The Tribune

DOZENS of delegates from across the region attended the opening of 2022 Chief Executive Officers’ (CEOs) and Leadership Conference at Atlantis resort last night.

The four-day event, hosted by Bahamas Power and Light in partnership with CARILEC, is being held under this year’s theme, “Leadership Matters: Living and Learning through Disruption and Dislocation.”

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis brought the keynote remarks at yesterday’s opening ceremony, discussing the importance of strong, steady leadership in the face of climate change and a post COVID world.

“This conference is particularly essential given the fall out of the COVID- 19 pandemic. While the lockdowns and restrictive approaches to managing COVID had devastating impact on economies, leaders in all spheres must now think and act. Leadership in today’s world now requires innovation, transcending vision and a superlative gift of strategic planning to navigate the unprecedented challenges to recovery. We can see that your theme brightly acknowledges that leaders really matter.”

He also said: “Energy has long been established as a key source of economic growth. Recognizing this, my government has determined to make massive investments in infrastructure, energy and technological upgrades.”

This year’s conference allows for regional leaders in the energy sector to affirm shared interests and also come up with solutions to challenges being faced in the industry.

“In terms of relevance, we’re able to share with our peers the experiences,” said BPL CEO Shevonn Cambridge. “It’s not like a North American conference. It’s a Caribbean conference so we all have similar environments and similar challenges like I said. It’s a time for peers to get together and share experiences and resources.”

Meanwhile, BPL chairman Pedro Rolle said it is his hope that all participants in this year’s conference will leave “with a renewed sense of urgency regarding leadership.”

“We are grateful to CARILEC who has been an exceptional partner to our organisation for many years, most recently during a clarion call to our regional counterparts in the electricity industry to send assistance to Abaco after Hurricane Dorian,” he added.

“The association’s mission to enhancing the effectiveness of its members is evident in the planning and organization of this conference. Here in the Bahamas, we are no stranger to living and learning through disruptions and dislocations throughout our archipelago, we are still reeling in the wake of Hurricane Dorian and the compounded impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which introduced newer challenges to us as individuals and organizations alike.”

At last night’s ceremony, delegates were treated to performances by the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band and a rush out by the One Family Junkanoo group.

The conference is slated to end May 18. It is also being hosted alongside a Legal Officers’ and Corporate Secretaries’ Track which will take place on May18-19.