The Big Story

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government is still seeking to source 100 nurses from abroad to assist in the COVID-19 fight in The Bahamas, according to Minister of Health Renward Wells. “The reality is that the Nursing Council of The Bahamas would have just conducted a test for I believe some 71 nursing students who would have completed their training," Wells...

Dear Editor, "America has spoken and the world is inspired…I am sure that we in the Caribbean will look forward with optimism to working with the new administration to confront a number of global issues from the awful pandemic to the climate crisis to the pursuit of racial justice.”  Prime Minister Mia Mottley, 7th November, 2020. Prime Minister Mottley expressed the sentiment...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The 2019-2020 academic year brought daunting challenges for University of The Bahamas (UB’s), but still senior administrators have touted some successes and set key priorities for the 2020-2021 academic year. The Fall 2020 semester has been marked by an increase in full-time enrolment and Family Island enrolment, an expansion of land assets, while new graduate programmes will...

Associated Press called US presidential race for Biden today NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis offered congratulations to United States President-Elect Joe Biden after he was declared the winner of the US presidency by The Associated Press. Minnis also offered his regards to Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, who made history, becoming the first woman of color to be...

McMillan assures follow up testing protocol secure NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Follow-up testing of travelers who arrived in The Bahamas this week is being performed and enforced, according to Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen. He was unable to provide specifics, including how many people had been tested and what number, if any, had tested positive for the coronavirus. As...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan said yesterday that restrictive measures introduced in New Providence and Abaco on October 9 to mitigate against the spread of the coronavirus has yielded a 50 percent reduction in new infections. “The data shows encouraging signs,” McMillan said during a Ministry of Health press conference. “…The number and trend of incidents...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As Atlantis prepares to open with its “bubble” concept on December 1, employees of the megaresort on Paradise Island will be required to take a rapid antigen test weekly beginning next Monday. The resort has been shuttered since mid-March. In a letter to staff dated November 6, Atlantis Human Resources advised said beginning Monday all employees will...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — In an effort to expand its testing protocols, the National Reference Laboratory will begin a saliva-based pilot testing exercise this month, according to Minister of Health Renward Wells. “The SalivaDirect test to undergo an evaluation by being piloted within New Providence and selected Family Islands,” “The study will be targeting asymptomatic persons. “In this pilot evaluation exercise,...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — While the Ministry of Tourism was unable to say how many follow-up tests have been performed since the tourism reopening, officials have assured the new testing protocol for entry into The Bahamas was underway and results would be provided in short order. Tourism officials told Eyewitness News: "There are many private clinics that have partnered with the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — While Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis advised the government is moving to further enact the Freedom of Information Act, civil society organizations yesterday urged legislators to pick up the pace to bring the act fully into effect. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis advised on Wednesday that he is in the process of reviewing the credentials of possible candidates...

BNT to issue statement on shark culling proposal today NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamian fishermen have recommended that the government temporarily lift the ban on shark harvesting, and allow culling to balance the population. In a statement, the Bahamas Commercial Fisher Alliance backed recent remarks by Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest who noted that “sharks and turtles” have become a...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas will likely see "anemic" economic recovery until its tourism industry returns to at least 50-60 percent pre-COVID levels according to a former Central Bank Governor, who suggested the Bahamian economy would be worse off if not for the resilience of the financial services sector. Julian Francis, who served as Governor of the Central Bank from...

One man stabbed to death, another shot dead and four others injured NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A man was stabbed to death yesterday morning at a residence on Joe Farrington Road, according to police. The incident, which took place at 10am, came just hours after a man was killed and four others were injured in a drive-by shooting in the area...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Legislation regulating the sale and issuance of digital assets could provide The Bahamas with much-needed avenues to new industries and allow new entrants into that space, according to Caribbean Blockchain Alliance President Stefen Deleveaux. “It’s going to be a big win for us," Deleveaux told Eyewitness News. The Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges Bill, 2020 (DARE Bill) debated...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The 6th Annual Long Island Business Outlook (LIBO) will be held on November 12 under the theme, “A New Era: Resilience in the Face of Vulnerability.” This free virtual event is intended for, but not limited to, residents of Long Island. There will be four sessions with an array of speakers who will discuss tourism, technology, entrepreneurship,...

Minnis will address the nation by Sunday  NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday defended the allowance of hotels in New Providence to operate during the weekend lockdown with beach access, insisting that the policy is fair to guests who follow testing protocols. Minnis said health officials continued to meet to review data on the COVID-19 situation in the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Shoppers can now pay for groceries and get CashBack at all Super Value locations in New Providence when they check-out using the MobileAssist App. Using QR Codes for cashless transactions is just one more step the food store chain is implementing to keep both customers and cashiers safe as the country learns to co-exist with Covid-19. The...

System expected to bring heavy rain and moderate winds over northwest Bahamas NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Tropical Depression Eta is now projected to veer further northeast away from The Bahamas and toward South Florida as a tropical storm next week, though meteorologists warn the storm’s outer bands could bring significant rainfall and some moderate winds to the northwestern Bahamas. “The new...