Bahamas News
LaRoda makes clarion call for end to all violence as country prepares to observe 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
From: Bahamas Information Services
NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the Hon. Myles K. LaRoda, Thursday made a “clarion call” for an end to all violence in-country, but in particular, violence against women and girls.
The call came in the aftermath of the discovery of the remains of a 12-year-old missing school girl (Wednesday, November 20) in bushes near Faith Avenue South, and as the Ministry, its Department of Gender and Family Affairs; the National Women’s Advisory Council, along
with other female non-governmental organizations and advocacy groups, and stakeholders, prepare to observe National Women’s Week across the Commonwealth of The Bahamas (November 24-30).
Minister LaRoda said his Ministry, the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, along with its government and non-governmental partners and stakeholders must, and will, remain “resolute” in their push as it relates to “rooting out this scourge.”
The start of National Women’s Week serves as the precursor to the global observance of the United Nations’ Sixteen Days of Activism to End Violence against Women and Girls, which will be observed from November 25 (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day). The campaign calls for global action to increase awareness, advocacy and innovations to help end violence against women and girls.
The sixteen days of activism are included in the observance of National Women’s Week and, in this regard, the Department of Gender and Family Affairs has organized the End the Violence March and Rally for Sunday, December 7, beginning at 4 p.m. The March will commence at the South Beach Police Station and end at the Pinewood Gardens Park with a rally. It is expected that representation from a cross-section of the country will come together in solidarity to speak out against violence against women and girls.
Gender-based violence (or GBV) is considered a serious violation of human rights and a life-threatening health, and protection issue. Although anyone — women, girls, men and boys — can be victims of gender-based violence, women and girls are especially at risk.
GBV can include sexual, physical, mental and economic harm inflicted in public or in private. It also includes threats of violence, coercion and manipulation. This can take many forms such as intimate partner violence and sexual violence, among others.
Officials at the Department of Gender and Family Affairs (DGFA), including those at its Men’s Desk, say the consequences of gender-based violence are devastating and can have life-long repercussions for survivors. It can even lead to death.
In an effort to continue its mandate to bring further awareness to the negative impacts GBV can have, the DGFA has been working year-round with the National Women’s Advisory Council and other strategic partners and stakeholders, including the various advocacy groups, to address GBV and to ensure the implementation and strengthening of the requisite programmes and strategies to help address, prevent and mitigate Gender-based violence in-country.
Minister LaRoda, in his brief statement on the incident as it is still under active police investigation, said: “You would note that just last
night (Wednesday night), we learned of the very tragic death of a female child in southern, New Providence and we were alerted to other children who have gone missing. While details of this tragedy and the missing children case is still under investigation, we make the clarion call for an end to violence, particularly against our women and girls.”
Minister LaRoda, while applauding the work done by the DGFA, the National Women’s Advisory Council, and the many other government and non-governmental partners and stakeholders, in “getting the message out” of the debilitating effects Gender-based violence, and indeed all violence, can have on society, said the push to address GBV will take resilience.
“The violence doesn’t stop on the observance of days. We have to come to grips that ours is a society, where acts of violence including death against women and girls, do not take a vacation. But we as a community have to remain resilient. We have to continue to put the message out there. We are not going to get to Utopia based on naming days, coming up with strategies where we are going to bat 1,000 per cent.
“We, at the Ministry, including those women’s advocacy groups, government and non-governmental organizations, and private citizens who are appalled by this act cannot be deterred. Our collective resolve has to be one where we become even more resolute in our mission as it relates to rooting out this scourge.”
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.
