Faith, Friends, And Finding Your Voice

Three Bahamian students open up about peer pressure, social media, school culture, and why faith keeps them steady. We explore youth voice in politics, the future of Long Island, and how better resources could help teens stay, grow, and lead.

• why faith and guidance anchor daily choices
• how peer pressure and cliques shape school life
• gender dynamics in bullying and approval seeking
• cyberbullying’s impact on mental health and identity
• pros and cons of banning teen social media
• youth input in politics and independent thinking
• what Long Island youth need to thrive
• ideas for school improvement and community centers
• staying, leaving, and building reasons to return
• practical advice on friends, habits and purpose

Transcript

Meet The Students

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Welcome to What's Your Story? And today we have in the studio Mr. Yolana Roll, Larry Knowles Jr. and Marie Miller. Let's cheer them. So right now we're gonna have these young men to introduce themselves.

SPEAKER_02 0:33

My name is Yolana Roll. I am 15 years old and I am an 11th grade student at NGM Major High School.

SPEAKER_03 0:39

I'm Byron Jr., a 12th grade student of Nortland Island High.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

My name is Amai Miller. I am 16 years old and I'm in the 12th grade and I attend Nortland Island High School.

SPEAKER_00 0:49

Okay, so young man, it's nice to have you all in the studio today. This is something I wanted to do because I do think that it's good to get the ideas of our young people. Because you guys are the next generation.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

Okay?

SPEAKER_00 1:03

You're the next leaders of this country. So we're just gonna go through a few questions and try and just see where you guys are thinking when it comes to not only being a young man, but politics, peer pressure, social media, God, and faith. Okay? So the first thing I want to ask you, and then if you can just jump in and answer, but I'd like to wait for all of you to say something. Okay. As a young person, what is important for today? As a young person, what's important for today?

What Matters Most: God And Guidance

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Well, to me, the most important thing is to have God in your life. Because once you have God, you have everything.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Good, amen. Anyone else want to chime in here?

SPEAKER_03 1:55

Uh for me is basically like the same thing what he's saying. Uh know it's like you have to have God in your life and know who to you have to know who to put in your life, like know your company and and who you want to surround. Yes, ma'am.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Awesome, awesome. For me, it'll be God and proper guidance.

SPEAKER_00 2:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

I feel like plenty of people who are young get bringing on the wrong way or getting on the wrong path in life.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

And you think that's because of do would you think that's poor parenting, or do you think it's just peer

Peer Pressure And School Culture

SPEAKER_00 2:35

pressure, which is another topic we're gonna go into? Do you think is it peer pressure that causes young people to stray or go down the wrong path?

SPEAKER_01 2:43

I feel like it is mostly peer pressure because some people are getting, I'll say, bullied or talk bad too because of what they ain't or what they are and stuff like that. That's how I feel.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Okay, anybody wanna jump in there? W what about peer pressure?

SPEAKER_03 3:04

Uh I do think peer pressure is uh a a popular factor when it comes to uh why teenagers do like wrong things, that thing they shouldn't be and getting involved in because when I feel like when you're young you want to explore and and try new things daily and and see where that where it can take you.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

Okay. So so Yolano, do do you think that peer pressure is prevalent in the schools today?

SPEAKER_02 3:36

That's wrong, a lot.

SPEAKER_00 3:38

So in in which way?

SPEAKER_02 3:40

In every ways, because as a like for me as an 11th grade student, I have some children that look up to me. And whatever I do, and they can stay with me doing the same thing.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

So Barry and Anamari all have the same thing that you know you feel like it's prevalent in school.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

I like to. And I feel like some people want to just be like other people, you know. Like, say for instance with girls and stuff, you know, nowadays, you know, you get some girls in school who don't know what to say, for instance, be wearing weave or having nail nails or like children or arcing out. But some girls, or you see a friend do that, you go on do that because you feel like it's cool. It isn't.

SPEAKER_00 4:21

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

But that's I guess I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 4:23

That's a trend with what's going on.

SPEAKER_00 4:25

It's a trend.

SPEAKER_03 4:26

Yeah. I I have the same point of view.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

You have the same point of view, yes. So and the schools, which one do you think is more faster? The girls or the boys? Girls, when it comes to who do you think received more peer pressure? Who who succumbs to peer pressure? Is it girls or the boys?

SPEAKER_02 4:42

Uh the girls. To me, it's hard to say because it it totally depends on the person and type of person it is.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

This depends on the situation also.

SPEAKER_03 4:50

Yeah. I'd I uh I say girls because uh girls more like like boys, like they they don't really think twice. Most boys, I think it's like we don't think twice, but girls like a think twice.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

But some boys really I would say do not care. Like, or they wouldn't care what you say about them. That's your personal opinion. But some

Bullying, Cliques, And Gender Dynamics

SPEAKER_01 5:15

girls if they feel like if you talking about them or they can try say change that or like be like, oh that's or like they can try and copy you or like be more like you.

SPEAKER_04 5:26

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Like in some bad situations, as say for instance uh smoking, say or vaping. Yeah, say for instance vaping. Uh-huh. Um, some girls may not want to vape, and then you have a next girl that's saying, Oh my god, you don't, you're so lame, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's force the person who do not vape, start vaping that kid. You know, that's basically peer pressure right there.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

So overall, it's like the girls will fall prey more to peer pressure quicker than the girls.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

That's on point.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

Um, do you think it's mostly because they feel like they'll be bullied more? Because, you know, I I've heard about a lot of bullying going on in the schools. Yeah. So do you think that girls get bullied more than the boys? Or you think it's equal?

SPEAKER_02 6:11

It's it's pretty equal because boys, boys only get bullied based on, like, say, who they hang with or how they are. But girls, they it's different when it comes to that. Like how? I know. Some girls, some girls, for instance, they'll have you'll have this set of girls who always talking and you know, active, and then you'll have another set of girls who stay in their own corner. And then they'll go look at the girls who staying in their own corner. Oh, why all ain't doing this? Why all ain't doing that? Because they're different, everyone has a different perspective.

SPEAKER_03 6:46

Okay, Barry. I think that it's less of bullying and more of like dissing and hatred toward each other. Like, if if there's singing clicks or whatever, if of group of girls. Uh-huh. Oh, there's clicks. Yes, that's wrong. Like, and say for for example, there's like a group of boys or a boy in particular who they have been breathing on or they have been looking, they have been interested in that if if all two of the if a member, if a girl from both cliques uh all have eyes on that particular boy, that they get the girls can start clashing and that can cause a problem. No, nothing.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

No, no, no. You you want to jump in? You want to say something?

SPEAKER_02 7:34

That's uh that's something that happens regularly, especially in Long Island. Uh but it's only in Long Island, but you know, it happens.

SPEAKER_03 7:42

And then what adds to the problem too is when the boy does not cannot make a decision. When the boy wants to uh play the flea. He wants to pick both sides.

SPEAKER_00 7:53

Ah, okay. Amari. I know people.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

I feel like girls just want to be more like a than a person. That's the main reason why they ask out or do certain things or start to do certain things. I feel like that's what the main factor is.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 8:15

But yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:17

A girl, a girl likes to be number one.

SPEAKER_00 8:19

She always wants to be on the top, huh?

SPEAKER_03 8:21

Yes, uh.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

Ah, okay, okay. But but like I said, I I do know I heard about peer pressure in the school, I heard about bullying and so forth, and persons getting caught up in certain things. Um, even to the point where, you know, things are getting posted on social media. And, you know, um, the Bahamas

Social Media’s Impact And Cyberbullying

SPEAKER_00 8:40

have a law against social media bullying.

SPEAKER_03 8:42

Yes, okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

Okay, you can't bully somebody who's um via social media, and talking about social media brings us to the topic. Whereas in Australia, they just passed this law that any teenager 16 years and under, they are banned.

SPEAKER_03 9:00

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

Banned from social media. How do you all feel about that?

SPEAKER_02 9:06

To me, I think that's a that's a very good thing. Because it makes the children more say focused on areas where they where they should be done, instead of being on their tablet, phones, laptops, watching YouTube, and starting that from an early age could really mess up a child's brain when they become a young teenager, well when they become a teenager.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

Yeah, because what what Australia is saying is that they have seen an increase in mental health problems with teenagers over there. Yes, I'm Harry?

SPEAKER_01 9:36

But I wouldn't really say only YouTube. I'd say expose the negative things, things are not good, you know? You could have you could be on social media and watching stuff right that are educational and watching stuff that say, for instance, makes sense, but stuff that you know that ain't good, I feel like you shouldn't be doing it whatsoever. And I feel like that's the main reason why it was banned. That's my personal opinion.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Okay, what how do you feel about that, Barry?

SPEAKER_03 10:05

Uh my I feel like it depends on the activity and the things you consume and what you uh watch and how you react to the how you how you react to to what you see. And I guess that's where the main problem comes in. So what do you think about bullying? That doesn't influence you.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

But you think about bullying via social media. Yeah, cyberbullying. Yeah. How you feel about that? I mean, I I I okay, because like they said, it affects people's mental health, right? People see things on social media, or they may see, oh, this girl, she looks so nice, and she has this and she was has that. And then they feel like, oh, well, they do whatever they can to try to emulate this person, okay? Um, but and then sometimes they take it even to the extreme. People go on other people's tread. On social media, say, for example, if Barry looking nice and fly, okay? Someone might not like Barry, they may be jealous of Barry, and then they go on social media and try to ride, okay? And and then and then what it's gonna do, it's gonna affect Barry's

Should Teens Be Banned From Social Media

SPEAKER_00 11:15

mental health. Okay? And and we've heard about young people doing foolish things because of their mental health being um so severely impacted because of social media. So if the government of the Bahamas was to say, we're gonna ban social media for all teenagers 16 and under, what will you say?

SPEAKER_02 11:39

Well, these children in the Bahamas they'll they're stubborn right out. They stubborn. You think they're losing?

SPEAKER_00 11:46

You think they're totally losing?

SPEAKER_03 11:47

Totally lose it.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Yes, man.

SPEAKER_03 11:49

Really? Yeah, because I guess that's what we grow up on, so like it's uh it's a part of our uh daily, daily life. So it'll take a lot of uh adopting and getting used to without without it.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

But I feel like when we was growing up, say for instance when I was in like primary school, how advanced social media is like right now, it was not like how doesn't it? At that level when we used to say, for instance, they play Roblox or something like that, that's like a game you'll buy and like you'll run around, do like fun things and play with your friends. Nowadays they have it to whereas they basically the young, young children being exposed to things that you don't supposed to be getting exposed to until you're at say adult age. And I feel like that is the main reason why most of this has happened nowadays because these games are getting too advanced and they gotta understand it ain't really adults who really only playing it. Yes, adults can play it, but children. That's children's games.

SPEAKER_00 12:45

But but don't but don't we have predators, okay? But don't we have predators who are also on these games? Because the fact that's what's sticking, you can chat through these games and they tend to meet young people on these games. So maybe that is the reason why um for the band. So so how do you feel about if the Bahamas government was to say that? I mean, you all are young people, okay? So how would you feel if the Bahamian government was to say, guess what? We're just gonna ban social media for anybody. They might say even 18 and under.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Pardon me, pardon me will say, for instance, disagree, but most of it, I'd say I'd agree with it because it's for the better. You know, ain't nothing really could happen if you just I mean it's only banning social media. When you become an adult, you could watch it. It's about banning for children under 16, or is it 16 and under or 10?

SPEAKER_00 13:35

16 and understanding and under.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

When you already get 17, yes, you could watch your social media because you're at the age you could be exposed to those type of things. But I feel like when you're 16 and you under 16, you shouldn't be exposed to that. So they just ducking out for you. I don't feel like it's being stricken, nothing. It's just for caring about your country and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 13:56

But I'll say this, I don't see the problem in it. I don't see how it's affecting the country.

SPEAKER_00 14:01

But social media?

SPEAKER_03 14:02

Well, not as social media, yes, ma'am. But I don't see how it was, I don't I can't ex uh I can't speak for Australia because I don't know how it what it what it was doing to Australia, but in the Bahamas, I don't see why it's wrong. It may be wrong to certain uses, but I don't see how it has an effect on like the economy and the government.

SPEAKER_00 14:22

But do you know, okay, the US has also thought about this, and I think they still are thinking about banning social media for for young people. You know, so you know, whenever the US does something, the Bahamas follows. Okay? So that's what I'm trying to figure out from you guys. What will you all how would you all feel about that? I mean, you guys are all over 16 years old. Let me give my own honors of being.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

Okay. Yeah, because yeah, you can be able to watch social media if they're banned.

SPEAKER_00 14:50

That's what I'm saying. So you you are already 16.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

That's all.

SPEAKER_00 14:53

But but what would you say for persons who are younger than yourself? Or persons who are um 16 years and under, the government is saying, okay, you can no longer have social media. Um, do you think that they should have some kind of clause in the disciples only with parental guardians?

SPEAKER_02 15:12

I mean, but I think with parental guardians, sometimes, most well, most of the time, it it doesn't really matter anyway, because the children could do whatever they please. And even if, like, for example, let's say if the parents don't really care or don't watch what their child doing, they still go,

Youth Voices In Politics

SPEAKER_02 15:30

they still gonna do whatever they want to do.

SPEAKER_00 15:33

I feel the same way. You feel the same way too, Barry? That even if the parent is there, that the child is still going to do whatever he or she wants to do.

SPEAKER_02 15:43

Depending on the parent, but depending on how the parent ad adopts it.

SPEAKER_01 15:47

If I was to look at it from, say, for instance, like a child um perspective, if I was to look at it like that, I feel like it's unfair. But if you really get a good understanding of it, you would really look at it and it's reality. You can't escape that. So I feel like this how the world turning on, how technology came on, this is what you gotta face. And I feel like that's the best thing to do right now.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Okay, okay. So that brings me to our next question. Do you think that youth should have a say in politics? Like yourselves. Persons of your age. Do you think that you should have a say in politics? No. Okay, so you said yes. Why you said yes, Yulano?

SPEAKER_02 16:28

Because nowadays the youths is what well, we are the next future, so we might have some thoughts or some solutions that'll make the well, that'll make the Bahamas somewhat a better place. Even if we just throw in one thought, say, hey, that's how I think if you could get a group of young people to tell, say, Brave Davis, to tell him, say, hey, I think if we should do this, and if even if he just tries it, something might happen.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 17:01

Why shouldn't you have youth symbolics? Uh youths have a different uh view of life and a perspective on life than adults. We may see more advanced. We may that's true. We may see things uh different better, different and better than what adults may see. We may see uh we may teach them things that they they don't know and they can teach us things that we don't know. So it's good to have our boat there, their side.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

So so why you said no, Mary? If I look at Laz beh-wise, right? Uh-huh. You doesn't you grow up whatsoever. Say, for instance, you grow up in a PLP household, right? You can be a PLP. 100% sure your your parents can instill that or you as a PLP. I feel like in the behemoth, like if you're behind, that's how it is. Whoever your parents is or whoever your people says, whatever they is, that's what you could be. But you know, but it's like a war.

SPEAKER_02 17:59

You have to go with who you with. Not really, but when you get a dust, you have your own say on what you want to do.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

And then that can cause a what fallen up between you and your people.

SPEAKER_02 18:09

That's your people's problem. They ain't gonna know who you vote for.

SPEAKER_03 18:12

But there's I I've heard that like some parents or whatever, like they teach their children to uh let one of the children vote for a particular party and then the next one vote for the next child vote for a different party.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

So so what about a uh a child being and thinking independently? Not because you grew up in a PLP household or you grew up in an FM household. You have to be mean that you have to be a PLP or you have to be an FM.

SPEAKER_03 18:41

Some some uh some children once they get 18 and they are able to vote, they don't even they don't even go to the polls.

SPEAKER_01 18:48

But I wouldn't I when I get 18, I would not be voting. Why not? I don't feel like I have the I don't want to involve myself in no politics. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 18:59

I wouldn't say it's it's um involving yourself in it. It's like more or less like voting for what you think is best. People don't vote for your country is right.

SPEAKER_01 19:10

They vote for who they feel like, or they or because they know this person, blah, blah, blah, blah, then that's why. Most of these people run it who campaign and because

What Young People Need On Long Island

SPEAKER_01 19:20

they want you to vote for them. Say, for instance, they fix one. But one vote could be a change, though. Oh my god, you're gonna go vote for them because they do that or whatsoever. Yeah, people will want a change, but you gotta make a change first. Literally.

SPEAKER_00 19:37

So, like I said, again, back to independent thinking.

SPEAKER_03 19:40

And that's why you have to you have youths in parliament because youths in parliament may have a different uh different mindset from the uh generation before.

SPEAKER_00 19:49

Agreed, agreed. So I mean, I I I've heard it on Long Island. People say, Oh, not because um my parents um affiliated with this party means that because I have to be A part of that party. So what that shows that okay, this person is an independent thinker. You know that go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 20:07

Sorry. No problem. When you have like social media, social media can influence the young people and open up their mind to see different.

SPEAKER_00 20:15

Yes, and there we go back to social media again. If it was because of social media, it was the young people who elected Trump.

SPEAKER_03 20:22

Yes, man.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Okay? Because of social media. Okay. So again, social media plays a big part and with young people in politics, because young people have to, they're the ones who would tell the government, okay, this is what we want our future to look like. Okay. So that's how I look at young people in politics. I mean, persons like us, we're getting a little bit older, because you guys are the younger ones. So what I might have needed for my future, you may have a different outlook. Yeah. Okay. So this is where I feel like young people need to have a say in it. Um, not get involved, involved, like how Mary says. But I feel like you should have a say. I feel like if there is any person who's running for the Long Island district, they should have discussions with the young people of this island and see what it is that you all need. And how do you feel? And how do you feel? So that brings me to my next question. What do you feel is needed for young people um on this island? What what do you feel?

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Everything. Acknowledgement.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

Everything.

SPEAKER_00 21:35

Okay. Everything like that.

SPEAKER_02 21:38

We need entertainment. We need uh you just need different things to do. Entertainment for what? Like well.

SPEAKER_00 21:46

What what what kind of activities do you think they need to implement to encourage positive youth interactions on this island? Positive, not the ones we, you know, positive ones.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

Like how they are um like how they have youth rallies, for example, in the youth rallies. If we do that more often or where the two schools come together and do something, I think everyone should be more

School Improvements And Resources

SPEAKER_02 22:10

Together? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

You know more than you have more like a like a one long island. Yeah, like yeah. Togetherness.

SPEAKER_03 22:18

That's all.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Okay, Barry?

SPEAKER_03 22:19

A community center might help. A community center where in the northern district of the northern in the northern district, that's wrong. Where you could just have events and host like different events, that's wrong. Okay. For like the young people.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

For the young people they get heard. I feel like nobody has listened to us at all.

SPEAKER_00 22:38

So that's why I have this platform. Because I feel like the young people need to be heard. Because most of the time we we just tend to listen to our elders or to the older persons in our community. And they bust the young people in the back. Right. And they put them in the background. Exactly. So that is my thing to try and get the young people out. Let's hear your voice. Let's hear what you have to say. And and what you all have to say is important. And it's time that the older ones view that. That you all have something to say. Because if we keep pushing you in the background, you're never going to get that opportunity to come to the front to show exactly who you are and what you can do. Exactly, exactly. So um, so hence my my next question is what improvements will you like to see in your schools so that we can get the young people all forward? What what what what improvements do you think needs to happen within your school? Is it in the administration? Is it in the um curriculum? What improvements do you think need to happen for there to be peace? For there to be peace? So there's no peace in the school, amount? I don't feel so. You don't feel so? What's going on? Can't you don't want to elaborate? So I was like, let's there be peace.

SPEAKER_01 24:03

I feel like everybody is separated, nobody's together. All us is North Long Island hype, but I feel like there's two different schools. And one school.

SPEAKER_00 24:13

So there's like there are clicks going on there. Correct. Because you all talk about clicks earlier.

SPEAKER_02 24:17

Correct.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

So there are clicks going on.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

Same thing in NGM.

SPEAKER_00 24:20

Same thing in NGM, there are clicks going on.

SPEAKER_02 24:22

I guess you have the girls who, you know, loud and outside, and then you have the next other girls with well, they ain't really shy, but they just to their selves.

SPEAKER_03 24:31

You have to book one. You always find it in the in schools. You always find it everywhere. Yeah, that's what I was saying. Even with the boys.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

So how can you improve that? What okay, so what would be your suggestion? Okay, but that you can go to the principal and say, hey, we need to change this. Or we we like um Amari said, we need peace. How can we accomplish peace within the school? Barry and and Amari, both of you go to North Long Island High. Can't you then say, okay, I need a Mr. Principal, Mr. Stewart, I think is nearest?

SPEAKER_03 25:05

Correct.

SPEAKER_00 25:06

Can we have a meeting here? Can we discuss? This is how we feel. Um, how can we bring peace in the school? Can we bring this togetherness?

SPEAKER_03 25:16

I don't think the problem is peace. That's that's not my one, my I feel, my point of view.

SPEAKER_01 25:22

So, what is the problem?

SPEAKER_03 25:24

Uh if there'd be any problem, I'd say uh probably like the resources that we have to like to open up our minds to see, give us opportunities to see what we have, like what we have to offer, what the Bahamas has to offer. And like if you would compare our island when it comes to with uh with the when if you would compare all islands and not to new problems and what they offer to their students and their uh youth, it can that's that's where you can find the problem or where you can.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

But when we go to school on the farm island, we already had a disadvantage.

SPEAKER_02 26:11

I have something to say. The thing is we don't even have as even have that much children in the school to say.

SPEAKER_03 26:18

But in order to get in order to get children, you need business, you need uh to have an employee, you need to be employed. Because if you an employee, if you an employee, how are you gonna make money to get a

Stay Or Leave: Futures And Opportunity

SPEAKER_03 26:30

call?

SPEAKER_02 26:30

In order to have children, you the your parents gotta reproduce. If there ain't that much people on the island reproducing to make enough children, so so when you graduate, you plan on staying on island, on Long Island? No, I don't know where God has my plans to say.

SPEAKER_03 26:46

No, but you don't intend to you don't intend to like this year. Do you intend to take any exams? This yeah? Okay. Yeah. But if that even though God has a plan for you, you still have intentions, you still know where you want to go. And your plan is not to stay on Long Island.

SPEAKER_02 27:01

You're going off topic. Yes. We talking about the the different you're talking about comparing New Providence to Long Island when it comes to the schools with the programs. Hold on, no, no, no, no, no, no. I told you, Long Island don't have as much children as New Providence has to do the type of programs and stuff, but they that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 27:21

So if the main reason why the main reason why uh there's there's uh a low population in the school is because many of the like when you're trying to build your life off of Long Island off of Long Island, like you're trying to go away from Long Island even though you're trying to seek a further education, you don't have no plans to come back to Long Island because what Long Island has to offer to you.

SPEAKER_01 27:43

Long Island doesn't have anything to offer to you. There's not there's not as much people in Long Island. There's 70 people in our school beach.

SPEAKER_03 27:51

So when you create your family, when you create your family, let's say you have four kids, you are going to move to Nassau, or you're gonna move to the US, or you're gonna move elsewhere, but not on Long Island. Your children are not gonna be at Northland State going on. You're going off topic.

SPEAKER_01 28:07

Come back, please.

SPEAKER_03 28:09

Come on, but that's your butt of the you're about the topic, not me. Anyway.

SPEAKER_00 28:15

So, okay, so so you you both, I mean, I I I listened to you all, and you're talking about um probably leaving the island or whatever. Um do any of you plan to stay on the island?

SPEAKER_01 28:26

I want to stay, but pardon me doesn't. I want to stay because Long Island is a very peaceful place and I have a lot of family, and you know, that's why I live my life here. My whole my whole life I spent on Long Island. Okay, but Long Island doesn't have anything to offer me, literally.

SPEAKER_03 28:45

I can't get nowhere in life. I don't plan to stay here because I don't have no qualifications to go on no job, and I don't want to I I need my plan. Okay, let's listen to Barry. My plan is to further my education and get a degree and see what I can get in me. For so I need to be in school for at least four more years. Okay. And in order for me to further my education, there's no university as long on Long Island, so I have to look elsewhere.

SPEAKER_00 29:09

Lano, your plan to be on Long Island?

SPEAKER_03 29:12

Uh sure.

SPEAKER_00 29:13

You're sure, yeah. Okay. It's an a half. I see for me it's 50-50. 50-50. So if you were to leave Long Island and you were to come back, um, what do you think would bring you back to Long Island?

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Uh vacation. Vacation.

SPEAKER_00 29:29

That's what my not to come back and try to open up a business to come and go entrepreneur.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

I'd I'd open up a business. I think, I think, well, my daddy always tells me that. Uh, in order, that's what they need to teach in the schools, teach uh business management, teach, uh, encourage the children, encourage the students.

SPEAKER_00 29:46

I always tell you guys that, right?

SPEAKER_03 29:48

Encourage the students to learn how to open up your business or learn find how to manage your business trade or anything. So you could uh you don't have to depend on a job, like you could work for yourself so you could make your own money.

SPEAKER_01 30:00

I feel like most I feel like school just wants us to work for the government. Why would you say that? No, I know I I have a reason, but I can't restate the reason.

SPEAKER_00 30:15

Okay, understand. Understand, understand. But but but you know, okay, the

Faith, Church, And Personal Growth

SPEAKER_00 30:20

the government, the now current government, um, um Prime Minister Brave Davis and uh and and coalition with the um Minister of Education, they have now open, I think it's a portal that should be online sooner. Maybe it's already on, I don't know. Um, where you can attain different skill sets. You can log on, and it's for teenagers also. Um I think I saw AI there. And that's because I'm interested in AI. So um I did some courses in AI, so I understand quite a bit about it, along with the algorithms and how it works and so forth. But this will be something I think will also may interest you that you can go online and you can take up a skill set. And it may enhance your your future for a job, maybe going into college, at least you'll have this upper hand and going into the the work field. Okay, but the thing is Long Island, yes, people call it a retirement home. Correct, for retirement people, okay. People want to retire. But at the end of the day, like Amari said, it's a peaceful place. Okay, you can go to sleep at night and you know you're okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:40

Leave your doors unlocked, okay?

SPEAKER_00 31:42

I can leave the doors unlocked now. Okay, but but Long Island is a peaceful place, and I hope that one day that we will be able to see Long Island change, change, and and become the place, yes for the better, and become the place that Long Island ever wanted to be definitely happy about. We can get the infrastructures in, we can get the investment that we need, and so that one day our young people could come back home. Yeah, come back with these children that you and Barry had this discussion about, you know, so that the schools would now have kids. Because I I and I do agree with both of you of the repeat when you're talking about what's happening in the school, the not enough kids. Okay, we remember that there was a a school in each settlement on Long Island. Yep. Now it is not so two white schools.

SPEAKER_02 32:37

Yeah, we have NGM barely of 120 students. How much among the students on Long Island High? 70. About 70. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 32:46

So less than 200 high school students.

SPEAKER_03 32:48

Total. And if there's a decrease in population that uh speaks, that speaks words to people. That should open up people's eye. But I'd like to say that I um I haven't really been uh keeping up, not keeping up, but uh really interesting. Not interesting, but is it what they're looking for? Like really like following?

SPEAKER_00 33:12

You haven't been following?

SPEAKER_03 33:13

Following up on what the Davis administration has really been doing, but I have an idea of what they've been doing, like for example, uh the investing, like what they how they invest in an island when it comes to the airport and the road. And I just say that I think the Davis administration is doing a very good job on across all of the islands, across the whole Bahama.

SPEAKER_00 33:34

But the airport projects and everything. Yes, I I do feel and I agree with you, and I do feel that whenever um the airports are open, Long Island's we promised airport for that time. And I do think that when it does happen, Long Island will become the gateway. Yes, okay, I agree. Long Island will boom now. The reason why Long Island's been held back for so long for this development is beyond me because Long Island is a gem, Long Island is a hidden gem. It is okay, and I do know that once Long Island is on the map, we are going to skyrocket. Okay, it's going to skyrocket. Okay, so lastly, but not least, okay, it's very important

Final Advice To Peers

SPEAKER_00 34:20

that young people have a God-centered life. All three of you attend church regularly. What advice would you give to young men and ladies as it relates to God and faith?

SPEAKER_02 34:33

Well, my thing is just well, I wouldn't say try, but try to well have an ambition or a drive to get close to God.

SPEAKER_03 34:41

How do you get the ambition? Faith. But how you do how do you gain faith if when you grow up, let's say you grow up in your in your house, your parents or or your guardian, all they playing is is is secular music, all they doing is cussing, arguing every day. You grow up in that environment. How are you supposed to have faith?

SPEAKER_01 35:04

That's behemoths and the whole describing of a beheman. You're describing the behemoths.

SPEAKER_03 35:09

How is that a behemon? If that is a behemon, we probably wouldn't have churches in in the Bahamas. But that's you wouldn't have churches in the Bahamas.

SPEAKER_02 35:16

Hold on, let me let me reply to your question. You don't have to continue with what's going on around you. You could be the change.

SPEAKER_03 35:24

No, but what's influencing you? What's influencing you? From you live on an island.

SPEAKER_02 35:30

Wanting to be like on a Sunday, on a Sunday, circular music, constant cussing and carrying on around your head. You should say, I died of this, you know what? Let me try going to church. Once you go to church, you feel a different way to be able to do it.

SPEAKER_03 35:44

But Philip Philip told the eunuch say, uh, no, the eunuch told Philip say, How will I know the word of if if you never teach me? How will I how I how will I learn about God if you never teach me?

SPEAKER_02 35:55

That's where you as a young man go and do it yourself. But but but the eunuch didn't do it yourself.

SPEAKER_03 36:01

Philip got up and and teach the eunuch.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

Yeah, but yeah, because the eunuch was reading the Bible, okay? And Philip said to him, Do you understand it's what the readers? And he said, No, I don't. So then he explained to him what he was reading. Because he had an interest. Yeah. So what I would say, reading the Bible is very important, okay? When you don't understand, you can always ask. Correct. But but how would you encourage, because like I say, all three of you go to church. I see you all in church. All three of you, I see a beautiful, okay? So how would you all encourage somebody and their faith?

SPEAKER_02 36:34

Well, to me, I just try to say, for someone who don't regularly go to church, I say, man, why don't you come to meet the church Sunday? Just to, you know, try it. Not really try it, but come to me with church to church on Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 36:49

What would you marry? What would you say?

SPEAKER_01 36:52

Let me try and encourage a young person to come to church.

SPEAKER_00 36:55

Uh-huh. Or faith in God.

SPEAKER_01 37:01

I don't really know.

SPEAKER_00 37:02

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 37:03

Not really. Basically, I'll just ask them if they want to join me to the service. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 37:08

Harry? Uh, I can just tell you like I'll just say how I learned about God and how I got a desire for God. Uh growing up, like I said, uh my mommy would always take me to church, me and my siblings. And uh we'd always go to church. Even though even though sometimes, a lot of times actually, I never I always used to still like like never want to go to church. I always do that, like let hurry up, let I want to throw time to go past. Even though our church was only will only last for like an hour. Yes, ma'am. But uh growing as I as I uh grow up through growth, through growth, uh I learned and and I was I've seen that I've heard actually like people speaking into my life and like pouring into my life and and I've seen that I've seen where it could take me or whatever. And I've seen the good things that that God can do for your life, and I did see why you should be around him. Good having a relationship with him.

SPEAKER_00 38:15

Okay, it's powerful. That's powerful, yeah. So we're gonna just have our last remarks from Lano and Barry Jr. and Amari, and so what are your closing remarks, Lano?

SPEAKER_02 38:29

My closing remarks is just be yourself, don't try to follow what other people are doing. Agreed. And like I said, get close to God. Once you get close to God and build a relationship with him, your life will become so much better.

SPEAKER_03 38:44

Okay. PJ, surround yourself around the right people and you will see a big difference in your life.

SPEAKER_01 38:50

Okay. Amari, don't get influenced in bad things. You may see your friends and say, for instance, you are friends and you see they smoke and dying the right friends for you. You should not be around those type of people. Because if you see that they keep on doing that, you're gonna want to do that eventually. So you should I'd say be more different. Different, you don't have to be like other people, basically.

SPEAKER_00 39:22

Okay, so gentlemen, thank you so very much for joining us today. Thank you, dude. Thank you. And it's good to have you here, and hopefully, I can have you on once again.

SPEAKER_03 39:33

So thank you.

unknown 39:37

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 39:38

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you, nigga, dang, danging, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 39:40

And it's good to have you here once again.

SPEAKER_03 39:42

So nice speaking on what's your story.

SPEAKER_00 39:44

And I will definitely have you all back again, okay?

SPEAKER_03 39:47

Of course.

SPEAKER_02 39:48

Enjoy the day.

SPEAKER_00 39:49

I hope. Okay, definitely we're gonna have you guys back again. So, once again, thank you for joining me on what's your story and tune in again for next another episode of What's Your Story.