The Big Story

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Renowned religious leader Bishop Walter Hanchell, president of Great Commission Ministries and chairman of Citizens for Justice, has been fighting cancer following a diagnosis in early March. In Parliament on Wednesday, Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin called on the nation to pray for Hanchell. “I’m inviting the nation to pray for this man, Bishop Walter Hanchell, because Bishop...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Some $5.2 million in payment fraud complaints were made in 2020, the Central Bank of The Bahamas has revealed, with debit cards amounting for nearly 70 percent of those cases. The bank and trust company regulator’s 2020 annual report revealed that the total number of reported fraud cases processed by commercial banks for cheques, debit and credit cards...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Infrastructure, resources and personnel could be in place to fully establish The Bahamas sex offenders registry within two months, according to Minister of National Security Marvin Dames. According to the Sexual Offenders Regulations 2019, the minister would make a disclosure to the public to “heighten their awareness of the presence of the sexual offender in or near...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government did not consult the official opposition when it chose and appointed the new Freedom of Information (FOI) commissioner, according to Opposition Leader Philip Brave Davis. On Sunday, Attorney General Carl Bethel named retired Supreme Court Justice Keith Thompson and former Assistant Director of Legal Affairs (ADLA) Shane Miller as the first freedom of information commissioner...

Court decision may allow some family members to get death certificates nearly two years after tragic storm Just 25 human remains of 59 recovered have been identified, pathologist notes NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Her Majesty's Coroner yesterday heard the final testimonies in the first part of an inquest into people presumed to have died during Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. Witnesses...

Aubry: This is prime time for Bahamas to look at economic diversification, digitization and expenditure NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As the country continues to battle the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, a governor reformer said yesterday that this nation must craft policies for a resilient future. Matt Aubry, the Organization for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, told Eyewitness News...

Opposition leader says private discussion between Minnis and Moultrie should have been held before the matter was made public NASSAU, BAHAMAS —  Opposition Leader Philip Brave Davis yesterday warned that the “administrative impasse” between the House of Assembly speaker and the government could lead to an interruption in the legislative agenda. Davis was responding to declarations made by House Speaker...

Speaker says Parliament having an “Ephesians 6:12 moment” Moultrie clarifies his “war” comments do not mean for young men to take up arms NASSAU, BAHAMAS — House Speaker Halson Moultrie on Wednesday accused the executive branch of the government of dragging the Parliament “like a dinghy boat” as he once again demanded for the independence of the House. Moultrie, who...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Tempers flared in the House of Assembly yesterday with both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly lashing out at party leaders. A shouting match between Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Don Saunders and Opposition Leader Philip Davis saw the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP escorted out of Parliament...

Airlines must pay to fly in Bahamas’ airspace Govt projects $300-350 million intake over next 10 years NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas, for the first time in its history, is assuming management of its sovereign airspace in a move that could yield $300 to $350 million over the next 10 years, according to Tourism and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar. The...

Govt social assistance expenditure up 650.3% compared to same period in prior year NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The country’s fiscal deficit in the nine months ending March of this year ballooned nearly 250 percent compared to the same period of the prior fiscal year, widening from $251.3 million to a massive $878.2 million, according to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — While the government saw an improvement in its revenue intake during the third quarter of the fiscal year due to the continued relaxation of COVID-19 restrictive measures and the restart of the tourism sector, total revenue still saw a nearly 30 percent decline over the same period in the previous fiscal year. According to the Ministry of...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The United States will export at least 10 percent of its stock of COVID-19 vaccines to other countries by July 4, according to Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt, a senior advisor to President Joe Biden’s coronavirus response team. While it remains unclear which countries will be the beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccine from the US, Slavit said the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Sandals Resorts International (SRI) Executive Chairman Adam Stewart said yesterday he has “no doubt” that the Royal Bahamian resort on Cable Beach will be “fully booked out” when it reopens in early November following a $37 million renovation. Stewart, who gave insight into the renovations to be undertaken while touring the property yesterday, said 980 jobs will...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) President Belinda Wilson yesterday urged education officials to shore up health and safety protocols in public schools as positive cases of COVID-19 continue to pop up among the student and staff population. According to the union, cases have been confirmed at Thelma Gibson Primary, Sadie Curtis Primary, Uriah McPhee Primary, Gambier Primary...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — An aircraft that crashed in shallow waters off the runway of South Bimini International Airport, killing one man and injuring another, climbed to an altitude of around 40 feet and came down a few seconds later with a thud, according to an eyewitness account contained in the preliminary report prepared by the Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA)....

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Amendments to the Securities legislation will address outstanding deficiencies in the protection of minority investors’ regime and other technical gaps in the legislation, according to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. Minnis, who led debate in the House of Assembly on the Securities Industry (Amendment) Bill, 2021, noted that his administration remains resolute in strengthening the protection of...

FREEPORT, GRAND BAHAMA — Police arrested four men after officers found two bags of suspected cocaine in bushes in the area of Dover Sound, East Grand Bahama, yesterday. Superintendent Terecita Pinder said the total weight of the bags was 60lbs with an estimated street value of $600,000. "Shortly before 5pm, officers of the Flying Squad, acting on intelligence, proceeded to...