The Big Story

Immigration minister urges Bahamians to take COVID-19 seriously NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson yesterday said the country could not afford constant repatriations of undocumented migrants apprehended in Bahamian waters. Johnson underscored the cost was not only financial, pointing to risks to livelihood as the country grapples with rising coronavirus cases. His comments come just days after 44 Haitian...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government released the prime minister's latest emergency order bringing the two-week lockdown into effect last night. The 24-hour curfew will expire at 5am on Wednesday, August 19. The order revokes the existing lockdown order for Grand Bahama, with restrictions in effect for the entire country. Public service employees will work remotely from home unless designated as...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A prominent retailer yesterday estimated that the two-week lockdown will result in an 85 percent sales decline, while noting that “15 percent is better than zero”. The country began a two-week lockdown last night due to a spike in coronavirus cases.  As of yesterday, the number of confirmed cases in the country was 715. Jason Watson, AID’s president said:...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Works Minister Desmond Bannister yesterday urged Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) consumers to be ‘more responsible’, suggesting that trees and other obstructions on consumer’s properties has hindered power restoration efforts in some communities on New Providence. Speaking ahead of a Cabinet meeting yesterday, Bannister described the situation as a ‘very serious issue’. In the wake of Hurricane...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Education yesterday advised Bahamian students studying abroad to give serious consideration to switching to online courses or a local institution instead of traveling overseas during the pandemic. In a statement, the ministry underscored the uncertainty regarding the international travel of Bahamians planning to attend schools, colleges and universities abroad during the fall 2020 semester,...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Education has closed a section of its main building after a staff member who was exposed to COVID-19 was placed under quarantine by health officials. Director of Education Marcellus Taylor told Eyewitness News that he was unable to confirm when the staff member was exposed to the virus. He underscored officials are following the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Brothers Albert and Albrion Mortimer were arraigned today for the murder of George Alexander Smith on July 30. According to police reports, Smith and the two brothers got into a fight shortly after 7pm on Lawton Street. All three men were reportedly injured, and Emergency Medical Services was called to the scene to examine the injuries. However,...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Losing the country’s fixed exchange rate peg with the US dollar is ‘not an option’ for a country like The Bahamas, Central Bank Governor John Rolle said today, noting that adjustments will be made where necessary to maintain that equilibrium. Governor Rolle was speaking on the regulator’s monthly economic and financial developments report for June. He said:...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS - Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson advised today that the department will not be approving any new work permits - except in "extreme circumstances". Johnson told reporters outside Cabinet that as the country goes through its second wave of COVID-19 cases, the government is seeking to enforce protections for Bahamian workers "We are not going to entertain any new...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams yesterday expressed grave concern over the current capacity of healthcare institutions as the country fights its second wave of coronavirus cases. Wilson said nurses are alarmed over the overcrowding of patients in Accident and Emergency at Princess Margaret Hospital in New Providence and the Rand Memorial Hospital in Grand Bahama....

Clusters of COVID-19 cases spread over businesses and government institutions NASSAU, BAHAMAS — With the number of coronavirus cases in The Bahamas surging to 679 yesterday, health officials are seeking to ramp up contact tracing efforts amid testing delays and a strain on bed capacity. The Ministry of Health reported 31 additional COVID-19 cases on Monday. Of that number, 22...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Government will explore its policy with the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance (CCRIF) to see if the country qualifies for any excess rain claims in the wake of Hurricane Isaias, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance K Peter Turnquest. Turnquest, East Grand Bahamas MP, said: "While there was isolated flooding in some communities in the...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas must commit greater focus to the digital economy, according to a local economist, who warned that many jobs and traditional companies will be displaced over the next five to ten years. Rupert Pinder, a University of The Bahamas lecturer and economist, said: “In the immediate term the charge ought to be how we open this...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Abaco residents are breathing a sigh of relief that the island has escaped Hurricane Isaias relatively unscathed as the devastation of Hurricane Dorian still haunts them nearly a year later. The island experienced storm conditions on Saturday, with some heavy rain and winds up to 60 mph, according to reports. Dorian decimated portions of Abaco and Grand...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) chairman Dr Donovan Moxey said yesterday that the company had restored electricity to 95-97 percent of its customers on New Providence, although there are “small pockets” that sustained extensive damage as a result of Hurricane Isaias. In a later statement, BPL advised the impact of vegetation on power lines has been a...

108,000 people are receiving food assistance NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has announced a national lockdown for the entire country that will begin tomorrow at 10pm. Minnis announced the move as he revealed ICU beds are at capacity and non-critical care beds are approaching capacity due to the continued surge in COVID-19 cases. He said the lockdown...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) apprehended 44 Haitian migrants in the Exuma chain yesterday. The migrants were examined and temperatures recorded by the RBDF medical team prior to handover to the Department of Immigration today. They were apprehended on a Haitian sloop about a mile northwest of Norman's Cay shortly after 3pm. Among the group, there were...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS - After one staff member of Dairy Queen (Bahamas) Marathon Mall tested positive for coronavirus last week, the restaurant advised today that no other employee has tested positive for the virus. In a statement, Dairy Queen said that the staff member - who is on sick leave - had not worked at any store for a full week....