Bahamas News

Small Island Sustainability Complex Opens at The University of The Bahamas

Published

5 years ago

October 27, 2018

#Nassau, October 27, 2018 – Bahamas – The G. T. R. Campbell Small Island Sustainability Research Complex was officially opened during an opening at The University of The Bahamas (UB), Thursday, 25^th October.

The complex is the result of a gift from the Freedom Foundation, led by Lowell Mortimer. It was built to honour the memory of Mr. George T. R. Campbell, a Scottish Naval Architect. During the 1960s, Campbell began visiting The Bahamas and in 1973 he formed a management company (Campbell Shipping) in Nassau. He died in Tokyo, Japan in 1993.

Delivering remarks on behalf of the Prime Minister was the Minister of Environment and Housing, Hon. Romauld Ferreira, who said that with the rapid development of science and technology, the world is facing complex problems like never before.

“Small island developing states, like the Bahamas, particularly find themselves investigating practicable solutions to energy stability, waste management, disaster response and climate change adaptation as they simultaneously address socio-economic vulnerability issues such as poverty, crime and food insecurity,” said Minister Ferreira.

“To prepare our younger generation to meet the needs of their future and to address current environmental challenges, our educational systems, have to undergo a wide range of reforms.”

Accordingly, UB has placed itself in the position to prepare for the next generation with research centres. Spanning over 17,000 square foot, the George Campbell Small Island Sustainability Research Complex was built with the environment in mind.

President of the UB, Dr. Rodney Smith said that stakeholders took many issues into consideration.

“We were careful and deliberate in determining the location for this teaching and learning research complex. We wanted it to be a part of our thriving and bustling Oakes Field Campus, where students studying for one of our degrees in this signature sustainability programme can easily interact with other students, creating multi-disciplinary synergies for dynamic research,” said President Smith.

“The building itself will help to further uplift the area, adding beauty and interest to our campus. It has been designed so that we can satisfy the criteria required, as we aim to be one of the first LEED certified buildings in The Bahamas. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED Certified buildings are internationally recognized as Sustainable or ‘Green’ buildings.”

He said, “According to the definition, such buildings are “designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.”

The building has three classrooms and a GIS teaching lab, 6 research labs, including 1 aseptic tissue culture Lab – which means that it will be a sterile lab, 11 staff/research offices, and office spaces for visiting researchers, graduate students and laboratory technicians. The six active research laboratories will focus, specifically, on

Plant Tissue and Bio-technology
Geospatial Visualization and Informatics
Food and Natural Products Innovation
Plant, Soil, and Water Sciences
Applied Laser and Optical Science Research
Chemical and Environmental Analysis

Dr. Smith said that the labs would help to revolutionize teaching, research and study in the Small Island Sustainability, or SIS programme.

“I really want to highlight that this building will not only be a hub for student and faculty research at the University but a national and international hub for sustainability research in and for the benefit of The Bahamas – there is space for visiting faculty and researchers. Our programme is a flagship programme, and the research that we produce, will help to change our country in myriad ways for the better,” he said.

He said that once successful, the centre would be able to help with several environmental concerns including:

Mitigation of the adverse effects of environmental and developmental damages;
Conservation and preservation of biodiversity;
Restoration of ecosystems;
Increased self-sufficiency and innovation;
Geospatial visualization and analysis to determine the most sustainable and optimal utilization of our natural resources;
Improved comprehensive development planning;
Improved environmental stewardship;
Research that can be of use to the government in the formulation of public policy; and, finally research on the many aspects of plants and crops, as well as the quality use of bush medicines and other natural products.

By: Betty Vedrine

Release: BIS

Caption: Minister of the Environment and Housing, the Hon. Romauld Ferreira, spoke at the opening ceremony of the G.T. R. Campbell Small Island Sustainability Complex located on the campus of The University of The Bahamas, Thursday, October 25, 2018.

(BIS Photos/Derek Smith)

Bahamas News

Royal Caribbean Club in The Bahamas started after delays

Published

8 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas#RoyalCaribbean, April 23, 2024- After being delayed following its announcement in 2020, Royal Caribbean’s new 17 acre Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, is now in the works and is scheduled to be ready for 2025, according to reports. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday April 22, signifying the start of construction in the next few months. This project is huge for The Bahamas as it’s a first of kind for the nation, with a unique public private partnership allowing Bahamians to hold up to 49 percent in equity.

Bahamas News

Nassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Shanieka

Nassau, Bahamas: The Nassau Cruise Port has donated $1.95 million towards
projects that will assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in its aim
to increase food security for The Bahamas.

The donation officially occurred at the Ministry’s offices recently, where Minister
of Agriculture and Marine Resources Hon. Jomo Campbell, Minister of Labour
Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle, Permanent Secretary Neil Campbell and Nassau Cruise
Port CEO Mike Maura listened to a number of presentations including one for a
poultry programme for schools, a chicken broiler production programme, the
redevelopment of the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market and an Authentic
Bahamian Cultural Concept Store,

Mr. Maura said he was impressed by the presentations.

“I had the privilege to listen the presentations and review presentations that
touched on food security and the need for us to be self-sufficient, which as a
Bahamian I support completely. At the Nassau Cruise Port, we get excited
about the prospects of offering more authentic food to the millions of visitors
that we have each year,” he said.

“And then, in addition to that, we had presentations around the further
development of our artisans, which is so important to us as well. The guests
visiting our shores are looking for something that really touches The Bahamas
and can’t be found somewhere else. The Nassau Cruise Port has made a pledge to BAIC and its affiliates. We will be supporting the projects that were presented and we can’t wait to get started.”

Minister Glover-Rolle, who is also the Member of Parliament for Golden Gates,
hailed Nassau Cruise Port as a “great community partner.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to not only present but agreeing to participate.
Our Minister of Agriculture has a goal of reducing food imports by 25 percent by
the year 2025 and our project in the Golden Gates Community speaks to that,”
she said.

“We have a number of backyard farmers, farmers and fishers in our community
in Golden Gates. Being able to use the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market, which is
going to be dubbed the ‘Fish Fry of the South,’ as a hub for food security but
also a hub where artisans and handicraft persons can come and sell their wares
is wonderful. So, we are happy that you have agreed to partner with us and we
look forward to a partnership and we hope to welcome some of your visitors
when this amazing renovation is done.”

Minister Campbell also lauded the Nassau Cruise Port for its efforts.

“I would like to say thank you to the presenters for the presentations that are
several steps in the right direction for our country, to Mr. Maura and his board at
the Nassau Cruise Port and I would like to say thanks to God for this partnership
and bringing us all together as we move forward, upward, together in building a
better, brighter, future for The Bahamas,” he said.

Bahamas News

Career Symposium 2024 Connects University Students with Successful Professionals

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

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.