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BAHAMAS: FOIA provides for autonomous Information Commissioner/Freedom of Information Unit

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#Bahamas, April 25, 2018 – Nassau – The Bahamas’ Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 2017, provides for the appointment of an Information Commissioner whose independence and sterling character will be crucial to the working of the regime, Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Minnis said Monday (April 23, 2018).

Prime Minister Minnis made the announcement while addressing the Opening Session of a Workshop on the Freedom of Information Act, 2017, hosted by the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs at the Paul H. Farquharson Conference Centre, Police Headquarters.

The Information Commissioner will be appointed by the Governor General pursuant to Section 30 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2017, and upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister, after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

“It is crucial to note that the Information Commissioner will have the overall responsibility for the Freedom of Information regime,” Prime Minister Minnis said.  “The Commissioner will be required to monitor public authorities to ensure that they are complying with the Act.”

Prime Minister Minnis said the Information Commissioner will establish a Freedom of Information Unit with its own staff and which will include one or more Deputy Information Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners.

“The Information Commissioner will enjoy independence and autonomy in operating and administering the Freedom of Information Unit,” Prime Minister Minnis added.

In order to further ensure the Information Commissioner’s independence, the Act provides that the Commissioner will be a ‘corporation sole’ and that he or she must be a fit and proper person, appropriately qualified for appointment; be independent, impartial and accountable; and have demonstrable knowledge in access to information or public and corporate governance.

“If an individual, group or entity is not satisfied with a decision of a public authority, the Act provides for various levels of appeal up to the Supreme Court,” Prime Minister Minnis said.

Prime Minister Minnis said to properly implement the Freedom of Information regime, each public authority to which the Act relates, must have Information Managers to facilitate the requests for records and the granting of access to records.  The Information Managers will be required to undergo special training.

“Each public authority, in consultation with the Information Commissioner, must ensure that training is provided for its officials regarding the right to information and the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act as provided in Section 51,” Prime Minister Minnis added.

Monday’s workshop was facilitated by Mr. Damian Cox, Chief Technical Director, Office the Prime Minister, Jamaica, Access to Information Unit, and Mr. Shane Miller, Assistant Director of Legal Affairs, The Bahamas.   Mr. Cox was involved in the implementation of Jamaica’s Access to Information Act, which is the equivalent to The Bahamas’ Freedom of Information Act.

The workshop included an Outline/Overview of the Bahamas FOIA, facilitated by Assistant Director Miller and also focused on Critical Components of Successful Freedom of Information Implementation and Jamaica’s Access to Information Experience – Challenges, Successes and Opportunities, both facilitated by Chief Technical Officer Cox.

It was attended by Members of the Cabinet of The Bahamas, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Parliamentary Secretaries, the Vice-President of the Senate, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Members of the Senate and House of Assembly, Secretary to the Cabinet, Financial Secretary, Senior Law Enforcement officials, Permanent Secretaries and other Senior Government Officials.

Meaningful and productive workshops with the public sector and civil society groups are scheduled to be held over the next several days.

 

By: Matt Maura (BIS)

Photo Caption: Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Minnis, left, and Damian Cox, Chief Technical Director, Office the Prime Minister, Jamaica, Access to Information Unit — review details at the opening of a Workshop on the Freedom of Information Act, 2017, hosted by the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs, at Paul H. Farquharson Conference Centre, Police Headquarters on Monday.

 

(BIS Photo/Peter Ramsay)

 

 

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Bahamas News

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

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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.”

 

 

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

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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.

 

 

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

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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.”

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