To kick off the new year, 240 Catholic School Board educators and staff participated in a one-day environmental education workshop designed and implemented by the Education Department of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).

"We were approached by Alexandria Bowe, curriculum officer for the Catholic School Board to partner with them in designing a workshop for their teachers that would emphasize environmental stewardship and provide their educators with hands on activities that they could transfer to their classrooms," said Portia Sweeting, Director of Education at the Bahamas National Trust.

The Ministry of Finance announced today it has launched a hotline with experts standing by to answer questions about the proposed Value Added Tax system set to go into effect July 1. The hotline number is 225-7280. It is staffed between 9 am and 5 pm daily Monday-Friday. The VIBE line is toll-free throughout The Bahamas.

"Since we launched the number two days ago without a lot of fanfare in the testing stage, we have had very interesting calls reflecting that people understand change is needed, but they just want more information," said Financial Secretary John Rolle. "What we have heard so far is evidence that the greatest need for information is on the part of the consumer as businesses have made it a point of learning as much as they can to date."

As The Bahamas celebrated its 40th Anniversary of Independence and marked its first Majority Rule Day, thousands of Bahamians pledged their love for country by signing the Save The Bays petition seeking protection of Bahamian marine life among other environmental protection measures.

Formed in April 2013, the group's call to action through online support has swept its status from new environmental group to national movement with more than 13,000 'Likes' on Facebook and nearly 6,000 signatures on a petition calling for an Environmental Protection Act, a Freedom of Information Act and an end to unregulated development.

It began with a simple plea from Anthea Cox, vice president of human resources at Commonwealth Bank - let's reach into our own pockets and raise funds to make life a little brighter for the less fortunate. The idea caught on and staff donations poured in.

Executive management threw out a challenge-raise a minimum of $5,500 -- $10 per person for every single employee in the Commonwealth Bank family -- and we will match whatever you raise.

RBC Royal Bank welcomed more than 1,800 outstanding RBC employees and their guests to The Bahamas on Sunday, January 12. The RBC group traveled to Nassau aboard the Celebrity Constellation cruise ship as part of an RBC performance convention. The Constellation was chartered by RBC to host its top performing employees from around the world to a convention and Caribbean cruise.

"Recognition is a very important part of RBC's culture," said Mr. Nathaniel Beneby, Jr., Managing Director for RBC in The Bahamas, Cayman and Turks & Caicos. "We reward our employees for outstanding job performance on a consistent basis and are pleased that we can participate in the recognition of employees from around the world with this celebratory event."

The MasterCard Priceless Bahamas program and the Ministry of Tourism presented three local businesses - Bahamasair, John Bull and the former Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort with merchant incentive awards for achieving the highest volume of MasterCard sales in the 2013 Priceless Bahamas program.

"Our participating merchants are the heart and soul of the Priceless Bahamas program. stated Lorena Holguin, VP of Marketing for the Caribbean. The merchant incentive reward is just one way MasterCard demonstrates its commitment to the Priceless Bahamas program and the merchants that drive its success."

When the famed ball dropped in Times Square ushering in a new year of hope and promise, it was more than just the 2,688 Waterford Crystals that shone - it was a waterfront development in The Bahamas that flashed on the huge screen as an estimated one billion people around the world watched.

The development was Nassau's Palm Cay and for New Year's Eve revelers pulling scarves and loved ones closer to battle the bitter cold, the sight of townhomes and palm trees on a stretch of white sandy beach with a view of the clear blue sky and turquoise sea sparked dreams of paradise.

The unexpected appearance of the award-winning community with two short words on the screen, Palm Cay, and the website, Palmcay.com, was part of an ongoing ad campaign that between December 27 and February 1 will be viewed by 1.5 million people a day.

Students, teachers and administrators of C. I. Gibson Senior High School joined public and private schools throughout The Bahamas as they observed Majority Rule Day with a special assembly January 9. The Bahamas celebrates the 47th Anniversary of Majority Rule on January 10.

The assembly was led by students of grade 12C and music was provided by the school's choir. Herbert Oembler, principal, read a message for schools from Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes in honour of Majority Rule Day.

Island Outsourcers/itel-BPO Solutions held its official opening ceremony Thursday, January 9, 2014, to commemorate its second contact center, which is located on the island of Grand Bahama in the Bahamas. The Jamaican-based business process outsourcing service provider established its operation in Freeport in November 2013; signaling the start of an outsourcing industry in the Bahamas.

The new facility located on West Atlantic Drive offers an exceptional work environment along with advanced technology critical to meeting the demands of the outsourcing market. Island Outsourcers/itel-BPO Solutions currently employs 65 persons at this new location and is currently positioning itself to grow providing an additional 200 job opportunities in 2014.

The annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was held this past Saturday, January 4th, from sunrise to sunset on Grand Bahama Island. The first "Christmas Bird Count" was held over 100 years ago in the United States.

During the event a special recognition was given to two of the recent graduates of the "Basic Birding Class" that is conducted during the month of November by Certified Bahamas Birding Guide, Erika Gates. Delores Kellman and Jordan Davis received their first "Birds of the Bahamas" certificates for having observed and studied 54 bird species during classes. The certificate is sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and encourages residents and visitors alike to "get out there and go birding"!

The parish of St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church held a very unique yet enjoyable observance of the inaugural Majority Rule Day when they hosted a gala gourmet dinner on Friday evening, January 10. The Clubhouse at Old Bahama Bay with its garden setting provided the ideal venue for the dining experience under the stars.

In attendance was a cross-section of the community representing politicians, clergy, civil servants, the private sector and residents of West End, particularly, a number of individuals who were a part of the struggle to achieve Majority Rule and participated in the electoral process toward the achievement of universal suffrage in the country.

In a field where high staff turnover is often the norm, the HSGB is fortunate to have a number of staff who have been employed with us for four or more years. The staff who "stick it out" are the ones who have a true affinity for animals, and discover that a job can be more than a paycheque; it can also be a vocation. One of our long time staff, Ana-Alicia Carroll, however, is leaving us this month, to our detriment and sadness. We can never fault anyone though, for following bigger opportunities and dreams, and while we will miss her greatly, we do wish her the very best.

Save the date - February 1st for what promises to be our "spiciest" event yet! We're going to heat up the February chill with our Saucy Salsa Ladies Lunch. Come and enjoy margaritas and sangria, wine, fabulous food and steamy dance demos on a beautiful beach setting. We'll have door prizes, a silent auction, and party games, too. Limited seating so get your tickets early!

This season the Barclays Premier League has had one of the greatest starts to a season in many years. In this article I will be taking about teams that have truly surprised me, the break out stars team that are struggling to survive and the teams that are going for promotion.

One of the top players this year has been Luis Suarez of Liverpool, he is the league's leading goal scorer and this recent form has rubbed off on his team. Liverpool has beaten favoured teams like Tottenham Hotspurs 5-0 and Manchester United 1-0. If Liverpool stay in this form they could not only challenge for Europe but also the Premier League title.

Another team that is in very good form at the moment is a star studded Manchester City with star striker Sergio Aguero.

On Thursday, January 9, the United States Embassy formally announced the students and chaperone representing Abaco Island who will travel to Denver, Colorado and Washington, D.C. from February 2-25, 2014, to participate in the U.S. Embassy's third Youth Ambassadors exchange program. The students were selected based on their strong leadership skills and a commitment to community service. During the three-week exchange, the Bahamian youth leaders will join students from throughout the Caribbean in two U.S. cities for hands-on community-based activities.

The students' exciting one-day visit to Nassau included a courtesy call on U.S. Chargé d'Affaires John Dinkelman and briefings with the Embassy's Public Affairs staff. During the meeting with the Chargé, the students discussed the upcoming program and issues facing youth in The Bahamas. The four youth leaders who were selected for the third U.S. Embassy Youth Ambassador Program are: Kandise Kelly and Catalina Albury, both students at Forest Heights Academy, Berthony McDermott from S.C. Bootle High School and Conrad Cornish, who will represent Abaco Central High School.

Crystal clear water, pearl white sand and the sounds of Nashville wafting through paradise on Elbow Cay, Bahamas ... sounds like a dream? It's not, it's the Second Annual Patrick Davis Hope Town Songwriters Festival, to be held Tuesday, February 18 to Saturday, February 22, 2014 at locations all around Hope Town including Firefly Sunset Resort, Harbour's Edge Restaurant, Abaco Inn, Sea Spray Resort and Marina and Lubbers' Landing Resort. Coordinator and promoter of the festival, and Singer-Songwriter, Patrick Davis is known for writing many hits such as Jason Michael Carroll's Top 10 hit, "Where I'm From," and "Be Wary of a Woman," for Charleston native Darius Rucker.

It was such a hit its first year, it's even bigger and even better in 2014. The festival will illuminate this Bahamian beach village with events from some of Nashville's greatest musical talent and includes a mix and mingle with the songwriters, live music shows and stories behind the writing. All of the weekend's events are free and open to the public.

As part of Tropic Ocean Airways' February 14 launch of its inaugural seaplane scheduled charter service to Hope Town in Great Abaco, a lucky couple will spend their Valentine's Day Weekend at the historic Abaco Inn for a complimentary three-night vacation package, including flying aboard a new eight-passenger Cessna Caravan Amphibian Turboprop.

Tropic Ocean Airways, which re-instituted regular seaplane service to the Bahamas in 2011, is partnering with Fort Lauderdale-based IJet Charters, to offer direct flights to Hope Town, a popular, but often time consuming trip for air travelers. Jim Swieter, founder of IJet Charters, said couples interested in entering can do so IJet websites through February 7th when the winners will be announced in a random drawing.

At a time when many people seems to be losing hope in our young populace, the inhabitants of the big yard Andros came together in a spirit of joy and enormous hope as they celebrated the achievement of two teenagers David Romer and Asia Rolle for their contribution to church and society.

David Romer of North Andros High School was honoured as Server of the Year 2013 for St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church Mastic Point Andros and Asia Rolle of North Andros High School honoured as Server of the Year 2013 for St. Margaret Church Nicoll's Town Andros.

Freeport Jetwash brought back one of their most popular promotions in November, this time adding a twist by making it cater to the Super Bowl. Jetwash has also partnered with Federal Mogul Corporation, a US based company that has previously hosted workshops at Jetwash, for the promotion.

Their Game Day Giveaway promotion in their Parts Department gives customers the chance to win Jetwash cash (credit) each month, with the grand prize being a flat screen 46" TV just in time for the Super Bowl.

More than 1,150 runners will pound the pavement at the 2014 Sunshine Insurance Race Weekend beginning on January 18, 2014. RBC has renewed its support of the event for the 4th consecutive year. Marathon Bahamas, as it is affectionately known by running enthusiasts around the world, includes events for persons of varying abilities and fitness levels. In addition to the Marathon and Half Marathon, Marathon Bahamas includes a 4-person relay with distances ranging from 5.7 miles to 7.5 miles and the Susan G. Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure 5K.

The Sunshine Insurance Race Weekend has become an increasingly popular event for both local and international runners. Marathon Bahamas hosts close to 500 international runners, has contributed $260,000 to the fight against cancer and continues to draw both participants and spectators from every walk of life.

This year, the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) has sponsored three relay teams to participate in Marathon Bahamas, which will be taking place this weekend. The teams are Lobatus, Strombus and Gigas, all scientific names for the queen conch, and their participation in the marathon will be to help raise awareness of Conchservation.

"As Coordinator for The Bahamas National Conchservation Campaign, I'm both proud and excited to be taking part in the relay" commented Jared Dillet, BNT Marine Resources Campaign Coordinator. "This is a great way to raise awareness of the issues facing the Bahamian conch fishery and build camaraderie as well. I've heard colleagues speak of last year's relay and the fun that was had promoting the preservation of our conch industry so I'm looking forward to Sunday's race, and generating more awareness for Conchservation."

Bahamian Brewery and Beverage has announced the start of the 2014 sculling season as well as their partnership with Eleazor Johnson and the first sculling event - the St. Valentine Regatta - scheduled for February 15th and 16th.

"The St. Valentine Regatta is a great opportunity to showcase all things Bahamian, especially the Bahamian sport of sculling," noted Lynden Johnson, Sales and Marketing Manager at Bahamian Brewery and Beverage. "At the St. Valentine Regatta, there will be sloop sailing with our E Class Boats, Sands, Sands Light, Strong Back and High Rock, and indeed - The Sands Man in The Boat Sculling Race."

S3 Soccer Clinic will be holding its 4th Annual Soccer Clinic in Freeport, Wednesday, January 22nd to Saturday, January 25th, 2014. The venue will again be the Bishop Michael Eldon School field.

The S3 Soccer Clinic was launched in January 2011. From its inception, the goal of the clinic was and remains to promote the sport of soccer and encourage and equip talented players to further their love of the game and possibly obtain a college education.

The world's fastest human, Jamaican track star Usain Bolt (centre) is pictured with Prime Minister Perry Christie and Mrs. Bernadette Christie, Jan. 12, 2014, at the renaming of a section of the old West Bay Street in the front of SuperClubs Breezes to Breezes Lane.

(BIS Photo/Peter Ramsay)

The public is invited to attend the Second Annual KPMG Football Fest, to be held at Lyford Cay International School's (LCIS) campus on Friday, January 31 and Saturday, February 1.

This year's tournament will include teams from Barbados, Jamaica, and the British Virgin Islands as well as Bahamian teams from LCIS (Nassau), St. Andrew's (Nassau) and Lucaya International (Freeport). In all there will be 120 players competing at the Under14 age group.

Captain Chase Camacho, who learned to fish at the legendary Big Tuna Grounds off Montauk, Long Island and honed his skills off the Florida coast, has been named Tournament Director for a one-of-a-kind billfish tournament combining hard driving blue water action with a chance to fish with the best of the best from the NFL.

Camacho, though his Chase N Dreams Yacht Charters, has been offering blue water charters from Bimini since last April. Camacho will be recruiting competitive anglers for the two-day billfish tournament which will give them a shot at over $250,000 in prizes, a tremendous gift bag per angler, and a chance to fish with a Pro Football Hall of Fame Player or NFL Legend.

Dear Editor,

Before a person can be sentenced for murder, he or she has to be convicted first - and this is the critical issue all political leaders are ignoring.

Conviction rates in this country are disgracefully low, due in large part to failures in the strength of the cases that the Police Force and Prosecution put forward from the arrest side, to the investigation and case preparation side. This is what no political leader is speaking to. Before you even get the death penalty or full-life in prison, you must be found guilty first. If cases keep being thrown out or the accused is acquitted because innocent people are being charged, or because of shoddy investigative and legal work, a death or full-life sentence would not arise anyway. No conviction, no sentence.