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Bahamas Development Bank and UN Women Launch $2M Low-Interest Programme

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Nassau, Bahamas, August 19, 2024 – Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) owned, led by, or of benefit to women, youth, and persons with disabilities will have access to 0 to 2 percent low-interest loans starting this month.

The Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean (UN Women MCO Caribbean) recently signed a partnership agreement to provide the new, dynamic concessional financing to agriculture, sustainable tourism, and creative businesses.

UN Women, through project funding from the Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund, will be investing 100,000 USD into the low-cost loan product developed by BDB.

Nicholas Higgs, BDB’s Managing Director, described the financial product as a “game-changer” for The Bahamas.

“By providing low-interest loans to MSMEs, we are empowering local businesses to thrive, innovate, and contribute significantly to our economy. This initiative not only supports economic growth but also promotes social inclusion by targeting underrepresented groups such as women, youth, and people living with disabilities. It is a pivotal step towards a more equitable and prosperous future for our nation.”

Mr. Higgs added, “Loans are useful for business growth. This new product allows businesses to scale up production, improve products, stay competitive, enter new markets or take advantage of growth opportunities.”

Loan applications will be accepted until 13 September 2024. The concessional financing allows businesses to access the 0 to 2 percent interest rate for the first two years. Financing beyond the two-year period or exceeding $100,000 will be subject to standard BDB interest rates.

The loans are made possible through blended financing, a mechanism which uses public and development funds to subsidize interest rates on traditional loans taken by the Bahamas Development Bank.

Tonni Brodber, Representative UN Women MCO Caribbean said, “For many businesses, access to loans can mean the difference between staying small or achieving significant growth, driving innovation and economic development in their communities.”

“A major focus for this fund is supporting women and young entrepreneurs in overcoming existing financing gaps to support their full and equal economic and social participation. Recognizing that women are less likely to take out loans when compared to men, closing the gap between the need for financing and the access to financing is crucial for women entrepreneurs to overcome economic challenges, enhance their financial independence, and enable women to contribute to the overall economic development and job creation in The Bahamas.”

The Bahamas Development Bank and UN Women have been in partnership through the Joint SDG Fund Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Programme since 2022. It is being jointly implemented in The Bahamas and Bermuda by BDB, the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors in Bermuda, and four United Nations agencies including UN Women, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The programme is scheduled to run until 1 October 2024.

Interested applicants can visit https://bahamasdevelopmentbank.com/funding-programs/sdg-concessional-loan-fund/  or email info@bdb.gov.bs for more information.

 

Photo Caption:

Pictured from left to right are Bahamas Development Bank  (BDB) Deputy Managing Director, Dave Munroe; BDB Managing Director, Nicholas Higgs; UN Women MCO Caribbean Representative Tonni Brodber and  UN Women MCO Caribbean Private Sector Specialist Gayle Gollop.

 

Bahamas News

Twist To Win Ends in a Grand Style with Four $5,000 Mall at Marathon Shopping Sprees  

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Twist To Win grand finale winners (l-r) Brian Bethel, Taraceta Neely, Ashia Demeritte and Merlin Adams posing along with their winnings from the shopping spree.

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.

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 The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival  

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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!

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CWS Brings a Galore of Bubbles at Annual Jollification Festival  

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Caribbean Wines & Spirits team members smiling behind one of the company’s two bars at Jollification

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.

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