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Vol 1 No. 1
Prime Minister Ingraham on Probate And Administration Of Estates Bill
New Justice of the Court of Appeal
NEW JUSTICE — The Hon. Abduial Conteh (left) is pictured being sworn in as a New Justice of the Court of Appeal by Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes on Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, in the drawing room at Government House. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)
Justice Anita Allen Sworn in as President of Court of Appeal
Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes presides over the swearing in ceremony of Senior Justice of the Supreme Court, Anita Allen, as President of the Court of Appeal. The ceremony was held at Government House on Friday, November 26. Pictured: President Anita Allen and Sir Arthur. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith).
By Betty Vedrine, Bahamas Information Services.
Government seeks to ensure all Bahamians have opportunity to benefit from the Baha Mar Development Prime Minister Hubert A. Ingraham
(The following is the Prime Minister’s contribution during the presentation of the “Probate And Administration of Estates Bill, in the House of Assembly onWednesday 29th November. Ed.)
T
his Bill is presented as a part of an ongoing effort to modernize and bring up to date, outdated laws and procedures which contribute to inefficiencies and costliness and time-consuming nuisance processes to the annoyance and disadvantage of people. These processes and procedures though still supported by some, have no place in a modern Bahamas. We in the Government to doing away with as many of them as we can. Change always face some challenge, some opposition, some excuse why something should be done differently. Change agents ought not be deterred however. This Bill follows in the footsteps of many others we have been a Party to – from workers rights, to children’s’ rights, to the end of primogeniture, to the end of dowry, to end of the monopoly of the airwaves, to removal of red tape in the issuance of drivers licenses and the license of motor vehicles …the list is long. It is nearly a nightmare to administer the estate of a deceased person in The Bahamas. Administration of an estate ought to be a simple, straightforward undertaking. Regrettably it ain’t so! Hopefully it will become so upon the coming into force of this Bill and the promulgation of Rules by the Rules Committee of the Supreme Court. The preference would have been to make the regulations by which the Court would have been bound but I’m persuaded that the same ought to be left up to the Rules Committee of the Supreme Court. I pray and I pray earnestly that that Committee, Chaired by the Chief Justice will see its way clear to make clear, simple and transparent rules so that an estate in respect of which there is no legal challenge may be administered speedily. READ MORE
Minister of Labour Honourable Dion Foulkes
the
The Government of The Bahamas seeks to ensure that all Bahamians have an opportunity to benefit from the Baha Mar Development, particularly those who are currently unemployed. Accordingly, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, in conjunction with Baha Mar, will hold a series of Town Hall Meetings to discuss training and employment opportunities at the new resort project. The first meeting will be held at Christ the
King Parish Hall, East Atlantic Drive & Pioneers Way, Grand Bahama at 7:00 pm on Monday, 6 December, 2010. Minister of Labour and Social Development, the Honourable Dion Foulkes and Senior Vice President of Government and External Affairs at Baha Mar, Mr. Robert Sands will speak on the extensive opportunities available for Bahamians at the new Baha Mar development. The meeting will be chaired by the Deputy Director of Labour, Mr. Tyrone Gibson. Minister Foulkes has noted: “Now that the Baha Mar development is to begin, it is essential that Bahamians the length and breadth of The Bahamas have access to training and employment opportunities at Baha Mar.
NOTICE INSTALLATION/UPGRADE OF WSC LATERALS On Market Street between Wulff Road &Andros Ave 03 December – 06 December 2010 The Ministry of Public Works & Transport wishes to advise the motoring public that the Contractor plans to carry out installation and upgrade of the existing WSC service laterals on Market Street between Wulff Road and Andros Avenue commencing Friday, December 03 to Monday, December 06, 2010 Full closure on Market Street will be implemented while these works are taking place between 10pm - 5am.Motorists are asked to observe traffic management signs in place and travel with caution while the work is being carried out. Detours will be clearly marked
READ MORE
N
assau, The Bahamas – The third Bahamian female to be appointed to one of the highest office in the judiciary was sworn in during an official ceremony at Government House on Friday, November 26. The Governor General, His Excellency, Sir Arthur Foulkes, swore in Senior Justice Anita Allen as President of the Court of Appeal. President Allen replaces Dame Joan Sawyer. In the presence of a large cross-section of members of the Judiciary, Cabinet Ministers, Members of the Opposition and Senior Government Officials, President Allen was congratulated by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham, who said that it was his pleasure to ‘cause’ this appointment to take place. “On behalf of the Government and the people of The Bahamas, let me be the first to publicly congratulate you on your appointment as President of the Court of Appeal in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” Mr. Ingraham said. Mr. Ingraham added that she is the third president of the Court of Appeal whom he has had the pleasure of causing to be appointed, along with the leader of the opposition. Pointing out that females appear to be taking the lead in the judiciary of the country, Mr. Ingraham said that increasingly, Bahamian women are by far, amongst the “greatest legal stars” in the judiciary. “I had the pleasure to facilitate the appointment of the first Bahamian Director of Legal Affairs. Her successor in office is another accomplished female and the first Bahamian civil servant to be appointed to that post.” President Allen said that this was ‘certainly a defining moment in her life; one for which she was most grateful. “First and foremost, I give thanks to Almighty God for sustaining me by His grace and for the courage to believe in the beauty of my dreams, “ said President Allen. “I thank the Prime Minister who, in exercise of his constitutional function and after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, appointed me to this most high judicial office.” She assured the Prime Minister and the Bahamian people that she and her colleagues would ‘dispense justice in accordance with the highest judicial standards.’ READ MORE
Newslines
Newslines New FAO Representative to Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica
Dr Jerome Thomas, of St Kitts, was appointed the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s country representative for The Bahamas, Belize and Jamaica. Dr Thomas replaced Dr Dunstan Campbell, who demitted office earlier this year. He will reside in Kingston, Jamaica. Dr Thomas received his professional education at the University of the West Indies and began work in the Department of Agriculture of St Kitts in 1974. In 1995, he was appointed Director of Agriculture in St Kitts and held the post until 2007. He then served for a year as an advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture. From 2008 to 2010, he was an FAO project coordinator at the FAO Sub-Regional Office in Barbados. Pictured above, Dr Thomas (left) pays a courtesy call on Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Lawrence S ‘Larry’ Cartwright. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Dr. Gail Saunders & Patricce Williams of the National Archives Make Presentation to Governor General
Baton of Honour Presentation at Royal Bahamas Police Force Graduation Ceremony
Missouri Sherman-Peter, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, makes Baton of Honour presentation to RC 3478 David Rolle during the Royal Bahamas Police Force Graduation Ceremony for A Squad on November 26 at the Police Training College. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)
One Bahamas Church Service
Students Celebrate Universal Children’s Day
Minister of Education the Hon. T. Desmond Bannister joined hundreds of students, administrators, teachers, parents and government officials to celebrate ‘Universal Children’s Day.’ The thanksgiving service was held on Thursday, November 25 at the Church of God of Prophecy on East Street under the theme, ‘Bahamian Praise of Yesteryear.’ (BIS Photo/Raymond Bethel).
By Betty Vedrine Bahamas Information Services
Nassau, Bahamas – Hundreds of students, administrators, teachers, parents and government officials gathered to celebrate ‘Universal Children’s Day.’ The thanksgiving service was held on Thursday, November 25 at the Church of God of Prophecy on East Street under the theme, ‘Bahamian Praise of Yesteryear.’ In attendance was the Minister of Education, the Hon. Desmond Bannister said that he was honoured to participate in the celebrations. “I feel very blessed to be amongst you, the smart, talented, creative and disciplined students who hail from the public, private and special schools all over The Bahamas,” said Mr. Bannister. “Each of you is a precious gift .” Mr. Bannister said that the chosen them was an ‘interesting’ one which evoked memories of a time in the past when good manners were the norm, not the exception.
Committee members of the One Bahamas programme listens attentively during the service at Ebenezer Methodist Church on Sunday, November 28. Pictured from right: Sir Orville Turnquest, former governor general and patron; Algernon Allen, a former cabinet minister and founding member; and Mrs. Anita Allen, president of the Court of Appeal. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)
Service Marks 200 Year Anniversary of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Kirk Students perform at the Universal Children’s Day thanksgiving service held at the Church of God Prophecy Church on East Street on November 25, 2010. The theme was ‘Bahamian Praise of Yesteryear.’ (BIS Photo/Raymond Bethel).
Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes welcomes Dr. Gail Saunders (to his right) and Patrice Williams, assistant director of the National Archives during a courtesy call Tuesday, November 30 at Government House. Dr. Saunders presented Sir Arthur with a collection of her published work. (BIS Photo / Patrick Hanna)
SEATED — Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes was represented by Sir William Allen at the anniversary service to mark 200 years of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Kirk, on Sunday, November 28, 2010. Sir William is pictured seated (right), and at left is Sir Geoffrey Johnstone. (BIS Photo /Raymond A. Bethel)
“When I was growing up, good manners was not something you chose to have, but something that you were compelled to learn and was happy to actively practice,” reminisced Mr. Bannister. He added that children were also taught to exercise a more heightened level of sensitivity towards animals, senior citizens, children, the sick and to those less fortunate. Minister Bannister said that students have much for which to be thankful especially with the freedom to worship freely and to access to education. “There are children around the world, however, who are not as fortunate as you are,” said Mr. Bannister. Some do not have the luxury of enjoying clean drinking water like some of our brothers and sisters in Haiti who are now dealing with a cholera outbreak as a result of this. Some children face starvation on a daily basis such as those in some parts of Africa and Asia while others are not allowed to go to school but are made to work at a very young age.” The Thanksgiving service also performances by The Mighty Beacons, The Voices of Praise and cheques presentations to The Centre for the Deaf and the Stapledon School. The moderator for the service was Pleshea Abrahams, a student of Queen’s College and the sermon was delivered by Pastor Mario Moxey of Bahamas Harvest Church.