Press Releases

Rhode Island State Partnership Program Expands Cooperation with The Bahamas

February 13, 2007

The U.S. Embassy hosted a 15-member delegation from the State of Rhode Island under the auspices of the Rhode Island National Guard-Bahamas State Partnership Program.  The delegation, which visited Nassau February 5-8, was lead by Adjutant General Robert Bray.  The delegation included other officials from the Rhode Island (RI) National Guard, the University of Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island business community. 

The highlight of the visit was the signing of a partnership agreement between the University of Rhode Island (URI) and the College of The Bahamas.  The President of the University of Rhode Island, Dr. Robert Carothers, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Janyne Hodder, President of the College of The Bahamas at a ceremony at the President's residence to promote exchange programs between the two institutions.  Two College of Bahamas students are currently studying at URI through this partnership initiative.  The agreement also makes possible faculty exchanges and joint research.  The partnership also paves the way for Bahamian students to study at the University of Rhode Island for in-state tuition rates. 

The Rhode Island National Guard military contingent held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Pratt and Royal Bahamas Defense Force Commander Commodore Scavella.  At those meetings both sides agreed to send a medical technicians from the Rhode Island National Guard to The Bahamas in June 2007 to conduct training on treating injuries in field hospital environments.  The military group also met with the Director of Port Security and with the Director of the National Emergency Management Agency. 

The four-person business contingent was led by John Riendeau, Head of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, and included Keith W. Stokes, Executive Director of the Newport Chamber of Commerce, Evan Smith, President & CEO Newport Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Eric Offenberg, the President of Engineering Services.  The business group began their visit in Nassau with a courtesy call on the Minister of Tourism Wilchcombe, followed by extensive technical talks with tourism officials.

The group also met with the President of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce Tanya Wright and Chamber members.  They discussed Rhode Island’s private/public sector reform model, linkages in tourism such as heritage and historic tourism and project development.  The Chamber plans to develop a working relationship with representatives of the Rhode Island business sector leading to a partnership agreement similar to the one signed between the University of Rhode Island and the College of The Bahamas.   The delegation met with Paul Major and Charles Klonaris co-chairs of the downtown redevelopment project and Frank Comito, VP of The Bahamas Hotel Association.  As Newport has recently completed redevelopment of their port and downtown area, the group shared their experience and heard about the plans for redevelopment of the downtown Nassau.  Finally, the group met with representatives of Kerzner International and Baha Mar regarding their expansion and construction plans.   

The trip ended with a reception at the home of U.S. Ambassador John D. Rood.  There are plans for a group from The Bahamas to travel to Rhode Island this summer to continue development of the partnership activities.

 

Caption – Shows from left standing:  Colin Higgs, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism;  Dan O'Connor, Political Officer, U.S. Embassy; Keith W. Stokes, Executive Director, Newport Chamber of Commerce; John Riendeau, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation; A. Eric Offenberg, P.E.; President of Engineering Services; Anne Marie Bain, Economic Commercial Assistant, U.S. Embassy, and Captain Mike Manning, U.S. Navy.  Seated from left: Dr. D. Brent Hardt, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy; Minister Obie Wilchcombe, and Evan Smith, President and CEO Newport Convention & Visitors Bureau.