Category Archives: Bahamas

Using a baited remote underwater video system (BRUV), a team of scientists led by Assistant Professor Brennan T. Phillips of the University of Rhode Island has provided the first recorded in situ observation of the sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo) from the Tongue of the Ocean, Bahamas.

Gallery of BRUV video stills of individual H. perlo, filmed at 718 m depth.

Distributed in tropical and temperate regions, these sharks are almost circumglobal in their range. As a deepwater species, they are often observed on the outer continental and insular shelves at depths from 89 to 3280 feet (27-1000 m). Usually found on or near the bottom, sharpnose sevengill sharks are voracious predators that feed on a variety of animals such as shrimp, crabs, lobsters, squid and cuttlefish, small bony fish, and small sharks and rays. The smallest hexanchoid shark, they grow to a maximum length of 4.5 feet (1.37 m) total length for males and 4.6 feet (1.40 m) total length for females. With a narrow head, bright green eyes, comb-shaped teeth, and seven gill slits, it is a distinct looking shark that has never been seen in the tropical waters of the Bahamas.

The Tongue of the Ocean is a large (25 miles wide, 124 miles long), semi-enclosed deep ocean trench separating the islands of Andros and New Providence. The southern portion of the Great Bahama Canyon, little is known of what life is here, with abundance and diversity estimates available for only some deepwater corals and sponges. And while the nearby Exuma Sound has notable recent chondrichthyan (shark, skates, rays, and chimaeras) observations, it wasnt known what species the Tongue of the Ocean was home to.So, down the BRUV went. Ive been developing BRUV technology over the past few years so Im always looking for interesting projects to deploy them on, so I can keep pushing with my tech development. Dr. Austin Gallagher has been working the Bahamas for a long time as a shark researcher [with Beneath the Waves], and wanted to bring in more deep-sea science it turns out that a lot of shallow-water sharks actually dive quite deep for feeding and mating, so the idea was to try and get some visual imagery of them at depth, explained Phillips.

UNSPECIFIED - OCTOBER 08: Fishes: Hexanchiformes Hexanchidae, Sharpnose sevengill shark, ... [+] (Heptranchias perlo), illustration (Photo by De Agostini via Getty Images/De Agostini via Getty Images)

BRUVs are stationary, seafloor camera stations that use bait to attract fish in their vicinity, recording the species attracted to the bait or swimming past the camera lens. The camera is held in a steel frame that allows for some protection from animals that bite at the nearby bait or the camera itself. With this tech, scientists can observe fish in hard-to-reach habitats in both shallow and deep waters, such as the Tongue of the Ocean. The individual sharpnose sevengill shark, a male, was recorded at a depth of 2355 feet (718 m) and was estimated to have a total length of approximately 3.3 feet (1 m). With that length, it means this is a mature male capable of mating with any mature females. However, no other sharks, let alone female sharpnose sevengills, were recorded during this BRUV deployment.

The lone mane circled the BRUV for about 10 minutes and then left. This wasnt the only exciting discovery, however, for the team of scientists. Temperature recordings of about 48.24 F (9.02 C) at this depth indicate that sharpnose sevengill sharks are physiologically capable of thriving within the lower mesophotic zone. This oceanic zone is known as the middle light zone due to it being a world between worlds - between light and inky darkness and varied marine life calls this region home.

The results, the authors of this study emphasize, underscore the need for further research into deepwater chondrichthyan biology in the Bahamas. Its the first time the species has been seen in situ all previous knowledge about this shark has been gained using traditional fishing methods (catch the shark on a line, and pull it up to learn more).Our observation shows it goes pretty deep (>700m) and also it qualifies as a range extension, since it hasnt been seen before in The Tongue of the Ocean, said Phillips.We have very, very limited data on deep-sea shark diversity so this observation just adds to our knowledge base, which is thin (at best).It is entirely possible that this species goes much deeper than 700m, and is more widely distributed in the Bahamas in general.

Thankfully this kind of research can be readily facilitated by BRUV-based methods. Phillips is excited to see what more can be discovered with this marine technology, saying: I think BRUVs are an important tool for discovery for several reasons.First, they are compact and can be run off small vessels.They are also relatively cheap (<$10k per system) allowing for scientists to deploy multiple systems at the same time.They are simple to operate too, no extensive training is required.For all of these reasons, a wider user base can access BRUVs as a scientific tool allowing for a more democratizeddeep-sea research community (e.g. the My Deep-Sea, My Backyard initiative).

Hopefully more BRUVs will be deployed in the deep waters of the Bahamas in the near future to uncover more shark secrets.

Update: The headline of this story was modified after publication to be specific to the Tongue of the Ocean, as the sharpnose sevengill shark has been spotted near the Bahamas before - just not in this region.

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This Species Of Shark Was Spotted For The First Time In The Tongue Of The Ocean Near The Bahamas - Forbes

During the period 2nd - 4th September. 2019, Hurricane Dorian unleashed its destructive power on the Commonwealth of Bahamas and in particular, the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. Following the passage of the hurricane, Trinidadians and Tobagonians once again demonstrated their generosity for their Caribbean neighbours and donated critically needed relief supplies to assist in relieving the suffering and hardships of those affected.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) of the Ministry of National Security, coordinated the national relief effort and after approximately 5 weeks, on Thursday, 17 October 2019, a vessel carrying 7 containers with over 115 tonnes of supplies, sailed from the Port of Point Lisas for the Bahamas.

Witnessing the loading of the vessel was the Honorary Consul for the Bahamas, Dr. Elaine Davis, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ODPM, Major General (Retd) Rodney Smart; Lt. Colonel Patrick Gomez, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Forces (TTDF) Director of Strategic Logistics; Mrs. Elena Villafana-Sylvester, CEO of the Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life (FEEL); Mr. Riad Gouridath, Sales Manager of Tropical Shipping; and Mr. Clint Duncan, Manager of Cargo Handling, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Limited (PLIPDECO).

At the gathering Dr. Davis expressed her sincere gratitude to the Government and People of Trinidad and Tobago for the kind generosity extended to her country. She indicated that the contributions will go a long way to assist many a Bahamian family rebuild their lives post-Dorian.

Major General (Retd) Smart also took the opportunity to thank all citizens and organisations that partnered with the ODPM to provide foodstuff, water, hygiene products, building supplies, equipment, tools, manpower, warehousing facilities, transportation and financial assistance. He also thanked the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) for the organisations role in assisting with the cost of transporting the items by sea.

The ODPM would like to specially recognise the following organisations that contributed or otherwise assisted in the coordination of the relief effort.

Link:

Trinidad and Tobago ships relief items to the Bahamas - Bahamas - ReliefWeb

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With more than 15 million pairs of new shoes donated to kids in need since 2011, the BOBS from Skechers movement continues to aid disaster-impacted families through its charitable shoe program. Beginning this month, the Company plans to distribute thousands of pairs of new shoes to Hurricane Dorian victims in the Bahamas and Storm Imelda-affected families in Houston.

Together with its donation partner Soles4Souls, the Company will ship more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to Nassau; charity organizations Women Supporting Women and Urban Renewal will initially distribute 1,080 shoes to displaced victims of Hurricane Dorian this month, with more distributions anticipated in early 2020. Skechers and Soles4Souls also plan to send more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to the organization Communities in Schools of Houston to support the regions families during the holiday season, as well as in the new year based on need.

Through our relief efforts for previous disasters like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, we understand how challenging it can be to connect with victims when a communitys infrastructure is so deeply impactedand how crucial it is that we continue to offer support to these affected areas months after the media spotlight dims, said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. Healing a community is not a sprint, its a marathonand we are doing what we can to help thousands of these families in the months to come. Although we cant provide shoes for every disaster, we aim to do so for as many as possible, exploring ways to support other communities as they are impacted.

Skechers has donated new shoes to children affected by poverty, homelessness and natural disasters in more than 60 countriesfrom the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Haitis 2010 earthquake; to Superstorm Sandy; Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Irma and Maria; and the 2018 fires in California. The Company most recently donated thousands of shoes to children in need at back-to-school events in Miami and Milwaukee.

Along with its philanthropic efforts for children, the Company also partners with Petco Foundation to help animals nationwide through sales of BOBS from Skechers shoes, apparel and accessories. Since 2015, Skechers has donated more than $4.23 million to animal welfare organizationsfunds that have helped more than 750,000 pets in the United States, including more than 396,000 dogs and cats saved through adoptions. To learn more, follow BOBS from Skechers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, or visit http://www.BOBSfromSKECHERS.com.

About Skechers USA, Inc.

Based in Manhattan Beach, California, Skechers (NYSE: SKX) designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, as well as performance footwear for men and women. Skechers footwear is available in the United States and over 170 countries and territories worldwide via department and specialty stores, more than 3,300 Skechers Company-owned and third-party-owned retail stores, and the Companys e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, Israel and Mexico, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, India, and throughout Europe and Latin America. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Skechers future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as believe, anticipate, expect, estimate, intend, plan, project, will be, will continue, will result, could, may, might, or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include international economic, political and market conditions including the challenging consumer retail markets in the United States; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in Skechers annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and we cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business or operations or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.

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Skechers Distributes New Shoes to Recent Storm Victims in the Bahamas and Houston - Business Wire

The Rutgers womens basketball will travel to the Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx this weekend to play Fordham in an exhibition game to benefit hurricane relief in the Bahamas. The game is this Saturday at 1 p.m. and you can contact the Fordham ticket office here. All proceeds will provide direct support to Bahamas Red Cross as that country recovers from Hurricane Dorian and you can also donate directly on this link.

The two programs were scheduled to play a closed scrimmage on this date, but they were able to reschedule as an exhibition due to it benefiting charity per NCAA rules. From the press release:

This transcends basketball, said head coach C. Vivian Stringer. We have a great opportunity to come together and do something meaningful. Our players are in a wonderful position to give back to our community whenever they can, and now, to help a community in need miles from our home. We appreciate this chance to use basketball in the spirit of coming together as one and making a difference in the world.

Rutgers is scheduled to play in Bimini, Bahamas for the Junkanoo Jam during Thanksgiving weekend with a field including Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Seton Hall.

In addition, Stringer announced several staff changes this week. Tim Eatman, who did a great job last season filling in for Stringer during her medical leave, has been promoted to associate head coach. Michelle Edwards, who was Big Ten Player of the Year at Iowa playing for Stringer, has been on her staff in various capacities the past 16 years. She returns to the bench as an assistant coach, joining Eatman and Nadine Diamond, who returns for her fourth season in that role.

Other staffing moves include Betsy Yonkman becoming Director of Program Administration, Operations and Scouting, Brian Shank as Director of Video/Assistant Director of Basketball Operations, Will Abrams promoted to Director of Player Development, and Geoffrey Lanier joins the staff as Recruiting Coordinator.

The Scarlet Knights were not chosen this week as one of the top five teams in the Big Ten preseason polls conducted by the coaches and media. There is no preseason poll listing all fourteen teams in the conference. RU finished in third place last season, the best finish for the program since joining the conference five years ago. While leading scorer and rebounder Stasha Carey has graduated, as well as Charise Wilson and Victoria Harris, second leading scorer Arella Guirantes returns. Also returning are Tekia Mack, Noga Peleg Pelc, Zippy Broughton and back from missing all of last season due to injury, KK Sanders. In addition, Baylor transfer and former McDonalds All-American Alexis Morris, St. Bonaventure transfer Danielle Migliore, 5-star forward Maori Davenport and 3-star forward Joiya Maddox are on this seasons roster. Morris will be eligible to play in the second semester beginning on January 5th at Purdue due to transferring mid-season last year.

Rutgers will have an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong and begin their quest for a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with the season opener on the road against South Alabama on November 5th. We will have a full season preview coming soon.

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Rutgers Womens Basketball to play exhibition to Benefit Bahamas Hurricane Relief - On The Banks

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL After learning that its fire station and all of its equipment was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian, the City of Temple Terrace and the Temple Terrace Fire Department are donating a retired fire engine to the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas.

Temple Terrace Fire Chief Ian Kemp will hand off the vehicle to representatives from the Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire & Rescue at Fire Station #1, 124 Bullard Parkway, in Temple Terrace on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. The Marsh Harbour personnel will oversee the transport by freight and barge to the Abaco Islands.

The Abaco Islands were among the hardest hit islands in the Bahamas when the Category 5 hurricane struck Sept. 8. Fifty people have been confirmed dead in the Bahamas, most of them in the Abaco Islands where 17,000 people live.

"When a storm or other emergency threatens the City of Temple Terrace, residents, city staff and elected officials look to the fire department and four first responders to keep our community safe both during and in the aftermath of disaster," said Kemp. "But what if the fire department also was impacted? Such was the case in Abaco, Bahamas. Knowing that we had a truck in our fleet that has been replaced, City Manager Charles Stephenson suggested, and I wholeheartedly agreed, that it could be put to good use in the Bahamas."

"We suffered major damages in Abaco with results to our fire department trucks, equipment and building losing just about everything we had," said Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire & Rescue Chief Danny Sawyer. "We were extremely delighted to hear from Chief Kemp."

Keith Chapman, president of Ten-8 Fire Equipment in Bradenton, also is donating four MSA Fire Hawk Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus and 4,500 PSI / 60 min air cylinders, valued at more than $4,000 each, along with some hose. Alan Davies, of Hydro Dynamic Solutions, is helping to coordinate the shipment of the truck to the Bahamas.

On Thursday, Kemp will transfer title of the vehicle to a representative from the Marsh Harbour Fire Department during a brief ceremony. Temple Terrace fire personnel also will offer training on some of the donated equipment to one of the Bahamian firefighters.

The engine then will be transported by Deberardini Heavy Haul to the Riviera Beach port in Palm Beach County, from which it will be dispatched by United Abaco Shipping to the island. The expected arrival date in Marsh Harbour is Oct. 28 or 29.

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Temple Terrace Donates Fire Truck To Ravaged Station In Bahamas - Patch.com

NEW YORK Karl-Anthony Towns has poked and prodded at the figurative bear all offseason, dropping not-so-subtle hints about his disapproval of how things were done here in the past and his conviction that the Timberwolves are now on the right path.

Then he stood at his locker after a dominant performance in a season-opening win at Brooklyn and stated emphatically what the difference was that allowed the Wolves to take a punch from the Nets and then charge right back.

I love how Im getting asked this question like I havent answered it all offseason, Towns said when asked about the teams resilience in a 127-126 overtime win Wednesday over the Nets. I told you this, you thought it was bullshit. Unity, cohesiveness.

Bahamas was not a joke. This is something that was real. You wanna do great things, winning things, be a winning team, you gotta do great things. You gotta do winning team stuff. We bonded, and you...

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'Bahamas was not a joke': KAT and his unified Wolves open with a stirring win - The Athletic

Elk Grove Village has formally approved plans for a Love's gas station -- the first bricks-and-mortar example of a business attracted to town through the village's unconventional sponsorship of a college football game

The 7,600-square-foot store and fueling station with nearly two dozen pumps will be built on four acres it's leasing at the northwest corner of Busse Road and Pratt Boulevard, in the village's sprawling industrial park. Construction is scheduled to start next spring.

Marketing the six-square-mile business park -- the nation's largest -- was the aim behind Elk Grove's $300,000 sponsorship of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl last December in Nassau, Bahamas.

And it was because a Love's executive was watching the game on ESPN that he says he first learned of the town and started to take a serious look at opening a location there.

Chad Bruner, the real estate project manager for the Oklahoma City-based gas station chain, was back in Elk Grove Tuesday night to get sign variations and special use approval from the village board to operate the 24-hour gas station and convenience store.

He said most Love's locations are located along highways -- like the one in Hampshire along the Jane Addams Tollway -- but now the company plans to expand into urban areas.

The Elk Grove location along Busse Road is heavily traveled by cars and trucks, which has local officials pleased for what the business could mean for sales tax revenues. They've estimated the gas pumps and in-store sales could generate millions in taxes in the first few years.

"That's a lot of trucks. That's a lot of potential business," said Mayor Craig Johnson. "Love's is picking up on that."

Bruner said the gas pumps will be open 24/7, and the convenience store will also offer those hours initially, though it may cut back on overnight hours depending on business. The store will have its standard coffee bar and hot dog rollers, but also offer branded fast food offerings: Chester's Chicken and Godfather's Pizza.

The location will employ as many as 40 full- and part-time workers.

Bruner said the company will submit detailed plans to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and Illinois Department of Transportation for review and approval.

Love's plans to open by the end of next year.

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New gas station -- result of Bahamas Bowl sponsorship -- coming to Elk Grove - Chicago Daily Herald

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The Marsh Harbour Port serves as a logistics port in Abaco as part of emergency response efforts following Hurricane Dorian.

Erin Brett

The Marsh Harbour Port serves as a logistics port in Abaco as part of emergency response efforts following Hurricane Dorian.

Erin Brett

Erin Brett

The Marsh Harbour Port serves as a logistics port in Abaco as part of emergency response efforts following Hurricane Dorian.

The houses were flattened. Trees appeared more like sticks or twigs, all broken in two. Boats and shipping containers were strewn around the island, many far from the shore. Hurricane Dorian had devastated Abaco, a group of islands in the Bahamas. The storm surge there was estimated to be over 20 feet, bringing water and everything else with it.

Things just moved, Mercer alumna Erin Brett said.

Brett and her colleagues at the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot, a section of the World Food Programme that provides logistics support for non-food items during crises, were in the Bahamas to facilitate the movement of cargo from island to island.

I really enjoyed being on the ground and seeing how the work that we do in the office in Italy translates into the field, Brett said.

Elio RujanoErin Brett serves with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot aiding in Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas.

This was Bretts first humanitarian response, but she had worked with UNHRD and WFP before.

At Mercer in 2015, Brett became the first Mercer student to intern at UNHRD and facilitated communication between her university and the program.

Michael MacCarthy, Bretts internship advisor, said that she was shy yet personable, and the kind of person that leads from behind.

Shes not the first person to speak up, but she seems to take everything in, MacCarthy said.

While in Brindisi, Italy, where one of the UNHRD hubs resides, she was learning how the program worked and completing a few projects, but Brett said she was mostly floating around, doing whatever they needed her to do.

This was not her first time serving abroad. Brett went on two Mercer On Mission trips with Laura Lackey, dean of the department of environmental engineering. In Uganda, they tested potential causes and solutions for the excess of iron in the water supply. In Kenya, they worked on water filters for the community.

As a parting gift, Brett had left Lackey a small photograph of the two of them that now rests in her office on the bookshelf near the door.

Lackey remembers Brett fondly.

Her kindness is infectious, Lackey said. Thats like her biggest gift.

Now working with UNHRD full time, Brett is able to continue the work she started at Mercer.

I cant pinpoint exactly thats one thing that really like influenced it all, but it was the combination of everything, Brett said. The environment and the atmosphere. The quality of people that are at Mercer and those who are teaching you. Theyre actually invested. All my professors are invested in me or my coaches are invested in it. So its easy to learn when youre in that type of environment.

Brett is back in Italy now, but is hopeful for the Bahamas.

Theyll rebuild, she said. Itll take time, but theyll get back to it.

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Mercer alumna helps the Bahamas with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot - The Cluster

The 13th annual SITE Classic concluded at Grand Hyatt, Baha Mar with 300 incentive travel professionals in no doubt as to the incentive appeal of The Bahamas despite the recent ravages of Hurricane Dorian.

For three days attendees connected and built their professional networks, learned career enhancing new skills and discovered the pulse and beating heart of a truly stunning host destination while raising over $250,000 for SITE Foundation projects on research, education and advocacy.

Weve had Baha Mar on our radar for some time now, said John Iannini, CIS, CITP, President of the SITE Foundation, so anticipation amongst our attendee community was almost at fever pitch. Hurricane Dorian did cause problems but once it passed, and the health and safety of our attendees was secure, we were determined to be part of the solution by bringing SITE Classic here and channelling the good news that The Bahamas is very much open for business.

Hurricane Dorian was a prime example of how a threat can be turned into an opportunity. We leave The Bahamas personally and deeply enriched as a result of being able to play a small part in the Hurricane Relief program. Our DMC partner in The Bahamas, Cacique International used their unparalleled local connections to create an extensive, meaningful CSR activity where our attendees could get involved and make a difference. We feel privileged to have had this opportunity, said Anne DiGregory, CITP, Vice President Fundraising and Events.

Besides a full afternoon of activities in support of hurricane relief on day three of the event, on day two attendees choose from eight options that included an opportunity to take the Certified Incentive Travel Professional (CITP) designation. Highly popular, too, were destination-specific experiences particularly flexing with the flock, an outdoor yoga class in the presence of the graceful pink flamingos.

From a fundraising perspective SITE Classic was a resounding success with silent and live auctions raising a combined $250,000 + for SITE Foundation. SITE Classic is our flagship fundraising event. Its success is down to our incredible sponsors who donate amazing bucket-list travel packages and our patrons and supporters who dig deep to buy them! Its fitting too that we raise money in and through extraordinary travel experiences that is, of course, the essence of incentive travel, said Didier Scaillet, CIS, CITP, CEO of SITE & SITE Foundation.

SITE Classic 2020 will take place in Seattle from 27 to 30 September 2020.

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SITE Classic brings 300 Incentive Travel professionals to the Bahamas - Travel Daily News International

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The government signed a Heads of Agreement today for a $64 million project to bring a new medical university to Grand Bahama.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis underscored the deal withWestern Atlantic University of Medicine to operate a University School of Medicine in Freeport, represents a significant investment with 150 jobs at peak construction and 200 permanent jobs.

The new university is projected to bring $200 million in revenue for the hurricane-ravaged island within the first decade of operation.

This major development will inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy over time, and provide direct and indirect opportunities for scores of residents, Minnis said.

The development will include university-owned housing for faculty, staff and students on campus. It will also encompass: on-campus businesses, including a bookstore, cafeteria and a student center providing music, food, beverages, a copy center and related services.

Western Atlantic intends to build its own campus on land to be leased from the Public Hospitals Authority, according to a press statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.

A maximum of 50 acres will be leased in three tranches, based upon the Universitys satisfaction of certain deliverables.

The campus will be developed in multiple phases over the next 10 years. The first three phases represent an investment of $64 million dollars.

It will involve the construction of 98,000 square feet of classrooms, offices, lab facilities, maintenance, security and related spaces.

Construction will begin on the first phase by the end of this year.

During the construction phase, Western Atlantic has agreed to aim for an overall ratio of 80 percent Bahamian workers to 20 percent non-Bahamian workers.

Under the agreement, Western Atlantic will also work closely with the Government and local communities to develop training and professional development programs for Bahamians who want to work during the operation of the campus.

Approval to operate the campus will be contingent on the University obtaining accreditation from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP), or an equivalent body.

Western Atlantic will also work toward receiving accreditation for its students to be able to practice medicine in the US, Canada and The Bahamas.

This development has the potential to attract global talent and build international connections, said Minnis.

It also represents another opportunity to diversify our economy.

Minnis pointed to signs of recovery progress on Grand Bahama, including the reopening of the Grand Lucayan hotel and Port Lucaya, the return of cruise ship visitors and the restoration of essential utilities.

We have a long road ahead of us for recovery and reconstruction, but we are making progress, said Minnis.

Todays signing is yet another indication of the progress we are making together.

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Govt. signs Heads of Agreement for new medical university in Grand Bahama - EyeWitness News