Thursday, February 29
STATESIDE: No relief in sight as food and fuel prices remain high
HOW’S your grocery bill these days? Still uncomfortably high? How can that be? We keep reading that inflation is down in the US. Many of the problems that drove prices through the roof so far during this decade seem to have either been solved or simply subsided as the world’s economy tries to stabilise after the worst of COVID-19 settles firmly into the rearview mirror. What’s going on?
FRONT PORCH: The dizzying results of dumbing down
WHILE some may disagree with Rev TG Morrison, Pastor of Zion Baptist Church, on various social issues, many agree with a number of compelling points he made at the Majority Rule Day Service in January of this year.
Bahamas Crisis Centre joins Ministry of Education in launching ‘Circles of Peace’ campaign
A CAMPAIGN was launched yesterday aimed at creating “circles of peace” in schools to teach students about kindness, respect and courage.
Petroleum retailers continue to seek a 25 cent increase per gallon on margins
THE Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association continues to seek a 25 cent per gallon margin increase compared to the previously sought 30 cent increase, with hopes of meeting with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis this weekend.
URCA fears on price in communications market
Regulators have assessed the competition within retail fixed electronic communications service market and determined “excessive pricing” was a common anti-competitive concern for each retail market.
Carey wins Chamber vote and sets sights on future
James Carey maintained his position as the chamber president after the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce elections yesterday.
Cap to keep people from being priced out of broadband access
A CAP is to prevent both the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL) from pricing people out of entry level broadband plans.
Oil waste facility opens in GB
THE Clean Marine Group (CMG) has opened its MARPOL Port Reception Facility in Grand Bahama.
Caribbean leaders say Haitian prime minister agrees to hold long-awaited elections by mid-2025
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Caribbean leaders said late Wednesday that embattled Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has agreed to hold general elections by mid-2025 as the international community pushes to raise money for a foreign armed force to fight gang violenc there.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer asks judge to reject 100-year recommended sentence
NEW YORK (AP) — Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer said Tuesday that a suggested 100-year prison sentence for the FTX founder by an arm of the court is "grotesque" and "barbaric" and at most a term of a few years behind bars is appropriate for cryptocurrency crimes that the California man still disputes.
Demolition continuing at Abaco ‘Gaza’ Shanty town
MORE than 60 structures have been demolished at the Gaza shanty town in Abaco so far - with more expected to be destroyed, according to the Ministry of Works.
Police urge men who are victims of domestic abuse to speak out
THE director of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s domestic unit is urging men who are being abused to speak out, saying many men are often also suffering in silence as victims of domestic violence.
Mother believes son’s murder was retaliation for 2022 stabbing
THE mother of a teenager murdered in a double shooting believes his killing was retaliation for a stabbing at Anatol Rogers High School in 2022.
WITNESS ‘DID NOT SIGN’ CONTRACTS: Cashier tells court signature on papers does not match hers
A KEY witness in the criminal trial of Adrian Gibson and five others claimed she never signed maintenance contracts awarded to a company of which she was a shareholder when court documents allegedly bearing her signature were shown to her in court yesterday.
Raptors, Stingrays in the lead
30TH GSSSA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 30th edition of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Track and Field Championships got underway for the junior and senior schools yesterday at the original Thomas A Robinson stadium.
‘Coach Yo’ and Ole Miss Lady Rebels two conference wins away from making history
GRAND Bahama native coach Yolett McPhee- McCuin and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels are just two wins away from earning the most Southeastern Conference victories in the programme’s history.
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH: Devynne Charlton & Shannon Hanna II shine in February
DEVYNNE Charlton and Shannon Hanna II excelled in athletics and wrestling to be selected as February’s Tribune Athletes of the Month.
35 Haitian migrants found hidden in a boat near Arawak Cay
NEARLY three dozen Haitian migrants were apprehended by police yesterday after they were found hidden inside a boat near Arawak Cay.
Forest fire in Abaco destroys house and threatens nearby farmland
A BUSH fire in Abaco has destroyed one structure and may threaten farmland in South Abaco, according to Cherokee Volunteer Fire and Rescue’s chief.
PM Davis is a man on fire
The PLP was returned to power in 2021, a little short of three years ago, under the stellar leadership of the Hon Philip "Brave" Davis, KC, MP.
Our nation’s woes
MY heart bleeds for the soul of my country.
Wilchcombe funds
Social media was rife when news broke that the Government had used money budgeted for our disabled community to throw a party for one of their own party faithful.
40-year-old man accused of soliciting sex from boy, 14
A 40-year-old man was remanded in custody yesterday after he was accused of soliciting sex from a 14-year-old boy last week.
Woman must pay neighbour after attack by unsecured dog
A WOMAN was ordered to compensate her neighbour yesteray after her unchained dog attacked them last week.
Four years for gun possession
A MAN was sentenced to four years in prison yesterday after he admitted to having a banned gun on him on Nassau Street earlier this week.
$3,500 fine for curfew breaches
A MAN on bail for murder was fined $3,500 yesterday after he admitted to breaching his curfew five times this month.
Wednesday, February 28
ALICIA WALLACE: No more empty words, govt - we need action on equality
We have to demand more from the government
IN two days, it will be Women’s History Month, also known as International Women’s Month due to International Women’s Day being on the eighth. It is a time to not only acknowledge the work and achievements of women in the past, but to face the issues of the present in a way that can contribute to an equitable future.
EDITORIAL: Women who have inspired us
WOMEN’S Month is almost upon us – and with it International Women’s Day on March 8.
‘Cut out of the deal’
FORMER employees of the Lyford Cay Club say that they were “cut out of the deal” struck by the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) and the Bahamas Hotel and Restaurant Employers Association.
Agreement signed to help farmers to obtain loans
THE Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Cooperation (BAIC) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bank of the Bahamas yesterday to provide loan facilities to farmers that wish to expand their businesses and acquire land.
‘Impossible’ to find funds for Bahamian farming
FARMERS say that they continue to face issues with obtaining financing - with a number of obstacles in their path.
‘He took his last breath in front of me,’ said uncle
THE uncle of the latest teen murdered in the country said before Andrew Newry took his last breath in front of him on Monday, that he had unsuccessfully tried to learn who his killer was.
Manager ‘pressured’ on WSC payments
THE former chief financial officer (CFO) of the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) testified yesterday that Adrian Gibson pressured the general manager of the company to resolve delayed payments to landscaping companies.
Head of Film Control Board defends decision on anime movie rating
THE head of the Film Control Board yesterday defended its decision to give a D rating to the anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - To The Hashira Training”, which prevents it from being shown in local theatres, saying the film has no understandable plot and is not in English.
American tourist dies after falling from vessel
A 68-year-old tourist from Mississippi, USA, fell off a vessel and died near Tillo Cay, Abaco, yesterday.
DEMOLITION OF 100 SHANTY HOMES BEGINS: Residents hurry to get personal items before structures destroyed
AFTER years of government pledges to dismantle unregulated communities in Abaco, the Ministry of Works began demolishing more than 100 structures in the Gaza shanty town on the island yesterday.
World leader Ken Mullings excited to be in Scotland
While his aim was to get ready for the decathlon in the Olympic Games this summer, Ken Mullings took a shot at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, but he didn’t know that he would be the top heptathlon qualifier going into Glasgow, Scotland, this weekend.
Junior Davis Cup team in the win column again
WHILE the Bahamas’ Junior Billie Jean King Cup for the under-16 girls’ contest was suspended because of the rain in the Dominican Republic, the Junior Davis Cup team got in their match and they prevailed with a 3-0 decision over Aruba.
TaylorMade Limeade unveils latest sponsorship agreement with versatile Charisma Taylor
TaylorMade Limeade proudly unveils its latest sponsorship agreement with Charisma Taylor, the esteemed Bahamian national record holder.
CARIFTA swimming trials: Last chance meet all set for King’s College on Western Road
THE Bahamas Aquatics Federation was hoping to host the 2024 CARIFTA Swimming Trials at the Betty Kelly Kenning Aquatic Centre March 8-9 but, due to ongoing renovations at the facility, the meet will be carried out at King’s College on Western Road instead.
BLTA congratulates Howard University Bison’s Michael Major Jr for winning the Rookie of the Week
THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association congratulates Howard University Bison’s Michael Major Jr for winning Rookie of the Week for the Mid Eastern Atlantic Conference.
‘Coach Yo’ and Ole Miss on a hot streak
WITH just two games remaining until the end of the NCAA Division 1 season, coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels have turned it up a notch to reel off four straight wins.
USCG searches for boat with couple missing on trip to the Bahamas
THE US Coast Guard is searching for a pair of boaters who left the Florida Keys for The Bahamas.
Women highlighting the good
At a time when too many focus on what’s wrong with our country, I’d like to focus on what’s right with our country.
Protect the people’s interests
I don’t know whether or not you’ve seen it but its hideous appearance was unavoidable, even for the visitors in this part of downtown.
Business licence office confusion
PLEASE: Can someone, anyone, make it make sense!
Teen on bail for murder sentenced to five years jail for having a loaded gun
A 19-year-old man on bail for murder was sentenced to five years in prison yesterday after he was found guilty of having a loaded gun.
18-year-old accused of armed carjacking and possession of dangerous drugs
AN 18-year-old male was remanded in custody yesterday after being accused of an armed carjacking on Dean Street last week.
Man charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply
A MAN was granted $1,000 bail after he was accused of having drugs last weekend.
Tuesday, February 27
FACE TO FACE: Alexander Maillis - first Bahamian to be ordained deacon in the Greek Orthodox Church
Alexander Maillis was born into the Greek Orthodox Church in The Bahamas. He was baptised in the church sanctuary on West Street, Nassau. He and his family members went through all the rights of passage there.
Bringing Esports to The Bahamas
SUSTAINABLE Me is partnering with the Bahamas National Esports League (BNEL) and the Bahamas Esports Federation to bring the NASEF Farmcraft 2024 competition to participating schools across The Bahamas.
Courtesy calls on Governor General
THE BAHAMAS Primary School Student of the Year Foundation visited Governor General Cynthia Pratt to introduce 2023 Bahamas Student of the Year Matteo Davies. The organisation also introduced its co-patron Hubert Chipman on February 21.
BAARK urges govt to enforce laws against animal cruelty
A BAHAMAS Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness (BAARK) leader is urging the government to enforce laws against animal cruelty and breeding, saying the problem is worsening.
Govt defends reallocating $25,000 from a disabilities commission to an Obie Wilchcombe memorial
OFFICE of the Prime Minister director of communications Latrae Rahming yesterday defended the government’s decision to reallocate $25,000 from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to memorials at Baha Mar for the late Obie Wilchcombe.
Fire at Potter’s Cay destroys five boats
AFTER a fire at Potter’s Cay Dock destroyed five vessels yesterday morning, including a freshly refuelled boat with groceries headed for a Family Island, a top dock official blamed derelict boats and debris for the blaze’s size.
THE BIG QUESTION: Who are the women who made a difference in your life?
March 8th is International Women’s Day and we’d like readers to let us know the women who made a difference in their lives.
Parking, access and occupancy among concerns over project
NEIGHBOURS of a proposed western condo development raised concerns at Department of Physical Planning public hearing last night.
Caribbean’s First BeAlert App Promises Safety
A BAHAMIAN company has launched a new emergency response app.
Atlantis holds Crystal Awards honouring employees
Atlantis Resort held its Crystal Awards - Diamond Gala, ‘Once Upon a Time in Paradise’ - on Friday, awarding employees in seven categories.
Cooper: Show national pride in tourism sector
The Ministry of Tourism Investments and Aviation launched its “Tourism is Everyone’s Business” domestic campaign yesterday which aims to educate the public on the importance of the country’s largest industry
More groups to give back Junkanoo seed money
FIVE more Junkanoo groups could follow the Prodigal Sons and be required to refund the government’s seed money for failing to participate in the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades, according to Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg.
Gibson’s brother ‘did not know’ about transactions at company
THE brother of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson testified yesterday that he did not know about the day-to-day operations or financial transactions of a company for which Mr Gibson allegedly asked him to be a shareholder.
Former policeman charged with four counts of attempted murder
A FORMER police officer was charged with four counts of attempted murder yesterday after he allegedly shot at three officers during a car chase near Bahamas Games Blvd last week.
THREE SHOT DEAD IN UNDER 24 HOURS: Man killed in a club shooting in Eleuthera, two teenagers killed on Faith Avenue
THREE people were killed in less than 24 hours yesterday, pushing the murder tally for the year to 30.
Bahamas ‘still in good position’
The Bahamas men’s national basketball team may have dropped a “disappointing” game to Puerto Rico in their rematch of the FIBA 2025 AmeriCup Qualifier on Sunday night.
Dakarai, 17, to bring home 9-ball singles championship title
THE Bahamas has another world champion in 17-year-old Dakarai Turnquest from Deadman’s Cay, Long Island.
Billie Jean King Cup: Bahamas girls pull off second straight victory in Dominican Republic
THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s three-member team pulled off their second consecutive victory at the Billie Jean King Cup junior girls under- 16 tennis tournament in the Dominican Republic.
Movie ban xenophobic and insulting
This is a complaint as well as a rebuttal to the unrightful banning of the movie “Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba, To the Hashira Training” from a fan. Not only is this blatant xenophobia, but it’s an insult to the intelligence of the audience watching this movie.
FNM needs to get act together
IF the scuttlebutt is to be believed and the prime minister is getting ready to “ring the bell”, I hope my comrades in the Free National Movement are making good strides to get their act together to properly fight this election.
Man charged in relation to two separate murders
A MAN was jailed yesterday after he was accused of two separate killings in Coconut Grove this year, including the death of 15-year-old Chester Forbes, Jr.
Man charged with five counts of breaching bail
A MAN awaiting a murder trial was sentenced to three months in prison yesterday after admitting to breaking curfew while on release.
Man charged with possession of ammunition with intent to supply
A MAN was sent to prison after he was allegedly found with 150 rounds of 9mm ammunition in his Bozine Town home last week.
BAISS soccer season kicks off March 4
THE Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools Sports will kick off their 2024 soccer season on March 4.
‘The world’s fastest mama’
SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE
The first thing you notice about Shaunae Miller- Uibo – the world-famous sprinter who has clinched two Olympic golds for The Bahamas – is her kaleidoscopic style. From one day to the next, her hair colour swings from magenta Kool-Aid to purple, emerald, blue and yellow.
Monday, February 26
INSIGHT: The solutions to our crime issues begin with our children
THE home life of men in prison is dominated by numerous "stressors". In some places statistics show that as many as eight of ten men in prisons came from abusive or broken homes.
WORLD VIEW: France and the US broke Haiti; they should be the first to mend it
WHEN the Foreign Ministers of the world’s wealthiest nations gathered in Brazil from February 21, 2024, Haiti’s dire situation found a brief moment of attention — not in the main agenda but on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
INSIGHT: Government in the ‘blame dem’ phase
IT seems to me that the Davis administration has entered its “blame dem” phase of government.
GAIN AN EDGE: Triplets’ journey takes a LEAP
oday we welcome back the Gain An Edge column, a series of articles spotlighting education, the young people taking part in it and more. The column will run bi-weekly on Mondays.
EDITORIAL: Enforce the laws to reduce stray dog numbers
THE sight of dogs roaming our streets is a familiar one to us. For Bahamians, we have long been used to seeing potcakes – and other breeds – travelling alone or in packs around our islands. Just because it is familiar does not make it right.
Many tourists ‘disheartened’ by stray dog population in The Bahamas, says Humane Society
BAHAMAS Humane Society president Kim Aranha said tourists are “disheartened” by the stray dog population they encounter in The Bahamas.
More than 100 investors at risk of losing crowdfund investment
A former Colina Insurance Company chief and at least 115 fellow investors are in peril of losing most, if not all, their combined $2.4m-plus investment in the insolvent ArawakX crowd-funding platform.
Liquidators ‘blocked as ArawakX set up similar operation in US’
ArawakX’s provisional liquidators have accused the crowd-funder’s principals and owner of its website of colluding to deny them control of the platform while setting up a similar US-domiciled operation.
Project’s 15,000 acres for sale over ‘failure to pay’ property tax
A major Long Island investment project’s near-15,000 acres has been advertised for sale via auction by the Government authorities to clear an allegedly unpaid real property tax debt.
Three in custody after man shot dead on Harbour Island
Police in Eleuthera have arrested three men in connection with the shooting death of a man on Harbour Island early on Monday.
ArawakX ‘to be reported’ to police amid $4m insolvency
The Bahamas’ first-ever crowd funding platform is suffering from a near-$4m insolvency, its provisional liquidators have asserted, as they prepare to report “multiple criminal infractions” to the police.
Medics ‘fatigued’ by gun violence
THE president of the Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CSPA) said doctors and nurses at Princess Margaret Hospital are “strained and fatigued” by the increase in gun violence.
Confession was made under duress, Supreme Court rules
A SUPREME Court judge declined to accept as evidence a man’s alleged confession to armed robbery after the 19-year-old claimed police beat him on his buttocks with a cutlass, put a fish bag over his head, poured hot sauce in his eyes and forced him to confess to the crime.
Father of six murdered as he drove child to church
A FATHER of six was murdered yesterday morning while taking his 16-year-old daughter to band practice.
‘BANNED’: CINEMA SLAMS FILM RATING – ‘Demonic content’ among reasons for blocking screening
FUSION’S chief legal officer called for the “archaic and outdated” Theatre and Cinemas regulations to be amended after the Film Control Board reportedly restricted the company’s ability to show a movie by giving it a D rating.
Puerto Rico routs Bahamas 86-67
FIBA 2025 AMERICUP QUALIFIER
After winning their opening game by 11 points on Thursday at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente Gymnasium, The Bahamas men’s national basketball team watched helplessly as Puerto Rico came to town and turned the tables with a 19-point rout.
Shannon secures The Bahamas’ first international medal in wrestling
SHANNON Hanna II made The Bahamas proud on 242 Day when he claimed a bronze medal at the 2024 Pan American Wrestling Championships in Acapulco, Mexico, over the weekend.
Devynne Charlton leads the way
DEVYNNE Charlton came within a second of a margin in matching her co-women’s world indoor 60 metres hurdles record, while Grand Bahamian Terrence Jones inked his name on another Bahamian men’s national record.
Exuma Sailing Club wins Junior Sailing Overall Title
THE Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Sailing Championships returned for the first time since 2018 over the weekend at Montagu Bay and did not disappoint.
Registrar General continues testimony over land and company records
THE registrar general’s testimony continued on Friday in the criminal trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and five others.
Israel’s war in Gaza ‘not right’
Thank you again for space in your valuable publication.
Travel warnings having an impact
The Bahamas’ image and reputation as a safe place for Canadian tourists has now been impacted by the Canadian Government issuing a warning to Canadian tourist citizens that the Bahamas has a high crime rate of murders, robberies and rapes. I am deeply saddened to be sharing this news.
Digital banking the ‘only way forward’ for Andros residents
DARIN Bethel, president of the Andros Chamber of Commerce said that digital currency providers are the “only way forward” for North and Central Andros businesses and residents.
AG: It’s time to scrap blacklists that have cost Bahamas millions
ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said that blacklisting could have cost The Bahamas tens of millions of dollars a year and again called for the UN to abolish the practice.
Early bird catches the worm
ActivTrades
The AI hype and recent quarterly figures have given Nvidia the highest increase in value in Wall Street history. A whooping increase of $277 billion in one day. The market value of the semiconductor specialist moved to the two trillion-dollar mark on Friday.
Sunday, February 25
Man dies in Eleuthera motorcycle crash
Police are investigating a fatal crash on Eleuthera on Sunday that resulted in the death of a 39-year-old man.
Friday, February 23
6,000 outstanding driver’s licenses awaiting collection from 2022.
THE police have said that over 6,000 outstanding driver’s licenses are awaiting collection from 2022.
Three sureties must pay $15,000
Three sureties must pay $15,000 after a defendant absconded months before his trial for kidnapping and armed robbery was set to begin.
Clubs & Societies – February 23rd, 2024.
The First Bahamas Branch of Toastmasters Club 1600 hosted its highly anticipated Ladies Night Toastmasters meeting at the Baha Mar Convention Center on Thursday, February 15.
Man accused of Hospital Lane murder
A 21-year-old man was remanded in custody on Friday after he allegedly ambushed and killed a man who was out on bail for murder. The offence allegedly took place in Hospital Lane earlier this month.
Man charged with indecent assault
A 40-year-old man was granted bail Friday after he was accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old girl last week.
DIANE PHILLIPS: I stopped by a building while on Dowdeswell Street
SOME things you just have to set eyes on to appreciate. Like Beyonce. Or Taylor Swift. Or a building on Dowdeswell Street that was recently transformed.
Eric Wiberg – Sunk in Nassau harbour: The Fancy and the Pilot Boat
TWO vessels were lost in Nassau harbour – one of them huge and famous, the other a tiny nameless rowboat whose loss is commemorated with a 20-foot stone tower on the country’s busiest street.
Wilson says smuggled alcohol and tobacco found in construction material containers
FINANCIAL Secretary Simon Wilson said officials have found illegally smuggled alcohol in containers with building supplies.
Urban Renewal project looks to rid Englerston of 600 derelict vehicles
SIX hundred derelict vehicles will be removed from the Englerston community, the start of a project government officials hope to extend to other constituencies in New Providence.
Retired nurse pleads for a new kidney
AFTER giving over 40 years of service to the local healthcare system, a retired Bahamian nurse is now facing her own major medical battle and hopes a kidney donor will come forward to provide her with the miracle she so desperately needs.
Beaten on the street - but police rally to the aid of Patrick
PATRICK Stuart, the man a group of teenagers viciously attacked last week, said he feels “okay” now and is taking things day-by-day.
GB Shipyard targets tripling revenue to $250m by 2029
Grand Bahama Shipyard is aiming to more than triple its annual turnover to $250m within five years, its top financial executive asserting yesterday: "This is not wishful thinking."
FOCOL eyes 25% profit surge plus acquisitions
FOCOL Holdings is predicting a profit increase of 25.2 percent over the next three years with proceeds from its newly-launched $25m rights offering set to fund unspecified acquisitions and expansions.
GB airport demolition start 'within 30 days'
The deputy prime minister yesterday pledged demolition work at Grand Bahama International Airport will begin "within the next 30 days" after the Government "executed an agreement" with the UK operator.
Gov't targets $50m yearly via delinquent property tax sales
The Ministry of Finance's top official yesterday disclosed that the Government is aiming to raise between $25m-$50m annually from selling real estate owned by property tax delinquents.
'Phenomenal': Carnival's extra $100m to drive 5.5m GB cruise tourism surge
Carnival's extra $100m investment to double the volume of ships its new port can handle will lead a cruise-driven 5.5m visitor surge to Grand Bahama in 2028, it was revealed yesterday.
GB police officer faces charge of raping woman
A Grand Bahama police constable was interdicted from the police force and charged yesterday with raping a 28-year-old woman.
Rahming defends OPM’s travel budget rise
OFFICE of the Prime Minister director of communications Latrae Rahming defended the OPM’s travel budget increase yesterday, saying the prime minister’s travels are “always in the national interest” and aligned with the government’s foreign policy agenda.
PM ‘conversation’ if police manslaughter findings go on
OFFICE of the Prime Minister director of communications Latrae Rahming said Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis would “have a conversation with the commissioner of police” if the pattern of adverse inquest findings against officers in police-involved killing cases continues.
‘DODGING JURY DUTY IS SLOWING JUSTICE': Davis encourages people to carry out their civic duties
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said a significant challenge to swift justice is the avoidance of jury duty.
40TH HUGH CAMPBELL BASKETBALL CLASSIC: CI Gibson senior boys upset Grand Bahama’s Sunland Baptist to win title
For the past two years the Hugh Campbell Classic trophy went to Grand Bahama with the Sunland Baptist Academy Stingers but for the 40th edition of the tournament, the championship hardware stayed home thanks to the CI Gibson Rattlers.
Knowles brothers in lead after day 1 of Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Sailing Championships
IN a tribute to their late great-grandfather, Exuma’s brothers Emit and Joss Knowles put on a show as they led the pack after day one of the Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Sailing Championships.
Bahamas defeats Puerto Rico 88-77 in FIBA AmeriCup Qualifier
TEAM Bahamas, with its best performances coming off the bench, knocked off Puerto Rico by 11 points last night to win their opening match of the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers.
Equestrian athletes Katerina and Sienna make the most of Grand Caraibe Tour
EQUESTRIAN athletes Katerina Coello and Sienna Tinker made the most of The Bahamas’ first-ever invitation to the Grand Caraibe Equestrian Competition Tour, using the golden opportunity to showcase their talents and the quality of Bahamian equestrian sport.
Sunland Baptist basketball coach Bonnie Basden making an impact
DESPITE her handicap that has been limited to her wheelchair since 2019, Bonnie Basden continues to make an impact on the Sunland Baptist Stingers senior boys’ basketball programme.
First-ever junior golf team formed in Marathon
On Saturday, February 11, Lisa Rahming, Member of Parliament for the Marathon constituency, demonstrated her commitment to youth development by facilitating an impressive induction to golf for a group of individuals from the Marathon constituency.
Bahamas Junior Golf Association to host Its 4th Annual National Championships March 11-14
THE Bahamas Junior Golf Association is slated to host its fourth annual Junior National Golf Championships at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Driving Range March 11-14.
‘Get Your Rear in Gear’ fun run/walk back for year three March 16
MARCH - Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month - is right around the corner and so is the third edition of the ‘Get Your Rear in Gear’ 5k Fun/Run Walk event set for March 16 at Goodman’s Bay Park.
Erosion of our sovereignty
So I’ve been extremely vocal through my podcast and other postings on social media as to my extreme vexation about The Bahamas and the blacklist.
Registrar questioned over documents on Gibson’s land buys
TESTIMONIES continued yesterday in the criminal trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and five others.
Man accused of armed robbery, possession of a gun and leading police on car chase
A 44-year-old man was imprisoned yesterday after police allegedly caught him with a stolen vehicle after a chase in Montell Heights last weekend.
Man given community service after he admits stealing $2K from starbucks while employed
A MAN was ordered to serve 250 hours of community service yesterday after admitting to stealing just over $2,000 from a Starbucks at Baha Mar while working there in the last two months.
Man pleads guilty to possession of two ounces of marijuana, fined $700 by court
A MAN was fined yesterday after he was found with over 2oz of marijuana this week.
Freeport 'could attract $100bn if the economic model is right'
A Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) director yesterday argued "Freeport needs $10bn, and could attract $100bn if we get the model right" amid a peace offering from the deputy prime minister.
Thursday, February 22
STATESIDE: The tale of two martyrs
A GROUP of friends had gathered for one couple’s anniversary party just outside Philadelphia.
FRONT PORCH: The power of empathy and service to others
“SERVICE is what prayer looks like when it gets up off its knees and walks around the world.” – Fr Michael Graham, SJ.
EDITORIAL: Corporate income tax - pain or gain to come?
GLOBAL pressure has told – The Bahamas is going to comply with an international push to charge a corporate income tax of 15 percent.
‘People into murder statistics trouble me’, says Munroe
NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he is troubled by people who “are into” murder statistics.
$18m increase in public sector worker compensation sparks increase in govt spending
AN $18m increase in compensation for public sector workers helped spark a year-over-year increase in government spending, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis indicated during his mid-term budget communication yesterday.
Pintard criticises Davis for nearly doubling deficit projection
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard criticised Prime Minster Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday for a $258 million fiscal deficit that is larger than what government had projected.
‘Country loses nearly $100m yearly to alcohol and tobacco smuggling’
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said officials believe the country loses nearly $100m yearly through alcohol and tobacco smuggling.
Consultation for contributory pension for public sector employees to start this month
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said public consultation on draft legislation to create a contributory pension plan for all public sector employees will begin before the end of this month as the government looks to tackle an issue the International Monetary Fund has long called unsustainable.
‘Very aggressive’ crackdown on $200m smuggling, evasion
The Government’s top finance official last night pledged “a very aggressive” approach to cracking down on smuggling and tax avoidance schemes believed to cost The Bahamas a combined $200m annually.
Industries mixed over up to 75% boating fee cuts
Fishing and tour excursion providers yesterday gave decidedly mixed reactions on the up to 75 percent cuts in boat registration fees tabled in the House of Assembly.
Gov’t holds firm as $259m deficit near-double target
The Government has not adjusted any of its 2023-2024 fiscal targets despite revealing yesterday that its $258.7m half-year deficit was almost double the full 12-month goal.
Woman charged with libel after police sex claim
A WOMAN has been charged with intentional libel after allegedly claiming that a male officer asked to have sex with her in exchange for dropping criminal charges against her relatives.
One month to move for vendors by cruise port
VENDORS at the Prince George Wharf said they don’t know where to go after the Downtown Revitalisation Unit told them they have until next month to vacate the area.
Gov’t eyes $140m ‘accrual’ over corporate income tax
The Government is exploring how Bahamas-based companies that will pay the new 15 percent corporate income tax can “accrue” a projected $140m in revenues before the enabling laws are enacted.
40TH HUGH CAMPBELL BASKETBALL CLASSIC: Champions to be crowned tonight
Four teams remain in the 40th Hugh Campbell Classic basketball tourney but only one team can hoist the trophy tonight at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.
Zion and Brenden Athletes of the Week
BRENDEN Vanderpool, indoor pole vault national record holder, and Grand Bahama native Zion Campbell excelled in the past week to be named Athletes of the Week.
Baha Mar Casino to host third Annual Celebrity Golf Invitational
THE Baha Mar Casino, the largest gaming destination in the Caribbean, is thrilled to announce its third annual Celebrity Golf Invitational, scheduled for February 23-24.
Reloaded Baseball visits Summit Academy
LIVING up to Reloaded’s mandate of developing and mentoring tomorrow’s leaders, Reloaded Baseball had an opportunity to speak to the young students at Summit Academy during the school’s Spirit Week.
‘Buddy‘ weighs in on basketball landscape
GRAND Bahama native Chavano “Buddy” Hield will be back on the court tonight in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but before starting the second half of the NBA season, he spoke with reporters last week about the current landscape of basketball in The Bahamas.
Police criticised over delay of evidence being presented in Blair shooting inquest
THE coroner once again criticised the police as an inquest into the police-involved killing of three men in Blair Estates in 2019 resumed yesterday, calling it “unacceptable” that only eight of the 15 weapons officers used to kill the men were submitted as evidence.
Registrar General questioned over properties bought by Gibson between 2019 and 2023
REGISTRAR General Camille Gomez-Jones admitted under cross-examination yesterday that she could not say how Long Island MP Adrian Gibson bought properties between 2019 and 2023.
Govt is unbelievably inefficient
It is mind-bogglingly unbelievable to know how inefficiently gubments operate in this country, especially when it comes to maintenance!
Why rule out personal income tax?
Exactly who do the PLP think it is serving by yet again “ruling out” personal income tax becomes less clear by the day.
On crime we need national unity, Mr PM
An Open Letter to Prime Minister, the Hon Philip Davis:
Building at Kipling Complex in GB soon to be demolished to make way for new UB campus
THE International Building at the Kipling Complex will soon be demolished to begin developing a new University of The Bahamas campus in Grand Bahama.
Bail granted to man accused of breaking into a New Providence home on New Year’s Eve
A MAN was granted bail yesterday after he was accused of breaking into a home on New Providence on New Year’s Eve.
Man charged with importing gun and 1,000 rounds of ammunition in Eleuthera
A MAN was sent to prison after he was accused of importing more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition into Eleuthera in a 40 ft shipping container last month.
Wednesday, February 21
ALICIA WALLACE: It’s easy to blame mother when bad things happen, but not often accurate
IT is easy to blame societal issues on women — mothers in particular. It is easy to blame them on “broken” homes. It is easy to blame them on less commitment to Christianity.
Relatives say 15-year-old that was murdered was ‘mannerly’ and ‘decent’
THE 15-year-old boy murdered on Monday was just taking out the garbage when he was killed, his relatives said yesterday as they grappled with why someone would kill their “mannerly”, “decent nephew”.
Country’s lack of capacity to analyse rape kits criticised
BAHAMAS Crisis Centre Director Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson said for the last 30 years, sufficient capacity to analyse the evidence in rape kits has not existed, resulting in sexually assaulted victims being vigorously interrogated in court to prove their case.
Environmentalist Darville concerned over SpaceX rocket landing agreement
LEADING environmentalist Joe Darville is concerned about government’s first-stage agreement with SpaceX for rocket landings in The Bahamas.
Former MP wanted by police
FORMER Exuma MP and Supreme Court judge Elliot Lockhart is wanted by police accused of fraud by false pretences.
EU blacklist escape blocks double-digit insurance rise
Bahamian households and businesses yesterday escaped potential double-digit increases in insurance costs after this nation secured its removal from the European Union’s (EU) tax blacklist.
Top attorneys battle on Sir Jack’s Butler’s $83k costs
Two leading attorneys are locked in a furious battle over $83,000 in taxed legal costs stemming from court cases involving Sir Jack Hayward’s late Bahamian butler.
$100m Goodman’s Bay penthouse ‘compelling’ amid pneumonia claim
The developer behind the $100m, 14-storey Goodman’s Bay penthouse project last night acknowledged their neighbour’s “passion” and “attachment” but pointed to the 300 construction jobs it will create.
Prince George Wharf vendors to relocate
The head of the Government’s Downtown Revitalisation Unit yesterday said vendors who were asked to vacate Prince George Wharf will be allowed to operate from “alternative locations”.
EU blacklist escape key to ‘new world order survival’
The Bahamas “can only survive in this new world order” through ongoing compliance with global demands, the Attorney General asserted yesterday, as it escaped the European Union’s (EU) tax blacklist.
Man disappears before murder trial leaving family $30k fee
A GRANDMOTHER and a mother must pay $30,000 after the man for whom they stood surety allegedly threw his ankle monitoring bracelet into a well and disappeared months before his murder trial.
Marshal asks court to reject police appeal
THE marshal of the Coroner’s Court asked a Supreme Court judge yesterday to reject police officers’ efforts to appeal last year’s homicide by manslaughter finding in the killing of Azario Major.
Mother and four-year-old son die in three-car crash
A YOUNG mother and her four-year-old son are dead after a three-car collision in Abaco yesterday.
POLICE KILLINGS RULED HOMICIDE: ‘Justice is served’ says mother after jury returns finding
THE mother of one of two men police killed on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway on December 2, 2017, said “justice was served” after a Coroner’s Court jury returned a homicide by manslaughter finding at the end of an inquest yesterday.
Hugh Campbell Classic: Teams advance to the next round
TUESDAY was a busy day at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium as some teams were sent packing while others advanced to the next round of the 40th Hugh Campbell Classic basketball tourney.
Men’s national basketball team named
While they won’t have all of the top players, head coach Moses Johnson has released the names of what is considered to be a solid team to represent the Bahamas Basketball Federation at the 2024 AmeriCup Qualifier.
Bahamas Bodybuilding, Wellness and Fitness Federation making strides
SINCE returning to office as president of the Bahamas Bodybuilding, Wellness and Fitness Federation, Wellington “Cat” Sears said they have made some strides, but there’s still a lot more work ahead of them.
Top junior tennis player Patrick Mactaggart COTECC grade 1 champion
THE Bahamas’ top junior in the U14 division Patrick Mactaggart was victorious in the Grade 1 Copa Universidad Galileo Cotecc Tournament in Guatemala.
EDITORIAL: Jury rules manslaughter in inquest - what now?
“Justice is served.” That was the cry of a mother as a jury at Coroner’s Court ruled that a police shooting was homicide by manslaughter.
FNM needs unity to have a chance
I WAS pleasantly surprised when I saw a photo of the Free National Movement Parliamentary caucus in either The Tribune or The Nassau Guardian some weeks ago.
FOCOL story seems full of holes
Please permit me to express my view on the recent article you published regarding the FOCOL rights offering.
Man accused of attempting to solicit sex from underage girls
A 53-year-old man was remanded yesterday after he allegedly tried to solicit sex from three teenage girls in Andros.
Two-and-a-half years jail for loaded gun possession
A MAN was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison yesterday after he was found guilty of having a loaded gun near his home on Cockburn Street in 2021.
Rest in peace softball player ‘Suzy Q’
THE Grand Bahama softball community is mourning the loss of one of its finest players - Suzanne “Suzy Q” Adderley.
Tuesday, February 20
THE BTVI STORY: Cory’s extraordinary journey
BEFORE Police Inspector Cory Hield graduated from the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) in 2022 with a certificate in Human Resources (HR) Management, he knew he would level up by studying towards a degree in the same area.
MP cooks up a Valentine treat
STUDENTS and staff at RM Bailey High School were treated to a Valentine’s Lunch Date.
Breakfast with love
STUDENTS at Cleveland Eneas Primary School received breakfast made with love on Valentine’s Day.
Pitch your idea to turn the tide
THE Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) is launching a new initiative, the Young Leaders Plastic Challenge, where high school students can compete in a pitch competition and win $500.
PETER YOUNG: A courageous man of principle
AT the two-day annual Munich Security Conference held at this time of year politicians and diplomats discuss the world’s security challenges.
FACE TO FACE: Angelique shares the gift of playful learning
WHO would have known that playing with flowers and twigs in the backyard, drawing a hopscotch board on the road with chalky rock, and skipping pebbles along the top of a turquoise sea would one day lead to a professional career helping children to learn better by playing! Angelique Shantel Thompson cherishes her childhood days in The Bahamas.
Defence Force to do integrated training with Jamaican forces
A ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force team will soon visit Jamaica to prepare for possible deployment to Haiti, according to Defence Force Commodore Raymond King.
RBDF confiscates over 1,500 pounds of grouper caught since close of season
AUTHORITIES confiscated 1,500 pounds of Nassau Grouper in the past three weeks despite the closed season for the fish, according to acting Director of the Department of Marine Resources Gregory Bethel.
Subsidies stopped for Margaritaville at Sea
THE government has stopped giving subsidies to Margaritaville at Sea after the cruise company discontinued its one-way cruise travel to and from Grand Bahama, according to John Pinder, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Tourism.
Minister is hopeful on prison accreditation
NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe is hopeful that improvements to the prison’s infrastructure will help the institution get accredited, even as he awaits Cabinet’s approval of necessary construction plans for the facilities.
Deltec pleaded Bahamas law breach, poverty over FTX evidence demands
Deltec Bank & Trust pleaded poverty and violations of Bahamian law in a failed bid to block aggrieved former FTX investors from forcing it to provide evidence.
Apprenticeship initiative to impact ‘big numbers’
The planned National Apprenticeship Programme will impact “big numbers” with ambitions to have the first entrants working in the Bahamian maritime industry as early as April/May 2024.
‘Zero’ crime fall-out for cruise numbers
Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive yesterday said he can “guarantee” passenger numbers for the past three days have surpassed prior years to show there has been “zero” impact from recent crime concerns.
‘Sting operations’ net 1,500 pounds of illegal grouper
A senior fisheries official yesterday revealed that “sting operations” over the past three weeks have netted more than 1,500 pounds of Nassau grouper caught illegally out-of-season.
‘No harm’: Private aviation meets ‘bonkers’ prior years
THE Bahamas’ private aviation business was yesterday said to have suffered “no harm” from saturation media coverage of this nation’s crime woes with visitor numbers matching the “bonkers” prior two years.
Pair charged with running brothel and prostitution
A BAHAMIAN man and a Cuban woman faced rare charges yesterday when they were accused of operating and performing in an illegal brothel in Ardastra Estates.
61-year-old accused of incest with grandchild
A 61-year-old man was sent to prison yesterday accused of molesting his granddaughter over a four-year period.
Bannister: No cap on WSC contract approval
FORMER Works Minister Desmond Bannister testified that the Water and Sewerage Corporation’s (WSC) board was not legally required to refer contracts over $250,000 for ministerial approval during his last day of testimony in the bribery and fraud trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and five others.
Pistol used by police was engraved with ‘headshots’
THE word “headshot” was engraved on a police gun used in the fatal shooting of two men on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway in 2017.
Stingers on a mission for another title
ALTHOUGH they basically have a new team, Sunland Baptist Academy Stingers’ head coach Jay Philippe said the mission coming from Grand Bahamian is the same - to win another Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic title.
Minister Bowleg: Tickets now on sale for World Relays - Paradise to Paris
While there is a search on for the missing BINGO, the mascot used in the last World Relays here in 2017, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is gearing up to field five teams, including defence of the mixed relay title, when the event returns to The Bahamas May 4-5.
Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation officially launched
OVER the weekend, the Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation was officially launched.
Powerade sponsors BAARK! Potcakeman Triathlon for 10th year
BAARK! (Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights & Kindness) is scheduled to host its eleventh triathlon at Jaws Beach on Sunday, February 25.
Over 180 feet of clogged pipes are excavated at Arawak Cay
MORE than 180 feet of clogged pipes have been excavated to-date as part of sewerage upgrades at Arawak Cay, it was revealed yesterday.
CIBC unveils Jet Blue tie-up on card launch
CIBC last night launched its MasterCard credit card partnership with the Jet Blue airline.
Bahamas must feed itself to be ‘truly independent’
A CABINET minister yesterday asserted that The Bahamas can only be “truly independent” if it achieves food security where its citizens are able to feed themselves.
Unfair to Colours
Colours were unfairly treated in the B category 2024 New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade, said Dion Miller, Chairman of the Junkanoo Corporation New Providence.
Bet on web shops
I am by no means a proponent of our web shops and more so, how they came to legitimacy following a plebiscite which clearly said the Bahamian people were against them being legitimised.
An Iconique night
On Friday, February 16, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Ballet “Iconique” performance held at Old Fort Bay.
Man denied bail over accessory charge
A MAN was imprisoned yesterday after he was accused of being an accessory to the murder of a man in Chippingham during a car theft earlier this month.
Monday, February 19
15-YEAR-OLD BOY IS KILLED BY GUNMAN: Brother watches on as younger sibling shot dead in street
A FIFTEEN-year-old boy is the victim of the country’s latest homicide, bringing the murder count for the year to 26.
WORLD VIEW – Fortifying international law: safeguarding global stability
IN today’s complex global landscape, peace and prosperity face significant threats due to a blatant disregard for international law and the meticulously constructed human rights framework established since the aftermath of World War II. This disregard poses a grave threat to the stability of nations worldwide.
INSIGHT: Should the govt be ‘about hiding the truth’, Mr Davis?
THE missteps by the administration of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in response to the international travel advisories have been staggering – so much so that we have now had a new round of reporting internationally, this time highlighting how Mr Davis wants to hide murders from the front page of our country’s newspapers.
INSIGHT: Causes of crime not new, but deepening – what now?
“Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
EDITORIAL: Ballet brings more than just a show to The Bahamas
A REMARKABLE event took place last week – two nights of ballet to add to the Bahamian social calendar.
‘Absolutely untrue’ DARE influenced by FTX, Deltec
THE Securities Commission’s top executive yesterday slammed as “absolutely untrue” assertions that The Bahamas’ key digital assets law was influenced to benefit FTX and a local international bank.
Deltec’s ‘secret’ $2bn credit line for FTX ally
A BAHAMIAN bank has been accused of aiding FTX by allegedly “sidestepping” this country’s banking laws, helping to “siphon off” customer funds and providing an up to $2bn “secret” credit line.
Opposition fearing revenue loss on corporate tax delay
THE Opposition’s leader yesterday voiced concern The Bahamas may miss out on significant tax revenues, and lose business, from delays in implementing the 15 percent minimum global corporate tax.
An ‘Iconique’ ballet performance
ELEGANCE, precision and majestic movements highlighted two nights of priceless ballet set along the backdrop of the Great Lawn at Old Fort Bay Club on February 14 and 16 as some of the world’s greatest ballet dancers put on showstopping performances for the ‘Iconique’ Dinner Banquet Gala.
Buyers for FTX’s $256m real estate target 30% discounts
Deal-hunters seeking discounts of up to 30 percent are circling FTX’s $256m Bahamian real estate holdings as local liquidators move to secure realtors who will market 34 properties for sale.
Bahamas set to reach tourism's final frontier
The Bahamas has signed a first-stage agreement with SpaceX, the rocket and spacecraft maker founded by billionaire Elon Musk, which will position it as a destination from which to watch booster landings.
Laroda: Attack on homeless man ‘disturbing’
SOCIAL Services Minister Myles Laroda said he was appalled by the violent attack on a homeless man captured on video last week and that the state is now housing the victim.
Police warning after video circulated of naked woman
AFTER videos circulated of a naked woman behaving lewdly outside a home last week, police warned yesterday that exploiting those exhibiting such unstable behaviour could result in prosecution.
Young mother in Grand Bahama car crash dies in hospital
A YOUNG mother who suffered severe injuries after a car crash in Grand Bahama earlier this month died in hospital on Friday.
GOVT RULES SET ON CITIZENSHIP DNA – Darville: Details ‘soon’ after ruling by Privy Council
THE Davis administration has finalised its genetic testing protocols for people affected by last year’s landmark Privy Council ruling and will soon release more details about the procedures, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said on Friday.
Hugh Campbell Classic ‘off to sizzling start’
THE prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic got off to a sizzling start as some of the top senior boys’ teams made their early statements over the weekend at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
‘Buddy’ Hield appointed ambassador-at-large
Chavano “Buddy” Hield continues to make great strides in Bahamian sports on and off the basketball court. Hield has been appointed as the Ambassador-at- Large by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Jonquel Jones re-signs with New York Liberty
JONQUEL “JJ” Jones, former Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) MVP, has decided to run it back with the New York Liberty for the upcoming season
Bahamas Mantas water polo team 6th overall in South Florida tournament
DESPITE not carrying his best team, coach Laszlo Borbely said he was still pleased with the efforts of his Bahamas Mantas water polo team at the South Florida Tournament over the weekend.
Kaitlyn first Bahamian female to participate in collegiate water polo
KAITLYN Williams, the first Bahamian female to participate in collegiate water polo, scored a goal as the Iona Gaels women’s water polo picked up a 15-13 overtime win over Salem over the weekend.
Pilot walks away from charter plane crash
A BAHAMIAN pilot escaped serious injury on Saturday after his plane crashed, bursting into flames off Coral Harbour Road when attempting to take off from Lynden Pindling International Airport.
Free press and freedom of speech
PLEASE allow me a little space in your esteemed publication to express a few thoughts on the recent remarks made by Prime Minister Philip Davis on how the media reports on murder cases in the Bahamas.
PM’s failure being felt
PRIME Minister Philip Davis’ failure as a leader with no vision, idea and plan to reduce the high crime, robberies, murders and rapes is now impacting the livelihoods of the Bahamian people.
Sprinter Zion on a roll, Nairn and Russell ready for the world
WHILE sprinter Zion Campbell left his mark on the National Junior College Athletic Association, long jumper LaQuan Nairn and quarter-miler Alonzo Russell are preparing for next month’s World Indoor Championships.
Western condo development targets 150 construction jobs
A west New Providence condo project is aiming to create up to 150 construction jobs through its developer's first up to $20m foray into the real estate development market.
Inflation in largest monthly decline for past three years
The Bahamas' inflation rate suffered its largest month-over-month decline for three years in December 2023 amid continued signs that price and cost of living pressures are slowly easing.
Market Slope move to unlock vendor sales
The Government senator leading downtown Nassau's overhaul has promised to create new vendor opportunities through the pedestrianisation of Market Slope.
Forget the past
ActivTrades
The international stock markets have experienced an up-and-down week. In the US, the rise in producer prices was spoiling investors’ buying mood at the end of last week and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was falling. The German benchmark index, DAX, reached a new record high on Friday and left trading with slight gains.
Saturday, February 17
Pilot able to walk away from plane crash on Coral Harbour Road
A pilot walked away from a plane crash on Coral Harbour Road on Saturday.
Police seeking family of homeless man who was assaulted by teenagers
Police are requesting public assistance in locating family members of a homeless man who was observed being assaulted by a group of teenagers on social media.
Friday, February 16
Educators honoured for efforts to reduce HIV infections, prevent teen pregnancy
MORE than 90 educators across the country were honoured on Friday for their efforts to reduce HIV infections among adolescents and prevent teen pregnancy.
Six Senses Hotel and Residences project could begin construction by summer - if approvals granted
CONSTRUCTION could start on the proposed Six Senses Hotel and Residences project in Grand Bahama by this summer if approvals are granted by the end of the month when the 21-day environmental public consultative period expires.
Woman ordered to attend drug counselling
A WOMAN was ordered on Friday to attend drug counselling for six months as a part of a conditional discharge.
Man accused of killing woman on Ragged Island
A 34-year-old man was remanded in custody on Friday accused of killing a 39-year-old woman in a drive-by shooting on Ragged Island Street last month.
Woman charged with causing harm
A WOMAN was granted $2,500 bail on Friday after she was accused of injuring someone in an argument earlier this month
Six month sentence for breaching bail
A man was sentenced to six months in prison after he admitted to breaching his bail on firearm charges.
Freeport man wanted by police has been captured
A Freeport man who was wanted in connection with a murder has been captured, police have reported.
Man ordered to attend counselling after drug charge
A MAN was ordered to attend counseling on Friday after he admitted to having three grammes of marijuana last week.
Woman accused of death threats and assault
A WOMAN was granted $2,500 bail on Friday after being accused of threatening to kill two people and attacking one of them.
Clubs & Societies – February 16th, 2024.
The Bahamas Girl Guides Association Annual Guide Week Schedule:
DIANE PHILLIPS: It’s our problem. We’re the solution – Safe Bahamas made us all part of the picture, no one escaped responsibility
Crime is not someone else’s problem. It is ours. All of us.
ONE ELEUTHERA FOUNDATION – Educational tourism: A sustainable and transformative niche
In an era where travel is increasingly driven by unique experiences and personal enrichment, niche tourism, particularly Educational Tourism, is emerging as a transformative force not only for travelers but also for small local economies and social development.
$510m project to bring more than 3,000 jobs
BRICKELL Management Group is planning a $510m development in western New Providence, with its chairman Sebas Bastian encouraging locals and foreigners to invest in the venture.
Ankle monitoring company sent a show cause letter from govt
THE Ministry of National Security has sent a show cause letter to the company responsible for electronically monitoring people on bail, giving it 30 days to explain and remedy the problems associated with its work.
Pilot national apprenticeship programme for high-demand fields set for September launch
LABOUR and Public Services Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said a pilot National Apprenticeship Programme involving paid training and devel- opment opportunities in high-demand fields will be launched in September.
Fidelity eyes $18m profit after ‘opening the hood’
A BISX-listed bank yesterday revealed it is targeting $18m in full-year profits for 2024 after “opening the hood” to assess why last year’s projections were missed.
Multi-million project aiming to revive ‘forgotten’ east Nassau
THE developers behind a “multi-million” dollar mixed-use project to the Solomon Springs Plaza’s rear yesterday voiced optimism it will help revive a “forgotten” eastern New Providence if approved.
70-room beach club next in Sebas’s $510m expansion
A 73-room beach club located at Love Beach likely marks the next stage in the $510m real estate expansion being pursued by Sebas Bastian’s Brickell Management Group (BMG).
‘Someone has to answer’ why BPL debt still $184m
THE Opposition’s leader yesterday demanded that “someone has to answer” why Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) $184m debt has not been cut more drastically after last year’s up to 163 percent fuel charge hikes.
Apprenticeship initiative to transform labour climate
A CABINET minister yesterday said the National Apprenticeship Programme will transform the way Bahamians participate in the workforce by providing paid training and development in high demand sectors.
FTX Bahamas creditors to have first meet March 15
FTX’s Bahamian subsidiary will hold its first creditors meeting on March 15 at Baha Mar’s convention centre as its liquidators ramp-up efforts to return assets to their rightful owners.
Police probe ten children falling ill at local school
POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding 10 students who mysteriously became ill at Achievers Academy off Tonique Williams-Darling Highway.
Officer heard screams - then helped give birth
WHEN police constable LePetra Sands heard screams for help at Princess Margaret Hospital last month, she sprang into action and unexpectedly helped deliver a woman’s baby in a car across the street.
Sands blasts Greenslade’s Immigration appointment
DR Duane Sands condemned the Davis administration yesterday for overlooking qualified civil servants to make former Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade permanent secretary in the Ministry of Immigration.
PM says he ‘respects the media’ as he defends prior comments
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said he respects the press and would not try to dictate what the media should do.
MEN KILLED BY POLICE ‘HAD FIRED AT CROWD’: Officer testifies men shot at them near bar then fled in car
AN officer testified yesterday that police opened fire on two men killed in a chase on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway in 2017 after they allegedly fired a gun at a crowd outside a bar.
Team Bahamas named
The Bahamas will have a six-member team to represent the island nation at the World Athletics Indoor Championships to be hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, March 1-3.
DARING FEAT: 70-year-old Gavin to attempt sail-a-thon from Exuma to Nassau
HE has sailed around the world in so many regattas, but Gavin McKinney has decided to try something that he has never done before and that is to sail from Exuma to Nassau in a 14-foot Laser boat.
Pro boxer Carl Hield: ‘It feels good to be 5-0-0 with five knockouts’
BAHAMIAN pro boxer Carl Hield stepped into the ring for a fifth straight bout in the professional ranks and was successful once again to remain undefeated.
GSSSA track & field set for feb .28
THE excitement is brewing in the air for the 30th edition of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association Track & Field Championships and the Ministry of Education is more than enthused about putting it on from February 28 to March 1 at the original Thomas A Robinson stadium.
One-month sentence for man admitting to drug possession
A MAN was sentenced to one month in prison after admitting to having drugs downtown earlier this week.
Man on 12 months probation after stealing two mannequins
A MAN was placed on 12 months probation after admitting to trying to steal $566 worth of property from a department store earlier this week, including two mannequins.
Suspect remanded over 283 breaches of his bail
A MAN who allegedly breached his bail 283 times over two years was remanded to prison yesterday.
IAN FERGUSON: How to build capacity for a thriving business
Sustainability in this day and age refers to a company’s ability to consistently build capacity in its employees, processes and operations.
PM’s press comments concerning
Please permit me to express my opinion here. I see the Prime Minister has stated that the print media should not place stories of murders on the front page.
Thursday, February 15
STATESIDE: Biden should be wary of underestimating Trump
“Wow. What a weekend. Too many more like this one and we’re finished.”
FRONT PORCH: Signs of failure and dysfunction still plague us
Last year there were 103 homicides in Greater London, with a population of approximately 8.9 million. The Bahamas, with approximately 400,000 people, had 110 murders, the majority of them on New Providence, with a population of approximately 300,000. Stabbing accounted for 65.05 percent of the homicides in London. The greater majority of homicides in The Bahamas are caused by guns.
‘Do whatever it takes to fix confidence in country’s health institutions’, says Minnis
A TILE fell on the head of a nurse in the paediatric ward of Princess Margaret Hospital, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday as he urged the government to do whatever it takes to prevent declining confidence in health institutions.
EDITORIAL: So, is crime affecting bookings, or not?
TOURISM Minister Chester Cooper was on the offensive yesterday – and given the recent spat over media coverage of murders made for interesting listening.
Pinder: ‘Abaco housing shortage not going to be solved overnight’
AMID concerns about whether enough housing is available for shanty town residents facing eviction in Abaco, Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder said yesterday that the island’s housing shortage won’t be solved overnight.
‘Kicked out of the ball park’: Duty end’s 40% hit for window maker
THE Government was yesterday urged to review tariff protection for “true Bahamian manufacturers” after one revealed their removal cost 40 percent of its business, saying: “They’ve kicked us out of the ball park.”
‘Huge admission’ over Gov’t $110m BPL loan
THE Opposition’s leader yesterday asserted he has wrung “a huge admission” from the Government that it loaned Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) some $110m without first agreeing the interest rate and terms.
‘Pregnant with opportunity’: FOCOL’s $25m rights issue
FOCOL Holdings is “pregnant with opportunities”, its chairman said yesterday, as it unveiled a $25m rights offering for existing shareholders to finance further expansion plans.
DPM: Crime coverage woe ‘losing momentum’
THE Deputy Prime Minister yesterday voiced optimism that damaging media coverage of The Bahamas is “losing momentum” with major resorts reporting peak winter occupancies “in excess of 80 percent”.
Gov’t to split ‘smart city’ money streams with Aliv
THE Government’s digitisation chief yesterday said it will evenly split the “new money” generated through its three-year partnership with Aliv to transform downtown Nassau into a “smart city”.
Bahamas reported among escapees from EU blacklist
THE Government’s growing optimism that The Bahamas will imminently escape the European Union’s (EU) tax blacklist appeared justified yesterday amid reports this nation is among those set for delisting.
Pintard ‘not satisfied at all’ on maritime contracts answers
THE Opposition’s leader yesterday pledged to “take up” two controversial maritime contracts with Parliament’s top spending watchdog after being left “not at all satisfied” with the Government’s answers.
Bahamas enjoys 20% ‘audience reach’ jump
THE Deputy Prime Minister yesterday said The Bahamas has enjoyed a 20 percent increase in “audience reach” as it increases advertising spending to counter saturation media coverage of its crime woes.
Queen’s Staircase set for $200k restoration
THE Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) has launched a $200,000 restoration project that aims to upgrade and preserve The Queen’s Staircase for future generations.
KEITH ROYE II: Biometric technology opens path to more secure future
As the chief operating officer of a software development company, I am acutely aware of the ever-evolving landscape of business security. In an era where data breaches and cyber threats loom large, ensuring robust authentication measures is not just a priority - it is a mandate. In this column, I explore the transformative role of biometric technology in fortifying business security and authentication, shedding light on the future of safeguarding sensitive information.
Man charged with murder of Davinique Gray
A 26-year-old man was remanded yesterday for allegedly killing Davinique Gray, a 16-year-old murdered while charging her phone at home in Nassau Village last month.
300 homes to get repair assistance from government
HOUSING and Urban Renewal Minister Keith Bell said of the New Providence homeowners who sought help with repairs from the government, more than 300 homes are in “dire” need of repairs.
Govt announces partnership for downtown WiFi coverage
A WiFi zone that runs from Arawak Cay to the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge is on the way through a partnership between Aliv, the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Ministry of Tourism, officials announced yesterday.
Mother of Harold Brown claims in inquest, ‘doctors left my son to die’
THE mother of Harold Brown, one of two men police killed in a chase on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway in 2017, claimed doctors left her son to die in hospital after the shooting as the Coroner’s Court inquest into the matter continued yesterday.
COOPER: WE’LL FIGHT BACK ON CRIME FEAR – Two campaigns are launched to counter international reports
TOURISM Minister Chester Cooper yesterday announced the launch of two campaigns geared towards re-shaping the narrative about The Bahamas following negative global reports about crime in the country.
Devynne Charlton to receive $10,000 for world record feat
HIGH praises have continued to rain down on Devynne Charlton, the newest 60 metres hurdles world indoor record holder.
Rattlers, Stingrays GSSSA champions
The CV Bethel Stingrays and CI Gibson Rattlers both won their game threes in convincing fashion to take the senior girls and boys titles yesterday in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) basketball championships.
Minister of Energy questioned over BPL by the opposition during rare Q&A in the House
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard pressed Transport and Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby Davis about Bahamas Power & Light matters during a rare question and answer period in the House of Assembly yesterday.
Bethesda Medical Mission partners with PHA to provide free dental services in Grand Bahama
THE Public Hospitals Authority announced that Bethesda Medical Mission Inc will provide free medical and dental services in Grand Bahama from February 19 to 26.
Weakened media helps ‘Brave’
Perchance it was divine providence that led Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis to lecture the Bahamian media fraternity about not placing murder stories on the front pages of the newspapers.
Unfettered press is key to democracy
One of the surest hallmarks of democracy is a free and unfettered press.
Man accused of murder sentenced to four years’ prison for possession of a loaded gun
A MAN awaiting trial for murder was sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of having a loaded gun yesterday.
Woman who allegedly abandoned her three underage children was granted $9,000 bail
A MOTHER was granted $9,000 bail after she allegedly abandoned her three underaged children at home earlier this month.
After almost 15 years, national surfing team getting ready to ride waves in Puerto Rico
IT HAS been almost 15 years since a Bahamian national surfing team last existed and Abaconians Chris Albury, Joey Gale and Luke Prosa will end that streak in potentially spectacular fashion on February 23 over the notorious reef breaks of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
Top swimmers represent The Bahamas in mixed 4x100m medley relay
THE World Aquatics Championships saw all of Team Bahamas’ swimmers in action yesterday in the mixed 4x100m Medley Relay.
Wednesday, February 14
ALICIA WALLACE: If PM doesn’t like the headlines he needs to change the story
I HAVE taken issue with many headlines for various reasons, from being sensational to the point of misleading anyone who started and stopped there to the use of inappropriate language such as “unlawful sexual intercourse” instead of clear, correct language like “rape".
Balance required on ‘more intrusive policing’
THE response to the recent spike in murders has seen a particular trend – with a greater emphasis on police action balanced against the question of human rights.
Man injured after falling 60ft at GB shipyard returning to work
A YOUNG man hospitalised following an industrial accident at the Grand Bahama Shipyard last month is doing well and back to work, according to a Grand Bahama Port Authority Workers Union official.
Nurses ‘exhausted and fed up’ as some wait over four years for confirmation
BAHAMAS Nurses Union president Muriel Lightbourn is angered by how long it takes to confirm some nurses in their posts, saying some have been waiting since 2020.
PAC hopes to host public hearings on a variety of issues including freight tax and Bahamasair fares, says Opposition leader
OPPOSITION leader Michael Pintard hopes the Public Accounts Committee will host public hearings as it examines various issues, including Bahamasair costs to Haiti and Cuba.
‘Not worth’ pursuing after $700m unpaid PMH fees
AN ex-health minister says “it’s not worth” committing resources to collect legally-mandated user fees from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) patients given that $700m-plus remains unpaid.
Trade deficit’s $3.5bn six-year high ‘tremendous opportunity’
THE Bahamas faces “a tremendous opportunity” if it can start making inroads into a trade deficit that hit a six-year high of around $3.487bn in 2023, it was argued yesterday.
Agriculture group targets $25m for 20% of chicken, egg market
BAHAMIAN agricultural entrepreneurs have unveiled ambitions to raise $25m in financing that will enable them to “tap into 20 percent” of this nation’s chicken and egg import market.
Union chief backs employers: Let us know NIB hike extent
A TRADE union leader yesterday joined employers in urging the Government to reveal the magnitude of the National Insurance Board (NB) rate increase “ASAP”, adding: “July is just around the corner.”
North Andros forced to ‘pilot banking’ as ABM vandalised
NORTH Andros has been left without easy access to cash for an “extended period of time” after the area’s sole automated banking machine (ABM) was vandalised.
Junkanoo Beach vendors back transformation plans
THE Junkanoo Beach Association’s (JBA) president yesterday praised the Government’s plans to overhaul the destination as “magnificent for the whole product overall”.
Taxi driver divisions on cruise port call-up
THE Bahamas Taxi Cab Union’s president yesterday said he does not have time to waste on taxi drivers who refuse to join the Nassau Cruise Port’s call-up system.
Valentine’s sales ‘excellent’ with some florists sold-out
BAHAMIAN florists yesterday branded Valentine’s Day sales as “excellent” with some vendors sold out of product from early this week.
Inquest into fatal shooting of two men by police begins
THE families of two men killed in a fatal 2017 police chase on Tonique William Darling Highway were asked to leave the courtroom yesterday as close-ups of one of the men’s blood-stained corpse lying on the sidewalk was shown after the inquest into the matter began.
Omar Archer’s unlawful arrest case dismissed
THE Supreme Court dismissed an unlawful arrest lawsuit Omar Archer brought against the government and ordered him to pay legal costs.
Pintard calls PM ‘dictator’ over press comment
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis resembled a dictator when he urged the press to be more careful reporting violent crime.
‘Psychological evaluation required for organ transplant programme’
PEOPLE looking to participate in the government’s National Organs Transplant Programme will undergo psychological evaluation and counselling first, according to Health Minister Dr Michael Darville, who said some local nurses have already been trained for the programme and draft legislation is complete.
EXTRA PAYOUT OVER UNLAWFUL DETENTION: Court orders $396k settlement for Cuban held without charge
THE damages awarded to a Cuban-born man who was falsely and unlawfully detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre have increased by $148k after the Court of Appeal reviewed his case.
Tribune Sports Valentine’s Day Special
WHILE the focus today is on lovers, Tribune Sports shares the love and commitment of at least three couples who spent their time participating in sports either as executives, officials or coaches.
Abaco Schools Sports Association basketball results
Abaco Schools Sports Association Basketball Championships (Best of Three series)
Running in Love 2 ‘hearty success’
VALENTINE’S Day is officially here and lovers, companions and friends got an early opportunity to celebrate with one another over the weekend at the second edition of the City of Hope Running in Love presented by Four Seasons Race Management.
‘My expectation is for them to go out there and represent the country at the highest level as best as they can’
COACH Camron Bruney said he expects some great performances from Team Bahamas’ four swimmers before they complete competition at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, this weekend.
CWCO contributes to the Elite Ballers tournament travel
YOUNG Bahamian girls with basketball stardom dreams recently took their talents to more tournaments across the United States.
Two champions take home the hardware
The CH Reeves Raptors and DW Davis Royals both repeated as champions for the junior girls and boys division in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) basketball championships yesterday.
FNM leader discusses labour concerns with Trade Union Congress
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard met with union leaders associated with the Trade Union Congress to discuss their labour concerns.
Goodman’s Bay is not for sale
I read in one of the dailies that Mr Paul Wynn made a proposal to the government to purchase the property just east of Goodman’s Bay, stating that if his proposal is granted, he would develop the property and spend an additional three million (or whatever the sum) towards the renovations or refurbishment of Goodman’s Bay for public use, as a goodwill gesture. Ha! ha!!!!
No room for political censorship
There is no room for political censorship in our Commonwealth! At the heart of our democracy lies a fundamental principle: the unalienable right of the press to operate freely. As a student of journalism, I find the Prime Minister’s recent remarks, suggesting that media should avoid front-page coverage of crime to protect tourism, not just troubling but fundamentally flawed.
Man accused of sex assault of teen girl last September
A 32-year-old man was jailed yesterday after he was accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old girl last September.
Man charged with having a prohibited weapon and ammunition in his house
A 40-year-old man was granted $10,000 bail after police allegedly found a banner assault rifle and more than 100 rounds of ammunition in his house on Carmichael Road last week.
Man ordered to do community service after admitting to choking his female co-worker
A MAN was ordered to attend community service yesterday after he admitted to choking his female co-worker on the ground at Chances on Meadow Street earlier this month.
Tuesday, February 13
PETER YOUNG: No lessening of last year’s troubled times
HAVING written this weekly column continuously for nearly five years, apart from the odd short holiday break, it has been hugely disappointing personally to have been prevented through ill health from producing it since the beginning of January. But it feels good to be back in harness today even though there are two subjects rather than the usual three.
FACE TO FACE: Fighting for the rights of fathers
Children who have a close relationship with their father are twice more likely to find stable employment or enter college after high school. They are 75 percent less likely to have a teen birth; 80 percent less likely to spend time in jail; and half as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms.
EDITORIAL: ‘Are we about hiding the truth?’
“Are we about hiding the truth?” Not our words but those of Philip “Brave” Davis. Not today, but back in 2012, when he was in Opposition.
Mitchell says National Honours Committee could limit number of recipients in years to come
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said the number of people receiving national honours will likely be limited over time.
Pinder: FNM choosing politics and theatrics over being tough on crime
ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder criticised Free National Movement legislators yesterday for abstaining rather than voting for amendments to the Bail Act, calling the opposition’s “political theatrics” a vote against being tough on crime.
FNM: ‘Why BPL $184m debt not paid down by fuel hikes?’
The FNM’s finance chief yesterday said he is in the dark over why the proceeds from hiking Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) fuel charge by up to 163 percent have seemingly not been used to cut its $184m debt.
Hotel chief ‘comfortable’ targets hit despite crime alert warnings
The Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board’s president says he “feels comfortable” that his hotel will grow and meet its 2024 financial targets despite the crime alert fall-out impacting the industry.
Two-thirds say Bahamas can end cheques by ‘26
Almost two-thirds of Bahamians believe this nation could be ready for the elimination of cheque payments within the two-year deadline set by the Central Bank to review its goal.
Veteran carpenter loses his $137,280 CGT claim
A carpenter has lost his $137,280 wrongful and unfair dismissal claim against a major Bahamian contractor for whom he worked at regular intervals over 32-and-a-half year period.
Queen’s Staircase set to receive a $200k facelift
The Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) has adopted The Queen’s Staircase to restore the popular tourist attraction to its former glory.
‘Under siege’: Taxis see 50% income fall on crime fall-out
Bahamian taxi drivers are blaming the crime alert fall-out “for at least” a 50 percent earnings decline, with their union president yesterday blasting: “A few criminals have the country under siege.”
‘Govt to bring downtown rodent issue under control’
RODENTS have infested downtown for years, but Senator Randy Rolle, a Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation consultant, said a “multi–faceted” extermination approach would keep the pests away.
Bannister gives testimony on WSC contracts
FORMER Works Minister Desmond Bannister claimed in court yesterday that he never approved contracts to paint water tanks and buildings belonging to the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) when he was in office.
Police reveal link over murders of two women
BEFORE she was released from prison, the 39-year-old woman killed on Ragged Island Street on January 31 sent threatening messages to a woman who was killed on South Street and Hospital Lane on January 21, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said yesterday.
PM: KEEP MURDERS OFF THE FRONT PAGE – Davis says local press coverage of killings harming tourism
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis criticised local press coverage of the crime rate yesterday, saying prominent reporting of murders has a ricochet effect that is harming the tourism sector.
Taylor, Gibbs hit pool
The action has already started for half of Team Bahamas at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar and although there are no highlight reels yet, they are giving it their best shot against some top-notch competition.
Are fifty somethings “obsolete”?
“This is a sore point for many older adults. As we age medical science and healthcare mean we are well and able far longer than in the past - but are viewed as needing to move on and out of the workplace even when we could offer some wisdom and mentoring to the newer workforce.” (Linda Nicholls).
Why no income tax?
Exactly who do the PLP thinks it is serving by yet again “ruling out” personal income tax becomes less clear by the day.
BTC and RBPF partner to address cyberbullying
THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company awarded completion certificates to ninety high school students who can now boast that they are much more knowledgeable about internet safety and the consequences of cyberbullying.
American man charged with importing guns and ammunition granted bail at $9,500
AN American man with dual citizenship was granted bail yesterday after he was accused of being involved in a firearm smuggling scheme in 2020.
Man gets seven months prison for breaching bail conditions
A MAN was sentenced to seven months in prison yesterday after admitting to breaching his bail for allegedly robbing a former parliamentarian outside his home with a gun in 2020.
Man accused of stealing $9,000 from woman granted $12,000 bail
A MAN was granted $12,000 bail yesterday after being accused of stealing $9,000 from a woman last week.
Man pleads guilty to three counts of drug possession, fined $2,000
A MAN was fined $2,000 yesterday after he was found with several illegal drugs last week.
Vendors secure for further Junkanoo Beach upgrades
A government senator yesterday pledged that no existing vendors will be displaced when the project to revive and upgrade Junkanoo Beach begins in the 2024 first quarter.
Digital kiosks to boost Nassau security and visitor experience
Digital kiosks will be installed in downtown Nassau to boost security and help tourists better navigate Bay Street and the surrounding area, a government senator disclosed yesterday.
First Regatta for junior sailors since 2018 set for Feb. 22
WITH sailing now declared the national sport of The Bahamas, the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs is ensuring that all entities, including the junior sailors, get the maximum support.
Timberwolves top Rattlers 63-55
THERE were some thrilling outcomes yesterday as the CH Reeves Raptors junior girls, DW Davis Royals junior boys, CV Bethel Stingrays and Anatol Rogers Timberwolves senior boys all prevailed in game one of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association basketball championships.
St Cecilia’s at a Rush
STUDENTS at St Cecilia’s Catholic School participated in Junkanoo rush out and cultural show to mark the end of Catholic School Week.
Contest for young poets
YOUNG writers can participate in the 2024 Caribbean World Poetry Day Competition for 2024.
Training agency launches first cohort of year
THE National Training Agency launched its first cohort for 2024 in New Providence.
Bootcamp for careers
STUDENTS participated in a Bootcamp to explore Technical and Vocational Careers.
Monday, February 12
THE KDK REPORT: This life and the next
AT the start of a new year, it’s common practice as an adult to reflect on our lives. We assess our successes and failures throughout the preceding year and set goals for the near future. And every year, aside from wishing for more success, the hope ultimately is that we and our loved ones retain good health and even stronger relationships.
INSIGHT: Torn apart by gangs, Haiti still waits for action as it teeters on edge of being a failed state
IN theory, Bahamian troops should be on the ground in Haiti by now.
No answer yet for woman who claimed sex attack in detention
A WOMAN who claimed she was sexually assaulted at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre in November is still waiting for police to conclude their investigations into the matter.
Cruise port principal demands $2m back
A PRINCIPAL behind the Long Island cruise port project is demanding that a Bahamian law firm refund him $2m sent for a separate investment deal in the Exumas that “never took place”.
Minnis blasts over-the-hill tax free zones ‘nonsense’
DR HUBERT Minnis last night branded assertions by government officials that “nobody is losing anything” from the extinction of Over-the- Hill ‘tax free’ zones as “the biggest nonsense I have ever heard”.
Waste, ‘political attitudes’, bar IMF’s hospital user fee plans
AN ex-health minister says “wastage”, combined with zero political appetite, means the IMF’s call for the imposition of hospital user fees on those “with greatest capacity to pay” is likely a non-starter.
Gov’t set to refinance $2.4bn in six months
THE Government has to refinance almost $2.4bn in maturing debt during the six months to end-June 2024, it has been revealed, with its euro-denominated liabilities almost doubling in percentage terms.
‘Just have to trust’ gov’t over deficit
BAHAMIANS “just have to trust” the Government’s assertion that the public finances are still on track to meet their full-year targets despite the early outturn, a governance reformer says.
BTC to give 300 consumers one month’s credit on outage
The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) will give the 300 customers impacted by an eastern New Providence network outage a credit equal to one month’s service fee.
‘Passing mark’ could spark Bahamas’ blacklist escape
A CABINET minister has signalled The Bahamas could escape the European Union’s (EU) tax blacklist within weeks after it received a “passing mark” over a key issue that prevented its removal in late 2023.
Personal income tax not on gov’t ‘agenda’
A CABINET minister has affirmed that the introduction of a personal income tax is “not on our agenda” - not even for the top 10 percent of earners as recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Tax reporting woes ‘behind us in a week’
A CABINET minister has pledged that the woes with the Government’s online tax reporting portal “should be behind us in the next week” with “some stark improvements” already occurring.
Halkitis: Economic zones were not achieving goals
ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said the Davis administration discontinued the Economic Empowerment Zones programme, which provided some tax exemptions to inner city residents and businesses, because it was not achieving its objectives.
A final farewell to Dr Elwood Donaldson
Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) pallbearers carry the body of former Member of Parliament and Ambassador Dr Elwood Donaldson into Zion Baptist Church for his state-recognised funeral on Friday.
Ballet on the beach
FOR two nights only this week, some of the world’s most iconic ballet dancers from one of the most revered ballet companies will headline two dynamic shows of grace and precision set on the Great Lawn of Old Fort Bay Club for ‘Iconique’ Dinner Ballet Gala.
Tributes to ‘precious gem’ Sweeting
ANDREA Sweeting, president of the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group and a long-time cancer advocate, died on Saturday in Florida. She celebrated her 75th birthday on February 7.
‘Full cooperation’ expected in tourist rape investigation
NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he expects full cooperation and honesty from all parties as police and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigate a claim that two American women were sexually assaulted in Grand Bahama earlier this month.
GOVT PUSH BACK ON CRIME FEARS: Alerts ‘have had impact’ but campaign planned to protect reputation
OFFICE of the Prime Minister communications director Latrae Rahming said the Davis administration acknowledges that travel advisories and global reports about crime in the country have affected the tourism industry, with the government preparing to launch an aggressive campaign to promote and protect the country’s reputation.
Devynne Charlton powers to world indoor record
Devynne Charlton got the start she expected and the finish anticipated in what she called the “perfect race” as she powered to a world indoor record in the women’s 60 metres hurdles yesterday at the Millrose Games.
Vanderpool breaks his indoor national record in pole vault
IT was another indoor national record-breaking performance for pole vaulter Brenden Vanderpool as he duplicated the same feat at the same venue he established the previous mark last month.
Roadrunners: More athletes qualify for the CARIFTA games
THE Roadrunners’ Diana Lynn Thompson Classic saw more athletes on the track and field attain the CARIFTA qualifying standards on Saturday at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.
The middle class under pressure
Much has been made of Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis’ recent trip to Uganda in which he took part in the Non-Aligned Movement Summit. It was probably a representative for the Davis camp who took photos of him feeding chimpanzees while in Uganda, apparently not realising the backlash it would cause.
Losing hope
As the country grapples with the increase in murders on our streets or the recent crime “spurt” as defined by the Minister of National Security, the strategy of the government to address the crime problem remains unclear.
St John’s College Giants haul away three titles
THE St John’s College junior and senior girls hauled away two more championships on Friday to secure their second and third title of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) basketball season.
A birthday bash to remember
IT was a birthday celebration, highlighted by a pair of Masters Softball League games and entertainment that included rake-n-scrape, marching bands and a Junkanoo rush-out, that left the Rev. Dr. William Thompson flabbergasted.
Combining law and ethics to give exemplary conduct
While legality and ethics intersect frequently in the business world, they can also diverge in critical ways that shape a company’s foundation and future. Legality to compliance with laws and regulations, while ethics pertains to moral principles that govern behaviour. For companies looking to succeed while maintaining their integrity, understanding both is vital.
Swift changes
ActivTrades
CHANGES happened for this year’s Super Bowl, the multi-billion dollar sporting event. The NFL’s grand finale is undergoing a female revolution. Because of star guest Taylor Swift, health and beauty companies are also getting involved as advertising customers for the first time ever.
Softball legend Van ‘Lil Joe’ Johnson dies at age of 60
THE Eleuthera Softball Association’s Jets, the New Providence Softball Association’s perennial kingpins Budweiser Eagles and Truckers softball teams and the men’s national softball team, lost one of its most talented and versatile players in the death of Van “Lil Joe” Johnson.
Friday, February 9
Halkitis: Govt working to combat crime
ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said government is working aggressively to counteract negative international reports about the country’s soaring murder rate and believes that its crime-fighting efforts will soon bear fruit.
Efforts still underway to free cargo vessel
FRED Culmer, senior official at the Port Department, said the cargo vessel stuck in the sand at Saunders Beach has not been abandoned and efforts are still underway to free it.
Man in hospital after being 'shot by relative'
A 23-YEAR-OLD man is in stable condition after reportedly being shot by a relative in Pinewood Gardens on Friday.
38 cited for traffic violations
ABOUT 38 people were cited for traffic violations during a police operation conducted at the Warren J Levarity Highway.
20-year-old charged with two counts of murder
A MAN was remanded in custody on Friday after being accused of two fatal shootings in New Providence in the last two months.
Man accused of assaulting woman with cutlass
A MAN was granted bail on Friday after he allegedly assaulted a woman with a cutlass in December.
Six month sentence for cruelty to children charge
A FATHER choked up in court after being sentenced to six months in prison having admitted to allowing his infant daughter to eat his marijuana gummies last month.
Man charged with unlawful sexual intercourse granted bail
A MAN was granted $30,000 bail last week as he awaits trial for a sexual offence.
Clubs & Societies February 9th, 2024
The intrusive disease of cancer has such a grip on the lives of so many Bahamians. With this in mind, The Bahamas Association of Administrative Professionals (BAAP) recently presented The Cancer Society of The Bahamas with a cheque to assist them in helping those who are fighting for their lives.
DIANE PHILLIPS: Our historic and cultural treasures hidden in plain sight
Tanya Melich Crone was cataloging the work of her late father, architect Henry Melich, when she came across these hand-drawn works, masterpieces of buildings that helped frame the city of Nassau.
Eric Wiberg – The 1657 shipwreck of the Madema do Brasil near Gorda Cay, Abaco
GORDA Cay was named because of its round shape – in Spanish it means simply ‘fat’ – the only village, occupied by itinerant farmers from nearby Sandy Point, Abaco, was named Pumpkin Harbour. J
EDITORIAL: Let businesses know of changes in good time
RECENTLY in this column, we talked about the ease of doing business – or lack thereof – in The Bahamas.
Christie: Young men have become ‘human weapons’
FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said a holistic approach is needed to combat crime, adding young men have become “human weapons”.
Former PM says international community must ensure Haiti doesn’t become ‘failed state’
FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said the international community must ensure Haiti does not fall into a “completely failed state”.
Henfield asks how Social Services will support evicted shanty town residents in Abaco
FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield questioned how the Ministry of Social Services will support Abaco shanty town residents facing eviction, saying the ministry can hardly provide “succour and support” to Bahamians in other circumstances.
‘Miracle received’: Hotel union hails 11% pay rise
The Government’s top labour official yesterday said “we received that miracle” asked for as the hotel union’s president hailed an 11 percent “across the board” wage increase from the new industrial deal.
Deficit ‘on target’ despite beating full-year by $54m
The Government’s top finance official last night asserted that the fiscal deficit remains on target even though it exceeded the full-year target by $54.3m after just five months.
Gov’t doubles social assistance to $14m
“Front-loaded” salary increases for public sector workers were the main driver behind the $36.4m year-over-increase in the Government’s first quarter fixed-cost spending, it was disclosed yesterday.
Contractor awarded $63,000 in multi-million Palm Cay fight
A major eastern New Providence development has been ordered to pay a former contractor $63,047 after an acrimonious battle involving competing claims over breaches of two multi-million building contracts.
Final salute for a fallen colleague
GRIEVING family, friends and colleagues bade farewell to Inspector Tomas McIntosh, an officer involved in a catastrophic road accident while on duty last week, during an emotional ceremony at Doctor’s Hospital before his organs were donated yesterday.
Crime fears collapse $18m PI home sale
An $18m home sale in Paradise Island’s Ocean Club Estates collapsed yesterday after the buyer was spooked by The Bahamas’ crime woes, with a realtor warning: “We’re going to pay for that.”
Alleged rape victims start GoFundMe to raise $10k
TWO American women who allege they were sexually assaulted in Grand Bahama on Sunday have started a GoFundMe page to raise $10,000 although the company where the alleged incident took place said video evidence contradicts some of their claims.
Wanted man deported to Bahamas from US
LARRY Burrows, a 38-year-old wanted suspect, is in police custody after US authorities deported him here yesterday.
Man accused of killing mother and daughter denied bail for own safety
A SUPREME Court judge cited concern for an alleged murderer‘s safety as she denied bail to the 24-year-old man accused of killing Allison Thompson, 37, and her 14-year-old daughter, Trevonika Thompson, last year.
‘EXPECT EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE POLICING’: DCP Deleveaux says public may experience potential inconvenience
WEEKS after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said more intrusive policing is coming to curb the murder rate, Deputy Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux said yesterday that the public should expect even more aggressive policing and potential inconveniences.
SG ‘Buddy’ Hield traded to 76ers
Grand Bahama native Chavano “Buddy” Hield is set to join his fourth National Basketball Association (NBA) team after being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers by the Indiana Pacers yesterday.
Anthonique Strachan: ‘I was just content with what I did’
WITH this being another banner year both locally and internationally for Bahamian track and field athletes, sprinter Anthonique Strachan said she will take it all in stride.
Bahamas athletes shine in Caribbean Equestrian Association final standings
IT was all good news for the Bahamas equestrian community when the final results of the Caribbean Equestrian Association 2023 Mini Jumping Challenge and 2023 Mini Dressage Challenge were released last week.
GSSSA Basketball finals start Monday
THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) basketball championships are all set for next Monday at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium.
Rev McPhee praises Charles Saunders Cougars senior boys on BAISS championship win
THE Charles W Saunders Cougars repeated as champions, winning their second Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools senior boys’ basketball title at the Kendal Isaacs Gym on Wednesday night.
Sowing bad seeds and expecting a good harvest
Some have questioned why I, over these many decades, would regularly submit editorial letters and articles for publication in the media.
We are at a fork in the road
This isn't rocket science, but coming up with an effective remedy for the sad, sad state of violence and chaos engulfing The Bahamas today seems to elude the powers that be by several light years. We are definitely at a fork in the road.
Women accused of trying to knock down police officers charged with five counts of assault
A WOMAN was taken into custody after being accused of trying to knock down five police officers in a stolen car, attracting gun fire from the officers earlier this week.
American man accused of fatal stabbing of his father granted bail
A 26-year-old American man accused of fatally stabbing his father on New Year’s Day was granted bail yesterday.
Psychological evaluation ordered for teen accused of staying in a vacant hotel room
A 19-year-old boy was ordered to have a psychological evaluation after he was accused of staying in a vacant room at the Baha Mar Resort without permission earlier this week.
Thursday, February 8
FACE TO FACE: Long-time friends bring ‘wow-factor’ to business
The Gift Box is all about reintroducing ‘the art of gifting’
THERE are some friendships that last long beyond school days - they last a lifetime. Relationships built on common values, shared goals and mutual respect can flourish. In the case of Sophia Hall and Keisha Bastian, great camaraderie established during high school days at St. Augustine’s College has blossomed into a brand new business venture.
STATESIDE: This week all eyes turn to NFL, Swift and Trump
IT was probably inevitable. The three most important topics in America have now become intertwined as the country’s fourth most important day approaches. That would be the Super Bowl, which probably now ranks just behind Christmas, the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving.
FRONT PORCH – A culture of violence is metastasizing: Why are we surprised?
WE have gone to bed most evenings and/or have awakened most mornings in the New Year with fresh social media posts and news about the latest murder(s). The killing frenzy – it is not a “spurt” – has surprised many of us. Why are we surprised?
Police Inspector injured in traffic accident dies
Inspector Tomas McIntosh, who was injured during a traffic stop recently, has died.
Opposition members abstain as Bail Amendment Act passes in the House
MEMBERS of the opposition abstained from voting as a bill to amend the Bail Act passed the House of Assembly yesterday.
Drifting vessel runs aground
AN unmanned cargo vessel that broke free from mooring at the Port of Nassau overnight ran aground off Saunders Beach, drawing attention from curious residents yesterday.
Port chief: ‘Too tight’ over private cruise island VAT
Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive yesterday warned that giving the cruise industry just 60 days to implement VAT on its Bahamian private islands “seems unreasonable” and is “just not enough time”.
Tour providers suffer 50% crime alert drop
Bahamian tour and excursion providers yesterday revealed a 50 percent across-the-board business decline because tourists “don’t want to leave the hotel or ship” due to crime fears.
Boat owners: Let us know reduced fees
Fishermen yesterday urged the Government to promptly disclose the new “reduced” boat registration fees prior to their March 1 introduction and ensure all Bahamian-owned vessels are “protected’.
Hotel worker ‘lump sum’ as industrial deal agreed
Hotel union members will receive the “first of two lump sum payments” early next week after a new industrial deal for the sector was agreed last night following days of intense negotiations.
Bridge leap: Family tells of fight with depression
THE woman who jumped off Paradise Island bridge on Sunday suffered severe depression and was temporarily admitted to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre for psychiatric care last year, according to her shattered relatives, who wonder what more they could have done to prevent the tragedy.
Laroda confident despite housing shortage
A YEAR after the Chamber of Commerce president in Abaco warned that the housing shortage remains “extremely acute” on the island post-Dorian, Social Services Minister Myles Laroda said he is confident his ministry will provide housing assistance to shanty town residents facing eviction on the island.
Court told of 28 wounds in police shooting probe
THE mother of Valentino Pratt, one of three men killed by police in Blair Estates in 2019, gasped as a pathologist described the estimated 28 gunshot wounds her son suffered as the Coroner’s Court inquest into the matter continued yesterday.
POLICE ‘REFUSED TO GIVE RAPE KIT’: Force disputes claims after sex attack allegation
POLICE yesterday disputed the claims of two American women who alleged in the international press that after they were sexually assaulted in Grand Bahama on Sunday, officers “treated them like criminals” and refused to give them rape kits.
Giants junior boys win basketball title
Game two was all the St John’s College Giants junior boys and Charles W Saunders senior boys needed last night to sweep their opponents in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) best-of-three championship series.
Bahamas to host CARIFTA Aquatics Championships
THE Bahamas is gearing up to host 30th CARIFTA Aquatics Championships at the Betty Kelly-Kenning Aquatics Centre from March 28 to April 7 and, with nearly a month remaining on the countdown, preparations which include facility repairs, are in full swing.
Pro boxer Carl Hield looking for his fifth straight victory
BAHAMIAN pro boxer Carl Hield is currently undefeated and will look to keep that feat alive this Saturday against Colombia’s Emilio Julio in Santa Marta, Colombia.
Mingoes rain down goals on Inter-Nassau FC blues
THE University of the Bahamas men’s soccer team started off very slow against Inter-Nassau FC Blues Sunday in Bahamas Football Association action at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field.
Man charged for two counts of rape over separate incidents
A 26-year-old man was remanded in custody yesterday after he allegedly sexually assaulted two women in separate incidents in New Providence in the last four months.One of his victims was a Mexican woman he allegedly abducted at knifepoint on Paradise Island, where he sexually abused her in his car.
BTC appoints new director of legal and government affairs
STEPHEN Coakley-Wells has been appointed Director of Legal & Government Affairs at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC).
21-year-old accused of taking car at gunpoint
A 21-year-old man was imprisoned yesterday after he allegedly robbed a man of his car at gunpoint on the Eastern Road in December.
Two years for having loaded gun
A 37-year-old male was sentenced to two years in prison after he admitted to having a loaded gun in his car on Tonique Williams Darling Highway last week.
Economics and crime
Thanks again in advance for space to address two issues sure to intersect in ways some of us cannot imagine or desire if we can: Economics and crime!
Traffic fatality
A MAN was killed in a traffic accident around 6am yesterday.
19-year-old Aldrich Potgieter makes golf history in Abaco
Aldrich Potgieter, 19, from South Africa, secured victory at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic, to become the youngest winner in the history of the Korn Ferry Tour.
DEIDRE BASTIAN: Accept ‘the customer is sometimes wrong’
The expression that the “customer is always right” is central to customer service, but is it always applicable to every situation? While it is essential to prioritise the customer’s satisfaction, it is also important to not waste resources through becoming sidetracked by this goal.
Pintard: ‘Why did leading finance officials contradict each other?’
The Opposition’s leader yesterday challenged the Prime Minister to explain why The Bahamas’ two top finance officials “would openly contradict each other” over the Government’s recent $500m borrowing.
Entrepreneur eyes product, manufacturing expansion
A Bahamian manufacturer yesterday confirmed it is aiming to “scale up” and expand after exhausting existing inventory due to high consumer demand.
Businesses blame COVID, KYC in bank account delay
Bahamian businesses are blaming stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) due diligence rules and the post-COVID hangover for why it takes an average two months to open a corporate bank account.
Wednesday, February 7
ALICIA WALLACE – Communities: People coming together for a common goal
IN a small group discussion earlier this week, someone noted that we use the word “community” very frequently and loosely. It is used in reference to people who intentionally and consistently come together with a particular purpose, and it is used in reference to people who have something in common and are then, in many cases, assumed to be connected through that commonality.
Court of Appeal revives $1.8m lawsuit against Defence Force
THE Court of Appeal revived a $1.8m lawsuit against the Royal Bahamas Defence Force after the appellants' vessel sank and sustained significant damage while in the RBDF’s custody.
MOE security officers protest for owed overtime, promotions and insurance
SECURITY officers in the Ministry of Education protested outside the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, saying they are tired of fighting for owed overtime pay, promotions, and insurance.
FTX’s Bahamian liquidators did ‘everything in their power’
A SUPREME Court judge has backed assertions by FTX’s Bahamian liquidators that they “have done everything within their power to strike the best possible deal” in settling the dispute with their US counterpart.
Banker backs IMF on tax reform scepticism
A SENIOR banker has backed the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) scepticism over the Government’s stance that it will hit its deficit and revenue targets solely through better compliance and enforcement.
Five-hour talks fail to break hotel industrial deal deadlock
THE Government’s labour director last night said almost five hours of “intense negotiations” had failed to break the deadlock over a new industrial agreement covering much of the hotel industry.
Developer reassures Adelaide: ‘Heavy work’ to end this month
A BAHAMIAN developer yesterday pledged that noise and other nuisances impacting Adelaide residents should be over by month’s end, and asserted his project will “bring great value” to the area.
‘About time’ cruise lines private islands face VAT
BAHAMIAN tour operators yesterday asserted it is “only fair” that VAT be levied on the goods and services bought by passengers on the cruise lines’ private islands, adding: “It’s about time.”
$250m resort requires ‘meaningful’ Bahamian participation to succeed
THE developer behind Grand Bahama’s $250m Six Senses resort project says it will struggle to succeed without “really meaningful” participation by Bahamians in all aspects of its build-out.
BTC blames rival utility on east Nassau fibre cut
THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday blamed a rival utility for cutting its fibre optic cable and depriving customers in the Eastern Road area of landline, mobile and Internet services.
Senate’s vice-president attends trade conference
THE Senate’s vice- president represented The Bahamas at a recent trade and economic conference in his role as the Trade Commission’s deputy chairman.
Constable removed from RBPF and charged with stabbing man at stadium
A POLICE constable was removed from the force and charged in court yesterday with allegedly stabbing someone at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium last November.
Cartwright calls for Munroe’s resignation - ‘Crime crisis needs new leadership’
FREE National Movement Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright called for National Security Minister Wayne Munroe to resign, saying the "crime crisis" requires new leadership.
Tourism ‘booking pace drag’ over crime alerts
Bahamian hotels yesterday revealed recent crime alerts have sparked “a drag on the booking pace” while a former DNA leader blamed seven cancellations at his vacation rental business on the warnings.
Miller slams idea of violence interrupters
FORMER Cabinet minister Leslie Miller slammed the idea that Carlos Reid and Rodney Moncur could be violence interrupters, saying: “This is a real country, man, stop it.”
Dementia cases expected to triple by year 2050
DEMENTIA prevalence in The Bahamas is projected to increase by 226 per cent by 2050, with experts warning that the country has no plan and isn’t doing enough to tackle the issue.
‘STREETS NEVER FORGAVE’ VICTIM: Latest man killed had turned to a Christian lifestyle
A MAN on bail for murder was killed yesterday despite reportedly recently embracing a Christian lifestyle.
Top swimmer Lamar Taylor leading by example
Lamar Taylor remembers when he was a rookie on the senior national swim- ming team. Now he’s going in as the top athlete to watch from The Bahamas at the World Aquatics Championships at the Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar.
National stadium renovations include a ‘world-class’ track
THE World Athletics Relays will serve as one of the final opportunities for athletes hailing from over 40 countries to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Baptist Sports Council renamed Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation
IN rebranding and relaunching the organisation, the Baptist Sports Council has had a name change to the Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation with all of its affiliated churches now referred to as associations.
Six athletes qualify for CARIFTA Games
THE recent 2024 Sonja Knowles Red-Line Athletics Track Classic turned out to be another huge success at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
GSSSA sudden death playoffs heat up
THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) basketball sudden death playoffs are heating up at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium with action set to continue on the court on Thursday.
Dr Linda Davis ‘unanimously’ endorsed as new president of BTVI, says board chairman
THE Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute has unanimously endorsed Dr Linda Davis as president of BTVI, according to Elvin Taylor, the board's chairman.
Water and Sewerage’s CFO questioned over contracted companies ownership
THE Chief Financial Officer of the Water and Sewage Corporation (WSC) testified yesterday that Adrian Gibson was not named the owner of three companies under scrutiny for the contracts they received during his time as executive chairman of the company.
Pintard inaugurates new recreation park and community garden in Mayfield Park, GB
MARCO City MP Michael Pintard inaugurated a recreation park and community garden in Mayfield Park Subdivision on Friday, realising a long-standing vision of four of his predecessors.
Man awaiting a retrial jailed for breaking curfew
A MAN awaiting retrial for his alleged involvement in a fatal graveyard shooting in Grand Bahama in 2016 was sentenced to four months in prison yesterday after he admitted to breaking curfew.
Guilty plea to possession of dangerous drugs
A MAN was bound to keep the peace for six months yesterday after he pleaded guilty to having drugs on his person last weekend.
This is my land
I wish simply to underscore and reiterate the brilliant submission lately by my two great and honoured friends, Dianne Phillips and Ortland H. Bodie re. ownership by young Bahamians.
Bahamians are third class citizens
Thank you very much for printing my letter in your valuable paper dated November 21, 2023 concerning BTC charging $5.00 for $0.01 outstanding. It did invoke a response from BTC's hierarchy.
BTC outage ‘due to trenching by another utility provider’
THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company said customers in the Eastern Road and Johnson Road corridors had experienced a landline, mobile, and internet outage due to trenching, which led to BTC’s fibre being cut by another utility provider.
Tuesday, February 6
Media Technology student excited about the future
It was at the tender age of nine when Romez Major became curious about media. He wondered, “How do they get the little people inside of my TV?”
Maritime cadets meet shipping executives
Students enrolled in the Bahamas Maritime Cadets at the CR Walker High School campus were visited by executives from European shipping companies while they were on a business trip to Nassau.
National Training Agency cohort
The National Training Agency launched its first cohort for 2024 in New Providence.
Youth Leadership Certification Programme
The first cohort of the Youth Leadership Certification Programme for 2024 was launched in Grand Bahama last weekend.
Gaming Board building on West Bay St demolished
Tourism Minister Chester Cooper said the government felt the Gaming Board building on West Bay Street should no longer sit there in a derelict manner as demolition began yesterday.
EDITORIAL: Questions over violence interrupters
THE Minister of National Security must think we are fools.
US Chargé d’Affaires says she is ‘not the least bit concerned’ over safety of Americans visiting Bahamas
US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts said she is “not the least concerned” about the safety of Americans in The Bahamas despite the widespread attention given to a recent travel advisory.
The Bahamas’ pre-clearance agreement with the US renewed
NINETY-three per cent of Bahamians processed through the preclearance section of the Lynden Pindling International Airport last year travelled on a police certificate, according to the US Embassy of Nassau, which said 240,000 Bahamians were processed.
IMF: Those with means pay more for health and water
THE Government can slash “unproductive spending” by $116.5m and, in so doing, boost key public services if Bahamians with means pay more for water and access to public healthcare.
Opening Bahamian bank accounts ‘totally insane’
A PROMINENT accountant yesterday blasted “it’s crazy, absolutely insane” that Bahamian businesses face an average wait of more than two months to open a bank account compared to “20 minutes” in the US.
Minister set to intervene on hotel industrial deal
THE minister of labour will today meet with hotel union executives to discuss the latest counter-proposal from resort employees in a bid to break the stalemate over industrial agreement talks.
Energy, labour ‘bottlenecks’ must go for GDP break-out
THE BAHAMAS must overcome labour and energy “bottlenecks” to break out of the lower 1.5-1.8 percent economic growth rates it is forecast to enjoy from 2025 onwards, the IMF is warning.
Fantastic Four: Swimmers to make splash at 21st FINA World Aquatics Championships next week
Pan American Games bronze medallist Lamar Taylor will headline the Bahamas Aquatics’ four-member team that will represent the Bahamas at the 21st edition of the FINA World Aquatics Championships next week in Doha, Qatar.
Woman who jumped from PI bridge indentified as Chrishna Stuart-Stubbs
THE woman who jumped off the bridge to her death on Sunday was Chrishna Stuart-Stubbs, a mother of two.
Private cruise islands set for VAT reform hit
The Government is planning tax reforms that will hit the cruise lines’ Bahamian private islands and end their nine-year VAT-free status, it was confirmed yesterday.
January’s 21 murders most in at least a decade
THE murder rate in January increased by 163 per cent compared to January 2023.
Coroner: ‘Unacceptable’ to fail to disclose toxicology report
THE failure of a senior police forensics officer to disclose a toxicology report on three men police killed in Blair Estates in 2019 was deemed “unacceptable” by the coroner yesterday as the inquest into the matter continued.
‘MY FAMILY MUST SLEEP LIKE A DOG’: Haitian father of three speaks out after latest shanty demolitions
A HAITIAN father of three said his family must sleep “like a dog” in his truck after bulldozers destroyed his home of more than 20 years in a New Providence shanty town yesterday.
Cougars beat Saints 71-61 to win Game 1
THE Charles W Saunders Cougars, the defending senior boys’ champions, withstood every onslaught from the Kingsway Academy Saints and held on for a hard-fought 71-61 victory.
15-year-old boy charged with attempted murder
A 15-year-old boy was remanded to Simpson Penn Centre for Boys yesterday after he was accused of shooting a 17-year-old in a botched motorcycle theft on Charles Vincent Street last week.
Customs officer testifies that police asked for details of imported shipments
A SENIOR customs officer testified yesterday that senior officers requested he provide details about imported shipments for Adrian Gibson and Baha Maintenance and Elite Maintenance.
Concerns over the Windsor Lakes project
Please afford me some space in your valuable paper to write about some matters of much concern, as they relate to the Windsor Lakes project in Adelaide and its impact on the nearby Adelaide Gardens and Village as a whole.
Whistling past the graveyard
Please afford me some space in your valuable paper to write about some matters of much concern, as they relate to the Windsor Lakes project in Adelaide and its impact on the nearby Adelaide Gardens and Village as a whole.
Man charged with defrauding someone of a $100k drill truck
A MAN was granted $15,000 bail yesterday after being accused of defrauding someone of their $100,000 Drill Truck and being found with a fake bill of sale.
Teen given probation after admitting to stealing $100
A 19-year-old was placed on one year’s probation yesterday after he admitted to breaking into a house in Cat Island last week and stealing $100.
Monday, February 5
INSIGHT: It’s time govt shows they are truly serious
IT is hard to get away from the topic of crime with the way this year has started.
More than ten years later, mother of slain son works to curb crime
THE mother of Shaquille Demeritte, a 19-year-old killed in the 2013 Fox Hill mass shooting, said through the strength of God her son’s tragic death has encouraged her to be active in the fight against crime and to help other mothers who are grieving.
EDITORIAL: Do not turn a blind eye to those struggling
THERE is a problem that besets many in our nation that we sadly too often turn a blind eye to – the issue of homelessness.
Hotel unions and Atlantis meet for four hours but fail to resolve dispute
A NEARLY four-hour meeting among Department of Labour officials, the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union and The Bahamas Hotel and Restaurant Employers Association failed to resolve issues between the union and the association, but Labour Director Howard Thompson said the association is “crunching the numbers” in hopes of concluding negotiations on a new industrial deal.
Pintard says he and Police Commissioner have ‘cleared the air’
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said he and Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander have “cleared the air” on various concerns, including how police investigated last year’s attack on Richard Johnson, the party’s chairman.
King Charles III has cancer and is receiving treatment, Buckingham Palace says
LONDON (AP) — King Charles III has been diagnosed with a form of cancer and has begun treatment, Buckingham Palace said Monday. Less than 18 months into his reign he will suspend public duties but will continue with state business, and won't be handing over his constitutional roles as head of state.
Gov’t ‘disagrees’ on IMF’s ‘top 10%’ income taxation
THE Government “disagrees” with the IMF’s assertion that it must introduce a personal income tax targeting “the top 10 percent of earners” and other reforms to hit its 25 percent revenue-to-GDP goal.
Sandals insulated from Stewart family’s battle
THE Sandals resort chain’s governance and management will not be impacted if the trustee overseeing its late founder’s estate and a $334m cash pile are removed, the Chief Justice has ruled.
Bahamas cool over IMF interest rate rise nudge
THE Bahamas has reacted coolly to persistent nudging from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it should raise short-term interest rates to narrow the gap with those in the US.
Businesses wait over two months for bank account
BAHAMIAN businesses face an average wait of more than two months to open a bank account with almost 80 percent asserting that the process “took longer than expected”.
Hotel industrial deal ‘in need of a miracle’
THE Government’s labour director yesterday said “it’s becoming obvious there now needs to be a miracle” to secure an industrial agreement for the hotel industry after Friday’s talks ended in “stalemate”.
ACP Shanta Knowles conducts first community walkabout at Pinder’s Point
ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles conducted her first community walk in the Pinder's Point area on Friday.
Iconic ballet company to headline two shows at Old Fort Bay’s Great Lawn
For two nights only, some of the world’s most iconic ballet dancers from one of the most revered ballet companies will headline two dynamic shows of grace and precision set on the Great Lawn of Old Fort Bay Club for ‘Iconique’ Dinner Ballet Gala.
Munroe says Moncur and Reid were never contracted as interrupters
NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said Rodney Moncur and Carols Reid were never contracted to be violence interrupters, apparently contradicting comments Office of the Prime Minister communications director Latrae Rahming made in 2022.
No Cabinet approval for prison yet, says Minister
CABINET has yet to approve the Bahamas Department of Corrections plan for an expanded prison, which officials say is critical to getting accreditation.
‘Devoted father’ one of two men murdered on weekend
A DEVOTED father was killed yesterday morning in what his sister said was a case of the wrong person being shot.
HUNDREDS ORDERED: GET OUT OF SHANTIES – 400 notices issued for three unregulated Abaco communities
MINISTRY of Works officials have issued over 400 eviction notices across three shanty towns in Abaco, setting the stage for one of the largest shanty town demolition exercises in the country’s history.
Police investigate alleged drowning in Andros
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the drowning of a man in waters off Andros.
Woman in car shot and arrested after attempting to knock down officers
Police shot and arrested a 43-year-old woman after she attempted to knock down police officers in the area of Independence Highway and Baillou Hill Road this morning.
Gardiner is back
It was a comeback for the ages for Bahamian reigning Olympic 400 metre champion Steven Gardiner over the weekend at the South Carolina Invitational at the University of South Carolina.
FIBA: Kai jones to play for the bahamas again
BAHAMAS Basketball Federation executive Moses Johnson said they’re excited that Kai Jones will be the centrepiece for the men’s national basketball team when they play in the first window of the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifier.
More athletes qualify for CARIFTA
A beautiful Saturday at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium was perfect for the athletes to turn in CARIFTA-qualifying performances at the 2024 Star Performers Track Classic.
Cheetahs clinch public primary schools boys’ basketball title
THE undefeated Centerville Primary Cheetahs clinched the New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association Sherman Smith’s primary boys basketball title as they doubled up the final score against Sandilands Primary.
BAISS Track and Field meet set for March 6-8
THE cancellation of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) track and field meet is now a thing of the past as the inter-school competition is back on the athletics calendar for March 6-8, according to reports.
GSSSA: Rattlers close out season strong
THE CI Gibson Rattlers senior girls and boys closed out the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) basketball regular season in good standing on Friday.
Remove judiciary’s discretion
In the midst of a near-existential illegal firearm/murder crisis, it is most disheartening to hear government ministers still paying lip service to the most abused of our sacred cows: the maintenance of maximum judicial discretion throughout our criminal justice system.
When will we learn, Bahamians?
My people Bahamians everywhere, we of these beautiful islands of the Bahamas. When will we come together the yellow, red, green, black, purple all the political partners? When will we speak the truth and say to each other enough is enough.
Gov’t deserves fiscal praise but should now look to IMF
The Bahamas is now three years into a recovery from the devastating effects of Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the country only four months apart in 2019- 2020 and wreaked havoc on the economy.
Good start
ActivTrades
Strong big-tech balance sheets lifted Wall Street into positive territory at the end of last week. However, disappointment over the latest US labour market report limited gains.
Sunday, February 4
Woman dies after allegedly jumping from eastern bridge at Potter's Cay
Police are investigating after a woman died after allegedly jumping from the eastern bridge at Potter’s Cay on Sunday afternoon.
Man shot dead in Nassau Village
Police are investigating after a man was shot dead in Nassau Village on Sunday morning.
Saturday, February 3
Man found shot dead in car
Police are investigating after a man was found shot dead in a car in the Yamacraw Beach Estates area on Saturday morning.
Shooting incident leads to car and motorcycle collisions
Police are questioning a 22-year-old man in connection with a shooting incident on Friday in the area of a business establishment off Marathon Road.
Police investigate apparent drowning incident
Police are looking into the circumstances surrounding an apparent drowning incident that claimed the life of a man on Friday.
Friday, February 2
Clubs & Societies February 2nd, 2024
On Thursday, January 25, the Bahamas Society for Human Resource Management (BSHRM) installed its new executive team at Goldwynn Resort and Residences. The local association is affiliated with Society for Human Resource Management, the largest body of Human Resource (HR) professionals in the world.
DIANE PHILLIPS – DOES THE ANTI-CRIME MOVEMENT LIE IN THE PEOPLE MOVEMENT? For each a parcel of land, for the nation a new way forward
The headlines screamed across front pages, disrupted business and split an already fractured nation into silos.
ONE ELEUTHERA FOUNDATION – FEEDING TOMORROW: A look at the modern food system and its impact on the environment and human health
We are well into the new year, and undoubtedly, for many people, well into attacking resolutions of eating better or exercising more. According to the Forbes Health/One Poll survey of one thousand adults in the US, improved fitness and diet are two of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. The same survey found that, on average, resolutions last just 3.74 months. Not bad, but this does not bode well if you are hoping to don a six-pack by swimsuit season.
EDITORIAL: Is anti-crime plan just a glossy brochure?
WHEN the current administration launched its anti-crime plan in response to the wave of killings that marked the start of this year, FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands described it as a “glossy brochure”.
Rastafarians with small quantities of marijuana see decline in arrests
RASTAFARIAN Priest Rithmond McKinney said arrests of Rastafarians with small quantities of marijuana has declined.
Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association wins two-year court contest
AFTER a two-year court battle, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association was awarded a victory against plaintiffs Bjorn Ferguson and Kenwood Kerr and can now conduct business as usual.
Police officer on motorcycle injured in traffic accident
Police are investigating after a police officer was injured in a traffic accident on Sumner Street, Nassau Village, on Friday morning.
Fines waiver huge relief following tax portal ‘hell’
BAHAMIAN businesses yesterday branded the Government’s pledge to waive fines for late payments and filings due to its tax portal’s woes as “a huge relief” after suffering “hell” trying to comply.
Hotel dispute parties ‘stand down’ for talks
THE two sides in the hotel sector’s industrial dispute yesterday “agreed to stand down” from taking any disruptive action before further talks set for 5pm today.
Ministers refute concerns on PharmaChem chemicals
CABINET ministers have refuted an Opposition MP’s concerns over the storage of hazardous chemicals and materials at the PharmaChem plant following its mid-January closure.
What’s the big secret on NIB rate increase?
BAHAMIAN businesses are urging the Government to reveal the magnitude of July’s impending National Insurance Board (NIB) rate increase, with one asking: “What’s the big secret?”
Chinese Lunar New Year’s Celebration
The Chinese Embassy to the The Bahamas hosted a Chinese Lunar New Year’s Celebration yesterday at the newly renovated British Colonial Hotel. The event, which showcased Chinese cuisine, cultural programs, and dances, was to mark the beginning of the “year of the dragon”.
'US laws' hit cruise line's Bahamas ticketing policy
A cruise line popular with Bahamians yesterday disclosed that US "laws and regulations" have forced it to stop selling one-way tickets for voyages out of Freeport to West Palm Beach.
Murders having ‘doubling-up effect’ on funeral homes
THE Bahamas Funeral Directors Association president Kirsch Ferguson said the country’s soaring murder rate is straining personnel and equipment of funeral homes, calling it a “doubling up effect”.
Jury finds Rodrigo Rolle guilty in murder of Janice Kessinger
A JURY found Rodrigo Rolle guilty of murdering an elderly American woman during a 2017 home invasion in Cat Island yesterday.
ANTI-VIOLENCE PLAN STILL NOT LAUNCHED: Consultant confirms scheme to interrupt crime yet to take effect
ALTHOUGH the Davis administration hired Rodney Moncur and Carlos Reid as violence interrupters in 2022, calling the initiative key to fighting crime, the programme has not started.
Archer: It is my wish that this event does happen
The cancellation of the 2024 Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) track and field meet has sparked outrage from members of the public the past three days.
Tick-Tock: Countdown to the World Relays
WITH the countdown for the World Athletics Relays under 100 days, preparations have kicked into high gear to ensure a seamless fourth hosting of the event in May.
Reverend Dr William Thompson ready for his 80th birthday
IT’S not everyday that a person reaches the age of 80 but for a man who has touched the lives of so many people in just about every sphere of life, the family and friends of the Rev. Dr William Thompson want to celebrate his milestone in a very special way.
Youth flag football league hosts first of three free clinics
THE Bahamas Youth Flag Football League (BYFFL) opened the year with a free offensive clinic which is divided into three sessions.
BLTA wishes players success on their collegiate journey
WITH the collegiate tennis season about to heat up, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) invites you to follow the Bahamians who will represent for their respective colleges.
NPPPSSA basketball tournament for boys ends today
THE New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association will conclude its basketball tournament for boys today at 9 am at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
All-out Boxing honours Sherman ‘The Tank’ Williams and ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Seymour
ALL-Out Boxing, headed by Grand Bahama Boxing Association president Jermaine Gibson, held a successful weekend of amateur boxing and gala awards presentations for Sherman ‘the Tank’ Williams and ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Seymour.
Bartlett Hill Primary School girls and boys win basketball titles
PRINCIPAL Denika Martin, staff, coaches and students of Bartlett Hill Primary School celebrated the victories of their boys and girls teams in the recent Grand Bahama Primary Schools Sports Association’s basketball championship series.
Digital payments double to $4.5m for November
BAHAMIAN digital payments transactions doubled in value to $4.5m for November 2023, the Central Bank disclosed yesterday, with mobile wallet holders increasing by 20 percent over the year’s first 11 months.
Real estate companies honour top producers
TWO affiliated Bahamian real estate firms have honoured their top producers for 2023.
Arawak cay upgrade to battle waste oil ‘clogging’
The expansion of Arawak Cay’s sewerage system will involve installing an Industrial Bulk Container and wider pipes to enable it to cope with the volume of waste cooking oil generated by food vendors.
Boat registration fee rise ‘squeezes the small man’
LONG Island fishermen and tour operators are accusing the Government of seeking “to squeeze the small man out” over four- digit boating fee increases that have been suspended - at least for private vessels.
American man accused of stabbing death of his father claimed it was in self-defence
THE lawyer of a 26-year-old American man accused of fatally stabbing his father on New Year’s Day claimed his client acted in self-defence during a bail hearing yesterday.
WSC manager claims she was asked, ‘What ways can we find to increase costing?’
A SENIOR manager at the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) claimed in court yesterday that Adrian Gibson asked her how the corporation could increase the cost of maintenance contracts awarded to companies he allegedly ordered to be contracted.
Crime has damaged reputation
The high crime rate, robberies, murders and rapes has ruined the international image and reputation of the Bahamas as a safe place for American, Canadian and European tourists to travel, because, in my opinion, of the failure of Prime Minister Philip Davis and Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe to reduce crimes, robberies, murders and rapes in The Bahamas. My warnings, prophecy and predictions have now come true - on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, the US State Department issued a warning to its American citizens about the Bahamas’ high crime rate, robberies, murders and rapes.
GB students participate in summit to prepare them for the real world
ABOUT 80 high school students participated in ‘The Platform’, a summit for young professionals in Grand Bahama that prepares seniors for the real world.
Man gets 18 months jail after admitting to breaching his bail
A 61-year-old man was sentenced to 18 months in prison yesterday after admitting to breaching his bail on a pending armed robbery conspiracy charge.
Young man gets two years after guilty plea on possession of a loaded firearm
A 22-year-old male was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to having a loaded gun on Robinson Road last month.
Thursday, February 1
STATESIDE: Key campaign issues in place as Trump-Biden rematch all but set
THE stage is now nearly set for the Trump-Biden rematch in November. Major campaign issues are becoming clear: immigration and border security; the Middle East, and the economy.
FRONT PORCH: The sociological roots of violence and crime
“Violence toward others, such as homicide, is an attempt to replace shame with pride.” – Dr James Gilligan, MD.
Tourism engaging Margaritaville at Sea to reverse GB ticket decision
THE Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation said it is engaging Margaritaville at Sea to reverse its decision to no longer allow trips from Grand Bahama to Florida, calling the service essential to Grand Bahama residents.
Public complains of long lines and bad attitudes at Road Traffic Department
PATRONS of the Road Traffic Department criticised the long lines and slow service yesterday.
Govt holds consultation session for a Creative and Performing Arts School
GOVERNMENT officials held a consultation session for the Bahamas Creative and Performing Arts School (CAPAS) yesterday, marking what they called a significant step in developing an artistic hub for students.
EDITORIAL: How easy would it be if govt would only listen?
ONE of the common frustrations with government is the feeling that as a whole it does not listen.
Businessman blames crime and poor govt PR for tourist cancellations
THE owner of a fishing charter business reported multiple cancellations within a week, attributing them to recent international travel advisories about violent crime in The Bahamas.
FNM leaders expect to meet with police commissioner next week to address concerns of political use of officers
LEADERS of the Free National Movement will meet with Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander next week to discuss their concern that political operatives are using officers to intimidate and harass party members.
US Embassy helping to empower women to realise their entrepreneurial dreams in Grand Bahama
THE US Embassy is helping women in Grand Bahama realise and achieve their entrepreneurial dreams through its Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) programme.
Insurer: 'No significant' storm cover increases
A major Bahamian insurer yesterday pledged that its regular homeowner clients will not suffer "any significant increases" in catastrophe premium rates for policy renewals from April 1 onwards.
Gov't concern as hotel union on 'work-to-rule'
The hotel union's president last night said he told the Government "to talk" to industry employers as workers went into "full work-to-rule mode" over the impasse in industrial agreement talks.
Tourism to grow 14% despite crime fears
The deputy prime minister yesterday voiced optimism that The Bahamas will overcome media coverage of its crime woes by revealing first quarter bookings are expected to outpace 2023 by 14 percent.
The bill to amend the Bail Act was debated but not passed
MEMBERS of parliament debated a bill to amend the Bail Act yesterday, which the Davis administration hopes will crack down on bail violators and help reduce violent crime.
Woman dies in triple shooting
A woman was killed and two other people were taken to hospital after a shooting incident on Ragged Island Street on Wednesday night.
'Resounding no' to Business Licence filing extension call
The Government was yesterday said to have rejected calls to extend the Business Licence filing deadline despite multiple companies complaining they were unable to access its online tax payment portal.
Hotel Union on work to rule at Atlantis
BAHAMAS Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union president Darren Woods said members are now on work to rule as he promised further action if concerns are not met.
Former PM calls on govt to cancel ankle monitor contract
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis wants the Davis administration to cancel its contract with the company that monitors people on bail, saying “it’s quite evident they cannot manage” the system.
Police squadron leader recounts the events that led to death of three men
THE leader of the police squadron that conducted a fatal raid at a Blair Estates mansion in 2019 testified that officers were executing a search warrant for Tony Smith as the Coroner’s Court inquest continued yesterday.
‘DON’T GIVE CROOKS GOVT CONTRACTS’: Minnis says if he gave out names he would fear for life
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis urged his successor to commit not to give criminals government contracts, saying: “I cannot go into any more detail because my life would be in danger.”
Housing crisis needs solving
It has long been accepted that there is a severe affordable housing crisis here in the capital island of New Providence. This did not just pop up out of the proverbial blue but has been fueled by the apparent lazy, laid back modus operandi and non-innovative approach of our home grown urban designers and politicians, across the political chess board.
Declare state of emergency, Mr Davis
Lawlessness continues to plague our nation. The year has just begun, the month of January is not finished and we are already at record breaking numbers as it relates to murders.
Bahamasair partners with NFL Flag Bahamas
Bahamasair, the national flag carrier, is now officially on board with NFL Flag Bahamas and will sponsor Team Bahamas for the Pro Bowl Games scheduled for February 1-4 in Orlando, Florida.
Man charged in stabbing death of Sanchez Gittenz
A 20-year-old man was imprisoned yesterday after being accused of fatally stabbing 18-year-old Sanchez Gittenz as he attended a friend’s party at a bar last weekend.
Woman accused of abusing her son granted $8,000 bail
A 30-year-old mother was granted bail yesterday after being accused of abusing her eight-year-old son last month.
Man receives 18-month jail sentence for breaching bail
A MAN broke down in tears as he was sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting to once again breaching his bail on a pending murder charge.
Forty-year-old man allegedly drowned near Potters Cay
A FORTY-YEAR-OLD man allegedly drowned Tuesday during the early morning hours.
BAISS track and field meet cancelled?
THE Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) basketball playoffs are in full swing but, according to reports, the impending track and field meet will be shelved this time around.
BAISS basketball championships all set
THE 2024 Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) basketball championship matchups are all set.
