Bahamas News
GB Minister” – ‘This is not the time to panic’
#Bahamas, September 6, 2017 – Grand Bahama – “This is not the time to panic, but to prepare… and to pray.”
That was the admonishment from Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator Kwasi Thompson, during an emergency press briefing in regards to the threat of Hurricane Irma to The Bahamas, and Grand Bahama in particular.
The press briefing, which was held in the Board Room in the Office of The Prime Minister, gave the opportunity for all relevant authorities to outline their respective ministry’s preparedness and most importantly, to urge Grand Bahamians to prepare for the arrival of the massive Category Five Hurricane.
“This is a very serious storm, so we are asking all residents to take the necessary precautions,” added Minister Thompson. “While we do all that we can to prepare our homes and our families for an event like this, we also want to acknowledge that there is someone who has even more power than we do, and so we are encouraging all Bahamians to pray.
“As you go about your preparations, we advise you to closely monitor reports from the local Met Office, as these forecasts may change,” added Minister Thompson. “It may get better, as well as it may get worse.”
The GB Minister urged residents in the flood zones – those living on the coastline — to begin making plans now to evacuate their homes and to move further inland. This, he said, is important because of the potential storm surge and flooding that can arise during the passage of Hurricane Irma.
“I want to appeal especially to those residents in West End, Hunters, Pinder’s Point and the surrounding areas, that you should begin now to evacuate those areas,” said Minister Thompson. “There are a number of shelters on the island, which will be made available as early as Friday.
“We are advising residents that if you are going to evacuate, this should be done by as early morning, because we believe that the weather is going to go downhill from Friday evening. It should be noted that we have increased the number of shelters here on the island.”
Ms. Paula Marshall of the Department of Social Services said that they are in the process of identifying even more shelters for residents, but noted that some have already been prepared.
“As you prepare for the hurricane, we ask that you follow certain protocols,” noted Ms. Marshall. “You must secure important documents in a sealed bag or packet and you must take those documents with you if you evacuate to a shelter.
“If you must go to a shelter, ensure that you take along, blankets, toiletries, medications, food and water.”
The shelters that will be available to Grand Bahamians include the Foster B. Pestaina Centre (which will be for special medical needs), First Baptist Church, The Central Church of God, Jack Hayward High School, Maurice Moore Primary School, St. Georges High School, Cancer Association, Eight Mile Rock High School, Church of God of Prophesy in Seagrape, A Social Affair, Grace Bible Church and the Freeport Adventist Church.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Emrick Seymour said that the police force is in a state of readiness for Hurricane Irma, but also advised residents not to wait for the last minute to complete their hurricane preparations.
“Some of us may have seen, or heard about some of the devastation which this storm caused in the Leeward Islands, so we have an idea of just how serious this monstrous storm can be,” said ACP Seymour.
“All of the policing protocols have been activated in Grand Bahama, Abaco and Bimini. These protocols will be systematically implemented before, during and after the storm. We expect to open our police command center very shortly and that Center will work hand-in-hand with NEMA and the Emergency Operation Center.”
Deputy Commissioner Seymour noted that while the police force will be on hand to render aid as it becomes necessary, he stressed that police officers would not put their lives in danger to try and rescue residents during the storm.
“That’s why we ask those who live near the coast to evacuate those homes before the storm and we advise residents to make preparations in advance,” added ACP Seymour. “Police officers will be out and about as long as the weather permits, to ensure that law and order is kept and maintained. We cannot put officers and other emergency personnels’ lives at risk to go out in the middle of a hurricane to make rescues.”
Story by: Andrew Coakley
PHOTO CAPTIONS
GIVING AN UPDATE – Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator Kwasi Thompson gives an update on preparations by Grand Bahamians for the pending threat of Hurricane Irma, which is expected to pass Grand Bahama by weekend.
ALL HANDS ON DECK – Government Ministers, Police Officers, Defence Force Personnel, Officials from NEMA, the Red Cross and other emergency agencies were on hand for a press conference to update the media on preparations for the passing of Hurricane Irma in the Northern Bahamas sometime this weekend. (BIS Photos/Lisa Davis)
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.
The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap
from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.
With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.
Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.
Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.
Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!
After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.
The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before
their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.
At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.
Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.
Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.
The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.
Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.
Bahamas News
The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed
their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.
As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.
Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole,
with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’. Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.
Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.
Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the
listening booth.
Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.
For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification
attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.
Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.
The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members. Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.
Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine. To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.
On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking
in the comfort of the chic lounge. In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.
The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.
Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.
To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.
