Bahamas News
PM Davis Joins in Observance of the Anniversary of the Sinking of HMBS Flamingo
#NASSAU, The Bahamas – Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis said, on May 10, 2023, that the tragedy of May 10, 1980, reinforced the importance of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), illustrating why the late Sir Lynden Pindling was so adamant to establish such an agency to defend the territorial sovereignty of The Bahamas.
“Forty-three years ago, on the 10th May, 1980, at approximately 5 p.m., marines onboard the deck of Her Majesty’s
Bahamian Ship Flamingo were faced with a decision,” Prime Minister Davis recounted, during the RBDF Memorial Service, held on Parliament Square.
“That decision was to stand firmly by the principle of service above self. On that fateful day, the entire crew came under siege as they were executing their duties,” he continued. “Ultimately, four young men were lost at sea: Able Seaman Fenrick Sturrup, Marine Seaman Austin Smith, Marine Seaman David Tucker, and Marine Seaman Edward Williams.
“In seeking to protect and defend the sovereignty of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, they made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Among those present included Governor-General His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Cornelius A. Smith; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper, and other Cabinet Members; Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Michael Pintard; Chief Justice the Hon. Sir Ian Winder; former Governor-General, the Most Hon. Dame Marguerite Pindling; senior members of Unformed Branches; international guests; clergy; family members and well-wishers.
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that to all RBDF marines, that episode had become “the sacred symbol of pride and duty”. Each marine, he added, was keenly aware of the value of the ultimate sacrifice, and of the choice to place service to country above self.
“Duty and sacrifice remain principal tenets in recruit training and each entry class since then understands the fundamental importance of the Defence Force and its key role in national development,” Prime Minister Davis
stated.
At the heart of that “national tragedy “, Prime Minister noted, were the mothers and fathers, wives, children and loved ones of the marines.
“The tragedy of the HMBS Flamingo cannot be discussed without acknowledging their sacrifice,” he said. “I know that the unimaginable loss of the marines is as fresh today as it was 43 years ago.”
Prime Minister Davis added that, while some of the parents have passed on, and many of the children now have families of their own, the loss of the four marines remained “painful and immediate”.
He added: “We may even wonder what our valiant marines might have been doing with their lives today, had that horrible incident not occurred. This question has no answer, but as the head of our country, I can assure you that we are deeply appreciative of the love and support you gave to these men, and the memories of them that you keep alive.”
Prime Minister Davis noted that, as they all reflected upon the four young marines whose lives were lost, they should also take the opportunity today to honour the survivors of the Flamingo Incident. Not long after the disaster, he said, many of the survivors of the Flamingo ship’s company returned to patrol Bahamian waters.
“Other members were appointed and drafted to different vessels or departments, where they continued their noble efforts in guarding our heritage with formidable success,” he said. “Although the survivors have since resigned or retired from this prestigious organisation, they continue to uphold the standard of a true marine and provide invaluable service to our country within their given field of expertise.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that, as The Bahamas prepared to celebrate its 50th year of Independence, all must “stand firm on our nation’s deck, and be prepared like those great men onboard HMBS Flamingo, for what is to come”.
“To you, the family members of the victims, and to those families whose loved ones have passed in the line of service, I extend my heartfelt thanks for your unwavering support of our nation’s first line of defence — for the protectors of our national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said. “I assure you that their sacrifice will forever be cherished within the hearts of the Bahamian people.”
He added: “On behalf of His Excellency, Cornelius A. Smith, Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas; the governing party of The Bahamas; the Leader of the Opposition and his party; the grateful people of The Bahamas; and my wife, Ann-Marie, I salute the memory of our fallen four and applaud their heroic efforts. The memories of Fenrick, Austin, David and Edward will never fade.
“May God continue to bless the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, and may He continually bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”
PHOTO CAPTION
On May 10, 2023, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis joined Governor-General His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Cornelius A. Smith; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper, and other Cabinet Members; Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Michael Pintard; Chief Justice the Hon. Sir Ian Winder; former Governor-General, the Most Hon. Dame Marguerite Pindling; senior members of Unformed Branches; international guests; clergy; family members and well-wishers at the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Memorial Service observing 43 years of the sinking of the HMBS Flamingo, held on Parliament Square, in Nassau, The Bahamas. (BIS Photos/Eric Rose. Drone Photography Courtesy of Eric Rose)
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.
