Bahamas News
Richea Always knew what she wanted, So she calculated her course now her ‘coffers’ are overflowing
By Rashaed Esson and Deandrea Hamilton
Editorial Staff
#TheBahamas, March 16, 2023 – The Bahamian native, Richea Haygood, born and raised in Nassau, is among today’s group of women who are breaking the glass ceiling in the professional world.
Richea’s road to excellence is nothing short of inspiring. She tells me that her purpose was relatively clear at a tender age, that is to accomplish great things in all aspects of her life including accounting. She told a short story of her skills in money management as a little girl in light of her early realisation of her place in the world.
“I had great money management skills even as early as 6th grade. For my graduation trip, we had this week of activities. I literally initiated a payment plan with my teachers, and I covered my entire week’s cost. My parents did not put anything into it.”
Couple this uncommon foresight with parents who consistently told her that life would be what she made of it, that she was gifted with the ability to accomplish whatever it is she wanted . 
Richea grabbed hold of those repeated refrains and took charge in a most uncommon way. The young woman, just weeks away now from graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree, believes she is living her dream due to old fashioned passion and determination.
After graduating from the Kingsway Academy High in Bahamas in 2019, where she was Head Girl, Richea immediately reached for greater opportunities. A part of a larger vision was her high school success and in those critical years, a plan was designed.
She easily reflects on the day she attended a college fair where a previous president of the Harris-Stowe State University captured her attention; it appears the feeling was mutual as Richea next made history, becoming one of the first international students to be flown out to Harris-Stowe’s student acceptance day.
Richea explains that almost instantly, she had a liking for the small, family-oriented university, and decided to enrol.
She was then awarded a full ride scholarship to Harris-Stowe State University. Harris-Stowe was established by the St. Louis Public Schools in 1857, making it the first public teacher education institution west of the Mississippi River and the 12th such institution overall. Harris-Stowe has evolved much since the time when segregation was the order of the day, it is now an illustrious institution for ambitious bright minds, of all diversities and ethnicities.
In her freshman year, Richea chose to ease into her new life; this she said allowed her to adjust to university living. By her sophomore year, she started amped up involvement. Strategically, Richea began to expand her network with the faculty and the Anheuser Busch school of Business, and here the trend for success and outstanding accomplishments continued.
In April of 2021, she was a student worker in the Department of Institutional Advancement and, in the same year, up to 2022, she interned with Deloitte and Touch, LLP Chicago Illinois in Audit and Assurance.
Richea was selected for the internship; beating out dozens of others for a coveted spot in a world class accounting firm.
In that same period, she again took the position of student worker at her university in the Department of Business and Financial Affairs, and today, she is the Accounting Office CFO.
But successful internships were not new for this young stand out. In 2019, before venturing to the United States, Richea interned at KPMG in Nassau, Bahamas.
Behind all of that experience at the young age of 21, Richea has a mountain of notable achievements including the National Award for the highest A, in the Bahamas Bookkeeping and Accounting examination.
Also, during her graduation year, Richea Haygood earned and won first place in KPMG’s accounting bowl.
By 2021, she went on to receive the Backpack to Briefcase St. Louis, Missouri, Larry Blue Jr. Leadership Award for exhibiting exceptional leadership qualities and professional development. She even received a scholarship from Wells Fargo, a financial services company in the US, for exemplified outstanding academic achievements and this is no surprise since she got Provost Honors after maintaining a cumulative GPA between 3.5 and 4.0.
Not only that, but she was also a part of Deloitte’s Emerging Leaders programme last April in Texas and was one of the scholarship recipients rewarded with $10,000. Proof that firm commitment to education and purposeful pursuits do pay!
Only this year, Richea was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success, the largest leadership honours’ society in the United States. Also, regarding her application for an all-expenses paid leadership training session in Washington DC, she was pumped to know that it was successful. The Association of Government
Accountants of the United States selected Bahamian, Richea Haygood, as one of fifteen exceptional, up and coming business professionals from across the collegiate world to attend the conference this past February.
While all of this was happening, Richea was still honing her skills and expanding her experience through voluntary activities. She volunteered at: her University as Sophomore class treasurer in the Student Government Association, the Xavier University in their 3M Case Competition; The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People – HSSU Chapter; the Student Government Association as Executive Board Treasurer; Regional Business Council Mentor Network Programme; St. Louis NAACP 110th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Freedom Fund Dinner; XULA and 3M Partnering for Progress National Sales Case Competition and the Anheuser School of Business Student Ambassador.
Many would wonder where Ms. Haygood finds time for fun. But unsurprisingly she also has a good balance between work and leisure. Despite all her hard work and accomplishments, she finds time to go out with friends.
As a young successful black woman, Richea’s goals do not only align with her personal dreams. She strives to inspire and encourage more young people to take advantage of opportunities. This has been the biggest lesson she has learned along her journey. She is also a firm believer in the saying “timing is key”, most importantly God’s timing.
Driven by the notion of creating generational wealth, Richea, like everyone around her, sees herself going far in life and it has already started. She was recently nominated for membership in Harris-Stowe’s Anheuser-Busch School of Business, Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business. This is yet another fantastic feat.
Within the next five years, Richea plans to have her MBA and soundly passed her CPA exam; the Certified Public Accountant examination which is the highest rank as an accountant sets this young woman up well for her dream of becoming a top executive within Deloitte and Touche.
Landing at the top of one of the world’s most reputable and leading accounting firms was part of the plan and for Richea, it is rapidly, thrillingly becoming a part of her well-earned reality.
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.
