Bahamas News
11th International Road Federation (Caribbean) Congress Opens in The Bahamas – developing ‘transport system resilience’
By KATHRYN CAMPBELL
Bahamas Information Services
#TheBahamas, June 22, 2023 – Road safety, climate resilience and the infrastructure needs for a new and electrified vehicle fleet are among the discussions that engage transportation professionals during the
11th International Road Federation (IRF) Caribbean Regional Congress.
The Congress opened Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at Atlantis, Paradise Island to the theme “A Roadmap to a Safe, Inclusive and Resilient Transport System”. Attendees include IRF delegates, representatives of supporting organizations including the IDB, World Bank Group and Caribbean Development Bank, representatives of public works and road agencies; regional institutions, major road contractors and design consultancies, civil society and transportation faculties and research institutes among others.
Present at the opening were: the Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Works and Utilities; the Hon. Jobeth Coleby, Minister of Transport and Housing; Bacchus Rolle, Parliamentary Secretary; Public Works ministers of the region; Luther Smith, Permanent Secretary; representatives of NEMA, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and officials from the Ministry of Works and Utilities.
Participants included C. Patrick Sankey, President and CEO, IRF Global; Dr. Lisa Fitz-Charles, Under Secretary who gave welcome address on behalf of Her Excellency Ambassador Leslia Miller-Brice. Jean Todt, UN Secretary, General Special Envoy for Road Safety gave the keynote address which was recorded.
In remarks, Minister Sears emphasized the urgent need for sustainable roads and infrastructure in the face of the existential threat of climate change.
Minister Sears highlighted the impact of Hurricane Dorian on The Bahamas. He said the most “horrific” hurricane of September 2019 resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives and thousands of persons were made homeless.
“According to the IDB, The Bahamas sustained an economic loss of US$3.4 billion equivalent to 1/5 of GDP of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Therefore the issue about sustainability and resilience is not an academic exercise in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and indeed within the Caribbean because even though the carbon footprint is relatively small, the United Nations has declared island nation states to be the most vulnerable in the world.”
Minister Sears urged attendees to collaborate and explore how countries can collectively address the critical needs of citizens while strengthening the entire Caribbean. “How our countries can incentivize drivers who purchase hybrid and electric vehicles; how our countries can design roadways that accommodate all of our residents riding bicycles to school or work and how we can use more renewable energy in the production of asphalt and the construction and maintenance of roadways.
“Our solutions will not only help to stimulate economic development and reduce pollution which contribute to climate change, global warming and catastrophic hurricanes but also our solutions may help to address the rising
cases of obesity and non-communicable disease throughout our region. Indeed, let us together achieve the goal of developing a roadmap to a safe, inclusive and resilient transport system,” he said.
Minister Sears extended appreciation to participants, speakers and sponsors and informed them that their presence and expertise are vital in shaping the discourse and paving the way for transformative change in the transportation sector.
He encouraged the delegates to seize the opportunity to learn, collaborate and forge partnerships that will accelerate their journey towards sustainable, resilient and inclusive road infrastructure.
Among the themes for the congress, June 13-16: decarbonization of road transport/clean energy, delivering resilient road infrastructure/disaster recovery and response, innovative and climate friendly materials for resilience and low cost road surveys and inspections.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
BIS Photos/Mark Ford
Header – Attendees at the 11th IRF Caribbean Regional Congress are pictured during a break following the opening ceremony at Atlantis, Paradise Island on June 14, 2023.
1st insert– Pictured are some of the delegates in attendance at the opening of the 11th IRF Caribbean Regional Congress at Atlantis, Paradise Island.
2nd insert – The Hon. Alfred Sears Minister of Works and Utilities delivers remarks at the opening ceremony of the 11th IRF Regional Congress on June 14, 2023.
3rd insert – ROADQUAKE SAFETY SYSTEM BOOTH
4th insert – LUTHER SMITH, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Works and Utilities gives the Opening Ceremony Vote of Thanks at the 11th IRF Caribbean Regional Congress on June 14, 2023.
5th insert – Patrick Sankey, President and CEO, IRF Global, welcomes delegates at the opening of the 11thIRF Caribbean Regional Congress on June 14, 2023 at Atlantis, Paradise Island.
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.
