The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) hosted its 16^th Annual Bahama Arts, Festival and trade show, under the theme “Bahamian Tings”. The two day event was held 1^st -2^nd November, 2018 at the, Heritage Village-Arawak Cay.

The objective of the Festival was to bring together artisans from throughout the Bahamas to display a variety  of Bahamian products, stimulate and promote the handicraft  industry toward a greater degree of capacity building which would aid the Bahamas import substitution efforts, promote tourism and increase foreign reserves.

Mr. Carlton Bowleg, M.P., for North Andros and Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, in his opening address said that, the theme expressed the vision of our great leader the Most Honorable Prime Minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis, and his team; which is to stimulate and encourage entrepreneurship for small and medium size businesses, and that the government is fully committed to investing in the future of small and medium sized enterprises.

He further stated that The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, led by The Hon. Michael Pintard is taking that mandate of creation, expansion and promotion of small to medium sized businesses to a new height especially with the evolution of technology.

Mr. Bowleg concluded by stating that the Ministry’ and BAIC support local Artisans in bringing the local artisan products to a high quality of market readiness and to find market, hence BahamArts National Festival and Tradeshow.  (See full speech by clicking here)