Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: ALIV Art and STEAM Education
#Bahamas, April 28, 2018 – Nassau – ALIV has successfully completed the production of its first ever “Believe in Best Art Competition” mural 
at the St. Cecilia’s Catholic School, officially unveiling the piece during a ceremony Monday (April 23) on school premises. ALIV’s educational mission is to support advancement through the use of innovation and technology while focusing on the S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) pillars.
St. Cecilia’s was also the first school to join ALIV’s Schools Plus Program back in September of 2017. During the ceremony on Monday, ALIV Brand & Inventory Champion Anissa Adderley spoke to those in attendance about ALIV’s commitment to the promotion and the advancement of education through various mediums.
“The Believe in Best Art Competition serves as an outlet for students to express themselves visually and provide a real-life experience of the possibilities that exists in the arts. The purpose of the competition is to bring awareness to the importance of art education. The art competition promotes teamwork, exploration and the sharing of ideas and opinions. We believe in empowering the next generation and we are giving them the opportunity to believe in themselves by creating this platform for them.”
Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Barnabas and Chairman of the Public Parks and Beaches Authority Shanendon Cartwright said the initiative from ALIV is so timely and the “Believe in Best” theme is so profound.
“This initiative that focuses on the arts is important because all forms of art and communication are important to the development of all of us as individuals. I also want to emphasize to all of you today that as you think about your dreams and aspirations understand that it starts with you and the belief in yourself, the belief in the possibilities of what you can achieve, and the support of your parents, teachers and friends. Congratulations to St. Cecilia’s and ALIV.”
Over the weekend the winners, third grade students Caliea Taylor and Rihanna Evans along with peers, teachers, parents, ALIV staff and other volunteers came together to complete the mural in time for the official unveiling ceremony. The mural took five days from beginning to end and was done by Avenii Johnson, Giovanni Errisson-Johnson.
The competition was launched back in December 2017 and allowed students at all participating schools – St Cecilia’s and St. John’s College – to form teams of two to four to present a painting that represents what they “Believe In”. The winning art piece will then be enlarged and placed on a space of their choosing on the school’s campus.
ALIV also rewarded the art program at the school with a $1,000 and Virtual Reality Goggles which they continue to use and learn from. Special thanks go to St. Cecilia’s Catholic School Principal Denise Louis, Art Teacher Candice King, The Paint Place, The National Art Gallery and the Catholic School Board of Education for their assistance throughout the process.
Meanwhile in keeping with educational partnerships that step outside the realm of traditional education, five schools participated in the 2017/2018 LEGO Tournament – St. John’s College, The T.G Glover Primary School Aquabots, Woodcock Primary School Aqua Dynamic Stars, The Lyford Cay 
International School Dragons and The Martin Town Primary School Knights (Freeport). The challenge this year tasked teams with figuring out how to find, transport, use or dispose of water.
The Bahamas FIRST LEGO League Challenge Director, Laurena Finlayson said having ALIV as a corporate sponsor was incredibly crucial as without corporate sponsors generally, the competition would not be possible.
“I think it’s important for us to have these kinds of tournaments for students because it introduces them to STEM, Science Technology Engineering and Math and it opens their minds to other possibilities of career paths. The tournament is only made possible by corporate sponsors worldwide so being able to have ALIV as a sponsor is vital as it tremendously helps us put the tournament on which opens our students to better opportunities of achieving scholarships in those areas.”
Host school, T.G Glover Primary School Aquabots walked away as this year’s overall winner.
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
