Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: An Educational Legacy – The Jane and Marcus Bethel $100,000 Scholarship Established at UB
#Nassau, July 07, 2018 – Bahamas – Growing up “liberty is through education,” was the adage which resonated through the home of the late Marcus Bethel, founder of Bethel Brothers Morticians, renowned visionary, entrepreneur and patriarch, with seven children Justice Rubie M. Nottage (Ret.), Dr. Pamela F. Etuk, Dr. Marcus R. C. Bethel, Dr. Paulette A. Bethel, Michael Bethel, Marion Bethel Sears and Owen M. Bethel. He and his wife, the late Jane Fitzroy Bethel (nee Butler) believed in the transformative power of education. Though the couple did not have the opportunity to graduate from high school, they instilled in their progeny the value of a sound education.
“My father ensured that all of his young girls would be educated, there were four of us out of seven and he said to each one of us, ‘I may not be able to leave properties and land for you but if you have a good education, no man can take that away from you’,” recalls the oldest Bethel daughter, Retired Justice Ruby M. Nottage. “Holding his hand very strongly was my mother…together they saw this vision of educating their children.” An astounding decision for that time, Jane and Marcus Bethel allowed their first two daughters to go to boarding school at the ages of seven and nine.
Surrounded by family, friends and University of The Bahamas senior administrators, faculty and staff on Wednesday, 4th July 2018, the Bethel family founded the Jane and Marcus Bethel Scholarship Award in memory of their beloved parents. On behalf of the family, former parliamentarian Dr. Marcus Bethel and his wife Chantal donated $100,000 to the University for the establishment of entry level scholarships for needy students and awards for student travel abroad experiences. Awardees are required to maintain a GPA of 3.00 and be full time students with 12 or more credits.
While celebrating his birthday, Dr. Bethel expressed profound support for UB, reflecting on the many family ties to the institution over the years including the leadership of former Attorney General, Minister of Education and College Council Chairman Mr. Alfred Sears – husband of Dr. Bethel’s sister Marion – and Retired Justice Nottage’s contributions as a former member of the College Council and current law faculty member.
“Our family is connected in many ways to the University of The Bahamas and we as a family are all proud of the University, where it came from and where it is going. I want to commend President Smith and Provost Davis whom we worked with for the past few months on this scholarship. We want to congratulate you and the staff for the tremendous work you are doing. I’m amazed and so proud to hear that so many students in Grand Bahama and throughout The Bahamas who are eager to get into the University of The Bahamas; eager to achieve a degree that will be internationally recognized. Our giving is part of the process to help move this forward,” express Dr. Bethel.
University President Dr. Rodney D. Smith shared his gratitude on behalf of the institution and touted the impact the donation would have on the 
expansion of learning experiences for UB students.
“By creating the Jane and Marcus Bethel Award, the Bethel family communicates a public, permanent and powerful message – that they believe in extending access to excellent tertiary education to an increasing number of students. This is truly nation building. At the University of The Bahamas, we believe that investment in study abroad experiences is essential to creating students who have a broader world view, which in turn can make them better nation builders. Education is so much more than a classroom and campus experience – it is global,” said President Smith.
Proud spokesperson for the family, Mrs. Nottage, said in closing, “A culture of giving is very needed in this society, we must be able to give and give freely not counting the cost and not expecting anything in return.”
Release: BIS
Photo Caption:
- Event moderator Justice Ruby M. Nottage (Retired).
- Friends and family gathered in honour and celebration of the late Jane and Marcus Bethel.
- Dr. Marcus Bethel, his wife Chantal and sons presented the $100,000 cheque to UB President Dr. Rodney D. Smith.
- University of The Bahamas President Dr. Rodney D. Smith and Provost Linda Davis signs MOU with Bethel family.
- Former parliamentarian Dr. Marcus Bethel.
Mr. Owen Bethel son of the late Marcus Bethel.
Bethel family with Dr. Smith and Dr. 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.
