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More Trained Bahamians Needed to Fill Technical and Industrial Positions

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#Freeport, GB, April 6, 2019 – Bahamas – A one-day High School Technical and Industrial Forum and Exhibition was held at St. George’s Gymnasium on Friday, April 5 with the hopes of closing the existing skills gap for industry and technology.

Keynote speaker for the event, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis said opportunities exist for high school students to have successful careers in these areas.

Also in attendance were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest; Minister of Labour, Senator the Hon. Dion Foulkes; Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie Campbell; Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister for Grand Bahama, Senator the Hon. J. Kwasi Thompson; Permanent Secretaries and other senior government officials; several businesses and students from Grand Bahama and Bimini.

“For far too many years, the Government has had to approve work permits for non-Bahamians for technical and industrial positions that should be filled by Bahamians.

“The problem is that we do not have enough Bahamians properly trained to fill many of these positions.

“Bahamians are capable, resourceful and adaptable. But there are not enough Bahamians trained in a number of technical areas. With the expansion of our economy nationally, and on Grand Bahama, this is an even more urgent matter, especially as construction, our second largest industry will need many more employees and workers.”

He further stated, “Reduction of the skills gap in The Bahamas is critical in reducing unemployment, increasing productivity and improving the ease of doing business.”

The Technical and Industrial Forum is as a result of a symposium held in September 2018, under the theme, “Forging our future, assessing and analyzing the skills gap in The Bahamas.”  At the event, over 150 leaders in industry, education, government and labour met “to craft a comprehensive approach to address the skills deficiency in our country.

The Prime Minister urged the students to stay focused, ask questions and make contacts during the Forum.  He told them, “It is by persistence and perseverance that you will be able to achieve your goals.”

By Robyn Adderely

Release: BIS

Photo Caption:

Header: Following the official opening ceremony of the High School Technical and Industrial Forum and Exhibition at St. George’s Gymnasium on Friday, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis spoke with students about one of the exhibits. Minister of Labour, Senator the Hon. Dion Foulkes, is seen just behind the students.  

Insert: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis (right); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest (third right) and Minister of Labour, Senator the Hon. Dion Foulkes (second right), discuss the Grand Bahama Shipyard display following the official opening ceremony of the High School Technical and Industrial Forum & Exhibition at St. George’s Gymnasium on Friday, April 5, 2019. Prime Minister Minnis toured all of the booths and took a few moments to speak with several of the students present.

(BIS Photo/Andrew Miller)

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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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