Students to benefit from $5M donation

By KEVA LIGHTBOURNE, Guardian Senior Reporter, kdl@nasguard.com

Hundreds of Bahamian children are expected to benefit from a $5 million donation that will go towards the construction and furnishing of 10 computer and science lab buildings on various Family Islands.

American businessman Billy Davis, who has called The Bahamas his home for more than 20 years, is behind the initiative which is aimed at helping to further the education of young Bahamians.

Davis, a former Arizona state Senator, disclosed that several learning institutions in the United States, including Georgia Tech, have already announced their willingness to assist in this venture, which has been in the making for almost a year.

The first of the 10 structures is expected to be constructed on the island of Rum Cay.

Davis disclosed that upon his first visit to the island (Port Nelson), he thought about the future of the school children and wondered whether they would ever get the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. He said that was when the idea came to him to begin building the schools.

Five million dollars have already been set aside for the venture, thanks to the Billy Davis Family Foundation.

"We are going to erect the first building as soon as the permits are given for the construction," said Davis. "We have located property in Rum Cay, Long Island, San Salvador, Andros. We are looking for property in Rock Sound (Eleuthera), Cat Island. We are putting 10 (computer and science buildings) in," Davis said.

"I can't say that they will all happen in the same year, but our projection is 10 over five years. The only thing that would hold us back is not getting proper permits or something that we can't control."

Each building will have the same design. The building will encompass a large computer science laboratory, administration offices, a reception and clinic area, and a recreation room.

According to Davis, the goal is to create an effective learning environment for Family Island students.

"What happens to the children when this marvelous cable is running from Florida all the way down to the Caribbean called fiber optics and what happens to the children when they begin to leave the Family Islands?" he asked. "Where do they go? They come to Nassau and they go to Canada, Florida and various different places, but do they come home? And if they come home do they come home to Nassau with traffic that you can't manage, when you have all of this wonderful, wonderful country to go back to?

"The buildings will be private on private land and hopefully, one day, we will be able to help children to be able to click the mouse and go beyond the village that they live in, and when they go to the big city or they go to Nassau and to the states they are not behind in this electronic world."

The funds will come from the Billy Davis Family Foundation established in 1908 by Davis' grandfather, who traveled the world helping people in need. This American businessman has worked along with former United States presidents, senior government officials, and American judges.

The Davis family fully supports this foundation with their own money, and only look for help with computers and other tangible items to assist in their mission.

Copyright © 2006 The Nassau Guardian. All rights reserved.