Team

Senator, The Hon. Michael B. Halkitis

Senator, The Hon. Michael B. Halkitis was born on February 1st, 1969, in Nassau, Bahamas to Inez Brown. He attended Old Bight All Age School in Cat Island, Yellow Elder School in Nassau and graduated from St Augustine’s College. Mr. Halkitis began his higher education at the College of the Bahamas and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of Western Ontario in 1991.

A Chief Financial Officer by profession, Mr. Halkitis started his political journey in 2007 when he was elected to Parliament for the first time as Member of Parliament for the Adelaide Constituency and served as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. He is credited for digitizing the Ministry of Finance and introducing major taxation reforms which have been applauded for their seamless integration and functional operability.

He was thereafter appointed to the Senate in 2007. Following his successful campaign in the 2012 elections, he became the Member of Parliament for the Golden Isles Constituency and was appointed Minister of State for Finance by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon Perry G. Christie.

His political journey continued as he received his most recent appointment as Minister of Economic Affairs and Leader of Government Business in the Senate by Prime Minister, the Rt. Honorable Philip Davis during the recent 2021 appointment of Cabinet Ministers.

He oversees the financial services industry and trade, takes on the crucial task of improving our country’s ease of doing business, and directs our country’s digitalization efforts. He will plays a critical role in helping to stabilize the country’s finances.

Chairwoman – Pauline V. Curry

Ms. Pauline Virginia Curry, Chairwoman, Board of Directors, The Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ)

Ms. Pauline Virginia Curry is the eighth of ten siblings born to the late Zacchaeus and Alsaida Curry. She completed her high school education at St. Annes High and later Queens College. In 1984, she graduated from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Science.

Ms. Curry is a member of the Church of God of Prophecy, Englerston where she serves this local congregation as the church’s historian and Public Relations Officer. She also served her local congregation as a Sunday School & Vacation Bible School teacher. On the national front, she served the Church of God of Prophecy as a Youth Camp Counselor and is currently the National Director of Public Relations and Communications which is responsible for The Prophecy Page which is published weekly in The Nassau Guardian. Additionally, this team is responsible for the quarterly production of the Encouragement Magazine and the “Let’s Talk” talk show that discusses current issues that are of interest too both the young and the young at heart.

Ms. Curry earned the distinction of being a Lifetime Member of The Bahamas Golf Federation. She served as the Bahamas Golf Federation as the Public Relations Director, 1990 -1999 and managed the Public Relations programme for the Bahamas Golf Federation when The Bahamas hosted the Caribbean Golf Classics in 2000. She successfully produced press releases for media in The Bahamas & the Caribbean. She later became the Chairwoman of the Southern Division of The Bahamas Golf Federation, from 1999- 2003.

She previously served as the Chairman of the Board of the Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ) from 2015 to 2018 and

Councilman – Arnold Basden

Mr. Arnaldo Basden is the second and last child of both Kevin Basden and Golda Scott, born in Nassau on December 10, 1993. He completed his Primary and High School education in 2011 at the distinguished school of choice St. John’s College. In 2019 he Graduated with his master’s degree in business administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he worked as a graduate assistant for Two (2) Years. During that period, he was awarded graduated assistant of the year 2018. Mr. Basden is currently Employed by Basden Elevator Services Ltd. and serves as assistant vice president.

Mr. Basden is a member of St. Gregory the Great Anglican church, where he served on St. Ambrose Guild from the age of Five (5). Currently, he is the President of the St. Gregory branch of the Anglican Church Men where he serves as leader of men. He is the youngest branch president in the history of the branch. His love for this church and church family is evident throughout his daily life. He believes in Romans 8:31 “If God be for us, who can be against us.”

Councilwoman – Simone Bethell

Ms. Simone Bethell is the eldest child of Mr. Stanley Bethell Jr and Mrs. Cheryl Cartwright-Bethell. She completed her education at Lyford Cay international school (Head Girl), Tambearly School (Deputy Head Girl), Queens College High School and later she completed an Associate’s of Business Administration at The Bahamas Baptist Community College. Ms. Bethell is a proud and devoted mother to her daughter; she loves her family, community and church. Ms. Bethell enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures. She is a true force to be reckoned with, a brilliant Bahamian businesswoman who has worked diligently to build her empire which currently spans across multiple industries, including import, car rental and residential/commercial space rental. Ms. Bethell is an empathetic philanthropist who assists others across the Caribbean and Africa. She is also passionate about supporting other businesses and offers her expertise through consultancy work. Ms. Bethell is a member of the Board of Directors for the Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality where she chairs the Marketing and Public Relations Sub-Committee, and she ensures quality service enhancing international trade throughout The Bahamas. Ms. Bethell’s dedication to her country and people is admirable and inspiring. She is an excellent example of what can be achieved through passion and skills.

Vice Chairman – Cadrington Coleby

Cadrington M. Coleby, PE, is the Principal of CBA Engineering Ltd. and is a Certified International Project Manager, CIPM. He assembles the team necessary for a given project. Mr. Coleby has over 37 years of experience in industrial projects and operations management. He has worked on many multi-disciplinary projects. He has worked as project manager, representing the client; as construction manager for construction companies, and as a design builder.

Mr. Coleby has a Master of Science degree in Operations Management from Humberside Polytechnic, UK, and a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Marine-Electrical Engineering from the State University of New York. He studied a Biology-Chemistry double major at the College of the Bahamas (now University of the Bahamas). He is a licensed Journeyman Welder, having studied at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).

Mr. Coleby is a member of the Anglican Church Men (ACM) and a founding member of the ACM in North Andros. He is a naturalist and a former Coordinator of the Native Flora Group in the Bahamas National Trust.

Director (Ex Officio) – Dr. Renae L. Bufford, Ph.D.

Dr. Renae L. Bufford’s (nee, Ferguson) character presents itself as vividly dynamic and evolving. As the Executive Director of the Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ) and former Chairwoman of CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ, 2017 to 2018) she demonstrates the ability of balance and focus whether the task is arduous or the end-goal is at a great distance. Dr. Bufford has been nominated as a member of Developing Countries (DEVCO’s Chair’s Advisory Group 2023-2024) of International Organization of Standardization (ISO); the World Leader in Standards Development. Being a leader, she believes in further education and encourages those around her to always continue to strive towards their goals, to never be deterred and that all things can be accomplished through God.

Dr. Bufford has been the Executive Director of Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ) since its inception in 2013. She had been selected and charged with the herculean task of developing this vital national agency in The Bahamas and to date, she has guided the Bureau through its embryonic stages, resulting in the successful official 2016 launch of its National Quality Infrastructure services in Standards, Metrology and Conformity Assessments.

During the past 10 years, BBSQ has grown tremendously under Dr. Bufford’s leadership. She is a visionary, whose passion, dedication and commitment have contributed to The Bahamas’ emergence as a key regional participant and as a result, Dr. Bufford has forged many important partnerships at both the regional and international levels.

As a family woman and educator, Dr. Bufford’s desire to foster growth is only trumped by her expectation for purposeful action. A believer in being self-driven, Dr. Bufford does not ask that one be passionate about developing the nation but she exemplifies that it should be a basic trait for us all. These qualities are shown by her willingness to return home from abroad to serve in this role and apply herself with fervency and tenacity.

Dr. Bufford obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry and a Master of Arts in Science Education with a focus in Biological Research Methodology from Clark Atlanta University; one of the leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the USA. She also has a Doctor of Philosophy designation in Science and Education from the University Systems of Georgia (Georgia State University). Dr. Bufford has extensive experience in the field of natural and applied sciences, development of science assessments and standards, specialist in cell-biology, biochemistry, molecular genetics and microbiology, laboratory research and lab manager. She was a professor at Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, a science department chair in Fulton County Schools, a science curriculum coordinator for the school system in Chicago, Illinois, and Senior Science Standards Developer for Northwest Evaluation, a Fortune 100 company in Portland, Oregon.

With this wealth of knowledge and international experience in science, standards and research, as well as quality management, Dr. Bufford is skillfully and appropriately justified as Executive Director of Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality and former Chairwoman of CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ). She regularly attends workshops, council meetings and conferences representing the Bureau and The Bahamas locally, regionally and internationally at CROSQ as a member state. Dr. Bufford has been instrumental in revising the legislation to be in compliance with the World Trade Organization (WTO), The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and formulating the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). She has also played a pivotal role recently in the BBSQ receiving approval for the Eleventh European Development Fund (EDF) for the establishment of its Industrial Metrology Unit. As the Executive Director of the BBSQ and CROSQ’s Chair, Dr. Bufford is determined to continue to use her passion and drive to promote the significance of the international Quality Infrastructure agenda and to position The Bahamas to continue its involvement in a meaningful way.