Bahamas News

Commonwealth Bank Donates $50,000 to UB for Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program, Bringing Total to $350,000

Published

7 years ago

July 13, 2017

Bahamas, July 13, 2017 – Nassau – Calling the need for well-educated, agile leaders with strong communications skills essential in an increasingly global world, Commonwealth Bank boosted its support of its Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program at the University of The Bahamas this week with a donation of $50,000.

It was the seventh consecutive year the $1.6 billion bank lent its support to the program it created, this time bringing the total to $350,000. The funds endow scholarships for students who show leadership potential and choose to study economics, finance or other disciplines that prepare them for business, social or political decision-making positions.

“This is the seventh time we have donated to the Emerging Leaders program and just as the institution has evolved from college to university, we have watched, with satisfaction, the respect for leadership training gain significance in higher education,” said Denise Turnquest, Sr. VP Credit Risk of the publicly-held bank with 6,000-plus shareholders.

The university expressed gratitude for the contribution.

“We are extremely grateful for Commonwealth Bank’s commitment to higher education and this endowed scholarship programme,” said Davinia Blair, VP Institutional Advancement and Alumni Affairs. “When the bank partners with us in this way, it reaps tangible benefits for the scholars and the country. We cannot build the University of The Bahamas in isolation. We are developing an expanse of skills and talents that will fuel our economy and supporters of higher learning are vital in that regard.”

“Commonwealth Bank was built on belief in Bahamians and our support of the Emerging Leaders scholarship program is an example of helping to nurture the country’s future by preparing young people for the roles that will be necessary for The Bahamas to be all it can be in years to come.”

Leadership, Mrs. Turnquest said, appears easy when times are good.

“It is in the challenging times, whether it is dealing with economic challenges, health issues, climate change or consequences of social change, that true leadership is tested. We do not want to be found wanting, we want to ensure that there is a generation of leaders who are agile, and well-educated, who approach decision-making with careful balance and analysis and can communicate their decisions effectively. That is a tall order and we are very pleased to be working with the University of The Bahamas to make it a reality.”

Support for the university level program is part of Commonwealth Bank’s commitment to education as its top priority. For the past decade, it has partnered with the Ministry of Education in numerous initiatives, including back-to-school events, parenting workshops and supplying school supplies and backpacks for tens of thousands of students throughout the islands, though it has branches on only four – New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and now Spanish Wells, Eleuthera. The Bank also supports vocational training and televised and live streaming educational programming.

“The community continues to support Commonwealth Bank and we, in turn, have an unwavering commitment to support the community,” said, Mrs. Turnquest.

In 2016, its donations reached the highest amount ever – more than $830,000, with emergency assistance following Hurricane Matthew accounting for nearly $400,000. The bank also supports youth development and makes annual contributions toward its $500,000 million pledge to the Cancer Society of The Bahamas Cancer Caring Centre.

Since going public in 2000, Commonwealth Bank has consistently paid quarterly dividends and in most years has paid an extraordinary dividend prior to the holiday season. In 2016, it reported net earnings of $57.4 million. Its staff complement stands at more than 550 persons.

Press Release: DPA News

Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

Published

4 days ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

The Bahamas’ economy is in good standing according to reports from the Bahamas National Statistical Institute which released the Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Series. They indicate that quarterly GDP trends for 2023 saw increases compared to 2022, a sign of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.

The most significant increase was 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, and the industries responsible for the growth include Accommodations and food, construction and Arts.

Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos

Published

5 days ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.

King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.

King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “

Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.

“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.

Bahamas News

Get your laugh on, March On show coming to Turks and Caicos with box office at IGA Friday and Saturday

Published

5 days ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale this weekend from May 3 to 5.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew.

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attention.”

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.

A ticket booth will be set up from today, Friday May 3 in the foyer of IGA grocery store beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and then again all day on Saturday, allowing residents to purchase with cash.

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. Then the full team returns on Friday, May 11 for the actual showing at 8 pm and their two showings on Saturday at 4pm and 8 pm. The venue is Brayton Hall, Providenciales under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.

Tickets are only $60 for general seating and $75 for VIP seating.

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stoplaughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”