Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: Remarks – LJM Maritime Institute Inaugural Graduation Ceremony
#Nassau, October 22, 2018 – Bahamas –
REMARKS
The Hon. Darren Henfield,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of
Dr. the Most Hon. Hubert Minnis
Prime Minister
LJM Maritime Institute Graduation
18 October 2018
Protocol.
Good Evening.
The Prime Minister regrets that he is unable to attend this evening. But he asked that I offer his personal greetings and congratulations.
It is my happy privilege to offer these remarks on his behalf, and on behalf of the Government.
Let me begin by congratulating the graduates, who began their studies in 2014, and who are pioneers here at the Institute.
I acknowledge the parents, guardians, benefactors, teachers, trainers and staff at the Institute, who made today possible.
Graduates:
You have demonstrated a commitment to “teamwork, discipline and [the] dignity of fellow-comrades.”
You figuratively and literally have a world of opportunity before you.
Because of your training and experience you are world-class.
In addition to the graduates, I also acknowledge “the successful completion of the first year pre-sea programme of the Cadets from the Cohort 2017.”
You have an exciting journey ahead as you are on your way “to be deployed on merchant ships of international shipping companies.”
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I once again thank Lowell Mortimer for his vision and for his stellar commitment to maritime education, philanthropy and community service.
Lowell is a man of enormous generosity, who has made a tremendous personal commitment, both financial and time-wise, to the Institute.
He is also a man of excellence and enterprise.
Lowell is a Bahamian patriot par excellence, whose love of country is an example to us all.
I also thank Dr. Brenda Cleare, your President, for her enormous dedication.
Dr. Cleare truly loves the students at the Institute. She is passionate about the mission of the Institute and the success of every student.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Prime Minister recently spoke at a forum in New York hosted by the Bahamas Maritime Authority.
Allow me to share some of his remarks from that forum.
He noted that the Bahamas Ship Registry comprises over 1570 ships totaling over 64 million gross tonnage.
This places The Bahamas within the top 10 of the world’s largest flag states.
This is a major achievement for The Bahamas, with ships flying the Bahamas flag in every corner of the globe.
It also represents the confidence and trust of ship owners and managers in The Bahamas in the regulation of their fleet, which is critical to the global economy.
The Bahamas footprint extends to all shipping sectors.
We are also known for our world-class passenger ship fleet of over 140 cruise ships. This ship type represents nine percent of ship numbers on the Registry.
The largest percentage of ship types on the Registry are in fact tankers – over 27 percent – followed by general cargo, bulk carriers and offshore vessels which each account for over 15 percent of the ship type on the Registry.
The common thread with these ships and their owners/managers is that they share the BMA’s commitment to maintaining the highest level of safety, security and environmental standards.
The Government will continue to promote the maritime sector and ensure that The Bahamas remains competitive in this ever growing market.
The Bahamas is committed to expanding our service offering to customers.
We are expanding our base in Asia, with the opening of a dedicated BMA office in Tokyo, Japan, which is one of the largest ship-owning countries.
This expansion consolidates and strengthens our presence in The Bahamas, in the Americas, London, Athens and Hong Kong.
“The Bahamas continues to recognise the fundamental importance and critical role of the maritime sector to the long-term sustainability of The Bahamas.
“The Government has decided to invest in the future of this country by projecting three key areas of growth. Maritime is one of them. The industry is projected to grow by to approximately 32% until 2050.
“This growth is expected in the cruise industry, containerized movement of cargo, and [the] movement of dry bulk commodities and finished goods.
“Our close proximity to the major cruise routes and strategic location along the major shipping routes will play a major role in enhancing the growth of maritime industry in the country.”
As has been noted before: The maritime fleet flying the Bahamian flag today is close to about 1600 ships operating worldwide.
Imagine if we could place Bahamians on these vessels throughout the world. This would mean professional opportunities for thousands of Bahamians in the years ahead.
Dear Graduates
With your training and new global awareness, may I invite you to become advocates, at home and abroad, for the preservation of the oceans and on making others aware of the grave threat of climate change to the world and to The Bahamas.
As you are certainly aware, a grave threat to the oceans of the world is plastic waste, which one Commonwealth leader described as, “one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world”.
Due to our geographic location, The Bahamas archipelago is besieged by marine debris from the United States of America and from the high volume of international marine vessels that pass through our waters. This pollution affects tourism, fisheries and the health of our population.
To reduce plastic waste, the Government of The Bahamas has made a commitment to banning single-use plastics and Styrofoam by 2020.This ban will include: plastic bags, plastic straws and plastic food utensils.
Another grave threat is climate change.
We see this in rising sea levels, the loss of coral reefs, the increased volume of acid in our oceans, and more severe hurricanes and typhoons.
We must dedicate more energy and resources in building resilience and sustainability as we address climate change.
While the delivery of humanitarian aid is essential, it is better to focus on prevention, and the strengthening of capacity building.
By example, such an approach should focus on the preservation and sustainable use of the world’s seas and oceans.
The resources of the oceans of the world must be protected and wisely used to ensure their viability for generations to come, and to ensure the shared benefit, enjoyment and the continued survival of all.
Without healthy oceans, The Bahamas, like many other countries may not be able to sustain our way of life and to develop.
Tourism is the world’s largest industry. It is also the lifeblood of our economy. Millions of tourists travel to The Bahamas annually because of our waters.
While many cities in the Caribbean and the world are coastal, the entire Bahamas is a coastal zone.
In terms of the number of islands, islets, reefs, coral reefs and cays, The Bahamas is one of the larger archipelagos 
in the world.
The ocean is not just a way of life for us. It is life itself.
This includes: food production and pharmaceutical extracts, tourism, the marine and maritime sectors, sport and recreation and much more.
So essential is the ocean to our survival, The Bahamas worked diligently on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, with one of our former diplomats, the late Mr. George Stewart, becoming a global expert on the Convention.
The Bahamas remains committed to being a vigilant steward for the preservation and protection of the environment.
Graduates:
As you begin the next phase in your life journey, I invite you to be men and women of excellence. May you also be stewards of the environment.
Thank you and good evening.
Remarks delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon. Darren Henfield, on behalf of the Prime Minister.
Nassau, THE BAHAMAS — Some of the most successful and accomplished professionals and business leaders in the country
recently shared their experiences and nuggets of wisdom with students at University of The Bahamas (UB) about thriving in a wide range of careers.
The University Centre for Counselling and Career Services and the Career and Job Placement Advisory Unit collaborated to host the 2024 Career Symposium which brought students face to face with leaders in the careers to which they aspire.
Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Oriakhi, said the symposium was key to developing potential as university students strive to leave their mark on the world.
Ms. Rickell Curry
“In the spirit of collaboration and growth, let us engage in meaningful dialogue, cultivate relationships, and harness the power of collective wisdom to shape our futures,” said Dr. Oriakhi. “Together, let us embark on this journey of exploration and discovery, united in our commitment to realizing our fullest potential and making meaningful contributions to our communities and beyond.”
Promoting careers in psychology, Ms. Curry noted that psychologists are equipped with the ability to help others, troubleshoot areas of weakness within themselves, and become better people and professionals in the process.
“The floor is yours to be able to explore. There’s no job where you don’t have to deal with people, so learning, even if you get a bachelor’s in psychology, is a great grounding,” she said.
Dr. Darville, one of few interventional radiologists in The Bahamas, offered another nugget of advice on choosing an area of study.
Dr. Elizabeth Darville
“It is important to know enough about yourself in order to make the decisions you want to make,” said Dr. Darville. “You have to work on yourself first and know what you want to do. Radiology gives you a chance to have fun. It gives you a chance to mold your career closer to your personal life than other medical specialties might.”
Another growing field is project management which Mr. Hepburn called a life skill. He also urged a commitment to lifelong learning.
“Individuals that continue to learn become unstoppable, period,” said Mr. Hepburn. “It is so true. When you learn, you become unstoppable because nothing can stop you in your process of development.
Mr. Wellington Hepburn
“The more you know, the more valuable you are. We need individuals who are cross functional—that can operate in different capacities. So please understand that your learning should never stop.”
With small and medium-sized businesses helping to drive the economy at an incredible rate, Ms. Rolle affirmed the importance of entrepreneurship in any economy.
“When we talk about entrepreneurship, we usually look at it from a myopic standpoint,” she said. Ms. Rolle. “What do I mean by that? Small, but usually about self: ‘how do I make more money?’ And in some cases, some look at entrepreneurship as a way of survival. ‘I need to make a couple extra dollars, I have this bill to pay’. Those types of things.
Ms. Samantha Rolle
“But entrepreneurship really, in its truest form, is about innovation, whether it’s a new concept or any existing concept that you innovate new ways, or help expand the economy.”
The career symposium was held at the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre and is held every academic year.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
- Career Symposium 1: UB Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Oriakhi, delivers the opening address at the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 2: Students and guest speakers enjoy a lighthearted moment during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 3: Ms. Rickell Curry speaks to students during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 4: Dr. Elizabeth Darville delivers remarks during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 5: Mr. Wellington Hepburn educates students on the importance of project management during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 6: Ms. Samantha Rolle talks about the role and importance of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in any economy.
Office of University Relations
University of The Bahamas
2nd Floor, Michael H. Eldon Complex
Oakes Field Campus
P.O. Box N-4912
Nassau, The Bahamas
Tel: (242) 302-4355/4354/4365
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, April 15, 2024 – After years of thorough maintenance, The Thomas A Robinson National Stadium in The Bahamas is finally getting a multi-million dollar makeover, readying the 10-year old facility ahead of the World Athletics Relays on May 5, 2024; it is being staged in Nassau for the fourth time.
This $36 million refurbishment is being funded by the Chinese Government, as part of a vision to enhance the country’s sport infrastructure to benefit youths in athletics. The stadium was gifted to The Bahamas in 2012 by the Chinese.
The relay is the qualifying event for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and there will be 32 national teams, in each relay event, and 20 races on both days of competition, according to World Athletics.
Day 1, will have 20 heats across the five Olympic-calibre events (4 heats each for 4×100, 4×400, men, women and mixed) and will qualify 40 teams for the Summer Olympics.
Distinctly, the top two teams from each heat will directly qualify for the 2024 Games.
On day 2, 30 more national teams will be qualified through 15 heats and five finals, across those five events.
The upgrades which include new trusses, rooftops, seats, the lawn, score boards, LED displays and more, are expected to be complete at least two weeks before the relays, being held under the theme: ‘Chase the Sun’.
In a special ceremony on Monday April 8, The Bahamas Prime Minister, Philip Davis said:
In December 2023, our shared vision took shape, as the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and the government of the People’s Republic of China, inked an implementation agreement for the renovation of the stadium. This gesture of goodwill and friendship, from the Chinese government to undertake the China Aid Maintenance and Renovation project of our national stadium, stands as a testament to the strong bonds that unite our countries. This project, executed by China Urban Construction Research Institute Company Limited, and the China Machinery Industry Construction Group Company Limited, reflects our shared commitment to excellence, innovation and mutual development.”
Additionally, H.E Dai Qingli, outgoing Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas who also attended that ceremony, spoke.
“At the end of the project, the Bahamian people will get a fully renewed and modern world class stadium because everything is going to be either renewed or repaired,” she said.
Some 1,600 athletes will be in The Bahamas for the World Athletics relays, with five events. The Bahamas won the bid over Lausanne, Rome in 2022.
Mario Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture in reports, thanked China for their contribution to the redevelopment of the stadium.
“We thank them for their commitment to ensuring that they bring this facility back up to A1 standard so that we can continue holding international events and using these facilities as a development of our young people.”
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