By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis described the National Youth Guard Programme as a “positive gang” that channels young Bahamians toward national development, discipline, and purpose, challenging narratives that portray the country’s youth as unmotivated.

During a visit to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Base on Friday, Mr Davis watched Cohort 4 recruits perform emergency drills, chants, and a simulated ambulance response. He said the programme fosters a sense of belonging that motivates participants to become productive citizens.

He said initiatives like this show young people can thrive if given opportunity and direction.

He said the programme proves that when young people are given a cause to rally behind, they rise to the occasion. Many from the current cohort, he noted, are on track to join the Royal Bahamas Defence Force or the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Cohort 4 comprises 104 trainees — 59 males and 45 females — undergoing a 10-week training period followed by a four-week internship.

Captain Sonia Miller, disaster risk management officer at the RBDF and programme coordinator, said the training is wide-ranging, with a focus on disaster management, technical skills, and military discipline through a partnership with BTVI.

She noted the training’s real-world impact, pointing to recent assistance the recruits provided during a bush fire in Grand Bahama. As they transition into internships, they will be placed with national agencies to apply their skills in the field.