Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands

Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands will be the keynote speaker at TCL Group's 11th Annual Exuma Business Outlook. Dr. Sands will be one of a dynamic group of speakers who will discuss the topic: "Creating A World Class Exuma". The event will take place on October 18, 2018 at Sandals Emerald Bay.

“Creating a World Class Exuma” is the answer to modernizing the island’s economy and a possible solution to putting a dent in its unemployment numbers, according to Pedro Rolle, President of Exuma of Commerce. 

It’s under that theme, that the 11th Annual Exuma Business Outlook will be held on October 18, 2018 at Sandals Emerald Bay with Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands as keynote speaker.

Joan Albury, creator of the 7-island Bahamas Business Outlook, said the aim of this year’s Outlook is to bring the community together to stimulate new mindsets that will increase the island’s sustainability. 

In addition to Dr. Sands and Mr. Rolle, this year’s speaker slate will include: Catherine Booker, Exuma Foundation; Reginald W Smith, President of Serbay Ltd; K.Karlos Mackey, President of MoneyMaxx Co. Ltd and Principal of Prime Finance & Consulting; Ellison ‘Tommy’ Thompson, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Tourism; Shenique Albury-Smith, Nature Conservancy and Davinia Blair, Executive Director, Small Business Development Center. 

The Ministry of Finance will present an ‘Ease of Doing Business Workshop” with officers from the Ministry of Finance, Department of Informational Technology, Department of Inland Revenue, National Insurance and the Office of the Prime Minister as facilitators.

Ahead of the Exuma forum, the Executive Director of the newly established Small Business Development Center said the island is ‘ripe’ with opportunities, particularly as it relates to taking advantage of environmental assets. 

“One of the most sacred obligations of the Centre is to improve Bahamian ownership of the local and national economies,” said Ms. Blair. “Exuma is ripe with potential for ownership of the agri-industrial sector, the marine resources sector, eco and adventure tourism research in the natural resources and countless other opportunities for progressive and engaged entrepreneurs.” 

Rolle has high hopes that Blair’s presentation and those of the other speakers will guide Exumians toward new avenues of employment. 

He suggested that students ought to be directed to by their schools to study other areas besides tourism to fill the growing need for health technicians in the local clinics. 

Another area of need is the field of communications, in particular. Rolle noted that locals need to keep up with the growing demand for social media specialists and marketers.  He also noted the need a void in communication now that the island’s local newspaper and radio station are no longer in operation. 

mmckenzie@bahamas.com or with Pedro Rolle of the Exuma Chamber of Commerce via phone at 242-322-7505 or Email:pedrorolle56@gmail.com.