Notes for “The Axis” RCEN meeting of January 20th 2023
 

Call to Order:

The meeting was called to order by President Elect Christian Knowles.

 

Invocation:

The invocation was given by Tiffany Hall-Sweeting.

 

The Loyal Toast to The Queen and to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas was given by Rotarian Mike Russell.

 

Sergeant at Arms:

PP Adam Darville was Sergeant at Arms today, immediately firing the witty jokes along with distributing fines.  From late-comers, members not wearing their Rotary pins to those who made the national news or newspapers were fined.  Some members were fined extra just because of who they are.  The jokes were well received.   

 

(Make checks payable to:  EAST NASSAU ROTARY CHARITABLE TRUST $2/per year)

 

 

Announcements: 

 

Rotarians Jeffrey Beckles and Rafique Symonette were the guest speakers today, sparking the ‘vocational spotlight’ initiative. They exemplified the Rotary spirit in describing where they are currently in Rotary as it relates to their vocations and how they have used and are using it to contribute to the community. Both speakers were introduced by PE Christian Knowles. 

 

Rotarian Rafique got started in Rotary through John Robertson who advised him to get involved in service. Eventually he joined the club. When he first started, he had just come back to the Bahamas after living in South Africa for about 12 years. He was just reintroducing himself back into the community. He started this journey by joining the family business (Bahamas Experience Tours) where he is now managing director. He has since established another transportation company transporting passenger for Bahamar. Additionally, he established a security & guardian company in partnership with one of our fellow Rotarians, Cyprian Collie where they provide guardian services for properties throughout Nassau. He was recently appointed Chairman for the Tourism Development Corporation of the Bahamas. He recently became a real estate agent with Good Life Bahamas where they are looking to find ways to connect tourists to real estate opportunities.  

 

Ways he uses his vocational services to help: Rafique expressed one of things done in the past was to provide transportation services for various Rotary events. However, one of the most memorable moments was the ability to help during hurricane Dorian. The company provided buses to transport displaced persons to and from the shelters (Kendal Isaacs Gym). He also partnered with the US embassy to provide transportation when various rescue teams were coming into town; this included transporting material and equipment being shipped into town. He found it to be a wonderful opportunity to use his vocational services and render support through the transportation companies. 

 

Rotarian Jeffrey Beckles, a third-year Rotarian, has been involved in community life for several years. PP Franny and Rotarian Peter gave him that nudge to say it was time to get involved in Rotary and so he did. He stated that joining Rotary was a very seamless move because becoming a Rotarian involved many of the values that were already a part of his life. Rotary allows him to extend his involvement in community life. Professionally, he is currently the managing director of the Island Pay Group, and the country’s leading digital payments provider here in the Bahamas. He sits on the ‘Deposit of Insurance Commissions of the Bahamas’ (DIC) and sits as a director on ‘The National Payments Committee.’ Island Pay Group takes a holistic view on how payments will evolve in the Bahamas in the upcoming years as we embrace the digital transformation. According to Jeff the world is moving in this direction, he advises that the Bahamas picked up the pace in doing the same as the world is changing accordingly.  

 

How do the work Island Pay Group digital payments affect everyday life? Why the community? In developing the strategy for digital transformation and digital payments, they have been collecting data over the past five years from every aspect of Bahamian life, including the family islands and cays. The view is to ascertain how every Bahamian will be allowed inclusion and further, to equip Bahamians with the digital tools to allow all to survive in a digitized world. This was demonstrated post-Dorian when cash was inaccessible in parts of Grand Bahama and all of Abaco & cays. Island pay worked with recovery efforts that were based in Odyssey. In partnering with Odyssey, Island Pay provided digital monies to persons impacted in the family islands without banks and where there was no cash exchange. Then COVID-19 happened. Consequently, with so many people unemployed and in distress the same strategy and technology (digital payment solution) allowed funding to be provided directly to individuals. Using this platform, an excess of $18 million was distributed to Bahamians 2.5 years proving that it is possible to provide monetary support in a cashless environment.  

 

Further, the company partnered with organizations such as Cable Bahamas and Aliv themed ‘Hope for the Holidays.’ The program was extended and renamed ‘Hope for all Seasons’ because of its success. This 12-month program would provide digital cards for those in need. Providing digital cards was deemed to be the best approach to allow liberty for those receiving the cards to match their needs from a specific aspect. That is, some may not need a food voucher at that moment, rather, they may need to pay electricity or cable bills, or pay for cooking gas, etc. The aim is to impact the community by allowing everyday families living in the Bahamas to satisfy their unique needs. Prior to hurricane Dorian and Covid 19, the national statistics were about 45,000 people. However, post-Dorian and COVID-19, about 140,000 people have been assisted. The numbers reflect only those registered. The focus is to allow this digital pay solution to be accessible by every Bahamian where they will adapt to using this digital platform daily. This would encourage the movement toward a cashless environment rather than revert to a cash-based environment. Beckles, as a Rotarian, allows him to see others’ needs from a variety of perspectives in the community. 

 

Our third and final speaker was introduced by PAG Lindsey. Corey Finnie, brought in all the way from Scotland to display his vocational skills. He is a bagpiper whose musical talent made room for his 2^nd  visit to the Bahamas where he will be performing at the Burns Supper.   

 

Rotarian Valentino thanked all three (3) speakers for using their vocational skills in exemplifying the Rotary spirit in using their vocations to positively impact the community

 

Done by President Elect Christian Knowles, to The Queen and to Rotary around the World.