The Big Story

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — FTX Bahamas’ joint provisional liquidators yesterday announced the launch a case website which will be used to keep stakeholders updated on the status of their work. FTX Digital Markets was placed into provisional liquidation by the Supreme Court of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas November 10. The Supreme Court appointed Brian Simms KC, of Lennox Paton, Kevin...

ELEUTHERA, BAHAMAS -Spanish Wells Commonage Committee Chairman Ivanhoe Sweeting said while increased checks on the Blackwoods commonage land in North Eleuthera have stalled illegal building, the community's population continues to expand. Sweeting said committee members still notice many unfamiliar new faces whenever they carry out their weekly/bi-weekly walkabouts. "Nothing has been built, absolutely nothing. We constantly see new faces every...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A former Cabinet minister and economist is predicting that economic conditions in the country will be “much the same” as 2022, although the country’s economic growth may be a bit slower. Zhivargo Laing, the Executive Director of the Government and Policy Institute of the University of The Bahamas told Eyewitness News that The Bahamas is likely to...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Human Rights Bahamas (HRB) said yesterday that the Privy Council’s recent decision to order a new hearing for Bahamas-born Jean Rony-Jean Charles is a “crucial victory” for the principles of access to justice and respect for the fundamental rights of everyone in The Bahamas. HRB said in a statement yesterday that it is celebrating a “huge win”...

ELEUTHERA, BAHAMAS — A development along the harbour across from Savannah Sound in south Eleuthera is causing concern for residents living near the waterfront. The construction of what appears to be a dock in the shallow sound has fishermen like Julius Rankine worried about how the new development will affect his livelihood and that of others who have cultivated their...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Police arrested five men after they were tipped off about an alleged human smuggling operation. The incident reportedly occurred in the area of Leisure Lee, Abaco shortly after 10pm on Friday. The men's ages ranged from 30 years to 47 years. The statement read: "According to initial reports, police received information of suspicious activities taking place in...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Ninety-nine officers were ushered into service at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services during a ceremony on Thursday afternoon at the Fox Hill Prison. Officers preformed musical selections, and training demonstrations for those at the ceremony, including family and friends, several government ministers and Prime Minister Philip Davis, who gave an address admonishing officers to take on...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) Executive Director, Matt Albury believes the FTX collapse and issues surrounding it provides an opportunity for the government to learn from the crypto exchange giant's failures. Albury explained that Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell's sentiments after FTX CEO John Ray III accused the government and regulators for lacking transparency in the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Tourism is reporting 'exceptionally' strong bookings ahead of the Christmas season and leading into next year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Chester Cooper said that reports from stakeholders in major hotels across the country, verify projections that 2022 will meet pre-pandemic numbers and that 2023 will surpass those figures "We...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried will appear in court on Monday for a hearing to reverse his decision to fight extradition to the United States, Eyewitness News can confirm. Bankman-Fried has spent less than one week at The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services after he was deemed a flight risk and denied bail last Tuesday. He filed...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Global discussions, speculation and accusations of corruption surround the FTX debacle, in the country along with opposition members calling for transparency from the government on the issue, where a billion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange collapsed, its owner filed for bankruptcy and was arraigned then remanded until next February. Many onlookers have expressed concern over whether or not this issue...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Davis administration yesterday signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) for an $800 million South Abaco development which is expected to commence in the coming months and provide hundreds of jobs. Prime Minister Philip Davis who was present for the signing of the HOA signing for KaKona South Abaco Development noted that $50 million has already been...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA)  said yesterday that it was satisfied that Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) had made “an adequate case” for its fuel charge increase, having conducted a comprehensive review of the company’s proposal. URCA which is also the electricity sector’s regulator did not outline the specifics of its review findings but said...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Embattled Bahamas-born Jean Rony Jean-Charles has won the right to go back before the Supreme Court to apply for constitutional relief over his 2017 detention and expulsion from the country. Jean-Charles’ case became a flashpoint with potentially far-reaching implications for how the country’s immigration and citizenship laws are applied to people who are born in the country...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — FTX’s joint provisional liquidators have refuted assertions that they “sat on their hands” and waited a month to file an emergency motion seeking to gain access to the collapsed company’s electronic records. The provisional liquidators argued that despite attempting to appear cooperative, the US Debtors have been “stringing the process along.”  Court documents were filed yesterday in...

Group submits economic stimulus package proposal to the government NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Village Road business owners are calling on the government to provide economic relief as they claim protracted road works in the area have resulted in a 30-40 percent drop in business. They have submitted a proposal to the government for an economic stimulus package to help offset their...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Executives of the country’s first crowdfunding platform ArawakX are calling for the introduction of ‘whistleblower’ legislation in The Bahamas they believe could help prevent “blowups” like FTX from happening again. FTX, one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges collapsed after rival crypto exchange giant Binance backed out of a deal to save the company. The company filed...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Food distribution non-profit organization, Hands for Hunger (H4H) Executive Director Keisha Ellis said soaring costs are contributing to a growing need for food in Bahamian society that outpaces charitable efforts. H4H has facilitated the handing out of hundreds of food packages over the last month and a half with the New Providence Community Centre and their many...