Bahamas Information Services North

Minister for Grand Bahama welcomes residents to COLLAB transition homes

As the visionary and architect of COLLAB, Minister for Grand Bahama, Hon. Ginger M. Moxey, warmly welcomed the residents of the recently demolished Freeport Garden Buildings to COLLAB Transition Homes.

With the mandate to COLLABorate with government agencies, NGOs, business community, and the community at large to address the basic needs of residents and foster growth and development, COLLAB, an execution unit of the Ministry for Grand Bahama, was developed and launched.

Minister Moxey expressed her profound joy in providing temporary accommodations and

opportunities for these residents while they RESET their lives, a holistic and transformational approach to empowerment. The Minister for Grand Bahama highlighted that we cannot operate in silos, that it takes partnerships to build a stronger community and nation.

The gentlemen expressed their sincere gratitude to Minister Moxey, stating that without the COLLAB accommodations, they would have to sleep on the street.

COLLAB: Addressing basic needs of residents and transforming lives.

Minister Moxey welcomes new cadets to Maritime 101 programme

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas -- It was a feeling of success and succession for the Minister for Grand Bahama, as she welcomed the second cohort for the Elnet Maritime 101 Cadet Program, while handing out certificates for graduates of the first class.

On Saturday, January 21, 2023, Minister Ginger Moxey was excited to offer words of encouragement to the second cohort of young people, who will begin their adventure in the field of Maritime, through the Elnet six-week introductory program. Twenty young people have been enrolled in the new classes and 19 out of twenty students from the first group of students were on hand Saturday to receive their certificates.

“This program is contributing to shaping the future of our young men and women, by introducing them to a career path in the maritime industry,” said Minister Moxey, in welcoming the new batch of cadets to the Maritime Program.

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Disabled Community in Grand Bahama presented with care packages

GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — The Royal Bahamas Police Force Grand Bahama and Northern Bahamas District joined forces with multi-government and non-government agencies to give back to the Disabled Community.

Representatives from the various agencies attended a special ceremony at the Gerald Bartlett Complex on Friday, January 20, 2023 in honour of members from the Disabled Community.

A special prayer was sent up for the honourees who were also given encouraging words from key partners of the give-back initiative, including representatives from the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the L.E.A.D Institute and Reach Out Ministries.

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Ben Silverman wins The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic

ABACO, The Bahamas - Canadian Ben Silverman won the Korn Ferry Tour, Great Abaco Classic, at the Abaco Club on Winding Bay on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper gave congratulatory remarks and presented the trophy to Mr. Silverman. It was his second Korn Ferry Tour victory.

Pictured at the trophy presentation, from left: Angelika Cartwright, General Manager/Sports, MOTIA; Dr. Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General, MOTIA, and Acting Director General of Aviation; Kenny McPhee-Ferguson, MOTIA Senior Manager Abaco; Senator the Hon. Randy Rolle, Global Relations Consultant/MOTIA; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper; Ben Silverman, winner of the Korn Ferry Tour, Great Abaco Classic; John Pinder, Parliamentary Secretary, MOTIA; Kirk Cornish, Parliamentary Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister/Abaco; and Phylicia Hanna, Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) Director of Investments.

New Investments for South Abaco discussed at community meeting

SOUTH ABACO, The Bahamas -- A community meeting was held in Abaco at which residents were updated on new investments for the area, and persons were introduced to the project investor. John Pinder hosted the meeting in South Abaco. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper; Kirk Cornish, Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Abaco; Senator the Hon. Randy Rolle, Global Relations Consultant/MOTIA; Dr. Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General, MOTIA and Acting Director of Aviation; Phylicia Hanna, Director of Investments and other government officials. Photos show DPM Chester Cooper addressing the audience, and Mr. John Pinder, MP for the area.

Significant improvements to operational efficiency, on the 2023 agenda for the Ministry of Public Service

NASSAU, The Bahamas – A virtual call centre, a digital document management system, and a human resource management information system, are among the initiatives of the Ministry of Public Service for 2023.

The Minister of State for the Public Service, the Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle briefed the media following the Ministry’s second annual symposium Friday, January 20, 2023 at Paul Farquharson Conference Centre, East Street. The theme for the symposium: “The Re-imagination Continues: 2023 Improving Operational Efficiency”.

She said this year’s agenda addresses a “critical” component in improving the efficiency of the public service.

“Our digitalization is twofold,” said State Minister Glover-Rolle.

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PHA signs Industrial Agreement with the BPSU

NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) signed an Industrial Agreement with the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday, January 23, 2023.

The Minister of Health and Wellness the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville said the government is pleased that the staff represented by the BPSU will now have some of the opportunities to reap some of the benefits that were long outstanding.

“This is all part of an agenda from the Ministry of Health and the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to address some of these longstanding issues that we need to correct going forward to improve morale at all of the public healthcare facilities to ensure workers are protected and they get what they truly deserve.”

The Health Minister added, “I am happy to say that in short order I understand that Mr. Ferguson will be in negotiations with the public service to finalize all of the necessary outstanding conditions so that we can sign an additional industrial agreement so workers can be compensated across the board.”

The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs will seek to create a National Food Policy

NASSAU, Bahamas-- The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs will seek to create a National Food Policy this year that will drive food security in The Bahamas.

Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Hon. Clay Sweeting said that he is excited about this new initiative.

"This agricultural policy would encompass a holistic approach and incorporate regulations, legislation and other aspects to assist the farmers who have not really gotten the attention they deserve for a long time," he said "This policy will help to drive domestic investment throughout the country and find ways to initiate food production to help to fight food insecurity."

Recently, a United Nations Food Agricultural Organization's (UNFAO) study revealed that 17.2 percent of Bahamians suffered "moderate to severe food insecurity" at the height of COVID-19 between 2019-2021

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