Bahamas News

Grand Lucayan Should be Ready for 2017 Winter Season

Published

7 years ago

July 27, 2017

Bahamas, July 27, 2017 – Nassau – Renovations at the Grand Lucayan in Grand Bahama are expected to begin within the next month with the facility expected to be ready in time for the 2017 Winter Season.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Alexander Minnis said, in his national address, July 26, that the Government of The Bahamas is intent on resuscitating the Grand Lucayan “as rapidly and as sustainably as possible” and thereafter sell its equity to one of the existing partners or other investors in a bid to turn the Grand Bahama economy around.

Dr. Minnis said the Government has also identified a number of integrated travel and hospitality companies that can bring not only quality brands to Grand Bahama, “but also much-needed air transportation.”

Prime Minister Minnis said his Administration will focus on a number of tourism initiatives “to get our economy going again” while not excluding the urgent need for diversification within tourism and other sectors and other potential areas of growth.

Prime Minister Minnis said this will not happen without a successfully operating Grand Lucayan, a successfully operating Atlantis and a successfully operating Baha Mar Resort.

“I recently toured Baha Mar where I received assurances from the managers of the hotel of a timeline for the mega-resort coming fully on stream. This will help to improve the fiscal condition of the country inclusive of public revenue,” Prime Minister Minnis said.

“I have also visited Atlantis on Paradise Island. It is most important to our economy that both of these mega-resorts succeed. My Administration will do all that we can to ensure this outcome.

“We need to get our people back to work and to get our economy on the path to making it again the envy of our region. This will not happen without a successful Baha Mar. Their success is The Bahamas’ success. We will do all we can to aid them in attaining this success,” Prime Minister Minnis added.

Dr. Minnis said statistics show that while at least 65 per cent of the economic activity and more than 50 per cent of the jobs of The Bahamas are delivered from the tourism sector, just 60 per cent of the country’s hotel and resort rooms are occupied annually.

“If we manage to achieve near 80 per cent occupancy in our hotels on a year-round basis, we will increase our economic activity and jobs from tourism by one-third,” Prime Minister Minnis said.

“This will cause a considerable dent in the unemployment problem facing our country. Even as I have spoken at some length on Grand Lucayan, Atlantis and Baha Mar, my Government will also address the needs of the more than 250 smaller and licensed properties in Nassau, Paradise Island, Grand Bahama and throughout our Family Islands.

“We will introduce further incentives to small hotels where local produce is on the menu,” Prime Minister Minnis added.

Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

Published

23 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

The Bahamas’ economy is in good standing according to reports from the Bahamas National Statistical Institute which released the Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Series. They indicate that quarterly GDP trends for 2023 saw increases compared to 2022, a sign of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.

The most significant increase was 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, and the industries responsible for the growth include Accommodations and food, construction and Arts.

Bahamas News

C&W COMMUNICATIONS PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED AS ATHLETES “CHASE THE SUN”

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

World Relays to be title sponsored by BTC, one of C&W’s local brands.

In just a few days, athletes from over fifty countries will converge in The Bahamas for the BTC World Athletic Relays Bahamas 24. C&W Communications, the parent company of BTC, is proud to be associated with this major event, which will see athletes from The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago competing for a place in the upcoming Olympic games in Paris.

Inge Smidts, CEO of C&W Communications, who also serves as Chair of the BTC Board of Directors will be in the stands to witness the highly anticipated relays. Smidts says, this was an event that she simply could not miss. “We are proud to support our Caribbean athletes, and we wish them well as they vie for a spot in the Olympic games.

The relays will be held one of in our markets, The Bahamas, and we are honoured to be the title sponsor of the event. The world relays represent the spirit of relentless courage and the willingness to succeed of the Caribbean people and of our business. Through partnerships like this we demonstrate our unwavering commitment to connect communities and change lives.”

In addition to its sponsorship of the event, Smidts says it was important that athletes, officials, and fans stayed connected during the games. “As a business we are focused on ensuring that our customers have access to faster, stronger, and more reliable connectivity, and we worked with our partners to make certain that athletes and guests remain connected.

We have offered e-sim cards, and we also worked with the major hotels to set up care centers to ensure that we address any connectivity concerns on the spot. Additionally, I am pleased to announce that BTC will provide free Wi-Fi at the stadium giving patrons and athletes the opportunity to share every riveting moment.”

BTC has hosted a special event just for the Caribbean athletes, at the newly renovated Queen’s Staircase in Nassau, a recently renovated historic landmark visited by thousands of tourists each day. This event gave athletes the opportunity to unwind, mingle, and to learn more about each other right before the competition.

This is the fourth time that BTC and its parent company C&W Communications have title sponsored the world relays. The BTC World Athletic Relays will be held at the Thomas A. Robinson Track & Field Stadium from May 4-5, under the theme, “Chase the Sun, from Paradise to Paris.”

Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.

King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.

King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “

Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.

“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.