By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 16, 2019 — At a time when the alarm bell is blaring loudly over the distressing number of young Bahamians whose futures are very bleak, it was absolutely refreshing for me to read a post on Facebook this morning about a presentation that Brinard Sweeting, a young Certified Internet Webmaster and Certified Web Design Specialist, is scheduled to make at the 2019 Small Business Fair and Expo on Thursday, June 20, 2019, at the Pelican Bay Resort in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
I was just about to send an email to Mr. Sweeting requesting more information on him to develop a feature for my online publication BAHAMAS CHRONICLE when I realized that I was similarly impressed with information posted two days earlier on a presentation that will be made at the Small Business Fair and Epo by Kerel Pinder, who is described as “a storyteller, who utilizes books, productions, speaking engagements and brand strategies to tell a variety of unique and creative stories.”
Actually, I was so impressed by Ms. Pinder’s advertised capabilities that I did indeed send her an email suggesting that there might be some areas where we can work together to promote her activities in BAHAMAS CHRONICLE. Since I did not get a response, I assumed she was not interested in my suggestion.
In addition to Mr. Sweeting and Ms. Pinder, a presentation will also be made by Aryana Joy Roberts, who is described as having over “10 years of experience in the Film & Entertainment Industry.”
Here’s a “blurb” on each of them. See if you share my excitement over the achievements of these young Bahamians at a time when far too many of their counterparts are already veterans in our criminal justice system or have already embarked on a journey on the highway that leads to eventual incarceration at Fox Hill Prison.
BRINARD SWEETING
Understand the importance of a digital and online presence with Brinard Sweeting, a Certified Internet Webmaster and Certified Web Design Specialist, who serves as the President & Digital Director of Digital Media Visionary Ltd., a leading website design and development and digital strategy agency in The Bahamas. Brinard manages a team dedicated to digital vision implementation for numerous SMEs and major corporations, locally and internationally.
The majority of Brinard’s experience as a web developer comes from his previous and current work with local and international clients who require a web expert with steady focus to implement and provide top-notch work and effective solutions to solve their day-to-day business needs that relate to having a greater internet presence.
Brinard’s knowledge in the field extends from the awareness of current industry standards, experience as a project manager and supervisor at previous organizations. This knowledge is also informed by his fluency in semantic design patterns and proficiency in the world’s most structured programming languages.
KEREL PINDER
Elevate your social media strategy with Kerel Pinder at the 2019 Invest Grand Bahama Small Business Fair & Expo. Kerel is a storyteller, who utilizes books, productions, speaking engagements and brand strategies to tell a variety of unique and creative stories. Kerel’s mission in life is to inspire others to discover inspire discover, activate and flourish within their purpose, by recognizing the importance of growth and a genuine relationship with God. Kerel’s vision is to not only make an impact within the Bahamas but to carry her passions throughout the entire world. Kerel currently serves as the founder and Managing Director of Island Dreams Management, a boutique brand management firm.
ARYANA JOY ROBERTS
Bring your ideas to life with Aryana Joy Roberts during her presentation on The Power of Imagery – Great Storytelling. With over 10 years of experience in the Film & Entertainment Industry, working on movie sets like Der Sea Wulf, Dolphin Kick, The Bachelorette TV Show, and with networks like National Geographic, WWE, ABC and Disney, Aryana Joy Roberts – Sole Proprietor and Head Producer at ASPS – pairs her experience of Visual Marketing, TV and Film production with the continued growth of the Film & Entertainment Industry in the Bahamas. ASPS (Artistic Soul Productions Studio) is currently a virtual production company, specializing in concept driven productions and visual marketing (ie. commercials, films, scriptwriting, crewing, consultations etc). At ASPS, quality is their way of life – from conception to completion, and they take pride in their motto – Quality . Creativity . Transparency . Community.
When I saw the information posted on these three presenters, I decided to do an Internet search for more information on the upcoming Small Business Fair and Exo and immediately understood why Sarah St. George, Vice Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA), and Ian Rolle, President of the GBPA, have not responded positively to appeals I have made requesting that the GBPA consider advertising in BAHAMAS CHRONICLE and using our online publication to publicize their press releases.
Clearly, it seems as if the GBPA does not need to use ancillary media outlets for advertising and to promote its activities because it has an “in-house” Public Relations Department that would be classified as top-rate even compared to the top Madison Avenue agencies in New York.
The promotion of the 2019 Small Business Fair and Expo is a good example of the GBPA’s in-house team’s superb skills. Under the theme, “Inspire Greatness,” the Expo is being sponsored by the Invest In Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau (IGBSBB).
According to the GBPA’s website, “The Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau (GBSBB) was created in 2009 as past of GBPA’s Business Development Department. Its missions is to provide persons seeking to or currently operating a small business on Grand Bahama Island with a variety of resources to improve their prospects for successful, independent operation and to do so in conjunction with complimentary programs that exist in the community.”
Continuing, the website adds, “Grand Bahama’s first and only ‘true’ complete business resource center, offering a one-stop-shop service to entrepreneurs and existing businesses. lThe Bureau’s activities are guided by our mission to facilitate the development and sustain growth of Freeport’s small business community, through initiatives that Educate, Support, Expose and Empower SMEs to operate competitively.
“Starting, managing and growing a successful business is never easy, but it is possible. The GBSBB makes it achievable, by providing services targeted toward business growth, sustainability and enhancing the creation of new businesses start-ups.”
However, I still think it makes perfect sense for Sarah St. George and Ian Rolle to take another look at the proposals I sent on behalf of THE BROWN AGENCY, which publishes BAHAMAS CHRONICLE.
In them I explained that BAHAMAS CHRONICLE, which is based in Washington, D.C., was launched in May of last year to keep Bahamians and nationals from other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries living in the diaspora up-to-date on selected news from their respective countries. In addition to The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean, BAHAMAS CHRONICLE has attracted a huge following across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
We have a standard price of $200 for promotional articles and $300 monthly for a business-card size advertisement. News in BAHAMAS CHRONICLE is updated daily and ads appear daily throughout the month. You can check out BAHAMAS CHRONICLE at bahamaschronicle.com.
