Bahamas News

BAHAMAS: Ministry of Social Services Announces Plans for Rehabilitation Week

Published

7 years ago

November 3, 2017

#Bahamas, November 3, 2017 – Nassau – The week of November 6^th – 13^th, 2017 is Rehabilitation Week. The Hon. Lanisha Rolle, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development made the declaration at a press conference to officially announce activities planned by the Department of Rehabilitative and Welfare Services to observe the week.

The activities include the following: a Juvenile Forum for high school students to address Bullying, Gang Violence and Sexual Health; a Parenting Workshop organized by the National Parenting Programme in conjunction with the Northeastern Pastors Alliance; and a Staff Motivational Seminar. The theme for the week is, “Redefining Life through Rehabilitation.”

Minister Rolle, at the department’s University Drive offices, said: the activities aim to inform the public about the role the Department plays in providing services to the community as well as in the development of youth, particularly those who encounter problems with the law, who are in Correctional Institutions, and who seek professional help.

“Juveniles in Correctional Institutions share the same interests with all youths, and because they are separated from family, friends and neighborhood groupings, they have an increased need for informal relationships with others. The Department of Rehabilitative and Welfare Services recognizes this need and is taking every corrective measure to ensure that proper interventions and programmes are in place to treat and rehabilitate, as we move towards empowering them for a better tomorrow.

“The rehabilitation process is considered to be complex, with a number of variables which are all directed towards behavior modification, behavior management and lifestyle changes of the ex-offender. However, the most promising rehabilitation takes place in the home and community. The home is where the child first receives from their parents the kind of love and nurturing that shape their lives forever. I venture to say that the occurrence of violence in our school system is a direct result of a lack of or insufficient parenting in the home,” said Minister Rolle.

She opined that incarceration does little to break the cycle of crime or rehabilitate the offender, and once an offender is sentenced to incarceration for any offence, it is likely that he will return should he not receive the necessary intervention.

The role of the Department of Rehabilitative and Welfare Services in the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development is not only to develop programs based on the ex-offender’s rehabilitative needs, but to also provide training and technical assistance that build community capacity, so they can develop and implement projects that make a difference in the lives of children, youths and community.

She pledged the Ministry’s commitment to transforming communities through the delivery of “effective” and “efficient” services to and on behalf of the Bahamian people.

By: Kathryn Campbell (BIS)

BIS Photos/Derek Smith

Photo captions:

Header photo:Representatives of the Department of Rehabilitative and Welfare Services who are responsible for Rehabilitation Week are pictured.

Insert #1: The Hon. Lanisha Rolle, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development announces plans for Rehabilitation Week.

Insert #2: The Hon. Lanisha Rolle, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, at left, chats with Lillian Quant-Forbes, Acting Director.

Insert #3: The Hon. Lanisha Rolle, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development (2nd left) is shown at the press conference to declare Rehabilitation Week. Also pictured are Lillian Quant-Forbes, Acting Director (3rd left) and representatives of the Department of Rehabilitative and Welfare Services including Quintin Gray (1st left) at the department on University Drive.

Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

Published

3 days 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

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

Published

3 days 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.

Bahamas News

Get your laugh on, March On show coming to Turks and Caicos with box office at IGA Friday and Saturday

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale this weekend from May 3 to 5.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew.

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attention.”

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.

A ticket booth will be set up from today, Friday May 3 in the foyer of IGA grocery store beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and then again all day on Saturday, allowing residents to purchase with cash.

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. Then the full team returns on Friday, May 11 for the actual showing at 8 pm and their two showings on Saturday at 4pm and 8 pm. The venue is Brayton Hall, Providenciales under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.

Tickets are only $60 for general seating and $75 for VIP seating.

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stoplaughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”