Bahamas News
Culture Meets Couture at GBPA’s Crafters Academy Training
Freeport, Grand Bahama – July 22, 2025 – The latest Crafters Academy workshop, “Crafting Couture”, took place in Freeport, Grand Bahama July 17-18, 2025 much to the delight of local crafters and enthusiasts of traditional straw work. An initiative of The Grand Bahama Port Authority Limited (GBPA), Crafters Academy was created to strengthen the island’s crafts sector and build a strong community of artisans who can be ready, equipped, and confident to take advantage of the growing economic opportunities that are opening up in the sector.
“Crafters Academy represents our commitment to economic diversification, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship at the
most opportune moment in our island’s history,” noted LaShawn Dames, GBPA Business Development Manager with responsibility for the Invest Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau. “With Celebration Key transforming our tourism landscape, we’re ensuring our artisans are equipped to capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity. By supporting programs that transform renewable resources into luxury goods, we’re not just creating jobs—we’re building a sustainable creative economy that honors our past while protecting our future, scaled to meet the demands of 2 million new visitors annually.”
“Crafting Couture” challenged participants to look at the art of straw plaiting from a fresh perspective. Lisa Codella, Creative Director at Crafters Academy said “We reminded participants of the deep cultural heritage that straw plait represents. This is a traditional craft that’s rooted in African ancestral knowledge and shaped by the resilience and adaptation of enslaved Bahamians in a colonial context. Bahamian straw plaiting is a blending of skills from our African forebears and those from new world family like the Seminoles who sought freedom in Andros. Straw designs and uses have evolved incrementally, and this workshop is yet another reminder to our local artisans that they, too, can and should express their contemporary artisanship onto the canvas of this traditional craft.”
This alchemy of blending traditional crafts with couture is the vision of Fatima-Zahra Kaboub, the Founder and Chairman of Freeport Fashion Week and ArtLucaya. According to Kaboub, building connections between traditional artisanship and contemporary luxury fashion will be a powerful engine to drive economic empowerment and share cultural pride while proving that authenticity, sustainability, and innovation can coexist beautifully.
“We’re not just teaching skills; we’re reclaiming our narrative of authenticity while championing environmental responsibility,” declared
Kaboub, a French-trained designer with valuable insights into global luxury markets. “Each straw bag tells the story of our island, our people, and our resilience. It was very important for us to have Grand Bahamian fashion designers Anthea Bullard for Hardour, Dominic Russell aka Pastry Boy, and Edilzabeth Newball for Bella Vissi participate in Crafters Academy. Their experience in the world of high fashion combined with the historic craftsmanship inherent in Bahamian straw work honors straw work’s legacy while exploring fresh, fashion-forward expressions. Their designs inspired attendees to take a fresh look at the possibilities of straw work, and everyone created bold designs that are truly runway-ready. All this while proving that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.”
Cacique Award recipients, veteran straw artisans, business partners, and sisters, Vernetta Frith and Roganna Wilchcombe of Strawtacular Designs were on hand to lend their vast expertise in creating premier quality straw bags. Frith, who has worked with straw for decades, gave participants an overview of the intricate process of traditional straw plaiting. “Straw is nature’s gift that keeps giving,” she explained. “Unlike synthetic materials that harm our oceans, straw grows back, biodegrades naturally, and carries the soul of our islands in every fiber.”
The free workshops, hosted by GBPA’s Invest Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau, represent a circular economy in action. Participants learn to transform naturally renewable straw into high-value products while mastering their niche within the value chain—whether learning about the delicate art of straw plaiting, constructing foundational bag structures, or adding finishing touches that command premium prices.
In a world increasingly dominated by fast fashion’s environmental toll, Grand Bahama’s artisans are proving that tradition, when properly nurtured and sustainably positioned, can command premium prices while preserving our planet. With Celebration Key’s opening promising to reshape the island’s economic landscape, Crafters Academy hopes to ensure that Grand Bahamian artisans are positioned to ride the wave of economic growth as the demand for straw goods continues to grow.
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
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