On Friday, November 20, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Lisa Johnson met with the College of The Bahamas (COB) President Dr. Rodney Smith. The meeting served as an opportunity to thank President Smith for the College's strong partnership with the Embassy, to discuss the Embassy's educational programs that operate in The Bahamas, and to reaffirm the Embassy's commitment to the American Corner by signing the American Corner Memorandum of Understanding.

During the meeting, the topics of discussion included the Embassy's Education USA office, an advising center that promotes U.S. higher education and President Obama's 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative, which seeks to increase educational exchange between the United States and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to 100,000 exchanges in each direction by 2020.

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Hoping that a little beauty and a lot of brains can help make an environmental impact for us all, Miss Earth Bahamas will team up with The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) to educate our youth on the adverse affects of climate change. During her reign Miss Daronique Young will advocate for building a Bahamas that is resilient to climate change. Using her title and her charms Daronique aims to help make climate change a more understandable concept for young Bahamians and motivate them to take action.

"The recent devastation in the southern Bahamas due to Hurricane Joaquin was a wake up call for us all," stated the determined Miss Earth Bahamas. "I asked myself what could I do to help, how can one person make a difference? I remembered reading somewhere that coral reefs and mangroves were natural barriers to storms and in many cases they protected the coastline. As a result, I immediately reached out to the BNT."  

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Bahamas Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, has announced the appointment of noted Chartered Accountant and Managing Partner of Grant Thornton Bahamas Mr. Paul Andrew "Andy" Gomez as the new Bahamas Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China.

He is the son of Patrick and Jeanie Gomez. The 57 year old business executive is a 1974 and 1975 graduate of St. Augustine's College and Queen's College, respectively, and a 1980 graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.

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Progress towards equality of men and women in the news media has virtually ground to a halt according to the fifth and largest study on the portrayal and representation of women in the news media.

Extensive results of the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) released 23 November show that, worldwide, women make up about 50% of the general population but only 24% of the persons heard, read about or seen in newspaper, television and radio news, exactly the same level found in the 2010 report. Women's relative invisibility in traditional news media has also crossed over into digital news delivery platforms. Only 26% of the people in Internet news stories and media news Tweets combined are women.

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In recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) will host a series of youth dialogues and seminars to familiarize community leaders and youth with strategies to prevent gender-based and teen dating violence.

This initiative is part of the Resistance and Prevention Program (RAPP), which aims to reduce youth crime and violence by building mutual trust between the police, the government, and Bahamian youth. RAPP is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and implemented by PADF. The series launched in Nassau on November 24, 2015, with an opening ceremony and youth dialogue. Events will take place between November 30 and December 4, 2015.

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The College of the Bahamas chapter of Phi Beta Sigma promoted entrepreneurship as a career path for students on the campus of the largest tertiary institution on Tuesday November 17, 2015 at the Harry C. Moore Library's auditorium. The Beta Beta Lamba Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma organized and hosted the event as a part of Sigma Week on campus.

"The students got a wide range of perspectives on the joys and challenges of entrepreneurship at this year's seminar," Beta Beta Lambda chapter president Javon Rolle said. "Everyone who attended got real insight into not only running a business, but also setting up a business."

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Urgent action needed on Blackbeard's Cay
An open letter to Prime Minister Perry Christie

Save The Bays (STB) hereby indicates its full support for the call by our civic partner, reEarth, for the immediate closure of the Blackbeard's Cay development on Balmoral Island. The Supreme Court has ruled emphatically that the facility was constructed in breach of the law and ordered that it be closed and the marine mammals housed there be removed immediately. STB therefore considers its continued operation to constitute an affront to the authority of the judiciary and a blow to respect for the rule of law as enshrined in the Bahamas Constitution.

In January of this year, the developer, Blue Illusions limited, was found by the court to have proceeded in the absence of necessary permits and approvals. The company's dolphin import licenses and the site plan approval granted by the Town Planning committee were also quashed and it was ordered that the land be returned to its original use and condition.

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Understanding the importance of a productive and happy workforce, The Grand Bahama Power Company is focused on developing programs that recognize employees for their outstanding contributions at work and in the Grand Bahama community. GBPC recently recognized employees with Awards for Merit in Performance (AMP). The recipients, who were nominated by their peers, were honored by the Board of Directors, management and staff of GBPC.

Sarah Macdonald, President and CEO of GBPC, who was on hand to present the awards to employees stated, "The most important thing about the AMP Awards process is the nominations, what makes these awards special is that you were nominated by your peers." She continued, "Your co-workers recognized your achievements, and took the time to share the great work you do at home, at work or in your community."

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Students, teachers and faculty from Tabernacle Academy, Grand Bahama, donated a number of food items and cleaning supplies to be distributed to hurricane victims in the central and southern Bahamas on Wednesday.

Accepting the donation was Mrs. Michelle Reckley, Deputy Director of Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama. Making the presentation was Genice Saunders, left, and Annamarie Amerthil, pictured right.

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Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie said the thriving economy of Bimini is set for another boost with the signing of the Supplemental Heads of Agreement between the Government of The Bahamas and Resorts World and its partners. "Resorts World entities and BB Entertainment have revised their business plan from an investment of $150 million in the resort project to now $600 million," Prime Minister Christie said during the signing of the Supplemental Heads of Agreement at his office, Friday, November 20, 2015.

The Prime Minister added that some 200 construction workers have been employed during phases and it is anticipated that between 50 and 60 additional construction workers will be employed in the coming weeks. BB Entertainment is a joint venture partnership between Genting (USA) Ltd., a subsidiary of Resorts World and leading Florida builder and real estate developer, Gerardo Capo's Company, RAV Bahamas Ltd.

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As the Festival Noel committee strings the lights, restaurants prepare their menus and Bristol Wines and Spirits chills the wine, one of the most important aspects of Festival Noel is beginning to arrive at the Rand Nature Centre - the art! This year's featured artist is Matthew Wildgoose (aka Matt Wild), a Grand Bahama native who is well-known for his acting talents on Cable Bahamas and BTC commercials and is now showing off his passion for painting.

Wild has displayed his art both locally and internationally, with his first two art exhibitions paying homage to Bahamian pop icons. Matthew's art has been described as 'Drama on Canvas' where he chooses to paint iconic personalities in a powerful and dramatic way. During his first international art show Wild's inspiration came from classic cinema. His first buyers during that exhibition were actor Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya!

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Minister of Social Sciences and Community Development the Hon. Melanie Griffin said this year's National Women's Week focuses on women who work in the environment: it provides an opportunity for the public to salute the work and contributions so many women make towards keeping the islands of The Bahamas, and the waters and air free of pollutants, plastics and harmful toxins.

Minister Griffin was speaking at the soft opening of the exhibition on "Women and the Environment" as a pre-launch to National Women's Week 2015 at the Ministry of Education, November 20, 2015. The Minister Griffin explained that the focus of the exhibition is in keeping with the theme for this year: "Women and the Environment: Creating Partnerships for Sustainable Development."

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The Grand Bahama Human Rights Association are thrilled to share another video by our intrepid young members on the human rights issues facing The Bahamas today.

Enjoy!


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CIBC FirstCaribbean's annual Walk for the Cure has raised the bar yet again, collecting $400,000 across the region and more than $77,000 in donations in the Bahamas in its 2015 fundraising efforts.

In a presentation at the CIBC FirstCaribbean country headquarters on Shirley Street, the Bahamian funds were distributed between eight local cancer charities: Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Groups of New Providence and Grand Bahama; The Cancer Society of The Bahamas; The Cancer Societies of Abaco, Eleuthera and Grand Bahama; The Cancer Association of Grand Bahama and the One Eleuthera Foundation. Each organization received $9,277.

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Acting Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Davis on Wednesday morning threw out a challenge to athletic coaches to seriously undertake teaching concepts and strategies that would allow their athletes to develop into responsible citizens. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development was the special guest speaker at the official opening of the 17th Annual Tabernacle Academy Thanksgiving Basketball Classic.

Twelve teams, inclusive of five United States-based squads and one team from New Providence participated in the tourney. Visiting high school teams were: Cherokee High, Jefferson High, Oakridge High and Siegal High School from Tennessee; St. Rita's High School from Illinois; and C.I. Gibson from New Providence. The Grand Bahama school teams were Bishop Michael Eldon, Jack Hayward High, Mary Star Academy, St. Georges High, Sunland Baptist, and Tabernacle Baptist.

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The Director General of Bahamas Information Services (BIS) Mr. Luther Smith shares a proud moment and congratulates BIS Human Resources Manager, Mrs. Linda Woodside-Major on her induction into the National Sports Hall of Fame that took place recently. Mrs. Woodside-Major was one of 15 sports heroes of The Bahamas who were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2015, November 19, in special ceremonies sponsored by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture during 'Sports Heritage Month.'

She represented The Bahamas with distinction in track and field in three CARIFTA Games, earning silver medals in 1975 for high jump and long jump; and in the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships, the bronze for 200-metre hurdles, and placing fourth in the pentathlon. She was named Bahamas 1975 'Athlete of the Year.'

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GRAND BAHAMA EVENTS
 

 

Get your Family Island event listed in the Bahama Islands Info Calendar for free! Just write to info@bahamaislandsinfo.com with all the relevant information.

NOTE: All dates, times, locations and other details are subject to change.   

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