Section B

Section B

Section B

Many came to support the scholarship fundraiser at the Abaco Inn.

Abaco Pathfinders held an auction event on March 22 at the Abaco Inn on Elbow Cay on March 22. The event, which was well attended by second-home owners, aimed to raise funds for the scholarship foundation. Ten students were selected this year by the committee, each with their own struggles which they have overcome and each excelling to a level that demands recognition. Without the Pathfinders’ scholarship it is unlikely that either of the ten would be able to attend college.

Pathfinders needed to raise $200,000. So far they have raised $136,000 and are still seeking donations to make up the difference needed to send the students to college.

The weather for the afternoon was impeccable. Starting at 4pm, locals and second-home owners began arriving at the Abaco Inn. Abaco Pathfinders volunteers greeted the guests from Elbow Cay, marsh Harbour, man-O-War and elsewhere, and directed them to the silent auction table and the complimentary wine table. Hors d’oeuvres were also passed around by the Abaco Inn staff.

Guests moved along the silent auction table, which served as the centerpiece for the space, and rubbed elbows with acquaintances, old friend and, most importantly, some of the students who were chosen for this year. This allowed the patrons to get a much better feel and understanding for what their donations and purchases would be going towards. The students spoke about their dreams, goals and what the opportunity for furthered education meant to them.

One student in particular who was present that evening, to meet the potential donors, humbly shared her story. Escaping from an abusive home as a teenager, she worked to put herself up in an apartment and at the same time excel at school. She realized that waitressing for the rest of her life was not an option and set her sights at university in the United States. She applied to a very demanding school and was, in fact, accepted.

However, she soon realized she would not be able to afford the tuition. Despite the $6,000 scholarship she earned from the university she still fell short, financially, and had to contend with the terrible news that her mother was fighting cancer. She applied to Abaco Pathfinders and was accepted as one of only ten this year to receive a scholarship from the organization.

She is only one of the many deserving students the scholarship organization has put through school over the years.  In the years since the organizations founding it has helped dozens of Abaco youth accomplish their dreams.

Abaco Pathfinders is currently supporting 43 Abaco students at universities in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Spain, China, Trinindad, Jamaica and The Bahamas.

“We realize the importance of educating our young people,” said Leazona Richard – director at Pathfinders –“it will not only change their lives, but it can change our nation.” She also expressed thanks to the many donors who have supported the scholarship fund over the years.

To close the evening, Michael Albury took to the stage to raise money via the live auction. Several bidding wars took place over a few choice items, most notably a beautiful boat built by Winer Malone of Hope Town, but in the end all the money went to a good cause.

However, in order to support the ten students this year Abaco Pathfinders still must raise the final $64,000. For more information contact abacopathfinders@gmail.com or (242) 367-6279.

On March 14, local pastors and members of the Abaco Christian Council were given a tour of the Abaco Community Health Facility by Alan Sharpe of Coastline Construction (Abaco) Ltd.

The men first entered through the vestibule of the 27, 000 square foot building, which quickly branched off into a security/screening area. They soon passed through the main admission and waiting areas that include a dispensary, so that patients can conveniently fill their prescriptions. Thoughtfully, the area was designed with a coffee shop nearby.

As they approached another wing of the facility, Sharpe pointed out a Triage Room next to another waiting area, an administration and lunch room; an IT room; a mechanical and electrical room; conference Room; and a registration area.

He explained that there are five examination rooms in total, and six bathrooms with some being wheel chair accessible. There is also a nurses’ station; laboratory; Physiotherapy Room; Dental Lab; X-Ray Room. The Trauma and Treatment Room is essentially one room that accommodates three beds.

The health facility is also equipped with an Isolation Room as well as two standalone two-bed recovery rooms. Pregnant women can now look forward to the convenient delivering of their children in the Birthing Room. A few steps away, there is an Operating Theatre, and Sterilization Room. Toward the rear of the building, there are laundry and kitchen services.

As they walked further into the building, Sharpe indicated an EMS Base that is manned at all times offering piece of mind to residents as well as parking for two ambulance vehicles. A Compress Air and Vacuum Pump Room exist to contain medical gases. A Mortuary is also present.

There are also provisions made for a Facility Management Office. Behind the health facility, there is a standalone building that houses a mechanical room for BEC with an electrical switch gear. Sharpe said that in the event the city water goes off, there is a 12-foot deep tank that stores water on the premises because obviously the hospital cannot function without water.

Toward the end of the tour, Sharpe said he could not comment on a completion date for the health facility. However, there are future plans for a nurses home.

This year’s Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend saw a much improved turnout over last year’s inaugural event. 185 competitors
showed up to swim, bike run and soak in the beautiful Treasure Cay scenery. Above: competitors brave the open water for the 1-mile
swim on Friday afternoon.

The 2013 Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend was a great success, and in the second year managed to more than double the participation from the inaugural year.  This year 185 persons participated in the athletic events – including a 1-mile open water swim, a Sprint triathlon, an Olympic triathlon, a kid’s 1-mile run, and a 5k/10k fun run/walk.

The weekend opened on Friday afternoon with a 1-mile open water swim, sponsored by BTC, in which 25 participants entered the water at the beautiful Treasure Cay beach in Abaco.  The out and back course attracted athletes as young as 8 and old as 76, and all skill levels from competitive swimmers to recreational snorkelers.  The gorgeous Abaco weather allowed for a fast course, with Peter Wagner being the first swimmer to finish, defending his 2012 title with a time of 25:32.  The first female was Abaco local Christina Pyfrom, just thirteen years old, in a time of 28:01.  A young competitor, Ryan Knowles, managed to complete the swim in full clothing after forgetting her swimsuit, proving that determination and effort can overcome adversity.

The opening ceremonies and swim awards were held immediately following the swim.  The Member of Parliament for North Abaco, Renardo Curry, was present along with Ministry of Tourism representative Wynsome Ferguson.  The notable growth of the event was evident, as the Coco Beach Club was packed with participants, volunteers, spectators, and sponsors.  Sands Beer and Cocozona provided refreshments while Treasure Cay provided appetizers for the event.

Saturday morning brought overcast weather, a blessing for the athletes preparing to enter the challenging Sprint and Olympic triathlons presented by Carlo Milano.  The Sprint triathlon consisted of a 500m swim, a 20km (12.4 mile) bike ride, and a 5k (3.1 mile) run.  The Olympic triathlon was approximately double the distance, with a 1500m swim, a 40km (24.8 mile) bike ride, and a 10k (6.2 mile) run.  With 60 athletes entered into the events, including individuals and relays, the excitement and camaraderie could be felt well before the sun came up.  Entrants included 5 Olympic individuals, 34 Sprint individuals, and 7 Sprint relays consisting of 21 athletes.

At 7:30am, the Olympic competitors entered the serene waters of Treasure Cay followed shortly by the Sprint competitors.  Adam Isaac of Nassau, who would go on to win the Men’s Sprint triathlon, exited the water first.  Patty Barigelli, a relay competitor from Hope Town, was the first Sprint female to exit the water following closely behind the top men.  Michelle Lakin-Hope, from Nassau and raising funds for the Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home, exited the water first for the ladies’ Olympic triathlon; Peter Wagner followed up his previous day’s win with the fastest Olympic swim leg.

The bike legs of the courses took the competitors out of Treasure Cay and heading north on the Queen’s Highway, a smooth, flat and fast course.  All types of skill levels and equipment were visible, from beach cruisers to high-end Ironman triathlon bikes, and a plethora of Jamis bikes sold by event sponsor Cycles Unlimited.  The fastest cycle times for the Sprint and Olympic races were 39 minutes 38 seconds by Peter Tynes and 1 hour 8 minutes by Simon Lowe, averaging 20 and 22 mph respectively.  One competitor did take a fall on the bicycle, but luckily kind-hearted Jessica Robertson was close behind and stopped to help until the Treasure Cay Fire Department was able to assist.  The gentleman quickly recovered and managed to complete the bike leg for his relay before requiring medical assistance.

The overcast weather broke into a light rain as the athletes transitioned into the  run portions of the races.  The course took the competitors into Treasure Cay, where spectators cheered from all around.  The welcomed cool break allowed for fast race times, with Karen Cook from Boulder, Colorado completing the individual Sprint 5k run the fastest in 22:41 and Adrian Whylly of Abaco completing the 5k run course in 22:24 to win the relay category for his team.  Simon Lowe had the fastest 10k Olympic run course time of 44:44.

The overall winners of the Olympic triathlons were Simon Lowe and Michelle Lakin Hope, both from Nassau.  Simon was returning for his second Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend, however in 2012 he had to spectate due to a broken collar bone.  Michelle was competing in her first ever triathlon, and exclaimed brilliantly upon completing the race that she was competing for all the single mothers and to raise funds for the Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home.

The individual Sprint triathlons were won by Adam Isaac of Nassau and Vicki Stafford of Freeport, both returning competitors to the event.  Chris Pinder, David Knowles and Adrian Whylly of Abaco won the male relay; Lindsey McCoy (returning to the event to defend her 2012 relay title), Sarah Allen, and Veronica Beauchesne took the women’s relay title and Patty Barigelli, Chris Thompson, and Amy Lafitte won the mixed division relay title.

The Rotary Club of Abaco, one of the beneficiaries of the event, was well represented by Dwayne Wallas, their president.  Dwayne (nicknamed “Veg” by his friends) completed his first triathlon and managed to raise almost one thousand dollars to support the Rotary End Polio Now campaign and to lose 15 lbs in the process.

As the weather changed back to a sunny Abaco day, the triathlons were followed by one of the most exciting races of the weekend, the 1-mile kid’s fun run.  Thirty children aged twelve and under participated in the event.  The kids raced a closed course into Treasure Cay, cheered on by their many family members, friends, spectators, and the day’s recovering triathletes.  While not officially timed, the first young runner crossed the line in about 7 minutes 30 seconds.  As the finisher’s medals were awarded, smiles and family hugs were given bringing tears of pride to the eyes of family members and speculators alike.

The triathlon awards ceremony was held Saturday evening at the Spinnaker Room in Treasure Cay.  As the fiery Abaco sun set, the hand-made awards by Abaco Ceramics were handed out to the overall competitors and age-group winners, complimented by stainless-steel water bottles provided by Cycles Unlimited.  The top male and female of both the Olympic and Sprint triathlons received TechnoMarine watches donated by the lead sponsor, Carlo Milano.  Special mention was given to Taryn Carroll of Marsh Harbour, who completed her first triathlon by herself at just 10 years of age.

The weather cleared up on Sunday morning to allow for a beautiful race day for the 5k and 10k fun run and walk.  Late registrations delayed the start by a few minutes, but shortly after 7:30am, seventy participants took to the course.  Walker Hirsch of Treasure Cay won the 5k race in a time of 21:49 at the young age of 13, being both the top junior and top male on the 5k course.  Veronica Beauchesne of Hope Town won the women’s division in a time of 24:15.  The 10k course was won by Simon Lowe in a time of 43:48, and the women’s 10k title went to Karen Cook with a time of 48:57.

The awards ceremony and brief closing announcements followed the morning’s road race.  The organizers thanked, and would like to thank again, all of the sponsors, volunteers, and participants along with Treasure Cay Fire Department, Royal Bahamas Police Force, and the Treasure Cay staff for their participation and assistance in the event.   The event would not be possible without the support of the community, and this year the involvement by everyone was awe-inspiring.

The Chronotrack timing system was used by Wildside Online, Nassau, to time all of the events.  The system is capable of timing all types of races and is used in 25 of the 30 largest races in the US.  Chronotrack has a network of over 200 timers in 35+ countries, including the Bahamas.  The same timing system is used to time Marathon Bahamas and other local events.

The success of the event can be measure by many factors.  All of the athletes and spectators had nothing but kind words, with persons being inspired to participate in the next year’s events, and to return to Treasure Cay in 2014.  There was a large returning group of competitors from across the Bahamas and the United States and the overall participation in the event more than doubled from the previous year.  The Treasure Cay Resort was sold out for the weekend as participants attended from all over North America, including 8 states and Canada.  Freeport and Nassau were well represented and Abaco had participants from throughout the mainland and the outlying cays.  Bahamasair showed an increase in airlift, and Bahamas Ferries was able to add a charter ferry for the event to accommodate passengers from Nassau.

The growing event continues to support its two main beneficiaries, the Rotary Club of Abaco and Friends of the Environment.  The charitable groups were instrumental in providing volunteers and assistance to the events, and funds and awareness were raised for both organizations.

The Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend would like to thank its main supporters the Ministry of Tourism, Carlo Milano, Damianos-Sothebys International Realty, the Treasure Cay Beach, Marina and Golf Resort, and BTC.  A special thank you goes out to all the companies who provided prizes and support, as well as all the staff, volunteers and spectators who supported the athletes throughout the weekend.  The date for the 2014 event has not yet been set, but early planners can expect it to take place again in March.

Fighting fire with fire

A recent spate of forest and bush fires on various areas of Abaco have caused damage to farm areas and blanketed communities in heavy smoke for several weeks.

In recent weeks forest fires have reportedly popped up as far south as the Abaco National Park and as far north as near Blackwood. Aside from ravaging hundreds and possibly thousands of acres and the undergrowth of the forests in these areas, the fires have also wreaked havoc on a number of farm areas and threatened isolated homes.

Firefighters and volunteers have worked tirelessly for weeks protecting homes and trying to prevent the fire’s advance towards settlements.

On Saturday, March 23, seven volunteers with the Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire and Rescue (MHVFR) back-burned along the road to Snake Cay and along an old farm road south of Spring City preventing a bush fire from further threatening Spring City and later possibly Marsh Harbour. The firemen returned home after midnight.

The following day the MHVFR volunteers were called upon again to protect several homes on farmland as fires burning further south near the Cherokee turn-off threatened homes, destroyed crops and at one point trapped a family at their house.

Both the Fire Chief Danny Sawyer of MHVFR and the local Fire Authority, Sgt. Paul Johnson, urge the public to be aware that March, April and May are considered our fire season. The forest can become very dry and will easily catch fire. They reiterate that it is illegal to start any fire without a permit to do so and encourage hunters and scrap metal collectors – suspected to be the starters of some of the forest fires – to desist such practices. When caught, they will face charges in court.

Residents with homes adjacent to wooded areas are urged to keep their yards clear. Particularly vulnerable are homes where their lots were cleared and the debris pushed to the property edge, leaving a huge pile of dead tree trunks and other debris. Residents should be alert that when there are nearby fires, blowing embers can start additional fires. Flying embers can also get into open roof soffits and other openings, setting buildings on fire. This has happened during our recent fires in several areas.

Above: standing l to r, David Ralph and Leazona Richard of the Chamber, Tonya Cargill-
Adderly and Don Gray of the consultative group, George Riviere, Dennis Lightbourn and
Michael Albury of the chamber; seated – Brenda Jenure of Winding Bay, Rosnell Parker-
Simons of the Chamber and Merit Storr legal advisor from Chancellors Chambers.

Government is studying legislation to foster and encourage small and medium businesses in the country. Recognizing that over 80 percent of businesses in The Bahamas fall in this category and that collectively these businesses are the country’s largest employer, government wants to see more persons enter into business and succeed.

Government recognizes that its various plans and agencies for small businesses in the past have generally not given the intended results. This legislation is intended to simplify the process and have it managed by a nine-member board of knowledgeable but non-political persons.

The Small and Medium Size Enterprises Development Bill, SMEDA, is now being presented to the public for consultation and possible presentation to Parliament this summer. The SMEDA bill can be seen on the government’s website and is easy to understand. One of the first public consultation meetings was held on March 8 with the directors of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce.

Four board members will be appointed by the Minister and five will be independently chosen by the private sector. One each will come from the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce in Nassau, one from the Freeport Chamber and one from the Abaco Chamber. The final two will be chosen from other islands with Chambers of Commerce or business associations.

Grants, loans and other incentives now under the control of the following agencies or departments will be governed by the newly created SMEDA agency. Those yielding to this new agency are the following:

• Ministry of Finance – grants, duty exemptions, etc.

• Ministry of Financial Services and Investments – Industries Encouragement Act

• Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources – farming and fishing support

• Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation – project proposal support, farm and craft training

• Bahamas Development Bank – loans

• Bahamas Venture Capital Fund – equity contributions and loans

• Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture – grants

• Office of the Prime Minister – Hotel Encouragement Act

It is proposed that SMEDA will begin operations with a five-year annual budget of $5 million being a grant from government.

The proposed legislation as presented to the Abaco Chamber details how this new agency is to be formed and how the board will conduct themselves. The regulations on how the SMEDA agency uses its funding is likely to be made by the Minister and the new board working together. After the agency is up and running, it is intended that it functions beyond the minister’s control.

This desired independence from governmental oversight requires that the nine board members have a grasp and knowledge of small and medium business operations, challenges, obstacles, training, financing, marketing and other pertinent issues. Particular emphasis is on fostering entrepreneurs in the Family Islands and this requires knowledge of Family Island issues.

The three presenters from Nassau were Tonya Cargill Adderley, SMEDA Project Coordinator;  Don Gray;  and Merrit Storr, legal advisor from Chancellors Chambers.

Photo ID standing l to r, David Ralph and Leazona Richard of the Chamber, Tonya Cargill-Adderly and Don Gray of the consultative group,  George Riviere, Dennis Lightbourn and Michael Albury of the chamber; seated – Brenda Jenure of Winding Bay, Rosnell Parker-Simons of the Chamber and Merit Storr legal advisor from Chancellors Chambers.

On March 8, DI Jamaican Spot held an official grand opening offering “a taste of Jamaica” with generous samples for customers to indulge in. Some items on the extensive menu includes: Curry Chicken; Brown Stew Chicken; Roast Fish; Jerk Chicken and Pork, Rice and Peas, Stew Peas and Peas n’ Rice, and the usual servings of Bahamian side dishes (potato salad, macaroni, coleslaw).

Popular Jamaican dishes like Festival (fried dumplings), Ackee and Saltfish, Callaloo and boiled foods are also served. Customers can also try a variety of refreshing juices made from carrot, peanut and beet root. All dishes are priced between $5 to $13.

DI Jamaican Spot is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays to Wednesdays, and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and select holidays. Visit them today for an unforgettable dining experience, or call DI Jamaican Spot at: 367-0177.

Anthony “Big Moe” Morley speaking at Cay Topics ten year event.

On Tuesday, March 19 Cay Topics, which centers around bringing in interesting speakers and serving delicious dishes, celebrated its ten year anniversary in Hope Town. The event was ably conducted by Tom Hazel and his staff at the Abaco Inn on Elbow Cay. The Speaker for the event was Anthony “Big Moe” Morley who is a renowned artist and Junkanoo enthusiast out of Nassau. The event was capped off by a miniature Junkanoo parade.

The event was led by Janet Reingold who expressed gratitude to the members and organizers and lauded Tom Hazel and his staff for ten years of catering to the events. She remarked that the events have grown so much over the years she once heard someone remark that “Those Cay Topic events are so crowded, no one goes there anymore.”

Anne Krout, a founding member of Cay Topics on Elbow Cay, was asked to come to the front to be honoured by the members and visitors present. A toast was made to her as those present raised glasses of champagne.

Following her brief remarks Mr. Morley spoke to the audience that had comfortably gathered on the outside deck of the Abaco Inn. He revealed some of the history of Junkanoo in the country as well as his inspiration for his art. He opened a question and answer session with the audience after his formal talk.

As Mr. Morley finished the last set of questions a three-member Junkanoo group made their way onto the deck. Though small, their music was rhythmic and enjoyable enough to make the audience get up and rush along.

The event closed with everyone leaving with a smile on their face and a Junkanoo beat in their step.