Bahamas News

Opportunity to Improve Lives of All Bahamians is ‘A Great Privilege’ says Bahamas Prime Minister

Published

6 years ago

December 11, 2017

#Bahamas, December 11, 2017 – Nassau – The opportunity to improve the lives of all Bahamians is the greatest privilege of serving as Head of Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert A. Minnis said recently.

“I am motivated every day by a commitment to social justice and the common good,” Prime Minister Minnis said. “I am motivated by the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable in our land.

“Any privilege that does not issue forth in helping the least amongst us is privilege that is wasted. It is a special privilege to work daily to provide our children and young people with opportunities to dream and to realize their dreams,” Prime Minister Minnis added.

The Prime Minister’s comments came ahead of the launch of the Economic Development and Planning Unit’s (Office of the Prime Minister) Over-the-Hill Community Development Partnership Initiative (OCDPI) that is designed to – among other major impacts – transform and rejuvenate inner-city communities “in ways only dreamt about before.”

Launched Thursday, December 8, 2017 in the Bain and Grants Town and Centreville areas with a Town Hall Meeting at the Grants Town Wesley Methodist Church Hall with Phase I, the OCDPI will be funded through an annual grant of $5 million from the Government of The Bahamas and is a partnership between the Government, the University of The Bahamas, the Over-the-Hill Community, Civil Society and Private Partnerships.

The Government will play the leading role through the introduction of public policy and legislation, and the provision of resources. Civil Society (non-governmental organizations expressing the interests of citizenry) is also expected to play a critical role by providing advocacy and critical services, as will the Private Sector, offering partnership through demonstrated corporate social responsibility.

Officials of the Economic Development and Planning Unit say the Bain and Grants Town and Centreville areas were selected to be included in Phase One of the Project because national data indicate the two communities are the two most impoverished communities of New Providence. Phase Two of the Project will involve the communities of St. Barnabas and Englerston, ranked third and fourth. (The statistics were provided by the Department of Statistics and based on the 2010 Census. The Census is conducted every ten years in The Bahamas.)

Prime Minister Minnis said since May (when his Administration took office) he has had a “new vantage point” that has allowed him to see more in-depth, “the challenges and problems as well as the opportunities and possibilities of our country.” The OCDPI reflects the vision of Prime Minister Minnis for the transformation and rejuvenation of Over-the-Hill Communities.

“There are many tough days. There are sometimes sleepless nights, but the great reward of helping others outshines the sometime difficult days and nights. God knows I have made some mistakes,” Prime Minister Minnis continued, “God knows that sometimes I get it wrong. Sometimes, I don’t explain or say things as well as I should.

“[But] my passion is to give back to our country what this country has given to me. The greatest privilege of serving as Head of Government, is the opportunity to improve the lives of my fellow Bahamians,” Prime Minister Minnis added.

By: Matt Maura (BIS)

Photo caption: Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Minnis

Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.”