Bahamas News
Bahamas: Repairs to Fishing Hole Bridge to be Completed Before Start of Hurricane Season
#Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas – May 7, 2020 — Final repairs to the Fishing Hole Road Bridge are expected to be completed before or at least by the beginning of the hurricane season, which begins in June, according to Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction, the Hon. Iram Lewis.
Minister Lewis, along with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest, Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator the Hon. Kwasi Thompson, and Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, Mrs. Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe toured the Fishing Hole Road Bridge on Wednesday morning (May 6, 2020) as workers were busy carrying out repairs.
DPM SPEAKS – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest addressing the media on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, on site at the Fishing Hole Bridge. Also in attendance on the tour of bridge repair and at the press conference were Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Kwasi Thompson; Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction, Iram Lewis; and Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)
Minister Lewis noted that the repairs will make the bridge much stronger than it was when it was originally constructed: “We promised to build back better and stronger and so we are witnessing progress to repairs of the bridge. The concrete replaces the asphalt that was there pre-Dorian. What we have now is stronger and more resilient.”
Deputy Prime Minister, Peter Turnquest noted that the bridge will be necessary to protecting lives and providing access for emergency services in and out of West Grand Bahama. He said the causeway helps to spur on local commerce on the island of Grand Bahama: “Particularly now that we are in a situation where we are going to have to depend more on our domestic economy than we do on our visitors — to have this access between West Grand Bahama and Freeport has become critical.”
He noted that the repaired bridge will serve as the primary means of access for residents, but added that the lower road will operate as a service road for heavy equipment. He said that although the repairs have made the bridge stronger and capable of heavy loads, the idea of the service road will be to take the stress of heavy loads moving back and forth.
“While progress has been slower than what we would want, it only goes to show that these things are technical issues and we want to make sure that we do it right and spend the money to get the best value for the Bahamian people,” said Minister Turnquest. “So, we appreciate the patience and we will continue to improve on our infrastructure and deliver the services that the Grand Bahamian people deserve and need.”
Minister Turnquest thanked the Contractors from ABC Construction for their commitment to first completing the project, and then making the necessary repairs.
West Grand Bahama and Bimini Member of Parliament, and Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe said that West Grand Bahama is happy to see repair to the bridge is nearing completion.
She noted that the flooding at the Fishing Hole Road has become legendary among Grand Bahamians and a bone of contention for many years, wreaking havoc on travel for residents living in West Grand Bahama, who have to traverse the Fishing Hole Road to get to work.
The new bridge has been purposed to bring an end to that age-old problem: “The fact that this bridge is being built better and stronger attests to our resiliency in moving forward with regards to being prepared in hurricanes,” said Mrs. Edgecombe.
She added, “To know that the only connecting point out of West Grand Bahama into the eastern part of Grand Bahama is going to be completed is absolutely good news for us, and we can’t wait for it to be finished.”
BIS News by Andrew Coakely
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.
