The Big Story

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Grand Bahama Shipyard has dismissed as “erroneous” allegations that it brought in foreign workers to mitigate a worker shortage as a result of not having enough vaccinated employees available. Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey read in Parliament yesterday a statement from the shipyard chief executive David Skentelbery dismissing claims that foreign workers had been brought...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Water & Sewerage Corporation (WSC) chairman Sylvanus Petty said yesterday that the corporation will not be conducting any mass disconnections while calling the previous notice “political mischief”. Petty told reporters yesterday, “There will be no mass disconnections. That’s political mischief. Moving forward we do encourage people to pay their bills. It’s been surprising that we have a...

EIGHT MILE ROCK, GRAND BAHAMA — Police discovered 250 kilos of suspected cocaine during a search of an apartment complex in Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama shortly after midnight on Monday. According to a press statement, officers from Drug Enforcement Unit, Drug Enforcement Administration, and OPBAT conducted a joint operation at an unpainted apartment complex situated in Russell Town. "Upon...

725 new infections were recorded over the last month, compared to 2,172 cases in previous month NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas’ travel advisory reclassification by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to level three reopens opportunities for groups and conferences to be booked in the country, said the Ministry of Health and Wellness yesterday. Health officials confirmed last week that...

Economic affairs minister says govt already taking steps to address S&P’s concerns Credit ratings agency does “not anticipate meaningful new revenue” in short-term for The Bahamas NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Davis administration understands the need to urgently address this nation’s level of indebtedness, according to Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis. He noted that the government is already taking steps to...

All Saints Camp dealt “major blow” with dramatic drop in funding assistance, missionary work on pause and lack of staffing NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The All Saints Camp, a refuge for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDs, has seen donations and contributions drop a whopping 65 to 70 percent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to administrators. Over the weekend, administrators...

CBL encouraging staff to return to work but says it won’t be “business as usual” NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Cable Bahamas saw a nearly 11 percent increase in its first quarter revenue compared to the same period the previous year, the company has reported. Franklyn Butler, the BISX-listed communications provider’s chief executive, told Eyewitness News: “We are continuing to improve our...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As the public state of emergency expires, new legislation on the management of the pandemic and requirements for citizens came into effect today that largely mandates similar health protocols.   According to the Health Services (COVID-19)(General) Rules, 2021, the minister is empowered to take all steps to guard against the spread of the virus, including imposing restrictions,...

Health minister expresses concern about unvaccinated frontline health workers NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Nearly a quarter of the active coronavirus cases in The Bahamas remain hospitalized, according to the latest data on COVID-19 cases. The nation recorded 14 cases on Wednesday and one death that was under investigation. Six cases were recorded on Thursday. New infections have continued to steadily decline...

"A lot of people have commented on what a beautiful way to memorialize him" "Meet The ABC Animals" officially launched on Amazon on November 1 NASSAU, BAHAMAS — In the spring of 2020, as the world grappled with the staggering loss of lives and livelihoods due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kai Sweeting was reeling from her own...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Darion Smith, 33, and Ostonya Walker, 29, the mother of four-year-old D’Onya “Bella” Walker, who died last Friday as a result of blunt force trauma, were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The pair appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt. Prosecutors alleged that on November 5, Smith intentionally and unlawfully caused the death of Bella. Bella Walker....

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — More than two years after the Sexual Offender Register came into force in The Bahamas, a number of sex offenders have been released from the Department of Correctional Services without being placed on the register and having to comply with the report component that the register permits, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe said yesterday. The act...

CDC Level 4 advisory hurting groups business, says Davis NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Baha Mar’s president said yesterday that the $40 cost of the travel health visa for tourists is an “unnecessary burden” and an “impediment”, noting that 90 percent of the guests the resort checks in are vaccinated. Graeme Davis, who was speaking yesterday on the sidelines of the Caribbean Hotel...

Davis: The climate for investment and tourism continues to improve every day NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas is on course to experience a “rapid rebound” in tourist arrivals to pre-pandemic levels, according to Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis. Davis, who was addressing the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit (CHICOS) at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar yesterday, said: “I am...

Central Bank governor says Littrell’s comments do not reflect the institution NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Central Bank Governor John Rolle said yesterday that the regulator is “very sympathetic” to the concerns customers have around banking fees and the quality of financial services in general.  The regulator’s top inspector, Charles Littrell, told attendees of a Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) seminar...

Halkitis reaffirms Davis administration’s commitment to small business development NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government is moving quickly to address revenue administration reform and modernization efforts as one of the key planks in its recovery strategy, according to Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis. He noted that this nation’s public debt levels have soared to approximately 100 percent of this nation’s gross domestic...

Munroe quashes “distressing” rumors of sexual assault; says the fact that Bella died of blunt force trauma is reason enough to cause outrage Police commissioner: We don't need another one of our children to be injured or assaulted in any kind of way NASSAU, BAHAMAS — There was no evidence of sexual assault in the death of four-year-old D’Onya Bella Walker,...

Opposition supports bill but Pintard questions removal of controversial competent authority NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Members of Parliament yesterday unanimously passed a bill to provide for the removal of the state of emergency and emergency orders and the implementation of rules to manage COVID-19 protocols. It is recognized that all that was done could have been done under existing legislation. -...