Bahamas News
‘Friendship Agreement’ coming for TCI & The Bahamas says Premier & Grand Bahama Minister
By Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
#TheBahamas, February 20, 2023 – Thirty years since he’d been to Grand Bahama Island and Washington Misick, Premier of the Turks and Caicos on an official visit to the Bahamas’ second city admitted the audience for his event was impressive.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think we can pull that crowd back on Turks and Caicos. I was totally surprised to have such a large audience, pleasantly surprised,” said Misick responding to media questions following the over-booked meeting arranged for Bahamians of Turks and Caicos heritage.
Over 300 people were said to have filled the ballroom of the Grand Lucayan resort in Freeport, Grand Bahama. In the invitation only meeting and a beginning for closer relations between the two countries, an official plan was laid bare.
“As the economy expands, there are needs for more people to come and we want to give our own bloodlines the first dibs on job opportunities. But not only job opportunities, business investment, he said.
Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama beamed at the opportunity to partner with the TCI Government on the official visit, which drew curious residents to a first of its kind initiative.
“We have such a strong bond with the Turks and Caicos and so we are delighted for him to be here and for so many Belongers to see their premier. We have already started to talk about a Sister City relationship because the bonds already exist,” said the minister when questioned, adding, “You know Turks and Caicos Islanders were some of the ones who were responsible for the development of the City of Freeport back in 1955…they’ve brought so much value to the Grand Bahama economy and to the way we live.”
The idea that there is a deep pool of human resources in The Bahamas which could help to fill the employment needs is not a new concept; companies like Beaches Turks and Caicos, the Hartling Group and Graceway Supermarkets have all been fishing for career seekers in Grand Bahama.
The premier said, his government knows that the issue of housing for anyone who does seize the offer to come back or apply for citizenship status in the TCI, will have to be addressed.
“The process is that if you are a status holder, then you are just coming back home. The issue is going to be finding places to live. We have a real problem when it comes to housing,” offered Misick as he acknowledged the country’s booming tourism industry has created a conundrum.
Grand Bahama is the island in the northern Bahamas still rebounding from seasons of ferocious hurricanes including, the most treacherous in modern history, 2019’s Hurricane Dorian. Grand Bahama is also the island which absorbed and then thrived when waves of Turks and Caicos Islanders relocated to the archipelago north of them to support the budding pine timber industry. Back then, it was a win-win situation – good employment and embrace by The Bahamas Government and for The Bahamas, a capable and steady workforce able to grow this new area of commerce.
Turks and Caicos Islanders eventually blended in. While some returned home, many more remained and raised
their families with heaviest concentration of those with TCI heritage said to be in islands like Abaco and Grand Bahama.
Today, the Turks and Caicos is eager to tap into the tens of thousands of descendants who would qualify for citizenship under the current law, where Turks and Caicos Islands Status is a right up to the second generation.
“I think as I see the future for TCI and The Bahamas I could see where the relationship will become stronger and stronger and where the flow of talents and skills will be facilitated because of our friendship agreement which we hope to enter into.”
The Grand Bahama minister is already well placed to progress swiftly in the ideas both leaders had shared; being a former vice president of the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the current International Representative for the Sister City program.
The Minister supported this notion sharing, “we have discussed the Sister City relationship which is really about business exchange, cultural exchange, tourism, humanitarian and educational exchanges.”
Both the Premier and the Minister agreed, that while the word ‘city’ was being used, the plan is more grand in scale and has the potential to formalize a familial and geographical alliance for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.
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.
