On Wednesday, 20 February 2013, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II received His Excellency Mr. Eldred E. Bethel, High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and his wife Mrs. Dawne Bethel. The meeting took place at Buckingham Palace at 12:30 p.m., following which the High Commissioner and Mrs Bethel hosted a "Vin d'honneur" at Bahamas House in London.

NASSAU, Bahamas -- The U.S. Embassy in Nassau would like to remind the traveling public that a new visa appointment service (http://bahamas.usvisa-info.com) will begin on March 11, 2013. This new service will affect all nonimmigrant visa applicants throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. There will be no fee increase as a result of these changes.

The U.S. Embassy strongly advises all visa applicants who have purchased a scratch card but have not scheduled an appointment to schedule an appointment before the card expires on March 7, 2013.

NASSAU, Bahamas - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration the Hon. Fred Mitchell said, on February 22, 2013, that the Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie's participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), held earlier that week, signalled his "re-emergence" in the Caribbean theatre.

"This was the first opportunity he had to attend a Heads of Government meeting since the General Elections last year," Minister Mitchell said.

NASSAU, Bahamas -- "School boards play a very significant role in establishing accountability and responsibility in the efficient management of schools," said the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald, Minister of Education, Science and Technology as he addressed a training seminar/workshop for public school board members and administrators on Friday, Feb. 22 at the Paul Farquharson Conference Centre at Police Headquarters.

Held by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in conjunction with the National School Board Association (NSBA) the workshop was also attended by school principals and other school administrators.

NASSAU, Bahamas - Minister of Transport and Aviation the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin welcomed a Commonwealth Secretariat Project Officer, from London, England, to The Bahamas in his consultative role in the drafting of a National Maritime Policy with the Inter-Agency Steering Committee, on February 25, 2013.

"I wish to join in the welcome to Dr. Julian Roberts who comes from the Commonwealth Secretariat which has agreed to provide our country with technical assistance in the creation and development of a framework for a maritime policy," Minister Hanna Martin said at the official start of the three-day consultation.

NASSAU, Bahamas --- The Government of The Bahamas, through the Ministry of Health, has moved quickly to review and address the causes behind the number of suicides being committed locally by appointing internationally renowned and Bahamian-born psychiatrist, Dr. David Allen, to lead a team of at least 15 persons who will conduct a two-month study based on 12 Terms of Reference (TOR).

The Committee will comprise experts from a number of key government and non-governmental agencies. Their Report is expected to provide the basis of the Government's intervention programme.

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- On 8 March, women, men and children from Freeport, Grand Bahama, will be joining together at the Garden of the Groves to celebrate International Women's Day as they walk across the Bridge in solidarity with others from around the world who believe in peace and equality for all.

"Join me on the Bridge" is one of the biggest women's rights campaigns in the world. What started as a gathering of Rwandan and Congolese women on a bridge connecting their two countries, showing that women could build bridges of peace and hope for the future, has sparked what is today a massive global movement.

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- February 27, 2013, Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC) was pleased to made a donation in support of The Bahamas Primary Student of the Year (BPSY) awards program earlier this month. BPSY is a premier national awards recognition program which recognizes exceptional effort among 6th grade students in The Bahamas.

"The support provided by GBPC makes a positive difference in the lives of our students and to the overall success of the program," noted Felix Bowe Jr., BPSY Program Officer. "It's important that our students are rewarded for their hard work and that they are aware of the backing of their community."

White Elephant (flea market) Nowhere else in Freeport will you see such an amazing array of dogs and dog breeds all in one place. All groomed to the nines and on their best behavior. If you don't own a dog, how about showing one of our great shelter dogs? Call or visit the shelter by Friday noon to choose a dog to enter in the show. Your very reasonable entry donation of only $5 per dog per class (or group) will actually help the very dog you are showing! Or just come out and enjoy the sights, food, drink, entertainment, flea market, kids games, and face painting.

Making friends at the dog showSo you want to enter your dog in the Dog Show? You can fill out your entry form in advance at the shelter but no worries, you can also sign up on the day. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Freeport News on Thursday - the dog show programme will be an insert in every newspaper that day.

FREEPORT, Bahamas -- At the recent Bahamas International Business & Investment Forum (BIBIF)-a conference held February 20-21, 2013 at the Grand Lucayan Resort, showcasing The Bahamas as a global investment destination of choice-James Sarles, President of Coldwell Banker James Sarles Realty, presented to the assembled international investors, business leaders, Bahamas Cabinet, Ministers, and key government officials, an overview of Ten Great Reasons to Buy Real Estate in The Bahamas.

Well received, the presentation highlighted:

The Bahamas' welcoming philosophy and no red tape approach toward international investors

Matthew Town, Inagua -- During the unveiling of the Jose Marti Monument in Mathew Town, Inagua February 23, Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes spoke of the sin of inequity that comes from the struggle for survival . He said vanity not only divides people, but opens an equal opportunity to take advantage of each others weaknesses.

Also taking part in the unveiling to commemorate Jose Marti's stop at Inagua on April 11, 1895 was Ernesto Soberon Guzman, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to The Bahamas.

"Our tribute to Jose Marti comes at a time when the people who share this common habitat of Planet Earth are facing an array of challenges to world equilibrium, amity and comity; and threats to their peace, their security and -- it is unfortunately not an exaggeration to say -- even their survival," said Sir Arthur.

On February 17-20, thirteen science teachers from secondary schools in underserved areas throughout the Family Islands participated in an advanced marine conservation teacher training course held at the Island School on Cape Eleuthera. The Island School and the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) designed the three-day workshop on marine conservation and sustainable development which included tours, lectures, field exercises and classroom activities. The training course was made possible through a grant provided by the U.S. Embassy.

Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas (February 25, 2013) - Escape to Hope Town on Elbow Cay, Abaco, for the inaugural Patrick Davis Firefly Sunset Resort and Abaco Inn Songwriters Festival from February 28 through March 2, 2013. For three consecutive nights, this Bahamian beach village will be alive with music from some of Nashville's greatest talent. All of the weekend's free events are open to the public and will be held at Sea Spray Resort, Abaco Inn, and Firefly Sunset Resort in Hope Town. The festival includes a mix and mingle with the songwriters, live music shows, stories behind the writing and more.

Songwriters performing include Eric Paslay, Whitney Duncan, Phillip Lammonds, Jesse Rice, Kylie Sackley, Django Walker and Mark Bryan of Hootie & the Blowfish. These artists have been involved in the writing of hits for performers such as Faith Hill, Jewel, Lady Antebellum and Charleston's own Darius Rucker.

The new executive of the Grand Bahama Artists Association is pleased to announce that their Exhibition, FOR THE LOVE OF ART, continues in the Glory Banks Gallery at the Rand Nature Centre. The community will have the opportunity to view the eclectic array of artistic renderings from the members of the Association until Saturday March 16.

There are two major soccer events coming to the Bahamas in May and June 2013. Both involve the English Premier League.

The first event which many of you will have read about in recent press releases is the visit of Tottham Hotspur who is a top premier league team in the United Kingdom. On May 23rd the new Nassau national stadium will be hosting a match between Jamaica and them.

NASSAU, Bahamas - Builder and sculling crafter Sheldon Gibson captured the second annual St Valentine's Day Massacre Regatta sculling championship last Sunday in Nassau. Gibson not only teaches others to sail but actually built the sculling crafts for the owner of the truly Bahamian brewery.

Gibson was commissioned by the company's President James 'Jimmy' Sands to build the four E class boats - Sands, Sands Light, High Rock and Strong Back in order for Sands to help revitalise the sport of sculling he used to do as a child in his native Eleuthera.