Bahamas News
Gender and Family Affairs Hosts Key Workshop for Female Law Enforcement Officials
#Nassau, August 10, 2019 – Bahamas – Female law enforcement officials from all ranks and across the government sector, were hosted to a one-day ‘Women, Peace and Security’ Workshop by staff of the Department of Gender and Family Affairs (DGFA), Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development.
The session was also attended by Ms. Maria Kelley, Executive Secretary, Secretariat, the National Commission for Persons with Disability. The Commission serves as an advocate for the community of persons with disabilities.
The workshop, which took place on Wednesday (August 7), allowed Department of Gender and Family Affairs to apprise the law enforcement officials of a number of key regional and international conventions to which The Bahamas is a States Party (Signatory), and how those conventions relate to their jobs and the protection of human rights.
They include the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and its 12 critical areas of concern, and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women (Belem do Para).
Wednesday’s workshop, was a forerunner to a series of educational and awareness initiatives on the Department’s agenda, and further allowed the law enforcement officials “to be guided and made aware of” the importance of documentation/data collection with regards to the functionality of their respective offices and in the decision-making process.
It further afforded the DGFA to apprise the officials of the Department’s expanded, and expanding role, particularly as it relates to reporting at the regional and international levels on the mechanisms, laws, protocols and strategies the country has in place that address the Conventions, Treaties and Agreements.
The workshop targeted officials from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Bahamas Customs Department, the Department of Immigration, Road Traffic Department and the Department of Correctional Services.
“The Bahamas Government signed onto about ten international and regional Conventions, Treaties and Agreements that have been ratified which means that our country has a legal obligation for the Government, all governments, to fulfill the various articles of these Conventions,” Director of the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Dr. Jacinta Higgs said, noting that personnel in each Ministry of government must be made aware of what is expected of them with regards to implementing human rights and protection for every citizen of every country.
She said, “On Wednesday, we began with the female law enforcement officials so that we could begin to share with them what is expected of them regarding these international Treaties, Agreements and Conventions and how they relate to their jobs.”
The sessions were conducted by DGFA staff in the areas of the Role of Education regarding the Rights of Women and Children, the CEDAW Convention, Belem do Para and MESECVI, the Role of Law Enforcement in Rehabilitation and Protecting the Rights of Women Prisoners and Detainees, Gender-based Violence, and Sexual Harassment.
Presenters included Ms. Vechenda Roberts, Education Officer, Department of Gender and Family Affairs; Miss Allicia Role, Gender Programme Officer, Department of Gender and Family Affairs, whose work is in international conventions; Mrs. Elaine Sands, Gender-based Violence Expert, Department of Gender and Family Affairs, who presented on the Convention of Belem, MESECVI, and Human Rights; Mr. Henry Johnson, Gender-based Violence Expert and Male Programme Coordinator, Department of Gender and Family Affairs who presented on the Role of Law Enforcement in Rehabilitation and Protecting the Rights of Women Prisoners and Detainees; and Ms. Simone Bridgewater, Gender-based Violence Coordinator, Department of Gender and Family Affairs.
By Matt Maura
Photo Captions:
Header: Officials from the Department of Gender and Family Affairs Wednesday (August 7, 2019) hosted female law enforcement officials to a one-day workshop on the topic: ‘Women, Peace and Security’ held at the Community Affairs Division, Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development.
Insert: Retired Superintendent of Police, Mrs. Elaine Sands (centre) pictured with Superintendent of Police, Royal Bahamas Police Force, Crislyn Skippings (left) and Assistant Superintendent of Police, Royal Bahamas Police Force, Dr. Indirah Adderley, Ph.D., prior to the start of the one-day workshop on ‘Women, Peace and Security’ hosted by the Department of Gender and Family Affairs. The training was conducted by DGFA staff. Mrs. Sands is one of two staff members who have earned the designation of CARICOM Gender-Based Violence Expert.
Release: BIS
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.
