Bahamas News
Coming Home, Local Exumian becomes First Artist-in-Residence at Big Sampson Cay
By Paula Welch
Big Sampson Cay, Exuma — In the super-charged reality we call our daily lives, few things — and fewer places — still have the capacity to take our breath away.
One of those is a near hidden gem that lies in the heart of The Bahamas and this week, a local artist had an opportunity to capture it as the island’s first artist-in-residence. His name is Emmanuel Clarke and for the better part of five days he worked alone on the relatively undeveloped island called Big Sampson Cay, his brush strokes on canvas creating a permanent repository of the blues and greens of the waters and land around him.
The idea of an artist-in-residence program originated with Bob and Jeanne Coughlin, second homeowners in Exuma and the developers of a planned $50 million retreat on Big Sampson.
“Many may not be aware, but those who have crossed the path of Bob Coughlin understand he has an unwavering desire to see natural beauty preserved,” explained Eric Carey, former executive director of the Bahamas National Trust. “As residents of the Bahamas the Coughlins have been doing whatever they can to support and help in every way possible with a variety of organizations, including BNT, Trust, Friends of Exuma, Run for Pompey, Tour de Turquoise.”
Tour de Turquoise, the cycling event, raised more than $100,000 for Exuma causes.
Coughlin is the co-founder and president of Friends of Exuma, a 501C3 foundation that provides a means for ex-pats to donate to worthwhile causes and programs in Exuma from scholarships to environmental and cultural preservation. Its major donations to sailing have uplifted the new national sport in the islands where the native sloop regatta was born.
It was at a Paint ‘n Sip event through the Arts Network and Friends of Exuma that the Coughlins first met Clarke. They shared stories of their love for the Exumas, the Coughlins purchased a painting and shared their vision for the gentle footprint, eco-development on Big Sampson Cay.
For Clarke, that accidental meeting was fortuitous. While his family is from Little Exuma, part of his family resided
in the U.S. and he spent much of his youth abroad, attending high school in the U.S., college in Chicago area and continuing a post-graduate university program in France.
“The frigid cold, the exact opposite of warm sand, crystal oceans and our beautiful eco-system,” he lamented. “The Bahamas and Exuma kept calling me back. This is my home’.
When he returned, he was determined to corral his training and his travels into capturing on canvas the majesty of the land of his birth.
“I was one of the lucky people,” he says. “I always knew what I wanted to do from an early age. I just wanted to design and paint and there is no place more beautiful than right here at home in the Exumas.”
As conversations continued between the artist and what would become the patron of his first residency, the idea was born.
“Let’s have artists take turns, come stay on the island, use this great slice of heaven on earth and allow that to be the muse for one’s talent. This would be such a cool and interesting way to share this with people that will be coming to this retreat, to see the art, be a part of it being created and share it so these works of art will make it around the world as people’s prized possessions as they recount the most peaceful place on earth they’ve ever been,” said Coughlin.
Clarke was invited to the island with little advice other than ‘paint to your heart’s content.’
He admits the thought of it was “a little scary’ but once he was on Big Sampson, a boat ride of more than 60 miles across the chain of 365 islands and cays, he was so inspired his energy just took over.
“I felt alive in every way,” he smiled.
“Picture this, he says, “I would take a walk along the beach at sunrise, explore spots I’d like to set up and study that area to start, eat some breakfast, I would set myself up – paint, easel, canvas, sometimes just start sketching, but always in a place where I could look in all directions and experience all the surroundings. Then in-between I would go diving in the ocean, go fish off the rocks, eat berries. Space and peace continuously leave room for creativity. It is never ending.”
As his last day of painting on the Big Sampson Cay was wrapping up, he said there was not enough time to paint all he could see. “It was an honour to be the first artist-in-residence at Big Sampson Cay,” he said. “It will provide even more inspiration for artists of every age in the Exuma Arts Network and its camps. When the retreat is built, hopefully, we will be able to bring artists on a regular basis. This is like God’s canvas and I am glad it is going to be protected by someone who has the vision.”
To get involved or learn more about Arts Network: https://exumafriends.org/exuma-arts-network; and insta: @exumaartsnetwork
To find Pratt-Smith’s art and to see more about him please go to his insta: @emmanuelaopc
Bahamas News
Next U.S. Ambassador? Walker Pledges Business-Driven Approach as U.S. Looks to Counter China in The Bahamas
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
The Bahamas, September 16, 2025 – For the first time since 2011, the United States is on the cusp of sending an ambassador to The Bahamas — and the nominee, former football star turned entrepreneur Herschel Walker, is promising to bring his business instincts to the diplomatic table.
Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Walker underscored that his background in food-service companies and small business leadership has prepared him to think practically about investment. “I know how to run a business, how to create jobs, how to make payroll. Those lessons translate into building relationships and building trust,” Walker said.
Walker, who was nominated by President Trump in December 2024, faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 11. As of now, he has not yet been confirmed; his nomination remains under review, pending a committee vote before it can move to the full Senate. If approved, he would become the first U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas since 2011.
For years, U.S. officials have stressed security and counternarcotics cooperation with The Bahamas, including through “Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.” But in areas like infrastructure, medical care, and long-term investment, Washington has often been absent.
Hospitals and clinics remain under-resourced, and hurricane recovery has been slow in many islands. Chinese state-backed firms, by contrast, have shown up with financing packages and construction deals — a presence that has raised alarms on Capitol Hill.
“Only 50 miles off our shore, The Bahamas is too important for us to ignore,” warned Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders during Walker’s hearing. They called China’s inroads “strategic, not charitable,” suggesting Beijing’s long game is about ports, proximity, and political leverage.
Walker positioned himself as a nontraditional but pragmatic envoy. He argued that his business career, rooted in private sector success, equips him to champion American investment in The Bahamas.
He pledged to:
- Promote U.S. companies interested in medical and infrastructure projects.
- Support an environment that encourages American investors to see The Bahamas as more than just a beach destination.
- Highlight opportunities for partnerships that improve public services, healthcare, and resilience against hurricanes.
“I’ve built businesses. I know what it takes to attract investors and create opportunity. That is exactly what I intend to bring to our relationship with The Bahamas,” Walker said.
The Bahamas is not just a tourist paradise. It’s a frontline state in migration, drug interdiction, and hurricane response. More than six
million U.S. visitors travel there annually, making stability and safety a U.S. domestic concern as much as a foreign policy one.
And yet, with the ambassador post vacant for 14 years, the U.S. has often looked detached — opening space for China’s ambitious Belt and Road agenda. The fear is that infrastructure deals signed today could give Beijing leverage in the region tomorrow. Walker’s confirmation would symbolize a course correction, signaling Washington’s intent to re-engage not only in security but in the economic future of The Bahamas. Not everyone is convinced Herschel Walker is the right man for the job. His nomination revived controversies from his 2022 Senate run, including past allegations, public gaffes, and doubts about whether he has the diplomatic polish the post demands. Some senators and analysts questioned whether celebrity and business experience were enough for a role requiring nuance in foreign policy and geopolitics.
Critics argued that The Bahamas, sitting just 50 miles from Florida and facing intense Chinese interest, deserves a seasoned diplomat rather than a political ally.
Walker confronted those doubts head-on. “People have underestimated me all my life — in academics, athletics, and business,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I have always proven them wrong, through discipline, determination, and by outworking everyone.”
He admitted he had never served as an ambassador but countered that his career prepared him in other ways: building businesses, managing payrolls, and connecting with people from all walks of life. He framed his business background as a strength, promising to use it to encourage U.S. investment in healthcare, infrastructure, and hurricane resilience projects in The Bahamas.
Rather than sparring with critics, Walker leaned on confidence and persistence: “I know how to build trust and find common ground. That’s what this relationship needs.”
If confirmed, Walker would have to balance his role as diplomat with expectations of being a commercial cheerleader for U.S. firms. His emphasis on entrepreneurship suggests a willingness to push U.S. businesses toward opportunities in healthcare, ports, and post-storm reconstruction — areas where Bahamians say they need the most support.
For Bahamian officials, the question will be whether Washington is prepared to back words with financing. U.S. private sector dollars, paired with aid and development partnerships, could help shift the tide against Chinese influence.
For Walker, the test will be whether his business acumen can translate into diplomatic wins — giving Bahamians alternatives to Beijing, while deepening the U.S. role in the Caribbean.
Analysis: If Walker delivers, this appointment could mark a turning point: a U.S. strategy that recognizes that in the Caribbean, investment is diplomacy.
The Bahamas, September 10, 2025 – Rescue swimmers from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Aviation Training Center in
Mobile, Alabama visited Nassau to train Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) and Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) members in water survival skills as part of Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) earlier this week.
“Training alongside our USCG partners ensures our personnel are best prepared for the unique challenges of joint operations” said Superintendent Wendy Pearson, Commander Drug Enforcement Unit.
The multi-day exercise, centered on the USCG’s Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET), enhanced the safety and preparedness of Bahamian partners who routinely operate aboard USCG helicopters during OPBAT missions. The exercise provided hands-on instruction for 31 participants and strengthened interoperability between U.S. and Bahamian agencies engaged in counter-drug, search and rescue, and maritime security operations throughout the region.
“We were excited and proud to have the opportunity to share our expertise with our Bahamian partners. Not only did RBDF and RBPF
perform exceptionally well, they exceeded the standards we set for the event,” said Petty Officer Second Class Cole Johnson, USCG.
OPBAT is a cooperative multi-agency international operation supporting The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands to stop illicit drug smuggling through the region. U.S. Embassy Nassau Chargé d’affaires Kimberly Furnish stated, “Since 1982, OPBAT has worked to stop the flow of illicit narcotics through the Caribbean, destined for the United States or other jurisdictions. This is international cooperation at its best.”
