The Queen’s Baton spent two days in the Bahamas, previous hosts of the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games.
The Baton arrived at LPIA airport before visiting Arawak Cay, a small island off the coast of Nassau and locally known as ‘Fish Fry’, where members of the community interacted with the Baton.
Next, Batonbearers took the Baton to Rawson Square, which is home to a life-size statue of a woman holding a child to honour Bahamian women. The British High Commissioner attended a celebration in the cobblestone square.
The Baton visited local communities, before being taken to Thomas Robinson Stadium, where members of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations relayed the Baton. At the stadium, members of the community held a Junkanoo welcome - a parade during which people dress in traditional costume and sing, dance and perform music. While Junkanoos are usually only performed on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, a special exception was made to celebrate the Queen’s Baton Relay.
Later that day, Special Olympics Bahamas' Awareness Ambassador, Vashni "Metro" Thompson, and Special Olympics Bahamas athlete, Austin Green, took on the Relay and carried the Baton.
The day ended with a visit to His Excellency Sir Cornelius A. Smith, GCMH, the Governor General at the Government House.
On the final day in the Bahamas, the Baton was taken out to St. George's Cay, one of the other 700 islands in the Bahamas, to visit the town of Spanish Wells. Children at Little Blessings Academy received a visit from the Baton.
Island-hopping once again, the Baton headed to Harbour Island to inspire the children of North Eleuthera School, which marked its final stop on the Bahamian leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay.
