Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: DPM Turnquest – ‘Sustainable Development’ Addresses Our Common Future
#Bahamas, April 9, 2018 – Grand Bahama – “The challenges we face as a country – unemployment, poverty, inequality and climate related disasters – are problems which need to be solved holistically, through local and global partnerships,” says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest.
Minister Turnquest, who was the keynote speaker at the Sustainable Grand Bahama Conference, hosted by the University of The Bahamas, and held at the Grand Lucayan on Thursday morning, said that one of the ways sustainable development is being mainstreamed in the educational system is through the national development planning process.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that The Bahamas is strongest when all share a common vision and participate as individuals, communities and institutions in advancing those shared goals. As such, he complimented the University of The Bahamas’ leadership position in the current discussion on Grand Bahama.
“I hope the influence of educational institutions like UB, but not just at the tertiary level, will help increase the awareness and adoption of sustainable development principles at the individual, community and institutional level and move us further as a country towards achieving our goals.
“The problems we face today are complex, and we demand more from our educational system than what we currently deliver. Our educational system still relies on the colonial mode of learning, which is only one of the ways it is currently outdated. We need a model that develops analytical skills and critical thinking in our young people.
“Right now we are struggling to keep our educational system current and we are failing to adequately infuse it with new knowledge about ourselves and the world around us. Suffice it to say, most Bahamian children go through their entire formal educational career and never hear the words sustainable development.”
Minister Turnquest questioned how it would be possible to achieve sustainable development goals without passing on the baton to future generations, teaching and empowering the stewards of tomorrow to live by and uphold sustainable development principles. He noted that for Grand Bahama, there are three educational priorities that must be developed in order to advance the island’s sustainable development goals.
The educational priorities for Grand Bahama include creating more opportunities in technological disciplines: in this regard, he noted that young Bahamians must be exposed to more opportunities and careers in the field of technology — one of the reasons why the government has focused on the Technology Hub for Grand Bahama.
Secondly, Minister Turnquest said there is a need to harness the power of education, to widen the island’s participation into the traditional industries in Grand Bahama.
“Thirdly, we need to invest more in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math),” said Minister Turnquest.
“Given our economic base in Grand Bahama, which is primarily industrial, this is of paramount importance. In fact, Grand Bahama has an opportunity to develop a large pool of experts in very specialized fields, particularly in the maritime industry and the industrial sector.”
Minister Turnquest noted that despite its importance as a development concept and its galvanizing power globally, sustained development is still just a buzzword for many Bahamians. He said if one were to ask the average person what they felt sustained development meant, that person may have a vague idea about protecting the environment, or they may say it relates to jobs or how well the country is doing. He said while all of those common notions may have some merit, they only scratch the surface of what sustainable development fully encompasses.
“Many people would not directly connect sustainable development with ensuring proper access to water and sanitation to all, ending hunger and achieving food security, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, promoting peace, social justice, inclusive societies, decent work, economic growth and poverty reduction, education that promotes lifelong learning and fostering innovation.
“These are just a few of 17 sustainable development goals adopted by The Bahamas and 192 other countries in 1995, in the United Nation’s efforts to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.”
Minister Turnquest noted that in The Bahamas, and perhaps other places around the world, the truth is, sustainable development is a powerful idea whose power has unfortunately been lost and has become meaningless to so many people. He said it’s not because people don’t care or wouldn’t care, but because far too many people have no sense of ownership in the promise of sustainable development.
“Far too many people feel powerless to influence sustainable development communities and with so much political cynicism in the world, too many people feel that sustainable development is just a buzzword or sweet talk from politicians claiming to care about helping people and doing good.
“Sustainable development, however, is fundamentally about our common future. It is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is a principle with universal applicability.”
By: Andrew Coakley (BIS)
Photo caption: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest, left, gave keynote address at the University of The Bahamas’ ‘Sustainable Grand Bahama’ conference, which opened at the Grand Lucayan on Thursday, April 5, 2018.
(BIS Photo/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.
