By LISA S. KING

FN Asst. Editor

lisa@nasguard.com

Delegates from Grand Bahama are expected to bring all major concerns relating to the present economy of this northern island when they attend the Free National Movement's (FNM) National Convention, slated to begin on Wednesday in the capital.

To encourage and get the delegates fired up as they prepare to travel to New Providence, a pep rally was held on Saturday at party headquarters where several Members of Parliament spoke to them about the importance of maintaining a 'spirit of unity' as they carry their concerns to the convention floor on matters related to Grand Bahama and its particular constituencies.

Hosting the event was Grand Bahama FNM Council Chairman David Thompson, who said FNM National Chairman Senator Johnley Ferguson made a special visit to the island just to encourage the delegates and party supporters attending the convention.

Keynote speaker for the pep rally was National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest, who advised the delegates to not only be unified in their efforts, but to think of what is good for their country and to put their concerns as it related to themselves, their constituencies and their island to the forefront of their minds as they go into the convention.

"The pep rally was a short event to 'pep up' the spirits of the delegates attending the convention and also to allow for them to raise funds to defray some of the travel costs for them to attend the convention," Thompson said. "It was also to encourage them to take all of their concerns to the convention floor as it relates to Grand Bahama. So the pep rally was a success and so was the fund-raising effort."

Senator Thompson said the delegates were also encouraged to support those persons nominating from Grand Bahama for national posts within the FNM party as there will be as always, election of national officers at the convention. The delegates were then told to concentrate on those things they wanted the convention to focus on as it relates to Grand Bahama, especially when they go into the scheduled working sessions.

FNM Convention 2009 will be held within the Rain Forest Theatre of the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Cryrstal Palace Casino, under theme, "Tough Times, Tested Leadership."

Convention sessions begin on Wednesday with a prayer breakfast and the evening segment, which will be broadcast live on ZNS TV 13 and radio stations, will feature remarks from National Chairman Johnley Ferguson, Pineridge MP Kwasi Thompson, Torchbear-ers Association President Caron Shepherd, Immigration State Minister Branville Mc-Cartney, Environment Minister Earl Deveaux and the keynote address will be presented by National Security Minister Tommy Turn-quest.

Thursday's session will begin with a ladies luncheon and the evening segment will be chaired by Clifton Pier MP Kendal Wright, and will feature remarks from Senator Jacinta Higgs, Senator Frederick McAlpine, Senator Dion Foulkes, Health Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis and the keynote address will be presented by Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Zhivargo Laing.

Friday's evening session will be chaired by the Minister of State for Youth and Culture Charles Maynard and will feature remarks by Minister of State for Social Development Loretta Butler-Turner, Tourism Minister Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, Works Minister Neko Grant, Education Minister Carl Bethel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette and the keynote address will be presented by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. The convention banquet will be held on Saturday.

Senator Thompson said one of the pressing issues he has heard coming from various constituents on the island is how best residents can work to move Grand Bahama's economy forward. He said there are also issues like unemployment and concerns about investments that are on stream.

"Those are some of the aspects of everyday life that we have been told by constituents that are upper most in their minds," he said. "They also mention such things as Our Lucaya and how to better have that hotel utilized in terms of its capacity, the number of visitors there. The casino will soon to be operating under new management, so it is all about giving more focus on increased tourism for Grand Bahama." He said many questioned about what was happening with the old Princess Hotel and its casino and if Harcourt had any plans to reopen it in the future. They also want the Government to continue looking into that matter and to update residents on any new development.

"Some addressed issues related to the Port Authority as it relates to what they claim are the high annual licence fees charged," he said. "Some have concerns about other issues like the high rates being charged by the Grand Bahama Power Company and the number of people who may be without electricity and if the Government is planning to provide some new stimulus to assist those persons to get their lights back on."

With Christmas season about to begin, Thompson said several constituents were also concerned about provision for some type of financial stimulus for those who may not have funds to provide for their families during that time.

"So we are looking forward to having dynamic speakers and hearing from our young people within the party," Thompson said. "We are looking forward to hearing from our various Members of Parliament, our Cabinet Ministers and of course our Prime Minister the right honourable Hubert Alexander Ingraham."

Thompson said the National Convention's theme is timely because party leaders recognize times are tough and that people are hurting, so they are all hoping that convention 2009 will chart the way forward for things to get better for the Bahamian people and to go into Christmas and the new year with optimism and hope.