The Big Story

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Local resorts are forecasting “robust” occupancies this upcoming Easter holiday weekend, according to Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) President Robert ‘Sandy’ Sands, with this year’s CARIFTA Games also contributing to the high demand for hotel room inventory on New Providence.  The 50th CARIFTA Games is scheduled for April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, attracting hundreds...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) has announced that businessman Robert Myers has stepped down as Chair of the Board after almost eight years of leading the organization. Myers, one of ORG's founders, played a crucial role in establishing ORG's non-partisan mission and driving its growth to become a leading voice for accountable governance, economic development, and...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Following a massive fire in Bimini on Sunday that left eleven families homeless, residents appealed to government to station a fire truck on the island to prevent future loss. Hugh Smith, who joined other residents in outing Sunday’s fire to officials who traveled to the island—including Prime Minister Philip Davis and area MP Obie Wilchcombe—claimed that had...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), key private sector tourism stakeholders and representatives from ports of entry met with Minister of Transport and Housing JoBeth Coleby-Davis and other public sector partners to discuss potential collaborative opportunities to enhance the transportation experience within The Bahamas. This initial meeting sought to set the foundation for further engagement with...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Environment Minister Vaughn Miller says that his ministry is “cracking down” on the indiscriminate clearing of large tracts of land, which studies show contribute to a third of all human-caused greenhouse-gas emissions. Miller while addressing the recent Best Energy Bahamas Expo stated: “It is estimated that about two-thirds of carbon dioxide increase comes from the burning of fossil...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The chairman of a family island commonage committee said yesterday that he was “beyond ecstatic” that authorities had responded quickly to thwart the construction of an illegal structure in a local community, telling Eyewitness News, “we’re just sick and tired of this.” Amidst growing concerns over the unregulated construction of buildings and the expansion of shantytowns, the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Philip Davis said yesterday that he now feels “betrayed, deeply disappointed and disturbed” by recent comments by a local entrepreneur seeking  to undertake a development on the western end of Paradise Island, as he again dismissed Opposition criticism that he had “flip-flopped” on the Royal Caribbean deal. Opposition leader Michael Pintard in Parliament yesterday questioned...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas is estimated to have collected nearly $43 million in airspace fees for the 2022/2023 fiscal year, a sum which is expected to be higher based on the faster-than-expected recovery in air traffic movements according to Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper. Cooper, the Tourism, Aviation and Investments Minister, gave a communication to Parliament yesterday on the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS —  A 2019 National Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Risk Factor STEPS Survey has outlined what Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Danville described yesterday as “startling” findings regarding poor individual health in the country and major gaps in this nation’s public healthcare system. Darville told Parliament yesterday that the 2019 National Non- Communicable Disease (NCD) Risk Factor STEPS Survey was...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Philip Davis said yesterday that his administration is “turning talk into action” by advancing legislation to establish this jurisdiction as an international arbitration hub, noting that this will help attract more foreign investment to the country. While making his contribution to the debate yesterday on the International Commercial Arbitration Bill (2023) and Arbitration Amendment Bill...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas is backing Mexico’s appeal over its $10 billion lawsuit seeking to hold US gun manufacturers responsible for facilitating the trafficking of deadly weapons.  Last November, a US District Court for the District of Massachusetts dismissed the case against gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson Brands Inc, Sturm Ruger & Co and others which it accused of...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Insurers say that while they welcome the government’s decision to defer the implementation of changes to the treatment of Value-Added Tax (VAT) on health insurance, the issue has been taken “off the table.” Marcus Bosland, Chairman of The Bahamas Insurance Association’s (BIA) health insurance committee said: “The government has indicated and we first read it through newspaper reports...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday that government wants to provide more incentives to support the vacation home rental sector, noting that it presents the fastest way to boost this destination’s room inventory and for Bahamians to invest in the tourism industry.  Cooper who has ministerial responsibility for Tourism, Aviation, and Investments when asked yesterday about...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A woman was sexually assaulted at gunpoint by a man who offered her a ride yesterday morning. According to police, the victim was walking in the area of Bacardi Road and accepted a ride from an unknown man who was driving a burgundy-colored vehicle sometime around 9am. "During this time, the male drove the victim to a...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Lawyers for FTX have filed a complaint in a US bankruptcy court claiming that the company’s Bahamian subsidiary FTX Digital Markets is a legal and economic ‘nullity,’ which had been merely created as a ‘front’ to facilitate fraudulent transfers. In the complaint filed against FTX Digital Markets and its joint provisional liquidators Brian Simms, Kevin Cambridge and...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Parliament yesterday suspended debate on the Tourism Development Corporation Bill 2023 as an association representing vacation rental owners in the country is seeking to offer its recommendations to the legislation which it says lacked industry consultation. Parliamentarians were set to debate the legislation yesterday. Theofanis Cochinamogulos, Interim President of The Bahamas vacation Rentals Association in a letter...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Following last week's signing of a Heads of Agreement (HOA) for a $25 million high-end, low-impact boutique resort on Sampson Cay in the Exuma chain, the government yesterday signed an HOA for a $550 million luxury development on Cave Cay in the Exumas. The HOA with Cave Cay Limited brings the total level of foreign direct investment (FDI)...

Opposition calls for Hanna-Martin to resign NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Philip Davis last night defended Education minister Glenys Hanna-Martin’s recent comments about the pending deal with Royal Caribbean International (RCI) on Paradise Island as a reflection of her longstanding political advocacy and not a violation of the Ministerial Code.  Hanna-Martin told reporters last week that her position opposing the...