The Department of Cooperative Development and the Bahamas Cooperative League held a Distinguished Lecture, titled "Economic Empowerment through Cooperatives" at the National Training Agency, November 6, 2023. 

The featured speaker was the Director of Bahamas Agricultural Health & Food Safety Authority, Dr. Patricia J. Johnson. Bringing welcome remarks on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and  Marine Resources was Permanent Secretary, David Cates, who relayed to the audience the important role that cooperatives play in the country's economy, contributing 3-4 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).