Art, Heritage, History and Culture to Come Alive At Grand Bahama Business Outlook

For Immediate Release

For the first time ever, a historical exhibition will be a part of the Business Outlook series. On Thursday, February 25, a powerful, accurate and engaging exhibition will be mounted by the Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation at the Portobello at Our Lucaya venue for the 12th Annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook.  Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation’s co-chair, Chantal Bethel and member Darius Williams will discuss the exhibition as a part of their shared address to conference delegates on the topic, “Art, Heritage, History and Culture Go Hand in Hand”.

“It is noteworthy that this exhibition is being mounted at the Outlook in Grand Bahama, an island where there are very few monuments, where there is no museum and where there is no art gallery permanently showcasing the works of local artists,” said conference organizer, Joan Albury.
In its 12th year, the annual one-day forum, organized by the TCL Group is themed “Take Action Now 2010-2020: A Decade for Action and Accountability”.
In her capacity as co-founder/co-chair of the Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation, Mrs Bethel will give an overview of the Foundation and in so-doing give its vision and purpose. The Foundation is a non-profit organization with the mission to research, explore and celebrate the history of Grand Bahama Island through collection, preservation and exhibitions.
Ms. Bethel has been a full time artist for more than a decade and was honoured in 2001 by Miami Children’s Hospital for her support of children’s issues. She was a guest speaker/exhibitor at the Caribbean Conference of the University of Pennsylvania in 2005 and Princeton University in 2007, and she was invited as part of the Bahamian visual Art Contingency to Carifesta X held in George Town, Guyana in 2008.
She is a recipient of the award for outstanding achievement in Fine Art (2008) from the Bahamas Bureau of Women Affairs and has been commissioned for artworks by SoHo Myriad Art Consulting Services in Atlanta, the Four Seasons Emerald Bay Resort in Exuma, The Sheraton and Ernst and Young in Nassau.
Mr. Williams is a Grand Bahamian entrepreneur with an artistic and engineering background. He is author of The Rail and Locomotive History of the Bahamas, and is working on a second book, The Heritage of Grand Bahama and its People.  He has lectured at The College of the Bahamas Northern Campus, and is a member of the Bahamas Society of Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is also a member of The Bahamas Historical Society, The Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation, and The Bahamas National Trust. His passions are industrial and social history, visual and performing arts, sports, baking and anything technical in nature.
Other members of the dynamic team of speakers are :  Hon. Zhivargo Laing, MP, Minister of State for Finance; Vernice Walkine, Director General of Tourism; Alan Kelley, President and CEO, Grand Bahamas Power Company; Peter Turnquest, President, Grand Bahamas Chamber of Commerce; Kevin Seymour, Partner, Price Waterhouse Coopers;  Raymond Jones, Managing Director, VOPAK;  Algernon Cargill, Director, National Insurance Board; Brian C. Smith, Business Manager, Bahamas Automated Clearing House, Ltd.;  Antonio Stubbs, Sr. V.P. Operations, BTC; and Dr. Nelson Clarke, Psychiatrist.
For more details on the conference and registration call Eileen Fielder at TCL Group or log on to www.tclevents.com  or contact Mercynth Ferguson at the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce (242) 352-8329  mferguson@ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it