The Big Story

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The body of a woman was discovered in the South Beach canal yesterday afternoon. According to police reports it was shortly after 3:30 pm that a group of males while swimming in the South Beach canals, discovered the body of a woman partially submerged in the water. As a result, the police were notified and responded. RBPF Press...

NASSAU,BAHAMAS — Digital assets services company METARIVER has announced that it received its Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges (DARE) license from the Securities Commission, bringing the list of digital asset businesses registered with the Commission to 12. The company also announced yesterday that it received its Financial and Corporate Service Providers Act (FCSP) license from the SCB. METARIVER is described...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged sexual assault of a 43-year-old American woman which reportedly occurred on Tuesday onboard a cruise ship. According to police, sometime around 7.30 am on Tuesday, a female passenger from Cleveland Ohio, while onboard a cruise ship visited the vessel’s infirmary for medical attention. Reports state that it was during this...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government generated a second consecutive monthly budget surplus, as it reported a $16.2 million surplus for the month of February which was driven primarily by increased collection of taxes.  Following a $6 million budget surplus during January 2023, the Ministry of Finance’s fiscal report for the month of February disclosed a $16.2 million surplus for February,...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Regional leaders have declared a “war on crime,” according to Prime Minister Philip Davis who yesterday reiterated calls for the US government to do more to combat illegal weapons trafficking to the Caribbean. In a statement at the regional symposium in Trinidad and Tobago to address crime and violence as a public health issue, Davis, who also...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A local human rights organisation says that there should be “no special treatment” as police investigate claims of sexual assault against a sitting Member of Parliament. In a statement yesterday, Human Rights Bahamas (HRB) noted that it is “extremely disturbed” by reports that the sitting Member of Parliament, accused in an official police complaint of sexual assault...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Agriculture & Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) yesterday announced the opening of a "state-of-the-art" poultry research and training center, which according to a Minster of Agriculture Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting will aid in the creation of a sustainable poultry production program for The Bahamas. The center will serve as host to a layers...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government has terminated nearly $4 million in leases for various government agencies with another $350,000 in the ‘pipeline’ according to State Minister for the Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle. Glover-Rolle reached in Parliament last week that 16 new lease arrangements had been entered into by government agencies since September 2021, with 14 leases having been terminated to...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government has extended the deadline for submissions of requests for pre-qualification (RFpQ) for its $260 million family islands airport ‘renaissance’ project. The deadline, which was originally this past Sunday, has been extended to April 30. The government in a statement said the extension was “in response to the high level of investment interest", and "to allow...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamian entrepreneur seeking to restore Paradise Island’s Lighthouse says “there is a lot to be concerned about” over Royal Caribbean's $100 million beach club development, as he questioned why his project  which is “ready to go” is being “held back.” Paradise Island Lighthouse and Beach Club Company principal, Toby Smith. Toby Smith, the Paradise Island Lighthouse...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Opposition yesterday expressed its support for straw vendors who have voiced their dissatisfaction with the elimination of the rotation system at the straw market. The Free National Movement, in a statement written by Deputy Leader and St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright, called on the government to immediately review its current policies and the economic impact on...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Central Bank has announced that it has canceled its new headquarters project at Victoria Gardens and will explore alternative accommodations to meet its long-term accommodation needs. The regulator said yesterday that it has started the process to transfer ownership of the property back to the Government, so that alternative use can be made of the site....

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The trustees for the City Markets employee pension plan have launched an appeal against a judge’s ruling that last month extended an injunction freezing nearly $3 million from the 2016 sale of City Markets’ former East West Highway headquarters to AML Foods Ltd.  Dennis Williams and Rosalee Mckenzie—the City Markets employee pension plan’s trustees—in an appeal filed...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Opposition has raised questions of fairness and transparency over the Grand Bahama Utility Company’s (GBUC) proposed increase to water rates next month. East Grand Bahama MP and Opposition Shadow Finance Minister Kwais Thompson said in a statement that the process to determine whether to increase the water rates in Grand Bahama must be fair and conducted...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a US$160 million loan to The Bahamas for policy reforms to improve its natural disaster risk governance.  According to the IDB, the operation seeks to create better governance conditions for implementing public policies for risk identification and reduction, disaster preparedness, recovery, and financial protection. The IDB noted that the loan...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Grand Bahama Utility Company (GBUC ) has proposed a rate change to its utility customers effective May 1, 2023, noting that it had deferred the increase for two years. The company stated that while 40 percent of its customers will see no increase in their bills, the remaining GBUC customers will, on average, see an increase...

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Inland Revenue officials yesterday warned that the department will exercise all of its powers under the law to recoup millions in outstanding taxes owed to the government. Shunda Strachan, acting controller of the Department of Inland Revenue yesterday noted that the department has garnished wages, seized property and will soon begin exercising its power of sale on...