Bahamas Youths

George T. Carey was born on March 5th, 1981 to George and June Carey, and he is the last child of their three children. George grew up in a single parent family and at an early age he learnt that tough times do not last, but only tough people, as a result he strengthen his resolve to face all of life challenges.

Mr. Carey was always fascinated about learning as a young child as he was attracted to books and educational programs probably because his mother was an educator and she saw fit that such educational materials was always available. Now he is thankful from this start as he now values the substance of education and sees it as an important tool in the development of the total being. George considers himself to be a national Bahamian student as he went to schools on the islands of New Providence, Exuma, Long Island, and Grand Bahama. Mr. Carey attended three primary schools and three high school, and he always maintained a high grade standard.

As a child, George always dreamt about becoming a lawyer and later making the transition of becoming a judge. As a result of this dream, he took the preparatory steps by enrolling in The College of The Bahama, Law and Criminal Justice programme. While in the college, he participated in COBUS as Deputy Speaker, Social Science Senator, and Senator for Part-Time Students. George also helped to organise the Dorms softball, basketball and volleyball teams to participate in the intramural tournaments. His basketball team was always in contention and his volleyball team would win the tournament despite playing against teams who had members from the Bahamas National Volleyball team. Mr. Carey graduate from The College of The Bahamas in 2000 with an Associate of Arts Degree in Law and Criminal Justice.

After graduating from The College of The Bahamas, George prepared to further his studies in law abroad, but, was halted when his mother suffered a failed back surgery. He decided to take a year off from school to take care of her, and seek employment. Consequently, George was hired by the Ministry of Education in the Youth Division. Mr Carey assisted in the opening of the Pan- AM Building Cyber Internet Café, National Youth Parliament, and with the establishment of the Chippingham Community Youth Centre. His responsibilities were to assist the then Assistant Director of Youth, Ms. Autherine Turnquest and other Youth Officers with their duties. Mr. Carey kept in contact with the Youth Division and wrote the Resolutions for the May 2003 National Youth Parliament after the topics were selected, by the selection committee.

Despite working with the Youth Division, Mr. Carey always worked with youth and youth organisations. He was a member of the Governor General Youth Award, Interact Club, was a school prefect, served in organisations such as COBUS (College of The Bahamas Union of Students), the COB/UWI Law Society. George was also the former CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Bahamas Youth Parliamentarian, Captain of 1998 Sir Jack Hayward Sailing Team. He is one of the founders of Island Group Development Asociation (IGDA), and Executive Member of Island Boyz Holding & Investment Company, Ltd. (IBHIC), and the co-founder of Island Boyz Legal Advisers, Inc., a consultancy firm and subsidiary of IBHIC. George T. Carey can still be found working with youth and currently he is also the co-founder of Y.O.U.N.G (Youth United for National Growth), which is an organisation geared for the total development of youth which is subsidary of Island Group Development Assocation and is set to officially launched in June 2005. Y.O.U.N.G is comprised of individuals from across the Bahamas who met in Youth Organisations and who want to further help in the total development of Bahamas. The organisation is geared towards a string of educational campaign in regards to all aspects of development in Bahamian Life, namely the spheres of national, social, cultural, economical, religious, and political. Mr. Carey participated in the Lex Caribbean Regional Client Interviewing Competition (Trinidad and Tobago), and his team was praised by the judges, for a high standard presentation

Subsequent to his internship with the Youth Division, Mr. Carey decided to further his studies at home where he can continue to look after mother, and he enrolled in the COB/UWI LLB Degree Programme. Mr. Carey tough resolved carried him through the LLB Degree Programme, despite being constantly told from the Course Coordinator that he should not work and continue with the programme whereas it was so intensive. George always maintained the response that “it is better to go to school and to work, than not to go to school at all!” and he is in the last semester of the programme. To hear a more about Mr Carey and his creative work you can log on to www.bahamasdowntroddenyouth.blogspot.com