Governor General, Her Excellency the Most Hon. Cynthia Pratt administered the requisite Oaths to Justice Jon Isaacs to act as President of the Court of Appeal during a brief ceremony at the Office of the Governor General on Thursday, March 28, 2024. 

Acting Prime Minister, and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper gave official, welcoming remarks at the Carifta Aquatics 2024 Opening Ceremony, Nassau Cruise Port, Friday, March 29. 

Pictured are promising young swimmers of the Caribbean.

Nassau-based technology solutions provider Cloud Carib celebrated International Women’s Day with an inspiring "LeadHERship" brunch at its Centre of Excellence in Sandyport. The event aimed to inspire and cultivate meaningful dialogue and community among the women of the tech company’s staff. The highlight of the brunch was the keynote conversation featuring Sametria McKinney, Director of the National Computer Incidence Response Team of the Bahamas (CIRT-BS).
 
Moderated by M'khel Ferguson, Cloud Carib's Marketing Operations Manager, the discussion delved into the challenges encountered by women in the region and specifically within the tech industry. Sametria McKinney, a seasoned leader with over a decade of experience in technology-based roles, shared her insights on navigating gender bias and surmounting industry hurdles. The discussion covered the importance of mentorship and allyship, emphasizing the power of building strong support networks and “tribes” for women.
 
McKinney captured the essence of the event in her address, stating, "As we navigate the dynamics of the tech industry, it's crucial to anchor ourselves in a community that uplifts and empowers. Today's dialogue signifies more than mere conversation; it's about lighting a path for collective growth and innovation."
 
The brunch concluded by addressing implicit bias within groups that include both women and men and the critical need for attaining a better work-life balance for women in demanding professions. Attendees exchanged strategies for prioritizing both professional and personal well-being, ultimately fostering a more empowered and fulfilled workforce.
 
The brunch not only served as a platform for discussion but also as an incubator for mentorship connections, with several attendees recognizing leadership figures amongst the group. Compliance Officer Christian Albury provided a compelling testament to the event's impact: "The LeadHERship Brunch has been an eye-opener; it's reinforced the importance of continuous learning and personal development. The guidance on furthering my education and the specific strategies for acquiring certifications are more than just advice – they’re the tools that empower us to get past imposter syndrome. I'm leaving today not just with new insights but actionable steps and a confidence boost to take on challenges I thought I wasn’t capable of yet, both personally and professionally."

Nassau-based technology solutions provider Cloud Carib celebrated International Women’s Day with an inspiring "LeadHERship" brunch at its Centre of Excellence in Sandyport. The event aimed to inspire and cultivate meaningful dialogue and community among the women of the tech company’s staff. The highlight of the brunch was the keynote conversation featuring Sametria McKinney, Director of the National Computer Incidence Response Team of the Bahamas (CIRT-BS).   Moderated by M'khel Ferguson, Cloud Carib's Marketing Operations Manager, the discussion delved into the challenges encountered by women in the region and specifically within the tech industry. Sametria McKinney, a seasoned leader with over a decade of experience in technology-based roles, shared her insights on navigating gender bias and surmounting industry hurdles. The discussion covered the importance of mentorship and allyship, emphasizing the power of building strong support networks and “tribes” for women.   McKinney captured the essence of the event in her address, stating, "As we navigate the dynamics of the tech industry, it's crucial to anchor ourselves in a community that uplifts and empowers. Today's dialogue signifies more than mere conversation; it's about lighting a path for collective growth and innovation."   The brunch concluded by addressing implicit bias within groups that include both women and men and the critical need for attaining a better work-life balance for women in demanding professions. Attendees exchanged strategies for prioritizing both professional and personal well-being, ultimately fostering a more empowered and fulfilled workforce.   The brunch not only served as a platform for discussion but also as an incubator for mentorship connections, with several attendees recognizing leadership figures amongst the group. Compliance Officer Christian Albury provided a compelling testament to the event's impact: "The LeadHERship Brunch has been an eye-opener; it's reinforced the importance of continuous learning and personal development. The guidance on furthering my education and the specific strategies for acquiring certifications are more than just advice – they’re the tools that empower us to get past imposter syndrome. I'm leaving today not just with new insights but actionable steps and a confidence boost to take on challenges I thought I wasn’t capable of yet, both personally and professionally."

 

STRAW Market vendors said trying to embrace credit card machines has had complicated results because of high bank fees and lack of free WiFi.

 

For older vendors who have worked in the market for decades, learning to use a machine is challenging. #The vendors spoke to The Tribune last week after Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper told reporters that the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Development Board encourage them to explore digital payment options and credit cards, modernising their business to benefit from the tourism industry. #His comments were in response to concerns about cruise ship staff warning passengers not to carry cash off ships. #Velma Roner said sometimes using credit card machines is beneficial –– but not when dealing with small transactions of $15 or less. #"By the time you take that to the bank," she said, "they have to take their money off." #"What are you getting from that? So that little, small thing is not beneficial to you." #Ms Roner and other vendors said the lack of WiFi in the market has made facilitating credit card payments challenging. #She uses data from her phone to provide an internet connection for her machine. #She said when the chairman of the Straw Market Authority was first appointed, he said he would introduce free WiFi, but has not done so yet. #"Sometimes tourists try to log on to get to their bank to see what's going on and they can’t log on because they don't have any data or anything like that, so you lose a sale right there," she said. #Teressa Eneas said at least 70 per cent of vendors in the market have machines that accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Apple Pay, and she acknowledged that tourists with credit cards sometimes spend more than those using just cash. #However, some vendors have lost faith in the system because of experience with customers finding ways to get their money back. #She said she replaced her previous bank "because the customers made a purchase, and the customers called them and tell them they didn't make the purchase, so for that reason, I had a loss".

For older vendors who have worked in the market for decades, learning to use a machine is challenging.

The vendors spoke to The Tribune last week after Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper told reporters that the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Development Board encourage them to explore digital payment options and credit cards, modernising their business to benefit from the tourism industry.

His comments were in response to concerns about cruise ship staff warning passengers not to carry cash off ships.

Velma Roner said sometimes using credit card machines is beneficial –– but not when dealing with small transactions of $15 or less.

"By the time you take that to the bank," she said, "they have to take their money off."

"What are you getting from that? So that little, small thing is not beneficial to you."

Ms Roner and other vendors said the lack of WiFi in the market has made facilitating credit card payments challenging.

She uses data from her phone to provide an internet connection for her machine.

She said when the chairman of the Straw Market Authority was first appointed, he said he would introduce free WiFi, but has not done so yet.

"Sometimes tourists try to log on to get to their bank to see what's going on and they can’t log on because they don't have any data or anything like that, so you lose a sale right there," she said.

Teressa Eneas said at least 70 per cent of vendors in the market have machines that accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Apple Pay, and she acknowledged that tourists with credit cards sometimes spend more than those using just cash.

However, some vendors have lost faith in the system because of experience with customers finding ways to get their money back.

She said she replaced her previous bank "because the customers made a purchase, and the customers called them and tell them they didn't make the purchase, so for that reason, I had a loss".