought to light a recent local energy conservation project involving Deep Creek Middle School and Island School students who circulated Energy Saving light bulbs throughout the local Deep Creek community asking residents to switch out their incandescent bulbs for the new energy saving models.   

In reference to the project Minister Vanderpool-Wallace noted that, his colleague, Minister of The Environment the Hon.  Earl Deveaux is looking to spearhead a government pilot project on Harbour Island, where the community will be encouraged to make the same kind of energy saving light bulb switch.

“Then, as ambitious as it may sound, the next one may be community by community in Nassau,” said Tourism Minister pointing out that the switch is one of the fastest ways for individuals to begin to reduce energy cost or carbon footprints.

In conversation with The Eleutheran, Minister Vanderpool-Wallace also emphasised what he sees as the benefits the Island School and its projects, has for the country.  He highlighted the learning opportunities to be had from the students’ work on alternative energy sources, which will enable more informed decisions to be made in the country’s continuous search for ways “to become more energy efficient and sustainable.”

He also expressed what he sees as gains to be achieved from the involvement of Bahamians through the BESS program with the predominantly foreign student body of the South Eleuthera based institute.  He pointed to the acquisition of information and knowledge, the international exposure obtained without leaving the country and the opportunity to share Bahamian culture and knowledge with students who return home and pass that information on.

“I can tell you, talking about the Bahamian student that I’ve met while I’m here – just talking to him a little bit – and you hear him capturing some of the information and knowledge of some of the students who are visiting …This is a way for us to get international exposure without leaving, and it works in reverse also… They’re going to go back home as you heard from the young man today – they will go back home and talk about the Bahamas in a way that couldn’t be possible without them coming and spending this amount of time here”, he said.

The Minister also added that he believes the College of the Bahamas/University of the Bahamas should encourage a large foreign Student Body to realize similar benefits but does admit however that this view is sometimes unpopular.

Following his visit to the Island School, The Minister accompanied by Eleuthera based tourism officials, South Eleuthera Administrator Bain, Chief Councilor Knowles and Senate V.P. Johnley Ferguson, visited other South Eleuthera Sites including Vendor Stalls at Princess Cays, Slave Ruins in Bannerman Town and Lighthouse Beach.

Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace in the window of the Light House, at South Eleuthera.