From March - May 2016, the Young Marine Explorers (YME) organization will facilitate a unique learning opportunity for CEO's and executive directors of Bahamian non-profit organizations focused on management skills and leadership capacity.

Under the theme, "Elevate," YME will offer a free, four-session workshop designed to cover strategic planning, effective management, fundraising, marketing, board development and financial management. The workshop will be facilitated by Matthew Aubry, an internationally recognized not-for-profit consultant. Participants will engage in collaborative problem-solving strategies aimed at developing a peer-to-peer resource network.

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Educator, human rights and environmental advocate Joseph Darville will host a weekly radio show dedicated to environmental news, challenges and opportunities starting Thursday, February 11 at 5:15 pm, according to the fast-growing environmental movement Save The Bays, which is sponsoring the show. The conversational style chat show called 'Voice of The Bays, The Environment Speaks' will feature different guests each week and will air on Love 97.5 in Nassau and Grand Bahama.

While Darville will host the drive-time show on Thursdays, a group of youngsters will be interviewed every other Saturday morning as the popular Youth Environment Ambassadors makes their new show, 'Rise Up, Bahamas', part of their activities.

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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently hosted a High-Level Operational Response Workshop on Bio-Incidents and Terrorist Attacks, the aim of which was to strengthen The Bahamas' capabilities in the event of an incident. The three-day workshop was held at NEMA's office on Gladstone Road and NEMA's Way, January 19 - 21, 2016.

The workshop was sponsored by the Ministry of National Security, Bahamas; and the Organization of American States' Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, USA.

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The board of directors of the Historic Bahamas Foundation today announced the extension of the online auction, in connection with the Trinkets & Treasures National Fair held over the weekend, with part proceeds to benefit repairs to The Hermitage on Cat Island. "We had such a great response to the online auction we thought it necessary to extend the time to allow persons to bid on a few remaining prizes not scooped up during the fair on Saturday," said Owen Bethel, Foundation Chairman.

Thousands of dollars-worth of items including weekend trips for two at chic resorts, romantic dinners, luxury timepieces, electronics, access to a number of attractions and excursions, two Harl Taylor bags, paintings, jewelry and other items will be on display in a virtual arena for bid.

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Kelliah Kelly was intimidated the first day she stepped into an Auto Mechanics class at The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institution (BTVI). She was surrounded by a group of males who wondered whether she was lost. Today, she is one of the top students and has fully embraced her passion for fixing vehicles. "First, I couldn't engage in conversation with the guys, but my first semester was fantastic and now, my Engine Systems' instructor has appointed me as class supervisor," the 19-year-old stated proudly.

The young woman who initially wanted to become an architect is now in her second semester at BTVI and has already gotten work experience, having landed a Christmas job at Ace Auto. Kelliah, who received an A in the Auto Mechanics Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) exam, said because of the knowledge gained at BTVI, she can change transmissions, fix ignition switches and rebuild starters.

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David Adams, Manager of Customer Support Services and Nicole Henfield, Manager of Parking and Ground Transportation at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), recently graduated from Airports Council International's (ACI) Airport Operations Diploma Program.

Through their coursework, David and Nicole gained a broader understanding of Airside Operations, Terminal and Landside Operations and Airport Business Operations to help them successfully address the operational and business needs of LPIA as it continues its transformation into a leading 21st century airport.

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The Hawksbill Creek Agreement Review Committee (HCARC) members held a press conference at the Ministry for Grand Bahama on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 to inform and educate licensees and the public on the work of the HCARC.

The press conference was led by HCARC Chairman Dr. Marcus Bethel, accompanied by Committee Members Maurice Moore, Kevin Seymour, Cassietta McIntosh, Dr. Doswell Coakley, Chevonia Mcbride, and Terrance Roberts. Committee Members not present were Sir Baltron Belthel, James Smith, and W. Albert Gray.

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The Grand Celebration welcomed its first anniversary on Wednesday, February 3, since its re-launch and upgrade to a new vessel. Betty Bethel, Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Grand Bahama, was present for the occasion and said the Ministry was very excited about the anniversary and the fact that the Grand Celebration has over delivered on expectations.

She added that in order to see more vessels of this magnitude come to Freeport Habour, the Ministry of Tourism is focused on strengthening the product on-island: "We have aggressively been looking for new product, and have come up with quite a few events that we believe will be a stimulator for guests to come to Grand Bahama, so our emphasis is on strengthening guest services, customer service is key, new tourism attractions and events."

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On February 5th, 2016, EARTHCARE brought children's environmental book author Martin Keeley to Grand Bahama Island to share his work with schools and the EARTHCARE Eco Kids. Martin met with the EARTHCARE Eco Kids first. The students were engaged at the Kevin Tomlinson Academy, learning about Science and how it relates to Marvellous Mangroves.

Following the exciting experiments, after lunch, the EARTHCARE Eco Kids headed to Lucayan National Park where they got to see first-hand, healthy mangrove forests and all of the associated wildlife. The students learned about the many benefits of mangroves such as being the nursery for many of our fisheries products, protection against storm surge and storms, land builders, among many others.

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The Prime Minister's communication made on 3rd March 2016 to the House of Assembly on the status of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement is, in many ways, a milestone as it sets out, for the "public at large", the issues and objectives that our Government deems important as we move the Hawksbill Creek Agreement forward. Transparency in negotiations, such as the extension and review of certain provisions, of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, which affect the livelihood of the tens of thousands of Residents and Licensees of the Port Area, is critical.

We now have a checklist of items to aim for. Some items may be achievable, others may not be achievable. But that is the nature of negotiations. What is important is that we, the people, now know what the principal points are and now, for the first time, can play a part in this process.

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Minister for Grand Bahama, Dr. the Hon. Michael Darville, on Thursday, February 4, 2016, urged all stakeholders to work together to make the Arts and Crafts Centre a success.
Minister Darville made these remarks during the official opening of the facility, which is located on East Sunrise Highway.

The purpose of the Centre is to allow locals and visitors to Grand Bahama to experience Bahamian culture first hand. "This Arts and Crafts Centre will positively impact the revitalisation and promotion of Grand Bahama by offering a new attraction for the island; a place where tourists and locals can have an authentic Bahamian cultural experience," he said.

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Last week one of our long time shelter dogs was bitten by a centipede on her foot. We couldn't have known of Sapphire's hypersensitivity to such a bite nor predicted her adverse reaction to the standard medication used for these things, which typically are absolutely survivable, especially for a large dog like her. Over a period of only a few days, despite superb veterinary care, it was clear she was declining. Her foot was turning black (necrosis) and infection was spreading. We posted her story on our Facebook page Thursday evening asking for prayers and good wishes for our beloved girl. We were deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support for her.

On Friday, her condition had worsened and it was agreed that her only possible chance of survival was to amputate her leg. Our dedicated, amazing staff veterinarian Dr. Gibbs and her assistants took her into surgery. Unfortunately, Sapphire's heart stopped about an hour into surgery when they were almost finished, and she could not be revived. Our hearts are broken on pretty much a daily basis, but this one really hit us a little extra hard.

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Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie recently toured the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini, saying he is very impressed with the progress he has seen so far. The Prime Minister and a contingent of government officials and media personnel toured the soon-to-be-completed lobby and second floor of the luxury marina hotel, which is scheduled to be fully opened this spring with the completion of Phase II of the project.

Prime Minister Christie said he anticipated that the hotel was going to be high class for high net worth individuals, however regardless of who stays there they would be so impressed with the accommodations that they would be sure to come back, which is the whole idea of resorts.

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"Today is a 'Red Letter Day' in the life of Youth Sailing for our Bahamas," said the Hon. V. Alfred Gray, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources with responsibility for regattas during a press conference on Friday, January 29, at the ministry. The Durward Knowles National Invitational Junior Sailing Regatta is scheduled to take place on March 25 - 28 in George Town, Exuma, said Minister Gray.

Previously, those junior races took place during the National Family Island Regatta at the end of April. He noted that those junior races were overshadowed by that regatta. The junior races have now come into their own, he said, "as such we thought it was sufficiently important for us to give the races a date that is separate and apart from the date of the Family Island Regatta."

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Demand in the Family Islands for reliable television service with richer content, clearer pictures, and greater choices is driving quick uptake of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company's (BTC) FLOW TV in those markets, including in the educational system. With high customer satisfaction in its first months on Bimini and Inagua, BTC's lead-in strategy of bringing premium content to underserved communities is seeing optimistic results.

Bimini's Louise McDonald High School is amongst the satisfied FLOW users, enjoying a 3-month free trial of BTC FLOW. Principal Wesley Rolle says that FLOW TV's diverse package options and the ability to customize packages through "FLOW on Your Own" have spurred creative use of the services as an educational support tool which may change how lessons are taught.

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The 2016 Miss Bahamas pageants will be unlike any before them, and contestants are being sought across the country to be a part of this ground breaking new event. For the first time, the national beauty competitions will incorporate an interactive Reality TV Series in which the viewing public will act as a judge, determining which contestants will move on to compete in the finale of the Miss World Bahamas and Miss Bahamas (Universe & Earth) competitions, set for July 24.

While this concept is new to The Bahamas, it is not new to pageantry worldwide. Several national competitions have already moved to the TV show format in an effort to reach a larger audience. The Miss Bahamas Organization (MBO) - known for being a trendsetter in Bahamian pageantry - is now following suit.

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The works of Bahamian artists exhibiting at the Harlem Fine Arts Show, New York, has been receiving much acclaim, and has provoked much conversation regarding the styles of the artists, their social and political consciousness as well as their outstanding talents.

The HFAS, which officially opened on Thursday night, February 4th, at the historic Riverside Church, is a four-day travelling exhibition and sale of contemporary paintings, sculpture, and photography and is the largest of its kind featuring art from the African Diaspora. The Bahamas as one of the featured sponsors, of HFAS is showcasing three of its premier artists and their works.

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The Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC) congratulates the contestants in the 2016 Junkanoo Carnival Music Masters Song Competition as they embark on a journey to Music Masters stardom. Seventeen Bahamian musicians, fielding 20 songs, will vie for the $20,000 grand prize at Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival 2016. Their demos were selected by a panel of judges as the best of the best and now they will proceed to walk the road to carnival.

First stop is Music Masters Boot Camp, where the contestants will receive a professional makeover; participate in a music video shoot; and hit the studio to work with a world class Bahamian producer to master their songs. The second stop on the road to carnival is a promotional tour, where the artists will present themselves to the Bahamian people and the world and work to develop their fan base.

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If you are a high school student living on Grand Bahama Island and concerned for the safety of all road users, you now have an opportunity to say what you feel. The Grand Bahama Road Safety Committee announced Wednesday an Essay Competition on the topic: Making Our Roads Safer for All Road Users.

The deadline for entry is March 10, 2016 and the competition attracts grades 10 to 12 students. Entry forms may be collected from all high schools on Grand Bahama.

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Of the multiple slogans used in the advertisement of this particular production, I have chosen to share this one: For Future. For Love. For Family. Everyone Must Fight. In a vibrant retelling of a tale set in 19th century England we find a land and its inhabitants on the cusp of an apocalyptic siege brought about by a plague that has lead to a formidable tidal wave of the reanimated dead. In the midst of this conflict between those born of woman versus those borne by death we are given the rare opportunity to observe the tangled relationships among those of marrying age bred from different social classes now finding themselves forced to interact in societal constructs meant to propagate humanity's only foreseeable hope of sustaining its ranks of the living.

I do it no disservice when I tell you that I was none too pleased when it came to my attention on talk of the release of this motion picture based on the writings of the same name was by the man who coauthored the screenplay from the lackluster Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. I must wholeheartedly assuage the fears of anyone who doubts that they will not enjoy their exposure to this creative mixing of genres to form quite the entertaining amalgamation. The experience of this rousing romp based in the Europe of the 1800's using the characters created by Jane Austen surpasses your average period piece and can also be consumed by those with an abiding admiration for the horror stories of the soulless beings with a craving for the brains of the living.

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The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC) has announced that it will be the title sponsor for the first ever one day "Urban Love Games". The event which will be held on Saturday, February 13th is being organized by the Urban Renewal Commission and will be the first of its kind, joining more than 2,000 persons from nine Urban Renewal Centers in New Providence for a day filled with sports and entertainment.

Wilton Russell, Director of Sports for the Urban Renewal Commission thanked BTC for its support and outlined the day's activities. "We are thankful for BTC's generosity, their support has made this effort possible. Even though we are calling the "Urban Love Games" a track meet, the competitors are not trained athletes, but ordinary men and women from the community. The event is intended to be a community bonding initiative. Children and adults from nine inner city communities will compete for medals.

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The dates have been announced for this year's Sir Jack Hayward Soccer Camp - and three top UK coaches have already signed up to lead the fun. Chloe Brown, Mike Gilham, and Joe Tomlinson will be jetting out on June 17 ready to launch the week-long event at 9am on Monday, June 20. Though they are only aged 26, 27 and 31 respectively, each has years of experience professionally coaching kids in the camp's target age range - Joe starting when he was just 17.

Between them they bring specialist knowledge such as goalkeeping good practice as well as general soccer skills, and all of them have a particular interest in using sport for character building and bringing out the good in people, including not just learning how to win bit also how to lose, graciously.

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Cable Bahamas, through its long-standing partnership with the Ministry of Education, will serve as the lead sponsor of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association's (GSSSA) national basketball championships, providing live coverage and complementary broadband Internet and Wi-Fi for the event.

This marks the eighth year that Cable Bahamas has sponsored the major sporting competition. Cable 12 Media Operations Manager Alexia Coakley said that each year, Cable 12 welcomes this opportunity to showcase local talent and deliver the highly entertaining games to residents around the country who are unable to see the competition in person.

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Expect fireworks this year at Grand Bahama's internationally-famed Conchman Triathlon. The event will be celebrating its 30th year on Guy Fawkes Day, November 5 - and will be doing it in style with an all-day into-the-evening series of events culminating in a Junkanoo rush-out, a bonfire on the beach and a big firework display.

There will also be a number of innovations which committee members hope will boost the number of participants, individual and team members, to 500. This includes inter-school and inter-company competitions, and possibly a competition to find the best triathlete in the whole of the Bahamas.

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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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