By GENEA NOEL

Freeport News Reporter

Heads of State from across the Caribbean converged on Grand Bahama yesterday for an official visit and tour of the island to climax the Thirteenth Conference of Presidents and Governors- General.

With Bahaman flags raised high, Governor General of the Bahamas Arthur Hanna and other presidents and governors were welcomed with pomp and pageantry fitting royalty at the Grand Bahama Domestic airport.

As the Bishop Michael Eldon School steel band played melodic Bahamian music, the officials disembarked from the national flag carrier onto a red carpet and were greeted by parliamentarians and school students who eagerly anticipated their arrival.

Shortly after, the officials were swept away heavily guarded by security and police officers.

The Presidents and Governors General stopped for breakfast at the Grand Bahama Yacht Club, where they were treated in grand style by the owners who took time to thank and welcome them to Freeport.

Senator Kay Smith said that this occasion would hopefully expose the country leaders to the island and create economic opportunity.

"We certainly would want to expose them to Grand Bahama as a vacation destination and the business opportunities here for development," said Smith.

She added that the officials seemed very impressed with the island and commented on how different it was from their country.

Although time did not allow the group to tour the eastern and western parts of the island, Smith said she simply wanted them to enjoy themselves with our Head of State.

During the course of the morning, the group had an opportunity to visit the Chesapeake and Fortune Cay residential areas, newly re-stored Garden of the Groves, the bridge area, Port Lucaya and the Grand Bahama Deve-lopment Company.

At noon the officials were treated to a luncheon at Churchill's Restaurant at the Westin and Sheraton at Our Lucaya Resort.

Felix Stubbs, chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA), welcomed the visitors to the island and brought brief remarks on behalf of the Port.

"We hope that you would already have had an opportunity to see or recent developments in our residential communities and our tourist attractions and that you noticed our properties that are ripe and ready for future development," said Stubbs.

Referring to the conference's theme, "Rebuilding Societies," Stubbs said the GBPA has been the principal player in the building of the society of Freeport and Grand Bahama.

"The records will show not only our involvement in the industry and business of this island but also our commitment to the people in the society and to their well- being," Stubbs said.

He then presented the honoured guests and their spouses with authentic GBPA 50th anniversary dollar coin and straw bags and wallets filled with Bahamian goodies.

They also received information packets highlighting the role of the GBPA in the city of Freeport and the Hawks-bill Creek Agreement that was established some 53 years ago.

The visit ended with a tour of the Freeport Container Port before the officials headed back to New Providence in preparation for their return home.

The presidents and governors-general included: Dame Louise Lake Tack of Antigua and Barbuda; Sir Clifford Husbands of Barbados; Sir Colville Young of Belize; Dr. Nicolas Liverpool of Domi-nica; Sir Daniel Williams of Grenada; Sir Kenneth Hall of Jamaica; Sir Cuthbert Sebas-tian; Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy of St. Lucia; Sir Frederick Ballantyne; Geor-ge Richards of Trinidad and Tobago.