Category Archives: Bahamas

Ryan Nguyen had the world by the tail.

After several years of hard work, the San Jose native recently graduated from UC Riverside with a bachelors degree in business administration and a job already lined up back home.

First, however, was a fun-and-sun-filled vacation with his family in the Bahamas a place hed never been and was eager to experience.

But on Tuesday, during an afternoon snorkeling trip with his family, the 20-year-old apparently lost consciousness and drowned.

It was a freak accident, said his older brother, Shawn. There was no trauma.

The Nguyen family remains in shock, he said, still hoping for answers about what Shawn, 22, characterized as an unexplained drowning. Ocean conditions at the time, he said, were ideal.

Ryan had graduated on Friday, June 16 following in the footsteps of his big brother, also a UC Riverside business administration grad, both of them members of the same fraternity, Phi Kappa Sigma.

He was the most genuine guy you could ever meet, said Shawn, a consultant for a software company in Orange County.He always put a smile on peoples faces, and he knew how to take a joke. He was just a really great kid. He had his whole life ahead of him.

The second of Michael and Vivian Thans four children, Ryan like Shawn had played football at San Joses Leigh High School, where both brothers were running backs for the Longhorns.

When Ryan got accepted to UC Riverside, Shawn looked out for him, proud to introduce him to members of his fraternity, where they bonded with so many others.

Im glad we got to do that, Shawn said. It was the best decision of both our lives.

On June 17, just hours after they had finished celebrating the graduation ceremony, the brothers flew from Southern California to Houston. There they met up with their parents and two younger sisters, 8-year-old Madelyn and 10-year-old Makayla, then headed to Nassau.

By Tuesday, the family had signed up for a day of snorkeling, all of them piling onto a boat headed out to sea. Everyone was fitted with a life vest.

We all know how to swim, Shawn said. There were kids of all ages out there swimming, and adults. I was by his side the whole time.

Every time the brothers went to a new snorkeling site, Shawn said, it was a 30-minute session. But at some point in the mid-afternoon, the two got separated.

When it was time to go, the guide blew a whistle, calling us to get back into the boat, Shawn recalled. But Ryan didnt return. We were yelling his name and couldnt find him. Then we saw his bright green vest, about 80 to 100 yards away.

By the time they reached Ryan around 3 p.m. in waters off Rose Island, he was floating, lifeless.

We brought him onto the boat, but he was already unresponsive, Shawn said.

The guide immediately began CPR, turned the boat around and headed back to land, calling ahead for an ambulance to meet them as soon as they arrived.

Ryan was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A report in the Bahamas Weekly the next day said police were investigating the circumstances and that an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death.

Back in the U.S., Shawn is still trying to make sense of the loss.

There is no reasonable explanation for why this happened, except that it was his time to go, he said, haltingly. Theres a reason for everything, and it may not be clear now, but God had bigger plans for him.

And somewhere, behind the grief and tears, is a lesson, the brother said.

Hopefully, it lets people know not to take things for granted and to hold your family even closer, Shawn said. Because you never know when things will happen. You can never plan for it, or expect it.

Services for Ryan Nguyen are scheduled for June 30 and July 1 at Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose. The times of the services are pending.

A candlelight vigil will be held at 8 p.m. Sunday at the UC Riverside bell tower.A GoFundMe page has also been established for Ryan.

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College grad from San Jose drowns in Bahamas - The Mercury News - The Mercury News

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Coral towers at Atlantis.(Photo: Atlantis)

The deal: Get away with the whole family to The Coral at Atlantis Paradise Islandin the Bahamas. The newly-redesigned family-friendly section of the resort features amenities for all ages, like a swim-up ice pop bar for children, a cocktail bar for adults and access to activities.

Cost: Starting at $1,077 ($359 per night).

Whats included: Three nights accommodation at The Coral; a choice of two shallow-water dolphin experiences, two kids' adventure evening escapepasses, or a combination of both; $150 resort credit.

When: Package available through Aug. 31.

Information: 1-866-285-2684, atlantisbahamas.com.

Sophia F. Gottfried

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Travel deal: The Bahamas - NorthJersey.com

Awaiting Senate confirmation as the nation's next ambassador to the Bahamas, known for its tax-sheltering proclivities, Doug Manchester, ex-publisher of the Union-Tribune and million-dollar donor to president Donald Trump's January inaugural festivities, can boast a victory in San Diego federal court.

Chief United States District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz nominated to the federal bench here by president Bill Clinton in 1995 and elevated to chief judge five years ago has ruled that the developer's Manchester Financial Group, Inc. can't be held liable for the $466,310-plus judgement, along with costs and interest, awarded in 2013 against never-opened Manchester Financial Bank.

As reported here in July 2014, the deep-pocketed former U-T owner began dodging 21st Century Financial Services, a provider of data processing to his ill-fated banking start-up, following a ruling against the proto-bank by a federal court in Texas, later upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Manchester's eponymous financial institution began as a gleam in the developer's eye in February 2008, just months before Wall Street's legendary meltdown.

"Rick Mandelbaum, a longtime bank executive who is helping launch the new venture, said 95 percent of the $20 million to capitalize the bank will come from Manchester himself." the Union-Tribune, then owned by fellow La Jollan David Copley, reported that month.

"Officers and directors are expected to put up the remaining $1 million thus eliminating the need to raise money from investors."

As with many of the developer's deals, the would-be bank involved a byzantine mesh of partnerships and corporations.

"A group of individuals, including Doug Manchester, Richard Gibbons, and Steve Strauss, sought to charter a bank to be called Manchester Financial Bank," recounts Moskowitz's June 7 order denying 21st Century's motion to name Manchester Financial Group, Inc., the developer's holding company, as an additional judgement debtor in the case.

During the crash, Manchester pulled out of the deal, "based on 'current economic turmoil', leaving 21st Century holding the bag, court records show.

Complicating the cast of characters is the relationship between Manchester Financial Group, Inc. referred to in the order as Manchester, Inc. and a related but separate entity, Manchester Financial Group, L.P., which during the bank's start-up process "issued two deposit checks to 21st Century," the order notes

After the deal fell apart, 21st Century "issued invoices for amounts it claimed were due under the Agreement. In email exchanges between Mandelbaum, Gibbons, and Doug Manchester, Mandelbaum recommended that payment be issued to 21st Century on behalf of the Bank." When the money failed to materialize, the creditor undertook its thus-far futile legal slog.

"21st Century bears the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that Manchester, Inc. was an alter ego of the Bank," writes Manchester's home town judge, adding, "Imposition of alter ego liability is 'an extreme remedy, [to be] sparingly used' and 'approached with caution.'

"Although 21st Century contends Gibbons and Manchester were both owners of Manchester, Inc., there is no evidence of this in the record. Nor does the Court find any evidence in the record submitted by 21st Century identifying any of the shareholders of Manchester, Inc."

As a result, says the ruling, the Court agrees with Manchester, Inc. that adding it to the judgment would violate its due process rights.

Whether the creditors case figures into Manchester's yet-to-be scheduled ambassadorial confirmation proceedings remains to be seen.

The more pressing issue of who is going to finance his controversial downtown Navy Broadway complex is likely to come up, including Manchester's solicitation of Chinese investors for an Austin hotel project ultimately backed by fellow California Trump supporter Thomas Barrack, Jr.

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Trump's Bahamas ambassador-designate escapes judgement - San Diego Reader

Rent-A-Center Franchising International, Inc. (RACFI), the nations first franchisor of independently owned-and-operated rent-to-own stores, is hosting its annual Summer Retreat from June 21-25, at the Atlantis Resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas, giving franchisees, corporate personnel, and vendor partners a chance to relax, reconnect, and plan key initiatives for the rest of the year. We are excited to have seven of our vendors join us this year as our Summer Retreat sponsors, including top supporters Ashley Furniture, Whirlpool, and Sealy.

Opening day events on Wednesday included a Vendor Appreciation Reception at the resorts Royal Tower Overlook, and a Welcome Reception and Dinner sponsored by Whirlpool, held in the resorts Athletic Garden Center.

At todays General Session, corporate personnel will update franchisees on operational topics, marketing and advertising, purchasing, and franchise development. Our vendor partners will present an exciting buying show with some sizzling hot deals to end the morning. An owner roundtable discussion will start the afternoon, and a special onsite dinner tonight at the Royal Tower Deck will honor Eagle Club members who have achieved the RACFIs prestigious Franchisee of the Year award.

Each year, were able to share best practices with our franchisees and them amongst themselves. The ability to do so while having fun with our families makes the Summer Retreat unique, says RACFI Senior Vice President Cathy Skula. I cant think of a more relaxing place to do it than Paradise Island, Bahamas, and greatly appreciate our key vendors for help making it possible.

Tomorrow, attendees can enjoy a day of leisure in nearby Nassau or on Atlantis breathtaking grounds. Following a relaxing day at the beach, the Retreat will conclude Saturday night with a Farewell Reception and Dinner sponsored by Ashley Furniture that includes live music and dancing at the Ripples Pool Deck.

Excerpt from:

Rent-A-Center Franchisees Gather at Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas for 2017 Summer Retreat - APRO RTO Headquarters

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Bowl hosted its annual summer summit in preparation for the December matchup and it is expected that the fourth edition will continue the trend of creating an impact on the NCAA bowl season.

Various stakeholders of the event, including the Bowl Committee, ESPN Events, The Ministry of Tourism, the National Sports and Authority, delivered their reports on the previous matchup and expectations for the upcoming year at the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl Summit.

Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN Events, said his organisation has sought to create a symbiotic relationship between local and international stakeholders.

The Bahamas Bowl gives a chance to host two teams in a world-class destination, in a world-class resort, with world-class hospitality that is second nature to the Bahamian people. With the improvements we have experienced with the new field, the feedback from the teams last year was just tremendous.

The local team has done a wonderful job in really fulfilling fantasy. The Atlantis is second to none and we always see a wow factor look on the faces of the students, coaches, parents and support staff that comes. This would not be possible without the key stakeholders, to stage a game of this magnitude.

The Ministry of Tourism has been a tremendous part of what we have done in crafting it and really opening it up to the schools in the United States. These types of events arent possible if it is not a fair value exchange. Those dollars get ploughed right back into this economy and that is something that is very important to us. At ESPN, we televise it nationally, in millions of households and it also goes internationally to 40-50 countries. We have created a great platform here for a lot of people to benefit and those that participate benefit the most because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

ESPN is in year three of a six-year commitment since they added the bowl to its staple of events in 2015.

The bowl was acquired from Bahamas Bowl, LLC, which owned the inaugural game in 2014.

This year, the game is scheduled for 12:30 pm on Friday, December 22, in an effort to take full advantage of the long holiday weekend.

We are three years through our original six-year commitment as it relates to the bowl game and we are really looking forward to this being a long-term proposition, not just a six year one, Derzis said, From an economic standpoint we have been really pleased with our growth year after year - a 3$3.5 million direct impact in the Bahamas, about 2300 hotel rooms, during the course of the bowl so we are making a lot of progress and meeting a lot of the guidelines that we have planned.

Howard Karawan, President and Managing Director of Atlantis Paradise Island, said the event serves multiple purposes, including creating business opportunities and exposure for the Bahamas.

Exposure for a sporting event needs to be the icing on the cake and we get great exposure internationally. As important as exposure, or even more so, primarily is bringing thousands of visitors to the island and to Atlantis. Those visitors go back and tell their friends and family and that is really our objective and I think we share that objective with the ministry of tourism, that is to do events that brings business here because in the ends its dollars spent in the islands and getting people to experience our wonderful culture because word of mouth really is what drives tourism, he said, That is why we have made a commitment to the Bahamas Bowl moving forward because we see this as a long-term solid foundation at a time of the year that is not very busy. During the game and the week before is a slow time so its a perfect time for us to bring people here. But its not just about experiencing the Atlantis, but experiencing the Bahamas, integrating the cultural offerings in food, art and music because people arent coming here for an American experience.

Joy Jibrilu, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism said the game is transitioning into a staple of the Bahamian Christmas season.

One of the things I enjoy is listening to the players at the press conferences when they come down because they always mention that Its a dream come true, its a dream destination and that is the type of energy we want to hear and we want repeated. We reached 91 million households in the Untied States and the event has created great excitement because of the things that happen so we look forward to more of that taking place. We have had highly successful games in the past three years and we expect nothing less this year, she said, It is interesting to me to think that American football is becoming a part of the Bahamian Christmas and so in addition to Junkanoo and Christmas shopping, everyone is adding college football to it.

Jeffrey Beckles, NSA General Manager, the fourth edition of the Bahamas Bowl will come on the heels of a busy 2017 for Sports Tourism and the NSA will be ready with further improvements to infrastructure.

By the time the Bahamas Bowl comes around in December we would have hosted three regional events and three world events. That would given us a tremendous head start on the improvements we have committed too when we host this football game. We are happy to announce that we have just completed our brand new 6.5 acre open field in addition to the TAR. The original stadium has undergone a complete rehab so the team will have fill access to all fields. Every time you come to the Bahamas you will see some expression of our commitment to hosting these events.

Crowds of over 13,000 each year in Nassau have watched the only current bowl game played outside of the United States.

The inaugural game in 2014 saw WKU beat Central Michigan 49-48 in a memorable offensive shootout. In 2015, Western Michigan beat Middle Tennessee 45-31 and last year, Old Dominion held off Eastern Michigan 24-20.

As with the first three editions, the 2017 Bahamas Bowl will feature teams from Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference. For more information on the Bowl, visit BahamasBowl.com. The game is one of 13 postseason bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN.

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Bahamas Bowl Hosts Its Annual Summer Summit - Bahamas Tribune

Canada will begin its road to qualification for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Halifax.

Canada Basketball announced Thursday that the Canadians will host the Bahamas on Nov. 24 at Scotiabank Centre to kick off the first phase of qualifying for the World Cup.

The Canadians will play home and away games against the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the first phase. The top three teams in the pool following move onto a second phase of competition against three new FIBA Americas opponents.

The top seven teams overall in the Americas Region will advance to the World Cup, which starts Aug. 31, 2019 in China.

Canada is currently ranked 24th in the world and eighth in the Americas Region.

"Canada Basketball is excited to begin our road to China by hosting our first qualifying game in Halifax," presidentand CEO ofCanada Basketball Michele O'Keefesaid in a statement. "The introduction of the new FIBA system allows us to showcase our national team to Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast and put Canada on display as a world-class destination for international basketball events."

The Canadian Press

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Canada to start road to basketball World Cup against the Bahamas in Halifax - BarrieToday

Public Service Minister Brenzil Rolle recently told Parliament that the public service increased by 6, 500 people during the last term.

NASSAU, The Bahamas, Thursday June 22, 2017 Just six weeks after coming to office, the Dr Hubert Minnis administration in the Bahamas has slapped a freeze on hiring in the public service.

The moves comes on the heels of damning revelations from Dr Minnis this week that the former Progressive Liberal Party engaged in a US$14 million wild hiring spree in the last five months leading up theMay 10general elections.

The Government issued a directive to the departmental heads this week that there would be no new hires in the public service unless it was absolutely critical.

A June 19 letter, issued by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service Elise Delancy and obtained by the Nassau Guardian newspaper, read: Please be advised that effective immediately, there should be no new hires or renewal of contracts except where there is a critical need. Under such circumstances, the approval of Cabinet will be required.

Delancy also stressed that the authority to appoint workers solely rests with the Ministry of the Public Service and the Public Service Commission.

Public Service Minister Brenzil Rolle recently told Parliament that the public service increased by 6, 500 people during the last term without any consideration given to whether the Government was able to pay them.

Every minister hired whomever they wished, at whatever rank they wished, he said.

Rolles charges were also backed by Prime Minister Minnis who added that contractual workers were also engaged in addition to permanent employees.

Between December 2016 and the 9thof May, 2017, 648 persons were brought on at a cost of $10,149,738.40. In April alone, 119 were hired at a cost of $1.9 million and in May, the cost of new hires was $2.5 million, he said.

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Cash-Strapped Bahamas Government Announces Job Freeze - Caribbean360.com (subscription)

PHOTO: Dive boats docked at Club Med Columbus Isle, Bahamas. (photo by Eric Bowman)

Want to get away?

Why not a visit to some of the best beaches in the Caribbean?

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism details five reasons why you will fall in the love with these islands and want to visit time and time again.

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Private Beaches

If peace and quiet are what you seek for your vacation, the Bahamas has you covered. Per a Bahamas blogger, The Bahamas boasts of 700 islands and cays and 16 of them are easily accessible destinations. On every island, youre bound to find a beach with no one in sight for miles.

Swim with Animals

Go scuba diving and explore the depths of the ocean and tons of marine life. Maybe youll see a shark!

If youd prefer dolphins over sharks, make your way to Bimini for free dolphin swims. And no trip to the Bahamas is complete without a visit to Exuma for the swimming pigs.

READ MORE Hook Barracuda and More on a Fishing Tour in The Bahamas

Surf

Yes, there is quality surfing in the Bahamas. While the Caribbean isnt the first place you think of when it comes to surfing, there are still locations in the Bahamas that provide surfing waves. Head to Eleutheras east coast anytime from October to April for the best waves, and dont forget to check into the awesome Surfers Manor Hotel.

Explore

In addition to gardens and reserves around the islands, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism recommends you explore the East End of Grand Bahama. Float on easy and beautiful waters on this kayak tour where you will see all kinds of marine life and flora and fauna.

Wine

Whether you love wine or not, you have to check out the Graycliff Restaurant. Per a Bahamas blogger, it is an over 200-year-old colonial mansion in Nassau that has the largest underground wine cellar in the Western Hemisphere.

A fascinating historical place as well as a romantic destination, should you book a private candlelight dinner that is.

For more information on Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, check out their blog here.

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Reasons to Fall in Love with The Bahamas - TravelPulse (blog)

PARADISE ISLAND,Bahamas,Wednesday June 21, 2017 Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in TheBahamashas completed a successful harvesting and out planting of corals to three coral reefs off New Providence that were destroyed last year by Hurricane Matthew.

This ongoing project an initiative of non profit organization Atlantis Blue Project Foundation(ABPF) helps rehabilitate damaged coral reefs by growing small coral fragments to repopulate reefs that have been eliminated through disease, hurricanes, or bleaching.

Since its inception more than 10 years ago, the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation has generated over $5 million through funding from Atlantis guests participation in the resorts marine adventures and is dedicated to saving sea species and their extraordinary habitats throughout The Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas.

With the help of Atlantis Marine team members, The Bahamas National Trust, The Nature Conservancy, BREEF,Stuart Covesand Dr.Craig Dahlgren, Director of the Perry Institute for Marine Science/coral reef scientist, the team harvested 150 pieces of finger coral from one of Atlantis two on-property nurseries and 100 pieces of staghorn coral from nurseries established by The Nature Conservancy and managed byStuart Coves.

The corals, as two-inch fragments or cuttings from naturally occurring corals and placed on lines or tree structures at the nurseries, were monitored as they grew at rates faster than they normally do on reefs. Once the corals were deemed healthy and large enough, they were placed back on the coral reefs in the ocean through multiple dives to sites that have been degraded by storm damage and human impacts.

The ongoing coral nursery project at Atlantis presents an opportunity to educate people about the importance of coral reefs in TheBahamas, saidDebra Erickson, Executive Director of the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation.

We are very proud of our established nurseries and our on-going efforts to help repopulate areas that have lost their coral.

TheBahamashas more coral reef area than any other country in the region and one of the largest coral reefs in the world.

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Bahamas Resort Helps Restore Coral to Reefs Destroyed By Hurricane Matthew - Caribbean360.com (subscription)

Will Speros June 21, 2017

Jeffrey Beers International (JBI) has unveiled its restoration of the iconic Dune restaurant at the One & Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas. The venue suffered considerable damage in October 2016 following a hurricane.

Spanning 226 seats across its dining and lounge areas, the interior has maintained its resort-style ambiance but has been brightened with a new material palette that includes dove gray Anigre wood millwork, warm gray upholstery accented in coral fabrics and abstract, geometric patterns, and porcelain floor tiles finished in cerused wood.

The resorts Hartford Wing is reimagined with contemporary dcor included in expansive rooms and suites crafted by JBI. The new design draws upon the natural colors of the Bahamas with cerulean blue and cool turquoise offsetting a palette of warm ivory and cream that mirror the sea and sky.

Stay on top of hospitality design news, latest hotel openings, designer interviews and not-to-miss events!

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Jeffrey Beers International Restores the Dune Restaurant in the Bahamas - Hospitality Design (blog)