Bahamas News
Agriculture, ‘root of our national strength,’ says minister as he launches the 2025 Agrarian Awards
By Betty Vedrine
Bahamas information Services
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources has officially launched the 2025 Agrarian Awards. This year’s event carries the theme, ‘Planting with Heart and Soil.’
AGRARIAN AWARDS PRESS CONFERENCE, 31st July 2025. Anthon Thompson-4
A press conference was held at the ministry’s headquarters on Thursday, 31st July. Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Hon. Jomo Campbell said that farmers throughout the country have been committed to reaching the government’s objective of achieving food security. “Across the length and breadth of the Bahamas, from our capital city to the smallest Family Island, our farmers have been innovating with purpose, producing with passion and planting not just with their hands, but with their hearts. Today, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine resources, in partnership with the Agricultural Development Organization (ADO), proudly launches the 2025 Agrarian Awards under the theme: planting with heart and soil,” said Mr. Campbell.
The Minister said that this year’s theme is both a call to action and a celebration. He said that It is a reminder that sustainable agriculture is not only about new technology or modern equipment but also about caring for the land, providing food for people, and building self-reliant communities.
“The Agrarian Awards is our ministry’s highest platform for recognizing those who have gone above and beyond in contributing to national food community transformation,” he said. “This year’s celebration will take place on October 18th, 2025 at the majestic Atlantis Ballroom and it promises to be our biggest and most meaningful celebration yet – with over $50,000 in cash and prizes to be awarded across a wide range of categories.”
Mr. Campbell also announced the recipient of the ‘Minister’s Choice, Lifetime Achievement’ award sponsored by Royal Caribbean is Mr. Pericles Maillis. He called Mr. Maillis ‘a towering figure in Bahamian agriculture’ whose decades of service, mentorship and unwavering dedication have shaped the lives of countless farmers and helped develop the agricultural landscape of our country.
The ‘Emerald Pioneer’ award will go to Forrester Bowe for his decades’ long dedication to Bahamian agriculture. “He is 92 years old and still farming. As a respected farmer and advocate for sustainable farming practices, Mr. Bowe has played a transformative role in advancing food security and inspiring future generations of Bahamian agrarians. His unwavering commitment to excellence and growth in the industry makes him truly deserving of this award.”
Awards will also be presented in the following categories:
- Male Farmer of the Year
Minister Jomo Campbell, centre, speaking at press conference
- Female Farmer of the Year
- Youth Farmer of the Year
- School Farm of the Year
- Community Farmer of the Year
- Commercial Farm of the Year
- Agri-processor of the Year
- People’s Choice – Backyard Farmer of the Year.
All are expected to receive cash prizes.
The Minister encouraged nominations from every island, every settlement and every corner of the country’s agricultural community. “To nominate a candidate, please visit www.adobahamas.org where you will find the official nomination forms, criteria and submission instructions.”
Top Award Recipients – Forrester Bowe (left) and Pericles Maillis
He also invited the public to participate in the selection of the People’s Choice awards. “We are inviting the public to be a part of the selection process. To be a nominee, you must send a video or photo to: agrarianawards@gmail.com and our team will post your backyard farm for voting,” he said. “To vote, simply like and follow the ministry’s Facebook page. You must follow the page for your vote to count. Your engagement will help determine this year’s backyard farming champion. The deadline for all nominations is September 1st at midnight.”
He said that once the finalists are announced, tickets will go on sale. “Ladies and gentlemen, this event is more than just an awards night. It’s a tribute to resilience. It’s a celebration of innovation. It’s a moment to say, as a country, that we see our farmers, we value our Agri-leaders, and we believe that agriculture is the root of our national strength.”
He concluded by thanking the sponsors for this year’s awards and encouraged others to partner with the government to facilitate the success of the event. These sponsors include: Royal Caribbean, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), Caribbean Bottling, Super Value, ALIV, the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), Bahamasair and the Tourism Development Corporation.
PHOTO CAPTION
The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources officially launched the 2025 Agrarian Awards under the theme, ‘Planting with Heart and Soil.’ The announcement was held at the Ministry’s headquarters on East Bay Street on Thursday, 31st July. Making the announcement during the press conference was the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Hon. Jomo Campbell. In group photo, from left: Acting Chairman/BAMSI Valentino Munroe; Tourism Development Corporation Executive Director Ian Ferguson; Agriculture Development Organization Executive Director Philip Smith; Communications Officer/Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources; Undersecretary/Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources Montez Williams; Minister Jomo Campbell; Forrester Bowe – Emerald Pioneer Award recipient; Pericles Maillis – Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
(BIS Photos/Anthon Thompson)
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.
