‘Up to 90%’ of BPL staff in Cat Island test positive
THE president of Bahamas Electrical Workers Union has confirmed that up to 90 percent of Bahamas Power and Light staff on Cat Island have tested positive for COVID-19.
2021/2022 BUDGET: PM announces employment incentive programme
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has announced the upcoming launch of an employment incentive programme that will allow businesses to apply for a VAT tax credit to cover the salaries of up to ten new employees brought onto their payroll as of July 1.
Wells ‘almost certain’ Pfizer vaccine will be available this year in Bahamas
HEALTH Minister Renward Wells said yesterday the Pfizer vaccine will “almost certainly” be available in the country this year.
Bahamas granted waiver for $100m World Bank loan
The World Bank yesterday gave The Bahamas “special dispensation” to qualify for a $100m loan that forms part of the government’s 2020-2021 borrowing strategy.
COVID’s lockdown drove 10% Nassau energy usage drop
New Providence’s energy demand decreased by just ten percent at the height of the first COVID-19 economic lockdown in April last year, an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report has revealed.
Bran: Don’t leave medical marijuana to ‘privileged few’
A former Cabinet minister yesterday voiced fears that the $10,000 medical marijuana licence fees are “cost prohibitive” and will restrict entrepreneurial participation to “the privileged few”.
Hundreds attracted to virtual conference
HUNDREDS of delegates from across the Caribbean attended the virtual RF Economic Outlook on May 6 under the theme, Global Digital Disruption: Threat or Opportunity?
Teenagers accused of school killing
TWO teens were arraigned in Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of two students at Government High School last week.
UK national remanded in custody
A UK national pleaded not guilty in Magistrate’s Court yesterday to a litany of fraud-related charges, including money laundering and possession of forged Bahamian documents.
Rastas reject cannabis law draft
A LOCAL Rastafarian leader has said draft marijuana legislation in the public domain is “unclear” and “repressive” and does not benefit Rastafarians or any Bahamian citizen.
Bannister concern at BPL’s outages
WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister said Bahamas Power and Light will have to hold accountable those responsible for the recent island-wide power outage that has sparked concerns about the company’s ability to provide reliable electricity this summer.
SHIPS AHOY: First cruise sailing out of Florida set to arrive on July 4
Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive yesterday said its “bread and butter” will return on July 4 when the cruise industry resumes calls on the Bahamian capital from its Florida hub.
‘Praying for magician, not Humpty Dumpty’ in budget
The government was yesterday urged not to increase the VAT rate as a cure for its fiscal ills in today’s budget, as the private sector revealed: “We’re praying for a magician, not Humpty Dumpty.”
Decision close on new North Campus for university
UNIVERSITY of the Bahamas North is close to deciding on a new permanent campus in downtown Freeport, according to campus president, Dr Ian Strachan.
New homes handed over to Sweeting’s Cay residents
NINE newly-built homes were turned over to residents in Sweeting’s Cay during a key handover ceremony last week.
Haitian men admit guilt over fake documents
TWO Haitian men pleaded guilty to charges of possession of forged documents in court yesterday.
EDITORIAL: All eyes on the Budget for The Bahamas
THE Budget being presented today may just be the most important in modern times for The Bahamas.
Looking for a connection
Some years ago I had an English client who had a marvelous way of telling you how to overcome Murphy’s law. “If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong, and usually does”. He would say a gentleman needs a pair of braces (suspenders ), a belt and a piece of string to ensure that his trousers stay up.
Fighting for project’s approval for ten years
Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club Co Ltd is now in its tenth year of trying to receive approvals from the Government of The Bahamas. We have Bahamas Investment Authority Approval, a Memorandum of Understanding and accepted the Government of the Bahamas’ offer for a Crown Land Lease in 2020. The Attorney General of The Bahamas has told us that the agreements that we have in place amount to nothing which prompted us to take the Government of The Bahamas to court to have the Crown Land Lease honoured.
Farewell to a familiar landmark
My heart broke last week when I saw the cutting down at Town Centre Mall of the historic silk cotton tree that was once the glorious attraction to what was many years ago the “silk worm farm.” I don’t know how old the tree was because even then it was pretty ancient, and today — although myself a small child when it was in its glory, am also pretty ancient — so I know the tree was there long before I was even born – that’s a long, long time ago!
