NASSAU, The Bahamas - Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie has urged historians to find ways to incorporate the historic Fox Hill community into the country’s 40^th Independence Anniversary celebrations next year.

He was speaking at church services during the annual Fox Hill Day festivities, in the community, which he said has a special place to commemorate the freedom of a people.

The Prime Minister visited four historic Baptist churches in Fox Hill namely St Paul’s, Macedonia, St Mark’s and Mt Carey, the oldest church in the area.

He assured worshippers that the Government would pay special attention to ceremonies during Fox Hill Day to make it a better experience for the community.

Fox Hill is one of the oldest villages in The Bahamas, in the eastern end of New Providence. It is named after Samuel Fox, a freed African slave who was granted some 23 acres of land in 1801.

The annual Fox Hill Day is held to commemorate the 1838 emancipation of ancestors from slavery by the British.

The festivities are held on the Fox Hill Parade Grounds, once a burial site and a place where the villagers gathered for celebrations, especially following the proclamation of emancipation. The original Fox Hill settlers descended from the Yoruba, Nango, Congo and Ebo tribes from Africa.

In this vein, the Prime Minister said the Cultural Commission headed by Charles Carter and Dr Nicolette Bethel will begin the process of documenting and incorporating “in a special way” the history of Fox Hill into the country’s 40th Independence Anniversary on July 10, 2013.

He also noted that more value be placed on the nation’s children, in terms of honing their talents and exposing them to the historic culture of the country.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Davis; the Hon. Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affair s and Immigration; the Hon. Dr Daniel Johnson, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture; the Hon. V. Alfred Gray, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government; and the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister for Grand Bahama.

Photo: The Community of Fox Hill held its annual Fox Hill Day festivities on Tuesday, August 14, 2012. A number of Baptist churches held services in commemoration of the emancipation of slavery. Pictured from left at Macedonia are the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, Prime Minister; the Hon. Philip Davis, Deputy Prime Minister; the Hon. Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration; the Hon. Dr. Daniel Johnson, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture; and the Hon. V. Alfred Gray, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government. (BIS Photo/Peter Ramsay)