Bahamas News

Reducing Salt in Our Diet is an Effective Way to Lower the Rate of Heart Disease

Published

3 years ago

March 11, 2021

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 11 March 2021. “The use of excessive sodium in our diets can lead to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors such as hypertension or high blood pressure, stroke and coronary heart disease,” stated Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at CARPHA, in observance of World Salt Awareness Week.

In Latin America and the Caribbean high blood pressure rates are among the highest in the world. In CARICOM Member States the prevalence of high blood pressure/hypertension for adults ranges from 20.9% in Bahamas to 27.1% in St. Lucia[1].

Salt reduction is one of the most cost-effective measures to lower the rate of heart disease and other NCDs. The Caribbean is well known for its high dietary sodium consumption both in processed foods and as a result of added salt during cooking and at the table. The average salt consumption is 9 -12 grams per day, which is twice the recommended amount[2].

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming less than 5g/salt or 1 teaspoon (<2g of sodium) per adult per day, from all sources. Lowering sodium use in children’s diets today can help prevent heart disease later in life, especially for those who are overweight.

Initiatives to reduce sodium consumption in the populations of the Region are therefore high on the agenda as a critical aspect of cardiovascular disease prevention and control. To address this problem of excessive sodium consumption, CARPHA developed a Regional Framework for Sodium Reduction in Populations to guide national strategies for the reduction of sodium intake. This framework envisions a healthy and vital Caribbean people where their average sodium intake falls below the current global target of 5g per day for adults and even less for children.

Kids Can Cook Too produced by CARPHA provides recipes with little or no salt. CARPHA has also developed a 6-Point Policy Package where a major component is the implementation of Front of Package Labelling so consumers can be empowered to make healthful food purchasing choices.

This year, the Caribbean Public Health Agency joins forces with the regional and international communities to observe World Salt Awareness Week which takes place from March 8 to 14 with the slogan: “More Flavor, Less Salt!”, and share the progress made by the Region.

CARPHA encourages you to use more flavor, but less salt, when cooking. Instead of salt try using fresh herbs and seasonings. Ask for less salt next time you eat at a restaurant. The reduction of salt in processed foods, coupled with mandatory nutrition labelling are part of the dietary considerations that have to be implemented. We urge governments and the private sector to create supportive environments to enable lower salt options to be provided, implement front of package labelling to provide easy-to-read-and-understand information for consumers, and reformulate food products to contain less salt.

Media Release: CARPHA

Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

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.

Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

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.

Bahamas News

Get your laugh on, March On show coming to Turks and Caicos with box office at IGA Friday and Saturday

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

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.”