The Big Story

Chairman boasts no customer has been disconnected despite losses NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) suffered a “monumental” 30 percent revenue loss in 2020 when compared to 2019, its executive chairman told Parliament yesterday. Adrian Gibson, the Long Island MP, added, however, that the corporation has not disconnected a single customer since last March at the onset of...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Acknowledging some initial “hesitancy” among some sectors of the nation towards the coronavirus vaccine, Minister of Health Renward Wells said the feedback from the general populous has been pro-vaccine, which bodes well for the government’s vaccination program. Last month, former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands told Eyewitness News that the hesitancy expressed by healthcare workers in...

More than 700 voters registered within the last 2 weeks; more than 5,000 registered since 2017 NASSAU, BAHAMAS — There has been an increase in registered voters on New Providence since 2017, according to Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Lavado Duncanson. There were 181,000 registered voters in the 2017 General Election, with a voter turnout of around 88 percent. In an interview...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Acknowledging the hardship among the Bahamian people and the criticisms of the government, Tall Pines MP Don Saunders said yesterday that the Free National Movement (FNM), when walking in constituencies, “take our blows”, but insisted the general feedback from the electorate is more favorable than negative. During the mid-year budget debate in Parliament, Saunders, the deputy speaker...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of the Public Service and National Insurance and Garden Hills MP Brensil Rolle announced in Parliament yesterday that he will not be seeking to run in the upcoming general election. Last month, the Free National Movement (FNM) ratified Stephen Greenslade for Garden Hills. Rolle opted not to comment on the ratification at the time, however, yesterday,...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Five months after the Central Bank of The Bahamas officially launched the Sand Dollar, local authorized financial institution (AFI) Kanoo has become the first financial institution in the world to have it completely integrated into its system, allowing for interoperability. Company officials believe this capability proves its commitment to ensuring all Bahamians have access and the ability...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — In the next general election, a political rookie and a veteran will go against the Free National Movement’s (FNM) incumbent, MP Jeff Lloyd. Lloyd was ratified by the FNM on February 2. Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd. The former journalist, who noted that it is up to voters if he is to be re-elected, received 2,893 votes...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The National Insurance Board (NIB) is collaborating with the Department of Immigration to produce a card that will be issued at birth and indicate a person’s nationality, Minister of Public Service and National Insurance Brensil Rolle told Parliament today. Rolle, the Garden Hills MP, while making his contribution in Parliament to the mid-year budget debate, stated: “What...

Forbes notes continued emergence of new vaccines in the meantime is “a good thing” NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas continues to use the antiviral drug remdesivir in severe COVID-19 cases despite a lack of consensus among the global health society on its use, according to National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme Director Dr Nikkiah Forbes. In an interview with Eyewitness News,...

NASSAU BAHAMAS — Several members and supporters of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) staged a protest in Rawson Square yesterday, calling on Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to “ring the bell” for the next general election. Democratic National Alliance (DNA) members and supporters stage a demonstration in Rawson Square and Parliament Square on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (FILE PHOTOS) The...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Speaker of the House of Assembly Halson Moultrie said yesterday that the Constituencies Commission has sought the legal advice of the Office of the Attorney General and independent legal opinions from a group of Queen’s Counsel on allowing displaced Dorian survivors special voting considering to cast their ballots on Abaco and Grand Bahama. In an interview with...

Plastics ban leading to security concerns, says AID head NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A major Bahamian retailer said yesterday it has seen a dramatic increase in shoplifting since last year. Jason Watson, Automotive Industrial Distributors (AID) president, told Eyewitness News that while customer traffic has been good Monday through Saturday, not being allowed to open on Sundays has really hurt the...

“What justice do I get as a daddy?” “A drug dealer or a murderer is more susceptible to going to prison than these sex offenders” NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Attorney General Carl Bethel said yesterday his office is looking into reports of a man sentenced with a "slap on the wrist" after being found guilty of the indecent assault of a...

National security minister hints sex offenders registry and more body-worn cameras soon to come NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Renewing a cautionary warning to armed suspects, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames urged young men who feel “emboldened” to exchange fire with trained officers to reconsider, as they would be doing so at their own peril. During the mid-year budget debate, the...

Former MP “determined to continue the work I’ve started” NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe won the unofficial vote as the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate nominee for the Bimini constituency in the upcoming general election. At the PLP's Bimini Constituency Committee, Wilchcombe received 94 votes against four other aspiring candidates. He also won the majority vote...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Immigration Elsworth Johnson yesterday lamented Opposition Leader Philip Brave Davis’ treatment of several senior and legacy Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) members, including Mangrove Cay and South Andros MP Picewell Forbes, whom he referred to as “big man”, and former Prime Minister Perry Christie. Johnson made the statement during the mid-year budget debate. Forbes, who was...

“They just keep kicking the can down the road and use COVID as an excuse” NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Taxi drivers staged another demonstration yesterday as they called on the government to bring resolution to long-standing issues plaguing the sector. Bahamas Taxicab Union President Wesley Ferguson told reporters during a demonstration outside of Parliament: “The issues are still the same. For...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas has the highest on-time filing rates for value-added tax (VAT) in the region, a new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) study laying out key fiscal and financial reforms has revealed. In the book entitled “Economic Institutions for a Resilient Caribbean”, it was noted that in order to build resilience against external shocks and recover from the...