Bahamas News
Lenny Kravitz donates $100,000 in Food Vouchers to Bahamas
#NASSAU, The Bahamas – June 24, 2020 –Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell, commended Rock Legend Lenny Kravitz for Mr. Kravitz’s recent donation of $100,000 worth of food vouchers. The Department of Social Services, Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development, was tasked with distributing the food vouchers.
Minister Campbell said it was his hope that the donation would inspire others “with the means to do so”– within The Bahamas and the wider Bahamian Diaspora around the globe — to follow suit.
An award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actor, Mr. Kravitz made an initial donation of $50,000 in food vouchers to be distributed among persons in need in New Providence and Grand Bahama. The donation was made through Mr. Kravitz’s Let Love Rule Foundation.
Ms. Kim Sawyer, Deputy Director, Department of Social Services, Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development, spearheaded oversight of the distribution process. Ms. Sawyer said officials focused on the most vulnerable populations — the elderly, persons from the community of persons with disabilities and persons with chronic, non-communicable illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney disease – as they require special diets.
Consultations were done in collaboration with the Senior Citizens Division, Disability Affairs Division, Community Support Services Division, Health Social Services and the Urban Renewal Commission, the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. Officials also consulted with counterparts at the Cancer Society.
Requests from certain groups operating Soup Kitchens that, because of the Emergency Orders relative to Curfews and Lock Downs could not operate in their usual manner, were also facilitated.
The Rock Legend made a second donation of $50,000 in food vouchers to be equally distributed between “persons in need” in New Providence and those in his “beloved” Eleuthera.
“The Bahamas is proud of Lenny’s many accomplishments, but we are even more proud of the fact that with all that he has accomplished, he has not forgotten his origin; that he still takes time out to champion causes in The Bahamas; that he still takes time out to ensure that our tourism product gets the attention that is necessary to cause our numbers to increase,” Minister Campbell said.
“But that is not enough for him. He helps not just with his talents, but also with his time and treasure and that deserves our appreciation. It is our hope that this would inspire persons at home who are able to, and others in the Diaspora around the globe, to come back home, to look back home, to send back home any sort of assistance that will lighten the burden on some, and that will inspire others to be the best that they can be.”
Minister Campbell said another fascinating aspect of Mr. Kravitz’s “amazing philanthropy” was the fact that the Rock Legend was hesitant about receiving publicity surrounding the multiple donations.
“As a matter of fact, we had to almost force him to allow us to thank him publicly because he did not want to receive any kind of public accolades, but the Bahamian people needed to know that he is helping in more ways than one. On behalf of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development, on behalf of the Government and people of The Bahamas, on behalf of all of the persons that would have directly benefited from the donation, we wish to applaud his generosity,” Minister Campbell added.
Mr. Kravitz has officially served as the Ministry of Tourism’s Brand Ambassador since 2019, creatively collaborating and starring in The Ministry’s ‘Fly Away’, ‘Still Rockin’ and ‘From The Bahamas With Love’ campaigns. Tourism officials say his contributions to these campaigns have helped reveal the authentic spirit of The Bahamas as a destination of adventure and discovery. Both campaigns were well received globally.
The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation assisted with the coordination and logistics of the exercise. A statement issued by the Ministry said: “Mr. Kravitz is a true philanthropist and most of his charitable initiatives go unrecognized. He has been there for The Bahamas in our darkest hour. Lenny used star power to bring awareness of the dire situation in Grand Bahama and The Abacos immediately following Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.
“In addition, for many years through his Let Love Rule Foundation and the GLO Good Foundation, Lenny carried out a marathon dental service mission in the community of Gregory Town, Eleuthera, providing oral health care, education and tools to adults and children in need in order to provide the gift of a healthy smile.
“The Ministry of Tourism was delighted to assist in coordinating the logistics of this exercise which resulted in the Ministry simply handing over the vouchers to the Department of Social Services to carry out their critical work at this time.”
Deputy Director Sawyer said individuals and families benefited from the Kravitz donation “to be as fair and equitable as possible.” She too applauded Mr. Kravitz and his Foundation for their support, adding that the fall-out from the COVID-19 Pandemic has created new scenarios for both regular and new clients.
“It was a big help,” Ms. Sawyer said. “The three basic needs of mankind are: food, shelter and clothing, but food is the priority particularly when you have children or you have medical challenges and have to be placed a special diet. This donation, along with the assistance we were providing, allowed us to continue to address the immediate needs of those persons in need.”
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
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