Three men arrested and charged for illegal landing following viral video showing migrants living in bus

ABACO, BAHAMAS — A widely shared video allegedly showing three undocumented Haitian migrants living in a school bus on Abaco led to their arrest and ultimate conviction for illegal landing in the Magistrate’s Court today. The Department of Immigration in a statement said an investigation was launched into the video after an official complaint was […]

GET OUT: Shantytown demolition to begin in two weeks; residents have 28 days to leave

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Public Works Desmond Bannister yesterday affirmed that demolition of unfinished and unoccupied structures in the shantytown known as The Farm on Abaco will be demolished in 14 days, while occupied structures will face the same fate in 28 days. Notices have been erected on newly constructed structures — outside the […]

FARM SWEEP: Govt arrests residents in shantytown; confiscates suspected stolen property

Rights Bahamas condemns the govt’s actions as “illegal, shameful spectacle” ABACO, BAHAMAS — A multi-agency operation launched in The Farm yesterday led to the arrest of irregular migrants and “other persons who are suspected of being involved in various criminal offenses”, according to the Ministry of Works. The operation follows warnings from Minister of Public Works […]

Water restoration work on Abaco on target, says WSC head

ABACO, BAHAMAS — Water restoration efforts are progressing on Abaco almost two years since the passage of Hurricane Dorian. Executive Chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) Adrian Gibson said the COVID-19 pandemic has created logistical issues and impeded work but the corporation is on target. “COVID has had the greatest impact. Without COVID, […]

LET THERE BE LIGHT: Power restored to most of mainland Abaco communities, BPL reports

ABACO, BAHAMAS — According to Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), all mainland Abaco communities except Eastern Shores have had power restored after being knocked offline in Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. “As we have reported, power supply has been restored to all mainland communities with the exception of Eastern Shores, where work continues on the […]

RELENTLESS: Bannister warns “decisive action” planned for Abaco shantytown

New affidavit seeks to protect “ethnic Haitian organic communities” on island NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Public Works Desmond Bannister yesterday gave notice to Parliament that the government will take “decisive action” against a shantytown on Abaco known as The Farm, insisting the effort “is going to be relentless”. The minister said there were “legal […]

Abaconians still very much in “survival mode”, says Chamber president

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Abaconians are still very much in “survival mode”, according to Abaco Chamber of Commerce President Ken Hutton, who noted that while the pace of reconstruction on the island has certainly picked up, it is still “nowhere near where it should be”. Hutton told Eyewitness News that the current pace of reconstruction has been […]

$1.8 million Central Abaco Community Centre/Hurricane Shelter to be completed by May 2021

ABACO, BAHAMAS — The Central Abaco Community Centre/Hurricane Shelter is expected to be completed by May 2021, before the start of the next hurricane season, announced Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis today. The prime minister and a delegation, including North Abaco MP Darren Henfield, South and Central Abaco MP James Albury, members of the Disaster […]

Florida-based Bahamian association still assisting Hurricane Dorian victims over a year later

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — The National Association of The Bahamas, Florida, (NAB) recently donated 176 laptops, 480 school bags and miscellaneous school supplies to the children of Abaco more than a year after the massive category 5 Hurricane Dorian barreled through the island, flattening it and leaving scores dead and thousands devastated. The recent contribution […]

Abaco Chamber: to appeal to competent authority over lockdown measures

Full weekend curfews for island “unfortunate”, says Chamber NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Abaco Chamber of Commerce president said yesterday it is “unfortunate” that the storm-ravaged island has been subjected to a full 24-hour weekend curfew just as the island seems to be “hitting its stride”. Ken Hutton, the island’s Chamber of Commerce president, told Eyewitness […]

Dorian Survivor: “We are numb”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Abaco survivor Chamika Antoine said residents are doing everything they can just to keep living as they mark the first anniversary of Hurricane Dorian. The 30-year-old is among scores of residents, who still live in a tents in the wake of the deadly Category 5 storm; however, she told Eyewitness News she […]

PM “very pleased” with Dorian progress

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government has made ‘extremely shocking’ progress since Hurricane Dorian blasted its way through The Bahamas nearly one year ago, said Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday. “I am very very pleased of the progress that has been made,” Minnis said. He spoke following a tour of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial […]

Abaco conditions still dire, says MP

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Some eight months after Hurricane Dorian debilitated the island, Central & South Abaco MP James Albury yesterday said the situation is “still dire”. “I have not come to this honorable house today to sugarcoat anything,” Albury said, during his contribution to the 2020/2021 budget debate at the evening sitting of Parliament yesterday.  […]