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Bahamas: Rand Memorial Hospital taking precautions ahead of potentially severe weather weekend

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Sharon Williams, Rand Memorial Hospital Administrator

#FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas – May 13, 2020 – With possible severe weather expected to affect the Central and Northwest Bahamas this weekend, officials of the Grand Bahama Rand Memorial Hospital are taking extra precautions ahead of the system to secure patients in Samaritan’s Purse tents.

Ms. Sharon Williams, Administrator of the Rand, said the hospital is concerned about the report from the Bahamas Met Office about bad weather expected to pass through or near Grand Bahama during the weekend.

“Since April 26, our last encounter with severe weather conditions, where our tents hospital at Samaritan was severely impacted by the weather conditions, we have been working very closely with the local Met office in monitoring local weather conditions,” said Ms. Williams.

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“We have been advised that from Wednesday through late Saturday that there will be the possibility of heavy rain and wind that could impact the Grand Bahama area. That, no doubt, brings concern again for our tents at Samaritan’s Purse and in addition, our modular isolation facilities near our Emergency Room which we have set up for Covid-19 response.”

The Bahamas Department of Meteorology issued a statement on Tuesday (May 12) of a frontal boundary over the southeast Bahamas that will back up over the Central Bahamas on Wednesday and stall through Thursday.

During that time conditions are expected to become favorable for the development of an area of low pressure along the frontal boundary by Friday afternoon in the vicinity of Cat Island.

As a result, “pockets of squally showers, heavy thunderstorms, strong, gusty winds and the potential for water spouts and tornadic activity can be expected over portions of the Northwest and Central Bahamas from Wednesday through Saturday,” according to the Meteorology Department.

The Hospital Administrator said that they have proactively advised their managers to meet with Administration to devise plans for the movement of patients and clients in those areas that could be adversely impacted by bad weather. She said that those plans have already been put in place.

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“We are looking at our new facilities at the Cancer Association to be able to house some persons if necessary,” said Ms. Williams. “Also, our Emergency Room facilities is also a consideration, if it isn’t too crowded – we will have to see what patient load we will have there at the time. Of course, our facility at the Freeport Community Clinic, at our IAT building is also under consideration for use if necessary.

“Between those three locations, we will house our patients temporarily until the weather returns to normal.”

In terms of preparing for the upcoming hurricane season, the Rand Memorial Hospital Administrator said that the close communication with the Met Office will continue and that all weather systems – inclusive of tropical storms and hurricanes – will be monitored by the hospital’s Administration extra closely and that even more proactive measures will be taken when necessary.

“We do this every year, but the only difference this year is that we do not have use of the full hospital,” Ms. Williams pointed out. “So, we are engaging the various health care facilities, as we usually do around the island, and discussing with them about moving our clients to those areas if it becomes necessary. Of course, we have to solidify those arrangements, before announcing their names to the media.

“But we are definitely looking into alternatives for housing our patients, inclusive of the Government working very aggressively to complete the renovations for the Rand in a timely manner. We might not be finished for the beginning of the hurricane season, but we hope to be finished very soon and we are praying that it is before any significantly severe weather patterns hit this area.”

The Bahamas Meteorology Department said that the low pressure will move northeast and away from The Bahamas late Saturday night, and partly sunny and drier conditions are expected to return on Sunday.

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Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

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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.

 

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Bahamas News

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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Bahamas News

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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