The Big Story

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield said yesterday The Bahamas could be headed for the “worst period of the pandemic”. Henfield led debate in the House of Assembly on a resolution to extend the emergency orders to November 30. He said public health experts predicted months ago the winter months could worsen the situation as more people...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Opposition Leader Philip Brave Davis said yesterday that “no self-respecting parliamentarian” should support an extension of the public state of emergency to November 30. Davis maintained the opposition's stance against the resolution during debate in the House of Assembly yesterday. Davis said: “Mr Speaker, we do not support an extension of this emergency order. Bahamians are suffering....

RO operator to challenge Eleuthera order, called WSC delinquent and unresponsive NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) Executive Chairman Adrian Gibson told Parliament yesterday that the government has paid out $500 million to reverse osmosis plant operators over the past two decades. Gibson said those payments were due to what he described as “bad contracts and poor negotiation”....

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Health officials confirmed four new COVID-19 related deaths and an additional 36 cases in The Bahamas yesterday. The number of cases in The Bahamas now stands at 6,504. Of those cases, 27 were in New Providence, two were in Grand Bahama, and seven in Eleuthera. The latest deaths are all from New Providence and include an 87-year-old...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The resolution to extend the state of emergency and emergency orders to November 30 has been passed in the House of Assembly. Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis moved for a division of the House following the debate on the matter. There were 14 votes in favour of the resolution, zero votes against, zero abstentions and 24 absent....

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Mount Tabor Church Senior Pastor Bishop Neil Ellis yesterday said he was referring to a senior civil servant and not the prime minister when he spoke about the religious belief of an official during a fiery sermon. On Sunday, Ellis gave a scathing rebuke of the Minnis-led administration as he expressed opposition to the extension of the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Labor Minister Dion Foulkes yesterday said the vast majority of Bahamians who had been laid-off have returned to work, with the exception of the tourism sector. Foulkes was speaking at a Minster’s Report press conference and was unable to confirm the current employment rate. However, he maintained thousands of Bahamians have returned to their jobs, with the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Labor Minister Dion Foulkes confirmed yesterday that the government is doing all it can to cause Club Med San Salvador earlier than December 2021 as planned. Foulkes addressed the issue yesterday during his Minister’s Report press conference. “That is a serious concern of the government," he said. "The Club Med resort at San Salvador is the major employer...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — National Tripartite Council chairman Robert Farquharson said yesterday that transferring the function of the Industrial Tribunal to the civil side of the Supreme Court is among the most significant of its recommended reform. Farquharson, who appeared yesterday at a Minister’s Report press conference, explained the move is under consideration by the government, and would enable the tribunal...

Clarke also charged with arson of Doctor's Hospital building, causing $200,000 worth of damages NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A 30-year-old man was sentenced in the Magistrate's Court to three years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $50,000 worth of cash and items from a home in Cable Beach, and causing over $50,000 worth of damage. Leroy Clarke, of...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Long Island MP Adrian Gibson said it is his prayer that COVID-19 testing will be made free or become as affordable as possible in The Bahamas. “Mr Speaker, I recognize that medical care facilities across the country have noticeably increased testing,” he said during debate in Parliament on a resolution to extend the orders to November 30....

Central and northern Bahamas could experience intermittent "heavy showers" NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Tropical Storm Zeta is forecasted to become a hurricane or reach near hurricane strength later today as it approaches northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. As of 1pm yesterday, Zeta was moving northwest at 10 miles per hour. It had maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour with expected...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- It was an emotional homecoming for Buddy Hield over the weekend as the Sacramento Kings shooting guard was honored by his former high school for his contributions toward its basketball program. The Sunrise Christian Academy Buffaloes retired Hield’s No.24 jersey at a ceremony to conclude its “Sunrise Madness” event in Wichita, Kansas. Addressing the team’s current players and...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Tourism has announced a public-private partnership with the Living With COVID Coalition (LWCC), a local non-profit organization, to secure access to nearly three million approved rapid antigen tests. The move comes just over a week before the country is set to remove the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival on November 1. The tests will...

Access to up to 3 million rapid antigen tests to support new travel protocols NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Tourism Dionisio D'Agular said yesterday that the country is still on track to remove the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for travelers on November 1. D'Aguilar's comments come just days after a senior health official indicated that The Bahamas is not prepared...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Health officials confirmed an additional 56 coronavirus cases on Sunday, taking the total number of cases in the country to 6,466. Of the latest cases, 34 were in New Providence, nine in Grand Bahama, one in Abaco, four in Eleuthera, one in Exuma, and seven with locations pending. Another 58 COVID-19 cases were confirmed on Saturday. Of...

FNM Chairman brands sermon “nasty political attack” NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Mount Tabor Church Senior Pastor Bishop Neil Ellis yesterday gave a scathing rebuke of the Minnis-led administration as he expressed opposition to the extension of the emergency powers orders for another month. During his sermon, Bishop Neil Ellis prefaced his comments by quoting a passage from the Book of Daniel...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Cabinet Office announced yesterday that Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson had resigned from Cabinet temporarily with Senator Dwight Sawyer to be sworn in to act in his place. The shuffle was done to facilitate the business of Senate today, while Thompson along with other Cabinet ministers remain in quarantine. On Wednesday, the Cabinet Office...