The Tribune

The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) and Ministry of Education, Science & Technology have hosted the presentations ceremony for the annual Essay Competition, held as part of National Career Awareness Month (NCAM).

BFSB’s participation in NCAM and the hosting of the competitions is part of its annual Financial Centre Focus (FCF) programme. The topic for both the essay and speech competition this year was: ‘A Valued Added Tax - Does this suit a modern Bahamas?’,. The essay component was extended to the Family Islands for the first time since the initiative was introduced in 2002.

The winner of the 2013 Essay Competition was Janell Watkins, a Grade 11 student at St John’s College, with Tia Thompson, a Grade 12 student at St Augustine’s College, taking the Speech Competition’s top prize.

Finalists in the Essay Competition were Kirkland McIntosh, Abaco Central High; Abigail Jones, Agape Christian School (Abaco); Angel Johnson, Central Eleuthera High; Melissa Bethel, C.R. Walker; Gabrielle Simms, Doris Johnson; Amber Sturrup, Kingsway Academy; Keldera Kelly; Old Bight High School); Juliann Grant, Queen’s College; Quinn O’Brien, St. Andrew’s School; Sanchez Rolle, St Anne’s School; DeSeria Demeritte, SAC; Patiqua Cooper, S.C. Bootle High (Abaco); and De’Nia Butler, Temple Christian.

Speech Competition Finalists were Templeton Sawyer, Anatol Rodgers; Kimberley Rodgers, C.R. Walker; Allaya Hagigal, Kingsway Academy; Tonique Brown, Nassau Christian Academy; Kwayne Rolle, Queen’s College; Alyssa Iferenta, St Andrew’s School; Alexya Collie, St Anne’s School; Randeika Foulkes, St John’s; and Lonelle Sweeting, Temple Christian.

Judges for the competitions were Dexter Fernander, Ministry of Finance; Karen Pinder/Tanya Woodside, Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise; BFSB’s 2013 Professional of the Year, Sharon Colebrook of Scotiatrust; its 2013 Student (COB) of the Year, Jasmine Williams; Shana-Raquel Edgecombe, BCCEC; and Donna Nguyen-Comito, BFSB.

BBSL donated laptops and school certificates again this year, as top prizes, while the Ministry of Finance, KPMG, and Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise provided overall funding for the competition and presentations Ceremony, including certificates and prizes to all finalists.

The 2013 competition was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Finance, the Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise, and the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC), along with corporate sponsors Bahamas Business Solutions (BBSL) and KPMG.