Bahamas News
Straw Markets officially re-opened
#TheBahamas, November 24, 2021 – It is the intention of the Government to make centres of craft, souvenirs and creative products made by Bahamians the centre stage of the tourism product. The Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Works and Utilities, underscored this point as he addressed a press conference to officially announce the reopening of straw markets.
“The government will continue to invest in our markets so that they are the centre, not the periphery, not on the side, but the very centre of the attractions that are offered to our visitors in this country,” said Minister Sears.
“Yes, the hotels, the wonderful cruise ships and the other amenities, but we want the markets of our country to be the platform to display and to set the creative products of the Bahamian creative imagination.”
The conference was held Monday, November 22, at the Bay Street market. It was attended by: the Hon. Bacchus Rolle, Parliamentary Secretary; Luther Smith, Permanent Secretary; Reginald Saunders, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation (MOTIA); Gregory Butler, Deputy Permanent Secretary; Elaine Simms, Managing Director, Straw Market Authority; officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation; Ministry of Works (MOW) and representatives of straw market federations.
The Downtown market was buzzing Monday as vendors arranged displays, tourists browsed and construction work continued on an infirmary and bathrooms. The straw markets — including, Forts Charlotte and Fincastle, Paradise Island, Bay Street and Cable Beach reopened some 22 months after closing due to COVID-19 pandemic protocols.
Minister Sears emphasized it was a priority for the markets throughout the country to reopen.
He said, “The money that they make, those profits are not repatriated to another country. That money is spent here educating their children, spending on their mortgages, supporting their families. This is the measure of the
reopening of the economy.”
The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) has proposed a number of protocols to ensure that the markets are safe.
Minister Sears explained the provisional measures including a rotation between groups A and B for the 360 vendors.
“Whatever we do we have to do [it] in consultation with MOHW but we are listening to the stakeholders who have put forward certain recommendations.
“These are provisional transitional measures during a global pandemic. As the health officials indicate to us that it is safe to go back to a more liberal and more open infrastructure, we will do so.”
Minister Sears informed that safeguards including temperature checks and sanitization stations will be a part of the culture throughout the market to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Weekly antigen testing is required by vendors.
He thanked the offices of the straw vendors’ federations for their cooperation and close collaboration with the MOW to achieve a reopening date. He also acknowledged stakeholders including MOHW, MOTIA, the police, the fire department, for the “extraordinary” collaboration.
Ms. Simms noted the Department of Environmental Health began the process of exterminating all of the markets in 2020. She said washing stations and temperature check facilities among others were installed at entrances.
Moreover, she informed that a major requirement for vendors and staff was to undergo CPR/first aid training and training by the MOTIA.
Mr. Rolle said it gives the Ministry great pleasure to ensure that over 300 self-employed individuals are able to return to work after 20 months without an income.
“We have staggered seating, alternate days, proper sanitization and security. This is not the end, this is the beginning. We anticipate that in the coming weeks and months we will evolve into what we want it to be. We continue to push that to ensure that we get to our final destination,” he added.
By Kathryn Campbell
Release: BIS
Photo Caption – Scenes from the official opening of the Downtown Bay Street straw market Monday, November 22, 2021 showing tourists using the newly installed temperature checks as they enter and as they stroll through the market. Reginald Saunders, Permanent Secretary; the Hon. Bacchus Rolle, Parliamentary Secretary; the Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Works and Utilities and Luther Smith, Permanent Secretary. Celestine Eneas, longtime vendor, is also shown.
(BIS Photos/Kristaan Ingraham)
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.
The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap
from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.
With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.
Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.
Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.
Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!
After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.
The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before
their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.
At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.
Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.
Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.
The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.
Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.
Bahamas News
The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed
their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.
As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.
Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole,
with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’. Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.
Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.
Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the
listening booth.
Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.
For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification
attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.
Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.
The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members. Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.
Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine. To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.
On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking
in the comfort of the chic lounge. In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.
The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.
Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.
To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.
