The Big Story

Registrar General’s Department and Freedom of Information unit to move into Bahamas Financial Center NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Attorney General Ryan Pinder said yesterday that the government has retained a firm to develop an online platform for the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) that will be modeled after the Cayman Island’s RGD platform. Pinder, during his contribution to the supplementary budget debate...

Vaccine uptake in November drops to a third of October rate NASSAU, BAHAMAS — In an attempt to bolster COVID vaccine uptake before supplies expire, the government is exploring introducing a hybrid lotto and monetary incentive, among other benefits, to take the jab, Eyewitness News can confirm. Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville said: “It’s something that we are...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A man was found hanging from a wooden beam on the front porch of his home in Hope Town, Abaco, on Saturday in what police are investigating as a suicide. The identity of the man was not released. According to authorities, the man, a Caucasian, was found around 1pm. Police said: “Upon the officer’s arrival, the initial...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A man drowned after the vessel he was on with three other men sank in waters in the area of the "hole in the wall" off Sandy Point. The 65-foot tugboat was en route from New Providence to Coopers Town, Abaco, around 4am when it experienced mechanical problems. The captain made a distress call as the vessel...

Wilson: 30% of students have not had any formal education for more than 20 months Ministry of Education postpones report card day to Jan 2022 NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) President Belinda Wilson said last night that the union supports the government’s decision to cancel end-of-term examinations and the assessment of students upon their return in January....

Cooper notes omicron has not been shown to be more dangerous than delta variant NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Tourism, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday that the Ministry of Tourism is closely monitoring reports of the COVID-19 omicron variant in order to shift with the latest data, noting that there is likely to be minimal impact on the holiday...

CPSA president urges public to consider “bigger picture” of health and safety Health minister says govt considering hybrid vaccine lotto NASSAU, BAHAMAS — While it stopped short of offering support for COVID-19 vaccine incentives, the Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) acknowledged incentives can motivate vaccine uptake. However, CPSA President Sabriquet Pinder-Butler called on Bahamians to look at the “bigger picture”...

"I believe that many Bahamians support the movement of wishing to move away from Colonial rule" NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Local entrepreneur Toby Smith is calling on the government to consider renaming Colonial Beach, situated on the western end of Paradise Island, to Lighthouse Beach. In an open letter to Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis, Smith said: “I hereby formally request...

Winners selected based on input from industry analysts, corporate executives and technology experts  NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has been named the Caribbean's Best Private Bank by Global Finance Magazine for the second consecutive year.  RBC also captured local Best Private Bank awards in both The Bahamas and Barbados markets.  I want to congratulate all of our...

Previous Shock Treatment participant was one of six men killed in Jerome Ave mass shooting NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government is expected to relaunch the Shock Treatment program and reality TV show in January 2022, announced Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe yesterday. During a press conference announcing the reintroduction of the initiative, Munroe advised that the program will be...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Health officials and law enforcement are still trying to determine the management for the enforcement and monitoring of COVID-19 individuals required to isolate and quarantine, said National Security Minister Wayne Munroe. Munroe was responding to questions surrounding the government tracking system of COVID-19 positive individuals and noted that officials had a meeting on the matter as recently...

“The government of The Bahamas recognizes that usually there would be two holiday days” NASSAU, BAHAMAS  — The Cabinet is expected to discuss on Tuesday whether it will add an additional day to the current Christmas holiday weekend, confirmed Press Secretary Clint Watson yesterday. Presently, according to the 2021 Public Holidays calendar issued by the Cabinet Office, while both Christmas...

HIV home testing coming soon NASSAU, BAHAMAS — There was a 55 percent decrease in AIDS/HIV testing in The Bahamas in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme Dr Nikkiah Forbes on Wednesday. Forbes advised that by the end of 2020, there were 4,700 people living with HIV in The Bahamas....

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, the member of Parliament for Killarney, yesterday insisted that allowing a Carnival to operate is “very, very dangerous at this time”, particularly because of potentially young attendees who remain unvaccinated. He said he was “amazed” and had “great concern” to see the carnival site being set up, and called on Minister...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — With The Bahamas’ supplies of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine set to expire before the end of the year, Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville said the government is in discussions to share those doses with several other Caribbean countries that need them. “We have 20,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson just sitting there,” Darville told Eyewitness...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thomson yesterday accused the Davis administration of suffering from a severe case of “selective memory” regarding the former administration’s efforts towards this nation’s economic performance. Thompson, the East Grand Bahama MP, during his contribution to the supplementary budget debate yesterday, stated: “The government suffers from a severe case of selective memory. It...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Golden Gates MP Michael Foulkes yesterday announced his bid for the Free National Movement’s (FNM) chairmanship during the party’s February convention. Foulkes confirmed his run in an interview with Eyewitness News, saying that he believes his long-running history within the party and his experience in governance will be beneficial to the future of the FNM. Michael...

Opposition leader denies attitude towards speaker is gender-based Hanna-Martin: Show the same patience for Deveaux as for Moultrie  NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Acting Prime Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin on Wednesday accused Opposition Leader Michael Pintard of being hypocritical in his position against House Speaker Patricia Deveaux when he did not behave the same way with the previous controversial speaker. Englerston MP Glenys...