Bahamas News
GBPA Hosts Successful Capital Arena and Prepares to Announce Cohort II Winners
#Freeport, GB – April 13, 2019 – Bahamas – Friday 5th April marked the closing of two intense days of battle between Judges and Gladiators of GBPAs Capital Arena Initiative, a grant funding program created by The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) in January 2017, as a small business development initiative of its Invest Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau (IGBSBB).
Now in its second year, Cohort II launched in early January, opened to existing business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. The deadline for submission of proposals was February 28th, 2019. As explained by Ian Rolle, President of GBPA, entries for Cohort II were double that of last year.
“I am advised that this year we received nearly 100 submissions, which featured several unique, innovative and sustainable business ideas,” cited Rolle. “Personally, the number of millennials that submitted, and the types of businesses they introduced were very impressive. If we can provide opportunities for this generation of entrepreneurs, I believe they can help chart a bright future for Freeport.” Rolle continued.
Only 18 Gladiators (semi-finalists) advanced to Round II Judging for ‘In-Persons Presentations’, where they faced a panel of 4 Judges, each knowledgeable in key areas including Technology, Innovation, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Operations and overall Business Strategy.
“The quality of business proposals from this Cohort was significantly stronger than last year’s,” expressed Derek Newbold, Sr. Manager of Business Development for GBPA.
“Not only did our Judges have the awesome task of reviewing the various plans,
but scoring them according to the submission criteria, which filtered our 18
Semi-Finalists for Round II Pitching. The diversity of plans submitted was
impressive and challenged us to examine proposals more creatively during the
scoring process, which I can confidently say we did. In fact, some plans if
presented 5-7 years ago would not have even made it. However, through the use
and application of technology, so much more is possible and can be accommodated
within Freeport’s economic landscape; and it was this type of innovation we
wanted to embrace.” Newbold stated.
Finalist from Cohort II can secure up to $15,000.00 in grant funding to start or grow their businesses. They will also receive Entrepreneurial Training as designed by the University of The Bahamas exclusively for Capital Arena finalists and paired with a mentor to complete the program. Filming of Capital Arena episodes was staged at Canal House of the Pelican Bay Resort, with set designs provided by the Home Design Center. Seasons I and II will air sometime this year, featuring participants from both Cohorts.
“Considering the amazing opportunities coming on stream for Grand Bahama, Cohort II clearly demonstrated that Grand Bahamians are ready to embrace a new era of opportunity and success, especially the younger generation,” expressed Dean Seymour, GBPA Chief Financial Officer and Capital Arena Judge. “Whether your business idea is a start-up or an expansion; now is the time to move on it,” Seymour added.
Cohort III will launch this Winter, giving existing business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs new opportunities for business success. GBPA Business Services Manager and Project Director for Capital Arena, LaShawn Dames encouraged individuals interested in submitting a proposal to prepare early.
“Preparation is key,” she said. “Candidates that prepare well perform the best during presentations; these become our Gladiators. They know their business models, understand their market, competition and how to differentiate themselves. With all the free business planning resources now available, either through GBPA’s IGBSBB, the Chamber of Commerce, BAIC and others, submissions are now stronger and more competitive. That said, if you want to compete in Capital Arena or any other business plan competition, you must come prepared.“
Winning Gladiators from Cohort II will be announced during a press conference later this month.
Press Release: Grand Bahama Port Authority
Photo Captions:
Header: Friday 5th April marked the closing of two intense days of battle between Judges and Gladiators of GBPAs Capital Arena Initiative. Candidates faced a panel of 4 Judges, each knowledgeable in key areas of Technology, Innovation, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Operations and overall Business Strategy. Pictured from Left to Right: Ian Rolle – GBPA President; Deann Seymour- Chief Financial Officer; LaShawn Dames – Business Services Manager; Nicole Colebrooke – Customer Relations Manager and Derek Newbold – Sr. Manager of Business Development.
Insert: 18 Semi-finalists made ‘In-Person Presentations’ pitching their case for funding, to start or grow their businesses. Pictured: Gladiator Hillary Huyler Jr. delivering his business proposal to Capital Arena Judges last week.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, March 17, 2023 – The FBI is investigating a woman’s ‘suspicious’ death on a Carnival Cruise ship in February. The unnamed woman and her husband boarded the Carnival Sunshine on February 27th, for a trip to the Bahamas, but she was dead before they arrived in the port in The Bahamas. 
The FBI said Carnival’s team had administered life saving measures when the woman was reported unresponsive, but they were unsuccessful. The body and the woman’s husband were released to the Bahamian authorities when the cruise arrived in the country.
In a statement shared with US media houses, Carnival Cruises claimed the death has been a natural one. The Nassau Guardian said a source told them the police findings had concurred with that assessment saying it was a “normal sudden death of a tourist who wasn’t feeling well.”
The FBI was waiting for the cruise and when it got back to South Carolina on March 4th, they immediately boarded and began to investigate the room based on ‘evidence of a crime.’ The FBI also searched the couple’s car.
No updates have been shared to contradict the currently established cause of death.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, March 17, 2023 – “If you don’t like it, go to another beach!” Is what Aaron John, an Education Officer from The Bahamas National Trust jokingly tells our news team about sargassum blooms; his quip, motivated by the necessity of nature when pit against the notion that there is a real threat when the stinky seaweed makes its annual appearance.
John can admit, he says, that Sargassum isn’t very pretty but life isn’t all about aesthetics and in this instance that ugly patch serves a purpose.
“We love our sandy beaches, but in order to keep them we need Sargassum. When storms come, they wash away all the sand off the beach but sargassum acts as a mulch to protect the sand from water erosion. It doesn’t look good, it
doesn’t feel good but we need it.”
He said it also provides a habitat for small crustaceans, crabs, and insects that are all necessary to our ecosystem and islanders have found use for the weed.
“Historically, (in The Bahamas) we have been using sargassum as fertilizer, especially in the family Islands as far back as I know,” he said. “Birds don’t go on the beach unless there is Sargassum and what do they do? they feed – it’s beautiful.”
He encouraged residents to just leave it be if they came across it.
Sargassum isn’t harmful to humans, except for people with respiratory issues who may find the rotten egg smell triggers asthma. Despite this, it’s not advisable to walk through the weeds which may hide sharp rocks and bottles or vulnerable animals.
Experts say Sargassum blooms began to increase in size around 2011 and have continued to get bigger and bigger since. This year‘s bloom is around 5000 miles long and 300 miles wide and visible from space.
“I know it’s not a general outlook, but I would like to change the perspective on sargassum,” John said, pointing out The Bahamas National Trust is actively working to decrease alarm over the less worrisome events like sargassum as it raises the profile on the environmentally devastating.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos’ Bahamas Diaspora Office is moving closer and closer to opening day, following the Cabinet’s approval for the signing of a lease agreement.
The lease will be signed with FINCEN ltd in the Bahamas. Several weeks ago, Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration confirmed to our news team that the location had been found and was being finalized; now a lease is
approved at the Cabinet level.
The interest in the TCI from TC Bahamians was evident in the diaspora meetings held in early February. The two meetings held in Nassau and Grand Bahama were completely full and over-subscribed by hundreds.
It’s interest which the Government hopes will translate to real life population growth, bolstering the local population before the native population ‘goes extinct’.
The Opposition PDM is on the record with what it feels is a far more viable solution to a dwindling native population; seek out the country’s own citizens and bring them back home.
Cabinet did not state when the office will open.
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