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Minister Moxey to chair cabinet sub-committee focused on a range of opportunities for islands of The Bahamas

Published

1 year ago

March 24, 2023

#TheBahamas, March 24, 2023 – Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey said she has been appointed to Chair a Cabinet Sub-Committee called Innovate 242, which will focus on a range of opportunities for all of the islands of The Bahamas, through tech-tourism, eco-tourism, agri-tourism, film-tourism, business tourism, heritage tourism, executive education and smart cities downtown development.

“During a recent trip to Ottawa, Canada, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, we advanced our agenda for Innovate 242 and have since partnered with the Kanata North Technology Park, also known as Hub350 to advance our e-Bahamas revolution agenda,” Minister Moxey told the 2023 Grand Bahama Business Outlook, March 16, 2023, at the Grand Lucayan Resort.

“Hub 350 is Canada’s largest technology and innovation hub and will be collaborating with The Bahamas, as we become a player in the innovation and technology sector that can herald transformational opportunities, including new jobs, new service, new industries and new markets. It will also advance The Bahamas as a digital society, inclusive of smart technology.

“In our Blueprint for Change, Grand Bahama has been designated as the home of maritime and logistics, the home of events and entertainment and the home of innovation and we are well on our way to achieving all of this.”

The Grand Bahama Minister said efforts have also been made to establish, revitalize new and existing Sister City relationships for business, cultural, educational, tourism and humanitarian exchanges. She said much progress has been made to establish relationships between Ottawa, Canada and the Bahamas, as well as Princess Town, Western Ghana, and to renew The Bahamas’ relationship with Concord, North Carolina and Miami Dade, Florida, that have invited Bahamian creative groups to be a part of the Miami Goombay Festival this coming June.

Minister Moxey pointed out to the Seminar participants that while Grand Bahama is still in recovery mode, the island is well on its way to getting back up.

“While we work feverishly to redevelop the airport and sell this property, projects are progressing. The island has awakened. Construction is on the rise, airlift and cruise arrivals have increased, the new cruise port is about to start, downtown Freeport is busy, for the first time in over 20 years. So we can honestly say that our economy is improving.

“This Davis/Cooper Administration is strategically focused on rescuing our economy. An economy that will empower our people and provide an environment of sustained economic development. As the Minister for Grand Bahama I recognize that there will always be a bit of frustration among the residents. But progress in all of its many forms, takes a lot of effort. It takes many meetings, many follow throughs and things you don’t get to see.”

Minister Moxey outlined a number of accomplishments the administration has attained in Grand Bahama, in spite of the challenges the island has faced in the past decade or more. Those accomplishments include: the eventual development of a first-class Grand Bahama International Airport; the work already underway for the construction of a new Carnival Cruise Port in East Grand Bahama, with landside contractor request for quotes opened and published, final reviews of food and beverage vendors in progress, with awards for those contractors expected to take place this month; the $400 million re-investment into Grand Bahama Shipyard; repairs to the Fishing Hole Road bridge; completion of the Administrator’s Complex and Magistrate’s Court in Eight Mile Rock; completion and prospective opening of the Holmes Rock Primary and junior school in West Grand Bahama; and upcoming ground breaking ceremonies for the island’s new hospital, with a much-needed Oncology Center for Grand Bahamians.

“We can see that there is progress,” said Minister Moxey. “We have accomplished much over the past few months, with so much more that has to be done. Yet we must acknowledge that these are no small feats, considering what we have been going through.

“Progress is many things. But two things that it is not are linear and stagnant. Progress takes winding turns and the insertion of an intense amount of sweat equity. It is ever changing and ever growing.”

Minister Moxey noted that through innovation, events and entertainment, and Maritime and Logistics, her Ministry will help to shape the future of the island of Grand Bahama. With its prime location just 68 miles off the coast of Florida; its infrastructure, major transshipment hub, tax benefits, and truly diverse economy, Minister Moxey added that Grand Bahama is well positioned to become the fastest growing economy in The Bahamas.

“Everyday I’m reminded of the struggles and hardships, which the people of Grand Bahama have endured and I am motivated by our strength. Grand Bahamians refuse to be broken. We refuse to lose heart. Instead, we continue to press on with unrelenting determination. So, after hitting rock bottom because of Hurricane Dorian in 2019 and immediately followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, to be where we are today once again proves our resiliency. Resilient? Yes we are. But now we want to soar. We want to achieve that elusive potential that we often talk about.

“And Grand Bahama, I still believe that this is our time; our time to be GRAND! And it is happening… right before our eyes”.

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UN Sec-Gen has special Message on Nelson Mandela Day

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Nelson Mandela showed us the extraordinary difference one person can make in building a better world.

And as the theme of this year’s Nelson Mandela International Day reminds us – combatting poverty and inequality is in our hands.

Our world is unequal and divided.

Hunger and poverty are rife.

The richest one per cent are responsible for the same quantity of planet-wrecking greenhouse gases as two-thirds of humanity.

These are not natural facts. They are the result of humanity’s choices. And we can decide to do things differently.

We can choose to eradicate poverty.

We can choose to end inequality.

We can choose to transform the international economic and financial system in the name of equity.

We can choose to fight racism, respect human rights, combat climate change, and create a world that works for all humanity.

Every one of us can contribute – through actions large and small.

I join the Nelson Mandela Foundation in urging everyone to perform 67 minutes of public service on Nelson Mandela International Day – one minute for each year he fought for justice.

Together, let’s honour Madiba’s legacy and turn our hands towards building a better world for all.

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AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2024) set to strengthen Africa-CARICOM linkages

Published

2 months ago

May 28, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Speakers at ACTIF will include global superstars Viola Davis, Serena Williams, Didier Drogba and African and CARICOM Heads of States

Nassau, Bridgetown, Georgetown, May 28, 2024 – Excitement mounts as The Bahamas prepares to host the Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM) and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) from 12 – 14 June 2024 in The Bahamas. Themed “Owning Our Destiny: Economic Prosperity on the Platform of Global Africa,” ACTIF2024 is set to forge significant pathways for economic prosperity between Africa and the Caribbean.

Other distinguished speakers will include Heads of State from seven CARICOM countries, former Prime Ministers, Ministers of Trade, Economic Development and Finance, Dr. Roger W Ferguson, Former Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve, USA, Prof. Andreas Klasen, Professor of International Business and Director of the Institute for Trade and Innovation at Offenburg, and many more.

Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Afreximbank, said: “We are witnessing shifts in the global economic landscape and the trade strategies of major economies, making it imperative for African and Caribbean nations to unite for mutual prosperity. The Afreximbank Annual Meetings and AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum in The Bahamas will serve as a strategic platform to enhance our economic bonds. These events indicate a vibrant assertion of our shared destiny. We are poised to harness the dynamic economic growth within our regions, enhancing our collective resilience and prosperity.”

The event promises to be a pivotal platform for high-level discussions on economic development and regional integration.

Building on the successes of the inaugural AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum held in Barbados in 2022 and the gathering last year in Guyana, this year’s Forum in The Bahamas will further elevate and expand upon the discussions and initiatives previously set in motion. ACTIF2023, which focused on strengthening economic bonds and creating new investment opportunities, sets a precedent for meaningful collaboration between Africa and the CARICOM nations.

Afreximbank invites industry leaders, trade organisations and other stakeholders in the CARICOM region to participate and attend.

Registration is now open at https://2024.afreximbankevents.com.

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International Community must address conflict between Israel and Iran

Published

3 months ago

May 12, 2024

Shanieka

Garfield Ekon

Staff Writer

With tensions between Israel and Iran at an all-time high, a United Nations affiliated group is urging for calm and dialogue as their violent actions can cause tragic devastation on innocent civilians.

According to Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an organisation that is dedicated to promoting peace through civilian-led initiatives, “it is a clear indication that the greatest victims of war are innocent civilians.

“How could those lost lives ever be brought back? What could compensate for the outcry of children and the anguish of the youth in devastated dwellings?,” the group noted in a media statement, adding that the international community should take “decisive measures” to address the conflict.

It is also advocating for the establishment of “comprehensive international laws” to safeguard peace for future generations. “HWPL remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering dialogue and reconciliation, offering hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israel and Iran,” the group said.

HWPL is a non-profit organisation, with a mission to promoting peace through education, and advocacy. It has a global network spanning over 170 countries. The organisation works to build bridges of understanding and cooperation, striving towards a world free from conflict and violence.

According to reports in various international media outlets, Iran and its militant partners on April 13 initiated a large-scale attack against Israel through launching several hundred ballistic missiles and drones. The international society expressed concerns over the possibility of war between the two states, since Tehran’s direct attack on Israel was unprecedented.

Experts have pointed out that the attack on Israel was Iran’s response to an airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Syria on April 1, which killed seven military advisers including three senior commanders.