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Bahamas earmarks $1 Million for Pilot Breakfast Program at 8 Public Schools

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

 

#TheBahamas, September 24, 2023 – A pilot programme to provide breakfast to 2,500 primary school students was, this week, announced by the Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training of The Bahamas; the plan is to test the viability and benefits of the program for possible expansion to the entire public education system.

Minister Glenys Hanna Martin labelled it the National breakfast programme; it starts in October and the first of its kind initiative is described as a collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the Office of the Prime Minister.

“In New Providence, those schools are Columbus Primary, Ridgeland Primary, Sandilands Primary and Albury Sales Primary and in the islands, the schools that are going to be testing this programme are: Rolleville Primary in Exuma; Holmes Rock Primary in Grand Bahama; Cherokee Sound Primary in Abaco and Old Bight Primary in Cat Island,” she said.

The programme, she maintained, is expected to cater to about 2,500 children for the next year; the cost to run the pilot is estimated at $1 million.

Minister Hanna-Martin informed that the purpose of the  programme would be to provide breakfast to all students, instead of a select few and to emphasize this, she pointed to the current lunch programme which she says is for targeted students and reiterates that this new programme will be the opposite and will give breakfast three days weekly: Mondays, Thursday and Fridays.

“The reason why those days were chosen is because it’s anticipated or projected that in many families, there may be deficits to access food on a weekend and so the Monday when they return and the Friday before the weekend.”

The meals, which she informed have been designed in consultation with the Ministry of Health are described as hot, nutritious balanced meals.

During a Thursday September 21 press conference held at the Office of the Prime Minister, Minister Hanna-Martin explained the pilot run would help in testing the effectiveness of the programme.

In fact, the minister said the schools were selected based on data as to potential student challenges. The target schools were those with populations below 600 and with attendance rates below 89.2 percent in the primary schools.

“Now, research has shown, globally, that breakfast programmes provide support for struggling families, fuel student health and learning, provide nutritional support for children, lead to better attendance rates and fewer missed days and higher student performance,” said Hanna-Martin.

This comes as the Government has a commitment to do whatever is required to, in this case, ensure that children have access to food while in school, to see that they attend school, the priority, she says, and that children get quality instruction for human development and securing the well-being and future of the nation.

Based on the outcomes after the period for the pilot, decisions will be made regarding expansion of the program.

Furthermore, the minister expressed that they believe the programme has great potential to have long-lasting fundamental impacts of learning and students attendance as well as quality outcomes for children and young people.

Bahamas News

BMMC Groundbreaking is evidence that all Bahamians can thrive, says PM

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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis on Thursday, December 7 noted the company is a “beacon of national pride” and evidence that all Bahamians can thrive, when giving the keynote address at a ceremony for Bahamas Mineral and Manufacturing Corporation Ltd., at the company’s site on Queen’s Highway.

The Groundbreaking and Cornerstone Laying Ceremony were held at BMMC Ltd. grounds on Queen’s Highway where the headquarters for the new establishment will be.

He said two companies manufacturing pipes, one in Grand Bahama and one in Nassau, have gone out of business, and added that this one will not. Once the company can meet the demand, it will be too costly for businesses to import the product due to tariffs.

The government is committed to assisting young entrepreneurs like Mitchell Thurston by providing the necessary tools to ensure they are not alone on their journey to success.

“This approach is not just an investment in individuals, but an investment in the very fabric of our nation’s economy and future.”

With the company being 100 percent Bahamian owned, and “perfectly aligned with our governments Blueprint for Change,” he said, “by reducing reliance on PVC products and establishing a local production facility, BMMC is not only supporting Bahamian infrastructure, but also aligning with the nation’s environmental sustainability goals.”

The ceremony heralds a future where industry and economy are strengthened.

“Grand Bahama” said the Prime Minister, “must and will be the blueprint for growth and development.”

He added, “It is a stepping stone towards a brighter, more sustainable and prosperous future for The Bahamas and all Bahamians.”

Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey described the day as “grand” in being present for the groundbreaking and cornerstone laying for the state-of-the-art facility which will “revolutionize the construction and manufacturing industries” throughout the country, especially Grand Bahama.

“This new venture envisions opening doors to innovative learning for our students, innovative careers and jobs for Bahamians and spin-off opportunities for new and existing businesses.”

She added that innovation is “critical to the growth and sustainability of our island’s economy. This is why Grand Bahama has been deemed the Home of Innovation in our Blueprint for Change.”

BMMC’s president, Mitchell Thurston, said the project was two years and eight months in the making. Grand Bahama is the perfect location for their headquarters because of the affordability and availability of land; reliable infrastructure; and the proximity to the Container Port, the gateway to the global market.

To date, 13 jobs have been created and filled and through subcontracts throughout the various phases, it is anticipated that 80 jobs will be available during the construction phase. It is hoped they will be able to have a workforce of 33 skilled and unskilled labourers.

Additionally, BMMC will introduce a cadet programme in the Grand Bahama schools, and the top students will be offered jobs to join their team.
Also present were members of the Board of Directors, shareholders of the company led by President Mitchell Thurston, along with representatives from the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, family and friends all of whom gathered for the occasion.

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Bahamas News

Potter’s Cay vendors to get help from Bahamas Gov’t after November fire

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, December 10, 2023 – Victims of the Potter’s Cay fire in November, will soon be assisted by the government of The Bahamas through a credit line organized with a reputable  Bahamian company.

This is being done through the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources on a mission to rebuild the stalls lost in the fire on November 19th, 2023.

According to the ministry, they will assist with a sum of $64,823.62 which is $16,205.88 per stall, to aid business with quickly bounding back, especially given that the holiday season is near, expressed Jomo Campbell, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources.

Campbell spoke to the unfortunate incident saying,

“It was reported that a boat caught fire and drifted to the western side of the dock. As such, four stalls were completely destroyed. We thank God that there wasn’t any injury or loss of life. However, we know that the fire caused damage to the livelihoods of Bahamians and even our fishing industry, which plays a vital role to our food supply.”

Considering this and the ministry’s mission, the credit will be established with [Premiere Importers] Campbell said.

This investment also comes as Potter’s Cay dock, as Campbell pointed put, is a crucial aspect of Bahamian culture.

“It has a vital role to play in our economy,” he said.

For disasters such as this, the minister continues to highlight that the ministry is doing the work to implement preventative measures by fortifying safety protocols, carrying out regular inspections and providing training and resources to businesses in the fishing industry to better equip them to handle emergency situations.

Campbell, in responding to questions as he made the announcement in a video on the ministry’s Facebook, said that insurance for the stalls is an issue that will also be addressed going forward in the new year.

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Bahamas First Lady speaks up for Women and the Family at COP28

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

 

#TheBahamas, December 10, 2023 – Women face unique challenges regarding climate change impacts and The Bahamas Prime Minister’s wife highlighted this at Cop 28.  Joining her husband, Philip Davis who is widely communicating the dire need for climate action, Ann-Marie Davis, First Lady of the archipelago underlined why it’s important to also protect women against climate change effects.

In an interview with media, she spoke to how the climate crisis threatens the health of women globally, highlighting those carrying children.

First Lady Davis points out that it affects the unborn child through harmful gasses the pregnant women can breathe in, the water they drink, and their physical surroundings which may not be conducive to healthy pregnancies and births.

Davis also made sure to highlight that while women are affected differently, especially pregnant women, it’s important to protect everyone, such as men, boys, girls and children overall.

Children can be affected by disabilities and lack of proper development due to climate change impacts, she mentions.

In continuation, the first lady’s remarks compliment the fact that women are considered to be more vulnerable than men to climate change effects according to the United Nations, which says this is mainly due to them representing the majority of the world’s poor and are proportionally more reliant on threatened natural resources.

Regarding the even more vulnerable pregnant women, evidence shows that rising temperatures threaten successful reproduction. In fact, heat stress can cause stillbirths, preterm births and low fetal weight, according to Frontiers in Endocrinology, the third most cited and sixith largest research publisher and open science platform.

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