By Derek Smith Jr The technology landscape has changed dramatically in the last year, making it a constantly shifting and evolving environment. This shifting environment has tested enterprise risk management (ERM), governance structures and business continuity management strategies. Simply, no one could have precisely predicted the impact of COVID-19 on business, technology and cybersecurity. However, […]

By Barrise N Griffin The Bahamas is in a dangerously uncertain position. Hurricane Dorian caused immense damage to the physical landscape of Abaco and Grand Bahama, and the mental landscape of the entire nation, during its three-day rampage. Surrounding the topics of creating strategies to recover from these losses, a fashionable buzzword pops up frequently: […]

By Derek Smith Jr During a recent conversation concerning the complexity of the growing regulatory environment, one position held firm — that legal and compliance professionals should be seen as partners in sustainability. Additionally, in the current economically complicated environment, insurers have been required to respond to new risks more successfully, make more substantial commitments […]

By Allyson Maynard-Gibson, QC “It is time for a commitment to justice in its broadest sense — as a system that protects those who need it most, that promotes fairness in the economy and that strengthens the bonds which bring us together as a society.” — Justice for All and the Economic Crisis, Pathfinders’ Task […]

By Derek Smith Jr The independence of mind and independence of appearance is what gives assurance services their value and credibility. Globally, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendation 18 speaks to financial institutions (FI) programs against money laundering including “an independent audit function to test the system”. Locally, the Financial Transactions Reporting Act, 2018, […]

By R Masakui, India high commissioner to The Bahamas It was on March 15, 2020 that the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in The Bahamas. More than a year has elapsed, and the pandemic shows no signs of abating. The situation is no better in most countries of the world. Out of the few known […]

By Dawn Demeritte Not a problem in terms of a shortage of men. Instead, that The Bahamas is being held hostage by toxic patriarchy which extends from the government straight down to families of everyday Bahamians. And, unfortunately, the only people who suffer from it are women and children. On March 9, 2021, Jared Higgs, […]

By Kristoff Strachan It is perhaps no surprise that the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) responded in the wake of the prime minister’s recent revelations that the government of The Bahamas intends to introduce legislation to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. This issue is obviously a contentious one, and while their statement may […]

By Allyson Maynard-Gibson Speech delivered during a special event at the UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Kyoto, Japan, on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.  I have often heard it said that when written in Mandarin, the word crisis is composed of two characters — one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity. […]

By Derek Smith Jr As I ran along the Cable Beach strip contemplating why I decided on a vigorous “speed repeat routine” as embarked on my second week of a year-long journey to running my first full marathon, I was stopped by Bahamian-born, now Washington, DC-domiciled, Reuters Business Writer Katanga Johnson. Amidst our thought-provoking conversation […]

By Bryant Lowe In The Bahamas, we suffer ridiculously high electricity bills; and in most parts of The Bahamas, these high prices generally pay for an unreliable energy source. The high prices and unreliability are attributable to a variety of things ranging from out-of-date and poorly-kept machines owned by the electricity provider, to fuel cost, […]

By Devonté Hanna “If one confronts the police, they need to be prepared to meet their maker.” — Police Commissioner Paul Rolle, when asked about the use of force by his officers in August 2020 Year after year, countless videos of officers using undue force have inundated social media and caused widespread outrage about policing […]

By Derek Smith Jr I recently had the opportunity to sit and discuss the evolving roles of both the compliance officer (CO) and the money laundering reporting officer (MLRO) with a group of second-year law students from the Eugene Dupuch Law School. During this cross-examination-like exercise, the group ventured to ascertain my position on whether […]

By Lincoln Bain The Coalition of Independents has taken note of the urgent social crisis that has hit critical levels in this country that must be addressed urgently. Families are suffering evictions and foreclosures at alarming rates. In many instances, these evictions and foreclosures are leading to homelessness. Many Bahamians, particularly on New Providence and […]

By Allyson Maynard-Gibson What do you see when you look at a scene that appears to be barren land/dry bones? I see opportunity to build community, recognize our connectedness, transform our economy and pivot to people-centered justice. People accept that investment in healthcare is essential. COVID-19 highlighted health equity that we are only as safe […]