The Big Story

Politicians will no longer receive the “royal treatment” by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) as the company has officially put an end to its “special list”, according to Minister of Works Desmond Bannister who has responsibility of BPL. Bannister told parliamentarians Monday that that this practice has been done away with and all consumers will be treated the same. His...

It will cost the government an estimated $9 million to resolve the flooding challenges in the Pinewood community, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said in his mid-year budget contribution Monday. Bannister revealed the latest figures stating that given the present structural make-up, the flooding is expected to continue. “There are 80 drains in Pinewood and because the land is so...

Unruly derelict vehicle owners are causing major problems for the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS), according to a private contractor hired by the government organization. DEHS private contractor ‘Lil Sam’, who was hired to remove abandoned vehicles, revealed to Eyewitness News Online Monday that violent derelict vehicle owners frequently prevent him from getting the job done. “Man, it’s dangerous...

The Department of Inland Revenue has imposed valued added tax (VAT) on visitors who book rooms online through the home-sharing giant Airbnb, which will mean more revenue for the government, according to Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar. The tourism minister, who spoke with Eyewitness News Online outside the House of Assembly Monday said, the tax agency made the determination after...

Numbers remain on the up and up   An optimistic Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar declared that “tourism is going to do extremely well this year”, as he indicated that business is on the uptick during the 2018 Spring Break season on Monday. “New Providence is experiencing a surge in foreign visitors,” D’Aguilar told Eyewitness News Online outside the House...

The Bahamas water polo team received a hero’s welcome at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) upon their return home Monday night. Scores of parents, delegates and media swarmed the International Arrivals section of the airport to greet the athletes that made history in Kingston, Jamaica this past weekend, by sweeping the Caribbean Free Trade Agreement (CARIFTA) Water Polo Championships....

With less than a month before the start of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) on Monday, ratified the 31-member team that will represent The Bahamas in Gold Coast, Australia. The games which features 19 sporting disciplines, is set for April 4-15 at the Carrara Stadium. The Bahamas will compete in seven events, including two for the first time...

In a quest to uphold what his colleague minister previously stated, Labour Minister Senator Dion Foulkes said on Sunday that the government will demolish all unregulated shanty towns in due course. Minister Foulkes led a delegation this past weekend to Abaco to get a first-hand assessment of the Mudd along with other shanty towns on the island and the serious...

Immigrants that breach Bahamian borders and are caught “will be dealt with on site”, Attorney General Carl Bethel declared Sunday and said “the idea of bringing in a load of people to Nassau is over.” Bethel was responding to criticisms raised by Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell, who questioned the government’s rationale for sending a delegation, inclusive of...

Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis is expected to speak today in the House of Assembly (HOA) on the controversial Oban Energies heads of agreement that has dominated headlines in the press for the past several weeks. Despite backlash from members of the Official Opposition, the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), the business community and environmentalists, the prime minister has yet to...

A 70-year-old man was stabbed in the neck during a domestic dispute Saturday morning – one of two homicides over the weekend. The stabbing took place shortly after 11:00 a.m. Saturday, police said, and was less than 24 hours after a man was shot to death while at a club late Friday night. The murders put the country's homicide count to 21 for the...

While a handful of Bahamian activists have taken the lead in protesting a number of controversial issues currently plaguing government, many have questioned why vocal We March Bahamas activist turned Senator, Raynard Henfield, has chosen to remain silent. That question was answered via a six-paragraph statement published on Henfield’s personal Facebook page Sunday. Henfield confirmed that he will still lead...

Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis said yesterday he was “impressed” with PharmaChem Technologies and is eager to see what the plant will produce in the future. PharmaChem currently produces the active ingredient of a particular drug that treats over one million HIV patients. An additional two drugs will be added to its roster thanks to the expansion. This, Dr. Minnis said,...

A recent agreement signed between The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) and the DC Chamber of Commerce will improve trade and economic opportunities between businesses in The Bahamas and those in the DC metro area. Both organizations executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a trade mission in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area. BCCEC President...

Emotions ran high as was evidenced by streaming tears, broad smiles and unreadable expressions during the award ceremony of the 26th Bahamas Young Culinary Competitions on Friday, as two Eleuthera students took the top spots. Alyssa Neely and Avery Hall won National Junior Young Chef Competition and the National Senior Young Chef Competition respectively. Hall, a student of Preston Albury High...