The Bahamas High Commission is pleased to advise the Bahamian public that the next passport clinic will be held on July 22-24, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario at the Bahamas Tourism Office located at 212-2150 Islington Avenue, St. Toronto, Ontario M9P 3V4 Canada.

The aim of these clinics is to facilitate passport applications for residents who reside in cities outside of Ottawa, Ontario and to ensure that The Bahamas meets the deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Organization for the replacement of handwritten passports with electronic passports by 24 November 2015. Therefore, all handwritten passports will be made obsolete by 24 November 2015.

To book an appointment to attend the Toronto Passport Clinic please contact The Bahamas High Commission at 613-232-1724. Individuals will need to ensure that they arrive at the passport clinic with all required documentation and a prepaid/self-addressed courier envelope that will facilitate the transport of their newly issued passports to their home address.

Persons with foreign issued documents such as birth and marriage certificates are asked to ensure that documents are authenticated before the clinic. Please visit the High Commission’s website for further details. http://www.bahighco.ca/Visitors/authentications.html. Persons with affidavits should contact the Bahamas High Commission prior to the clinic to ensure that there will not be a delay in the passport process.

For more information on application requirements and to download a Passport Renewal application please visit: http://www.bahighco.ca/Citizens/citizenshipfirst-time-applicants.html

ZNS Network on Monday re-launched Power 104.5 FM and rebranded 810 AM, as a gospel station, at the Bahamas Government Complex, when Minister of National Security and Minister with responsibility for Broadcasting, the Hon. Dr. Bernard Nottage, was on hand to officially turn on the switch.

Minister Nottage said Monday marked a new day for the Corporation as the Northern Service becomes more responsive to the needs of the Northern Bahamas. Innovations are underway as the Corporation carries out its mission to inform, educate and entertain the people of The Bahamas.

Plans for Power 104.5 FM Station have been on the horizon for the Northern Service for some time now. In 2006, he said, the staff held a number of fund- raisers to purchase the transmitter. Now in mid-2015, it is being used to launch Power 104.5, having been utilized for only 810 AM in previous years.

“This re-launch, today, of 104.5 FM did not come about by happenstance. It is the result of strategic planning and decision-making on the part of the Corporation’s management team. It is the result of a decisive and proactive approach being taken to provide broadcasting services so as to allow the Corporation to capitalize on any surge in the economy of Freeport and the Northern Bahamas,” Dr. Nottage said.

The aim of the re-launched 104.5 FM is to capture a younger audience playing a wide variety of music. Radio 810 AM will gradually be phased into a gospel station, taking into account the growing community and will also reach residents in East Grand Bahama and Abaco.

The Minister said, “The changes at the Corporation that will result from these two radio stations will be a clear demonstration the Northern Service is catering to the needs of everyone in the Northern Bahamas – primarily Grand Bahama, Abaco and Bimini.”

Going over some of the history of the Northern Service: it started in 1973, and at that time, there was only one government-owned radio station in the country. “Some 42 years later, broadcasting has been transformed in ways that are unprecedented.”

Minister Nottage added, “it is clear that in this new and dynamic 21st Century Broadcasting environment, it cannot be business as usual for ZNS in New Providence nor at the Northern Service. This ceremony today is, therefore, testament that the Government is seeking to put in place the environment for the Northern Service to succeed in the liberalized, broadcasting and communications environment that exists today.

“The Government is doing so by providing the necessary financial capital and human resources for the Northern Service to function efficiently, effectively and profitably in the competitive environment in which the Corporation finds itself.”

Since bringing on Mrs. Diana Swann, a trained veteran broadcaster and experienced manager as the new General Manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, Minister Nottage said the Corporation has undergone restructuring with staff and departmental requirements so that operations are enhanced and more effective. This resulted in Stanley Pinder, Deputy General Manager for the Northern Service, assuming responsibility for Radio in the Northern Service and in New Providence.

He said as the Minister responsible for Broadcasting, “my objective is to ensure that the Government’s policies and plans for broadcasting are carried out and that the structures are put in place that will set the Corporation on a path to profitability and away from its continued dependence on the Government to sustain it as a viable entity.”

The loan has been secured by the Government so that the Corporation may undertake various capital projects. The challenge for the employees of the Corporation is to be able to meet the obligations of the loan without the Government having to do so.

“If ZNS is to remain a viable and competitive entity in broadcasting, you will have to produce more creative, imaginative and enticing programmes. Your marketing strategy must be cutting edge, unique and savvy and; most of all, you must learn how to do more with less due to all of the other priorities of the Government.”

The competition is not in this country, but in the United States as well. The station, he said, must see itself as one and produce more programmes that are aired and viewed in New Providence and the Northern Bahamas.

In so doing, he said the staff must find ways to keep people tuned in. Addressing the staff members, he said, “You must have knowledge and skills that are transferable. You must have a solid education; you must be trained, creative, talented thinkers; you must be ambitious, energetic, flexible and productive. You must be accountable, responsible, team players, who are workable, predictable, cooperative, pleasant and kindhearted. You must be well-groomed, well-presented, well-mannered; exceptional; and, all of the other good words. Yes, in this new environment that is being cultivated at ZNS, you must be all of these qualities rolled into one.

“The Government can settle for no less of a person at its Broadcasting Corporation. This calls for continuous training and development. The Government will assist with your training, but you are also expected to invest in your own training and development so that you can be ready to take advantage of all of the opportunities that will become available at the Northern Service and in New Providence.”

Also present were Minister for Grand Bahama the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville; High Commissioner to Canada and former Executive Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas His Excellency Calsey Johnson; Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Grand Bahama Melvin Seymour; Chairman of the Board of Directors Rev. Dr. William Thompson along with other board members; General Manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas Mrs. Diana Swann; Deputy General Manager of the Northern Service and Radio, Stanley Pinder; and other invited guests.

This past Saturday, June 27th, hundreds of Atlanteans swarmed the communities of New Providence with the aim of putting meaningful and tangible effort into their desire to make a difference in those communities.

Over the past 20 years, Atlantis, Paradise Island has exercised its commitment to helping build a better New Providence for all, giving ‎more than $28M to support local charities, youth and sporting organizations, Junkanoo, community park development and redevelopment, beach restoration and the creation of green spaces, among other projects.

It is this culture of 'giving back' that ‎has inspired individual team members and departments to want to do more. Atlantis President & Managing Director Paul Burke and Senior Vice President of Public Affairs & Retail Ed Fields agree this first Atlantis Employee Give Back Day is not only a great way to wrap up the resort's 20th anniversary festivities, but it also serves to highlight the countless selfless efforts of the team employed at the resort.

"While much is known about Atlantis' corporate giving, not much is known about the commitment and dedication of our team members who of their own volition regularly and consistently give back to the community without any fanfare or personal promotion... basically every division, and even in some cases individuals, have charities they consistently support.‎ That is amazing and it is indicative of who we are as a company. It demonstrates that our community involvement is more than just Atlantis the company writing a check to local charities, but that there is a real commitment on the part of our team members in building a better Bahamas,‎" says Burke.

Fields adds, "Over the years we've had so many of our colleagues go out and host initiatives to help others in the community, whether we're talking about the Water Features Blood Drive that is hosted twice a year to support the blood banks at both PMH and Doctor's Hospital, the regular monthly visits by the Coral & Beach Tower Housekeeping team to the Good Samaritan Home for the elderly, the Public Relations Department's efforts, as well as that of team members in areas like the Casino, throughout the year to help bring awareness to the scourge of breast cancer among Bahamian women or Marine Water Park Operations conservation efforts, it all shows a readiness and genuine commitment to help create a better way of life and we as a company couldn't be more proud to have them on our team."
The Atlantis Employee Give Back Day ‎saw team members donning custom printed t-shirts with the words "making a difference in our communities" on them, assisting with clean up and refurbishment efforts at local parks, beaches and ponds, and spending quality time with the residents of local children's and elderly homes. One group of team members even hosted a fun day at the Bethel Baptist Church for the children in the Bain & Grants Town area, where they were able to enjoy a hearty breakfast, some fun and games and take home a bag of goodies. Another team went the extra mile at Good Commission Ministries on Wulff Road, building them new cabinets and doing other renovation works within the building.

THE 140 BTC employees, who were expected to be let go from the company today, "will have a little more time" before they are made redundant, according to Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union Secretary General Dino Rolle yesterday.