Bahamas News
Prime Minister Davis breaks ground for premier medical facility in Grand Bahama
By LEDEDRA MARCHE, BIS
#TheBahamas, May 19, 2023 – Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis led a delegation to Grand Bahama for the historic groundbreaking and contract signing ceremony for the $210 million Freeport Health Campus on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
The premier hospital will sit on 50 acres of land and will offer primary, tertiary and acute care for residents of Grand
Bahama and the northern Bahamas.
The project, which is being funded by the World Bank, is set on the Greenfield site, and will be carried out in three phases, with Phase 1 set to be completed by the end of 2024.
In delivering the keynote address, Prime Minister Davis said the occasion is an extraordinary one for residents of Grand Bahama and the city of Freeport. It will initiate the construction of an outpatient and urgent-care facility that will cater to the needs of Grand Bahamians and residents in the Northern Bahamas for generations to come.
He said it is particularly noteworthy that this endeavour begins during a year when Bahamians nationwide, and around the globe, commemorate the golden anniversary of our national independence.
“This significant juncture in our nation’s history offers an opportunity for introspection on a remarkable progress we have achieved in terms of our development, culture and economy,” he said.
Prime Minister Davis revealed that the realization of a new hospital for Grand Bahama is more than 15 years in the making,
“At this new health-care centre, wounds will be healed, medical research will be advanced, lives will be rebuilt and the Grand Bahama Health Services will be positioned to provide the highest standard of care now and into the future as a long-awaited vision is now at last becoming a reality,” he said.
Minister of Health and Wellness, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, who has practiced medicine in the nation’s second city many years, pointed out that it has been a long journey for him and many residents in Grand Bahama.
“We all know the challenges we that we currently face with the Rand Memorial Hospital and the services provided here. From government to government, we’ve been tagging along, trying to do our best and the time has finally come after years of hard work,” he said.
Dr. Darville noted that there have been many before him who worked diligently on the plan to bring us to the special occasion.
“The first phase of our project will be the establishment of a close to 60,000-square-foot facility that will be usable as Phase 1B of the project is initiated and the final phase initiated simultaneously,” he said.
He further revealed that the new state-of-the art facility will have an oncology centre, which is crucial for the people of Grand Bahama who have had to go off island for years to undergo chemo therapy treatment.
Speaking to the government’s commitment to establishing and transforming healthcare delivery services throughout The Bahamas, Minister Darville also announced that the final drawings for the construction of nine new clinics have been completed and renovations on 41 clinics are also underway.
Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey congratulated Dr. Darville who has been relentless in pushing for the project for at least a decade, and thanked Prime Minister Davis for his commitment to the healthcare needs of the people of Grand Bahama.
“Today we begin the first phase of building a new hospital on our island to support the growing demand for accessible, quality healthcare services to address the needs of residents and visitors alike,” she said.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
Header – Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis led the charge during the groundbreaking ceremony for the newest healthcare facility, the Freeport Health Campus, on Grand Bahama on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
Insert – Grand Bahama residents, Cabinet minister, healthcare professionals and Grand Bahama residents attended the historic ceremony for the groundbreaking of a new healthcare facility on the island of Grand Bahama on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
(BIS Photos/Andrew Miller & Jamika Culmer)
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.
