Leaders from the tourism industry and Ministry of Tourism officials are in the US this week to promote The Bahamas and meet with airline officials in an effort to increase airlift to the island nation. Watch an interview with tourism industry representative George Markantonis, president at Kerzner International.

The Bank of The Bahamas’ announcement that earnings reached $848 million and the international libor scandal top the business news in The Bahamas this week. Watch a ZNS news broadcast here.

Sian Bevans (left) and Tenniel Newton (right) are the latest Bahamians to join the management team of the Nassau Airport Development Co (NAD)–the company contracted to manage and oversee the redevelopment of Lynden Pindling International Airport.

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Minister of Agriculture Alfred Gray has urged farmers to develop entrepreneurial skills to tap into bigger markets for their produce. Watch a ZNS interview with the Minister here.

Bimini, Abaco Grand Bahama, Exuma and Eleuthera are all rolling out their summer junkanoo festival events this month. Janet Johnson, director of special events at the Ministry of Tourism, is urging travellers to take advantage of flight promotions to the Family Islands.

The Ministry of Tourism is promoting special offers for flights to the Family Islands. Janet Johnson, director of special events at the Ministry of Tourism, explains in this interview.

Minister of Social Services and Community Development Melanie Griffin will head a Bahamian delegation to the United Nations (UN) in New York this week, where they will appear before a UN committee on the elimination of discrimination.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women consists of 23 experts on women’s rights from around the world.

Including The Bahamas, 185 countries have signed onto the convention and must submit country reports outlining how the rights of the convention are being implemented in areas such as education, employment, marriage and family relations, healthcare, politics, finance and law.

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Bank of The Bahamas (BOB) reported nine-month earnings this week that included total assets of $848 million, a prediction of stronger earnings ahead and year-to-date net income of $2.8 million.

The slightly lower-than-average earnings were triggered by a deliberate action to set aside $4.4 million of new operating profits to loan loss reserves as a buffer against economic challenges, a measure that resulted in a $389,000 loss in the third quarter ending March 31.

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Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe says that The Bahamas should focus on marine tourism to get a better return on promotional investment. Watch a ZNS news report here.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell encouraged residents of the historic Fox Hill community to participate in the proposed National Congress aimed at establishing a blue print for the further development of the country.

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