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Solomon’s Downtown grand opening ‘a big deal’ for Grand Bahama

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By Lededra Marche

BIS

 

#Freeport, The Bahamas, December 2, 2022 – Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey said AML Foods Solomon’s Downtown grand opening in Grand Bahama on Thursday, December 1, 2022 is a big deal and epitomizes the reawakening of the downtown district.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is a big deal for Grand Bahama Island and for Pineridge.  It is a big deal because we all recognize that the relocation of Solomon’s to the downtown area will have a tremendous impact on businesses in downtown and surrounding areas,” she said.

Minister Moxey was bringing remarks at the Grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of AML Foods Limited’s 20,000-square foot downtown location in the newly named Winn Building.

“We all know that this is not an opening.  What it really signifies is the long-awaited rebirth of Downtown,” Minister Moxey said.  “This moment brings downtown alive, as I have outlined in my 10-point agenda for Pineridge, because I’m sure many of you know by now that this is Pineridge.

“This food store has been and still is the lifeline for downtown.”

Minister Moxey, who is also the Member of Parliament for Pineridge, pointed out that the building, which housed the former Winn Dixie Food Store, is the great connector as the nucleus of the island’s commerce centre and catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Freeport.

“It connects nearby communities who were accustomed to walking to the grocery store.  It connects those from east end to west end who hopped on the bus, did their shopping and returned home.  It was the engine for commerce in this area, and I dare say, it fed the transportation system; the buses, the taxis and the surrounding shops,” she said.

“The residents in Grand Bahama have been long awaiting this day.  We have been counting down the months, days, hours and minutes to this wonderful grand opening.”

Exactly four weeks ago, Minister Moxey was at that same venue to attend the renaming ceremony of the downtown building by the Milo B. Butler and Sons Investment Limited Company, following the transformation of the 32,000 square-foot building to the retail and office space.

The Minister for Grand Bahama declared that with the Solomon’s Downtown opening and the projects on the table, Grand Bahama is back and she commended AML Foods Limited for their devotion to the island and the people of Grand Bahama.

AML Foods Chairman Franklyn Butler thanked Minister Moxey, the executives of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the Board of AML Foods and the Butler Family for helping to make the vision a reality.

Having been in Grand Bahama for the last 25 years, Butler said there is no question that AML Foods is committed to the people of Freeport for the next 25 years and beyond.

In 2021, AML renovated its Solomon’s Lucaya to the tune of $1million and have earmarked $500,000 in investment for Cost Right Freeport in 2023.

Additionally, Butler said, AML added 60 new hires for the Solomon’s Downtown store, which now takes the employee count in Grand Bahama to 250.

“The opening of this downtown Solomon’s has been a three-year journey which has resulted from the damage of Hurricane Dorian to our former Queen’s Highway location,” he said.

Butler further revealed that all of the management for the new store is home-grown talent within the AML Food system and AML has invested in excess of $4million in its downtown store, with 90 per cent being expended on project teams and businesses in Grand Bahama.

The opening was capped off with the sounds of cheers from eager waiting shoppers and the pulsating sounds of Junkanoo as residents moved to the beat as they shopped.

 

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Header: Scores of customers waited on the outside of the new Solomon’s Downtown Thursday, December 1, 2022 while the official grand opening ceremony was underway to be one of the first to see the new store and take advantage of the deals.

1st insert:  Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey, was on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony during the grand opening of AML Foods Solomon’s Downtown location in Grand Bahama on Thursday, December 1, 2022, much to the delight of eager waiting shoppers. From left are AML CEO Gavin Watchorn, left, Minister Moxey, and AML And AML Foods Chairman Franklyn Butler.

2nd Insert: A number of residents on Grand Bahama made their way down to the new Solomon’s Downtown location on Thursday, December 1, 2022 to have a first-hand look of the new space and shop.

(BIS Photos/Andrew Miller)

 

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Get your laugh on, March On, family drama by Gea Pierre, debut this weekend in Turks and Caicos 

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Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale again this weekend, the show debuts Friday night.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew where shows are set for Brayton Hall, for Friday May 10 at 8pm and Saturday has two showings; matinee at 4pm and evening, 8pm.

Tickets are $75 VIP. General admission is $60.

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attentattention.

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. The full team returns on Friday, May 10 with the comedy production being held under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stop laughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”

 

 

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The Bahamas Successfully Hosts Its Fourth World Athletics Relays

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NASSAU, Bahamas – Hundreds of people from around the world turned out in full force for the BTC World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 that took place at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, May 4 -5, 2024.

This is the sixth edition of the relays and the fourth time that The Bahamas has hosted the event, which actually made its debut in The Bahamas in 2014.

President, World Athletics, Sabastian Coe said after three very successful editions from 2014 to 2017, the World Athletics Relays has quickly become one of the World Athletics vibrant competitions, developing a culture of fun and innovation that gives it a unique flavour.

 

He thanked the Bahamas Government, the local World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 committee and the Bahamian people for agreeing to host the relays.  However, his main thanks were to the “world’s best sprinters” travelling from all the continents to compete in preparation for the road to Paris, France, in two months’ time.

During the opening ceremony, the athletes were given words of advice from Carl Lewis, one of only four Olympic athletes to have won nine Olympic gold medals, who is widely recognized as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

 

He said, “Keep it simple, do not try to do anything extra.  Do what your coaches said.  Leave on time, leave on time, leave on time.”

The athletes and crowds were treated to the sounds and sights of Junkanoo at the end of the opening ceremony.  The Junkanoo performers stuck around for the two days of competitions, playing for the sprinters as they competed on the track.

Teams competed in the Women’s and men’s 4x100m, and the women’s men’s and mixed 4x400m.  A total of 14 teams at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 automatically qualified  for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.   Both days of competition were important, as day two offered another chance for qualifications for those teams unsuccessful on day one.

In fact, The Bahamas was able to take advantage of the second day of competition.

Bahamians were made proud as the country set a new national record during the mixed 4x400m relays thanks to the efforts of 16-year-old Shania Adderley, a student of Tabernacle Baptist Academy.

The team came first in their heat on Sunday evening after not being able to gain a spot for the Paris Olympics on the first day of competition.

Other sprinters on the team included Alonzo Russell, as well as Olympic champions Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

(BIS Photos/Kemuel Stubbs)

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PM at World Relays 2024 Opening: ‘Tonight, the eyes are on The Bahamas’

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NASSAU, The Bahamas – During his remarks at the Opening Ceremony for the World Athletics Relays 2024, on May 4, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis welcomed the special guests, athletes,  officials, and “all lovers of athletics from around the world” to the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium here in the “vibrant heart” of Nassau, Bahamas.

“This weekend, the world’s finest athletes gather on our shores to embark on a journey that is not only about speed and strength but also about dreams and determination,” Prime Minister Davis said.  “From the serene beauty of our islands to the historic grandeur of Paris, this event marks a crucial path to the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.”

He added: “Here in The Bahamas, we are no strangers to world-class athletics or the warmth and exuberance that such international gatherings bring. It is a distinct honor to once again welcome the World Athletics Relays back to our islands. This event holds a special place in our hearts, symbolizing a bridge between nations brought together by the universal language of sport.”

Prime Minister Davis noted that that year’s theme, “Paradise to Paris,” captured the essence of that journey.

“It is here, amidst the splendor of our sun-kissed beaches and the rhythmic sway of our palms that the chase towards Olympic glory begins anew,” he stated.  “We are thrilled to offer a backdrop of unparalleled beauty, where every sprint, every baton pass, and every victory lap is set against the picture-perfect canvas of our islands.”

 

He added: “To our athletes, I say this: as you stand on the precipice of your dreams, ready to catapult yourself into the annals of history, know that you are part of a legacy of excellence and determination. This weekend, you are not only competitors but also ambassadors of your countries and the spirit of sport. We are especially proud of Team Bahamas, who carry the weight of their performance and the hopes and pride of our nation. You embody the spirit of The Bahamian people, and we are behind you every step of the way.”

Prime Minister said that to the international visitors, he extended “the warmest Bahamian welcome”.

 

“Over the next few days, as you revel in the thrill of competition, take a moment to bask in the beauty of our island,” he stated.  “Discover why we proudly say, “It’s Better in The Bahamas.” Whether it’s the hospitality of our people, the tranquility of our waters, or the rhythm of our culture, you are in for an experience that captures the heart and rejuvenates the soul.”

“Let us celebrate the unity and friendship that sports foster, cheering every athlete and savoring the spectacle of human potential at its best,” Prime Minister Davis added.  “I hope the races are swift, the results are inspiring, and the memories are lasting.

“Welcome to The Bahamas, the paradise where champions chase their dreams to Paris.  As your host, it is my immense pleasure to declare the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 2024 officially open.  Let the games begin.”

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