Over 400 teen girls representing public and private junior and senior high schools from New Providence and the Family Islands participated in S.T.R.A.W. Inc. Center for Young Women's 8th Annual Girls Leadership Conference at the Wyndham Nassau Resort on March 16.

Acting U.S. Charg� d'Affaires, Mr. John Armstrong, attended the conference's "Power Lunch," which featured the Hon. Nicole A. Avant, Former U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas, the Hon. Charles Maynard, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, and Ms. Melvelyn Symonette the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Women's Affairs, who provided remarks on behalf of the Hon. Loretta Butler-Turner.

Kingsway Academy students perform as a three-part singing group, during the first day of the E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival's New Providence Adjudications, on March 20, 2012, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

The adjudications will run throughout the next two weeks and are FREE to the public for viewing.

Minister of Tourism, Senator Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace delivered remarks at the official opening of the Balmoral Tower at Sandal Royal Bahamian during a luxurious reception held on Monday, March 19. Mr. Vanderpool-Wallace said Sandals has made a major contribution to the Bahamian economy. The Minister also participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Pictured left to right: Minister of Tourism & Aviation, Senator Hon Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace; Sandals Chairman, Hon. Gordon 'Butch' Stewart; CEO, Adam Stewart and Executive Vice-President of the Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA), Mr. Frank Comito.

Hundreds are expected to turn out TONIGHT for the personal re-telling of the story of On Schindler's List, an event organisers said was so momentous for The Bahamas that corporate sponsors covered all expenses, allowing the public to attend without charge.

"It is absolutely amazing how local businesses responded to the invitation to support this evening and how eager they were to step up to the plate to present the awe-inspiring story of hope and endurance through the eyes of Rena Finder, one of the last remaining Holocaust survivors employed by Oskar Schindler during World War II," said Rabbi Sholom Bluming of the Bahamas Jewish Community.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) was instrumental in coordinating a recent familiarization trip to Freeport for a group of CV Bethel Senior High School students.

Accompanied by Economics & Commerce teachers, Rhonda Lewis and Tiffany Johnson, nine students traveled from Nassau for a first-hand glimpse of the country's industrial capital, Freeport. "I wasn't satisfied that students were seeing enough of what industry is," explained Lewis. "I wanted them to have an opportunity to see production, manufacturing and industry in action."

On the wine list at Flying Fish, there is a section titled "overlooked whites". This section is for wines that are often unknown or undervalued. In this section is the grape variety called Viognier. Historically, the Viognier grape has been traced back to the Romans centuries ago, and has been proven to be a cousin of the Nebbiolo grape (which produces the famous Barolo wines of Italy).

But, despite its history, Viognier has been named a native to the C�tes du Rh�ne appellation in France. The area within the appellation is called Condrieu, the northern end of northern C�tes du Rh�ne. Viognier is the only grape variety in this appellation dedicated to only white wine. Although native to France, Viognier has quickly increased plantings in Australia, South Africa, Austria and California.

Remarks
Constituency Headquarters Opening
West Grand Bahama and Bimini

West Grand Bahama & Bimini
FNMs:
They cause this!

Colour Red is on a roll. Two nights ago in Abaco and 4 nights ago in St. Anne's got us on a high! Now here in Grand Bahama you making me giddy tonight! That was a wonderful parade we had this evening. What a demonstration of support in Grand Bahama!

Now you would have heard me tell Abaco and St. Annes that we are going to have this big function called Red Splash on Easter Monday.

The German tall ship Alexander von Humboldt receives a tug boat water welcome to her new home in Freeport Harbour on Thursday, March 15th, after an 8 week voyage across the Atlantic.

Among the over 200 attendees of the Alex's welcome reception were officials from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Ministry of Tourism, Grand Bahama Port Authority and Freeport Harbour Company.

Approximately 20 trainees will be prepared by members of the German crew to sail this historic tall ship in the future and have visitors and residents alike experience the romance of a bygone era.

The GB Chamber of Commerce is remaining true to its theme for 2012 'Reset, Restart and Restore' with a focus on small businesses. Back in 2010, The Grand Bahama Port Authority started the Downtown Turnaround Beautification Initiative to revitalize the centre of town. Residents and tourists can enjoy colorful flora, meticulous landscaping and building facelifts. This was the first phase of revitalizing of downtown.

The Ministry of Tourism and GBPA, with the intent of directing additional tourist and local traffic to this area, has partnered with the GB Chamber to offer a holistic and sustained approach to the revitalizing of downtown businesses through training.

The Humane Society of Grand Bahama will be having our Annual General Meeting and you're invited! Please join us on March 22nd at the Garden Of the Groves. We are looking for persons interested in running for elections for board positions, treasury, and heading committees. For example: Fund raising, education, volunteer recruiting, memberships, and the newsletter etc.

We are looking for some new faces with fresh ideas to help rejuvenate and motivate. Please invite anyone you know who may interested in running or who may be interested in finding out what we are all about.

The Freeport Players' Guild is back with a lovely family show, "Pippa The Musical!" The show tells the story of a young girl who loses her parents and goes to live with her wealthy Aunt Pippa Hastings in a small southern town.

Pippa soon realises that her new home is not the loving and warm community she is used to and she finds it hard to adapt to her new surroundings. Befriended by a local orphan boy, DAVY LEE, Pippa soon finds out that the "rich lady on the hill" runs things in Hastings - and that's her Aunt.

Opening night is set for this Friday, March 23rd, at 8pm at the Regency Theatre with additional performances on Saturday evening, a Sunday matinee at 4pm as well as the following weekend. In addition, Kelly's Freeport is sponsoring a chance to WIN A BIKE for kids under 12 who attend the show.

Lou Lihou of Freeport, Grand Bahama, has been chosen to show in the 2012 Chelsea International Fine Art Competition which takes place July 7th to 27th, 2012. He is being represented by the Agora Gallery in Chelsea, New York. Lihou was inspired to enter once he read an announcement distributed by National Art Gallery of The Bahamas librarian, Mrs. Penelope Nottage.

Lou is a self-taught artist whose work is hung in restaurants, private homes and businesses in the Bahamas, the United States, Canada and Europe. For nearly 40 years Lou Lihou has been painting his way into the hearts and minds of people the world over and his work continues to surprise and amaze. Today, although largely retired, Lou remains one of the most successful & prolific artists in the Caribbean and, more specifically, in the Bahamas.

The inaugural 2012 Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend is on schedule to take place at the beautiful Treasure Cay Resort & Marina the weekend of March 23-25th. With a variety of events offered there is something for everyone, even those who just wish to enjoy a weekend getaway to Abaco. Visit the website HERE for complete details.

The excitement kicks off Friday evening with a welcome reception and the first event, a one-mile Open Water Swim at Treasure Cay Beach - voted one of the region's top 10 beaches in a reader poll by Caribbean Travel & Life.

YOUNG CONSTITUENTS -- Students of the Amy Roberts All Age School, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, pay courtesy call on Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday, March 19.

Green Turtle Cay is in the Prime Minister's parliamentary constituency of North Abaco.

(BIS Photo/Peter Ramsay)

The Bahamas National Trust held a public meeting in Treasure Cay last week at the Treasure Cay Community Centre. Attending the meeting were BNT Executives along with BNT's Parrot Biologist Caroline Stahala, who was the featured speaker for the evening.

Stahala, an endangered species biologist, received her Masters while studying the population and health of the Abaco Parrot; she is currently focusing on social behavior of nesting parrots on the Abaco islands. Over seventy residents of the Treasure Cay community attend the public meeting to learn more about Ms. Stahala's research and the ongoing protection of the Abaco Parrot.

Remarks by Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham

Central and South Abaco;
FNMs:

You know, sometimes your own supporters get too enthusiastic and say things or play songs at rallies that are really 'over the top'.

They got really enthusiastic in St. Anne's the other night and the music man started playing the strains of a hymn "Nobody Greater". He meant well I am sure but that was not right. I have told all those responsible for organizing the music at our Constituency Office Openings and Rally's that we cannot have that happen again. There is only one God and we certainly do not want anyone to suspect even for a millisecond that we don't understand that. So they are clear on that point. I apologize.

I have been critical of the parochial slant of the Miami Herald but occasionally they publish something interesting about the Bahamas. I sent them a letter about one article they published on the subject of Bahamian blue holes but needless to say they did not publish it. But finally the letter gets to be published ... here it is:

What an interesting article on the front page of the Herald about ancient crocodiles and other strange creatures in the early Bahamas! It has long been known that crocodiles existed in the blue holes of the Bahamas but never has evidence of them been found in such numbers. Your readers might be interested to know that the Lucayan Indians (the people that Columbus first met when he came to the Bahamas) practiced a strange form of underwater burial and evidence of this has been found in many of the same underwater blue hole caves in the islands.

Drama. Romance. Suspense. Humor. Action. It's all here! Marble Head Films and 12:01 Studios want to make history. They want to do something no one else has done in The Bahamas and they want to do it well. That's where Gippie's Kingdom, the Bahamian evening TV soap opera comes in. This 8 part series tells the story of three generations of the Gibson family. Life experiences and social issues, common to all Bahamians, are explored in each episode: "sweethearting" and illegitimate children, juvenile delinquency, crime and justice, domestic violence, Haitian/Bahamian conflict, and most of all, the power of love.

This soap opera takes will take the viewer to the classroom, the bedroom, the living room and the courtroom. We hear the wisdom of the pulpit and the wisdom of the domino table. And right at the centre of it all is a middle age widower who is having the most challenging weeks and months of his life: Everett Harrison Gibson, "Gippie."

The Miss Grand Bahama Beauty Pageant Organization is set to present their 2012 Miss Grand Bahama contestants during an unveiling on April 6, 2012 at 8pm under the theme Mystical Wonders of Grand Bahama. The event will once again take place at Sabor Restaurant and Bar at the Pelican Bay Hotel at Lucaya.

This is a FREE event and open to the public. In attendance will be sponsors, press, friends, family, and Miss Grand Bahama 2011 Keriann Stuart.

Members of the Bahamas Dance Theatre (BDT) Dance Ensemble performed a Modern Dance on the final day of the Dance Adjudications at the 2012 E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival in Grand Bahama, that garnered them a 98 out of 100 at the event.

Dance Adjudicator and Bahamian dance icon Mr. Lawrence Carroll said, at the Grand Lucayan Resort, in Freeport, that the performance was "a piece that everyone could learn from" at the adjudications that day.

The Bahamas participated in the 21st Annual Book Fair held in Havana, Cuba, exhibiting 70 titles of books and magazines published by Bahamians, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced. It was the first time for The Bahamas in the international event.

The event was held in February, during which The Bahamas' booth operated by the Embassy of The Bahamas in Cuba also displayed videos from the Ministry of Tourism and ZNS that gave viewers a glimpse of the beauty and culture of the islands.

Who knew there were so many intrepid cyclists on Grand Bahama! Perhaps it was the glorious weather that brought them out, or the challenge of riding 50 miiles? Either way it was a large and enthusiastic group of pedallers who departed Taino Beach on Sunday morning, March 18th, for a circuitous route to Barbary Beach and back with a convenient rest stop at the Casuarina roundabout.

The annual event, organised by Mr. Chris Cafferata, aims to raise funds for the junior rugby programs offered through the Freeport Rugby Football Club. Club members assisted with the ride providing marshalling and roadside assistance on the course making it a fun and safe outing for all the two-wheeled particpants.

Bahamas Star Gymnastics' competitive team paid a courtesy call on Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Charles Maynard, recently. The nine-member squad arrived adorned with an impressive collection of medals earned at the recent American Twisters Tim Rand Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, FL and the Wolverine Classic in Ann Arbor, MI, and joined by coaches and other team hopefuls.

Head Coach Alexander Mayet, a former international gymnastics competitor himself, described the stellar performances in the USAG forum, and spoke of his high expectations for their continued growth toward Olympic success.

The ZNS annual fun run/walk and mini health fair is scheduled for Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 6:00 a.m. Everyone is invited to come out at 5:30 a.m. for warm-up exercise, pep talk and prayer before the race. Immediately following the race, a mini health fair will be held in the foyer of the Government Complex. Partake of the free health screenings, literature, health talks, free samples and aerobics by Mrs. Alice Williams of Mind, Body and Soul Fitness Centre.

ZNS has partnered with Grand Bahama businesses in order to present gift certificates to the top finishers. There will be a cash prize for the overall first place winner.

Wake up Bahamians - Take Back Your Country!

Sometime before Christmas a map showing the proposed new boundaries was published which showed drastic changes in the Constituency boundaries. I called it gerrymandering at its worst, a blow to the democratic system.

I maintained, among other things, that gerrymandering made it impossible for people to get to know the candidates, or candidates to know the people. Furthermore, it leant itself to enabling votes to be "packed" into areas in order to sway an election.

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I now understand the PLP crowd better

Save from a huge commercial fishing boat having mechanical problems, I would have never known that so many people were transported from Abaco to attend the PLP events here on Grand Bahama.

According to several Abaco residents a free trip, drinks, and a chance to do some shopping are reasons enough to get on the boat even if they intend to vote DNA.

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Let calm heads prevail

I was delighted today to have read the message of peace by the Free National Movement's candidate for Killarney; the Hon. Hubert Minnis. He wrote about allowing calm heads to prevail this election season and beyond.

It's a point worth repeating by all responsible politicians in the land, as the temperature is truly rising among the people across the political divide. I have never experienced such touchiness, itchiness, and angriness among Bahamians of different political perspectives in The Bahamas until now.

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