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GB Minister conducts initial assessment of damage from TS Nicole

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#GrandBahama, The Bahamas, November 11, 2022 – Once the “All Clear” signal had been given by the Bahamas Meteorological Department, following the passage of Hurricane Nicole, Minister for Grand Bahama, Hon. Ginger Moxey was on the ground on Thursday morning (November 10, 2022) making her way into various Grand Bahama communities, making an assessment of damages that had been caused by Nicole.
Minister Moxey focused most of her initial assessment in West Grand Bahama, going from Eight Mile Rock to West End.
“Based on the assessment, I can safely say that we have done pretty well during the passing of Hurricane Nicole,” said Minister Moxey. “There has been some flooding in West End and there was a lot of debris in the streets. But as we can see, clean up has already begun.”
Hurricane Nicole battered Abaco and Grand Bahama as a Tropical storm on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, but increased in intensity, forming into a Category One Hurricane, packing sustained winds of 75 miles per hour, as it began its exit from the second city on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Hurricane shelters had been opened and evacuations had taken place in a number of communities, including Sweeting’s Cay, East Grand Bahama and parts of West Grand Bahama. However, many residents made the decision to weather the storm in their homes. While Nicole had been a Tropical Storm as it approached Abaco and Grand Bahama, the main concern was high surge and extreme flooding because of a combination of heavy rain from the system, with the seas being at king tide.
Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had urged residents in flood proned communities to evacuate because of the potential for extensive flooding. True to prediction, Tropical Storm Nicole brought severe flooding in both Abaco and Grand Bahama.
 Asked about mandatory evacuations for residents, Minister Moxey said it is something that is always discussed. However, she said everything was done to send out the warnings and to try and encourage people to evacuate properties that were in low-lying areas or those near the coast.  “I believe that because it was a tropical storm at the time, many residents made their decisions based on that,” said Minister Moxey. “I know that we have been very, very supportive and as government, we’ve done all that we can to ensure that all of our people are safe.”
About the flooding in West Grand Bahama, Minister Moxey said the plans are to put in more drainage and construct additional seawalls. That, she said is a part of the budget.
“We’re focused really on resiliency. The master plan for this island that we’re working on is tied to building with resiliency because Grand Bahama is known as the center of resilience, because we deal with so many of these storms.
“Moving ahead, we really look to strengthen our infrastructure and to be able to build with resiliency. I believe that we always learn something every time we go through these storms. What I would say is that we came together – as normal – to ensure that our residents were safe. All agencies and other regulatory bodies all came together and we were able to effectively navigate through this system.
“Of course, having the weather department with the frequent updates and the media reports, they assisted us with getting the word out there to the public to evacuate in some areas and for residents to stay indoors during the storm. We’re happy that everyone came together to ensure that Grand Bahamians remained safe.
“As far as this storm is concerned, Grand Bahama is in a good place, because we didn’t do too well in Hurricane Dorian.”
As Tropical Storm Nicole approached Grand Bahama, there was concern for the residents in East Grand Bahama, who had suffered severely during Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Many homes in East Grand Bahama, which was hit the hardest, were destroyed, forcing many to leave the community for a while.
 As far as how East Grand Bahama fared during the passage of Hurricane Nicole, Senator James Turner reported that early on Thursday morning, he and a team travelled into East Grand Bahama, as far as McLean’s Town to assess any damage there: “There was some moderate flooding in the roads, but if you had a four by four or a truck you could get by. Of course, the roofs that were already compromised suffered a little more. But overall, the news is good. No one got hurt, everyone is in good spirits and everyone has plans to move on.”
 Senator Kirkland Russell said the government did what was necessary to prepare residents for Tropical storm Nicole. He said the government did what was necessary in evacuating persons who wanted to leave; they opened and properly managed the shelters and ensured that the Emergency Operations Center was properly manned and the operation was at the highest standard.
“We want to ensure all of our residents who may have been suffering from Dorian, those who may have incurred new damages to their homes that they need assistance with, the government is at the ready,” said Senator Russell. “Teams are already out and about, carrying out assessments.  The government is ready to provide all of the necessary assistance that is needed to get our islands back to a state of normalcy as quick as possible. And that includes assessments of all of our business sectors, hotel sectors and everything else. We are here and we are ready to go.”
Photo Captions:
Header: Minister for Grand Bahama, Hon. Ginger Moxey chats with some of the workers who were cleaning up the street in Eight Mile Rock following Tropical Storm Nicole on Thursday, November 10, 2022.
Insert: Eight Mile Rock Administrator Ferguson (left) chats with Minister for Grand Bahama, Hon. Ginger Moxey and Senators James Turner and Kirkland Russell during their stop on the front road of Eight Mile Rock, where the popular Fish Fry is located. The area, which is near the sea, had major flooding from Tropical Storm Nicole. There were still some signs of the water that had filled the area the day before.
(BIS Photos/Andrew Coakley)

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Monument Beverage Co. Caribbean Wines & Spirits Uniquely Bahamian Newest Product

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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.

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Lady Kayla Crowned Goombay Punch Cup Sailing Champion of 2025/2026

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L–R: Joss Knowles, Kianno Hutchinson, Jazmin Darling, Assistant Marketing Manager at Caribbean Bottling Company and Dallas Knowles receiving a donation on behalf of the Exuma Sailing Club at the Long Island Regatta awards ceremony.

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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Caribbean Bottling Supports the 27th Basketball Smiles Week  

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NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to once again support Basketball Smiles for their 27th year.

Upholding its corporate pillar of community outreach, CBC proudly donated $2,000, over 75 cases of Dasani, Powerade and Sprite, reusable Powerade water bottles and numerous marketing materials.

The annual sporting summer camp offers free basketball and life skills training to Junior and High School students.

Basketball Smiles’ mission of developing leadership qualities while fostering children’s academic achievement and self-esteem aligns perfectly with CBC’s commitment to supporting and empowering youth.

Jazmin Darling, Assistant Marketing Manager for Caribbean Bottling Company shared why the company continues to support this program each year.

“At CBC, we believe investing in our youth is one of the greatest ways to strengthen our communities. We’re proud to support Basketball Smiles each year because it goes beyond the game. This program champions healthy lifestyles, positive values and brighter futures. It’s a privilege to play a role in helping these young athletes reach their full potential each year,” she shared.

Sam Nicholls, Basketball Smiles Camp President and Founder expressed.

“Caribbean Bottling Company is an incredible partner. We are truly grateful for their generous support, which will go a long way in making a positive impact on the lives of our campers,” Nicholls expressed.

CBC is always ready to lend its support toward initiatives and programs that uplift young Bahamians. The impact Basketball Smiles makes on the community is undeniable and is why CBC remains a historic sponsor.

For more information on sponsorship, events and new products, visit www.cbcbahamas.com today.

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