This past weekend, May 24-25, the Leno Corporate Services/Barracuda Invitational Swim Meet at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex was the platform for swimmers trying to achieve times to qualify for the upcoming 42nd Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Bahamas National Swimming Championships.

 Dion Gibson, president of the Barracuda Swim Club, stated: "We are grateful to Leno Corporate Services Limited for sponsoring our last meet of the swim season which was very successful. We welcome Leno to the 'Cuda' family, and we look forward to an ongoing partnership."

In the girls 8-and-under division, Salene Gibson of the Barracuda Swim Club and Liya Moncur of Swift Swimming walked away with the high point trophies. Stella Higgs of Swift Swimming was third. In boys 8-and-under division, Jake Thompson of Swift Swimming walked away with the high point trophy and Marvin Johnson of Blue Marlin Aquatics took the runner-up trophy.

 Cecily Bowe of Swift Swimming won the high point trophy in the girls 9-10 division, and the runner-up was Kathryn Slatter of the Barracuda Swim Club. For the boys 9-10 division, Davante Carey of the Barracuda Swim Club took the high point trophy, and he was followed closely by his teammate, Ian Pinder, who took the runner-up trophy. In the girls 11-12 division, Amber Pinder of the Barracuda Swim Club took the high point trophy with the runner-up trophies going to Sian Longley of the Barracuda Swim Club and Victoria Russell of Swift Swimming. In the boys 11-12 division, Joshua Roberts walked away with the high point trophy and Samuel Gibson of the Barracuda Swim Club took the runner-up trophy.

 Tremaine Allen of Swift Swimming walked away with the high point trophy in the girls 13-14 division. The runner-up spot went to Maya Thompson of Swift Swimming. For the 13-14 boys, Gershwin Greene of the Barracuda Swim Club took the high point trophy and the runner-up trophy went to Nhyn Fernander of the Barracuda Swim Club.

 In girls 15-and-over division, Anna Misiewicz took the high point trophy and the runner-up trophy went to Doran Reed. Both girls are members of the Barracuda Swim Club. In the 15-and-over boys, Drew Bastian of the Barracuda Swim Club received the high point trophy and Anibal Hernandez Valdes of Swift Swimming won the runner-up trophy.

The Barracuda Swim Club congratulates all of the swimmers and wishes everyone much success in the upcoming 42nd RBC Bahamas nationals to be held from Thursday, June 20 to Sunday, June 23, at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

Weather forecast for The Bahamas for today and tonight, Thursday 30th May 2013.

 Swimmers and small craft operators should remain out of the water due to extremely high surf conditions and the strong possibility of hazardous rip currents...there should be a gradual clearing today so Bahamians should go about their normal business today and tonight...

General situation:

A moist unstable airmass continues to linger over the bahamas creating unsettled weather across the islands...

The Bahamas branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) recently announced the appointment of world-renowned jurist and legal scholar Dame Joan Augusta Sawyer, DPE, PC as its official patron. The former chief justice and president of the Court of Appeal was unanimously approved by all eleven trustees of CIArb to become The Bahamas' first branch patron.

 For almost a century CIArb has provided prestigious qualifications demonstrating excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to talented professionals around the globe.

 "We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dame Joan Sawyer as our first Patron," said Bertha Cooper-Rousseau, chairperson of the Bahamas branch of CIArb. "Dame Sawyer is a highly respected member of the legal fraternity here in The Bahamas and we are honored to have her serve in this capacity. With her appointment, The Bahamas branch now has an ambassador who can champion the cause of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution and its overall benefits to the legal system."

 Dame Sawyer is among several high-ranking legal professionals throughout the world serving as patrons to CIArb branches. She joins the Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, PC, CIArb general patron; Sir Dennis Byron, patron of the Caribbean branch; Dame Elizabeth Gloster DBE, patron of the CIArb London branch, and many others.

Formed in 2010, the Bahamas branch of CIArb is focused on educating and training professionals in The Bahamas with the skills needed to practice anywhere in the world. This September, the local branch will launch the Dame Joan Sawyer First International Commercial Arbitration Lecture Series featuring the pre-eminent practitioner, scholar and author in the area of international commercial arbitration, Professor Jan Paulsson. He will speak on the crucial role of the judiciary in developing an international arbitration center.

 "To become a reputable and sophisticated international arbitration center, The Bahamas must demonstrate that it has a pool of internationally-recognized accredited arbitrators and mediators. The Bahamas branch has therefore established a strategic and intensive training agenda that will include accelerated courses leading to fellowship. The courses will commence in September and are open to various professions including legal, accounting, financial services, engineering, medical and other disciplines" said Cooper-Rousseau.

 The branch has planned a series of meet and greets during the summer months for key stakeholders and professional associations to meet the new patron and ask questions on CIArb training and education pathways.

For more information on upcoming information sessions and overall training, contact Bertha Cooper-Rousseau, chairperson, the Bahamas branch of CIArb's at 1-242-327-3693, email ciarbbahamasbranch@gmail.com or visit the group on Facebook at CIArb Bahamas.

Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday unveiled a list of planned spending commitments for the 2013/2014 fiscal year that will aid education, crime fighting, national security, Urban Renewal, tourism and other "priority" areas.

While presenting the 2013/2014 budget communication to the House of Assembly, Christie said $10 million will be spent to market the Baha Mar resort in Cable Beach.

The government will also give the police force $2 million in the new fiscal year to boost its fleet.

 Christie said that between the current fiscal year and 2013/2014 the government will spend more than $8 million to allow the force to increase its manpower by more than 450 officers.

 In the upcoming fiscal year, the police force will more than triple its recruitment size from a class of 30 recruits to 100, he added.

Christie also said that in the upcoming fiscal year, the government will launch its five-year commitment, at an investment of $175 million, to modernize the Royal Bahamas Defence Force's (RBDF) fleet and harbor.

He said the government has also committed money to increase the RBDF's manpower.

Ten million dollars will go toward the Ministry of Works and Urban Development's capital budget for small home repairs.

"This program will benefit small contractors and provide jobs targeting our young males," Christie said. "It will support much needed improvement in the sub-standard housing conditions which many of the poor among us endure."

Another area of key spending is the planned $30 million injection into education in the upcoming fiscal year through a collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank, Christie said.

The bulk of this sum will go toward special education funding and transitioning The College of The Bahamas into a university.

 Christie said the government will put $5.5 million of its own resources into the Ministry of Education to build new schools in Inagua; San Salvador; Gregory Town, Eleuthera, and Lowe Sound, Andros.

 "That is more than double the amount allocated last year and a virtual tripling of the sums allocated in 2011/2012," the prime minister said.

Christie also said that $4 million will be invested in the upcoming fiscal year to create a School of Agriculture and Marine Sciences in North Andros.

 This facility will have a commercial farm and should be self-sustaining in five years, the prime minister said.

He also announced that $10 million will go toward building several sport centers in the Family Islands.

 Christie also said the government will spend $1 million to create a week-long cultural festival that will be similar to the annual Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.

Another $1 million will be spent on constructing greenhouses at schools, children's homes and other government centers. These greenhouses will grow and sell produce.