Wednesday, March 31
EDITORIAL: How do we give women a fair chance in politics?
IN two separate articles in today’s Tribune, the question of gender in politics is raised.
ALICIA WALLACE: Gender bias is all around us and it’s time that changed
This week, some women in frontline politics were asked whether or not gender bias exists in politics. Their responses made it clear there is not only a limited understanding of gender bias, but a reluctance to acknowledge it. Perhaps there is concern that acknowledgment would be seen as making excuses or a sign of weakness rather than what it actually is — recognising and naming an issue that pervades our lives.
15 months of helping after Hurricane Dorian
IT has been 18 months since the passage of Hurricane Dorian and 15 months since the Restoring Industries, Sustaining Employment (RISE) initiative journey began.
Canada to give an extra $1m to help countries in region
THE Canadian government has announced it will contribute nearly a million dollars to support the efforts of the Pan American Health Organisation against COVID-19 in six Caribbean countries, including The Bahamas.
Police on high alert to break up crowds
OFFICIALS from the COVID-19 Enforcement Unit are urging Bahamians to avoid large gatherings at beaches and other public places over the Easter holiday, saying officers will be on high alert for those found in breach of emergency orders.
No testing change planned
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar suggested yesterday the government does not currently plan to move away from its RT-PCR testing requirement for domestic travel and utilise rapid antigen testing instead, despite increasing calls over the issue.
Seniors queue for vaccines
SCORES of senior citizens queued yesterday to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at the Church of God of Prophecy on East Street.
VISIONARIES: US defence giant Raytheon fully backing local venture which will raise $300m for cash-strapped govt
A GROUP of Bahamian entrepreneurs have the “green light” for a $427m investment in what Raytheon Technologies (a merger of Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace) has termed will be the “first-of-its-kind aviation, climate, meteorological, navigation, 3D terrain, street and chart mapping and severe weather sensing network exceeding that of any other industrialised nation” —thereby enhancing the safety of The Bahamas, boosting key industries vital to the Bahamian economy’s post-COVID rebound and providing Dr Minnis’ Administration with the vital prerequisite components that are necessary to legally and lawfully collect what is projected to be more than $300m in “overflight fees” from the 594,000 flights from each and every commercial, cargo and private carrier using Bahamas’ sovereign airspace (archipelagic baselines, territorial seas, contiguous and exclusive economic zone.
Financier cautions on Family Island airport ‘plans’
AN international financier with experience in infrastructure projects in The Bahamas has cautioned the country’s airport expansion projects need “significant planning”.
Minister ‘disappointed’ on false COVID tests
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday the proliferation of fake COVID-19 PCR tests are “disappointing” and warned the public – “it is not worth the risk”.
‘Get your jabs without delay’ – 33,600 vaccine doses arrive
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis urged Bahamians to get the COVID-19 vaccine without delay after 33,600 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in the country yesterday.
Rolle acts over ‘spurious’ claims
POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle has reported a video circulating on social media that makes “spurious allegations” against him to the Criminal Investigation Department.
Family’s desperate hope for plane still missing
A RELATIVE of missing passenger Stephen Sawyer says the family will continue to search for him as they “believe wholly and solely” that he’s alive, more than three weeks after the plane he was on crashed in waters near Salina Point.
Loretta - nation needs women in leadership
FORMER parliamentarian Loretta Butler-Turner has made an appeal for greater gender balance in the political representation of Bahamians in the lead up to the next general election.
Fisherman died after airlift was ‘refused’
A 74-year-old fisherman who complained of shortness of breath died in Bimini early Tuesday morning after he was not evacuated to New Providence because he reportedly weighed too much.
‘PLEASE BEHAVE’: Minnis pleads for public to follow rules at Easter and help avoid new clampdown
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis urged people to avoid large gatherings this holiday weekend, saying not doing so could set the country back as health officials warn of a possible third wave of COVID-19.
‘I’m really excited for Jazz. Opening day is going to be really special’
WITH the passing of Edison ‘Ed’ Armbrister, retired outfielder Antoan Richardson has now assumed the elder statesmanship of the Bahamian Major League baseball fraternity.
Three accused over shooting
THREE male residents of Eight Mile Rock, including a juvenile, were charged yesterday in connection with the shooting of a young man last week on Grand Bahama.
Man’s knife not big enough to break law
A MAGISTRATE discharged a man who was arrested for unlawfully carrying arms after he explained the knife he was found with did not exceed the six-inch blade limit stipulated in law.
‘Pay $200 or go directly to jail’
TWO American tourists who attempted to travel back to their home states with marijuana infused candy in their luggage were each ordered to pay $200 to avoid spending a month in jail.
WARNING OVER MARLIN FISHING
AFTER a video circulated on social media showing the capture and landing of a blue marlin fish, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources advised that any billfish caught in Bahamian waters should be returned to the sea unharmed.
Higgs and her team don’t make playoffs in Spanish Women’s Basketball League
DESPITE not making it to the playoffs, Harbour Island native Lashann Higgs said she was still pleased with her rookie professional basketball season with the Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre PDM team in the Spanish Women’s Basketball League.
MAN DIES AFTER VEHICLE FLIPS OVER
A MAN died in hospital after he lost control of his vehicle and was ejected on to the street.
MARINE FACES FIREARM CHARGE
A 30-year-old Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer from New Providence was arraigned in Grand Bahama on a firearm and ammunition possession charges yesterday.
‘Is that a gun in your underwear?’
A POLICE officer yesterday testified that he recovered a loaded gun from the underwear of a man who denied being in possession of an unlicensed firearm during his first court appearance.
Accounting woes for investment funds
INVESTMENT Funds should have a qualified accountant confirm their records are up to international standards, says Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) executive director.
Not mark of beast
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ announcement to the nation on February 21 that over 100,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca is enroute to The Bahamas was undoubtedly met with cynicism by a cross section of the Bahamian population that engages in newspaper exegesis.
BCC report on vaccine
The Bahamas Christian Council’s COVID-19 Vaccine Report was recently released. It is evident that many hours went into producing such a concise document dealing with this complex issue, and Pastor Mario Moxey and his Committee are to be commended for their efforts.
Tour operators: ‘There are no incentives’ to scale up
TOUR and excursion operators say they need more incentives and tourists in order to scale up operations.
McLean and Cougars reach 1st Final Four since 1984
He didn’t get to do it as a player, but now Mikhail McLean will get to experience what it’s like to be in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Division One Basketball Final Four.
Draconian measures
Our family have been longtime property owners in The Bahamas and have always enjoyed holidays in your country. However this past year my wife and myself and our parents have been unable to make the journey because of all the rules which your Government has implemented.
Tuesday, March 30
Start early with colonoscopy screening to prevent cancer and remain ‘gut healthy’
As March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month and colon cancer is the third most common cancer that affects both men and women in the Bahamas, the Gastroenterology Clinic (TGC) is seeking to increase awareness with special presentations to church and community groups, as well as to the medical community.
Below the belt – Male urological cancers
Penile cancer is relatively rare in developed countries, but in some it can represent as high as 20 percent of all male cancers. In the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, penile cancer affects one in 100,000 men. Prostate cancer has an incidence of one in seven American men in their lifetime.
You Go Girl – Counsellor-turned-author wants you to stop procrastinating
A strong advocate for personal development, Shavonne Lightfoot believes negative behavioral patterns, which often originate from faulty beliefs, can adversely impact a person’s ability to succeed in life.
Bahamian fans can’t forgive 'relationship guru' Derrick Jaxn his cheating scandal
It’s the cheating scandal of the year so far. The video of social media “relationship guru” and author Derrick Jaxn admitting he had been unfaithful to his wife Da’Naia multiple times sent shock waves through his community of millions of followers.
EDITORIAL: Don’t close the beaches, police them
THE scene pictured on our front page ought to annoy everyone who has been doing everything they can to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
PETER YOUNG: A giant cargo ship isn’t the first to find trouble in the Suez
The extended images over the past days of a giant container ship run aground in the Suez Canal has captured international attention amid disbelief that such a thing could happen. But this new focus on the most important shipping lane in the world will also be a reminder that mention of the word ‘Suez’ means to historians, in the first instance, the crisis of 1956 when Britain, France and Israel conspired to invade Egypt following its nationalisation of the canal.
FACE TO FACE: Moya lit a fire in me and others which has never gone out
When I was a youngster attending Temple Christian Primary School, I had an art teacher that sparked an interest and creativity in me that has stuck with me throughout life.
Health unions urge govt - act now
BAHAMAS Nurses Union President Amancha Williams has said the government must act now before it’s too late to avoid a potential third wave of COVID-19.
Equinor site ‘far from being cleaned up’
A Grand Bahama environmentalist is strongly refuting a recent update by Equinor of the oil spill clean-up in the affected pine forest in East Grand Bahama, saying that “it is far from being cleaned up.”
DNA ‘open to discussions’ with independent parties
DEMOCRATIC National Alliance leader Arinthia Komolafe revealed yesterday that her party is “open to having discussions with independent parties” and viable independent candidates who share the same ideology and philosophy as the DNA.
‘Terrifying proposition’ of COVID third wave
Reimposing COVID-19 restrictions to combat a “third wave” of infections was yesterday branded “a terrifying proposition” for Bahamian businesses already struggling with pandemic-inflicted devastation.
Minister issues challenge: Develop ‘projects of scale’
A Cabinet minister has challenged Bahamian entrepreneurs to develop “projects of scale” that can accommodate hundreds of cruise ship passengers in similar manner to Atlantis.
Nassau/PI hotels suffer 90% room revenue decline
Nassau/Paradise Island hotels suffered a 90 percent year-over-year decline in January room revenues to highlight just how slow the initial post-COVID rebound actually was.
Activists demand 90-day extension to Disney review
Environmental activists yesterday urged the government to extend the consultation over the Lighthouse Point project to 90 days while accusing it of leaving the process “in Disney’s hands”.
‘Phenomenal’: Briland at 90% of pre-COVID levels
Harbour Island resort operators yesterday revealed business activity is at 90 percent of pre-COVID levels for Easter and beyond as they hailed a “phenomenal” rebound from the pandemic.
Nine charged for fake COVID tests
NINE people, including a 17-year-old girl, were yesterday charged with possessing and uttering forged documents after they attempted to travel domestically using falsified COVID-19 test results.
Police seize $3m of cocaine
POLICE found $3.1m worth of suspected cocaine during a drug bust in Eleuthera yesterday.
Forbes: We are on the brink of a third wave
THE country’s top infectious disease expert believes The Bahamas is on the brink of a third COVID-19 wave, as health officials remain on high alert over a sustained uptick in positive cases in recent weeks.
Eleuthera residents get their turn for vaccines
COVID-19 vaccinations are set to officially begin on Eleuthera today, with community officials expecting a good turnout and smooth process.
Sprinter Denisha Cartwright named NSIC Women’s Track Athlete, Newcomer of Year
MINNESOTA State Mavericks’ junior sprinter Denisha Cartwright had a remarkable season that led to her being named the NSIC’s Women’s Track Athlete and Newcomer of the Year.
Jones and Foxes advance to semis in the Russian Premier League
JONQUEL Jones and her UMMC Ekaterinburg Foxes continue to steamroll the competition in the Russian Premier League and advanced to the semifinals after they opened the playoffs with a pair of dominant wins.
Mavin Saunders scores touchdown for Black Demons in 46-38 win
MAVIN Saunders returned to the gridiron and was a pivotal force behind his club’s playoff berth in Spain’s LNFA Serie A, the second-tier division of American football in the country.
Swimmer Izaak Bastian makes NCAA splash
IZAAK Bastian concluded his 2021 season for the Florida State Seminoles with a productive showing at the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships.
Easter Classic this weekend ‘just like CARIFTA’
For the second time in its history, there will be no CARIFTA Games held during the Easter holiday weekend as the event has been postponed by North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) until August due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hield scores 20, Kings beat Spurs for 5th straight win
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — De’Aaron Fox scored 24 points, Chavano “Buddy” Hield added 20 and the Sacramento Kings beat the San Antonio Spurs 132-115 last night for their fifth straight victory.
Third party vendors
Please permit me to comment on what appears to be an aggressive and intentional initiative by the government to transition its various agencies to cashless operations. Part and parcel of this initiative is the requirement that persons who wish to use cash to receive government services are made to utilise selected participating private third party vendors.
Praise for Bowleg
Not very often do we find people who are unselfishly dedicated.
Man ‘grabbed cop to protect him from dogs’
A 34-year-old who claimed he assaulted a police officer because he was trying to protect him from being attacked by the dogs in his yard was yesterday placed on probation for six months.
Appeal court upholds revenge porn sentence
THE Court of Appeal yesterday confirmed the nine month sentence of a man who last year defrauded his ex-girlfriend of over $1,000 before hacking her social media accounts to expose nude photos of her online.
Groceries distributed to help Grand Bahamians
COST Right partnered with the Grand Bahama Food Taskforce to distribute more than 300 bags of groceries over the weekend on Grand Bahama.
Religious leaders take vaccines
BAHAMAS Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander and BCC member Pastor Mario Moxey received COVID-19 vaccinations at Loyola Hall yesterday.
Marines get jabs
EIGHTY people were vaccinated during the three days the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s Coral Harbour base was open as a COVID-19 inoculation site.
MAN KILLED IN ABACO CRASH
A TRAFFIC fatality in Abaco left one man dead and another with minor injuries on Sunday.
Monday, March 29
McCoy qualifies for CARIFTA Games in under-20 boys’ 200m
WANYA McCoy took advantage of the Blue Marlins Track Series to qualify for the postponed 2021 CARIFTA Games in the under-20 boys’ 200 metres.
EDITORIAL: The last thing we want is a third wave
THE numbers tell the tale. Steadily, the number of cases of COVID-19 have been rising.
INSIGHT: We must proceed with caution - now’s not the time to shoot ourselves in the foot
JUST a few weeks into the first jabs going into the arms of Bahamians, reports of increased cases of COVID-19 since January have shown the urgency for citizens to get vaccinated.
INSIGHT – BEHIND THE WALLS: An ex-con and his 15 years in Fox Hill prison
The familiar scent of human filth permeating the air is what Charles Rolle remembers as a constant during his 15-year stay at the Bahamas Department of Corrections (BDC).
Minister says student arrest ‘unfortunate’
EDUCATION Minister Jeffrey Lloyd called the arrest of a 14-year-old student who allegedly brought marijuana infused Rice Krispies cereal to school “unfortunate”.
7,000 vaccinated
MORE than 7,000 people in New Providence and Grand Bahama have received the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine with officials expecting 33,600 more doses this week.
COVID inflicts $3bn tourist spending blow
COVID-19 likely cost The Bahamas up to $3bn in lost in-country tourist spending last year, with a Cabinet minister asserting yesterday: “We have to get the sector back into operation.”
US urged: ‘Make us next in line’ on COVID vaccines
A Cabinet minister yesterday voiced hope that The Bahamas will be “next in line” to receive a distribution of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from “overflowing” US stockpiles.
Top realtor’s $432k claim survives US buyer’s strike out
A prominent Bahamian realtor’s $432,000 legal claim over the sale of a multi-million dollar Eleuthera investment project has survived a US developer’s bid to strike it out.
‘We couldn’t leave 40 terminated staff in limbo’, says hotel
An Exuma resort’s top executive yesterday said post-COVID business levels gave it no choice but to terminate 40 staff, adding: “We couldn’t leave them in limbo.”
Gold’s role in a post-pandemic economic recovery
ActivTrades
Investor demand for bullion may have dimmed recently but gold’s everlasting appeal endures.
Churches: Vaccine has our blessing
THE Bahamas Christian Council’s COVID Vaccine Investigative Committee has released its report on coronavirus vaccinations, saying experts agree that the benefits of getting the shot far outweighs the disadvantages.
Sister loses second brother to gunman
A MAN was found dead on Saturday morning at Gibbs Corner off East Street with apparent gunshot wounds.
‘Don’t show leniency to COVID test fakers’
FORMER Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said “now is not the time for leniency” as officials continue to investigate several people who attempted to travel domestically using falsified COVID-19 RT PCR test results.
GOVT ON ALERT AS CASES RISE: D’Aguilar warns public must help to prevent devastating third wave
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar has said the country cannot afford to enter a third COVID-19 wave, noting a worrisome uptick in COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks.
McCuin and Ole Miss rebels runners-up in the WNIT
A LATE rally fell short and the Ole Miss Rebels concluded the 2021 season as the runners-up in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.
Discus national record holder Serena settles for second place
AFTER taking the past three years off to recuperate from a shoulder surgery, national women’s discus record holder Serena Brown made her return to the field for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes’ track team on Saturday.
Baseball legend Edison ‘Ed’ Armbrister laid to rest
EDISON ‘Ed’ Armbrister was not just remembered on Saturday for his controversial bunt in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds, but for being one of the few Bahamians to win two world titles in any sport.
Inaugural National High School Golf Champions crowned
HOME schooled Jaden Ward held off a strong challenge from St Andrew’s Alex Dupuch to clinch the senior boys’ title in the Ministry of Education’s inaugural National High School Golf Championships.
Bahamas endures 4-0 loss to St Kitts and Nevis at home
TEAM Bahamas suffered a 4-0 loss at home to St Kitts and Nevis in round one, Group F of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers.
‘Jazz’ wins Marlins’ 2B job
Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm continues to make Bahamian history in Major League Baseball.
The lunatics are running the asylum
Growing up, this little catchy phrase “The lunatics are running the asylum” would amply convey the opinion that a business or other enterprise had lost all of its senses and gone crazy.
Theatrics and consequences
Traditionally in Bahamian politics confrontation; demonstrations and protests have been employed to garner public sympathy and support for political parties; fringe groupings and ambitious individuals. This was the case way back in the days of the now fabled Burma Road spectacle and the events at the then Oakes Field Airport. The late Sir Clifford Darling; Charlie Rodrigues and my own father, the late Revered Doctor Ortland H Bodie Sr, et al, who was then a foreman at the Oakes Field Airport, to come to fame.
WORLD VIEW: No, the idea of CARICOM is not dead
A commentary, published on March 8 by Camillo Gonsalves, a Minister of the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, was headlined “Every Island for itself’. The first line was unequivocal in stating “The idea of CARICOM died on December 16, 2020”.
Defence Force officer held after gun found
A ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force officer is in police custody after he was found with an unlicensed firearm.
Three in hospital after shooting and stabbings
THREE men were taken to hospital after separate shooting and stabbing incidents on Friday.
Vaccinations resume today after Grand Bahama rush
VACCINATIONS for COVID-19 will resume on Grand Bahama today after appointments were cancelled on Saturday due to oversubscription.
Out Island resorts see Easter uptick
Family island resorts are reporting strong bookings for Easter, with some fully booked and voicing optimism that they have “turned the corner” despite COVID-19’s lingering impact.
Tourism must be ‘realistic’ over vaccination roll-out
The Bahamian tourism industry must be “realistic” over the speed at which its employees can be vaccinated against COVID-19, one hotelier says.
Consumers left dead and buried by old law
A 150 year-old law is preventing government regulators from acting against unscrupulous cemetery owners who arbitrarily hike prices previously agreed for graves and burial plots.
Sunday, March 28
Two dead after separate traffic accidents
Two people are dead after separate traffic accidents on Andros and New Providence.
Friday, March 26
PM says he heard about DNA members' arrests through the press
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said “nobody’s above the law”, while suggesting he had nothing to do with the arrests of several Democratic National Alliance (DNA) members earlier this week.
Ministry adds four patrol vessels
Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard said they are making progress as a ministry in protecting the country’s scarce marine resources, with the addition of four patrol vessels at a cost of some $700,000.
Police Commissioner receives vaccine
POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle received the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Loyola Hall Friday morning.
Arrests at airport over false COVID test results
SEVERAL people have been arrested for submitting falsified COVID-19 diagnostic test results at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.
PM reaffirms stance against oil drilling
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Friday doubled down on his position against oil drilling in Bahamian territorial waters as Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) hopes to renew its four licences.
Smith criticises govt's use of Act to repossess shanty town land
ATTORNEY Fred Smith accused the government of using the Building Regulations Act for reasons that are contrary to the intention and purpose of the law – namely, to repossess shanty town land.
EDITORIAL: In the shadow of Stalin and Chairman Mao?
FRED Smith, QC, certainly knows how to catch attention. In his latest collision with the government over shanty towns, he compares government policy to that of Stalin. Asked to tone it down by the court, he offered an alternative of Mao Zedong in China, whose cultural revolution “destroyed the homes of 20 million people”.
Diane Phillips: Twelve years fighting a lie destroyed his life - now justice is finally served
You may remember Rod Bethel. He was the nice-looking, neatly-groomed manager at City Market in Harbour Bay Centre back in the 1990s. Kids and their folks crammed his little aquarium filled with fish, asking questions. He always took time to answer or personally find an item a customer just couldn’t locate.
Suspect accused of killing one, trying to kill another
A 26-YEAR-OLD man was brought to court on a murder charge yesterday.
Ferreira briefs media on law to protect resources
ENVIRONMENT and Housing Minister Romauld Ferreira hosted a virtual meeting for the media to discuss the recently passed Biological Resources and Traditional Knowledge Protection and Sustainable Use Act, 2020.
They’re back - guests return as Lighthouse Pointe reopens
LIGHTHOUSE Pointe at Grand Lucayan Resort welcomed its first guests yesterday afternoon as it reopened one year on from the COVID-19 shutdown.
Concern over rise in cases since January
THE Ministry of Health said the “marked increase” in COVID-19 positive cases and hospitalisations since January is “disconcerting”.
PAHO: Bahamas will not receive shipment this week
THE Pan American Health Organisation has clarified that contrary to an earlier report, The Bahamas was not specified as a country that is scheduled to receive its shipment of the COVAX COVID-19 vaccines by the end of this week.
‘Housing plan a noble one - but it needs to be wider’
A TOP banker yesterday described the government’s recently announced housing programme for young Bahamian professionals as a “noble” initiative but said there needs to be a wider “comprehensive plan” for promoting land redevelopment in the country.
Mitchell and Bethel trade jibes in Senate debate
A HEATED row erupted in the upper chamber yesterday between Attorney General Carl Bethel and Senator Fred Mitchell as the government passed the Airport Authority Amendment Bill, 2021.
Vendors hope for summer return to Straw Market
WITH a major cruise line set to return to The Bahamas this June, some straw vendors say they feel hopeful the Straw Market will be able to finally resume operations by this summer.
$400m passenger spend rise targeted by port chief
Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive yesterday said it is targeting a $400m increase in annual passenger spending after data revealed more than 40 percent spent less than $50 in the capital pre-COVID.
Tourism chief: ‘Step up our game’ over vaccination roll-out
A senior Ministry of Tourism executive yesterday urged the Bahamas to “step up its game” on the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out over fears its Caribbean rivals are outpacing it.
Doubling China freight rates hitting local firms
Bahamian businesses sourcing product from China saw shipping container rates double in recent months with raw material price rises of up to 50 percent set to inflict a further squeeze for some.
Consumer watchdog seeking ‘more teeth’
The Consumer Protection Commission lacks sufficient enforcement teeth to “properly and effectively” address complaints against Bahamian businesses, a Cabinet minister has revealed.
Minister ‘not sympathetic’ to BPC licence renewals
A Cabinet minister yesterday said he would “not be very sympathetic” if Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) seeks to renew its oil exploration licences but the decision is not solely his to take.
‘Time to deliver on Freedom of Information pledge’
SENATOR Ranard Henfield yesterday criticised the government for failing to appoint a Freedom of Information Commissioner.
5,000 have now had vaccine
ABOUT 5,000 people have received their first shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine since the country began its vaccination programme last week.
‘ERADICATION’: Smith accuses Govt of racist plan to wipe out Haitian communities
THE attorney representing shanty town residents in a judicial review centred on the demolition of unregulated communities yesterday accused the government of embarking on a “dictatorial” policy to completely eliminate ethnically Haitian-Bahamian communities.
Port Lucaya awaits resort sale take-off
Businesses in Freeport’s Port Lucaya Marketplace yesterday said they are waiting to see if the Grand Lucayan’s re-opening provides any spin-off boost amid expectations its sale will have more impact.
UB Mingoes earn three wins, have strong showing at Red-Line meet
THE UB Mingoes picked up three wins and had a strong showing at the inaugural Red-Line Athletics track meet over the weekend.
DTSP Wolf Pack to host Track and Field Classic on April 10
THE DTSP Wolf Pack Track Club will be hosting its 2021 Wolf Pack Track and Field Classic on Saturday, April 10 and organisers anticipate that it will be bigger and better than the previous three editions.
Rolle-Harris continues to move up ladder in golfing community
FROM swinging the golf club at the tender age of six to competing in the collegiate and the professional ranks, Georgette Rolle-Harris continues to move up the ladder in the golfing community.
COVID-19 pandemic causes early end to Bridgewater’s season in France NM3
DOMNICK Bridgewater’s season in France’s NM3 League came to an early end due to COVID-19, but he received the call-up for another promotion in the For-Sur-Mer Provence basketball system.
Ali Knowles CEO of Caribbean Sluggers
ALI Knowles has made a successful transition from the baseball diamond to the equipment and apparel business.
Students advance to golf Nationals
Girls Lower Primary (8am)
Benjamin Knowles leads the way into today’s final
Ministry of Education’s National High Schools Golf Championships
Benjamin Knowles, producing the most impressive score over the four days of the qualifying round, will lead the way into today’s final of the Ministry of Education’s 2021 National High Schools Golf Championships.
On the front line
Amid this dark and gloom that circles our world–
Thank you, Minister
I am writing to commend Mr Dames and The Prerogative Board of Mercy for the progressive steps they have taken to give deserving offenders a second chance. There are so many countries that have moved away from this “lock them up and throw away the key” way of handling inmates which we have sadly embraced for decades.
Failures at Corrections
Could it be that the reason that so many people are writing and speaking out about the disgusting situation at the Prison is because so many people have friends and loved ones who have been personally and negatively effected by their time there. Yes, they may be convicted criminals, but they are also first and foremost human beings - Bahamians who deserve to be treated decently, humanely and shown a better way.
Christian Council
The Bahamas Christian Council’s (BCC) COVID Vaccine Investigative Committee’s pending report on the various COVID-19 vaccines should be thoroughly examined by the entire Christian community, as a way of separating fact from fiction and wheat from chaff.
DIGITAL PAYMENT LAUNCHED
THE Minnis administration rolled out its DigiPay platform for cashless transactions and collection of revenue across all government agencies, including the judiciary.
14-year-old in custody over marijuana snacks in school
A 14-year-old student from SC McPherson is in police custody after he allegedly brought marijuana laced snacks to the school and sold them to students.
PLP deputy reaffirms 30% renewable pledge
The opposition’s deputy leader yesterday pledged his party’s commitment to the National Energy Policy (NEP) target of generating 30 percent of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2030.
Thursday, March 25
Relaxed restrictions, resentful vendors – Wedding woes continue
RESTRICTIONS may have eased, but the feelings of resentment from couples and wedding vendors who have been thrown into chaos over continued cancellations and postponements of weddings continue.
You Go Girl – Eleuthera woman helps small island businesses grow
Young entrepreneur Anya Ferguson believes she has what it takes to help small Family Island businesses modernise and prosper, especially in these difficult times.
Nesbitt and Rebels advance, Hunter faces early exit
WITHOUT head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin on the sidelines, Valerie Nesbitt and the Ole Miss Rebels Women’s Basketball programme advanced to the Final Four of the Women’s NIT, but Sammy Hunter and the Rebel men faced an early exit from the men’s version of the tournament.
EDITORIAL: $1 for an airport - but it’s no bargain
YOU can’t even get a jitney ride for a dollar these days – but that’s how much is being paid to buy Grand Bahama International Airport.
STATESIDE: New White House, same problems - gun control and The Wall
The first two amendments to the American constitution, which were ratified on December 15, 1791, have moved back into the forefront of the news in the past couple of weeks. The First Amendment’s right to freedom of speech and the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms are both being tested, in settings ranging from the backyard fence to public opinion polls and corporate boardrooms.
FRONT PORCH: If you can, take the vaccine, because this crisis is far from over
The COVID-19 pandemic is arguably the most significant discrete global event since World War II, with just about every country affected, over 2.7 million dead and the death toll rising even as vaccine scepticism and anti-vaccine mindsets have taken hold among many millions globally. The economic devastation is widespread, though there are hopeful signs for recovery in some countries.
Family Islands await vaccination rollout
ALTHOUGH no details have been provided yet on the vaccination rollout for the Family Islands, several island administrators yesterday expressed confidence in their island’s readiness to administer the Oxford-AstraZeneca once doses arrive.
Vendor process ‘unsatisfactory’
THE Department of Transformation and Digitisation’s vendor management assessment from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 has been given a rating of “unsatisfactory” by the Office of the Auditor General.
Hanna Martin criticises AG
ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin has described recent comments by Attorney General Carl Bethel regarding arrests of members of the Democratic National Alliance earlier this week as “ill advised”.
Drivers protest at Atlantis taxi limit
DOZENS of taxicab drivers protested outside Atlantis’ Royal Towers yesterday morning after senior resort officials allegedly imposed a new rule limiting the number of drivers able to be on property to service Paradise Island guests.
Govt challenged over BPC licence renewals
Environmentalists yesterday challenged the Minnis administration to make good on its pledge to bar oil drilling after the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) revealed it will seek to renew its four licences.
GB airport owners to keep Dorian insurance
A senior government official yesterday confirmed the Grand Bahama International Airport’s two outgoing owners have retained the Hurricane Dorian insurance proceeds rather than financing restoration.
Infrastructure spend: Keep the politics out
Increased infrastructure spending “must not be driven by politics” if The Bahamas is to maximise investment returns from scarce resources, a governance reformer warned yesterday.
Digital transformation unit deficiencies ‘can lead to wrongdoing’
The agency responsible for the government’s digital transformation has yet to fully address admitted weaknesses in its procurement and supplier controls that “could open the door for wrongdoing”.
GB airport deal labelled ‘pivotal to Freeport survival’
A prominent Freeport hotelier yesterday said the government’s acquisition of Grand Bahama International Airport is “pivotal to the survival” of the island’s economy.
Family dismisses nurse’s ‘vaccine’ death
RELATIVES of Nurse Marsha McQueen have denied social media claims that she died shortly after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Suspect held over exposure incident
POLICE have arrested a man who is suspected of exposing himself to a young girl while she was on her way to school yesterday morning.
PM reveals details on housing scheme
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis revealed that a planned housing programme geared towards young professionals will include certain exemptions such as waived customs duty on building materials and appliances and real property tax exemption for up to two years after the homes have been constructed.
WE HAVE TAKE-OFF: Govt to buy GB airport in deal seen as vital to save ravaged economy
Grand Bahama International Airport will be purchased at a cost of under $1m by the Airport Authority, it was announced yesterday.
Arraignment delay
A MAGISTRATE yesterday questioned why a Jamaican man who was charged with overstaying was not arraigned until about a week after his arrest.
McKay Jr named MVP for Warbirds
HE would have preferred to close out his career at Hosanna College with a victory, but Gregory McKay Jr was content with being named the most valuable player for the Warbirds.
Cyclists open new season on Sunday
THE New Providence Cycling Association is all set to open its new season on Sunday.
Kai Jones declares for the NBA Draft
Kai Jones is set to take the next step on his basketball journey and attempt to fulfil a lifelong dream - the National Basketball Association.
Unlawful assembly
Please permit me to offer a few comments with respect to the offence referred to in The Bahamas Penal Code as “Unlawful Assembly” as well as offer a brief commentary on The Minister of National Security and The Attorney General’s protestation on public assertions/suggestion that the detention of members of The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) by the police was politically motivated.
Path to dictatorship
The leaders of this country are heading in a very dangerous direction. Before World War 11 Germany had a weak leadership and Hitler was able to take control. What followed ended with worldwide destruction. In the Bahamas, our democratic system is coming under great pressure and unless we are careful, it will be replaced by a dictatorship.
Equestrian Marcus Davis making a name for himself
THEY say no man is an island and Marcus Davis knows that better than anyone. The 20-year-old is making a name for himself, and the nation of the Bahamas that he represents, with the help of his family and trainers as he competes for the first time at the highly competitive Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.
Doris Johnson senior boys get their GSSSA basketball championship rings
A PROGRAMME recently beset by tragedy had an opportunity to celebrate their achievements on the court as a Government Secondary Schools Sports Association basketball powerhouse.
Man fined for cocaine
A 32-year-old man who claimed he used cocaine as an antibiotic to help alleviate his immune deficiency disorder has to pay $100 to avoid spending a month behind bars.
Battle 4 Atlantis returns this year
AFTER the COVID-19 pandemic brought an abrupt end to the NCAA basketball season and the country’s sports tourism calendar, Complete Sports Management’s Battle 4 Atlantis is set to return in 2021.
Court-appointed lawyer to defend shooting accused
A MAN who was accused of fatally shooting another man in 2004 will receive a court-appointed lawyer to defend him against the Crown’s appeal against a judge’s decision to stay the proceedings of his case.
Group recognised for human trafficking fight
A LOCAL non-profit, Our Sanctuary, has joined an international group of anti-human trafficking organisations by being named to the Global Modern Slavery Directory.
Lighthouse Point reopens today
LIGHTHOUSE Point at the Grand Lucayan resort will reopen its doors today for the first time after one year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with an initial staff complement of nearly 40 people.
Wednesday, March 24
EDITORIAL: Talk of herd immunity is premature
THE sun always shines in the world of Renward Wells.
ALICIA WALLACE: How can people still think it’s a woman’s job to look after the home?
This week, a family’s story was made public in a request for financial assistance.
Former DNA leader says arrests a travesty
FORMER Democratic National Alliance leader Branville McCartney has questioned whether members of the party acted according to police’s recollection, adding if it were so, the group would have been arrested on the spot.
Darville: We will roll out catastrophic health care
SENATOR Dr Michael Darville has recommitted the Progressive Liberal Party to rolling out catastrophic health coverage under National Health Insurance if the party wins the next election.
Miller tight lipped over independent candidacy
FORMER Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller would not reveal yesterday if he still plans to run as an independent candidate after being snubbed for a nomination by the Progressive Liberal Party. However, he expressed his desire to still help the Bahamian people and work with those who seek out his assistance.
Legal challenge to Emergency Powers Orders denied
THE Supreme Court has denied a judicial review application that seeks to challenge the competent authority’s Emergency Powers Orders, with Justice Indra Charles ruling that a constitutional motion would be the appropriate route for the applicant to take, not a judicial review.
D’Aguilar hopeful of uptick in arrivals by end of year
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar says he is encouraged by recent spring break travel numbers, adding he is hopeful the country will experience a “substantial” uptick in visitor arrivals by the end of the year.
Some elderly are still not ready for vaccination
DESPITE having priority access for COVID-19 vaccinations, some residents and staff of care homes for the elderly say they are still not ready to take the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
‘Be bold’: Infrastructure spend must hit 5% GDP
The government has been urged to “be bold” with reforms to kickstart post-COVID economic recovery that include more than doubling projected annual infrastructure spending to between $600m-$700m.
Ex-Bahamas broker in new US accusations
A former Bahamian broker/dealer, which held the Securities Commission at bay for more than a year, has been charged with making “millions of dollars” through violations of US federal law.
BISX Index off over 100 points in just 11 days
The Bahamas International Securities Exchange’s (BISX) All-Share Index suffered a more than 100-point drop in 11 days last month - a period coinciding with the failed CIBC FirstCaribbean deal.
Information Act critical to assess FDI risks posed
A governance reformer yesterday said freedom of information is critical to assessing foreign direct investment (FDI) risks as oil exploration opponents demanded further disclosures by the government.
Minister’s ‘serious concern’ over non-compete clauses
A Cabinet Minister yesterday voiced “serious concern” about the increasing insertion of so-called ‘non-compete clauses’ into employment contracts for hotel and tourism management executives.
‘No one told commissioner to act’
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday defended the police investigation that caused several Democratic National Alliance (DNA) members to be held in custody on Monday, emphasising politicians must be subjected to the law like everyone else.
PAHO: Countries in the region can expect vaccines by early April
THE Pan American Health Organisation has said that all countries in the region should expect deployment of COVID vaccines through the COVAX facility by early April.
HERD IMMUNITY BY THE SUMMER: Health Minister issues upbeat forecast saying we’re near finish line
HEALTH Minister Renward Wells said he believes The Bahamas will achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 by the time the country enters the summer season.
Public primary schools ‘buzzing’ in golf nationals
THE Bahamas Golf Federation’s Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex was once again buzzing with activity as 99 golfers participated in the government primary schools’ section of the National Schools Golf Championships.
Eddie Ford: ‘We lived like brothers’
AS they began their trek towards playing professional baseball in the United States in 1967, Eddie Ford recalled how he spent a lot of time with the late Edison Armbrister.
LANDLORD TOLD TO PAY BACK MONEY
A LANDLORD who pocketed downpayments from two potential tenants she failed to rent her property to was yesterday ordered to reimburse the people she stole from.
Bail for break-in suspect
AN Eleuthera man who denied breaking into a man’s home on the island was yesterday granted bail ahead of his trial.
Home ports, tourism and recovery
The one single brightest light in The Bahamas recently is the announcement by Crystal Cruise Lines that it intends to make the Prince George Wharf its home port. I understand that there are other cruise lines which are also considering doing the same. This is a fantastic piece of good news, for a change, and pardon the pun but like noted realtor and businessman, Mr Mario Carey stated the other day, this is a potential “game changer” for our tourism industry and the second home market.
Markle for president?
We are living in serious times. But what makes it worse is that certain persons who are in positions to influence public opinion are making a joke of our predicament – particularly in the United States, where it is now being suggested that Meghan Markle, who could not adapt to palace life in the UK, is now interested in running for president of the United States!
Christian Council report on COVID
Well the world must be waiting with bated breath on the outcome of the Christian Council’s report on the COVID vaccine.
Carlos Brown Jr: ‘I have to live with it because he’s gone’
Swift Athletics’ sprinter Carlos Brown Jr said one of the hardest things he has had to endure was the fatal shooting of his father Carlos ‘Bookie’ Brown Sr on Monday morning.
Nassau cruise berths grow by ‘double digits’
A Cabinet minister yesterday said Nassau berthing requests from cruise ships have increased by “double digits” for the last six months of 2021 compared to pre-pandemic figures.
Food retailers suffer up to 50% sales fall
Bahamian food retailers yesterday blamed high unemployment and reduced in consumer spending for sales declines of up to 50 percent in recent months.
Bikes donated to Children’s Home
THE Pilot Club of Lucaya presented six bicycles and safety helmets for the children at the Grand Bahama Children’s Home yesterday.
Tuesday, March 23
EDITORIAL: Casting a shadow of political victimisation
THE allegation that members of the Democratic National Alliance were carried out on the instruction of “someone higher” than the police are very disturbing.
FACE TO FACE: City Councilwoman Lady Shannan never forgets her roots
It was Christmas night 2019 when the bass of the goatskin drums, the ringing of cowbells and the bellowing of horns reverberated straight to her soul.
PETER YOUNG: A deserved round of applause and perhaps an example to follow
Amid speculation and criticism recently about delays in obtaining supplies of the coronavirus vaccine, the headline in The Tribune a couple of weeks ago that the rollout would take months was both mystifying and depressing. How was it, people wondered, that The Bahamas, with our relatively small population, was so far behind other countries in procuring and administering the vaccine? So, imagine what a pleasure it is to write today about the good news that a vaccination programme is now underway here at home.
Grand Lucayan sale ‘on cusp’ of conclusion
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday described the sale of the Grand Lucayan as on the “cusp” of conclusion, more than one year after a sale and Heads of Agreement was signed between the government and purchasers.
Davis: PM is trying to ambush opposition on election date
WITH no specific date for the next election announced, Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip Davis accused Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis of “trying to ambush the opposition”.
Over-60s and caregivers eligible for jab
THE following groups are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination at Loyola Hall, Gladstone Road, from today.
Christian Council report on vaccines ‘next month’
THE Bahamas Christian Council’s COVID Vaccine Investigative Committee hopes to complete its report on the issue of coronavirus vaccines by early next month.
Commodore leads the way to get jab
ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Raymond King was the first in the law enforcement agency to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine yesterday.
Some police saying they won’t take vaccine
SONNY Miller, executive chairman of the Police Staff Association, said some police officers, including a few on his executive team, have said they will not take the COVID-19 vaccine.
When will we get vaccines?
THE Progressive Liberal Party has raised questions about when the country will receive vaccines purchased through the World Health Organisation’s COVAX facility.
Bay Street’s ‘forgotten step child’ fear eased
A Cabinet minister last week met with Bay Street business and property owners to reassure them they will not “be a forgotten step child” in downtown Nassau’s redevelopment.
Harbour Island’s ‘compelling case’ for no cruise tourism
Harbour Island’s tourism industry “has made a compelling case” for why it should not become a cruise destination, a Cabinet minister has admitted.
Tourism to intervene over swimming pigs
A senior tourism executive yesterday pledged to intervene in the deepening stand-off over fees being charged to visit Exuma’s famed swimming pigs, adding: “We’ve got to fix that.”
Minister hopes for ‘indefinite’ home porting
A Cabinet minister has expressed hope that cruise line home porting in The Bahamas “continues indefinitely” and does not represent a short-term industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Super Value principal says sales in ‘freefall’
Super Value’s principal yesterday urged Bahamians to “pull out all the stops” to help re-open the economy and become COVID-19 vaccinated with the supermarket chain’s sales “in freefall”.
Baha Mar bookings ahead of Easter ‘19
OFFICIALS at Baha Mar say things are definitely looking up for the resort as reservation numbers for Easter and spring break are exceeding those of 2019 with forward bookings for summer, fall and winter also looking good.
Father-of-two shot dead at home
A 55-year-old man became the country’s latest murder victim after he was shot in the head and killed at his home on Wilson Track early yesterday morning.
Ayton dunk marks the 10,000th career assist of ‘Point God’
DEANDRE Ayton made 10 field goals in his Phoenix Suns’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night, but none were bigger than the one that helped Chris Paul secure a place in NBA history.
Getting the vaccination
I wish to share with your readers my experience on Friday when I received my first Covid-19 vaccine.
Capturing government
Retail politics in The Bahamas is akin to riding a bucking bronco (bucking horse) or a steed (riding horse). The watching crowds are titillated and amused by the spectacle, especially if a participant is gored or run over by one of the raging animals. It is no different here in our wonderful nation as general elections unfold. The ancient Roman Gladiators often fought to the death and the so-called best man always won. The upcoming elections will be hand-to-hand combat. There will be many bodies strewn all over the arena at the close of the games.
Corrections in need of correcting
I am writing to thank Mr Taylor and Davis for their courage in speaking out about their experiences in Prison. It is a national disgrace to read a public institution and its officers who are paid to help people that have lost their way and need help are instead adding fuel to the fire.
McLean and No.2 Cougars advance to NCAA ‘Sweet 16’
MIKHAIL McLean and the Houston Cougars were one of the few higher seeds to avoid an upset and have advanced to the NCAA Division I Mens’ Basketball Tournament’s “Sweet 16.”
Knowles, Woodside-Johnson honoured at Red-Line Track Classic
TWO phenomenal women, Sonja Knowles and Dianne Woodside-Johnson, were recognised for their contributions to sports, particularly track and field, as they were honoured on Saturday at the inaugural Red-Line Track Classic.
National Schools Golf Championships underway
Jordan Prince Williams’ Haley Hall and Windsor School’s Harry White, Zara Greaves and Hugo Johnston emerged as the opening day divisional leaders in the primary division of the Ministry of Education’s National Schools Golf Championships.
Trio charged with armed robbery
THREE men were charged with armed robbery in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
‘I DIDN’T KNOW’ MARIJUANA WAS ILLEGAL
AN American tourist who tried to travel back to the United States with marijuana gummies and brownies was yesterday fined $200.
Teen accused of indecent assault
A TEENAGER was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with the indecent assault of a five-year-old girl.
Pair accused of seeking to sexually exploit teen girls
A MAN and woman who denied conspiring to sexually exploit two teenage girls through human trafficking will learn Thursday whether they will be granted bail ahead of their trial.
RECONSTRUCTION IN A MONTH IS HIGH ROCK CLINIC’S GOAL
RECONSTRUCTION of the High Rock Community Clinic in Grand Bahama began yesterday ahead of an ambitious deadline to restore the facility in one month.
Royal Caribbean home porting is ‘added boost’
Tour and excursion operators yesterday hailed Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ (RCCL) decision to home port a vessel in The Bahamas as an “added boost” to the economy.
Freeport company eyeing New Providence franchise
A Grand Bahama business yesterday said it is eyeing the possibility of a second franchise expansion to New Providence this year following the move into Abaco.
‘Walk and chew gum’ on COVID-19 vaccine
Tourism operators yesterday had a mixed reaction to giving industry workers priority for COVID-19 vaccinations, with some agreeing as others urged caution.
Monday, March 22
Commissioner denies political victimisation
POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle yesterday pushed back against assertions that the Royal Bahamas Police Force is being used to carry out acts of political victimisation, insisting “I do not take instructions from politicians”.
DNA LEADER HITS OUT ON ARRESTS: Komolafe claims police were told to act despite Commissioner’s denial
DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Arinthia Komolafe alleged Monday the arrest of herself and other party leaders had been carried out on the instruction of higher ups.
EDITORIAL: Give people in need some certainty
WE have written before in this column of the need to extend aid as each deadline for its cut-off has drawn near – and it is encouraging to see we are not alone in recognising the need.
WORLD VIEW: Time running out to stop Haiti falling deeper into the abyss
AT a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) on March 17, I said that “no resolution is perfect, and no resolution satisfies every country, but we cannot sacrifice achieving good on the altar of desiring perfection”.
INSIGHT: The long road to creating a billing system for hospital
For decades, thousands of people have used the Princess Margaret Hospital and other health facilities without ever being sent a bill creating the perception for many that we have a “free” public health service.
INSIGHT: The road back has begun but there’s a long way still to go
A year ago, countries all around the world were in lockdown as governments scrambled to make sense of their pandemic responses.
Water corp seeks $15m for Abaco
THE Water and Sewerage Corporation is seeking some $15m in additional funding to complete post Hurricane Dorian repairs and critical upgrades to Abaco’s water system.
Another two COVID deaths and 70 new cases confirmed
COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 8,909 after 70 new cases and two more virus-related deaths were recorded between Friday and Saturday, with Grand Bahama accounting for most new infections.
PLP leadership takes Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine
DEPUTY Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party Chester Cooper has joined the list of officials who are among the nation’s first to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Cruise port’s $3.5m ‘icing on the cake’
Nassau Cruise Port will receive an unexpected $3.5m windfall from its use by two cruise lines as a home port, with its chief executive branding the windfall as “the icing on the cake”.
Stand-off deepens on swimming pigs’ fees
The stand-off over fees being levied to visit Exuma’s swimming pigs was deepening yesterday with many of the island’s excursion providers adamant they and their guests will not pay the charges.
No ‘worthwhile’ return: Cable in TV shake-up
Cable Bahamas is not earning a “worthwhile” rate of return on its REVTV product, sector regulators have agreed, with subscriber numbers set to further decrease unless its channel line-up is restructured.
Man shot dead early on Monday
Police are investigating after a man was shot dead early on Monday morning.
Minister: ‘Prioritise’ tourism workers on COVID-19 vaccine
A Cabinet minister yesterday backed “prioritising” tourism industry workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as “the only way” to rapidly reverse The Bahamas’ economic and fiscal crisis.
Spit process offers testing revolution
AN ultra-rapid COVID gargle test, which eliminates the need for swabbing and lab processing, could be introduced to the public in a month’s time, according to a local medical and surgical equipment supplier.
1,500 given vaccine in first few days
MORE than 1,500 people have received their first shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine since the country’s national vaccination programme was launched last week.
‘FOOD AID VITAL FOR SIX MORE MONTHS’: Network boss warns thousands still need help as cut-off nears
BAHAMAS Feeding Network Executive Director Phillip Smith said he hopes the government will invest another $26m in the National Food Distribution Task Force’s programme so that the initiative could be extended to the end of September.
The rules of entry
Your Minister of Tourism is quoted in The Tribune as saying he is “thrilled” at cruises set to return to The Bahamas.
Texas stunner: No. 14 Abilene Christian ousts Kai Jones and ‘Horns 53-52
THE 2021 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament featured several upsets in the opening round and an abrupt end to the season for the reigning Big 12 champions.
Hudson in record book, athletes qualify for CARIFTA
Tarahj Hudson tossed his name into the record book, while Dion Desamour, Larcathea Cooper and Clinton Laguerra emerged as CARIFTA qualifiers during the inaugural Red-Line Classic at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Saturday.
It’s never too late to change however hard the challenge
ActivTrades
Just around the corner from Crystal Palace in south east London is the leafy suburb of Sydenham, where street layouts haven’t changed much since Victorian times, when the young Ernest Shackleton walked them on the way home from school.
Funeral directors pray for ‘normalcy’ to return
The Bahamas Funeral Directors Association’s (BFDA) president says any measures that restore the industry to “normalcy” will be well received following a year of COVID-19 restrictions.
Bahamian firm in first franchise deal
Island Yogurt is expanding to Abaco this summer via the signing of its first franchise agreement.
Construction dispute Bill hailed as ‘transformative’
A former Bahamas Bar Association president has hailed the proposed Construction Adjudication Bill (CAB) as a “transformative” piece of legislation for this nation.
Wedding easing does little for $400m sector
Weddings industry professionals say the recent easing of COVID-19 restrictions will do little to help the battered industry because receptions remain banned.
A former inmate speaks
I am writing publicly to thank Mr L Taylor for having the courage to share the truth about what has been going on at the prison.
DEREK SMITH: Companies can’t ignore environment, social risk
As the focus on climate change steadily grows, and climbs to the top of the agenda for many governments and multinational organisations, so does the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR). And, close to home, in the US there have been several reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has created a 22-person enforcement task force to examine “misconduct” related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
Michael Strachan boosts his NFL Draft stock on pro day
MICHAEL Strachan made another improvement to his NFL Draft stock with an impressive performance at his pro day.
Free breakfast thanks to New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association
WITH hardly any of their students back in the classroom because of the coronavirus pandemic, the New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association decided to visit them in one of the communities where they come from.
NCAA Swimming: Student athletes turn in All-American performances, school records
BAHAMIAN student athletes turned in several All-American performances and school records at the NCAA Division II and women’s segment of the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships.
World champion Gardiner clocks his ‘fastest opener in 200m ever’
IN his fastest season opener ever, Bahamian 400 metre world champion Steven Gardiner took the men’s 200m at the 15th Annual Spring Break Classic in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
‘Jazz’ hits two-run homer in Marlins’ 4-2 win over Astros
JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm’s hitting versatility was on full display yesterday afternoon and the Miami Marlins’ No.4 prospect continues to enjoy a recent efficient stretch at the plate.
Rhema Otabor shatters junior national record in the javelin
IT was an awesome performance from Rhema Otabor in the Hurricane Invitational at the University of Miami’s Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida.
Fidelity ‘no cheap purchase and flip’
Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) will “not be a cheap buy and flip” for a majority shareholder that has moved one step closer to exiting the Cayman Islands financial services market.
Friday, March 19
Organisers of Easter weekend event on Bimini 'have not been granted permission'
Grand Bahama Police are advising the public that event organisers of the All Access Easter Weekend Jamboree in Bimini have not been granted permission by the competent authority to hold that event.
PM has no intention of relaxing New Providence curfew hours
DESPITE low new COVID-19 infections being recorded in New Providence for the past several weeks, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis revealed on Friday that he has no intention of relaxing curfew hours for the island at this time.
Man pleads guilty to harming his child's mother
A 23-year-old man who struck his child’s mother in the face during a physical argument at his residence was on Friday ordered to compensate her for her injuries.
Man denies harming pregnant girlfriend
A 40-year-old man who denied grievously harming his pregnant girlfriend was on Friday granted bail before his trial.
Boat captains charged over fatal accident
THE captains of two vessels involved in a tragic accident that claimed the lives of three people last week were charged on Friday with manslaughter by negligence.
National exams to be held between April 13 and June 25
EDUCATION Minister Jeffrey Lloyd announced on Friday that the country’s national exams will be held between April 13 through June 25.
Royal Caribbean to return to The Bahamas in June
ROYAL Caribbean International will set sail this June with cruise packages for The Bahamas and Mexico, marking the company’s return to the Caribbean since the COVID-19 pandemic halted the industry last year.
PM opens Long Island Passport Office
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis officially opened Long Island’s Passport Office during a special ceremony on Friday, saying the move is a part of his administration’s efforts to make essential services more accessible to Bahamians on the Family Islands.
EDITORIAL: Why do we allow this abuse to continue?
IT happens every day.
DIANE PHILLIPS: A day filled with such hope and excitement ends in tragedy
We’ve become so inured to statistics about death due to COVID that it took the startling images on the front page, online and on-air Monday to shake us out of our zombie-like acceptance of death on a daily basis.
A COMIC'S VIEW: Farewell to Big Ed, a baseball legend
I was deeply saddened on Wednesday evening to hear of the passing of Bahamian baseball legend Ed Armbrister, after a long battle with diabetes.
Abaco man on murder charge
AN Abaco man was charged with murder in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Bethel: 5G is coming
ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel has announced that telecommunications companies have submitted recommendations to the government for the implementation of a 5G network in The Bahamas.
Hygiene kits provided to support women and girls
ACROSS The Bahamas, there are instances where disadvantaged women and girls, some with disabilities and other special needs, have limited access to basic hygiene supplies.
‘More must be done’ to tackle child abuse
AFTER Minister of Social Services Frankie Campbell released the latest child abuse statistics, one local advocate said more must be done to look at the root cause of abuse in Bahamian society.
Grand Bahama residents looking forward to jab
WITH the COVID-19 vaccination campaign expected to begin in Grand Bahama on Monday, many residents appear ready to take the shot when it becomes available.
Mitchell: Vaccine a tool to reopen economy
SENATOR Fred Mitchell says the COVID-19 vaccine should be viewed as a tool in the country’s arsenal to open the economy.
Census goes online for the first time in history
FOR the first time in census history, the Department of Statistics will introduce online options for the completion of a digital census questionnaire.
Governor General receives first dose of vaccine
GOVERNOR General Sir Cornelius A Smith received his first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at Loyola Hall yesterday, joining dozens of other people who have been inoculated.
Funeral and wedding restrictions relaxed
THE government has relaxed restrictions on weddings and funerals, allowing a maximum of 40 people at graveside services and marriage ceremonies in churches on islands where this was prohibited.
Govt told: Productivity must be ‘top priority’
The government was yesterday urged to make creation of a National Productivity Council “top priority” in its efforts to “get the country up and running again” following COVID-19’s devastation.
$10m poultry investment in ‘Nassau-centric’ move
A $10m poultry farming project is aiming to “become more Nassau-centric”, with its investor yesterday pledging it remains committed once land and the incentives regime are agreed with the government.
Consumer debt to challenge FINCO
A major mortgage lender has warned it will be increasingly challenged to grow its loan book because COVID-19 has “compounded” the strain for Bahamians already highly leveraged on consumer debt.
‘Good indication’ of $535m BPL rating
Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) already has “a good indication” of the credit rating its upcoming $535m bond issue will receive, a Cabinet minister has revealed, as it makes moves on generation reform.
Harbour Island cruise fears taken on board
Harbour Island hoteliers yesterday said their cruise concerns were taken on board by a Cabinet minister who pledged to “find a path forward” acceptable to all sides.
‘We must watch out for double standards’
FORMER Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said politicians are damaging their credibility by campaigning and hosting political events with large gatherings while COVID-19 rules are still in place.
Staff aim to stop ZNS pension move
TWENTY-FOUR hours after a staff walk out, the union representing staff at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas said it intends to file an application for an injunction against a salary deduction to cover workers’ health insurance payments.
MP insists his firm didn’t cause fire
NORTH Eleuthera MP Rickey Mackey has alleged in an affidavit that his gas company – accused of negligently causing a fire that destroyed four residential units in Harbour Island – did not require licences as plaintiffs claim in a lawsuit.
Over-65s invited to take COVID vaccine
VACCINATION sites across New Providence will have the capacity to vaccinate over 2,000 people daily once the country has enough supplies, according to the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee Deputy Chair Ed Fields.
WHY DID YOU DETAIN THEM? Govt told to prove refugees’ two-year detention is lawful
THE government has been ordered to prove it acted lawfully when officials detained a group of asylum seekers who sought to take refuge in the country after fleeing Cameroon over fear of persecution.
Man charged with marijuana possession
A 29-YEAR-OLD man who was found with over five ounces of marijuana must attend four months of drug counselling to avoid spending three months in prison.
GB’s ‘Caribbean first’ raises additional $10m
The Caribbean’s Grand Bahama-based first “clean port facility” yesterday confirmed it has raised an additional $10m to fund an expansion that will be completed by this July.
Small business positive over crowdfunding plan
Bahamian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) yesterday hailed proposed crowdfunding rules that will enable them to raise up to $5m in equity capital as an “amazing boost”.
Businesses urge: Cut waste before taxation
Bahamian businesses yesterday urged the government to cut waste and excessive spending before coming to them with demand for new and/or increased taxes.
IAN FERGUSON: Don’t tune out music’s workplace advantages
Music is said to be the universal language. Somehow bars, notes, chords, rhythms and beats have the ability to transport us into another world and emotional state of being. It influences the way we communicate, and most understand its immense power in causing people the world over to pay attention, receiving messages that are encrypted in each note and bar. Children learn songs much quicker than they put to memory their written and spoken lessons. This is why we sing the alphabet and multiplication tables to them.
Romad Dean takes part in the Big Shots Prep Nationals with Adidas Grassroots Elite
WHILE prep basketball in Ontario, Canada, remains sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols, Romad Dean travelled to the United States to participate in the Big Shots Prep Nationals with Adidas Grassroots Elite.
Boxer Carl Hield aims for Olympics
CARL Hield, enjoying the longest tenure as an amateur boxer in the country, has his sights set on the one event that is missing from his résumé - the Olympic Games.
Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm remains No.4 ranked prospect for Miami Marlins
THE Miami Marlins’ farm system is ranked No.4 in the MLB, Jazz Chisholm remains the No.4 ranked prospect within the organisation and he also continues to make a strong case in his position battle at second base in Spring Training.
No after-school sporting activities this year
THEY were hoping to get in at least one sporting discipline, but the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association got the word on Wednesday that there will be no after-school activities this year.
Lady Rattlers get championship rings
While they won’t be able to continue with sports this year, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association got a chance to present their first set of championship rings to the CI Gibson Lady Rattlers for winning the 2019/2020 senior girls’ basketball title.
Protests by prison officers
I WATCHED the protest demonstration by prison officers this week and could only shake my head with a sarcastic laugh.
Zimbabwe problems
IT IS sad that Zimbabweans have no capacity to join the rest of the world to celebrate International Happiness Day because of multiple problems faced by the country. The Zimbabwean government has failed to improve the living standards of Zimbabweans and many citizens have migrated to other countries in search of better living standards.
The prison is unhappy
The difficult working conditions at the Bahamas Department of Corrections absolutely deserve to be taken into account.
Three accused of causing harm
THREE men who denied harming four people, damaging a police vehicle and attempting to obstruct justice were yesterday granted bail ahead of their trial.
Teacher would have faced prison
A TEACHER who was murdered earlier this year would have been given prison time had he lived.
Cannabis group wants marijuana licences
A LEADER of a local cannabis organisation is calling on the government to give the group “one of every type of licence” that will be issued in a legal marijuana industry.
Thursday, March 18
EDITORIAL: Trust the medics as they lead the way
HERE’S the good news – the vaccinations are under way.
STATESIDE: Will time overtake the army of prosecutors chasing the Capitol rioters?
Are they heroes or villains? Are they martyrs or murderers? Are they patriots or pariahs?
FRONT PORCH: Vaccinate? It’s your choice but the decision affects us all
A recent article in The Atlantic observed: “When the polio vaccine was declared safe and effective, the news was met with jubilant celebration… ‘Polio routed!’ newspaper headlines exclaimed. ‘An historic victory,’ ‘monumental,’ ‘sensational,’ newscasters declared...
‘Why are wedding restrictions still not relaxed’
ORGANISERS of the annual Bahamas Bridal Show are upset that COVID-19 restrictions on the wedding industry have not been relaxed, saying they have got no answers from the competent authority on the matter.
$3m earmarked for GB hotel and airport
MORE than $3m has been earmarked for repairs to Grand Lucayan’s Lighthouse Pointe and the Grand Bahama International Airport, according to State Finance Minister Kwasi Thompson.
PAHO urges countries to continue vaccinations
THE Pan American Health Organisation is urging countries currently administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to continue despite concerns from some quarters, saying the benefits outweigh any potential risk.
Bethel: We followed the law on contracts
ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel was adamant yesterday that government has followed the law regarding how contracts are to be awarded.
Don’t make taxation reform ‘money grab’
The government was yesterday warned not to permit its latest tax reform initiative evolve into a pure “money grab” that simply finances unrestrained public sector expansion.
‘Great game changer’ for SME fund raising
Plans to modernise capital-raising by small businesses were yesterday branded “a great game changer” for Bahamian entrepreneurs that is “four to five years overdue”.
Crowdfund ‘nursery’ targets $800m gap for start-up funding
A Bahamian financial services provider yesterday said its companies “nursery” will help fill a potential “$800m a year” financing gap when it launches in three months’ time.
Insurer: ‘No full blown rate increases’ in 2021
Bahamas First’s top executive yesterday said the general insurer has no plans for “a large, full blown rate increase across the board” in 2021 after more than a year of post-Dorian hikes.
Govt to recapitalise BDB in $20m outlay
The government will inject more than $20m to recapitalise the Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) in the upcoming 2021-2022 fiscal year as part of efforts to boost small business financing.
Prison officers out of patience
BAHAMAS Department of Correctional Services officers yesterday protested in a show of frustration, which they claim has stemmed from years of neglect and “disrespect”.
Scale of children abused laid bare
SOCIAL Services Minister Frankie Campbell said there were 382 reported cases of child abuse from January 2020 to February of this year.
Cut! ZNS staff walk off the job
SEVERAL dozen ZNS employees walked off the job yesterday to protest a salary deduction.
‘THERE’S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT’: Medical staff lead the way and urge others to follow
MORE than 60 healthcare workers and senior executives from the Public Hospitals Authority received their first shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at Princess Margaret Hospital yesterday, marking the official rollout of the country’s vaccination campaign against the deadly coronavirus.
Several Bahamian players in MLB’s top 10 farm systems
MAJOR League Baseball continues its reveal of the top prospects in each franchise and several Bahamian players were featured among the league’s top 10 farm systems.
Pair caught fighting in road over cellphone
TWO men who were caught fighting in the road over a cellphone in the early hours of the morning were yesterday warned to keep the peace.
Resources committee to begin meetings soon
THE Select Committee on Natural Resources hopes to begin holding public meetings as early as next month.
Man accused of robbery bid
A 28-year-old man was remanded to prison over allegations he attempted to rob a woman earlier this month.
Complete Sand Dollar integration now closer
Bahamians will soon be able to transact in Sand Dollars with persons holding bank accounts and digital wallets at other financial services providers, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.
Taxi drivers: Plate change is only ‘tip of the iceberg’
The Bahamas TaxiCab Union president last night said the government has only addressed “the tip of the iceberg” for his members in confirming that the colour of self-drive vehicle plates will change.
GB eyeing multi-million boost from two projects
A Cabinet minister yesterday hailed two multi-million dollar investment projects as providing a much-needed boost for Grand Bahama’s Dorian and COVID-19 ravaged economy.
Man accused of robbery bid
A 28-year-old man was remanded to prison over allegations he attempted to rob a woman earlier this month.
Repeat offender convicted again over stealing
AN ex-convict who was released from prison for good behaviour was yesterday sentenced to five years behind bars after he repeated the same offence that had landed him in prison in the first place.
Jonquel Jones and Foxes one step closer to FIBA EuroLeague Final Four
JONQUEL Jones and her UMMC Ekaterinburg Foxes are one step closer to the FIBA EuroLeague Women Final Four.
Rebels head coach McPhee-McCuin tests positive for COVID-19
SHORTLY after the Ole Miss Rebels learned of their seeding in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, the programme announced it would be without its leader after head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin tested positive for COVID-19.
Employee accused of theft
A FREEPORT woman was charged with stealing by reason of employment yesterday.
Anonymity of civil servants
One of the principles of the Westminster system is that civil servants should remain anonymous. This anonymity is necessary to protect public officers from public ridicule and abuse when acting on behalf of the government. Cabinet Ministers are supposed to defend and shield public officers by accepting responsibility for their action or inaction.
What next to ban?
Possibly stranger things can happen, however, in the House of Assembly members may not use the word Devaluation – an economic descriptive word used globally by all regulatory-banking institutions and financial commentators.
Jasrado Chisholm and Young Marlins look to build on surprising 2020 playoff run
MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins were beginning to arrive at camp for the start of spring training when left-hander Daniel Castano ran into Don Mattingly, the 2020 National League manager of the year.
Bahamian baseball legend Ed Armbrister dies at 72
ED Armbrister, the only Bahamian to rise to the pinnacle of Major League Baseball and claim its ultimate prize, died Wednesday at age 72.
Wednesday, March 17
ALICIA WALLACE: Another night to feast on the highs and lows of the Grammys
The Grammy Awards always get people talking. From who wore what and who won what to the speeches and snubs, there is more than enough material for people looking for jokes, gossip and something to criticise. This year, there were awkward moments, firsts and social distancing with masks.
EDITORIAL: When is a gathering a safe gathering?
THE large gatherings being held as political parties hit the streets to campaign ahead of the next election beg an obvious question – if they can do it, why can’t we?
Cat Island told ‘it’s your time’ as water works start
THE Water and Sewerage Corporation broke ground on Monday for a system that will bring potable water to Cat Island for the first time.
Police chief: I’ll take vaccine and I hope officers do too
POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle said he is going to take the COVID-19 vaccine and hopes other officers take the shot as well.
Senator: We have failed as parents if we rely on govt to raise our children
IN a tearful address, Senator Lisa Bostwick-Dean said if Bahamians are reliant on the government to raise and discipline their children, then they would have failed as parents.
Care packages for Gambier
COMMISSIONER Paul Rolle and other police officers distributed 200 care packages in the Gambier community yesterday.
Bethel: I did not throw clerk under the bus
ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel has taken issue with statements House Speaker Halson Moultrie made on Monday about a scheduling conflict in the Senate last week, insisting he did not mislead anyone on the matter or throw the parliamentary clerk “under the bus”.
‘Absolutely concerned’ on 45% foreign currency debt
Bahamians should “absolutely be concerned” about foreign currency borrowings rising to almost 45 percent of the near-$10bn national debt, a local economist warned yesterday.
Banks suffer 37% profitability decline
Bahamian commercial banks saw total private sector loan arrears increase by $76m during the 2020 fourth quarter as the sector’s collective profitability shrunk by 37 percent year-over-year.
Govt told: Fulfill pledge on GB incentive repeal
The government has been urged to finally give Freeport’s private sector the certainty it urgently needs by fulfilling a key 2017 campaign pledge to repeal Christie-era investment legislation.
‘Don’t have luxury of wasting money’
A past Bahamian Contractors Association (BCA) chief yesterday voiced optimism the government’s procurement reforms will deliver taxpayer value, adding: “We don’t have the luxury of wasting money.”
Nassau’s tourist arrivals just 2.7% of 2019’s 1m
Total tourist arrivals to New Providence during the 2020 fourth quarter amounted to just 2.7 percent of the prior year’s 1m visitors to further expose COVID-19’s drastic impact on the sector.
UPDATED: Medical teams are ready as vaccinations begin
AMID growing concerns over the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in some European countries, Health Minister Renward Wells has stressed that if any Bahamian were to experience negative post vaccination side effects, the government will respond “immediately”.
Please, don’t take risks
AFTER two tragic boating accidents over the weekend, National Security Minister Marvin Dames is urging boaters to use caution and not take risks while out at sea.
‘Lent is for God - not elections’
Bahamas Christian Council President Delton Fernander yesterday criticised large political groups who have been campaigning in constituencies while some COVID restrictions remain on churches.
UPDATED: PLP ratifies 13 candidates: Dr Michael Darville to run in Tall Pines, not Leslie Miller
THE Progressive Liberal Party ratified 13 candidates for the next general election on Tuesday night – including Senator Dr Michael Darville in the Tall Pines constituency and not longtime representative Leslie Miller.
Man denied bail in threat case
A 28-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday accused of robbing a man and threatening to kill another earlier this month.
Four accused over drugs
FOUR men on Grand Bahama were arrested for drug possession with intent to supply, according to police.
Payday lender: Govt workers kept us going
A pay-day loan provider yesterday said government employees had ensured its business remained steady throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hospital nears end of phase one
PHASE one of the urgent and emergency care project is nearing completion at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Medical plan sees Florida expansion
A Bahamian medical plan yesterday said it has expanded to south Florida by signing up 20 doctors for clients to choose from when in that state.
Munnings: ‘We thought COVID-19 would have been a passing bug’
IT was one year ago on Thursday, March 12, 2020 on day one of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s National High School Track and Field Championships that Director of Sports Tim Munnings announced that the three-day meet had to be halted.
Why just PM to pick board?
Please permit me to offer a few observations on the recent Public Procurement Bill, which was one of a compendium of bills, introduced (now passed) in parliament to provide, in the words of the Prime Minister, for more transparency in the award of government contracts and make the government more accountable.
Rollout of COVID vaccine
The Press Release from the OPM dated March 14, 2021 is a disgrace and a calculated insult to the elder population of The Bahamas.
Use phones to stop abuse
Remarkable how modern technology (specifically cell phone cameras and recording devices) can be used to bring about the starkest changes in behaviour among some public officials in The Bahamas.
Family Islands ‘do not blend’ with cruise lines
Exuma’s Chamber of Commerce president yesterday voiced concerns that planned weekly calls by a cruise line “don’t blend in” with the island’s existing tourism product.
Deandre Ayton and Suns roll past Grizzlies 122-99
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 27 points, Chris Paul added 18 and the Phoenix Suns rolled to a 122-99 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.
Sears to run for president of Bahamas Softball Federation
Thomas Sears, who came up through the ranks as a player, coach, administrator and official, is putting his name in the hat for president of the Bahamas Softball Federation.
Kierro Stubbs qualifies for ISCA Swim Championships
MAKO Aquatic Club’s collegian Kierro Stubbs is making a splash for the Montverde Academy Eagles’ swim team in Orlando, Florida.
Teen charged with murder
AN 18-year-old man was yesterday charged with murder in connection with the shooting of another teenager who was found dead in a car last week.
Haitian man jailed for fraud
A HAITIAN man who defrauded a number of government agencies in an attempt to acquire legal status in the country was yesterday fined over $10,000 and sentenced to six months in prison.
Man accused of entering home and indecently assaulting woman
A Freeport man was yesterday charged with burglary and indecent assault.
Team Bahamas named for first World Cup qualifier in Qatar 2022
THE Bahamas Football Association has announced the names of the men’s national soccer team expected to represent the island nation in its first qualifying World Cup match for Qatar 2022.
Tuesday, March 16
‘The elephant in the room’: Bahamian students having sex at school at all levels
Educator advocates for more conversations on sexual health among school-aged
Bahamian students at all levels of the education system – primary, junior, senior and tertiary – are having sexual experiences at school, according to a local sex educator.
Psychologist seeks to ‘destigmatize’ mental illness; offers therapy during pandemic
THE most rewarding aspect of Shavonne Lightfoot’s work as a clinical psychologist is seeing an improvement in a clients’ ability to manage their lives after facing a serious challenge or life-changing event.
New immunotherapy may benefit Black men with prostate cancer
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that lies underneath the bladder in men and it plays an important role in providing nutrients for sperm and optimising the environment for sperm trying to reach and fertilize the female's ovum. The only role that the prostate gland has is in male fertility.
Cardi B releases new doll - Moms have their say
MAKING another major business move, superstar rapper Cardi B added a new venture to her already varied portfolio.
Bahamian moms get ready for spring cleaning
With the daily responsibilities of work and childcare, every mom has her own system for ensuring that their home remains shiny and clean.
Celebrating the sexy modern woman
CHARLTONEIA Deal describes herself as an entrepreneur, avid traveler, and lover of fashion. She is also a passionate advocate for women empowerment and the advancement of women’s rights.
Speaker Moultrie the centre of attention again
ONCE again, House Speaker Halson Moultrie is grabbing the headlines.
PETER YOUNG: The way it’s going we’d all better learn Mandarin
There is a risk of stating the obvious to say China looms large in the minds of many as an increasingly dominant force in the world in its inexorable advance towards its aim of superpower status.
FACE TO FACE: Making their mark on the lives of women
I SPENT International Women’s Day speaking with some phenomenal women. Their stories reminded me of how unique we are and how in our own right, we are each adding our bit of magic to the world.
Killer walked up from behind and shot man in head
A 26-year-old man was shot in the head and killed near a business in South Abaco on Sunday, becoming the island’s second murder victim of the year.
Police to probe shooting by off-duty officer
AFTER an off-duty officer fatally shot a man police said attacked him with a bat, Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle insisted that the matter will be investigated like any other incident.
Symonette and Speaker clash
HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie’s advocacy for greater parliamentary independence sparked a tense exchange in the House of Assembly yesterday involving St Anne’s MP Brent Symonette, who suggested Speaker Moultrie impinged on his independence by directing him to support his agenda.
U.S. queries Bahamas financial crime pursuit
The attorney general yesterday declared that The Bahamas had largely received “a fair assessment” even though the US questioned this nation’s commitment to prosecuting financial crime.
Oil drilling end ‘so far from done deal’
Oil exploration opponents yesterday said efforts to raise the $200,000 security ordered by the Supreme Court are being complicated by the belief there will be no more drilling in Bahamian waters.
National debt near $10bn at 2020 end
The Bahamas’ national debt was just shy of $10bn at year-end 2020, the Central Bank revealed yesterday, having increased by $1.4bn during the previous 12 months.
New vehicle sales ‘20% stronger’ than forecast
Auto dealers yesterday said new vehicles sales for early 2021 have been “20 percent stronger than projected” while warning that potential product shortages await in early summer.
Transparency boost for $1.4bn govt spending
The prime minister yesterday pledged that legal reforms will surround some $1.4bn in annual government spending with greater transparency and accountability.
Boy’s killer urged - give yourself up
POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle has called on those responsible for the murder of a ten-year-old boy to turn themselves in.
All govt contracts will be made public
ALL government contract awards will be published online and in newspapers when a Public Procurement Bill being debated in the House of Assembly is passed and comes into force, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday.
No evidence vaccine behind blood clots
WHILE a growing number of European countries have suspended use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine over concerns it may cause blood clots, Bahamian officials have defended the shot as “safe.”
YOUNG LIVES LOST IN BOAT TRAGEDY: Three killed after collision in waters off Harbour Island
THREE people are dead after a tragic boating accident took place on Sunday evening in waters near Harbour Island.
Ole Miss Rebels in National Invitational Tourneys
BOTH Ole Miss Rebels basketball programmes feature Bahamians and both will be headed to National Invitational Tournaments in their respective divisions.
Strachan takes up campus president role for UB North
UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas-North has made one more step toward greater autonomy with the elevation of Dr Ian Strachan to the office of campus president, the institution said in a press release.
Food gift for Grand Bahama
BAHAMAS Paradise Cruise Line presented over 8,000 pounds of food and other items to the Rotary Clubs for distribution to local food banks and charitable organisations on Grand Bahama.
Teenager claimed he found loaded pistol
A MAGISTRATE is set to determine the fate of a teenager who was found with a loaded pistol he claimed to have found in his neighbourhood last week.
Tourists forfeit $11,000 to court
TWO American tourists who were accused of making a false declaration to a US customs officer chose to forfeit over $11,000 when arraigned before a magistrate yesterday.
Teenager accused of trying to kill five
A TEENAGER was yesterday remanded to prison accused of attempting to murder five people earlier this month.
The only hope for my country
I will state up front that the only Hope for The Bahamas is found in God and His Word. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” - Romans 1:16
Markle and the Palace
It would seem that — according to the world of former actress Meghan Markle – ancient Buckingham Palace should have changed its age-old traditions to accommodate her misunderstandings.
‘Buddy’ scores 23 but Hornets rally for 122-116 win over Kings
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Terry Rozier scored 26 points, Gordon Hayward added 25 and the Charlotte Hornets overcame a 15-point deficit in the second half to beat the Sacramento Kings 122-116 last night for their fourth straight win.
Bahamians eye NCAA Div I basketball title
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament’s 68-team field has been selected and several Bahamians will have their programme’s featured in the bracket to chase the 2021 National Championship.
In the discus, Oriakhi qualifies for CARIFTA
ANN-Marie Oriakhi became the latest athlete to qualify for the postponed CARIFTA Games, attaining the standard at the RC Athletics Throwers Meet on Saturday.
Lathaniel Bastian and Cardinals on winning streak, top NJCAA Standings
LATHANIEL Bastian has recently taken on a bigger role for his Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals and the team is in the midst of a winning streak that vaulted them atop the NJCAA Region XIV Standings.
More than 800 track and field athletes get set for inaugural Red-Line Classic
MORE than 800 athletes are expected to participate in the inaugural Red-Line Athletics Track Classic all set to be held on Saturday under the patronage of St Augustine’s College principal Sonja Knowles.
PM hails ‘defining moment’ for handling public finances
The prime minister yesterday hailed “a defining moment” in the government’s management of the public finances after a comprehensive regulatory reform package was debated in Parliament.
Chamber director backs BPL tariff regulation plan
A Chamber of Commerce director yesterday applauded efforts to bring regulation of Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) energy tariffs under independent oversight for the first time.
Digital payments provider eyes ‘tremendous growth’
A Bahamian digital payments provider yesterday said it is expecting “tremendous growth” as the volume of electronic transactions continues to increase amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
BTC chief ‘proud of strides’ on women’s empowerment
The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) chief executive says he is “proud of the strides” it has made in empowering women who now make-up nearly two-thirds of its management.
Monday, March 15
WORLD VIEW: Will regional unity be forever lost to the Caribbean?
SEVERAL editorials in respected newspapers as well as blogs by influential people in the region are, once again, expressing deep concern about CARICOM, particularly over its lack of unity in international affairs and the failure of its leaders to implement their own decisions regarding the single market.
INSIGHT: We have the vaccine – now it’s time to win hearts and minds
WITH the arrival of 20,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, there should be a sense of relief after a full year of a global pandemic. However, worries persist over the need to convince the community to take the jab.
INSIGHT: Global problems such as COVID cannot be solved by adhering to national boundaries
It was on March 15, 2020, that the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in The Bahamas. More than a year has elapsed, and the pandemic shows no signs of abating. The situation is no better in most countries of the world. One of the few known ways to combat the coronavirus is the COVID-19 vaccine, developed simultaneously by many companies and countries across the world.
Network is the first of its kind
A Bahamian designed Aviation, Climate & Severe Weather Network exceeding that of other industrialized nations will enhance the safety of the Bahamas and boost key industries vital to the Bahamian economy's post-COVID rebound, according to a top US aerospace, defence, intelligence, cyber security and weather contractor.
Minnis still in favour of term limits . . . next time around
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he still plans to institute term limits, suggesting this would be on the agenda if he is re-elected for a second term.
PM and FNM seek Centreville votes
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and a large group of supporters campaigned in the Centreville constituency on Saturday.
Jet skier dies after collision with boat
A MAN is dead after his jet ski collided with a boat off Anthol Island yesterday.
Search goes on for missing plane
THE family of one of two men missing after a plane crash off Acklins met law enforcement officers yesterday as search and recovery efforts continue.
Health unions: We’ve not been consulted
AS the first COVID-19 vaccinations were given out during a “pilot” phase yesterday, key players in the public healthcare system say the government has failed to consult them in the rollout process.
Family in decade-long property tax nightmare
A Long Island property owner and his family yesterday voiced optimism that their decade-long battle to settle disputed real property taxes may finally be drawing to a close.
Harbour Island resorts oppose cruising plans
Harbour Island resort operators yesterday warned the government it will hurt “the goose that laid the golden egg” if they try to make the island a cruise tourism destination.
‘We’ll seize Sarkis’ damages if he wins’
Baha Mar’s receivers have threatened to claim any damages awarded to Sarkis Izmirlian if he wins his battle with China Construction America (CCA) so they can repay $1bn to the project’s lender.
Father shot dead by off-duty cop
AN off-duty police officer shot and killed a man who allegedly attacked him with a baseball bat in a parking lot on Friday night, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.
FOLLOW OUR LEAD: PM shows the way on vaccination rollout
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the country is “turning the corner” in the fight against COVID-19, after he and his wife were among the nation’s first to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday.
The $1.9tn American bazooka
ActivTrades
LAST Thursday, in the Oval Office of the White house, Joe Biden signed into law a $1.9tn stimulus package for the American economy. The final approval occurred a day earlier than had previously been announced, signalling the President’s desire to enact, without further delay, one of the top legislative objectives of his tenure.
Charisma record breaker
It was a good day in the triple jump pit on Saturday as Bahamians Charisma Taylor booked a Bahamian national record and Tamar Greene earned All-American honours at the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division One Indoor Championship.
Streaks come to an end for ‘Buddy’ Hield, Deandre Ayton
SATURDAY’s NBA schedule featured the end of a five-game winning streak for Deandre Ayton’s Phoenix Suns and the end of Chavano “Buddy” Hield’s four-game streak scoring at least 20 points.
Daunte Stuart hits his fourth home run in six games
DAUNTE Stuart continues his power hitting display for his Northwestern State Demons with his fourth home run in the last six games.
Decius-Norius emerges as overall champion of women’s physique
IT turned out to be the Serena Salis Decius-Norius show at the NPC 2021 CJ Classic and Sunshine State Bodybuilding Bikini Physique Figure Fitness Classic on Saturday.
Amron Sands suffers 3rd round TKO, first loss of his pro boxing career
AMRON Sands stepped back into the ring for the first time in over a year and suffered the first loss of his professional career.
Sprinter Denisha Cartwright makes her presence felt
MINNESOTA State Mavericks’ sprinter Denisha Cartwright felt like an energiser bunny as she “kept going and going” in her four final appearances at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships on Saturday.
Elections and Christian voters
As Christians we have a sacred duty to know the character and competence of our political candidates, to understand their personal and political philosophies, and to evaluate their policies and promises so that we can determine by the grace of God who are the best persons to rule this great country.
Save the children
The recent spike in shootings and alleged homicides through the nation but more particularly here in New Providence, is troubling. What is even more startling is to see and read about the apparent wanton killing of innocent young children. It is written: “Suffer the little children to come unto me.....” Nowhere does it say: “Kill the babies.”
Elect then neglect
During the election season we are all up in arms over “We” politicians or political parties. When elections are over and it’s all said and done we does be like “do whatever you like Sir/Madam”. This leads me to think “We does elect, then neglect”.
Man shot in drive-by incident
A MAN is in stable condition in hospital after he was shot on Friday night.
Sunday, March 14
Nurse Ruth Bastian first in The Bahamas to receive vaccine, PM also vaccinated
RUTH Bastian, a public health nurse since 1975, was the first person in the country to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday morning.
Saturday, March 13
Man shot dead by police officer after baseball bat attack
A police officer shot and killed a man who attacked him with a baseball bat on Friday night.
Friday, March 12
10-year-old shooting victim was looking forward to movie night
TEN- year-old Kenron Dean was looking forward to a fun movie night at his aunt’s house with his twin brother and cousins, but he’ll never again get the chance to enjoy something he loved doing after gunmen opened fire at his home, killing him Thursday night.
FNM Seabreeze constituency chairman uncertain over progress on candidate
FREE National Movement Seabreeze Constituency Association Chairman Danny Sumner says he’s uncertain about the progress of choosing a candidate for the area.
PM: Vaccine will be distributed as single doses and one jab per person
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said all 20,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is set to roll out next week, will be distributed as single doses and one jab per person.
PM officially opens Inagua Passport Office
INAGUA residents were joyous on Friday as Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis officially opened the island’s Passport Office as part of his administration’s ongoing efforts to improve passport services throughout the country.
Mitchell criticises govt after Senate adjourned
SENATOR Fred Mitchell said “government has to get its act together” as he expressed displeasure Friday regarding the upper chamber not being able to hold a sitting due to lack of attendance.
Man accused of raping women
A 39-year-old man was remanded to prison on Friday after being accused of raping several women between January and last month.
Four charged in connection with Fire Trail Road drug seizure
FOUR men were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court Friday in connection with the recent seizure of more than $300,000 worth of marijuana found at a residence on Fire Trail Road.
Ministry happy with coral farm progress post-Dorian
AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard toured Coral Vita’s land-based coral farm in Grand Bahama on Friday as his ministry moves to begin its Coral Restoration/Climate Action Project.
EDITORIAL: There’s no single solution to shanty towns
THE issue of shanty towns is one that has featured regularly in this column – and we don’t see a solution any time soon.
DIANE PHILLIPS: Just when we thought we were helping the planet
Lots of things break down. Cars and trucks break down for sure. So do bikes, boats, fork lifts, just about anything mechanical. Even the body breaks down. And sadly, sometimes, once promising personal relationships break down. But it turns out that the one thing we pinned our hopes on just a few short years ago, believing when it broke down it would be beneficial, may have let us all down.
A COMIC'S VIEW: While The Bahamas dithers, Mexico is marching ahead
AS JAMAICA continues to work out the kinks, we here in The Bahamas continue to spin our wheels in the mud with no concrete decision in place regarding the legalisation and decriminalisation of medicinal and recreational marijuana (cannabis) nor the establishment of the hemp industry.
Is it time to dump the Queen?
WITH Barbados set to remove the British monarchy as its head of state later this year, opinion seems to be split about whether The Bahamas should follow.
Ragged Island to have 95 percent solar power by June
WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister said yesterday that in early June, 95 percent of power in Ragged Island will be generated “from the largest, most modern solar field” in the country.
Turnquest: Speed up declaring hurricane victims dead
EAST Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest strongly appealed to the government to speed up the process of declaring missing Hurricane Dorian victims dead and also to assist many who continue to live in tents that are not suitable for long-term dwelling.
Conflict and drug turfs blamed for murders
ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Solomon Cash said yesterday that most homicides occurring in the country are because of conflicts or people who want to control drug turfs.
Govt: No concern over vaccines
THE Ministry of Health said yesterday that the batch of AstraZeneca vaccines that arrived in the country on Wednesday is different from those that sparked unsubstantiated concerns in some European countries about blood clots.
Fears Abaco restrictions could be extended
THE recent spike of positive cases on Abaco has left some residents concerned the island’s restrictions could be extended, further impacting post-Hurricane Dorian recovery efforts.
COVID-19 measures mean longer wait at US embassy
BAHAMIAN citizens and residents applying for visa appointments at the United States Embassy in Nassau will have to wait longer than usual to get an appointment as a result of new requirements brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, officials announced yesterday.
PM denies telling Standard & Poor that election will be this year
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has denied telling Standard & Poor that The Bahamas will host an election this year.
Miller ruling reversal: No BOB, govt ‘conspiracy’
A Supreme Court judge has reversed her initial draft verdict by ruling there was “no unlawful conspiracy to deliberately injure” an ex-Cabinet minister in the breaching of five multi-million lease deals.
Minister hails cruise tourism ‘tipping point’
A Cabinet minister yesterday hailed “a tipping point” for tourism and the wider economy as the first cruise line to ever home port in The Bahamas unveiled its multi-island schedule for summer 2021.
Dorian home repairs need $5.8m injection
The Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) needs at least a further $5.355m injection of taxpayer monies to complete Hurricane Dorian-related repairs for 3,735 homeowners.
Accountant opposed by own creditors committee
An accountant is facing opposition from his own liquidation committee as he bids to obtain over $1m in compensation for efforts to wind-up a collapsed Bahamian broker/dealer.
Funeral worker loses ‘300lb corpse’ claim
A funeral home worker has lost her bid to obtain damages from her former employer over an injury suffered when she had to “catch” a 300-pound corpse.
Bannister reveals ‘decisive’ action is just weeks away
WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister yesterday promised “relentless” and “decisive” action will be taken in an Abaco shanty town before the end of this month.
Activists seek court’s help to protect Abaco homes under threat
THE attorney representing shanty town residents in a judicial review centred on the demolition of unregulated communities yesterday filed an urgent appeal asking the court to consider extending the 2018 injunction that barred the government from evicting shanty town residents and disconnecting services in their communities.
Crystal Cruises coming in July
AFTER COVID-19 sparked a year-long halt of the cruise line industry, Crystal Cruises announced yesterday its vessel Serenity will be the first ocean ship to set sail in the Americas beginning with a Bahamian itinerary in early July.
CW Sawyer moving to UB campus
STUDENTS of C W Sawyer Primary School will be temporarily relocated to the University of the Bahamas’ campus to resume face-to-face classes on Monday.
BLOODY NIGHT: 10-year-old boy dies, two more kids shot and another man killed
A SHOOTING in a home in Bain Town left a ten-year-old boy dead and two other children in hospital last night, police said.
Cruise home porting hailed as a ‘win-win’
TOURISM industry leaders yesterday hailed the cruise industry’s interest in using Nassau as a home port as a “win-win scenario” for the economy, adding: “The puzzle is coming together.”
Eleuthera: Disney can end ‘decades’ long wait
ELEUTHERA’S Chamber of Commerce head yesterday voiced optimism that Disney’s Lighthouse Point project will end the “decades” long wait for new economic opportunities in the island’s south.
Family Island businesses: Will cruises ‘crystal-lise’?
FAMILY Island businesses yesterday voiced optimism that the first cruise line to home port in The Bahamas will provide a much-needed “economic boost” that spreads the tourism wealth.
POLICE HUNT FOR GRAND BAHAMA MAN
GRAND Bahama Police are searching for a man who can assist them with investi- gations in connection with a grievous harm incident.
POLICE SAY MISSING WOMAN IS FOUND
A WOMAN who had been missing since last week was found yesterday in the Stapledon area.
White privilege and slavery
“WHITE privilege” is a main tenet of institutionalised racism and has only been successful because of the desecration of accountability. This is but a minuscule reference of an obscene period in history.
Prisoners in Zimbabwe
IT IS tearful that Prisons in Zimbabwe are generally overcrowded and dilapidated.
CARIFTA Games postponed again until August 13-15
The region’s top junior track and field meet, the 49th edition of the CARIFTA Games (Caribbean Free Trade Association), has now been postponed until August 13-15 in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Knowles-Tener and Cavaliers football return to play on Saturday
WHEN Rondre Knowles-Tener and his Virginia-Wise Cavaliers football programme return to play on Saturday, it will mark the end of a 484-day hiatus away from official game play.
FOUR FOUND WITH DRUGS AND GUNS
FOUR people were found with marijuana, firearms and ammunition at a Lucaya residence on Grand Bahamas this week, police reported.
MAN THREATENED MOTHER OF HIS CHILD
A 33-YEAR-OLD man who was last week accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend with a boxcutter was yesterday placed on probation for two years.
RETRIAL ORDERED FOR MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO KILL COP
THE Court of Appeal yesterday ordered the retrial of a man who was acquitted of attempting to murder a police officer four years ago after the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the judge’s decision to uphold his no case submission.
Knowles named to All-Tournament team, invited to play in All-Star game
WHILE he’s disappointed that his Pasadena Faith Saints men’s basketball team didn’t repeat as the 2021 Texas A1 State champions, Theo Knowles is grateful to have been named to the All-Tournament team and was invited to play in the All-Star game.
Jumper Shyrone Kemp ‘hasn’t even tapped his potential yet’
THE COVID-19 pandemic denied Shyrone Kemp an opportunity to compete at his inaugural NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, but the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons jumper has his sights set on a 2021 title.
‘My speed has to get better’
GREGORY McKay Jr continues to develop his skills as he goes through his freshman year for the Hosanna College Warbirds men’s basketball team.
IAN FERGUSON: Bridging generational workforce gaps
OUR world seems to have regressed when it comes to respect and acceptance of those who are different.
Thursday, March 11
EDITORIAL: Parties should be focussing on vaccination message
IF you've been browsing on social media over the last few weeks I suspect, like us, you're getting a bit fed up with the videos from the FNM and PLP popping up every few minutes telling you how great they are and you should give them your vote.
STATESIDE: An ocean apart but two lands struggling with the same problem
WHAT must it be like to be a member of the House of Windsor these days? Americans, freshly acquainted with the British royal family for the past four widely praised seasons of Netflix’s triumphant series “The Crown,” could take more than usual notice of the tribulations of Britain’s highest-ranking family as real-life royal dramas unfolded on several levels in recent days and weeks.
FRONT PORCH: Time we threw off the last shackles of colonialism and unleash our real potential
ONE of the jarring realities the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed here at home is the degree to which the relationship of The Bahamas to the 21st century is tenuous.
Shooting victim was on his way to pick up a friend
RENARDO Morley was on his way to pick up a friend in the Pinewood area when he was fatally shot Tuesday night, according to a close family member.
Over 125,000 applications for travel health visas in the past four months
OVER 100,000 people have applied to the Ministry of Tourism for travel health visas to enter The Bahamas over the past four months, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday.
Funding secured for Family Island airports
THE government has secured the funding needed to complete work on four Family Island airports, Tourism and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar announced yesterday, adding that the total cost of the projects is expected to be about $175 million.
Eldercare home owner says she is unwilling to receive COVID vaccine
THE owner of a local eldercare home said yesterday “fright” and many “unanswered questions” have left her unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or encourage the jab among senior citizens and boarders at her facility.
Students and teacher sent home to isolate
SEVERAL students and a teacher at a private Catholic institution on Grand Bahama were sent home this week to isolate after it was discovered a classmate had tested positive for COVID-19, The Tribune has learned.
Bank's new owner aiming to become 'standard bearer'
A Bahamian bank's new owners yesterday said they aim to expand its assets under administration to $1.5bn within two years and pledged to become "a standard bearer" for the jurisdiction.
$50m bail-out for aviation's SOEs
Taxpayers will have spent an extra $50m to bail-out the Government's state-owned aviation entities by mid-June, a Cabinet minister revealed yesterday.
Disney targeting Lighthouse Point work start in 2021
Disney Cruise Line yesterday voiced hope it can start developing its Lighthouse Point project this year while reaffirming the investment and job creation commitments given pre-COVID-19.
'Game changer' for tourism's jumpstart
The Bahamas is close to sealing deals that will be "a game changer to jump start the tourism economy" post-COVID and provide an annual multi-million dollar boost, it was revealed yesterday.
I know my son is alive
THE mother of one of two men who were on board a plane that crashed off Acklins last week is holding out hope that he will be found alive.
‘Culture in police has to change’
A VOICE note purportedly capturing the beating of a man in police custody came as no surprise to Christina Galanos, a lawyer who has for years sounded the alarm about brutality in police custody.
Seven held in $330k drug bust
FIVE men and two women were arrested after a police search netted 13 croker sacks of suspected marijuana with an estimated street value of $336,000.
First vaccines arrive in the country
TWENTY thousand COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines arrived at Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday, symbolising the start of a new era as the country looks to move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and return to normalcy.
Outsourcing to drive growth in agricultural
A Cabinet minister yesterday unveiled a privatisation, outsourcing and public-private partnership (PPP) strategy that is designed to reverse agricultural sector contraction and empower Bahamians.
ART OF GRAPHIX: Designing by type
Graphic design uses visual compositions to solve problems and communicate ideas through typography, imagery, colour and form. There exists several types of graphic design, each with their very own area of specialisation. Though they often overlap, each type requires a specific set of skills and design techniques. Here are a few types of graphic designs:
Gov't moves forward on marijuana zoning
A Cabinet minister yesterday said the Government is moving forward with zoning regulations to facilitate the cultivation of medical marijuana and industrial hemp.
'All ducks lined up' on Grand Lucayan's sale
A Cabinet minister yesterday voiced optimism that "all of the ducks have been lined up" to finally complete the Grand Lucayan's long-awaited sale to the ITM/Royal Caribbean joint venture.
Tourism targets 45,000 visitor reopening peak
A Cabinet minister yesterday predicted stopover visitor arrivals will hit a 45,000 post-COVID re-opening peak for March - albeit they remain up to 90 percent down on pre-pandemic levels.
The taxing path
In the final part of a three-article series, Hubert Edwards warns that profound taxation reforms may be forced upon The Bahamas if it fails to remain alert
Jones, Hunter in NCAA Division I action tonight
NCAA Division I basketball conference championships are underway and teams are vying for bids in the NCAA Tournament.
Zimbabwe and women activists
South Africa can help Zimbabwe to stop persecuting women activists.
Mechanic denies stealing car
A MECHANIC who denied stealing a man’s car was yesterday granted bail ahead of his trial.
16 new COVID cases
SIXTEEN new cases of COVID-19 were recorded on Tuesday. According to data from the Ministry of Health, one case is in New Providence, two are in Grand Bahama, 12 are in Abaco and one is in Cat Island.
GRAND BAHAMA COUPLE CHARGED OVER DRUGS
A GRAND Bahama couple was charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court this week.
Haitian Man says he was told he was beaten because Bahamians could not find work while he was employed
A HAITIAN man whose rough arrest was captured in a viral video over a year ago, yesterday testified that an immigration officer told him he was beaten because Bahamians could not find work while he was gainfully employed at BTC.
Court of Appeal dismisses application of man who was juvenile when charged
THE Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed the application of a man who attempted to have his burglary and armed robbery case heard summarily since he was a juvenile at the time when he was charged with the offences.
Reflecting on Harry and Meghan’s ‘tell all’ interview
What a pity that Harry and his wife in their recent Oprah Winfrey “tell all” interview should have played the race card.
Black conservative Bahamians and the death of Rush Limbaugh
I would like to give my thoughts on the passing of the incendiary American radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who unfortunately died on February 17, due to complications from lung cancer.
‘Coach Yo’ agrees to new, 4-year contract extension
The Ole Miss Rebels displayed their long term commitment to head coach Yolett McPhee McCuin and her vision for the women’s basketball programme with her second contract extension since she was named head coach in 2018.
‘Tamar is in great shape’
FROM one National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) triple jumper to the next, Purdue University’s head track and field coach Norbert Elliott said he can’t wait to see what his protégé Tamar Greene will do this weekend at the National Indoor Championships.
Roker posts double double, X-Men rout Axemen 99-76
IN his final season with the St Francis Xavier X-Men, Azaro Roker had a long-awaited opportunity to return to the court amid the COVID-19 pandemic and bid farewell to the programme’s legendary coach.
Chamber chair offers vaccine roll-out PPP
The Chamber of Commerce's chair yesterday said the business community is ready to assist the Government in rolling out COVID-19 vaccinations via public-private partnerships (PPPs).
Wednesday, March 10
EDITORIAL: Time for an Independent Police Complaints Authority
SO where would we be if a suspect taken into police custody hadn’t managed to press record on his mobile phone?
ALICIA WALLACE: If we want more women in politics it needs more than lip service to make it happen
INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day was on Monday and, of course, it came with radio talk show slots, panel discussions, presentations and purple attire. It is an annual day to celebrate the progress women have made and to take action toward the changes that still need to happen.
DNA has ‘revolutionary’ plans for Grand Bahama
THE Democratic National Alliance laid out its plans to revitalise Grand Bahama during a recent visit to the island, promising to further develop the industrial sector and transform it into a cultural hub if elected to office.
More than 2,000 students registered for homeschooling in four years
MORE than 2,000 students have registered for homeschooling over the last four years, according to Education Minister Jeff Lloyd.
Davis defends PLP plan to reduce VAT to 10 percent
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson “does not appear to understand the economics” surrounding consumption taxes as he defended the PLP’s plan to reduce value added tax to ten percent for one year if the party wins the next general election.
Rolle: Don’t put officers in position to use deadly force
COMMISSIONER of Police Paul Rolle has responded to renewed concerns about unjustified force in the wake of police killings, urging people not to put police in a position to use deadly force.
‘Race against time’ to find two men missing after plane crash
SEARCH and rescue teams are in a “race against time” to find two men missing since Friday when a plane crashed in waters near Salina Point, Acklins, according to a relative yesterday.
‘A day for the community’ as police conduct walkabout
POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle and his officers conducted a walkabout in the Mason’s Addition and Kemp Road area yesterday.
‘Just what the doctor ordered’
Doctors Hospital’s proposed Freeport “flagship” with the Cleveland Clinic is “exactly what the doctor ordered” to revive the Bahamian economy post-COVID, an ex-Cabinet minister asserted yesterday.
Tourism seeks COVID vaccination ‘top tier’
The Bahamian tourism industry has advocated that sector workers be “among the top tier” to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in a bid to help kickstart the country’s economic revival.
Bahamas tax system: ‘Unrestrained scope’ for corporate abuse
A Bahamian financial services provider yesterday said the country is failing to “take the bull by the horns” after it was ranked as the world’s 12th most harmful corporate “tax haven”.
‘Stop throwing’ tax reforms at the electorate
A former attorney general yesterday urged all political parties to stop creating confusion around tax reform by simply “throwing things at the Bahamian people” in the general election run-up.
Renewable boost via $9m grant financing
European Union (EU) grant funding has helped provide the government with a near-$90m financing line in its bid to seize “an a historic opportunity to transform” the energy sector.
First vaccines arrive in The Bahamas
TWENTY thousand vaccines arrived at Lynden Pindling International Airport shortly before noon on Wednesday, symbolising a new era for the country as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Double killer launches appeal
A MAN convicted of robbing and killing a married couple in Grand Bahama five years ago has launched an appeal against his 60-year conviction.
‘BEATING’ COP PUT ON LEAVE: Force moves quickly on voice recording of ‘assault’ on suspect
A POLICE officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into an alarming, widely circulated voice note purporting police brutality and alleged assault of a man while in custody.
Two more victims of COVID
THE nation’s COVID-19 death toll has risen to 185 after two more deaths were recorded.
Mario's half-open with key earners still closed
Mario’s Bowling and Entertainment Centre yesterday said it has only been partially allowed to re-open with the Government's COIVID-19 protocols mandating that key revenue areas remain closed.
Convinced Greenslade will win in Garden Hills
I am very selective when it comes down to my politics. Yes, I am perceived as being a die-hard supporter of a well-known party but my personal preferences have little to do with how I look at and react to various politicians or those who are seeking front line participation.
Minimum wage raise will boost economy
Employers always reject the idea of raising the minimum wage – the time is always wrong. There is never a right time. The PLP have claimed they want to raise it to $10 per hour and employers have instantly replied it will destroy struggling businesses and damage the economy, etc., etc.
Ignore Chamber of Commerce and raise the minimum wage
Let’s be clear on what a Chamber of Commerce is – and what it is not. It is an organisation that promotes the interests of the predominant players in the current economic and business environment. As such, it naturally supports the status quo, however good or bad that may be for the population as a whole. It is not a group that has any more knowledge of or interest in the condition of the country’s economy as a whole than anyone else.
BBF creating its national database
THE Bahamas Basketball Federation is in the process of creating its national database of players, coaches, referees, table officials and administrators of basketball in the Bahamas.
Oldtimers Softball: ‘No way we can play’ under these COVID-19 protocols
ALTHOUGH they have been given the green light to resume competition, the New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association has indicated that there’s no way they can play under the present COVID-19 protocols.
‘It feels good to be able to win another coaches’ award’
AS he prepares his 11 athletes for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCA) National Indoor Championships this weekend, Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene said he’s elated to have been named the Women’s Team Coach of the Year for the Southeast Region.
Megan has the potential to be NCAA Indoors 400m champion
The way she’s running, head coach Rolando “Lonnie” Greene said his University of Kentucky Wildcats sophomore Megan Moss has the potential to be the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor Championships 400 metre champion.
Woman who gave police wrong name discharged with warning
A 38-YEAR-OLD woman who claimed she gave officers the wrong name because people commonly confused her surname with another name of a similar pronunciation was discharged with a warning.
GB Port Authority making Susan J Wallace Community Center available for vaccinations
THE Grand Bahama Port Authority is making a portion of the Susan J Wallace Community Center available to the Public Hospitals Authority and the Grand Bahama Health Services as a vaccination centre for administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
Fintech broker/dealers expected to 'proliferate'
A Bahamian financial services executive yesterday said he expects a “proliferation” of new locally-owned broker/dealers and investment advisers operating in the fintech (financial technology) space.
Gyms enjoy 60% business rebound
Gym owners yesterday said business is slowly rebounding from last year's multiple COVID-19 lockdowns with one proprietor revealing that activity has reached 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
Women suffering 15% tourism wage disparity
The Ministry of Tourism's director-general yesterday said earnings inequality remains an issue in the sector with women still earning on average 15 percent less than their male counterparts.
Blows traded over 10% VAT rate cut
The Opposition’s deputy leader yesterday blasted that a Cabinet minister “has no idea what he’s talking about” as the two sides continued battle over his proposal to slash the VAT rate to 10 percent.
The taxing path ahead
In the second of a three-part series, Hubert Edwards explains why income and/or corporate income taxes will inevitably be key in any reform discussion.
Tuesday, March 9
PETER YOUNG: Papal courage and vision in a land shattered by conflict
People around the world watching the media coverage over the weekend of Pope Francis’ historic first-ever papal visit to Iraq must surely have been both surprised and impressed that such a visit was really happening. Many will marvel at the bravery and energy of the 84-year-old Pontiff in making what must amount to his riskiest journey yet.
FACE TO FACE: Never work with your partner? Here’s the perfect proof that you can
During the week of Valentine’s when love was high in the air, I came across an unexpected love story. It was not told with the intention of being a love story. But the evidence of what love and full commitment as a couple can produce was so obvious, that it turned out to be one of the best examples for other couples to follow.
Ministry lifts moratorium on new scholarships for international studies
THE Ministry of Education has lifted its moratorium on new scholarships for international studies for the 2021/2022 school year, according to Education Minister Jeff Lloyd.
Grand Bahama police warn over marijuana packaging
GRAND Bahama police are warning the public to be aware of “the deceptive and illegal” distribution of marijuana in packaging similar to legitimate snack product brands.
AG advises PLP against voters’ drive
ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel said he has advised the Progressive Liberal Party against hosting an unlawful voter registration drive that would have allowed a first-time voter to win a car.
‘Those who are eligible and able to receive vaccine should do so willingly’
Archbishop Patrick Pinder, Catholic archbishop of Nassau, yesterday said people should follow the Roman Catholic Church’s position on COVID-19 vaccines that those “who are eligible and able to receive the vaccine should do so willingly”.
Rupert Roberts backs minimum wage increase
SUPER Value owner Rupert Roberts said while he supports the Progressive Liberal Party’s pre-election proposal to increase the minimum wage, he was left confused by the party’s value added tax plans.
Ministry recognises International Women’s Day
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognised Commonwealth Day and International Women’s Day yesterday.
Developer targets Marriott land in GB ‘stepping stone’
A major US developer is targeting the purchase of Marriott’s 30-acre Barbary Beach landholding in what could be “a stepping stone” towards much larger efforts to revive Freeport’s economy.
Airport financing divided into $30m bond placements
Investment bankers yesterday said they will raise the $150m funding for Family Island airport upgrades via a series of $20m-$30m bond offerings that will start to be placed by the second quarter’s end.
Bahamas must ‘face the music’ on income tax
A risk-management specialist yesterday warned The Bahamas will soon have to “face the music” and implement a personal and/or corporate income tax in response to internal and external pressures.
Minister: PLP VAT plan will cost $100m
A Cabinet minister last night argued that the PLP’s one-year VAT rate cut will “destabilise the economy” and government finances by costing the Public Treasury $100m in revenue.
Parents need to take key role in education
Some public schools have seen student participation drop to “less than 50 percent,” Education Minister Jeff Lloyd revealed yesterday as he urged parents to take their children’s education more seriously.
OKAY, DARNELL WHERE’S THE PROOF? Govt lodges robust defence to claims by former BPL chief
WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister wants former Bahamas Power & Light chairwoman Darnell Osborne to provide “strict proof” that he acted with malicious intent when he discussed her departure from BPL’s board in 2018, according to a defence filed in the Supreme Court last month.
PM promises more women in Cabinet
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the Free National Movement is recruiting more women to run on the party’s ticket in the next general election, as he lamented the “historic low” of women representation in his Cabinet.
PLP's minimum wage hike 'economic suicide'
The Progressive Liberal Party's (PLP) plan to increase the minimum wage by $40 per week was yesterday branded "economic suicide" by the private sector's top labour specialist.
Man and woman injured in separate shootings
A MAN and a woman are in hospital after they were shot in separate incidents on Sunday.
Northwestern State Demons’ Daunte Stuart ‘on fire’ at plate
DAUNTE Stuart continues his torrid start to his sophomore and his recent streak at the plate has placed him at the top of several stat categories for the Northwestern State Demons.
Clarke and Blazers pull off 5th straight victory
SYDNEY Clarke and her University at Alabama-Birmingham Blazers pulled off their fifth straight victory on Sunday by knocking off Tulane Green Waves 4-3 at the George Ward Park in Birmingham.
Bastian getting ready for NCAA Championships
HE’S having a sensational season at Florida State, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg for the Seminoles’ junior swimmer as he now prepares for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships at the end of the month.
Thou shalt love thy Chinese neighbour as thyself
I would like to commend the Chinese Community Association of The Bahamas for the generous food donations to the Red Cross, which will undoubtedly go a long way toward feeding many hungry Bahamian families in Nassau.
We need new leadership
It is relatively clear that politicians think that in order to become prime minister, one only has to remain leader of the Opposition long enough for a real or contrived scandal to hit the governing party.
Taxi driver appeals conviction for assault
A TAXI driver who was fined $1,000 for assaulting a road traffic supervisor with her vehicle is appealing her conviction.
Man denies importing marijuana
A 35-year-old man who denied importing marijuana into the country was yesterday granted bail ahead of his trial.
Six months in prison for former bank supervisor
A FORMER bank supervisor who last week admitted stealing over $35,000 from customer accounts to help pay her own bills was yesterday sentenced to six months in prison.
COVID-19 DEATH TOLL RISES BY ONE TO 183
THE country’s COVID- 19 death toll rose by one to 183 on Sunday after the death of an 80- year-old man was reclassified.
FNM claims PLP making promises it does not intend to keep
THE Free National Movement has accused the Progressive Liberal Party of making election promises it does not intend to keep.
Monday, March 8
PLP promises free testing for anyone concerned about exposure to virus
THE Progressive Liberal Party has pledged to offer free testing to Bahamians concerned they have been exposed to COVID-19 and to reform the government’s food assistance programme if it wins the next general election.
EDITORIAL: Vaccine is coming - but delay is disappointing
DID good news ever sound so disappointing?
WORLD VIEW: Small states diplomacy pays dividends on ‘de-risking’
IT was an odd law into which to place it, but new and welcome directives on “de-risking” - which has plagued Caribbean countries - has become law in the United States.
INSIGHT: Delays and frustrations but the end of the tunnel is in sight
THERE was a sense of relief among Bahamians on social media when it was announced the first vaccines would arrive in the country today. When this news was followed by an update that the vaccines would be delayed until Wednesday because of “logistical issues with the airline overseas”, that relief shifted to weary cynicism.
INSIGHT: A million dollars for a smart new complex - now tear it down
AN estimated $1m of taxpayer dollars has been wasted in the part construction of a new building on the campus of Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute which is now “just sitting there out back waiting to be demolished”, Insight can reveal.
New radar equipment installed at former U.S. missile tracking station
BAHAMAS meteorological office staff were in Mayaguana this weekend with Bahamas Aviation, Climate and Severe Weather Network alongside for the installation of new radar tracking equipment at the island’s former US missile tracking station.
Body found near Arawak Cay parking lot
A MAN’S body was found yesterday near a parking lot at Arawak Cay.
Infrastructure Fund’s public offering plan
Bahamian investors will be given the opportunity to own a portion of the proposed National Infrastructure Fund via an initial public offering (IPO), a Cabinet minister confirmed yesterday.
BOB: ‘Break even excellent’ for 2021
Bank of The Bahamas’ top executive says it will “be excellent” if its closes its 2021 financial year in a “break even” position after incurring $20m in loan loss provisions over the past two years.
‘Blind’ driving attorney loses sanctions fight
A Supreme Court judge has refused to give an attorney “a second bite at the cherry” and appeal sanctions related to his management of a $30m estate on the basis he is “legally blind”.
Sir Franklyn: Is data protection up to challenge?
A prominent businessman is questioning whether the government and private sector are doing enough to protect Bahamians’ personal financial data from employee theft in a growing digital economy.
THE GREEN AUTOMOBILE REVOLUTION
ActivTrades
NIKOLA Tesla, born in 1856 was a Serbian- American engineer who contributed to our modern alternating current electricity supply system. He became a well-known inventor and was noted for his showmanship at public lectures and his demonstrations to celebrities and wealthy patrons.
Sea search goes on for five Cubans
A SEARCH is ongoing for five Cubans who are presumed missing after 19 others were picked up, including a deceased male, during a joint law enforcement operation in the southern Bahamas last week.
One dead, five injured in Friday shootings
A MAN was shot dead on Friday, not long after two other shooting incidents left five others, four of whom were women, injured.
PLP aiming to lower VAT and raise minimum wage
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leaders said if successful in the next general election they will reduce value added tax to ten percent for one year as part of an economic plan that involves supporting a minimum wage increase, significantly expanding social assistance in the country and reducing the cost of energy by 30 percent.
ROLLOUT WILL TAKE MONTHS: First vaccines arrive this Wednesday but all doses not here till end of May
THE government’s roll out of its COVID-19 vaccination programme will not proceed as rapidly as previously announced, with only 20,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine expected in the country this Wednesday.
Kiwanis Club paints the park
A park in the Nassau Village community got a much needed upgrade, thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Nassau AM (KCNAM).
Resorts showing Easter promise
Family Island hotels say they are “booked solid” for the Easter period, with one disclosing an 80 percent occupancy level for the holiday that traditionally marks the winter season peak and climax.
PLP pledges rise in minimum wage
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) yesterday unveiled a populist economic agenda that included a weekly $40 increase in the minimum wage and cutting VAT to 10 percent for at least one year.
Running the race to full compliance
As I ran along the Cable Beach strip contemplating why I decided on a vigorous “speed repeat routine”, as I embarked on my second week of a year-long journey towards running my first full marathon, I was stopped by Bahamian-born, now-Washington DC domiciled, Reuters business writer Katanga Johnson.
Bahamas urged on credit registry move
An Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) economist has urged The Bahamas to go beyond its proposed credit bureau by establishing a credit registry to enable better lending decisions.
A poem to Duke Smith
PLEASE publish this birthday poem that I wrote for my oldest brother, Duke Bradley Smith.
‘Splash brother’ Curry wins second 3-point title
ATLANTA (AP) — Stephen Curry shot his way to another 3-point title and Domantas Sabonis made sure the Skills Challenge still belongs to the bigs.
Bastian lowers his national record in 200m breast
THE Bahamas Aquatics Federation’s Last Chance Meet saw a new national record lowered by collegian Izaak Bastian, while several CCCAN and CARIFTA qualifying standards were met by various swimmers.
Bahamians take the spotlight at NAIA Indoors
THE NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships featured both team and individual success for its Bahamian participants.
Edrick Poitier named head coach of the Providence School
EDRICK Poitier, a former coach at the collegiate level, has been named as the new head coach of the Providence School out of Jacksonville, Florida.
President of UB should have pension
THE revelation that the prestigious and highly responsible post of Presi- dent of the university is not pensionable is at once amazingly surprising and utterly astounding!
43-YEAR-OLD WOMAN DIES FROM COVID-19
THE country’s COVID-19 death toll has increased to 182 after the death of a 43-year-old woman was reclassified as coronavirus related on Friday.
Veteran outfielder Anfernee Seymour back in pro baseball
ANFERNEE Seymour is back in professional baseball.
Two missing after aircraft crashes
TWO Bahamians are still missing after an aircraft crashed near Salina Point, Acklins on Friday.
Sunday, March 7
PM announces plans for first 20,000 doses of vaccine
In a national address on Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are due to arrive on Wednesday.
UPDATED: Vaccine arrival delayed until Wednesday
• SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: The Government of The Bahamas has been advised by India that the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccines has been delayed until Wednesday 10 March due to logistical issues with the airline overseas. The Prime Minister’s update at 5pm Sunday will air live as previously scheduled.
Saturday, March 6
Man found dead after shooting off Sutton Street
A man is dead after a shooting off Sutton Street on Friday night. According to reports, police responded to the incident on Lyon Street shortly after 9pm.
Friday, March 5
AAIA investigating plane crash near Salina Point, Acklins
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) of The Bahamas said it was investigating an accident which occurred on Friday involving a Piper PA28 aircraft with United States registration N2932Y with two people on board.
PM says affordable land and housing plans are part of manifesto
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has insisted that recently announced plans to offer concessions to young, prospective homeowners was sparked by goals in his party’s manifesto and not because an election is approaching.
PM on election date speculation: 'Continue to observe'
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis advised those speculating that there could be an election called earlier than May 2022 to “continue to observe" and insisted the decision is for government to make.
Court of Appeal to decide if Khofe Goodman can appeal sentence
THE Court of Appeal is set to determine whether Khofe Goodman, the man convicted of the murder of 11-year-old Marco Archer, will be granted permission to appeal his 55-year prison sentence.
Man arrested after edibles found
A 35-YEAR-OLD man was arrested by police after he was found with edibles believed to contain marijuana and suspected Indian Hemp oil.
FIDA to salute Senior Justice Estelle G Gray-Evans
In observance of the United Nation’s International Women’s Day 2021, the International Federation of Women’s Lawyers (FIDA) Grand Bahama Chapter announced plans to highlight Senior Justice Estelle G. Gray-Evans.
EDITORIAL: Right or wrong, think of the people this affects
WHICH justice is right when it comes to citizenship?
DIANE PHILLIPS: King of the Waterfront – Lundy doin’ what he did half a century ago and lovin’ it just as much
MENTION Bahamas waterfront and images of fancy estates and condos overlooking broad sandy beaches come to mind. But there are no swaying palm trees or wide green gardens on the other waterfront. It’s chockablock with side-by-side boats up on blocks, overflowing dumpsters waiting to be emptied, the sound of work shoes squeaking on oil-stained concrete paving, a radio blaring, men’s voices rising to be heard above the rumble of machinery.
A COMIC'S VIEW: Davis makes a friend request of Facebook - stop these people saying mean things
THIS week the Leader of the Opposition wrote to Facebook. Unfortunately, it was all “legal talk”. Fortunately, I was able to decipher it for everyday Bahamians:
Women tell of struggle to get by during pandemic
GRANDMOTHER Christine Mackey has not worked for a year and is struggling to take care of her great-grandson. She was one of several people seeking help from the Department of Social Services yesterday.
Back in The Bahamas and trying to survive
AFTER years of living abroad and a stint in prison, Steven Hunt is trying to survive in The Bahamas after being deported.
Dames defends extending police appointments
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday defended his ministry’s decision to extend the appointment of three senior officers who were reassigned to various government ministries last year, insisting the agencies are still “in need of significant help”.
Blaze destroys half of duplex
FIREMEN battled an early morning blaze in a Freeport neighbourhood where one half of a single-story duplex was destroyed.
New BTC chief tackles ‘rocky’ union relations
THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) new chief executive has pledged to rebuild labour relations that have been “on a rocky road for the last several years”.
No more home waste: ‘We’re on our knees’
THE Bahamas “cannot afford” a repeat of the waste involved in the National Insurance Board’s (NIB) $10.8m housing loan with the country “on its knees”, two ex-Contractors Association chiefs warned.
Governance reformer defends Fiscal Act on govt ‘latitude’ concern
THE Bahamas must strike “a balance between functionality and best practice”, a governance reformer said yesterday, after its fiscal responsibility law was criticised for giving government “too much latitude”.
Student debtors paying up
EDUCATION Loan Authority chairwoman Miriam Emmanuel says the Authority has seen a 29 percent decline in the number of delinquent accounts, which now stands at nearly 3,500 loans.
Judges sit to settle right to be citizen
THE Court of Appeal held a rare full-court hearing yesterday to consider Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder’s historic ruling that children born out of wedlock to Bahamian men and foreign women are citizens at birth and do not have to wait until 18 to apply for citizenship.
‘MPs not Mr Speaker set the House rules’
HEALTH Minister Renward Wells yesterday suggested House Speaker Halson Moultrie does not have the sole authority to implement a Prime Minister’s question and answer period in Parliament, telling reporters “the rules of the House are set by its members”.
Union’s legal threat targets two resorts
A TRADE union leader last night threatened two Bahamian resorts with legal action for “unfair termination” and other alleged breaches of the Employment Act’s redundancy and re-hiring provisions.
IAN FERGUSON: Employees are the best social media promoters
WITHIN each company, regardless of size, industry or product and service offerings, people are using social media.
Track and field athletes get set for NCAA Indoors
BAHAMIAN student athletes were prominently featured among the lists of qualifiers for various divisions in the upcoming NCAA and NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
HE CAME FOR A JOB, HE LEFT AS A THIEF
A 35-YEAR-OLD man who stole a fast-food worker’s backpack after he visited the establishment to apply for a job was yesterday sentenced to six months in prison.
THREE ACCUSED OF STEALING FROM KELLY’S
THREE men were yesterday accused of stealing $14,000 worth of goods from Kelly’s Freeport Limited by reason of employment.
EXUMA MURDER CONVICTION OVERTURNED
THE Court of Appeal yesterday quashed the 27-year sentence of a man who was accused of robbing and killing another man in Exuma seven years ago.
Patrick Mactaggart wins tennis tournament
THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulates Patrick Mactaggart on playing well and winning the ACTS Singles UTR 2.5-6.5 Tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida, on February 21.
Commission chief wary over digital ‘sandboxes’
THE Securities Commission’s top executive yesterday said “serious” digital assets providers wanted to operate in a well-regulated jurisdiction and did not need “sandboxes” to facilitate their innovation.
THE PRESS BOX: 3 potential Lakers trade targets could solidify a run at a repeat
As the NBA heads toward the all star break and the league’s trade deadline, I have three potential Laker trade targets that could solidify the defending champions run at a repeat.
Sprinter Denisha Cartwright preparing for DII Nationals
AFTER being named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Track Athlete and Newcomer of the Year, Minnesota State Mavericks' sprinter Denisha Cartwright is now looking forward to extending her success at the Division II National Track and Field Indoor Championships.
‘I just wasn’t in the mood to go this year’: ‘Buddy’ Hield speaks on decision not to defend his 3-pt title
Chavano “Buddy” Hield had his most productive stretch of the season over the course of the last two games and addressed his absence from the upcoming Three-Point Contest and the first half struggles for his Sacramento Kings.
Brave Davis in the Same Ole Place
BACK in the day the “Same Ole Place” was a popular eatery and political watering hole in Nassau. Nowadays the “Same Ole Place” appears to be emblematic of where Brave Davis has driven the “new” PLP.
Diversity and politics
THE lack of diversity in politics today is both troubling and wrong in a representative democracy.
BJ Murray and Owls beat another ranked team
BJ Murray and the No.21 ranked Florida Atlantic Owls got their third win over a ranked programme Wednesday night and continue to climb up the rankings in the top 25.
Bahamas in ‘another place’ if local digital asset access
A BLOCKCHAIN entrepreneur yesterday argued that Bahamians must be given access to assets and structures this country has offered to non-nationals if it is to move financial services to “another place”.
OUTSTANDING EDUCATION LOANS SLASHED BY 21%
THE Education Loan Authority’s (ELA) outstanding loans have decreased in number by 21 percent or almost 1,000 since 2018, its chairman said yesterday.
Regulators: Digital assets still volatile
BAHAMIAN regulators yesterday warned that digital assets remain “volatile” despite having significant potential to transform this nation’s financial services industry.
Basketball table official Marshall remembered
ON the day she would have celebrated her 54th birthday, the basketball community and the teaching profession came together with family and friends to pay their last respects to the late Katrinka Marshall.
Thursday, March 4
EDITORIAL: Senior police officers given cold shoulder
“Dignity and respect, that’s all I wanted.”
STATESIDE: Same old, same old - the man just won’t go away
He got a haircut. That was the first thing some spectators noticed when ex-President Donald Trump strode out on to the stage on Sunday at an Orlando Hyatt hotel to bask in the adulatory applause of the 1,400 faithful fans gathered at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Committee conference.
FRONT PORCH: From Norman’s Cay to Nygard Cay
The sordid and dark chapters in Bahamian history linking Norman’s Cay, Exuma, to Nygard Cay, New Providence, are deeply woven into the political narrative and entrenched culture of corruption of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).
Facial recognition technology now in place at airport
STATE-of-the-art facial recognition comparison technology is now available at Lynden Pindling International Airport to ensure a more secure and safe travel experience.
120 body cameras in use - with more still to come
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said police officers are using 120 body cameras with more expected to be rolled out.
Speaker considering question time
HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie said he is considering implementing a Prime Minister’s question and answer period in Parliament as he warned members of Parliament to be on notice that the practice of the governing party avoiding questions will not continue.
PAHO says vaccines due ‘mid March’
THE director of the Pan-American Health Organisation said the group expects that the world will continue to face a shortage of vaccines for much of 2021.
Johnson: PLP treatment of Forbes ‘unacceptable’
YAMACRAW MP Elsworth Johnson said the Progressive Liberal Party treated Central and South Andros MP Picewell Forbes in an “unacceptable” way.
‘Ring the election bell’
MEMBERS of the Democratic National Alliance protested outside Parliament yesterday morning, demanding Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis “Ring the bell” for the next general election.
Judge calls for criminal probe into attorney’s ‘possible fraud’
A Supreme Court judge has urged the director of public prosecutions to investigate an attorney for “possible fraud” over a series of six-figure transactions involving the same real estate parcel.
BTC facing ‘day by day’ fight on mobile rebound
The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) faces “a real day-by-day fight” to reclaim mobile market share lost to Aliv, its newly-appointed chief executive has admitted.
Realtor moves into new territory: $3bn projects ‘on table’
A leading realtor yesterday acknowledged he has taken a risk in stepping outside the profession to launch a venture that has $3bn in potential projects “on the table”.
‘We’re being given no respect’
POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle issued letters yesterday to three Assistant Commissioners of Police – Clayton Fernander, Kendal Strachan and Leamond Deleveaux – that extends their “special assignment” at various government ministries for a further two years.
Pakesia: We need more women in politics
ADMITTING that she is not “necessarily” happy about being the only woman in Cabinet, West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe pledged yesterday to help facilitate the entry of more women into politics as she feels the group is underrepresented in this area.
Brave asks Facebook to block ‘bogus’ sites
AFTER weeks of being prey to online political mischief, the Progressive Liberal Party is fighting back and its leader, Philip “Brave” Davis has written to Facebook’s headquarters to have it stopped.
Minister tells cruise lines: ‘Don’t dump’ on Nassau
A Cabinet minister yesterday urged the cruise lines to “not dump on the destination” given that they often created “insurmountable thresholds” for Bahamian entrepreneurs to do business with them.
Taxpayers paid the most
As we come to the final chapter, the coda or epilogue of the FNM government, one of its damning consequences has been that taxpayers have paid the most for the FNM corruption.
This is not masterful governance
A country where sub-standard governance is called masterful and excellent.
‘Buddy’ not defending 3-pt title
Chavano “Buddy” Hield will not return to defend his Mtn Dew Three-Point Contest title at NBA All-Star Weekend 2021. The reigning champion in the event was not listed among the six-player field announced by the league yesterday.
Sentence upheld in gun possession case
THE Court of Appeal yesterday affirmed the sentence of a man who was convicted in 2017 for having an unlicensed loaded gun.
TWO MEN ARRESTED OVER DRUGS FIND
TWO men were arrested in separate incidents by police on Tuesday after they were found in possession of illegal drugs in Freeport and Eight Mile Rock.
GB Power's $15m recoup generates mixed verdict
Grand Bahama businesses yesterday gave a mixed verdict over Grand Bahama Power Company's (GBPC) move to recover $15.6m in Dorian restoration costs via an extra charge to their bills.
Bahamas 'leveraging all' avenues over arbitration
A Cabinet minister yesterday said The Bahamas is "leveraging all avenues" to establish itself as an international arbitration centre and exploit alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
MAN DENIES ASSAULT AND THEFT
AN ELEUTHERA man who denied assaulting another man and stealing a woman’s purse was granted bail ahead of his trial.
Woman fined $1,500 for expired visa
A JAMAICAN woman who was caught living in the country on an expired visa was ordered to pay $1,500 to avoid spending three months behind bars prior to her deportation back to her home country.
Bahamas leads Caribbean in 'on-time' VAT compliance
The Bahamas had the "highest on-time" VAT filing rates in the Caribbean prior to the rate being increased to 12 percent in 2018, an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report has revealed.
Local manufacturers gain ‘thousands’ in tax breaks
A Cabinet minister yesterday said his ministry has granted “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in tax breaks and concessions to manufacturing and other businesses since July 2020.
Cable pushing towards customised TV content
A Cable Bahamas executive yesterday said a “recommendation engine” will eventually replace its standard TV guide to give consumers more customised options on what they watch
Jones sets season high 17, Hunter has career high 11
BIG nights from Kai Jones and Sammy Hunter en route to résumé building wins for their programmes highlighted Bahamian student athletes in NCAA Division I basketball on Tuesday night.
Reckley listed as one of the top international prospects
RYAN Reckley was listed by Baseball America as one of the top international prospects for the upcoming signing period and is projected to sign one of the most lucrative deals in the current class.
'Mass' required for tailored TV content
Cable networks “need mass” to continue to produce quality content “a-la-carte" because the associated costs are extremely expensive, industry executives said yesterday.
Wednesday, March 3
EDITORIAL: Judge by achievements, not by a name
SINCE the departure of Lanisha Rolle from the post of Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, there has been a lot of talk about women in politics.
ALICIA WALLACE: We need women in Parliament who can do real work. Rolle is not a loss – she was a liability
International Women’s Day is next Monday, March 8.
Pinder: Use Baha Mar redundancy to become entrepreneurs
DIRECTOR of Labour John Pinder is calling on the 100 staffers made redundant by Baha Mar to use some of their disengagement funds for “low risk investments” and look at their redundancy as an opportunity to become entrepreneurs.
D’Aguilar: Things will get better as vaccines roll out
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday he is hopeful things will improve for the country’s tourism industry “during the course of the year” as vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 continue to be rolled out worldwide.
Lightbourne chasing PLP party nomination for Pineridge
GRAND Bahama resident Leslie Lightbourne is seeking the nomination as the Progressive Liberal Party’s candidate for Pineridge.
Shot on eve of his little girl’s birthday
THE man who was shot dead on Monday night was killed a day before his eldest daughter’s 11th birthday, his mother has revealed.
‘I just want a job so I can get off the street’
FOR the last several days, 48-year-old Tharon Bethel has slept on a small piece of cardboard on the stoop of a Shirley Street liquor store.
Marinas’ ‘one-stop shop’ dream in Customs halt
The Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president yesterday voiced growing frustration that its dream of creating a “one-stop shop” for all boating fees and permits has been halted by Customs.
Consumers stunned by GB Power’s $15m Dorian move
Grand Bahama residents and businesses were yesterday stunned to learn that the island’s monopoly electricity provider has now moved to recover $15.6m in Dorian restoration costs from them.
BTC: We’ll connect 20,000 extra homes if parent ups spend
The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) can more than double the annual number of new homes using the latest network technology if its owner is enticed to increase investment.
$50m tax plug to be ‘data treasure chest’
The Bahamas will “capture a treasure chest of data” to help expand its boating market and plug up to $50m in annual revenue leaks via an online portal developed by a private sector joint venture.
Lumber’s 30% jump ‘no reason for panic’
Building materials suppliers yesterday urged Bahamians not to panic over the 30 percent increase in lumber prices since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abaco lounge fined $30k for breach
THE co-owners of an Abaco lounge were ticketed $30,500 for breaching COVID-19 Emergency Powers Orders by having nearly 100 people crammed into a space only meant to hold 24.
Former PM Ingraham out of hospital
FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham was discharged from Doctors Hospital yesterday.
Shared role? Minnis was just being kind
DEPUTY Prime Minister Desmond Bannister yesterday dismissed the idea of him serving as “co-Prime Minister” if the Free National Movement is re-elected to office, noting Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ recent comments on the matter were made as a kind gesture towards him.
Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe appointed minister of state
PAKESIA Parker-Edgecombe has been appointed as the new Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction in the Office of the Prime Minister. The announcement was made by the Cabinet Office last night.
‘NO PINDLING ON THE TICKET’: Former PM's daughter says PLP leaders feared ‘negativity’ of his record
MONIQUE Pindling, the daughter of former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling, said the Progressive Liberal Party’s “leadership” told her she would not receive a nomination because the PLP does not “want a Pindling on the ticket”.
Bahamas a 'trailblazer' for workplace relations
The Bahamas is “trailblazing”, and "setting the pace for the Caribbean" in workplace relations, by moving to the next stage in the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) decent work initiative.
Bahamas low COVID rates warrant US warning easing
A Cabinet minister yesterday argued that The Bahamas' relatively low COVID-19 infection numbers warrant a further easing of health-related travel warnings by the US authorities.
Minister: Sandals return not 'economically feasible'
A Cabinet minister yesterday said Sandals Royal Bahamian's re-opening had been further delayed to May 1 because forecast occupancy levels were not "economically feasible”.
GBPA chair: Airport sale close 'imminent'
The Grand Bahama Port Authority's (GBPA) acting chairman has confirmed that the Government's acquisition of Grand Bahama International Airport is “Imminent".
‘I consider it an honour that God has ordained this for me even before I was in my mother’s womb’
HE was once listed as the fastest male sprinter in the country, albeit with a wind-aided time, but now two-time Olympian Iram Lewis will be racing down the halls of Parliament as the 17th Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture.
UB Mingoes pick up two wins at Road Runners Track Meet
THE University of The Bahamas Athletics team picked up two wins at the Road Runners Track Meet at The Thomas A Robinson National Stadium over the weekend.
Kyle Alcine 4th in high jump at Big 12 Indoors
KANSAS State’s Kyle Alcine picked up a fourth place finish in the men’s high jump at the 2021 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships that was held over the weekend at the Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.
Association congratulates Abigail Simms on a perfect season so far
BAHAMIAN Abigail Simms, with her exceptional play, has been instrumental in the Indiana Tech Warriors going undefeated (5-0) for the start of the college season.
Short Course Metres Worlds Last Chance meet set for this weekend
THE Bahamas Aquatics Federation will continue its 2021 season this weekend at the Betty Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Center with the Short Course Meters World’s Bahamas Aquatics Last Chance Meet.
Daejha Moss Most Valuable player in Field Championship
DAEJHA Moss couldn’t ask for a better ending to her junior year at North Dakota State University after she was named the Field Championship MVP at the Summit League Indoor Championships over the weekend.
Sasha Wells named most outstanding athlete again
For the second consecutive year, versatile Sasha Wells was named the Most Outstanding Championship Performer, becoming the first athlete to earn the feat at the Summit League Indoor Championships more than once.
Loretta should run
I am compelled to raise a political question what if? What are the possibilities if Loretta Butler Turner had not left or moreso was excommunicated from the ranks of leadership of the FNM and had stayed in place avoiding the bad advice she was given to challenge the leadership of that party. I believe everything is based on exact divine timing. I am convinced if she were still in place, now would be the perfect timing for her to challenge the leadership and perhaps become the leader of that political entity.
Haitian man accused of fraudulent marriage
A HAITIAN man was remanded into custody over allegations he entered into a fraudulent marriage more than a decade ago in order to obtain a spousal permit.
‘Pay money back or get a criminal record’
A MECHANIC who accepted funds for a service he never completed was ordered to reimburse his client to avoid getting a criminal record.
Teen who punched rival told to take anger management classes
A TEENAGER who admitted punching and slapping his rival during a fist fight was yesterday ordered to attend anger management classes.
Bid to appeal rulings dismissed in incest case
THE Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed the applications of two men who attempted to appeal two judicial rulings that gave police permission to have medical practitioners draw blood samples from them to aid officers in their investigation into an incest case.
Life and death
These people through Brown’s Alley/Benneby Alley, here off Kemp Road, are being allowed to ruin another evening, another Sabbath Day.
Tuesday, March 2
EDITORIAL: Money now, but a headache later?
The announcement of a tax amnesty by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday might sound good for those who can take advantage of it – but look a little deeper and it’s a bad sign for the state of our country.
FACE TO FACE: From slave martyrs to an African Queen - Bahamian women to be proud of
The month of March is celebrated internationally as Women’s History Month.
PETER YOUNG: Can judges really remain impartial?
One particular decision of Britain’s Supreme Court caught my eye last week.
Haitian man fined $1,500
A HAITIAN man who was found in the country with an expired visa was ordered to pay $1,500 to avoid spending three months in prison before his deportation.
Chipman ‘confident’ to win as independent
CENTREVILLE MP Reece Chipman yesterday expressed confidence in his chances to win his seat as an independent candidate, insisting that neither of the former major political parties have been able to do what he has done for his constituency “over the past three years”.
Wells ‘not disappointed’ that first doses of vaccine have not arrived
HEALTH Minister Renward Wells said yesterday he is not disappointed that the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have not yet arrived in the country.
Wilchcombe confident of winning PLP nomination
AFTER winning the runoff at the branch level, the PLP’s West Grand Bahama Branch believes former West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe will also come out ahead in the Bimini runoff tonight.
Body found next to LW Young school
POLICE are seeking to identify the victim of the lastest homicide after gunshot wounds rang out shortly before 10pm last night.
Gatherings? What gatherings?
DEPUTY Prime Minister Desmond Bannister said yesterday he has not seen “any evidence” of large gatherings being hosted by the Free National Movement in contravention of the COVID-19 emergency orders, saying if anyone has those types of gatherings, he’s certain “the law will take its course”.
Govt eyes energy, food security funds
THE government is mulling whether to create “sector specific funds” to finance areas such as renewable energy and food security as it bids to close a $2bn-plus infrastructure gap.
Property tax amnesty ‘rewards delinquents’
Realtors yesterday give a mixed reaction to the government’s latest real property tax amnesty, acknowledging that it is rewarding delinquent taxpayers amid the “desperate” hunt for revenues.
Oil opponents ‘won’t be priced out’ over $200k costs award
Oil exploration opponents yesterday pledged they will “not be priced out of justice” after the Supreme Court ordered them to find $200,000 to cover Bahamas Petroleum Company’s (BPC) “security for costs”.
‘Two-decade fast track fight’ at end
Architects yesterday voiced cautious optimism that their “two-decade fight” for fast-track building permit approvals may have a successful end after the prime minister pledged: “It’s a matter of when.”
Baha Mar in 100 new terminations
Baha Mar last night confirmed it has terminated another 100 staff as it prepares to re-open its high-end Rosewood and SLS resort properties in just two days' time.
Picewell Forbes out of PLP race
CENTRAL and South Andros MP Picewell Forbes announced yesterday that he will not seek re-election, a decision that reflects his belief that Progressive Liberal Party leaders did not support his potential candidacy robustly enough.
A woman for PM? That’s my dream
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has again stressed that he looks “forward to seeing a female Prime Minister” one day.
Lanisha: Everything was by the rulebook
IN her first interview since resigning as Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture last week, Seabreeze MP Lanisha Rolle said yesterday that her integrity is “intact”.
50% PROPERTY TAX AMNESTY: Huge incentive to persuade families to wipe out arrears
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday announced the government’s intention to offer a real property tax amnesty programme while announcing a scheme to offer “upscale” western New Providence building lots to young Bahamians.
Abaco man killed in traffic accident as car flips
AN Abaco man is dead after a traffic accident on Sunday.
Sweeps and career milestones highlight busy baseball weekend for Bahamians
SERIES sweeps and career milestones highlighted a busy weekend of baseball for Bahamian student-athletes at various levels of college baseball.
McPhee-McCuin leads Rebels to another upset win over Wildcats
HEAD coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin led her Ole Miss Rebels to another upset win over a ranked Kentucky Wildcats team.
Tennis ace Sydney Clarke and Blazers earn 2nd straight victory
FRESHMAN Sydney Clarke and her University of Arlington at Birmingham Blazers women’s tennis team picked up their second consecutive victory over the weekend.
SG Deyton Albury earns MVP honours
BELIEVE Prep clinched the Post Grad Platinum Championships at the Big Shots Prep National Tournament over the weekend as Deyton Albury emerged as the most valuable player.
‘Buddy’ makes NBA history: Becomes the fastest player to reach 1,000 career 3-pointers
On his best shooting night of the season, Chavano “Buddy” Hield remained his harshest critic despite adding another three-point milestone to his résumé.
Praise for Bahamian entrepreneurs
It is refreshing to hear and read about Bahamians who are excelling in the business and professional world here in our wonderful nation. We have been so caught up in the woes of Dorian and the body blows inflicted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that often times I would wonder: ‘Where is the good news’?
Woman who turned killer?
A JAMAICAN woman was charged with murder yesterday in connection with a stabbing incident which left another woman dead last week.
Former bank supervisor guilty
A FORMER bank supervisor yesterday admitted stealing over $35,000 from customer accounts to help pay her own bills.
LARODA QUITS AS PUBLIC DISCLOSURE COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
CABINET Office yesterday announced the resignation of Myles Laroda as Public Disclosure Commission chairman.
PM: $20m 'pipeline' of local investments
The Government-sponsored venture capital fund is expected to create 130 local jobs via $1.5m in combined equity financing that has been injected into seven Bahamian businesses.
PM pledges affordable housing discounts
The Prime Minister yesterday pledged that the provision of affordable, quality housing for Bahamians via private sector partnerships will be a key priority if his party is returned to government.
PM pledges affordable housing discounts
The Prime Minister yesterday pledged that the provision of affordable, quality housing for Bahamians via private sector partnerships will be a key priority if his party is returned to government.
Monday, March 1
BTVI ‘is trying to intimidate employee’
THE union vying to represent workers at the Bahamas Technical Vocational Institute has accused the facility of “trying to intimidate” an employee as part of an investigation to find out who was behind flyers circulated on social media about the school.
EDITORIAL: Lost in bureaucracy
More than ten years ago, Bahamian Stafford Lightbourn married his wife, Sharon Lewis-Lightbourn.
POLICE ADVICE: Learn to listen and avoid conflict
Conflict is a normal and necessary part of healthy relationships. After all, people aren’t expected to agree on everything at all times. Therefore, learning how to deal with conflict—rather than avoiding it, is crucial.
WORLD VIEW: US–Cuba normalisation could increase production of COVID-19 vaccines
IF US President Joe Biden eases the trade embargo against Cuba, one benefit to developing countries, including the Caribbean, could be greater access to coronavirus vaccines at an affordable price.
INSIGHT: Electioneering in perilous economic times
The bleak state of the country was reinforced last week when Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis delivered the Mid-Year Budget Communication in Parliament. Although Dr Minnis continues to sound optimistic, a rebound of the scale needed is untenable while we are still wrestling with COVID-19.
INSIGHT: ‘We put these people in power to help us and all we get is a wall of silence’
Stafford Lightbourn and his wife, Sharon Lewis-Lightbourn need answers. Like any normal couple, they fell in love and were ultimately married on April 24, 2010. The sky was the limit for them until the Department of Immigration threw a monkey wrench in their horizon.
32 new cases and one more death confirmed
THIRTY-TWO new COVID-19 cases and one more virus-related death were recorded in the country between Friday and Saturday, pushing the nation’s tally to 8,551 with 980 of those cases still active.
Strike three for Bahamasair
AFTER Bahamasair was fined for a third time for allowing passengers to travel without a travel health visa, the national flag carrier’s chairman Tommy Turnquest said the infractions happened at Cuba and Haitian ports.
Cruise ships showing interest in Grand Bahama sailings
GRAND Bahama tourism chief Steven Johnson promises that “better days are ahead” for the island, revealing that cruise ships are now beginning to express interests in sailing here.
Family left ‘devastated’ by man’s road death
THE family of the man who lost his life in a traffic fatality in Exuma more than a week ago say they are “devastated” and struggling to come to terms with his untimely death.
Doctors’ GB plans gain $13.5m boost
Doctors Hospital’s president last night said a $13.5m Canadian investment will accelerate the launch of a Grand Bahama care facility “comparable to our New Providence” assets by 2022.
‘Don’t fall into tax reform trap’
GOVERNANCE reformers yesterday warned Bahamians not to fall “into the tax reform trap” by failing to first tackle inefficiency, wasteful spending and corruption in a bloated government.
Digital provider eyes ‘exponential’ growth on Sand Dollar move
A Bahamian digital payments provider yesterday said it expects its near-20,000 client base to “increase exponentially” after enabling them to transact in Sand Dollars without any restrictions.
The object in the stars that could be a sign of alien life
ActivTrades
BLAISE Pascal was a 17th Century French philosopher, theologian, mathematician and physicist who created the famous Pascal’s Wager. A theory, in which he argues a rational person should live as though God exists. The principle is simple: if God really exists the believer will only suffer the loss of some terrestrial pleasures in exchange for infinite gains (eternal life in paradise); on the other hand, the non-believer stands to enjoy the limited and short term benefits of a sinful terrestrial life but will afterwards endure eternity in hell.
Picewell Forbes announces he won't run for re-election
MANGROVE Cay and South and Central Andros MP Picewell Forbes announced in the House of Assembly on Monday morning that he is not running for re-election.
Former PM Ingraham's recovery continues
FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham is expected to be released from hospital by mid-week after showing steady signs of improvement as he recovers from COVID-19.
Davis warns: Act now to avoid third wave
THE Progressive Liberal Party wants the government to adopt new COVID-19 prevention measures that allows for more virus testing and isolation to help prevent a third wave in the country.
MP’s firm fighting $450k blaze claim
FIRE destroyed four residential units in Harbour Island when an unlicensed gas company owned and operated by North Eleuthera MP Rickey Mackey performed services there in June 2018, plaintiffs allege in court documents.
BTC offering 21% niche ISP discount
THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is offering niche Internet Service Providers (ISP) a 21 percent discount to what it charges its own retail customers for using its network infrastructure.
Marinas eye ‘five-fold’ yacht charter growth
A SENIOR marina executive says he expects The Bahamas’ yacht charter business “to grow five-fold within the next five years” based on rapidly-increasing interest in the destination.
Wells and Moss impress
Versatile Sasha Wells emerged as the most outstanding athlete, while Daejha Moss was the most outstanding field competitor in one meet and Grand Bahamian Shyrone Kemp and Denisha Cartwright turned in record breaking performances in another.
Fishermen now realising new Act’s consequences
BAHAMIAN fishermen are now realising the controversial Fisheries Bill 2020 has a far greater impact than simply banning Dominican fishermen, critics of the legislation are arguing.
Swimmer Izaak Bastian sets two school records
IZAAK Bastian’s performance at the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships included school records, NCAA qualifying swims and a fifth-place finish for his No.15 Florida State Seminoles.
Lester Brown Jr loses via 2nd round TKO
LESTER Brown Jr’s return to the ring ended in disappointment against a highly touted amateur prospect in his professional debut.
‘Jazz’ Chisholm makes early case for starting job
IF the Miami Marlins’ Spring Training play will determine position battles, Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm made an early case for the starting job at second base.
Hudson and Mackey qualify again for postponed CARIFTA Games
TARHJ Hudson and Camitra Mackey both surpassed the qualifying standards for the postponed CARIFTA Games - again - at the Roadrunners 15th annual Dianna Lynn Thompson Classic on Saturday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.
