Bahamas News

29th International Customs Day Celebrations in Grand Bahama

Published

6 years ago

January 24, 2018

#Bahamas, January 24, 2018 – Grand Bahama – The World Customs Organization (WCO) has over 177 Customs Administration members of which Bahamas Customs has been a member since 1974 and has benefited from technical expertise and advice. Gregory Jones, Assistant Comptroller of Customs with responsibility for the Grand Bahama District, said, “This year we will celebrate our International Customs Day, under the theme “A Secure Business Environment for Economic Development.

“According to the World Customs Organization Secretariat, ‘secure’ means an environment that is enabling, safe, fair and sustainable, all wrapped into one.

“Members of the WCO are encouraged to look at how they can create an environment for businesses that will foster their participation in cross-border trade, and ultimately, how they can best serve the people, and empower entrepreneurs.”

In Grand Bahama, the Customs Department will host the 3^rd Northern Bahamas Long Service Awards and World Customs Organization Certificate of Merit Awards Ceremony, which will be held on Wednesday 24^th January 2018, at 7pm at A Social Affair Convention Center off East Sunrise Highway, Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Among invited guests will be Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest, and Comptroller of Customs Dr. Geanine Moss.

Topping the list for World Customs Organization Certificate of Merit Awards 2018 are:

Chief Customs Revenue Officer – Deborah Bootle

Cashier – Joan Scott

Topping the list of 16 Officers and Non-Uniformed Staff who will be honoured for long service:

Senior Customs/Revenue Officer – Pamela Williams – 30 years

Senior Customs/Revenue Officer – Miriam Fernander – 30 years

Senior Customs/Revenue Officer – Renia Predelus – 30 years

Senior Customs/Revenue Officer – Carnetta Farrington – 30 years

Senior Customs/Revenue Officer – Robert Julian – 30 years

Senior Customs/Revenue Officer – Linda Brown – 30 years

Customs/Revenue Officer II – Ellarese Thompson

Customs/Revenue Officer II – Terence Ferguson

Customs/Revenue Officer II – Verdell Russell

Senior Customs Guard – Herbert Rahming

Senior Executive Officer – Cheryl Whymns

Executive Officer – Ann Francis – 30 years

Chief Registry Clerk – Gwendolyn Henfield – 30 years

Customs/Revenue Officer I – 20 years Janell Heild

Customs/Revenue Officer I – 20 years Keva Powell –Williams

Telephonist I – 20 years

Other activities will include: 28^th January – Church Service at Calvary Temple, Clive Avenue at 10am.

Jan. 29^th – Feb. 2^nd — A Customs Digital Exhibition will be held in the foyer of C. A. Smith Complex from 10am – 3pm.

16^th February – Customs Staff will engage in Community Services by donating cleaning supplies and provide lunch and interact with the Senior Citizens at Home Away from Home Center for the Aged, located on 30 Amberjack Street, Caravel Beach between 11am – 2pm.

19^th February – second community service will be at the Genesis Academy Trip Circle between 11am – 11pm where some of the male officers will assist with mentoring the young men there, and Customs Revenue Officer II Wenito Bootle will give a brief motivational speech. Other visits will follow.

“To ensure that our staff speak with one voice as they relate to the customs laws we will engage our staff in seminars and frequent briefings,” said Assistant Comptroller Jones.

“Further, to enhance our relationship with our stakeholders, particularly, the couriers and licensees, we will commence with two fora and others as needed.

“February 28^th 2018 – Sessions for Couriers and Shipping & Airline Agents, Customs Brokers, 4pm-6pm, Room #3 C.A. Smith Complex.

“March 1^st 2018 – Session with licensees who are Contractors, Manufacturers/or Custom’s Brokers associated with them.

Mr. Jones noted: “According to the WCO Secretariat, Evidence-based research, recognized internationally, clearly shows that Customs can contribute to making the business environment more ”enabling”, or in other words, more stable and predictable by, for example, streaming procedures, tackling corruption, enhancing, integrity and facilitation of legitimate trade.”

Mr. Jones said Bahamas Customs is also mindful of the need to ensure safety within the business environment. “But some threats come from within the trade itself, such as shipment of illicit goods, invoice fraud and smuggling of goods into the country to evade customs and taxes.

“Despite some of the challenges, concerns and criticisms that may come from our stakeholders, the Customs Department remains committed to resolving problems that may arise. After all we want to partner with our stakeholders to ensure that customs laws, regulations and policies are explained and understood before implementation,” he stated.

He concluded: “On behalf of the Comptroller of Customs, the Executive team and entire staff of Grand Bahama and Walker’s Cay, we take this opportunity to thank all of our stakeholders including members of the public for their support and the media for their presence and coverage of this occasion and the other activities to follow.”

Mr. Jones also offered special thanks to the committee that is responsible for organizing the Customs International Day Celebrations namely:

Chief Customs Revenue Officers Marsha Stubbs

Customs/Revenue Officer II Equianna Johnson

Customs/Revenue Officer II Keva Dames

Customs/Revenue Officer II Latonia Cash

Trainee Customs/Revenue Officer Alexander Burrows II

Senior Accounts Clerk Monique Rampersad

Assistant Cashier Claudine Lightbourne

“Once again we thank all of you and we pray that 2018 be a great year for the Customs Department and our stakeholders,” he said.

By: Simon Lewis

Photo caption: Gregory Jones, Assistant Comptroller of Customs with responsibility for the Grand Bahama District is pictured seated centre along with other members of the planning committee as they announced plans for the 29^th International Customs Day Celebrations on Grand Bahama during a press conference at Customs Headquarters in the C.A. Smith Complex on Monday, January 22, 2018.

(BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

Bahamas News

Sister Province/Island Relationship Agreement Signed between Grand Bahama Island and Hunan Province

Published

40 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

By LLONELLA GILBERT
Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas — A significant milestone was made in the development of bilateral relations between the Governments of The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China by the signing of the Sister Province/Island Relationship Agreement between Grand Bahama Island and Hunan Province.

The signing took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The Hon. Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama; the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness; Kingsley Smith, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama and Joel Lewis, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama represented The Bahamas at the signing.

His Excellency Mao Weiming, Governor of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; Qu Hai, Secretary General of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; Cui Wei, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; and Yang Peiran, Interpreter represented the People’s Republic of China.

Minister Moxey explained that in February 2022, she and the former Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas, Her Excellency Dai Qingli began discussion on the establishment of a province-island relationship between Hunan Province and Grand Bahama Island because of their “immense synergy”.

“Hunan has a vibrant creative industry and its capital city, Changsha is known as the entertainment capital of China, whilst Grand Bahama is poised to become the home of entertainment in ‘Our Bluepoint for Change’.”

She said Hunan Province boasts 11 industrial sectors and Grand Bahama is the industrial capital of The Bahamas. Further, innovation driven development has been a new driving force for Hunan, while Grand Bahama is poised to become the home of innovation for The Bahamas.

Minister Moxey said she is confident that an exchange of knowledge, ideas and culture will happen between the residents of Hunan Province and Grand Bahama.

“There is potential for robust trade in various sectors, opportunities for tourism promotion and intercultural appreciation, exchanges to support performing arts programs on our island, foster growth within the Orange Economy, and tap into China’s innovation, technology and vast expertise.”

She said that the formal signing aligns with the mission of Sister Cities International, which is to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation, one community at a time.

The Minister said, “Through collaborative programs and initiatives, this connection will support the government’s vision to diversity Grand Bahama’s economy to become the Home of Maritime and Logistics, Home of Events and Entertainment and Home of Innovation.”

She noted that in addition to signing the agreement, she looks forward to Grand Bahama residents benefitting from the signing of the Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding between Central South University and University of The Bahamas (UB), which will expand educational and technical cooperation between the two universities. The northern campus of UB is located in Grand Bahama.

His Excellency Mao Weiming said although geographically far apart, China and The Bahamas are friends with mutual respect and understanding as well as sincerity.

He explained that 27 years ago, both countries established diplomatic relations and China and The Bahamas have deepened their cooperation, strengthened their friendship and carried out many activities in the field of economy, trade and people-to-people exchange.

His Excellency recalled that in August 2022, he and Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis had a video conference where they both reached a consensus to cooperate in order to usher a new chapter in the relationship between Hunan and The Bahamas.

“Today, we are here to sign a sister-to-sister relationship between Hunan and Grand Bahama. It is [a] concrete move to implement our consensus reached before and also to embark on a new journey of friendly exchanges.”

He added, “By establishing the relationship of sister cities, I believe the two sides will develop further in terms of economic and trade cooperation, people to people exchange, as well as friendship, and we will embrace new opportunities and deliver concrete benefits for the two peoples.”

He explained that Hunan, which is the home town of Chairman Mao, the founder of the People’s Republic of China, has developed very advanced industries of manufacturing, agriculture, education, culture as well as tourism.

His Excellency said he believes that Hunan and Grand Bahama enjoy very broad room for cooperation.

He said, “More efforts should be made to conduct cooperation in the fields of agriculture, tourism, culture, education and the film industry so as to realize a connectivity between our two sides in terms of logistics and the platform cooperation; so as to deliver concrete benefits for the people and to make our due contribution to the bilateral relationship between China and The Bahamas.”

PHOTO CAPTION

A significant milestone was made in the development of bilateral relations between the Governments of The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China by the signing of the Sister Province/Island Relationship Agreement between Grand Bahama Island and Hunan Province. The signing took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Shown from left: Qu Hai, Secretary General of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; Cui Wei, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; Yang Peiran, Interpreter H.E. Mao Weiming, Governor of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; the Hon. Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama; the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness; Kingsley Smith, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama and Joel Lewis, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama.

(BIS Photos/Anthon Thompson)

Bahamas News

Nassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security

Published

48 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Nassau, Bahamas: The Nassau Cruise Port has donated $1.95 million towards projects that will assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in its aim to increase food security for The Bahamas.

The donation officially occurred at the Ministry’s offices recently, where Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Hon. Jomo Campbell, Minister of Labour Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle, Permanent Secretary Neil Campbell and Nassau Cruise Port CEO Mike Maura listened to a number of presentations including one for a poultry programme for schools, a chicken broiler production programme, the redevelopment of the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market and an Authentic Bahamian Cultural Concept Store,

Mr. Maura said he was impressed by the presentations.

“I had the privilege to listen to the presentations and review presentations that touched on food security and the need for us to be self-sufficient, which as a Bahamian I support completely. At the Nassau Cruise Port, we get excited about the prospects of offering more authentic food to the millions of visitors that we have each year,” he said.

“And then, in addition to that, we had presentations around the further development of our artisans, which is so important to us as well. The guests visiting our shores are looking for something that really touches The Bahamas and can’t be found somewhere else. The Nassau Cruise Port has made a pledge to BAIC and its affiliates. We will be supporting the projects that were presented and we can’t wait to get started.”

Minister Glover-Rolle, who is also the Member of Parliament for Golden Gates, hailed Nassau Cruise Port as a “great community partner.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to not only present but agreeing to participate. Our Minister of Agriculture has a goal of reducing food imports by 25 percent by the year 2025 and our project in the Golden Gates Community speaks to that,” she said.

“We have a number of backyard farmers, farmers and fishers in our community in Golden Gates. Being able to use the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market, which is going to be dubbed the ‘Fish Fry of the South,’ as a hub for food security but also a hub where artisans and handicraft persons can come and sell their wares is wonderful. So, we are happy that you have agreed to partner with us and we look forward to a partnership and we hope to welcome some of your visitors when this amazing renovation is done.”

Minister Campbell also lauded the Nassau Cruise Port for its efforts.

“I would like to say thank you to the presenters for the presentations that are several steps in the right direction for our country, to Mr. Maura and his board at the Nassau Cruise Port and I would like to say thanks to God for this partnership and bringing us all together as we move forward, upward, together in building a better, brighter, future for The Bahamas,” he said.

Bahamas News

Royal Caribbean Club in The Bahamas started after delays

Published

19 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas#RoyalCaribbean, April 23, 2024- After being delayed following its announcement in 2020, Royal Caribbean’s new 17 acre Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, is now in the works and is scheduled to be ready for 2025, according to reports. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday April 22, signifying the start of construction in the next few months. This project is huge for The Bahamas as it’s a first of kind for the nation, with a unique public private partnership allowing Bahamians to hold up to 49 percent in equity.