During The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce 38th Annual Awards Ball, awards were given out for Businesses of the Year (two categories), Entrepreneur and Business Person of the year. This year's Business of the Year (category ‘A’  over 50 employees), went to FURNITURE PLUS. Pictured receiving their award on the night are (left to right) Victoria and Scott Ferguson, Grand Bahama Managing Partners, Khaalis Rolle, newly-elected President of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, Krystynia and Troy D'Arville, Managing Partners Nassau.

NASSAU, Bahamas - The Government is to amend the Cruise Ship (Overnighting Incentive) Act, 1995, to strengthen the country’s competitive position in the cruise industry, Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert Ingraham told Parliament on June 29.  He was debating those amendments which seems to facilitate entry into new agreements with major cruise lines, and encourage them to maintain and increase their delivery of cruise passengers to the country’s ports of call.

“My government is also pursuing the strategy of engaging a major strategic cruise line partner, with respect to the development of a new cruise port on Grand Bahama,” Mr. Ingraham told the morning session of the House of Assembly.  The Cruise Ship (Overnighting Incentive) Act was first enacted in 1995. At that time, cruise visitors to The Bahamas were experiencing a decline of 600,000 visitors. There were 2.1 million cruise visitors in 1992 compared to 1.5 million visitors in 1995.

“Also at that time, hardly any cruise ship stayed in port after 5 p.m.," he said. "This state of affairs had a severe impact upon small businesses and downtown Bay Street businesses.  "The Act was primarily intended to reverse the ongoing decline in cruise ship calls to the port of Nassau at that time.”

This decline in cruise ship calls was attributed to, among other things: the increase in departure taxes from $13,00 to $20,000;  Complaints of cruising public about the deteriorated ambiance of the principal ports of call in Nassau and Freeport; and the cost of calls to Nassau and Freeport.

Major cruise lines were repositioning their ships away from The Bahamas to other newer and less expensive ports as they sought to reduce to their operating costs, maximize their profits and increase passenger satisfaction, he said.  Complaints about the ambiance of Nassau and of the industrial nature of the port in Freeport were addressed by a number of initiatives.  In Nassau, the 'dust bowl' left from harbour dredging was removed, a taxi call-up system and facility was put in place, and a surrey horse facility and hair braiders pavilion were constructed.

NASSAU, The Bahamas -- The Government is making “tough choices” to enable the country to take advantage of the economic recovery when it comes, Leader of Government Business in the Senate and Minister for Labour and Social Development the Hon. Dion Foulkes said.

The Government’s $1.7 billion budget 2009-’10 “combines conservative budgeting, greater efficiencies, and innovative strategies to pursue progressive ends and broad national goals,” he said during debate on the budget in the Senate on Thursday.

“The 2009/10 budget,” he said, “demonstrates that this Government is prepared to make the difficult choices that will, to the extent possible, protect jobs, enhance social security, ensure fiscal discipline, and make the capital and other investments necessary to secure the nation’s near and long-term future.”

However, the outlook for the Bahamian economy continues to be “quite difficult” for the remainder of 2009, he warned.

Last month, we covered part one of The Actor’s Portfolio: The Headshot. Accompanying such a functional document should be the professional actor’s ‘Resume’. Again, just as you would attend a job interview with credentials in hand, you should apply the same principle when attending a Casting Call, a production meeting/interview, and it’s even handy to carry your resume with you at ‘work’, not taking for granted that you’re likely to meet other production personnel who may find it useful. It’s fitting, therefore, to briefly discuss what goes into such a document, how it should be presented and when.

Primarily, when an entertainment executive or industry worker asks for your resume, they’re not asking for your list of employment in the corporate world. What they would like to see is a thorough display of your production work. It’s great that you’ve been in banking for 18 years, an investment officer for 5 years and personal financial consultant to the president for 3. However, unless you’re applying for an accounting position in the film/project in which we speak of, your expertise with numbers will mean little compared to your acting abilities. Can you act? If so, how does the agent know that? He/she derives an impression of your acting expertise based on your acting experience, training and affiliations, all of which should be detailed in your production resume. I think that perhaps the best tips I can give you on the subject would be to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the resumes I’ve collected over the years.

A ‘GOOD’ RESUME:

• Is Typed – In this ever increasing digital age, hardly anything is delivered handwritten. Needless to say, a good resume is typed, hopefully error free, and delivered on clean sheets of paper.

• Bears Current Contacts – Nothing is as frustrating as trying to reach someone at a phone number that’s either disconnected, wrong or is not current. A good resume bears contact information that is both up to date and provides easy access to the bearer. If your phone number is disconnected, it would be advisable to provide an alternative number (perhaps that of a close relative or friend) until further notice. What’s important is that when you are called, you are reached. Do also provide your postal address as well, because notices maybe emailed as well as mailed.

FREEPORT, GRAND BAHAMA, JUNE 24, 2009—A weekend full of magic and comedy is in store for all ages July 3-4 in Grand Bahama as world class entertainers bringing their talents to the island.

The weekend will kick off on Friday, July 3, when a full complement of talented comedians will bring a night of laughs and fun for the older crowd at the Our Lucaya Convention Centre ballroom.

Saturday, July 4, will be a day of kid-focused fun with a world-renowned magician, exciting juggler, and two favourite cartoon characters appearing live on stage.

Friday’s lineup of comedians includes Marvin Dixon, Chello and AJ, all who have appeared on BET’s Comic View, on other international TV networks, and many popular comedy clubs worldwide. The two-hour comedy event next Friday will be hosted by local personality David Wallace and is sure be a non-stop evening of laughter.

On Saturday the day is all about the young folks, when magician Robert Segal and juggler The Amazing Fettuccine will dazzle and amaze all who attend. In addition to the magic and juggling acts, the event will include a spectacular light show and a dance-off between popular cartoon personalities Sponge Bob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer, both of whom will be on hand to the delight of all who attend, from young children to adults.

Police in the Bahamas have questioned Robbie Williams over the robbery of two photographers who had taken shots of him while on holiday in Exuma.

The paparazzi said they got into an argument with the pop star's entourage while photographing him on Sunday.

Hours later, they claimed, four armed men broke into their hotel room and stole $20,000 (£12,294) of equipment.

Police superintendent Ellsworth Moss said Williams, who rose to fame as part of Take That, was not a suspect.

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"We don't think he was the one who actually committed the robbery, but it may have been a spin-off or may have been triggered by what reportedly happened with his party on the beach," Mr Moss told the Associated Press news agency.

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