Seventy Eleutherans graduated with top honours from a BAIC straw and shell craft souvenir course during ceremonies in Savanna Sound last weekend.
Taught by souvenir experts April Fox-Martin and Myrtle Munroe, they bring to nearly 500 the artisans trained by Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) this year. Limited only by their imagination, the students made colourful shells, coral and sand items found on the beaches into a variety of attractive pieces including lamps, broaches, pins, combs, clips, necklaces, charms and earrings.
They fashioned straw hats, bags, caps, mats, belts, dolls and a combination of shell and straw into wristbands and other interesting pieces.
“These students are the best,” beamed tutor Mrs Martin. “They made the best teacher out of me. Their products are magnificent. I have never seen anything so beautiful.”
Minister of Financial Services and Investments Vincent Peet urged graduates to take advantage of the BAIC programmes and prepare themselves “to play your rightful role in making sure you share in this dynamic, unprecedented economic growth which the country is now going through.”
Already “major work” is taking place at Cotton Bay and Cape Eleuthera and there are “many more that we have on the drawing board for Eleuthera,” he said. “It is important therefore, that as we develop Eleuthera … we are developing Eleuthera for Bahamians first,” said Mr Peet. “We welcome the foreign investment dollar but we want to make sure that while they make a profit you share in that profit also. Paulette Strachan of Savannah Sound is well-known already for her work in straw. The shell craft course added a new dimension to her creativity. “I had a wonderful experience doing shell work for the first time,” she said. “It was very exciting to learn something new. This will fall in line very well with my straw work.”
Her shell work, she said, will be a prominent part of her exhibition at next month’s Haynes Library arts and craft festival in nearby Governor’s Harbour. Marinette Hall use to do craft work when she was younger.
“There were some things I wanted to do. I tried, but could not get it done. When the offer came from BAIC, I accepted and now I am able to succeed at it.”
Junkanoo artist Loran Bastian was the only man to participate. It was his first attempt at straw work.
“I wanted to do this for years and I am happy I got the opportunity,” he said. “I found it quite challenging but I like a good challenge.” “I am very impressed,” said BAIC board member Lana Munnings-Basalyga. These ladies are very creative, artistic and excited. They have promised to go on even further. I am sure we will soon have many different items to sell in our stores and no more made in China.”
Also there for the ceremony were South Eleuthera MP and Speaker of the House of Assembly Oswald Ingraham, North Eleuthera MP Alvin Smith, BAIC chairman Mike Halkitis, BAIC manager Donnalee Bowe, BAIC board member Janeen McCartney, and senior officer Pamela Deveaux.
The Nassau Guardian
