Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: Minister Dames Attends 13th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas
#Cancun, October 10, 2018 – Mexico – Minister Marvin Dames, Minister of National Security, is attending the XIII (13th) Conference of
Minister Dames with the other 33 Member States including the United States, Canada and Mexico which make up the Conference of Defense Ministers of The Americas.
Defense Ministers of The Americas (CDMA) in Cancun, Mexico from 7th – 10th October, 2018. The CDMA was formed in 1995 and it is comprised of 34 Member States inclusive of countries in North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The CDMA is an international hemispheric multilateral political forum directed and integrated by the respective Defense Ministers of the Americas along with the respective leaders of their security forces.
Formed in 1995 the CDMA seeks to promote mutual knowledge and exchange of ideas at the Ministerial level in the scope of hemispheric defense and security.
The Americas and the Caribbean are inextricable bound and this hemispheric body which meets every two years has brought together Ministers of Defense to address the constantly evolving and increasingly complex nature of safety and security. In this 21st century, it is extremely important for security forces to engage in structured dialogue so as to better understand the diverse and multifaceted safety and security challenges on individual countries and the region, collectively. The main objective is to develop feasible and effective national and regional strategies.
There are six principles which govern CDMA and they are inclusive of Member States preserving democracy as the basis for ensuring mutual security in the hemisphere; acknowledging that the military and security forces play a critical role in supporting and defending the legitimate interests of sovereign democratic states; affirming the commitments of Member States that their respective armed forces will be subordinate to democratically controlled authority; increasing transparency in defense matters through exchanges of information and greater civilian-military dialogue; resolving hemispheric disputes by negotiated settlements and widespread adoption of confidence building measures; and promoting greater defense cooperation in support of voluntary participation in the UN- peacekeeping operations and the fight against narco-terrorism.
This year’s conference focused on five issues which Minister Dames addressed during his presentation. The Minister reaffirmed The Bahamas’ commitment to hemispheric defense and security cooperation. He noted the recent Trade-Winds 2018 Military Exercise in The Bahamas, in which the Mexican Military and other regional security forces participated.
As for emergency humanitarian assistance and search and rescue, the Minister highlighted the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s mission to Dominica after last year’s hurricane. Further, he added that The Bahamas will provide assistance to Haiti after the recent earthquake.
On the issue of girls and women, Minister Dames stated that The Bahamas has begun to broaden the training of its law enforcement agencies to focus on the vulnerable complexities facing women locally, regionally and hemispherically. He alluded that the country firmly believes that women enlarge the scope of safety and security to include the broader set of critical societal priorities and needs required not only for lasting peace, but for mutual respect.
On the issues of environmental conservation, the Minister stated that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has expanded its role with a focus on environmental conservation by partnering with local government and non-governmental agencies to promote sustainable conservation and build capacity within the agency so as to sustain the terrestrial and marine flora and fauna of The Bahamas.
The Minister concluded by stating that over the past several years countries of the Americas and Caribbean, both big and small, have come together in new ways – diplomatically, economically, intelligence, politically, and militarily both unilaterally and multilaterally and the partnerships they have built among their defense establishments will be the continued foundation of shared safety and security for the hemisphere.
Release: Ministry of National Security
Photo Captions: Photos of Minister Marvin Dames and other Heads of National Defense
Header: Minister Marvin Dames (R) with Canada´s Minister of National Defence, Harjit Singh Sajjan (L) and Canada’s Attache´ to The Region (The Americas), Capt. Paul Dempsey (C).
First insert: Minister Dames with the other 33 Member States including the United States, Canada and Mexico which make up the Conference of Defense Ministers of The Americas.
Second insert: Commodore Tellis Bethel (L), General Terrance O´Shaughnessey (LC), General James Mattis (LR) and Minister Marvin Dames (R) at the reception for XIII Ministers of Defense of The Americas held in Cancun, Mexico.
Third insert: Minister Dames (R) with General Terrance O´Shaughnessey, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).
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.
