Speaking to the Sunrise Rotary in Freeport, Grand Bahama yesterday, Keith Cooper, Director of Resort Sales at Old Bahama Bay Resort & Yacht Harbour detailed his efforts and the Old Bahama Bay community’s desire to help young entrepreneurs in West End.

What started in the summer of 2005 as a program to mentor young people to focus on the basics of business 101, computer skills and small business development has now grown to a full-fledged business-training program called the West End Youth Entrepreneur Leadership Program.

The program was originally launched with six boys participating in the program who all attend Eight-Mile Rock High School, and now also includes five young girls also looking to become successful businesswomen in the community. The boys and girls, all from West End, range in age 12 to 17 years and are either middle or high school students. Mr. Cooper added that the program places special emphasis on the importance for the youth to understand social responsibility, etiquette and effective verbal and written communication skills.

In addition to the business training they receive, Mr. Cooper and his team have started a laptop and desktop donation program for the youth of West End. Computers that are donated to the youth program will be used to aid in developing their written and verbal skills as well as proper use of the computer.

“This will enable the students to the use the laptops and desk tops in research of their school work and to learn how to start a part-time small business during the year, “ noted Cooper, “so far we have received eight used lap tops and there are more pledged by individuals, U.S. companies and by a member of this club.”

It is Mr. Cooper’s hope that each computer will be modified with the basic software that will enable the kids to access the Internet, write school papers, research small business ideas and, of course, learning educational computer games. By the end of this summer he anticipates at least 15 laptops will be in the hands of the youth in West End. The lap top drive also encourages financial donations to help support the cost of the necessary software and associated computer fees.

The groups goal is to see every school age child in West End with a lap top for school or desk top in the home to use in preparing research papers for school or planning for college or to start a new business.

This summer Mr. Cooper and the group will also be launching a West End Youth Tour Guide Program. “This program will provide summer and part time jobs to our youth who will be trained as Bahama Host guides and offer tourists visiting the area a guided tour of the village, recounting the rich past, buildings, folklore and history that made West End unique.”

He went on to add that he has a U.S. company that is looking to sponsor the kids uniforms for this venture and that the students are busy now designing the tour and text for the concept.
Cooper concluded his speech to Rotary by noting that he felt there was a metamorphosis taking place in his hometown of West End, Grand Bahama. “A shift in economic development and new opportunities for small business development has begun with the announcement of the Ginn project, Blue Marlin Cove in Bootle Bay and the expansion underway at Old Bahama Bay. There is an imminent turn around of economic vitality that will have a profound effect on the lives of every person living along the settlements on the west side of the island for years to come”
He noted that now is the time to help our youth prepare for this and to be ready to capitalize on the job opportunities or to create business of their own. “The people of Grand Bahama are writing a new chapter in the history of the island and we need to be prepared to help volunteer our help, to make West End be at our best!”

For more information about the West End Youth Entrepreneur Leadership Program interested persons can contact Keith Cooper at 350-6500 or go on line to the Old Bahama Bay website at www.oldbahamabay.com for more information on the resort.

The new Chairman of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA), Mr. Hannes Babak, is delighted to announce that he was able, together with The Board of Directors, to persuade Sir Albert J. Miller, former Co-Chairman and President, to return as Chief Executive Officer.

“Sir Albert’s ability to deliver on the promise of Freeport and his leadership record are remarkable,” stated Hannes Babak. “I am thrilled that we have been able to convince Sir Albert to join us, as this will give us the ability to begin an aggressive campaign to revitalize the economy.”

With over 35-years of working with Sir Jack Hayward and Edward St. George, and having experienced the highs and lows of Freeport’s economy, Sir Albert is pleased to join Hannes Babak in maximizing efforts to ensure that Freeport and Grand Bahama Island will thrive.

The principals of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited, Sir Jack Hayward and Lady Henrietta St. George, are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Hannes Babak, as the Chairman of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited, effective 1st June 2006.

Mr. Babak brings with him a wealth of knowledge in international business with a Masters degree in Economics and Business Studies from Vienna University, Austria. At 45 years of age, Mr. Babak has an impressive background in business development and management and is passionate about ensuring Freeport’s continued growth and development.

Since arriving on Grand Bahama Island in 1974, Mr. Babak has been committed to seeing Freeport prosper, and has made significant investments, including Freeport Concrete, The Home Centre, and First Commercial Centre.

“As Hannes has recognized from his personal experience, Freeport is such a wonderful place to invest, work and live,” stated Sir Jack Hayward. “We believe that he will leave no stone unturned to ensure that, with our competitive advantages, Freeport’s full potential is realized.”

With his belief in the vision for Freeport as a dynamic place for investment opportunities and a superb quality of life, Mr. Babak will embark on an aggressive campaign to revitalize the economy, with business prospects that will have a positive impact on Freeport, and the island of Grand Bahama.

Photo Credit: Mark Da Cunha

Junkanoo Summer Festival, an evolution of Junkanoo in June, will span two months – June 9 through July 29. This street festival will be held on Thursday nights, 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., on the lawn of the former Royal Oasis Resort.

CELEBRATION, Fla. – (May 30, 2006) – The Ginn Company has officially announced that their planned resort community on the West End of Grand Bahama Island is named "Versailles sur Mer SM."

In December 2005, The Ginn Company acquired an extensive holding comprised of 1,957 acres at the West End of the island and has committed to carrying out a $3.7 billion world-class resort community that will contain the following components:

1. • 4,400 condominium and hotel units, centered around a 20-story tower
2. • 1800 single family residential homesites
3. • Two Signature golf courses and clubhouses
4. • Two large marinas and a private airport with customs facilities
5. • A casino, water and swim pavilions, a beach club and spa

In regard to luxury and scope, it will serve as The Ginn Company’s flagship Caribbean development.

"Versailles sur Mer promises to offer a club lifestyle unparalleled by any other resort in the Caribbean and beyond," said The Ginn Company President and CEO Bobby Ginn.

This destination resort will reflect the timeless, regal elegance of its French namesake, but will have distinctly Bahamian architectural features.

Bahamian Prime Minister Perry G. Christie has said of the Ginn project, "This will be the largest resort community project ever to be undertaken in The Bahamas."

The company has already spent over $10 million as part of the preparation for the development. During peak construction time, 2,000 construction employees will be needed and upon completion, approximately 4,000 jobs will have been created to maintain daily resort operations. For more information, visit VersaillesSurMer.com

The Junkanoo Summer Festival, an evolution of Junkanoo in June, will span two months – June 9 through July 29.

Woodes Rogers Walk has been added as a new venue and Bahamians and visitors alike are sure to enjoy the special events that will be held there each Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Arawak Cay will continue to be the main venue on Saturdays from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and all the familiar components of Junkanoo in June that have become favorites over the past years will return: the best contemporary Bahamian music, unique craft items, a wide assortment of native dishes, culinary demonstrations from award-winning chefs, bread baking demonstrations by experienced rock-oven bakers from Nassau and the Family Islands, dramatic presentations from the nation’s leading theatre companies and stage personalities, traditional storytelling and heritage games such as top spinning, rope jumping, and box scooter riding. And of course, festival goers can expect a spectacular Junkanoo rush-out on Fridays and Saturdays.

A different island of The Bahamas will be featured each week. Residents and descendants of the honored island will be encouraged to wear a specific color T-shirt on that day at the festival.