Miami, Florida – Director of Aviation and Deputy Director General of Tourism, Dr. Kenneth Romer was presented with The 2025-2026 Infrastructure Leadership MVP Award, during the 10th Annual Caribbean Infrastructure Forum (CARIF) held in Miami September 15-16, 2026.

According to event organizers, New Energy Events, the MVP Leadership Award is the highest individual honor in the industry and is presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional, strategic and visionary leadership in advancing infrastructure in the Caribbean. Chosen by an independent jury of regional industry leaders, “The recipient is recognized for their sustained impact, influence across sectors, and dedication to driving meaningful progress in policy, investment, or project delivery”, said Event Organizers.

Romer becomes only the third person from the Region, and the first from The Bahamas to receive the Leadership MVP Award, joining last year’s winner The Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.

Represented among the Conference Speakers and present at the Award Ceremony was Minister of Energy, Utilities and Aviation, The Honourable JoBeth Coleby-Davis, who said that, “This award amplifies The Bahamas Government’s commitment to executing a vision that sets the benchmark for infrastructural investments opportunities across our archipelago while supporting exemplary Bahamian leaders like Dr. Romer, who are steering the Caribbean toward more resilient, investable, and innovative infrastructure”.

“While this award is deemed an individual honor, it is a recognition of the Bahamas’ position as a respected regional leader and more so, a reflection of the incredible talent that resides within our small, but indomitable nation that continues to punch above its weight class as the world marks the manner of our bearing”, said Dr. Romer.

Dr. Romer has been instrumental in driving post-pandemic tourism recovery alongside the transformation of airports across the Family Islands through the Government’s landmark Family Islands Renaissance initiative. Under his leadership as Director of Aviation and Deputy Director General of Tourism, the sector has embraced a strategic, forward-looking approach focused on modernizing over 19 runways and terminals, strengthening safety and resilience, expanding international and regional connectivity, and leveraging public-private partnerships to deliver world-class facilities.

Dr. Romer’s work has helped translate the National Aviation Strategic Plan into tangible infrastructure projects that are creating new opportunities for tourism, investment, entrepreneurship and economic growth across the archipelago.

In 2025, he became the first person from the Caribbean and LATAM Region to be appointed to the Board of the International Association of Airports Executives.

NASSAU, Bahamas –— This back-to-school season Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), the local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is offering huge wins for parents and guardians in their Level Up and Win Lunchtime giveaway.

The promotion encourages consumers to share their best lunch bag creations featuring the following products, Honest Kids juice box, Minute Maid 12oz Fruit Cooler and Dasani 12oz. water. Now until September 30^th, the public can post or privately share a photo or video of one of the listed products in their lunch bag.

At the end of the promotion, the top five lunch bags will be shared on social media, and consumers will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite lunchtime creations. Prizes include a $200 Kelly’s gift card, $150 John Bull gift card and six-months’ worth of each product.

Lauryn Clarke, Marketing Coordinator of Caribbean Bottling Company, shared what inspired this promotion.

” The back-to-school season is all about getting kids excited for the year ahead, and lunch boxes are a big part of that fun. We wanted to remind parents and guardians that hydration should be just as important as what is being learned in the classroom. This promotion is about encouraging families to pack a refreshing beverage their kids will enjoy and make hydration part of their everyday school routine,” Clarke said.

With a variety of brands and new flavors featured in this promotion, particularly Honest Kids’ newest flavor, Strawberry Peach Keen, and the new 12 oz. Minute Maid Fruit Coolers, CBC hopes this lunchtime giveaway will appeal to new consumers.

For more details on the Level Up and Win Lunchtime promotion, new products and events visit caribbean_bottling on social media.

NASSAU, The Bahamas — The Government is moving to protect the rights, privacy, independence, and dignity of older persons throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

The Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness tabled The Older Persons Rights, Protections, Care and Support Bill (2026), in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

“This is legislation whose time has come. It is rooted in a very simple thought that growing older must never mean becoming less valued, less visible, less protected or less entitled to dignity.

“Ageing is not somebody else’s issue. It is one of the few public policy matters that, if we are blessed with longevity, will eventually touch every one of us,” Dr. Darville said.

He noted that The Bahamas, like the world, is experiencing a clear demographic shift. According to the 2022 Census, the number of persons aged 65 years and older rose by 28.2 percent since 2010.

In The Government’s Blueprint for Progress, it made a commitment to strengthening protections for older persons. And, this Bill gives practical expression to that commitment. But there is also a wider context.

Furthermore, in 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council established an Intergovernmental Working Group charged with developing a legally binding international instrument on the human rights of older persons. Its first substantive negotiating session was held in Geneva in July of this year.
In this vein, Dr. Darville said that The Bahamas brings this Bill at an important moment.

“While the international community is negotiating what a future global legal instrument should contain, The Bahamas is moving now with legislation that goes beyond a declaration of principles,” he said.

“This Bill recognizes older persons as rights-holders. But it also recognizes that rights written on paper mean little if there is no machinery to make them real.”

Provisions under the Bill establish in law the rights of older persons, including dignity, equality, privacy, autonomy, participation, financial self-management and access to healthcare and public services.

Secondly, it confronts abuse and abandonment, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, neglect and abandonment.

“These are expressly prohibited. For far too long older persons have been abandoned at hospitals with no recourse. This ends today,” Dr. Darville stated.

The Bill also permits anonymous reporting of suspected abuse and protects persons who make reports in good faith. Certain healthcare, social service, law enforcement and other professionals will have a statutory duty to report where
they reasonably suspect that an older person requires care and protection.

And thirdly, this Bill confronts an abuse that can sometimes remain hidden behind family relationships — financial exploitation, Dr. Darville said.

He added, “Taking an older person’s pension. Misusing their bankcard. Coercing them to transfer property. Manipulating a will. Using their National Insurance benefit for purposes other than their welfare. Preventing them from accessing their own money. These matters are specifically addressed in this legislation, with financial exploitation attracting serious penalties.”

The Bill is about support, by providing for the development of a National Older Persons Policy within 12 months, with priority given to a National Dementia Strategy.

“It promotes community nursing, home-based care and older persons’ day-care services, because where it is safe and appropriate, we should help our older persons remain independent, connected to their communities and supported in familiar surroundings,” Dr. Darville said.

The Bill further recognizes the tremendous responsibility carried by caregivers and provides for caregiver training and support, among other things. “It incorporates the needs of older persons into disaster preparedness, response, relief and recovery. And importantly, it rejects the idea that retirement means irrelevance,” Dr. Darville said.

By Lindsay Thompson
Bahamas Information Services

(BIS Photo/Ulric Woodside)