Bahamas News
Bahamas Still Lighting it Up Blue for Autism Awareness
By Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, April 13, 2023 – The Centre of Disease Control now places autism at 1 in every 36 children down from 1 in every 56, according to Dwayne Gibson, the Chairman of R.E.A.C.H, who spoke at the 11th annual commemoration of World Autism Day “Light it up Blue” at Rawson Square on April 1, themed “It’s ok to be a little
different;” an event to keep this challenge in the spotlight.
While the US is citing a downward trend of children diagnosed to be on the autism spectrum, for The Bahamas the report is starkly different.
Last year R.E.A.C.H organized and launched an online public survey to ascertain the number of families affected by autism in The Bahamas, unfortunately, the participation in the survey was not satisfactory. Still, Gibson went on to say that they were able to gather information from their office that revealed and increase in the number of children are being diagnosed with mild, moderate, or severe autism.
Gibson, on April 2, rolled out recent initiatives of R.E.A.C.H including a free respite care service which is offered every Saturday and Sunday, supervised by Special Education teachers from the Ministry of Education. This allows parents of autistic children to take a break on weekends which is a big help, he said.
Also, R.E.A.C.H is in talks with the Ministry of Education to connect with a well-trained foreign speech therapists to meet later this month with special needs teachers. This is to keep them up to date with the latest and most effective practices and protocols, in order to yield better results with the children.
They are also in collaboration to fly the therapist to Eleuthera to rendezvous and conduct screenings and assessments with special needs kids from Spanish Wells and Harbour Island who would not have the opportunity to access professional help.
Gibson made another important point, noting that the Government’s “continued” annual grant to the non-profit organization, through the Ministry of Social Services, has allowed them to hire a resident Speech Pathologist which has taken some of the weight off of parents’ shoulders to find and pay for private speech therapy services. He expressed that they are able to provide quality speech therapy services to those who are most in need.
While the chairman aptly laid out the progresses and needs, the Light it Up Blue ceremony also made room for the talents of children and teens on the Autism Spectrum to display their talents in singing, music and speaking. A period of the event was also dedicated to the honoring of a number of special needs children as 2023 R.E.A.C.H Star Students for their continued development and excellence at their schools.
Needless to say, the children were visibly happy and excited to be have been recognised to an audience which included both the Prime Minister, Philip Davis and the Minister of Education, Glenys Hanna-Martin.
The Prime Minster gave the official countdown to the lighting up of Rawson Square. The country’s democratic center, located on Bay Street in Nassau, continues to be illuminated by blue lights this month, which best seen during the evening hours.
RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).
In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.
King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.
King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “
Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.
“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.
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