Bahamas News
ADO Tours Lucayan Produce, Farming support NGO continues fact-finding mission to explore what works
#TheBahamas, May 2, 2022 – Farms, like just about everything else, come in all sizes and shapes. And like other items that come in various forms, what works for one may not work for all.
“That’s what we are learning as we go along,” says Philip Smith, Executive Chairman of the Agricultural
Development Organization, the recently launched non-government organization formed to support farming and the culture of self-sustaining food security. “While it is evident that there is a huge difference in resources and production capabilities between a mass production facility like Lucayan Tropical Produce and a backyard farmer in Cat Island, what is most interesting to us is how we can learn from both and help each other.”
Learning prompted a tour of Lucayan Tropical Produce, an impressive 20,000 square meters of greenery, soil, plants, shade houses, refrigeration, boilers, equipment, endless rows of cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes and one element that is harder to replace – perseverance.
“We started in the fourth quarter of 2006 and it took us over 10 years to begin to get it right,” explained Tropical Produce President Cameron Symonette, with a hands-on approach and knowledge of everything from the value of a fistful of seeds to what reverse osmosis does to the environment.
The most surprising lesson they learned was how dynamic agriculture versus other traditional manufacturing businesses were, what Symonette and his father, Craig, a director of the company, call “the continuous puruist of a happy plant, one that wants to produce.”
“We changed systems and management four times and kept trying to get it right,” says the younger Symonette. “We felt we could produce 100% of the market needs for cucumbers and 100% of the island of New Providence’s need for Bahamian tomatoes but it just wasn’t happening.”
What stood in the way was lack of a significance difference between night and day temperatures.
“Under good farming conditions, a plant stresses every day in the heat and relaxes at night,” says the company president. “In The Bahamas, there is little difference between night and day so the plant is stressed most of the time given the rolling average of difference being so small. It took us a long time to figure that out, to figure out what made the happy plant.”
Now, with strictly controlled temperatures, constant refrigerated trucking and a new closed loop temperature controlled chill house under intense lighting, the lettuce Lucayan Tropical Produce turns out is heartier and is proving to have a longer shelf life than other products available in the marketplace, says Symonette. Thanks to the new indoor growing system, the company is able to produce lettuce year-round. Despite growing up to five varieties of tomatoes, the extreme summer heat puts a halt to that production.
Lucayan Tropical supplies about 65% of the cucumber market with both slender European cucumbers and traditional.
For ADO director Karen Casey, the visit to Lucayan Tropical Produce off the beaten path in western New Providence was affirmation of what founders of the relatively new NGO suspected.
“It takes a tremendous investment to create a massive scale successful farm in The Bahamas,” said Casey, president of Sysco Bahamas, the largest wholesaler of food in the country. “It reinforces our need to focus on cooperative crop planting and we are extremely grateful that the Symonettes have offered to help us in that.”
Smith said the happy plant and other lessons would be helpful to farmers throughout The Bahamas.
“Craig and Cameron shared 16 years of experience with us, experience we can take back to workshops on community farming, backyard and schoolyard farming,” said Smith. “This has been an incredibly valuable tour.”
ADO was formed in early January with a $1.1 million grant from FTX, the first large gift awarded by the giant blockchain trading platform after opening its headquarters in The Bahamas. FTX CEO Ryan Salome serves on the steering committee along with Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, businessman and former Minister of Tourism Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Karen Casey and Smith, who is the former executive director of the Bahamas Feeding Network. More than a dozen community and civic leaders serve on various committees.
Release: Agriculture Development Organization
Photo Captions:
Header: Fact-finding tour – Lucayan Tropical Produce President Cameron Symonette explains benefits of sharp changes in night and day temperature for healthy ‘happy’ plants to visitors from the new food security NGO Agricultural Development Organization. Picture l-r, ADO directors Diane Phillips, Executive Chairman Philip Smith, Sysco Bahamas President Karen Casey and in background next to Symonette, Craig Symonette who founded Lucayan Tropical in 2006.
1st insert: Agricultural Development Organization (ADO) director and president of Sysco Bahamas Karen Casey talks tomatoes with Lucayan Tropical Produce. ADO was formed to make self-sustaining food supply a reality for The Bahamas.
2nd insert: A world of cucumbers – Lucayan Tropical Produce supplies about 65% of the local demand for cucumbers, growing European and standard varieties under these leafy greens. ADO toured Lucayan Tropical recently as part of a 3-month fact-finding tour to gather information helpful to farmers throughout The Bahamas at all levels from backyard to community and beyond.
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
-
News1 week agoPAY FIRST. QUESTION LATER.
-
Health5 days ago47,459 MEASLES CASES, 44 DEATHS ACROSS AMERICAS
-
News5 days agoELECTRICITY BILL SHOCKER: PELICAN ENERGY WARNED GOV’T
-
News6 days agoDevelopments Outside Providenciales Get Cabinet Attention
-
Bahamas News5 days agoMore Bahamians Accessing HIV, STI Care Through NHI
-
News6 days agoCabinet Decides to Slow Down Commercial Crown Land Grants
-
News1 day agoBeaches Turks & Caicos shares dining etiquette training at Provo youth summer camp