7 News Belize

Sound Man Shyne and The Sea Scouts
posted (January 16, 2020)

And before we continue we have a small correction to make. The robbery of Security Guard Dane Grinage that we told you about in our last segment, did not happen at the Waste Control compound but at the adjoining National Solid Waste Transfer station.  

Now, to continue with the news

Last week we told you about the Coast Guard's Sea Cadet Mentorship Programme where you got to see Johathan "Windcuttaz" Coleman have his first day trying out the different programs available to the Cadets.

One mainstay of Sea Cadet extracurriculars is music and that's for good reason. Studies show that musical experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development.

That's a fact that Shyne Barrow, as one of the few Belizean artists to ever touch the international music industry, knows all too well. And on Tuesday he visited the Sea Cadets to do his part to encourage their musicality:

The boys and girls of the Sea Cadets are given unique opportunities to take part in various disciplines ranging from sailing to sowing, and even mixed martial arts.

But there is one discipline in the program that’s considered so essential that it is split into theory and practical. That vital discipline is Music. We headed back to the Gateway youth centre today to see music ambassador, Shyne Barrow, working within his mandate to distribute musical instruments.

Shyne Barrow - Music Ambassador
"I’m very very impressed, I’m very happy to see the coast guard engaging the young people, you guys are the bedrock of our society, this is where our tomorrow will lead us so I’m happy to know that at this young age you are already being engaged to build discipline to build character, to build integrity so that you can be great custodians of our country and there is no better than music so on behalf of the government of Belize, the governor-general. I present these instruments to you and I know that you will make good use of them God bless you."

And Barrow received gracious thanks from the Lieutenant who gives the Cadets their Tuesday and Thursday marching orders.

Gilbert Lewis - Lieutenant
"Mr Barrow on behalf of commandant Belize coast guard, the sea cadet, my fellow instructors, parents, and teachers, we would like to say a heartfelt thanks for the delivery of the instruments. I’m extremely sure that we are going to put them to good use as you have seen the different programs that we have engaged our kids in."

But Shyne says he was guided here by one of the program’s biggest fans.

Shyne Barrow
"I really have to give credit and acknowledgement to the governor-general Sr. Colville young who called me maybe a month or so ago and I was honoured that he called me. I was floored so whatever he asked me to do, certainly, I would have done but when it comes to instruments and giving out instruments it is a part of the agenda of the office of the music ambassador to distribute instruments. This month and next month to round off the fourth quarter I do plan to hand over more instruments to more schools."

"The Lieutenant of the coast guard and other officers of the coast guard are actively engaged in our children’s lives you know I definitely pray and hope that we could give even stronger support in the next physical year for activities such as this because this is very very very essential to keeping our children away from the dark forces that are present and that they’re so susceptible to with some of the broken families that our children come from. Music is always a cornerstone of any type of development for society and for children so I’m happy that these instruments will play a pivotal part in that development."

The Instruments: two cymbals, six snares, and one bass drum, will be used in the sea Cadet marching band. 

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