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Newest CERT Teams give ‘thumbs up’ to NEMA Training; call on other communities to ‘get on board’

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By: Matt Maura

Bahamas Information Services

 

#TheBahamas, March 29, 2022 – Participants of the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) most recent Basic Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Programme are singing the Agency’s praises, while urging other communities “to get on board,” following the conclusion of yet another successful exercise.

The CERT Programme educates community volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area while also training those volunteers in basic disaster/emergency response skills such as fire safety and utility controls, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster/emergency medical operations.  CERT Training provides community volunteers with the skillset needed to do the greatest amount of good, for the greatest amount of persons in their communities in the shortest amount of time, until the Professional First Responders arrive, allowing those Professional First Responders to focus on more complex tasks.

Part I of the five-day CERT Training was held March 21-25 at the Chapel on the Hill Church Hall. Part II of the CERT Training opened Monday (March 28) and will conclude Friday, April 1. Both sessions are facilitated by members of NEMA’s Training Department, headed by Mrs. Lisa Bowleg, Training Coordinator.

Reverend Clyde Bain, Jr

Reverend Clyde Bain, Jr., Disaster Coordination Team, the Assemblies of God in The Bahamas, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, and a survivor of Hurricane Dorian in 2019, deemed the National Emergency Management Agency’s CERT Programme an “absolute hand-in-glove fit” with the Church’s overarching role of being the “Watchman” over the communities it serves.

“The training was very, very enhancing and will help us in our efforts to build resilience not only within our Fellowship, but by extension, those communities within which we have churches. The CERT Programme is an absolute hand-inglove fit to what we are trying to achieve,” Reverend Bain said.

“The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is required to be the Watchman over our cities and communities. As a Church, we are to be impacting the communities; we ought to be influencing our communities, and not just within the silo of the church, but through the kinds of efforts that will allow us to address the whole man, to address the needs of our communities. After undergoing this CERT Training, it is my belief that, by working along with NEMA and like agencies, we can expand the services we offer to the community – this time in the area of emergency/disaster assistance — and be that Light we have been called to be.”

Reverend Bain laid out this challenge to his fellow graduates.

“As we have engaged, and been partnering all week and have grown and learned all of the things that have been afforded to us by the Instructors, we must then now turn around and implement those things in our communities and understand that we have been given great power, and that we have been given even greater responsibility.

“As a disaster survivor in Hurricane Dorian, I want you to know that when I see a programme like CERT, I am encouraged that, from what we have been through, we are on the way to making our communities more resilient and if we are more resilient, we will be able to better mitigate when we have things like Dorian,” Reverend Bain added.

Miss Shaherah Adderley, President of the Baillou Hill Estates Homeowners Association (BHEHA) and the Baillou Hill Estates Neighbourhood Watch, said the Training allows the community to “join the national efforts and broaden our country’s human capital resources in times of our greatest needs.”

“It was a rousing, thought-provoking opportunity for us and it got us to think more about topics such as climate change, and about ways to mitigate hazards,” Miss Adderley said. “We learnt some very valuable information about a widerange of subjects such as disaster preparedness, CERT organizational structure, medical operations, psychology, fire safety and utility controls, light search and rescue operations and terrorism and community emergency response teams.

“It is through opportunities like these offered by NEMA and through partnerships with organizations such as the National Neighbourhood Watch Council, that communities can bond, grow and bring about a further, positive evolution that I am certain we would all like to experience. The Training was a very informative; very wholesome, very solid and even more than I expected. I was very excited to have been a participant and has now resulted in a Baillou Hill Estates Community Emergency Response Team.

“I would encourage every person residing in this country to take part in this training; it is time that you will appreciate and you can use the skillset gained to possible help save lives,” Miss Adderley added.

Mr. Bernard Rolle, a member of the BHEHA, categorized that training as “eye opening.” He said Baillou Hill Estates is a “small, close knit” community that serves as home to first, second and third generation of families.

“The CERT training opened my eyes to a lot of things as far as the scope of lifesaving techniques made available to us,” Mr. Rolle said. “My knowledge before I came out was so limited. Now being able to understand the magnitude of the key role one can play in assisting persons in your community until the Professional First Responders arrive, especially when a disaster/emergency occurs, is gratifying.

“This is needed. Just the training/the knowledge we received alone, was amazing. Doing the greatest amount of good, for the greatest amount of persons in the shortest amount of time.”

Mrs. Benita Adderley, a Licensed Teacher and member of the Baillou Hill Estates Homeowners Association, said the training went beyond expectation.

“This course was awesome, really, really good,” Mrs. Adderley said. “I loved the fact that they facilitated both theoretical and practical components so that all of the theory, the principles, and the concepts they were trying to impart, we were able to actually put that into practice and that was really good because it brought it all to life for us as participants.

“This is going to help us significantly as a community. I urge other communities to get on board. This is awesome; you will not regret it. The Instructors are really, really good and have a wealth of knowledge; they are fun to work with because they are interactive and they try to make it fun; they give you real life scenarios so that you see and you feel everything that is happening so I would say it is an awesome, awesome, experience and the training is an asset. Other communities really, really, need to get on board and become CERT Communities,” Mrs. Benita Adderley added.

 

Photo Captions: 

Header: Nine members of the Baillou Hill Estate Homeowners Association were among the most recent graduating class of the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) Basic Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training that concluded Friday (March 25) at the Chapel on the Hill Church Hall, Tonique Williams Darling Highway.  Seated (from left) are: Instructor, Chief Petty Officer Romeiko Burrows; Captain Stephen Russell, Director, National Emergency Management Agency; Permanent Secretary Carl F. Smith, Office of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction; Mrs. Lisa Bowleg, Training Coordinator, NEMA, and Mr. Wendell Rigby (Instructor). Standing (first row left) are Instructors Reno Williams, Petty Officer Kenrio Ingraham, and Leading Woman Marine Karia R. Smith (first row standing at far right).

Insert: Reverend Clyde Bain, Jr., Disaster Coordination Team, the Assemblies of God in The Bahamas, including the Turks and Caicos Islands and a Hurricane Dorian survivor, addressing the closing ceremony of the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) Basic Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Friday (March 25) at the Chapel on the Hill Church Hall, Tonique Williams Darling Highway.

(BIS Photo/Mark Ford)

Caribbean News

Local Beauty Queen, Activist and Model Selena Grant Graces the May Cover of Vigor Magazine

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Turks & Caicos’ rising star continues to blaze trails on the global stage

Providenciales, TCI – Turks & Caicos native Selena Grant, 24, is making headlines once again—this time as the cover star for the April 2025 issue of Vigor Magazine, an international publication celebrated for spotlighting fashion, culture, and emerging talent from around the world.

Grant, who first captured national attention in May 2024 when she was crowned Miss One Nation TCI, has since built a reputation as one of the country’s most multifaceted young women. In the past year alone, she has claimed 1st Runner-Up titles in both the Miss Universe Turks & Caicos pageant and the international Miss Global International competition. Her success on the runway, however, is only part of her story.

A dedicated community activist, Selena has contributed to humanitarian causes across the Islands, working with organizations such as United Way and Edward C Garland Yoith Centre and other outreach efforts. She also lends her skills to the medical field, currently serving as a lab apprentice at InterHealth Canada Turks and Caicos Islands.

Now, as the face of Turks & Caicos Fashion Week 2025, Selena is once again flying the national flag high. But this cover moment is not hers alone—it’s a shared triumph with the renowned model , runway coach, designer and photographer Kaye Cox, who not only photographed but also styled, directed, and retouched the entire shoot.

“I was incredibly honored to work with Kaye on this project,” Selena shared. “She’s a creative powerhouse and visionary. From concept to execution, every detail was hers—and I’m just so proud we could bring this vision to life together.”

Shot on the iconic shores of Providenciales, the editorial captures the essence of island elegance with a bold, high-fashion twist. The visuals, rich with cultural pride and artistic depth, immediately caught the eye of Vigor editors and landed both women their well-deserved spot on the cover.

This feature is another major milestone in Selena’s journey and a celebration of the brilliant women behind the lens and in front of it.

This marks yet another milestone in Selena’s modeling career and underscores her continued role as a cultural ambassador for the Turks & Caicos Islands.

From the stage to the studio, from the lab to the pages of an international magazine, Selena Grant continues to prove that beauty, brains, and purpose can go hand in hand—with women like Kaye Cox right there capturing it all.

Congratulations, Selena !

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Bahamas News

Bahamian Archivist Antoinette Seymour Preserves Cultural Heritage with New Book “Been to Cat Island”

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The Bahamas, April 25, 2025 – Bahamian archivist and international chess legend Antoinette Seymour has undertaken the significant endeavor of archiving the rich cultural history of the Bahamas’ major islands. In her recent publication, “Been to Cat Island”, the first title in the “Been to Bahamas” series published by Inspire Publishing (Bahamas) 2024, Seymour passionately explores this vital task.

For many, the prospect of documenting the complexities of island history could seem daunting. However, Ms. Seymour, inspired by the strategic teachings of her late father, renowned chess master Warren Seymour, embraces the challenge. “Archivists preserve and safeguard culture, history, heritage, identity, legacy, and memory,” she asserts, referencing a 1996 UNESCO publication that states, “The loss of archives is as serious as the loss of memory in a human being.”

“Throughout my life, I have heard fascinating stories about Cat Island and from Cat Islanders—stories that deserve safeguarding,” Ms. Seymour emphasizes. “If these narratives are not preserved, they will tragically vanish.”

In “Been to Cat Island,” readers can explore the unique identity of Cat Island through Seymour’s passionate lens. Discover the origins of icons like Sir Sidney Poitier, encounter delightful anecdotes such as pigs feasting on lobster, and revel in the island’s rolling hills, pristine beaches, and vibrant heritage. This book is not merely a historical account; it is an intimate portrayal of resilience, culture, and connection.

While holding a critical archival position at her alma mater, the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada, Ms. Seymour remains devoted to her Bahamian roots. She aims to ensure that current and future generations of Bahamians cherish our nation’s rich history. When not archiving, Ms. Seymour travels throughout the island and shares her expertise in chess with children across The Bahamas. She is a proud mother of two and a grandmother of one.

“Been to Cat Island” is available now at Chapter One bookstore, Logos Bookstore, Cia Monet, select museums in The Bahamas and bookstores in Canada, and on Amazon.com in both paperback and eBook formats.

 

 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Antoinette Seymour

Author Email: antoinetteseymour@yahoo.com

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Caribbean News

‘People will face consequences’ – VP Jagdeo on Adrianna Younge’s death

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Guyana, April 25, 2025 – As the nation mourns the heartbreaking death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has expressed condolences to her family on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and called for full transparency in the ongoing probe.

During a press conference on Thursday, the Vice President described it as a “sad day for Guyana.”

He also made it clear that anyone within the Guyana Police Force (GPF) found to be involved in covering up the circumstances surrounding the child’s death will face severe consequences.

Dr. Jagdeo’s remarks come amid growing public outrage and scrutiny of the police’s handling of the case. He pointed to several troubling inconsistencies in the GPF’s initial report.

According to that report, Adrianna was at the swimming pool of the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, with her grandmother and siblings when she reportedly disappeared around 13:00-14:00 hours. The police initially claimed that the hotel’s CCTV system was non-functional; however, footage from external sources reportedly captured Adrianna entering a red and black Toyota Raum, bearing registration number PSS 4684, which was later seen heading east toward Vreed-en-Hoop.

“If they have that footage (the police) and they put it in the statement…they should immediately release that footage,” Dr Jagdeo said.

“Something is wrong, and we have to get to the bottom of it. We are not going to rest until that happens. And whoever is culpable, whoever, if there is a coverup, people will face consequences; we are not going to tolerate this. This young girl should never have lost her life.”

Just 24 hours after issuing the initial report, the GPF acknowledged discrepancies in the information released and has since launched an internal review.

Dr Jagdeo also spoke of the emotional toll the incident has taken on Adrianna’s family, stating, “I saw a video of the father speaking and how distraught he was. The family deserves answers, and the people of this country need answers.”

The discovery of Adrianna’s body in the hotel pool after hours of desperate searching has plunged the nation into deep mourning. Frustration over handling the case has sparked protests, with citizens demanding justice and accountability.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has since ordered the GPF to establish a special investigative team to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the child’s death.

“We must uncover the full truth of everything that transpired, and no resource or effort will be spared,” the President said via his official social media account.

President Ali also spoke directly with Adrianna’s mother, pledging the government’s full support in pursuing justice. President Ali has further instructed the GPF to compile a comprehensive report detailing all actions since the investigation began.

To support this, the government has ordered an independent autopsy and Barbadian forensic pathologist Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul is expected to arrive in Guyana at 5:30 p.m. today to conduct the post-mortem examination.

VP Jagdeo also offered his condolences on behalf of the PPP to the families of Maline LaCruz, who was killed by her husband, along with her mother, Waveny LaCruz and sister, Sueann LaCruz. Maline’s younger brother, Ceon LaCruz, was also injured in the shooting and is in critical condition.

He said the government is committed to uncovering the details behind the shooting, particularly the legality of the gun used to kill the three women.

“Because if he had a legal firearm, after the assault, he was supposed to lodge the firearm … we will look at this matter,” he assured.

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