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Bahamas Minister of National Security Addresses Illegal Firearms, Zero Tolerance

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#Bahamas, October 7, 2017 – Nassau – During his Contribution in The House of Assembly on the Speech from The Throne, on October 4, 2017, Minister of National Security the Hon. Marvin Dames said, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, murder rates in the Caribbean are higher than in any other region of the world.

“The CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Regional Task Force on Crime and Security recently commissioned a report on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Caribbean,” Minister Dames said.   “The Report noted that a major factor contributing to the surge of guns-related criminality in the region is the trafficking of narcotics, which has facilitated the availability of firearms.”

With that regional context in mind, Minister Dames said, stakeholders know that law enforcement partnerships, intelligence, drug interdiction and gun control must be the focus over the next five years.

He pointed out that, as delineated in the speech from the throne, the government is focused on making the nation safer through a number of strategic priorities, including the following: a Zero Tolerance approach to crime; the establishment of a Guns and Gangs Unit; the establishment of a DNA Lab; the detection of financial, commercial and cyber-crimes; and enhanced training across Law Enforcement Agencies.

Minister Dames added that other priorities include strengthening partnerships in regional, hemispheric and international organizations; the creation of Neighborhood Safety Programs; engaging members of The Bahamas’ religious and civic communities; increasing youth employability through the Citizen Security Project; anti-corruption legislation; establishing a National Intelligence Agency; and the creation of a Parole and Probation System.

He noted that the speech from the throne also articulated a number of ways in which the Government seeks to modernize the Parliamentary and elections processes of The Bahamas including the establishment of an Independent Electoral Commission and Boundaries Commission, the introduction of term limits for Prime Ministers, and the introduction of a recall system for non-performing Members of Parliament.

“We are determined to deliver on these commitments; a promise we made to the Bahamian people prior to the May 10, 2017 General Elections,” Minister Dames said.

When speaking of the Zero Tolerance Approach, Minister Dames said that, since May 2017, the police had executed the new zero-tolerance approach with precision through aggressive anti-crime operations throughout the capital with a focus on crime hot-spots, prolific offenders, persons with firearms, gang members, persons in violation of their bail, drug peddlers, shutting down drug houses and persons in violation of the nation’s traffic laws.

“This new strategy is reaping positive results,” he stated. “Between May and September 2017, the police have arrested over 269 persons for an array of serious offences ranging from murder to robbery.   They have seized over 125 illegal firearms, and 5,316 rounds of ammunition.  In addition 9,381 fixed penalties (traffic tickets) were issued to drivers in violation of our traffic laws.

“The police have also ‘ramped up’ their drug interdiction efforts by executing over 140 anti-drug operations since May of this year.   During this time period, over 10,332.15 pounds of marijuana and 1,428.87 pounds of cocaine have been seized.”

Drug Enforcement Officers, he added, had executed over 120 search warrants on suspected drug houses and have also searched over 1,186 persons.  A total of 627 persons had been arrested for drug-related offenses, 528 of whom were subsequently charged and placed before the courts, Minister Dames noted.

“This clamp-down has resulted in many well-known drug houses, which were operating for far too long in our communities, to be finally shut down,” he said. “Despite these successes, there remains much work to be done.”

By: Eric Rose (BIS)

Photo caption:  Minister of National Security the Hon. Marvin Dames speaks in the House of Assembly, on October 4, 2017.

(BIS Photo/Eric Rose)

 

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Twist To Win Ends in a Grand Style with Four $5,000 Mall at Marathon Shopping Sprees  

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Twist To Win grand finale winners (l-r) Brian Bethel, Taraceta Neely, Ashia Demeritte and Merlin Adams posing along with their winnings from the shopping spree.

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.

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 The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival  

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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!

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CWS Brings a Galore of Bubbles at Annual Jollification Festival  

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Caribbean Wines & Spirits team members smiling behind one of the company’s two bars at Jollification

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.

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