Bahamas News

Remarks by Minister of Foreign Affairs at OAS General Assembly in Washington, DC

Published

6 years ago

June 8, 2018

Deandrea Hamilton

#Washington,DC, June 8, 2018 – United States of America –

Mr. President

Colleague Foreign Ministers,

Mr. Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General,

Ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives,

Other distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon,

Introduction

Mr. President,

The Bahamas also stands in solidarity with the people of Guatemala and assures them of our prayers and thoughts during this time of hardship.

Over a century ago in 1889, 18 American States, nurturing the growing sense of Pan-Americanism, gathered in Washington DC to bring to fruition the vision of a more integrated and cooperative hemisphere through a Pan American Union.

The dialogue that was sparked at that time amongst sovereign States of the Americas and continues today, was focused on mechanisms for peace, pacific settlement of disputes, respect for human rights and democracy, improving economic prosperity and fostering communication amongst States.

Evolution of the OAS

Mr. President,

Despite the individual and unique characteristics that define the countries of the Americas, The Bahamas continues to believe that this organization has a critical role to play in world, hemispheric and regional affairs.

As with any institution, however, change is required over time in order to maintain relevance.

Over the past 70 years, this Organization has weathered many economic and political storms but and has steadily grown in membership from the original 18 to incorporate Caribbean Member States and eventually the 35 independent States of the Hemisphere.

While we hold firm to the tenets upon which this Organization was founded, there now exists a rich diversity within our membership which must be reflected in all facets of the Organization – in its agenda, in the mandates given to the Secretariat and its composition. In doing so, we move towards an organization focused on meeting the real needs of its membership, whether developed or developing.

Development work at the OAS

Mr. President,

For many of the small member States like The Bahamas, the OAS is one of the few global institutions where there is broad accessibility to technical assistance, particularly for development projects. Compared to other multilateral bodies, the OAS maintains comparative advantages and provides value-added in the areas of capacity building, technical cooperation and support for human development. In this regard, The Bahamas will continue to support the Organization’s work on Scholarships and its Training Programme and the Inter American Education Agenda, which we played a role in crafting as Chair of the Inter American Committee on Education. In light of the increasing vulnerability of the region to natural disasters, The Bahamas is also pleased with our agreement to mandate the OAS strengthens its disaster response mechanisms. Similarly, we are pleased to support the mandate on Non-Communicable Diseases.

It is our considered view that the OAS will always have a primary responsibility for hemispheric agenda setting across the Inter-American system and an improved OAS must focus on developing strategic and synergistic partnerships between PAHO, IDB, and IICA and other institutions.

Multidimensional Criteria for Poverty and Development

Mr. President,

The Bahamas joins others in lauding the adoption of the Resolution on ‘Incorporating Multidimensional Criteria for Measuring Poverty and Development’ which also references critical issues for the CARICOM region such as derisking and the loss of correspondent banking relations and, more broadly, vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

We note that there is growing acknowledgement of the inadequacy of the current income-predicated methodology used by many International Financial Institutions (IFIS) to assess development level and need and to make decisions regarding concessional lending and access to aid. We commend reforms underway in this direction, such as the IDB’s introduction of their macro development vulnerability index, which has introduced vulnerability assessments into their lending decision making criteria as a model for other such institutions.

OAS Budgetary Matters

Mr. President,

Every organization, including the OAS, requires adequate funding in order to function. The Organization cannot continue to merely live from one fiscal crisis to the next.

Despite all of the good that the OAS has done, and the immense potential the Organization has to support Member State efforts, the Organization remains underfunded relative to the mandates that we continue to impose upon it.

While each Member State, large and small, developed and developing, must have some skin in the game, there must be balanced and due consideration for country peculiarities and external factors that arise from time to time that can impact the ability to meet financial obligations.

The time is also ripe for meaningful institutional reform to the Organization, including implementation of International Public-Sector Accounting Standards, relevant improvements to the IT infrastructure of the Organization and enhancing the efficacy of the Permanent Council for monitoring and oversight of the Secretariat.

Towards a 21^st Century OAS

Mr. President,

The OAS that we all want is one that is staffed with competent and diverse professionals, undergirded by modern infrastructure, governed by best practices for accounting, fiscal controls and human resources management, and that is at the vanguard of helping Member States with the challenges of perfecting democracy, upholding human rights, guaranteeing citizen security and bolstering sustainable development.

The Bahamas believes that this Organization is the vehicle through which our hemisphere can be greater than the sum of its parts. It falls to us as Member States to ensure that the OAS continues to evolve to meet the challenges of the 21^st century and to ultimately ensure the Americas becomes the most democratic, peaceful, egalitarian and prosperous region of the world.

I thank you.

Bahamas News

CIBC Caribbean announces the closure of Bay Street Branch

Published

10 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Shanieka

CIBC Caribbean today announced that its Bay Street branch will close permanently on 31st May 2024.

CIBC Caribbean’s Managing Director, Dr. Jacqui Bend, in making the announcement said: “We regret this development; however, our bank recognizes that our clients’ needs are changing, and we remain committed to meeting these evolving needs. We are even more focused within the climate of evolving technology advancements on creating product options that focus on security, convenience, and ease of doing business.”

Dr. Bend noted that there will be no job losses as a result of this closure and employees will be redeployed to other branches.

She observed, “Additionally, the closure of the Bay Street branch represents a continuation of the work previously started to repurpose our branch network to serve our clients more efficiently across the region.”

Dr. Bend said the decision to end operations at Bay Street was made with the knowledge that clients will continue to be adequately serviced by a strong branch presence that already exists in The Bahamas. She said the bank has written to its Bay Street clients informing them of the closure and has outlined their future banking options.

“We understand that the closure of Bay Street may be inconvenient to our some of our clients, but we hope that this will be tempered by the knowledge that they have many more avenues available to conduct their banking that are also convenient, safe and practical, using our mobile or online banking platforms or our other branch locations.”

Bahamas News

Freeport Business Expo to connect Grand Bahama businesses and entrepreneurs to expert resources

Published

6 days ago

April 27, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited

April 29, 2024 – Freeport, The Bahamas – In line with its mission to create a stronger, more connected Freeport economy, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) is pleased to share details of the upcoming Freeport Business Expo: Tourism Edition, taking place on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at the Grand Lucayan Convention Center in Grand Bahama.

“As the GBPA continues its work to attract investors to Freeport, we offer this showcase of local and international businesses offering services and opportunities to potential and existing licensees,” stated Ian Rolle, GBPA President. “This Expo will not only connect unique international service providers with Bahamian entrepreneurs aiming to introduce new tourist attractions, but also bring together financing institutions to support Bahamian-owned start-ups and existing businesses in the industry.”

The emphasis on tourism at the 2024 Expo ensures that those in tourism-focused businesses are certain to benefit. The event will offer opportunities to meet potential business partners, gain insight on financial opportunities, engage with leaders in workshops and one-on-one sessions, and get answers on starting a Freeport business and obtaining a GBPA license.

“We regularly host community business expos,” said Glendia Sweeting, Manager of Quality Assurance and Special Projects. “But we recognize the significant benefit of an expo focused on enhancing tourism business offerings through connecting international service providers and Bahamian entrepreneurs. We have more than thirty local and national exhibitors taking part on May 2^nd, along with several international service providers.”

Multiple investment projects currently in progress and planned in the city of Freeport is creating anticipation for existing and potential entrepreneurs and this expo is geared towards preparing them for these opportunities. “Grand Bahama is going to experience a significant growth spurt in the next one to three years. I would strongly encourage everybody who wants to get involved in business to look at Grand Bahama as one of the top choices, especially over the next three years,” said Mr. Rolle.

The Expo opens on Wednesday, May 1^st with a welcome reception from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A full day of learning and networking opportunities follows on Thursday, May 2^nd. GBPA’s partners in the Freeport Business Expo include:

Grand Bahama Island Promotion Board
Ministry for Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce
Ministry of Tourism
Bahamas Immigration
Bahamas Customs
Five Star Shipping Company
Viva Wyndham Fortuna
Bahamas Air
Grand Lucayan Hotel

Registration for access to the Expo’s exhibitors is free, and all-access passes are available for purchase. Event details and registration information may be found at freeportbusinessexpo.com.

Bahamas News

Pacesetting Cohort of Eleuthera Residents Graduate from Leading Light Programme

Published

7 days ago

April 26, 2024

Shanieka

Office of University Relations

22^nd April 2024

Eleuthera, THE BAHAMAS – A pioneering cohort of 43 Eleuthera residents graduated from the University of The Bahamas’ (UB’s) free Leading Light Programme, sponsored by Disney Cruise Line (DCL) on Friday 19^th April, 2024.

The programme, launched in February 2024 and delivered through UB’s Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning (CeLEARN), offers a series of courses to ensure Eleuthera has a proficient workforce capable of delivering unparalleled hospitality leadership as the island experiences a sharp growth in tourism arrivals. The graduation ceremony was held at the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce Business Hub in Rock Sound, Eleuthera.

The courses focused on tourism and hospitality skills, leadership development and effective communication. They were taught by UB faculty and included guest lecturers such as former Director General of Tourism, Minister of Tourism and Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Vincent Vanderpool Wallace and veteran hospitality professor Dr. Lincoln Marshall.

“This programme represents the mission-driven collaboration and skills-building that University of The Bahamas is committed to fostering, supported by an important industry partner like Disney Cruise Line,” noted UB President (Acting) Janyne Hodder. “Given the importance of the tourism industry to our nation, we know how vital it is that we continually equip our workforce with diverse expertise to uphold our reputation for excellence in hospitality. We are grateful for this collaboration with Disney Cruise Line which has facilitated programme delivery in Eleuthera, enabling UB to broaden access to much sought-after professional development.”

As training and skills development programming grows across the island of Eleuthera, the Leading Light Programme experience was tailored to be free of charge, accessible and conclude with participants earning a UB certification that signals the high standard of education for which the University is recognized. Students came from all walks of life and traveled from as far away as Hatchet Bay in the North, and Bannerman Town in the South to Rock Sound for classes. Programme participants also received a stipend to defray the cost of commuting and other personal expenses.

Nora Smith, a manager at the picturesque Jack’s Bay Club, yearned to increase her skills.

“I would recommend this programme to anyone because The Bahamas is known as a tourism destination. Taking this course in tourism and hospitality, can help me to go far in dealing with tourists daily in my workplace,” she said.

Graduate Javonne Richards appreciated the comprehensive curriculum and the ease of access to the courses that were offered.

“This programme not only fills a gap in our Eleuthera education offerings, but also equips participants with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in dynamic work environments,” he noted.

Director General of Tourism Mrs. Latia Duncombe, who delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony, shared three essential qualities for successful tourism professionals: energy, creativity and a welcoming personality.

“Your fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are invaluable to creating unique, unforgettable customer experiences,” said Mrs. Duncombe. “While technology such as Artificial Intelligence, also have a role to play, human interaction remains essential.”

Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs and Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera the Honourable Clay Sweeting commended the partnership that is supporting community growth.

“I am proud of every Eleutheran who came from near and far to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Minister Sweeting. “As Eleuthera’s economy continues to grow, especially in Central and South Eleuthera, I encourage more corporate partners to invest in the local community in innovative ways, like the University of The Bahamas and Disney Cruise Line have, so that we can continue to strengthen our local communities.”

Two additional cohorts will be offered this year, increasing the pipeline of Eleutherans who are optimally skilled as hospitality and tourism ambassadors. Registration for the summer programme will open on May 17 and the second cycle of courses begins June 17, 2024. Fall programme dates are September 23 through November 29, 2024. To learn more about the Leading Light Programme and how to enroll, please email atynes@eleutherahambercommerce.com.