The Eleutheran Newspaper Feb/March 2020 Issue

web: WWW.ELEUTHERANEWS.COM

(1-242) 422 9350

Volume 13, Issue 2/12, 2020

Eleuthera, Harbour Island & Spanish Wells, The Bahamas

Your FREE copy Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, & Eleuthera - North, Central & South

` Information. We Deliver!’’ Monthly In Print & Daily Online.

Since 2008 - ‘‘Eleuthera’s most reliable Source of News and

Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee

on Expungement of Records

BACK COVER: Damianos Sotheby’s Int’l PAGE 3: Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty PAGE 5: HG Christie

See Story On Page 34

Paul H. Farquharson, Chairman of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee.

ADVICE:

14 (...Infidelity In Marriage) ; 13 (The Silver Lining...) |

Opinion :

12 & 35 | 04

CONTRACT: Glass Window 07

URCA - Reach out to us 10 & 34

The

NATIONAL RECORD

17 23 What’s Happening 36/9 Crime Reports

35 TRASH

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NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

MOU Signed By Disney Cruise Line, the SBDC and the Eleuthera Chamber with stated aim to Support Eleuthera Businesses Continued On Page 32

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loc al +p lu s Contract Signed to

Address Issues at Glass Window Bridge

By Betty Vedrine

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The government has signed a contract for an engineering consultancy that will conduct a feasibility study followed by an engineering design for the Glass Window Bridge in North Eleuthera. The contract signing was held on Thursday, 30th January 2020 at the Ministry of Public Works headquarters on University Boulevard.

Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister said that the bridge is in a state of disrepair with limited capacity.

“The Glass Window Bridge is located in North Eleuthera and is the

Feb/March, 2020 only vehicular link between North and South Eleuthera,” said the Minister. “The current bridge is in very poor condition and has a restricted load capacity of only 12 tonnes with single lane traffic only allowed to cross the structure.”

Mr. Bannister added that in bad weather, the bridge faces overtopping and sea surges from Atlantic wave action. Consequently, he said, the waves envelop the landmass resulting in damage to both the north and south approach roads, creating dangerous driving conditions for motorists.

In addition to improving safety at the bridge, the Minister said that the replacement of the existing bridge crossing provides an opportunity to create a major tourist attraction for the island.

He said that the new contract would include studies, which would take into account future demand; financial viability; climate impacts and other environmental and socioeconomic issues relevant to the site.

The contract is being broken down into four phases: Feasibility study (4 P23

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Island Visit

Ref: BPL, BTC, ALIV etc

The Utilities Authority’s

Key Message

“Reach Out To Us:” The Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) was in Eleuthera on Wednesday, February 19th and Thursday, February 20th, 2020, where they held Pop-Up offices in Governor’s Harbour and Rock Sound during the day on Wednesday and Thursday, and town hall meetings in both townships during each evening. A key message URCA representatives communicated while on island, was that they were available and accessible to assist customers with any unresolved issue they had with electricity and electronic communications providers, like Bahamas Power & Light (BPL), ALIV, BTC, and others.

The public were invited to visit them during the Pop-Up office hours,

which were held between 9am and 1pm at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall in Governor’s Harbour, and the South Eleuthera Mission in Rock Sound, for individual assistance with any questions they had about their telecommunications, internet or electricity providers, and to share any concerns and receive answers, directly from URCA, who as the regulators - are responsible for making sure that service providers are following the rules and regulations in place governing their responsibilities to their customers.

During the town hall meetings, executives from URCA were present to update the public on their planned P33 initiatives and vision for

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Man dies after

severe leg injury

caused by a

tour Boat Police in Eleuthera, during the first week in February reported the death of an American man, who had died as a result of injuries he received during a boating incident while diving.

The victim had reportedly been snorkeling in the area of Bottom Harbour, North Eleuthera, when a tour boat with visitors on board from Harbour Island ran over him, causing the amputation of one of his legs.

He was rushed to Harbour Island via boat, then transported to the Harbour Island Clinic, where he was referred to New Providence via air-ambulance for further medical attention. The victim, 70-year-old, Mr. Michael Norris of Massachusetts, U.S.A, and Gregory Town, North Eleuthera, reportedly, did not survive his injuries.

Police further reported that on Thursday morning, February 6th, 2020, shortly after 10am, an anonymous caller contacted the Harbour Island Police Station via telephone to report the accident and further inform that the victim was currently at a local Resort Marina in Harbour Island.

Officers, in response, met a group of people assisting the accident victim who appeared to have serious injuries, by transporting him, via a private

vehicle, to the Harbour Island Government Clinic for medical attention.

At the Clinic, Police learned that the victim had been snorkeling with his partner, of the same address.

Dr. L. Farrington described the nature of his (Mr. Norris’) injuries as serious and informed that he had to be airlifted to New Providence via emergency flight for further medical attention.

While at the Clinic, Police also spoke to a 20-year-old male, of Harbour Island, who confirmed that he was the driver of the white 21 foot Angler boat, which he had taken some persons out on board for charter services. 150 feet off the shore line from the beach, traveling south, when they were heading towards the turtles, he said he didn’t see the victim in the water, and ran over him with the boat, accidentally.

Mr. Norris’ partner, in his witness account,said that they had been snorkeling for about fifteen minutes, when he saw a white boat was coming in from Harbour Island headed in the direction of Mr. Norris. A few minutes later, he reportedly observed Mr. Norris waving at him and screaming for help. It was not until he got close enough that he realized the boat had

run over Mr. Norris.

One of the tourist on board the vessel reportedly stated that about 5-10 mins into the tour, accompanied by her husband, which started from a local marina headed in the direction of Eleuthera, she heard someone yell, ‘stop’, and got up and noticed a snorkeler in the water. She further noticed that boat they were on had struck someone in the water and they suspected that the boat engine may have caught his leg.

The operator of the vessel, according to reports, was not able to produce a captain’s license. Officers, reported that they saw and spoke to a Port Officer at the Port Department, North Eleuthera, who said that a check was made, and the operator of the vessel did not have a boat handler license.

The boat was also not licensed and inspected.

Reports revealed that the adult male boat operator from Harbour Island was taken into Police custody, interviewed

and later released pending further investigation.

The matter was then referred to the Coroner’s Court for a determination, said Police.

Above: Tour vessel involved in fatal accident.

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NHIA Launches Electronic Health Record The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) announced in February what it called the ‘modernization of the Bahamas health system ‘ with the launch of the Electronic Health Record (EHI), a digital record of patients’ health information.

During a press conference at the Village Road Professional Centre on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, Dr. Robin Roberts, Chairman of the NHIA Board termed this to be a “bold and ambitious” initiative being implemented for the National Health Insurance (NHI) program.

It was also revealed that the EHI will also soon enable providers to deliver healthcare services and consultations using digital telemedicine tools creating tremendous opportunities for those living

in the Family Islands. Telemedicine will allow patients to access their Primary Care Provider without having to make lengthy and costly trips for certain conditions.

Graham Whitmarsh, Managing Director and CEO, NHIA made assurances that EHI will be properly private and secure. “I want to assure everybody that this adheres to the highest standards. The information itself is kept on encrypted server and access to that information is controlled by the physician and the patient.

Mr. Whitmarsh noted that permission needs be granted by the physician or the patient for others to access the personal medical records.

---- Source: BIS

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The Trump card in Venezuela crisis

By Sir Ronald Sanders (The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own)

When is a failed policy recognised as a failure and is abandoned for a new approach? That was the question that Barack Obama and his administration had to confront after more than 50 years of a policy of trade embargoes, sanctions and, at one point, invasion that failed to dislodge the Castro government in Cuba. It is a question that the present Donald Trump administra-

tion should be considering in relation to Venezuela and the Nicolas Maduro government.

Over the last four years, the U.S. government has imposed an array of sanctions against individuals and state enterprises in Venezuela.

While the former may have hurt the individuals concerned, the latter has hurt the poorest and most vulnerable, exacerbating the flow of people from the country into neighbouring states.

But, even the continuous sanctions have not created conditions in Venezuela where the people or the military have risen-up to bring about the regime change being sought by the U.S., Canada and a few countries in South and Central America.

Maduro’s government has remained in place by virtue of several circumstances, including strong support from a significant number of the population; the division among the opposition parties and the unattractiveness of their leaders, despite assertions to the contrary; and the financial backing of Russia and China which continue to buy Venezuelan oil.

The U.S. government, Canada and a few countries in Europe have recognised Juan Guaidó as the President of Venezuela and have supported his ef-

forts to organise protests and demonstrations, although even these have diminished in recent months. Keeping large crowds on the streets arises either out of deep commitment to a cause or considerable financial support. Protests and marches don’t pay bills unless the protestors and marchers are compensated. Money – and donors – seem to have dwindled considerably.

This latter policy of support has encouraged Guaidó not to seek genuine national solutions in the several brokered attempts at dialogue that have occurred. No party to a negotiation, assured of external backing, would make concessions that would not put it in an advantageous position.

Convinced that the U.S., Canada, a few European and Latin American governments would back his hard-line positions, Guaidó didn’t bargain, he postured.

This is not to say that the Maduro government did not also take unyielding positions.

They clearly did; also encouraged by external forces, especially Russia and China, and by the fact that the majority of countries in the world still recognise it as the government of Venezuela.

In the global support game, the score is Guaidó fifty or so; Maduro well over a hundred.

In all this, there have been no winners, only losers. And the biggest losers are the people of Venezuela whose quality of life, except for the higher echelons of the society, has dramatically deteriorated. Other losers are the neighbouring states into which Venezuelan refugees have poured. Each of them has been impacted by the inward migration. Costs of dealing with the influx of migrants has been high and has diverted funds that should be used to deliver the goods and services their own people expect. There will come a time when these same neighbouring countries will have to evaluate the damage to them of increasing and stringent sanctions on Venezuela that escalate migration. When their own circumstances compel them to do so, they will object to further sanctions and call for a reversal of many of them.

Recognising that sanctions have not produced the desired collapse of the Maduro government and that he has failed to

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mobilise enough internal dissent, particularly from the military, to topple the Government, Guaidó has been calling for U.S. military intervention.

A member of Guaidó’s group, Iván Simonovis, personally delivered a letter to President Donald Trump, requesting that the United States go “on the offensive”. In a tweet, Simonovis also declared, “now we are asking to accelerate the process and cut the oxygen line, to finally end Maduro’s time”. He has repeatedly stated that the solution for Venezuela is a “military coalition”. In part, this is why the U.S. and 9 countries from the Lima Group (including Guaidó’s representative), pushed through a resolution on September 11, 2019 at the Organisation of American States (OAS) to invoke the terms of the Rio Treaty, an anachronistic 1947 compact.

As I have written before, the objective of the resolution, set out in an accompanying notice, was to “adopt measures” to intervene in Venezuela which, it claimed “pose a threat to peace in the Americas”.

Guaidó was a guest at President Trump’s ‘State of the Union’ address on 4 February, and he was received by the President at the White House for a Article Continued Page 13

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THE SILVER LINING After the monster Hurricane Dorian ravaged large areas of Abaco and Grand Bahama leaving behind a terrible death toll, a heart-warming story unfolded.

materials landed.

A wave of support from Bahamians and non-Bahamians grew, so great and generous that frankly, it was all overwhelming.

In no way am I minimising the extraordinary work done by Bahamians across our island chain. Bahamian individuals, groups and whole communities poured their hearts and souls into helping the dispossessed.

From Bahamians contributing mightily to rescue and relief efforts to friends and strangers from overseas, the Bahamas witnessed an unprecedented outpouring of help in its time of desperate need.

Today I put this question forward: What would some of the stricken communities have done without the support of second homeowners?

As the government focuses on the mammoth job of clean-up and restoring public infrastructure, many second homeowners stepped forward quietly to help Bahamians rebuild their communities.

In Man-O-War Cay, Abaco, second homeowners immediately kicked into action by providing desperately needed food and water to stave off hunger and thirst.

After assessing that island’s post hurricane needs, they put together an Amazon shopping list of much needed supplies.

Anything from cleaning agents to chain saws was snapped up and gifted to the people of Man-O-War. A second list was drawn.

“Our recovery would be incredibly more difficult if it wasn’t for the second homeowners. They are part of our community,” one hurricane survivor remarked.

Support poured into the popular second home destinations of Hope Town and Green Turtle Cay in similar fashion.

I could enlarge the list of communities where second homeowners and outsiders helped and the ways they assisted. We owe a debt of gratitude to so many persons and organizations.

So many conversations started with: “If it wasn’t for the second homeowners…” as barges of supplies and emergency building

Commentary-

This allowed local governmental agencies and NGOs to focus on less fortunate areas.

I’m simply highlighting the importance of second homeownership and why we should genuinely welcome our friends from abroad into our communities, as the people in these Abaco Cays have historically done.

Economic Lifeline Second homeownership has provided an economic lifeline to many of our outisland communities for decades.

Think about all the people who profit from this important industry.

First off, the government derives a large amount of its revenue from taxes when people buy second homes.

It is difficult to quantify the spin off benefits because so many people are affected.

I’m not just talking about lawyers, land surveyors, builders, architects, interior decorators, accountants and real estate brokers and all their support staff.

There are so many others - electrical contractors, quantity surveyors, landscapers, caretakers, garden stores, photographers and newspapers (for advertising homes for sale), marketing firms, paint suppliers, hardware stores, glass companies and furniture stores.

Appliance and lighting techs, plumbers, window specialists, IT consultants and artists benefit too.

So do supermarkets, restaurants and the Mom and Pop operations that sell freshly baked goods and the local farmers markets.

Ronald Sanders

Continued from Page. 12 half-hour meeting. After the meeting, Guaidó reported that “concrete measures” against Maduro would be announced in the coming days.

Much as Guaidó might want it, President Trump’s “measures” are most unlikely to include a military intervention in Venezuela. This President has shown a marked reluctance to commit the lives of American soldiers and the resources of the U.S. Treasury to fighting someone else’s war, particularly as not only would it put the U.S. in an unnecessary confrontation with Russia and China, there would not be much benefit to come from it for America. As President

Trump pointed out just the day before he received Guaidó, the U.S. is entirely self-sufficient in oil and gas, and whatever top-up it needs it can get quicker and cheaper from Canada.

There is clearly a stand-off now in the Venezuelan situation. It cries out for a fresh approach. President Trump might himself be the trump card in the resolution of this situation, if he decides to use his personal authority and bargaining skills for a direct discussion with Nicolas Maduro, centred on the welfare of the Venezuelan people.

Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com

Behind the Cloud

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By Mike Lightbourn

From time to time, we hear unwelcoming comments in Nassau directed towards non-Bahamian second homeowners.

The “furreigners” are taking our land.

This is nonsensical and unfortunate.

No-one’s “taking” anyone’s land. Travel throughout the islands and you’ll find the most vibrant communities with the highest standard of living host healthy second home communities. This is beyond dispute.

I hope Dorian has taught these naysayers to appreciate the vital role second home ownership plays in the country.

When we look back at this dark and painful period in our history, I hope we all salute the resilience of Dorian’s survivors and the generosity of the Bahamians and non-Bahamians who did so much in their hour of need.

This will be the silver lining behind Dorian’s dark storm cloud.

Questions or comments?

Contact me at info@cbbahamas.com Mike Lightbourn is president of Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty.

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Infidelity In Marriage: The Step That Follows Saying, I’m Sorry

By Teri M. Bethel Most people would agree that the average apology has lost its luster. The “I’m sorry” statement has become more of an “Okay, I hear you, but get over it!” reflex. A general remark to put an end to the conversation. There’s really no sense of remorse, repentance or even the slightest desire to correct the issue. Humility quite often being thought of as a weakness or something that has little value. The pride of the offender, on the other hand serving as a gaseous balloon that internally puffs one up with a false sense rightness despite the apparent injury the behaviour has caused.

The Warped Moral Compass Merriam-Webster defines apology as an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret. The spirit of a sincere apology comes with remorse and a desire to make things right. Unlike Stan (not his real name) who was caught in an uncompromising situation by his wife, Lottie (not her real name).

Lottie had been working late for several weeks and decided to wrap up her work early to spend time with her husband. She hoped to surprise Stan, which she did.

Unfortunately, she was surprised too—and so was the lady who had made herself comfortable in their bed. Stan said he was sorry, and he was. He was sorry that he had gotten caught, but there was no change in his behaviour. This man had no remorse—another word defined by Merriam-Webster as a gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs.

Lest you think that it is a male thing to be void of decency in a marriage, a 2018 article entitled, Who Cheats More? The Demographics of Infidelity in America by Wendy Wang revealed enlightening data from a General Social Survey. The report indicated that 20% of men and 13% of women surveyed, reported that they’ve had sex with someone other than their spouse while married.

Kimberly’s, (not her real name) adulterous behaviour was discovered by her husband almost ten years into their marriage. Instead of recommitting to her marriage, she opted to continue in her extramarital indiscretions with her single friends at the financial and emotional expense of her husband and their children. She did her utmost to destroy the one person who believed in and provided for her. Sadly, Kimberly, like Stan, had a warped moral compass that catered to their feelings rather than their marital vows.

What Real Repentance Looks Like John was caught by his wife in a similar situation, his actions after he was found out were a little different than Stan and Kimberly’s. He realised that he had a problem and was sorry that he hurt his wife; he apologised then went for counselling to get his life together and restore his marriage. The Christian counsellor posed several questions to John with a view of getting to the root of his dilemma.

His wife knew about this particular incident, but not the others he confessed to.

He had a problem the counsellor noted, that ran through his family. His grandfather, father, uncles, and brothers all had the same problem. They were chronic philanderers—serial womanisers of the highest order. John thought marriage would cure his promiscuity. Now that his back was against the wall, he used this opportunity to get the help he needed to put his life on the right track. He decided that he was not willing to throw away his relationship with his wife or destroy the family they had raised together.

Infidelity Survey Last year a survey of just under 200 people was taken by Trustify.com which revealed some tell-tale signs that there were weak points in their marriages. According to the study of persons who admitted to infidelity: •

55% of male respondents cheated on their spouse with five or more people

•

50% of the female respondents admitted to cheating with one person

• 32% of the men met the person they cheated with online (either through social media or a dating service) • 22% of the women met the person they cheated within some sort of social setting (bar, party) or had a previous romantic connection to that person • 23% of the men said the leading cause of the affair was due to a lack of sexual satisfaction

• 28% of the women said the cause of the affair was due to a lack of emotional satisfaction Even though most of the couples remained together after the affair it was interesting to note that their view about the health of their relationship varied considerably. Of the men engaged in an affair, 60% said that they were on good terms with their wives; similarly, 40% of the wives, however, claimed that they were not on good terms with their husbands.

How Do You Navigate Out of This Mess?

Firstly, you must be willing to acknowledge that there is a problem. Covering a rotten table with a beautiful cloth does not strengthen the table. A rotten table, like a broken marriage, will eventually crumble if not fortified. Sometimes people willfully do dastardly deeds, others fall prey to them. The challenge is not just doing the act, rather, the willingness of both parties to participate in the rebuilding of trust and mutual respect for the restoration of the marriage.

This restoration requires remorse and repentance. The act of repentance is to have a change of heart and mind; to turn away from the offense. It’s a step further than just being sorry for how you feel about what you did, rather than being sorry for what you did. Unfortunately, infidelity is prevalent in all levels of society, including the church. God, the designer of marriage and family, does not endorse adultery, but he does recommend wholeness and healthy families—simply because he loves us too much to let us stay the way we are when he has a better option.

So what is it that you are sorry about and now need to take it to the level of repentance? You can turn away from the fault to receive full restoration. God’s arms are open wide to you. If you feel a tug in your heart, it’s not one of condemnation but of conviction. It’s time to make that turn to be a willing participant in building a healthy marriage and family.

A bout

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Teri M Bethel is a handbag designer, publisher and an author of relationship enrichment books and novels. Visit her website, www.BooksByBethel.com, or e-mail her at tbethel@booksbybethel.com.

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Letter To The Editor Dear Editor,

“The roads on Eleuthera are bad enough. Trash everywhere. Plastics, bottles, lunch boxes, household garbage, pot holes and so much more. But, more importantly, it seems like the authorities are not concerned with speeding motorists, be it on the Queens Highway, in Governor’s Harbour or other settlements.

Drunk driving? Clearly not a concern. Crime reports in your own newspaper report the ever increasing number of house break-ins but never are there any reports of speeding fines or DUI arrests.

Implementing Speed limits and fines for littering are totally ignored.

Has anyone ever seen speed checks? No. How sad. And let’s not even mention all the rusting cars, washing machines and other discarded objects that litter this beautiful island paradise.

Wake up Eleuthera or soon enough it will be ‘paradise lost’.

Clem

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EJBL Banner Year Expected as Season Opens

Above: The Opening Day Ceremony for the EJBL brought together the four leagues participating in the 2020 Season on Eleuthera. Along with coaches and players, special guests, included, Clara Young with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, and ASP Frank Neely with the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The Eleuthera Junior Baseball League (EJBL) began it’s 2020 Baseball Season on Saturday, February 15th in Rock Sound, South Eleuthera.

President of the EJBL, Larry Forbes, said that he was expecting a banner year as there were over 180 kids participating in the 2020 EJBL. The event, he added, was an exciting time in the community, as ASP Frank Neely, Officer-in-Charge of the South Eleuthera District from the Royal Bahamas Police Force delivered a motivational speech to the young players, league leaders, parents and community members in attendance. The Nu View Junkanoo Group, was also on hand to lead the teams onto the field, following the opening ceremony, and Ms. Clara Young from the Ministry of Youth and Sports threw out the first symbolic pitch to get things rolling.

Giving an overview of the Eleuthera League’s structure this year, President Forbes described, “Today was the opening for the 2020 Season… We have groupings of the T-Ballers (Ages 5-6), Coach-Pitch (Ages 7-8), 10U (Ages 9-10), 12U (Ages 11-12), and 14U (Ages 13-14).” Explaining the changes in the groupings for 2020, Forbes said, “This year we’ve changed the divisions into two age increments. Before, we used to play a three to four age grouping, and some kids developed more than others. So, it was really not balanced. We decided to go this route, which actually follows current international rules.”

He continued, “We have four townships actively involved in the League this year, including: Tarpum Bay, with 12U and 14U teams; Rock Sound, with Tee-Ball, Coach Pitch, 10U, 12U, and 14U teams; Palmetto Point, also with Tee-Ball, Coach Pitch, 10U, 12U, and 14U teams; and Governor’s Harbour with a 12U team.”

When asked about his hopes for this new season, Forbes shared, “My hopes are to get in as many games as possible on Saturdays. We may be looking at a few early Friday evening games in Palmetto Point, under the lights if we can arrange that. But, participation is the key, so, we need to play as many games as possible. Out of the 12U, which are four teams from the different settlements, we hope to take a national team to the tournament in Grand Bahama, which will be held during the middle of June. So, that’s our objective - to take a strong All-Star team - and to be ready for that tournament.”

The EJBL leader, said that he also wanted the public to be aware that the League played every Saturday. “We will be playing in different parks. Last week we had Palmetto Point, but it rained out. This week we are in Rock Sound. Next week we’ll be in Tarpum Bay, then we go to Governor’s Harbour, and follow the circuit around again.”

“What we would like to see happen is more settlements getting involved. We really need the participation from other communities”, stressed Forbes. “We have too many young kids sitting about, looking for things to do, and this is a positive activity for them to be involved in.”

When asked about how expensive it was for a parent to get their child involved in the EJBL, the President answered, “Each settlement controls its own affairs, so it may be a little different from town to town. In our Rock Sound league, we ask for a $50 donation from the parents, which helps us with balls etc. and the whole operation. Also, out of that we give the kids a shirt and a cap. The other expense for parents would be pants, around $20, and a glove. So, it’s not expensive.” Highlighting the sacrifice by the coaches and the volunteer parents, Forbes added, “In the Rock Sound league, we practice three days per week for two hours each time (from about 4pm to 5:30pm/6pm), and that is a commitment from our coaches - as well as inter-league play on Saturdays.”

In the motivational speech given by ASP Neely, during the opening ceremony, he used the acronym EARLY to spell out the foundation for success for the benefit of the audience, conveying the importance of a strong education, a good attitude, having respect, being loyal to family, friends and your commitments, as well as the vitality of being yourself, knowing who you are, where you want to go. “Those are the words I used to motivate the children, parents and local league leaders, and I believe they were well received,” said Officer Neely following the opening.

Results of the opening day games were as follows: Game 1 - 12U division.

Rock Sound Marlins fought back from an 8 to 0 deficit to defeat the Governors Harbour Snappers 13 – 11. Game 2 - Tee-Ball (5-6 division) Palmetto Point and

Tee-Ballers getting into play at the field in Rock Sound, on 2020 Season opening day of the EJBL.

Rock Sound played a scrimmage game which was very exciting for the young kids, said Forbes. Game 3 – 12U division. The Tarpum Bay Black Panthers blasted the Palmetto Legends by the score of 20 to 3 for the stop via the 10 run rule. Play continued the following Saturday with games at the Mosquito Park in Tarpum Bay.

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Community & Businesses combine resources to help host social event for NE Seniors.

Delightfully healthy treats were made available for Seniors during the Honouree Service.

Center: Honouree Rose Neely Green all smiles.

35-year-old, Vernon Neilly, a native of Lower Bogue, Councilor with the North Eleuthera District Council and talented Executive Chef with Aquapazza Restaurant at Romora Bay, Harbour Island, hosted a Senior Citizens Honouree Service in Lower Bogue on Saturday, February 8th, 2020.

Sharing the inspiration for what turned out to be a beautiful late afternoon event, Vernon described, “One night I was brainstorming, as a Councilor within the community, and I said ‘I wonder if we can do something to recognize our senior citizens.’ Many times we don’t tend to check for elderly people, so, I decided to solicit some sponsors to see what I could come up with. I formed a committee, which included my sister, Latoya Kelly, and my cousin, Julie Wallace. We then sat down and came together to organize an event such as this.”

He continued, “We recognized our first female Justice of the Peace, Rose Neely Green, as well as the first two in Lower Bogue, Laurell Bullard, and Marie Johnson from our community. We know that throughout the Bahamas, and all

over the world, women have not been recognized, and we felt honoured to recognize them for Above: The event committee (L-R) Latoya Kelly, Chef Vernon Neilly, their outstanding and Julie Wallace. service.” All the seniors attending, thinking that this will be an annual event, dressed in their finery, following because of the great success and turnthe short service, were treated to a out. So, we will definitely go again next delicious meal, and serenaded by year.”

‘The Brilanders’.

The event was an all-sponsored event, said Chef Neilly, with all the restaurants in Harbour Island, as well as businesses in North Eleuthera stepping up to help make it happen. “There were just so many sponsors and overwhelming support,” expressed Chef Neilly. He also explained that no monetary funds were involved in the organization of the event. Sponsors, he said, were informed by the committee of what was needed, and they paid directly for the donated items.

Approximately 80 senior citizens, said Vernon, were treated during the service, and they came from townships throughout the North Eleuthera mainland. “We are

Orene Frazier, a 63-year-old senior citizen of Lower Bogue, commenting on how she felt about being treated and pampered at the service, shared, “Oh! I felt good, because we don’t get this all the time. So, I appreciate everything that went on throughout this day. It was very, very good, and I’m very glad of it. It was so good that the people could come together.”

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Eleuthera’s Best Get 3 TOP A’s! aT ANNUAL nATIONAL eXAMINATION AWARDS The island of Eleuthera, made its presence felt at the Annual National Exam Awards held in New Providence on Monday, February 3rd, where top students nationwide who sat the 2019 national BJC and BGCSE examinations were recognized for their achievements.

Three (3) of the national top ‘A’ result BGCSE subject awards were achieved by students from Eleuthera. Lamar Sineus of Central Eleuthera High School received the top ‘A’ result in Carpentry & Joinery; Jada Albury of Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School received the national top ‘A’ result in Art & Design (Craft), an achievement she shared with Alisha Carey of Windermere High School, who also received the highest national mark at Grade ‘A’ in the Art & Design (Craft) subject.

Merrick Underwood of Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School earned the Best BGCSE 2019 results for the island of Eleuthera, having achieved 5 A’s in one sitting. Ava Underwood of Samuel Guy Pinder

All Age School earned the Best BJC 2019 results for Eleuthera, with 6 A’s, 2 B’s in one sitting.

Two Eleuthera schools were also recognized for their national performance. Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School nabbed the 1st place award for Most Improved GPA in Government Schools (BGCSE - Category C: 1 - 100 student entries).

Central Eleuthera High School was also recognized for their 1st place award for Most Improved GPA in Government Schools (BJC - Category B: 101 - 500 student entries), as well as their 2nd place award for Most Improved GPA in Government Schools (BGCSE - Category B: 101 - 500 student entries).

Central Eleuthera High School was also singled out in the Career & Technical Education Awards for Outstanding Performance by Government Schools, receiving a 3rd Place award in the BGCSE category.

All students across the nation,

Pictured Above - Clockwise from top left: Lamar Sineus - Central Eleuthera High, Ava Underwood - Samuel Guy Pinder All Age, Merrick Underwood - Samuel Guy Pinder All Age, Conner Pinder - Samuel Guy Pinder All Age, Johnathan Randall - Central Eleuthera High, and Alisha Carey - Windermere High School.

who sat the 2019 National Exams and passed with five (5) or more A’s received an honorable mention certificate for their tremendous achievement. Eleuthera students who were awarded with the honor for their overall performance in the BJC Exams included; Johnathan Randall of Central Eleuthera High School (5As, 4Bs); Conner Pinder of Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School (5As, 2Bs, 1C); and Ava Underwood of Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School (6As, 2Bs) - also Best Island Results for Eleuthera - BJC. One Eleuthera student made this achievement at the BGCSE level - Merrick Underwood of Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School (5 A’s) - who also achieved Best Island Results - BGCSE.

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Burst of Flavours at the 7th Annual Taste of Central Eleuthera

Serving up delicious native dishes at the Taste of Central Eleuthera, held on February 7th.

The five Methodist Churches within the Central Eleuthera Region came together on Friday, February 7th, 2020, at the St. Patrick’s Parish Hall in Governor’s Harbour to host their 7th Annual Taste of Central Eleuthera - a native Food Festival event, with cultural flair, that continues to deliver on its’ name.

Methodist churches from Palmetto Point, Governor’s Harbour, James’ Cistern, Hatchet Bay, and Gregory Town, were all on hand in tented stalls within the Hall, offering up different native and Caribbean specialties.

Co-Chair for the event, and president of the Lay Preachers Association Central Eleuthera Region, Mrs. Rosemary Thompson, described mouth-watering options from each settlement on offer on the Friday. “What is unique about this event is that each church stall has different specials. Palmetto Point’s soups with okra, pumpkin, and pea soup and dumpling; Hatchet Bay specialized in the fresh local mutton dishes; James’ Cistern did their quiche, with lobster quiche and broccoli quiche; Gregory Town is known for the tarts, so they do the sweets, and the special drinks; Governor’s Harbour does their special native chicken and rice dishes so, each settlement had something different.”

People were able to come, buy

a set of tickets, shop around at each of the five stalls, and choose a smorgasbord of side dishes and entrees, for a once-a-year native food tasting experience. “We look forward to this event every year,” added Mrs. Thompson, “It’s a great day of fellowship, and of course we have music by our special hometown guy - Dr. Seabreeze (Cebric Bethel), accompanied by his son Scott Bethel and Chico Johnson of Governor’s Harbour. They were on the inside, where the food is, providing music, and on the outside we had brother Pinder as DJ, doing our spiritual and down home music.”

The Taste of Central Eleuthera, said Mrs. Thompson, is also on the Ministry of Tourism’s Annual Calendar, “So, we find winter residents and visitors coming. Some say they have been coming for the last seven years that this event has been going on, and look forward to it… It’s a wonderful day, overlooking the sea, here in Governor’s Harbour.”

The food festival event is a principal annual fundraiser for the five Methodist Churches in the Central Eleuthera Region, “The objective,” shared Colin Moss, Deacon with the Palmetto Point church, “is to have monies to do missions and ministry throughout the conference area, here in Eleuthera, and elsewhere.”

Above left: Legendary Eleutheran musician Dr. Seabreeze set the down home, island style atmosphere.

As part of the Ministry of Tourism’s Annual Calendar, the native Food Festival was also frequented by visitors to the island.

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Highlight Officers Exhorted to be People of Integrity at this

year’s Annual Police Church Service program, The Eleuthera Division of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), held their annual church service on Sunday, February 9th, 2020. The event this year, which began at 2pm, was hosted at the St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Rock Sound, South Eleuthera, and moderated by Pastor Jerome Hill. All uniformed agencies on island were in attendance, including the Police, Customs, Immigration, Road Traffic, Airport Authority, Medical Personnel, as well as other public servants.

As a special treat to everyone who came out, the Royal Bahamas Police Force band was also on the

both

in-service P21

Above: During the service, a ‘Presentation of Colours and Police Standards’ was conducted, and Officers fallen from the ranks during 2019 were announced and solemnly remembered.

Above: Top Brass RBPF in the Eleuthera Division, along with other uniformed agencies and community members attended the Annual Police Church Service. Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ismella Delancy, represented RBPF Commissioner, Anthony Ferguson.

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Above: Top Executives in the RBPF Eleuthera Division, including Chief Supt. Stephen Adderley (center right), and Supt. Frederick Sands (2nd from left), stand with Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ismella Delancy (center) and her delegation from New Providence.

Continued from Page. 20 and following the service, with a mini Beat Retreat. The RBPF Youth Marching Band, led by Officer Rovan Carey, also performed - to the delight of the audience.

Rev. Lee Carl Sands, President of the Eleuthera Christian Council gave brief remarks and Host Pastor Father Bradley Miller presented the main message during the service, which centered around the theme of the officers being without corruption.

Miller thanked the RBPF for the stellar job they do, saying that it was not an easy job, and advised them, that to tackle crime, they needed God and His intervention.

He exhorted the uniformed services in the audience to embrace proper attitudes as they went about their work, and to show respect to the people they served. He further pushed them to carry out their work without fear or favor, saying, “Be honest and fair in your dealings. Do not sell yourself out. In this society, corruption may be the order of the day, but you set your standards high, and be people of integrity.�

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), and former OIC of the Eleuthera Division, Ismella Delancy, was in attendance for the occasion, representing the Commissioner of Police, during the annual ceremony. All of the top brass within the Eleuthera Division of the RBPF were also in attendance, led by Chief Superintendent Stephen Adderley, including; Superintendent Frederick Sands, ASP P40

Police were joined by other uniformed agencies on parade following the service.

Joshua E. Culmer M.O., J.P., L.P., greets Acting DCP, Ismella Delancy.

Youth band member gets to lead the RBPF Marching Band.

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Great Way to bond and express!

- Literacy Week at SGPAAS,

honing skills and being wacky for the fun & a good cause

12th grade smurfs fully enjoying the creative freedom of the annual Character parade.

“Packed with fun activities” is how Literacy Week coordinator, and 1st grade teacher, Glorinda Culmer, described Literacy Week at the Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School (SGPAAS) which began on Monday, February 10th, with a ‘Show and Tell’ from grades one through six, meant to strengthen their oral communication and presentation skills.

Spelling Bees followed on Tuesday, February 11th, for grades K4 through six (primary) and grades seven through nine (junior high).

Then on Wednesday, February 12th, Wackiness ruled the way the students and teachers dressed, who were allowed to present in their wackiest hair, makeup and jewelry, for the fun of it, while helping to raise funds at the school, with a price tag of $5 per wackily dressed student.

A Literacy Assembly and Awards followed on the Thursday.

Then a school-wide character parade and banner competition, took place on Friday, February 14th, which saw each grade level design a poster illustrating a chosen storybook, and students from those classes, dressing up in costumes

representing characters from the stories. The colorful parade, which showcased smurfs and princesses, dalmations and mickey’s clubhouse clubbers, as well as mermaids and looney tunes, took students from the school towards the community dock, passing Harbourside Gift Store, then along the waterfront toward 1st Street, in a circuit leading back to the school, showing off to onlooking townspeople along the way. Winners of the banner competition looked forward to class P42 pizza parties as the prize

Roads, Docks and Housing:

Main Promises By PM During Recent Central Eleuthera Visit

Prime Minister The Most Honourable Hubert Minnis visited Central Eleuthera on Thursday, February 13th, 2020, and engaged an audience of community members from the Central and South Eleuthera area, at a 7pm town hall meeting, held at the Emily G. Petty primary school in Governor’s Harbour on Thursday evening. During the meeting Prime Minister Minnis spoke of some of the initiatives the government planned to implement on the island within the next year, then opened the floor to audience questions and feedback.

“We know that you have been challenged with road works,” stated Prime Minister Minnis as he began his address at the town hall meeting. “We made a commitment, although we only have a certain amount of money that must be utilized for the entire Bahamas, that what we would do initially is to look at those areas especially that would help to grow the economy and bring a greater return of revenue - that we can take to assist in every other island… It’s now your time in the Family Islands, and we want to concentrate on the Family Islands. The P45 Ministry of Works and Cabinet has already made a commitment

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‘through MARCH 2020 highlights in MARCH ‘20 The ELEUTHERA JUNIOR JUNKANOO Parade is currently scheduled to take place on March 21st, 2020

Annual Second Homeowners / Winter Residents Reception MARCH 5TH, 2020 This is an appreciation reception where the local people and industry partners get the opportunity to interact and fellowship with the Winter Residents at this time. The highlights of this event will be authentically Bahamian crafts, food, music and a native fashion show. For more information, please contact the Eleuthera Tourist Office at (242)332-2142.

Community EVENTS 7th ANNUAL HOPE BALL Friday, March 14th, 2020 This red carpet event will feature exciting live entertainment, all proceeds will benefit The Cancer Society Eleuthera Branch. For more information please contact the Cancer Society of Eleuthera at (242)332-1804. Email: cancersocietyeleuthera@live.com.

Time: Begins at 6:30pm Venue:Worker’s House, Gov. Harb.

Tickets are now available. Call 3321804.

Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve

Ride & Run For Hope Bahamas

2020 Terrestrial Natural History Summer Internship

March 14th, 2020

Applications now available on the Preserve’s

Discover the beauty that is Eleuthera by foot or bike with Ride & Run For Hope Bahamas. On March 14, 2020, cyclists can take on distances from 10 to 100 miles while runners can challenge themselves on 5K to full-marathon races to support the Treatment Assistance Fund and Family Island Mammogram Screenings. For additional information, contact: Mrs. Susan Larson or Mr. Stephen Holowesko at: info@ridefor hopebahamas.com

website (www.LevyPreserve.org).

Earth Day at CTI SAVE THE DATE:

April 25th, 2020 Venue: Center for Training & Innovation (CTI), Queen’s Highway and Mingo Drive, Rock Sound, Eleuthera.

WEEKLY MEETINGS: Friends of Bill W, we have weekly meetings on Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30pm, in the lower hall at the Wesley Methodist Church on Cupid’s Cay, Governors Harbour. If you have any questions, kindly call Shannon at 427-0977.

School EVENTS Q1-2020: Monday, March 9th, 2020 -National Spelling Bee Finals Friday, April 3rd to Monday, April 13th, 2020 -Easter Break (School Holiday)

More

Community EVENTS

Save The Dates!

APRIL 4 - 3RD ANNUALART IN THE PARK APRIL 18 - BNT’S NATIONAL PARK DAY

Lower Bogue Homecoming Festival APRIL 9TH – 13th Locals and visitors from other islands come together to interact and enjoy cultural activities, Bahamian crafts, music, food, drinks and games. For more information please contact Ms. Sharnell Cash at (242)432-2997.

Holidays and Observance Days: Sunday, March 8th Daylight Saving Time Begins

************ APRIL 9TH – 13th

Rock Sound Homecoming Festival This festival attracts locals and visitors for a down home island feeling. Some of the events include Junkanoo Rush-out, live band performances, fashion/cultural shows and Bahamian food and drinks. For more information please contact Mr. Brian Major at (242) 334-2980.

************

APRIL 9TH – 13th

The Annual James’ Cistern Heritage Affair Homecoming The main purpose of this event is to attract domestic and international tourist to the island and provide revenue for the local residents. Some of the activities include live band performance, Junkanoo rush out, authentically Bahamian crafts, native fashion shows, food and drinks. For more information please contact Mrs. Glenda Johnson-Ingraham at (242)470-2777.

Bridge Contract Continued from Page. 4 months); detailed design (5 months); tender bid process (3 months); and Contract Administration/ Construction quality control (24 months).

“The Cabinet approved the recommendation for the award of the contract between the Ministry of Public Works and Engineering Technical Services for a VAT inclusive total of $2,040,840.00.

Cabinet also approved a 20% contingency amount of $400,000 for any unforeseen or additional services requested.

Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister addresses the Glass Window Bridge Signing Ceremony, January 30, 2020 at the Ministry of Public Works on University Drive. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)

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The Ministry of Public Works (MOPW) has entered into a $2 million contract with Engineering Technical Services for feasibility study and design services to improve the Glass Window Bridge in North Eleuthera. The contract was signed at the Ministry of Public Works on University Boulevard on Thursday, 30th January 2020. Pictured seated: Robert Mouzas, Deputy Director, MOPW; Cora Colebrooke, Permanent Secretary, MOPW; Lambert Knowles and Lillian Knowles, Principals, Engineering Technical Services. Standing: Melanie Roach, Director of Works; the Hon. Desmond Bannister; and Minister of Tourism and Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar.

(BIS Photo/Derek Smith)

CONTACT The Eleutheran Newspaper at 422-9350 or send email to services@theeleutheran.com,

to have your community notices and events listed.

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Harbour Island Back on Top at 4th Annual Eleuthera Island Jam Basketball Tournament nament this year,” explained EBTC director, Bill Landers, “because we wanted to help invest in the future, by investing in the younger players as well... We’ve had different formats for four years now, and we are always tinkering with what we are doing. Next year, we may have a threeon-three tournament - where you can have four teams going at one time.

This year it was a final four format, and every team was guaranteed at least two games. So, we played a total of five games each night.

Inspiration for the tournament four years ago, came from a visiting coach and president of

Kanakuk Link Year school, Adam Donyes, who in 2016 after visiting the Eleuthera Bible Training Center with a voluntourist team from his school in Missouri, had an interest in looking for basketball talent to attend his one year gap program school, before possibly transitioning into basketball programs in colleges in the US. He and his school, which now sponsors the annual tournament, upgraded the court at the EBTC with new aprons, baskets, lights, bleachers, score tables and the like.

Above: Junior players during the Annual Eleuthera Island Jam Basketball Tournament tussling it out for the win.

The 4th Annual Eleuthera Island Jam Basketball tournament was hosted by the Eleuthera Bible Training Center (EBTC), headed by director, Bill Landers, in James’ Cistern on Friday and Saturday, February 14th and 15th, 2020. This year, the tournament hosted both a men’s division, which played on the Friday, and a junior division, which competed on Saturday evening.

On Friday evening, four teams faced off in a final four format - including teams from; Harbour Island, Governor’s Harbour, Black Wood, and the 7/11 Warriors of North Eleuthera. Harbour Island (Briland), led by coach Andrew (Tiny) Johnson, won the title during the first two years of the tournament, but surrendered the title in 2019 to the 7/11 Warriors of North Eleuthera.

However, on Friday, Briland regained the championship title and trophy by defeating the Governor’s Harbour team in this year’s championship game, 83 to 58. Rio Saunders was the high scorer in the game with 22 points. He also earned the MVP award for the men’s tournament and was presented with a trophy.

Referees during play on Friday,

were Frankie Mayne and Derrick Smith, while Adam Donyes, sponsor and president of Kanakuk Link Year school, along with colleague Grant Troutt were the announcers. Two additional competitions were also added this year - a three-point shooting contest, and a fanfavorite slam dunk contest - which were held on Saturday afternoon. Andrew Pierre earned the three-point shooting trophy, and tournament sponsor, Adam Donyes, presented Clevorn Johnson, with the slam dunk award.

On Saturday evening, another four teams went head to head in the junior tournament, where Black Wood, Lower Bogue, Governor’s Harbour, and Harbour Island (Briland) were represented. Isaac Etienne and Robert McCoy served as referees on Saturday night, as the teams competed for the junior championship at the Eleuthera Island Jam. Briland took home the inaugural junior championship trophy winning 48-30. Coach Johnson, again successfully led his team to victory. The high scorer on Saturday was Desron Gray, so, he also earned the MVP honours and trophy.

“We expanded to the junior tour-

Above: Harbour Island took the Men’s Championship title, now for the third time in the history of the tournament.

Harbour Island’s Junior team also took top prize at the Island Jam.

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Pelagic fisheries research

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Juvenile bar jacks surround a fish aggregation device (FAD) in the Exuma Sound off Eleuthera’s southwest coast.

in The Bahamas Off-shore sport-fishing in The Bahamas draws boats from all across the region seeking mahi-mahi, wahoo, tuna and billfish. Many of these migratory fish travel hundreds and even thousands of miles before reaching The Bahamas, often passing through the waters of many different countries along the way. This aspect of their behavior can be a challenge to conservation efforts when different laws and regulations exist across a fish’s migratory range.

In an effort to better understand where these species travel and to learn more about their general biology, CEI utilizes off-shore research platforms called Fish Aggregation Devices (or FADs) to reliably find and study life in the open ocean. A FAD can be any floating object in the oceaneither man made like a buoy or natural like a log. Fish that live in the open ocean are attracted to these floating objects for a variety of reasons including hiding from predators or finding other fish to reform schools, and this behavior makes them very easy to catch when they are concentrated around a FAD. These objects have been used by fishers for centuries to increase fishing efficiency, and currently over half of all

the tuna caught across the entire world are caught using FADs. Because these tuna are caught using large nets that encapsulate an entire school of fish and the floating FAD, many other unwanted species are captured and discarded as ‘bycatch’ and often do not survive the capture process.

CEI researchers, led by Research Associate and University of Glasgow PhD candidate Eric Schneider, are working to learn more about how different species of fish utilize the area around a FAD with the ultimate goal of reducing the bycatch in FAD-based fisheries. To learn more about FADs in Bahamian waters, Eric recently joined colleagues from Saving the Blue on a November expedition to the Tongue of the Ocean off the east coast of Andros. There, a large naval buoy has been anchored in deep water for decades and is a well-established FAD that aggregates a wide range of pelagic sportfish and sharks.

Working alongside Saving the Blue’s Annie Guttridge and Dr. Phil Mattich, the team began preliminary observations of the fish community around the FAD. A wide variety of predatory species were seen including silky and dusky sharks, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna and wahoo- all of which are long-

ranging species that are known to frequent floating objects along their migratory routes. Also seen were a range of smaller pelagic fish including triggerfish and jacks which are frequently caught as bycatch in FAD fisheries.

In addition to documenting the fish community around the Andros FAD, the team was able to deploy 3 satellite tags on large silky sharks to support a project led by CEI Research Associate and Florida International University PhD candidate Brendan Talwar. These tags are programmed to remain attached to the animals for 8 months and will hopefully provide longer term location and diving information on this threatened pelagic shark.

Be sure to stay tuned for some exciting new research developments out of the FAD project coming soon, and check out www.savingtheblue.org for more information on their work in Andros.

An anchored FAD in the Tongue of the Ocean off the east coast of Andros, with mahi and juvenile silky sharks. Image credit: Annie Guttridge, Saving the Blue

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The Next Step: MOE’s Eleuthera District hosts informative College Fair for High School seniors.

The Ministry of Education’s Eleuthera District Office hosted a College Fair at the Resource Center in Savannah Sound on Wednesday, January 29th, 2020. The Fair, saw 11th and 12th graders from High Schools and All Age schools throughout Eleuthera, as well as some 10th graders - who were given the opportunity to get early exposure to what was out there, and what they could be aiming for - touring through information

booths manned by representatives from twelve (12) national and international, colleges and universities.

“This year, we’ve invited a number of Canadian, U.S. and our National schools, and we want this to be the first of many more College Fairs hosted in Eleuthera,” said District Education Officer and a main organizer, Mrs. Fontella Knowles.

Bahamian tertiary options like the Center for Training and Innovation (CTI), the

Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), the University of the Bahamas (UB), the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), as well as the LJM Maritime School were all present at the Fair.

The Scholarships division of the Ministry of Education was also represented,

by Mrs. Monique Hinsey, who leads the Public School Scholars Program - a scholarship partnership between the

Bahamian Government and more than 40 universities in the U.S. and Canada.

“What we have heard from the Public School Scholars Program, is that Family Island students, and in particular students from Eleuthera, are not applying in large numbers, compared to the other Family Islands, and attaining the scholarships. So, this event today is also to expose our students to a variety of universities and colleges out there, many of

Above: Monique Hinsey, with the Ministry of Education’s Public School Scholars Program, addressing students, and providing them with invaluable information on how they could finance their college and university dream. Other Photos on page: Students from schools across the island engage with visiting universities and colleges.

which are also a part of the Public Scholars Program,” shared Mrs. Knowles.

Some of the international schools in Savannah Sound on Wednesday included: Acadia University, Holland College, Fanshawe College, College of St. Benedicts and St. John’s University, Monroe College, and University of the Ozarks. Mrs. Knowles, said that more schools wanted to come, and because of scheduling conflicts were unable to be there, but had committed to coming to the island for the 2021 event.

“This is a head-start,” added Mrs. Knowles, “for those 10th graders and the 11th graders, to really dive

into what is out there. They dream about being an engineer, a nurse, a doctor - so, they can learn about what is required for them to do for the various schools. Also, this is a chance to learn about scholarship opportunities. Many Family Island parents may not have the money, but the opportunities are out there for students.

So, its invaluable for them to know what is out there, what qualifications are necessary, so, they can plan…

The students are getting a wealth of information today that they can take home, sit down with their parents, and discuss the way forward for their college matriculation. We are definitely making strides here in the Eleu-

thera District.”

Mrs. Monique Hinsey, along with chatting with students one-on-one during the day, also gave several short presentations on the program, and what the students needed to successfully take advantage of the scholarship program. In her presentation she highlighted that the Program was all about helping more Bahamian students realize the dream of college education, saying, “So many students begin college and can’t finish because

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Both local and international schools were invited to take part in the Ministry of Education’s College Fair, held at the Resource Center in Savannah Sound.

10th, 11th, and 12th grade students from every high school in Eleuthera were invited to engage with local and international tertiary education schools, on January 29th, 2020. Clockwise from top left: UB reps talk about grant opportunities. Students engage with local reps from CTI. St. John’s and St. Benedicts were represented by Hiltina Scott. BAMSI rep, Marilyn Lafleur said many students enquired about the local institute.

Continued from Page. 28 of finances - or have that desire to want to go to college, but finances come in the way, so, they can’t.

So, what we’ve done, is gone out and established college and university partners, and negotiated a package for students, where the school offers financial awards to Bahamian students - both in the program, as well as out of the program.” All scholarship programs offered by the Ministry of Education’s Scholarship division, she emphasized, has an application deadline of March 31st each Science, Agri-Business, Agronomy, General Business Management, as well as Animal Science. Also, quite a few students today expressed an interest in Marine Science, and thought they would have to go overseas to do this course, but after sharing with them that BAMSI has a vibrant Marine Science program, a number of them filled in applications - so, that’s a positive that came out of this College Fair today for us,” said Mrs. LaFleur. “Once you finish with BAMSI, we have partnered with nearly 40 universities within the U.S., including Ozark University that’s here today. We had a former student graduate from there recently, and they took all of his credits. The advantage of beginning with BAMSI is not having to leave the country at such a tender age - you can get started locally and mature, then move on,” she said.

A Bahamian, Hiltina Scott, representing both the College of St. Benedicts, and

year, and all applications are now done online. (www.ScholarshipsBahamas.com) “You can find a school that fits your need and your budget, with 40 schools currently partnering and another 10 being added before Fall 2020,” she shared.

Marilyn LaFleur, with BAMSI, commented that as a school, they wanted to bring to the students’ consciousness that BAMSI is an accessible Agricultural Institution right within our country, in North Andros. “It’s a co-ed institution.

We have dorms for both male and female students. We offer courses in Agriculture, Environmental

St. John’s University within the U.S., said that the information they wanted to get out to students in Eleuthera was the unique learning environment offered, different from other colleges. “The females live at St. Bens and the males live at St. Johns, but the classes are co-ed. We have many Bahamian students who are graduates of both institutions, myself included. So, I’m the local representative for the colleges. I go to the different high schools in Nassau, and Grand Bahama, and now Eleuthera. It’s a liberal arts college, so it offers a wide variety of areas of undergraduate study for students, who would graduate with their Bachelor’s Degree. Also, 100% of International Students receive some level of scholarship funding from St. Bens/St. Johns.”

Reps from the University of the Bahamas, said that the Fair was a really impor-

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Participants in the Neighbourhood Watch Training Program, formally graduated on Friday evening, January 31st, during a ceremony held at the St. Patrick’s Parish Hall in Governor’s Harbour.

Nat’l Neighbourhood WatchProgram introduced throughout Eleuthera The National Neighbourhood Watch (NNW) program, which falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Security, was introduced to Eleuthera during a week-long training session from January 27th to 31st, 2020, with training sessions taking place simultaneously throughout the week in North, Central and South Eleuthera, facilitated by Program Liaison Police Officers out of New Providence.

More than 100 community members across the island took part in the training sessions for the creation of the Eleuthera branch of the National Neighbourhood Watch, which was followed by a formal graduation of the new community participants and leaders in the program during a ceremony held on Friday evening, January 31st, at the St. Patrick’s Parish Hall in Governor’s Harbour.

Minister of National Security the Hon. Marvin Dames, led a delegation to Eleuthera, during the week of training, on January 30th, 2020, where they interacted with local Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) officers, civic leaders and neighbourhood watch stakeholders in Governor’s Harbour and Hatchet Bay. Among those with the Minister were Permanent Secretary Eugene Poitier; Dr. Jennifer Bethel of the Ministry’s Research and Development Section; Officer in Charge (OIC) of the RBPF National Neighbourhood Watch Council (NNWC) Liaison Unit, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Wilton Johnson and NNWC Co-Chairs Keno Wong and Alesha Hart; and Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera Hank Johnson.

While on Eleuthera, the delegation interacted with local RBPF representatives, including Eleuthera OIC Chief Superintendent Stephen Adderley, Superintendent Frederick Sands, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Frank Neely, ASP Nigel Rolle, Inspec-

tor Julian Newbold, and other senior officers, as well as Family Island Administrator for South Eleuthera Gregory Knowles, and community leaders. Minister Dames and the delegation toured police stations, took part in a walkabout in Hatchet Bay, and informally talked with officers posted on the island. He also interacted with the officers from New Providence, who were on the island conducting the NNW training.

“We are in place to make sure that community is impacted. We are the eyes and ears for our community, and as resident groups we can come up with strategies to prevent crime… When we are able to identify issues, and address them within our community, we can prevent,” said Ms. Alesha Hart, Co-Chair of the National Neighbourhood Watch Council, briefly commenting on the benefits of having active local Neighbourhood Watch groups. “An important part of the role of the National Council is to ensure that communities have initiatives to promote prevention.”

During the week of training, Sgt. Garlen Miller, one of the Liaison Officers attached to the National Neighbourhood Watch Program facilitating the training, in a brief interview, shared that he was one of nine Liaison Officers spread across the island conducting training sessions through that week. “The intention is to reach every community in Eleuthera. Each area, North, Central and South Eleuthera, will have an Eleuthera based Liaison Police Officer assigned to coordinate with the local Neighbourhood Watch community groups… The goal being to strengthen and reestablish the ties between the Police and the local communities.”

Training sessions covered topics as varied as: reporting and record keeping, an overview of the neighbourhood watch program, first aid, ethics and professionalism, community patrols, justifiable force

Nurse Bernadette Colebrook, demonstrating the putting on of a tourniquet during the week’s training sessions.

and harm, and the like. In total, 106 members of the Eleutheran community, completed this initial week of training, and celebrated their new community roles at a graduation ceremony on the Friday evening.

Graduates included; from North Eleuthera - Insp. Anthony McCartney, St Yvette Cash, Sgt. Ricardo Larrimore, Sgt. Tekenia Major, Const. Michael Lockhart, R/Sgt. Ellis Miller, R/Sgt. Melvin Leary, Aldred Albury, Charlton Frazer, Cherene Green, Cherese Smith, Damon Bethel, Denise Belle, Desmond Johnson, Dominic Johnson, Ernie Kelly, Garfield Cash, Humphrey Johnson, James Munroe, James Timothy, Jenna Timothy, Jennifer Kelly, Josette Illan, Karen Elden, Keva Cash, Kevin Hepburn, Marcia Cash, Marguerite Cash, Orene Farlien, Paullisha Brown, Pochino Scavella, Ricardo Belle, Ro’Jean Albury, Trivette Brown, Wesley Johnson, and Zaccheus Kemp.

2020,

Feb/Mar

Harbour Island - Gwenette Barry, Lana Barry Cash, Terrance Davis, Travis Dean, Martin Lee Grant, Jack Higgs, Mayzina Higgs, Ashley Percentie.

From Spanish Wells - Sgt. Nehemiah Brown, W/Const. Nadia Brancaccio, W/ Const. Dianthus Munroe, Borden Higgs, Franklin Burrows, Herbert Albury, Robert Roberts, Harold Roy Pinder, and Shaw Underwood.

Lo c a l

Central Eleuthera - Pauline Bethel, Suzanne Bethel, Andre Butler, Merrie Cambridge, Latricia Cammbridge, Adena Coakley, Gerrard Coakley, Bernadette Colebrook, Laura Culmer, Ryan Culmer, Adolphus Davis, Ricardo Dean, Darius Farrington, John Gibson, Stephe John, Cenize Louissaint, Denward Rankine, Robin Rankine, Willard Rankine, Carl Sands, Paul Simmons, Rashad Smith, and Shafeeq Thompson.

The Eleutheran

South Eleuthera - Sgt. Ainthia Bethel, WR/Insp. Geneth Brown, WR/Cpl. Sybil Forbes, R/Cpl. Marvin Gibson, Anne Allen, Michael Saunders, Joseph Sweeting, Cleveland Knowles, Sherine Munnings, Andrea Gibson, Kennedy Bethel, Pedro Bethel, Jerome Hill, Jackson Jolly, Tijana Thompson, Lashonda Leary, Edwards Sands, Nora Smith, Bernadette Sweeting, George Bullard, Cornell Smith, Christopher Smith, Daniel Smith, Avyreal Russell, Danielle Gibson, Ronald Carey, Ernest McKinney, Bish. Ernest Sweeting, and Kevano Bullard.

Minister of National Security visits island

Above and right: On Thursday, January 30th, Minister of National Security, the Hon. Marvin Dames visited Eleuthera, while Liaison Officers from the National Neighbourhood Watch Program were on island conducting training, ahead of the Program’s launch across the five Eleuthera Districts. 106 community members participated in the week-long training sessions.

31

32 www. EleutheraNews . com

loc al +p lu s

Feb/March, 2020

MOU Signed By DisneyCruise Line, the SBDC and the Eleuthera Chamber with stated aim to Support Eleuthera Businesses On Thursday morning, February 13th, 2020, Disney Cruise Line signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce, pledging to invest over $1 million dollars over the next three years, to support new businesses on the island, and the buildout of a new Innovation Hub in South Eleuthera. The key aim of the agreement is to prepare small businesses and new businesses for participation in development projects in Eleuthera, including Disney’s Lighthouse Point project, set to begin operations early in 2022, pending final approval of an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan.

“Working with the Small Business Development Center and working with The Chamber, we are pledging over $1 million dollars over the next three years, to support new businesses,”

said Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Cruise Lines. “It’s about building a community, and our support does not stop at dollars… We want to continue to be active. Although our dollars are important, so is our participation…

We will be here to participate with you to drive the success of the community, to drive successful businesses for our guests - and to drive successful businesses to support our business at Lighthouse Point… We look forward to being a part of the future of Eleuthera.”

The new I-Hub, which will be located in Rock Sound, will host a fulltime local office for the Small Business Development Center to offer its programs and services in partnership with the Eleuthera Chamber, as well as a Disney Cruise Line office, where the company can connect with local businesses and organizations. The Hub is P35

Above (L-R): Jeff Vahle, President of Disney Cruise Line; Central and South Eleuthera MP Hank Johnson; Candice Turnquest, Eleuthera Chamber Executive Director; Deputy Prime Minister Hon. K Peter Turnquest; and Davinia Blair, SBDC Executive Director.

2020,

Feb/Mar

Utilities Authority Continued from Page. 7

URCA CEO Stephen Bereaux presenting at town hall meeting. in Governor’s Harbour.

2020, and to field questions and concerns, including; URCA CEO, Stephen Bereaux; Corporate and Consumer Relations Manager, Mavis Johnson-Collie; Director of Electronic Communications, Carlton Smith; Director of the Electricity Sector, Shavonne Cambridge, along with other staffers.

In an interview following the first town hall meeting, CEO Bereaux, shared further on URCA’s purpose for visiting Eleuthera, and the message they wanted to get out to the Eleuthera public, about being there to help, saying, “URCA has been regulating for ten years. We’ve put in a number of rules, and one of the things we’ve noted over the last year or so, is that although from time to time, we have come into the Family Islands - it’s usually when we have a major consultation going on. We were reminded by ourselves in our last strategic session that we regulate services throughout the Bahamas, and the Bahamas is not New Providence.

He continued, “So, we decided that we needed to find a way to have a regular presence across the Bahamas. Now it’s not every day. We can’t have a permanent presence on every island, but what we came up with was a concept we call ‘PopUp Offices’. We try to manage, based on how many people live on each island, a way of splitting our time, especially at leadership level. So, we are not just sending a couple people to the island. We try to ensure that we have key members of staff, who could answer everything - so that we make sure that people feel we are accessible. We send out ads, and do many things to convince people to complain or talk to us, and we think that it is important, as a part of that, for us to be here - to show our face and to be on the island. Whether people come or not, it’s up to them, but it’s important for us to be here.”

Bereaux, emphasized how important it was for URCA to hear directly from customers who were dissatisfied, so that, one: they could be aware when the rules governing how service providers dealt with their customers were not being followed, and two: they could assist customers who had unresolved issues with their provider. “One of the things that we’ve noticed is - we’ve put in place rules, and we try to make sure that those rules are complied with. But, the other side of that cycle - is not effective unless people complain. There are a lot of problems we hear anecdotally from people, that they are having - but, very few of them are reaching out to us. So, there are two things we are doing. One is to get out there and educate people - telling them that you can complain, and to please complain - we want to hear from you, as we can also deal with some of your issues. But, also we are proposing some changes to the ‘consumer protection regulations’, because we want to make it even easier to complain.

He added, “We found that the timeline was a big barrier,

loc a l +p lu s with customers having to wait 30 days to make a complaint, and by the time the 30 days are up, you would have forgotten - so, we are exploring through the consultation document, the possibility of reducing that timeline to something more palatable. 14 days is better. We would have taken it further, but we thought that was a good start.”

Mr. Bereaux stressing the effectiveness of getting URCA involved in challenges with service providers, stated, “We also recognize that people need to feel that somebody is there to help them, and that is what we are trying to send as a message. We want people to get to the point where, if they have a problem, they ask us. We may not always have the answer for every single problem, but, we can help in more cases than people realize. We’ve found that 99% of the time when someone says, ‘I have a problem’, and asks - we can help. Sometimes not always formally, but we can actually help. With our influence, if you copied in URCA (on a complaint to a service provider), with the operator knowing that you copied URCA is also important, because they know what the rules are, and they don’t know how we are going to respond. As a result, they tend to act more quickly in many cases. So, that alone, even if you don’t make a formal complaint - just knowing that Mrs. Johnson-Collie’s department got the complaint, changes things.”

During the town hall meetings URCA reps also spoke about some of the current documents available on their website for the public to consult and how important it was for the public to offer vital feedback. “We have the revision of the ‘consumer protection regulations’ and we have the ‘broadcasting content code’, as well as URCA’s ‘annual plan’, which are all documents open to consultation. We find for many of the documents, we only get feedback and comments from our service providers, and

Elite

Customs Brokers *DHL Courier *Brokerage *Trucking; Tel: 332-3066

Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera

The Eleutheran

33

URCA Director of Electronic Communications Sector Carlton Smith - presenting at town hall meeting in GH.

when we are doing something the provider is not going to like, we need members of the public to give feedback - saying, please do it, yes, we agree, it’s a good idea, we want you to - because otherwise, we have no viewpoints from the side of the public. With public feedback, we can say, ‘you may not want it, but the public wants it’. So, there is a balancing act that we get to do.”

For more information; email: info@urcabahamas.bs | call: (242) 393-0263 / (242) 300-8722 | or visit URCA’s website at http://www.urcabahamas.bs

34 www. EleutheraNews . com

n at i on a l

Feb/March, 2020

Young and First Time Offenders Encouraged to Apply for the Expungement Chairman of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee, Former Police Commissioner, Paul H. Farquharson, is eager to get the message out to Bahamian citizens who are either young offenders (under the age of 21), or first time offenders, of minor offences, about the existence of the Committee, and the opportunity they now have to get their records expunged.

To be clear, he noted that there were a number of major offences that the Committee could not assist with. “Under the amendment there are some records that cannot be expunged,” explained Mr. Farquharson, “There are seven of them, including; murder, manslaughter, treason, armed robbery, rape, unlawful carnal knowledge, and possession with intent to supply (marijuana - ten pounds or more, and cocaine, heroin or other hard drugs - two pounds or more).

These cannot be dealt with by this committee.”

If an offender was convicted of any one of those major offences, and required their record to be expunged, they would have to apply to the Prerogative of Mercy Committee, Chaired by the Minister of National Security, the Attorney General, and three other appointees, he advised.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee, which was formally

of Records

appointed in September of 2019, hit the ground running, shared the Chairman. “Prior to the appointment of the Committee there was inactivity with the whole question of expungement. We have addressed the backlog, and it’s cleared.

There were a number of persons who had applied to the Ministry of National Security for expungement. That process is now complete. We have had a number of persons appear before us seeking expungement, and the process of those applications are in train as we sit here.”

“This Committee will operate in strict adherence to the law and there is complete transparency in the process,” he shared. “The members of this Committee of five persons, of which I serve as Chair, were appointed by the Governor General for three years, according to law. The members include; the president of the Bar Association, Mr. Kahlil Parker; the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese, Father Kenny Forbes; Pastor of the Living Waters Church, Reverend Kamesha Morley; and Mr. Michael Russell, Rotarian and Businessman.

“The average person on the street needs to know what expungement means,” said the Chairman. “It simply means that your record in law - if an individual has breached the laws, and the offence is now recorded on his/her police record, and that person has since spent time or paid a

fine - and that has been recorded. After that process, the Committee or the State (government), has a duty to make that person whole again. That record would be spent - cleared permanently.”

For the process of applying, he said, “This Committee falls under the purview of the Ministry of National Security, and the process for applying for expungement is as follows: 1. A person can collect and fill out an application form in duplicate, supplying two references, and follow all additional guidelines outlined on the form

2. That application and all accompanying information, once received by the Ministry of National Security, which is the clearing house for the Committee - the process starts

3. There are three requests for reports sent out - to the Department of Corrections, the Police Records Office, and the Department of Social Services

4. Once all of those reports are received by the Committee, along with the application and accompanying information, then the Committee would re-

P39

o pi n io n

Feb/March, 2020

35

TRASH! By: Andrew L. Burrows

Since the inception of this newspaper I have used this media to sensitize all who read it, especially my fellow Eleutheran’s to take ownership of this beautiful land that we share, and fulfill the purpose for which God has placed us here, which is to take care of the Earth. However, it is obvious that many of us still seem content to live with our own waste scattered all around us, waiting for some mysterious, invisible deliverer to come and rescue us from ourselves.

Our streets are being used as ever-present garbage disposals and we still haven’t read the sign that says “keep our Island Clean, Green and Pristine”. There is a wise saying that was repeated over and over again on our national radio station by the host of the program ‘Immediate Response’ “If each of us our doorstep sweep, the village will be clean”. The problem with us is that we expect the government to come and do for us what we should be doing for ourselves. We created the mess and sit back and wait, and wait, and wait. When will we rise up and own our surroundings, it just so happens that we are the government or the government is us, so in reality we are sitting and waiting for ourselves to snap out of the trance that we are in and see reality, our community streets and highways are filthy.

And then there are the district garbage disposal sites; it sickens me to see mature people drive a few feet into the dumpsite entrance and release

andrewburrows1@gmail.com

their trash just a short distance from the main highway. The easterly breeze will then scatter that same trash across the main road where it becomes trapped in the roadside bushes. And we have to endure the sight of your ill placed trash for endless months as it decays. If it were toddlers or young teens doing this there would be reason to excuse them for their ignorant carelessness, but it is adults who do these things; grown men who should know and do better.

The present system of waste disposal is also a tremendous threat to the health of us all. When home

DISNEY MOU Continued from Page. 32 also intended to provide shared work space, highspeed internet, phone service and meeting rooms for local small businesses.

“The Chamber realized the need to create a space where businesses could collaborate with each other, ideate on innovative projects, receive training, connect with their clients, and at the same time develop a sustainable business model that could fund its work into the future,” said Candice Turnquest, executive director of the Eleuthera Chamber. “As a result the idea for the Innovation Hub was born. Through projects like this… we will continue to make a tangible contribution to this community. We plan to fight alongside local businesses in an effort to make this entire island economically robust. The Innovation Hub in South Eleuthera is just the beginning.”

“The SBDC, we are a roll up your sleeve organization that helps small businesses…,” said Executive Director with the SBDC, Davinia Blair, during her presentation at the MOU signing. “To date we have facilitated more than $5 million being accessed in financing for small businesses, representing some

waste is held in bins for days, collected and dumped into an open pit already swarming with fly maggots and is partially burned some time later does not equate ‘good health’ to me! There must be a better way, and we are the ones who should be making the changes to establish that better way. I always say that there are no natural disasters; God has designed this living planet to sustain itself for it’s own good, it is the foolishness of man that create disasters by stubbornly ignoring the natural order of the earth and making changes to it without knowledge. When we discard our waste in an open pit, allowing flies and other

230 Bahamian entrepreneurs who would have received those approvals across eight islands. We also have more than 2,500 clients who received training or had access to professional advisors. For us this is huge. Sept. 24th, 2018 is when we took our first client. We’ve done a lot given that this was the first time we are attempting something like this in the Bahamas. However, there is a lot of room for growth…”

She continued, “We moved into the Family Islands a lot sooner than our original strategic plan had intended, because it’s impossible to be a Small Business Center for the entire Bahamas without going into the entire Bahamas. Even though we may have had human resource challenges with being able to do that - we still pushed with classes. In Eleuthera, we were able to do two class cohorts so far, and trained about 48 people. There are still challenges with doing only that, so we need a local presence, local advisors - we need full time assistance.

“That’s why we are really happy that Disney has partnered with us, along with the Chamber, because now we will have a full time office in Eleuthera with advisors on the ground. To service not just clients who are interested in obtaining contracts with Disney, but any client, anywhere throughout the island of Eleuthera. We currently have three funded clients

insects to fester in it and attract scavenger birds, dogs and cats to feed on our decaying waste sounds to me like a disaster waiting to happen.

The question remains, what can we do? We can start by taking responsibility of our own neighbourhoods, there is no longer time to wait for some nonexistent agency to come and put everything right, it is up to you and me to do the right thing; pick up your own trash, and rebuke those who mindlessly discard their waste on the streets. I always say ‘when the winds blow, your trash becomes the neighbours trash’, so, pick it up now, and dispose of it properly. We will all be better off for the effort.

thus far here in Eleuthera and we hope that number will grow significantly as we increase the local and domestic support here. There is about $215,000 that has already been approved for these clients.

“This partnership with Disney, in addition to allowing us to have full time support here on the island, it allows us to go a little deeper. Our general course helps with some of the basics of business, and for a lot of people that is very helpful. But, as you move forward in your business, sometimes you need to go little bit deeper into processes, into operations, into production, into customer service, how you manage team members, also access to financial management software. These types of bespoke and dedicated targeted training opportunities will now be able to also start, much earlier than intended, here in Eleuthera.”

Present for the signing, which took place at Ingraham’s Beach Inn in Tarpum Bay, was Deputy Prime Minister, K. Peter Turnquest; Central and South Eleuthera MP, Hank Johnson; President of Disney Cruise Line, Jeff Vahle; SBDC Executive Director, Davinia Blair; and Eleuthera Chamber Executive Director, Candice Turnquest.

36 www. EleutheraNews . com

Crime News

Feb/March, 2020

Police Contact Numbers

Reports issued by the RBPF locally.

Reports are printed to keep the public informed of the incidents of crime that are reported within our communities. All reports are to be treated as allegations only.

Eleuthera Reports Threats of Death - On Sunday 23rd February, 2020 police received a report from an adult female of Green Castle, Eleuthera via the 919 emergency line that her ex-boyfriend had just assaulted and threatened to kill her and her family. Police Action Requested. Police arrested and cautioned a male of Green Castle for Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Threats of Death after he was informed of the complaint made against him. While at the Rock Sound Police Station he was interviewed and held in custody as enquiries continued.

Arrest Reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs - On Sunday 23rd February 2020 sometime around 10:10am police while conducting mobile patrols in the Rainbow Bay area observed a male of Gregory Town acting in a suspicious manner. An officer approached him and found him in possession of suspected marijuana wrapped in a piece of plastic. He was then cautioned and arrested in reference to the same and transported to the Governors Harbour Police Station where he was interviewed under caution. The suspect was Charged with Possession of Dangerous Drugs contrary to section 29(6) & 29(2)b of the Dangerous Drugs Act chapter 228. He said nothing in reply to the charge. He was released on bail with one surety to appear before the Magistrate’s Court in Governors Harbour.

Arrest Reference to Causing Harm At about 8:55am on Monday 17th February 2020 police had two suspects, of James Cistern and Governors Harbour in at the Governors Harbour Police Station where they were cautioned and arrested in reference to Causing Harm. One of the suspects was charged with Causing Harm contrary to section 266 of the Penal Code Chapter 84 and charged the other w with two (2) counts of causing harm contrary to section 266 of the Penal Code Chapter 84. They said nothing in reply to the charges Arrest made for Immigration Purposes On Monday 17/02/2020 at 4:48pm Senior Immigration Officer Gibson, Grade 2 Officer Josey & Grade 2 Officer Bowe came in at the Governors Harbour Police Station with an adult female of Governors Harbour, Eleuthera and another of St. Catherine, Jamaica in reference to immigration purposes.

Damage Report At 12:52 am Saturday 22nd February 2020 a female com-

plainant of North Palmetto Point contacted the Governors Harbour Police Station ant reported that between the hours of 6:30pm 21/2/20 and 12:51am 22/2/20 a she suspects, a Haitian male known to her, caused damage to her rear windshield on her white vehicle - estimate value unknown. Police action requested.

House Breaking and Stealing -At 7:30pm Thursday 20th February 2020, an adult female of Ontario Canada c/o a vacation home on Rainbow Bay Eleuthera reported to the Governors Harbour Police Station that sometime between the hours of 10:30pm on 19/02/2020 and 7:30am 20/02/2020 some unknown person/s broke and entered her vacation residence and stole a total of $200.00 BSD from her bag and her partners purse that was left on the kitchen and front room counter. She suspects that entry was gained through the patio’s sliding glass door that was left unlocked. Police action requested.

Stealing Report:- On Friday 21st February, 2020 at about 12:30am an adult female of James Cistern, Eleuthera contacted the Governor’s Harbour Police Station via telephone and reported that sometime between Friday 14th February, 2020 at 9:00pm and Saturday 15th February,2020 at about 7:00am some unknown person/s broke into her vehicle that was parked in front of her residence and stole eight (8) Valentine baskets valued at one hundred dollars ($100.00) each, more than ten (10) colognes valued at $35.00 dollars each, one shower powder valued at ten dollars ($10.00) and three Chocolates valued at ten dollars each ($10.00). Police action requested in this matter.

Arrest Suspected Illegal Landing - A police crew came in at the G.H.P.S. with a male prisoner of Haiti and Big Hill James Cistern Eleuthera under arrest and reported that he was arrested in a bushy area on Big Hill James Cistern . He was arrested on Wednesday 19th February 2020 at 12:15pm.

Threats of Death - On Tuesday 18th February, 2020 at about 10:30am, a female of Green Castle came in at Rock Sound Police Station and reported that sometime between 9:00pm and 10:00pm on Sunday 16th February, 2020, while at a club located on George Street , Green Castle, she was involved in a verbal altercation with a female of Wemyss Bight that resulted with the accused telling the complainant that she is going to kill her, putting her in fear for her life. Police Action Requested.

Traffic Offence Report - On Sunday 16th February, 2020, between the hours of 5:00pm-7:00pm, Pc 1311 Brown conducted mobile patrols in the Tarpum Bay and Rock Sound communities that resulted in four people being reported for various traffic offences: All persons were warned of prosecution.

HeadQuarters (GH) Governor’s Harbour OR O/C Governor’s Harbour Gov.Harb. Airport Station Deep Creek Station Tarpum Bay Station Rock Sound Station

332-3500 332-2111 332-2117 332-2723 332-2323 334-8207 334-4033 334-2244

Rock Sound Sgt. Office Rock Sound Airport Stn L. Bogue Station (Airport) Harbour Island Station O/C Harbour Island Spanish Wells Station Gregory Town Station Hatchet Bay Station

334-2212 334-2052 335-1208 333-2111 333-2327 333-4030 335-5322 335-0086

on Friday 27th March, 2020 at 9:30am.

Search Warrant Executed reference to Dangerous Drugs and Firearms - On the night of Sunday 16th February, 2020, an anonymous caller contacted 919 and reported that a male cladded in a blue jeans and a tan shirt in the area of Club 9000 located in Green Castle, had a handgun in his possession and was threatening to shoot everyone in the area. Police assistance was requested.

Sometime around 12:25am, a police arrived at Club 9000 located on Queens Highway, Green Castle. Upon arrival the night club had since closed and about five persons were seen in the area. Upon speaking to these persons, they informed officers that the suspect had since left the area and directed officers to a dirt road on Queens Highway, Green Castle indicating that suspect lived through there. As a result, sometime around 12:45am on Sunday 17th February, 2020, officers acting on the information received executed a search warrant on the residence of the suspect in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms which ended with negative results.

Causing Harm Report: -On Sunday 16th February, 2020 at about 11:00am a male of Governor’s Harbour Eleuthera came into the Governor’s Harbour Police Station and reported that on Saturday 15th February, 2020 between the hours of 7:00am and 8:00am, a male he knows came to his residence located Betsey Village, Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera and attacked him, threw him down and punched him repeatedly to the left side of his face causing pain and injury to his face. He requested Police Action in the matter.

The complainant was issued with R.B.P.F. Hospital Form to seek medical treatment for his injuries. Investigations continue.

Possession Of Dangerous Drug Arrest On Sunday 16th February, 2020 at 5:04pm the a police crew came in at the Governors Harbour police station with a suspect of Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera and another of Savannah Sound, Eleuthera under arrest for possession of dangerous drugs.

An Officer reported arresting and cautioning the suspects on Queens Highway, Governors Harbour, Eleuthera, just north of the Governors Harbour Airport during a routine traffic Check at 4:35pm. While at the Governors Harbour Police Station the s uspects were interviewed and charged for possession of dangerous drugs contrary to section 29(6) and 29(2)b of the dangerous drug act chapter 228. Both suspects were released on $1,000.00 bail with (1) suretor and was informed to appear before Magistrate Court, Governors Harbour, Eleuthera

Causing Harm Report: -On Saturday 15th February, 2020 at about 8:18am, a unknown caller contacted the Governor’s Harbour Police Station by telephone and reported a fight in the area of 700 wines and spirit located Queens’s Highway Governor’s Harbour involving a group of men. Police Assistance Requested.

Police responded to the scene a returned to the Governor’s Harbour Police Station with one a male of Queen’s Highway, Balara Bay, Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera who reported to the Governor’s Harbour Police Station that he was approached by two males he knows of Governor’s Harbour who beat him about the body with a baseball bat and a rock, causing injuries to his head, face, arm and side, as a result he requested Police Action in this matter. At about 8:30am the accused males came into the Governor’s Harbour Police Station where they were cautioned and arrested. Both persons were later searched reference to illegal contraband and placed into the holding cell for safe keeping. Investigations are ongoing.

Arrest

reference to possession of danger-

- On Sunday 16th February, 2020 at 2:10am police in at the GHPS with a male of Rainbow Bay under arrest in reference to possession of dangerous drugs. He was arrested and cautioned suspect at 12:35am in Hatchet Bay at the park. ous drugs:

Search

ref.

To

possession of dangerous

Sometime around 6:00pm on the 14/2/20 while in Hatchet Bay in the area of the Hatchet bay dock a Sgt. observed a male known to him of James Cistern walk off the Island link vessel with a travel bag in hand. The male on seeing the police behaved suspiciously. The Sgt. approached the male and conducted a search of his person reference to possession of dangerous drugs, firearms and stolen goods. As a result of the search he found a green and black handle, silver blade flip knife in the front left pants pocket. The knife was seized and the male was cautioned and arrested in reference to unlawfully carrying arms. drugs/ firearms and stolen property-

Arrest

reference to unlawfully carry- At about 6:00pm on the 14/2/20 Sgt 2495 Sands cautioned and arrested the male of James Cistern while on Hatchet Bay dock after a search was conducted of his person which resulted in the finding of a green and black handle, silver blade flip knife in his front left pants pocket. He was cautioned and arrested reference to unlawfully carrying arms. He was subsequently charged with Unlawfully Carrying Arms contrary to section 160(2) of the penal

ing arms

Crime News code chapter 84. He said nothing in reply to the charge. The suspect was released on $1,000.00 bail to appear before the Magistrates Court on the 27th March 2020 Search

reference to possession of danger-

ous drugs, firearms and stolen goods

At about 6:12 pm on the 14/2/20, a Sgt. while on main street in Hatchet Bay conducted a search on the person of a Male of Hatchet Bay in reference to possession of dangerous drugs, firearms and stolen goods. The search ended with negative results.

Traffic offence report Sometime around 7:26pm on the 14/2/20 while on main street in Hatchet bay police reported a male offender of Hatchet Bay for driving a red vehicle in a western direction on main street in hatchet bay while the said vehicle was unlicensed, uninspected and uninsured. He was informed of the offences and warned of prosecution.

BREACH OF IMMIGRATION: Immigration Officers camein at the GHPS with an adult male of Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera and originally of Port-aux-Paix, Haiti, under arrest and reported that he was arrested by immigrations officer Johnson at about 9:00pm on 11.2.20 while in the area of Governor’s Harbour in reference to Breech of Immigration Act. He appeared to be in good health.

Stealing Report - At 9:15am on Friday 7th February 2020 a contractor of Nassau Bahamas came into the GHPS and reported that he is a building contractor for a female client building a house in the area of Lord Byron on Eleuthera. He further stated he was informed by his client that items were stolen from the property.

Police action was requested.

Arrest reference to Possession of DanDrugs - On Friday 7th February 2020, police while on mobile patrol in the area of Club Hideout 71 saw a male clad in a tan pants and a brown stripe shirt acting in a suspicious manner upon seeing the police. On seeing that officers conducted a search of this young adult male who gave his name and addresses in Freeport and Rock Sound, and discovered in his front right pocket a single foil wrapping with a grassy substance suspected of being Marijuana. The PC arrested and cautioned the male in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

He was transported to the Rock Sound Police Station for further investigations.

He was subsequently further cautioned and charged with one count of Possession of Dangerous Drugs contrary to section 29(6) and punishable under section 29(2)(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act chapter 228 he made no reply to the charged. The suspect was released on bail in the amount of $1,500.00 with one surety to appear before Magistrate’s Court Rock Sound. He left with all property and in good health.

gerous

Search

reference to possession of danger-

ous drugs, firearms and stolen goods

At about 7:29pm on the 14/2/20 while in Hatchet Bay on Main street a Sgt. conducted a search on the person of two males both of Hatchet bay in reference to possession of dangerous drugs,firearms and stolen goods. The search ended with negative results attained.

BREACH OF IMMIGRATION: A police crw brought a male subject of Palmetto Point, Eleuthera and originally from Port-aux-Paix into the G.H.P.S. under arrest and reported that he was arrested at about 11:35am on 11.2.20 while on the Banks Road Governor’s Harbour ref. to Immigration purposes he appeared in good health POSSESSION OF D/DRUGS A police crew brought in a male suspect of Rock Sound, Eleuthera at the G.H.P.S. under arrest and reported that he was arrested at about 12:45pm 11.02.20 while on Queens Highway Savannah Sound in the area of Cost Cutter Food Store in ref. to Possession of D/Drugs by Cpl 44 Anderson.

He appeared in good health. A PC conducted an interview under caution with the suspect and charged him with one count of Possession of Dangerous Drugs contrary to section 29(6) and 29(2) b of the Dangerous Drugs Act chapter 228.

BREACH OF IMMIGRATION: A police crew brought three subjects into the G.H.P.S. under arrest – an adult of Palmetto Point and originally of Port- auxPaix and adult female of Palmetto Point and originally of Port-aux-Paix and an infant female child. They were arrested at about 2:30pm on 11th February 2020 in the area of Green Thumb Nursery Banks Road Palmetto in ref to Breach of Immigration Act. They all appeared in good health.

BREACH OF IMMIGRATION: Immigration Officers came in at the GHPS with an adult male of Savannah Sound, Eleuthera and originally of La-Tortue Haiti, under arrest and reported that he was arrested by immigrations officer at about 6:30pm on today’s date 11.2.20 while in the area of Savannah Sound in reference to a Breech of Immigration Act. He appeared to be in good health.

GRIEVOUS HARM - On Thursday, 6th February 2020, sometime around 2:00pm, a female of Wemyss Bight c/o Wemyss Bight Clinic contacted Rock Sound Police Station via phone and reported that a mental patient of Wemyss Bight had stabbed a female in her head with a knife causing injuries.

Police assistance requested. Officers visited the Wemyss Bight Clinic and saw the victim of Wemyss Bight sitting in a treatment room, receiving medical attention. She was seen with a laceration to the forehead about two and a half inches, and a two inch laceration to the top of the scalp. She reported that while at her store, located Queen’s Highway, Wemyss Bight, the accused attacked her by stabbing her several times with a knife. Both lacerations were sutured.

Injuries considered life threatening, and the victim was referred to PMH, New Providence for an x-ray to rule out any concussion. A Statement was recorded and hospital form was issued. Investigations continues into this matter.

ARREST REFERENCE TO BURGLARY & GRIEVOUS HARM

Feb/March, 2020

At 7:31am a police crew brought to the Hatchet Bay Police Station a young adult male of Hatchet Bay under arrest in reference to Burglary and Grievous Harm. He was reportedly arrested and cautioned while at his place of residence. On Thursday 06th January, 2020, while at the Governor’s Harbour Police Station a Sgt. interviewed and charged the prisoner in reference to (1) count of Grievous Harm, contrary to section 270 and (1) count of Burglary contrary to section 363 both of the penal code chapter 84 Stealing Report - Sometime around 10:00am on the 3/2/20 an adult male of Hatchet bay came in at the Hatchet Bay police station and reported that sometime in the month of November 2019 a male known to him of Hatchet bay along with a white female came into his yard and offered to take seven pot cake puppies owned by him to treat them for Health shots and return them for free. He further reported that the puppies were taken and none were returned. He suspects that the puppies were sold abroad and requests immediate police action in the matter.

Police recorded a written statement from the complainant; mobile enquiries were conducted in Hatchet Bay in search of the male with negative results attained.

Investigations in this matter are ongoing.

STEALING - At about 3:40pm on Monday 3rd February 2020 a contractor of Governor’s Harbour at the area of the Governor’s Harbour Bakery reported to the GHPS that he left the job site situated on Banks Road Governor’s Harbour on Friday 31st January 2020 and went into Nassau. Upon return today’s date 03/02/2020 he discovered that about $1500.00 in items were missing from the job-site. Police action requested.

Harbour Island & North Eleuthera Reports Arrest: On Wednesday 5th February 2020, sometime around 6:30am, police while at the North Eleuthera Police Station, arrested and cautioned the suspect an adult male of Lower Bogue, and charged him with Causing Harm contrary to section 135(1) of the Penal Code, Chapter 84. He was further cautioned and did not respond. On Wednesday 5th February 2020, the suspect, appeared before Magistrate K. Turnquest at Harbor Island Magistrate Court, where he pled guilty and was fined. Case Closed.

Arrest (Immigration Purposes) Location: Gene’s Bay Dock On Wednesday 5th February 2020, sometime around 6:55am, police arrived in at the North Eleuthera Police Station, along with a young adult Haitian male, who identified himself as being of Blackwood, and reported that sometime around 6:40pm, while on Gene’s Bay Dock, he approached the suspect, who upon being questioned was unable to produce any form of identification. As a result he arrested and cautioned the male reference to Immigration purposes. On Wednesday 5th February 2020, sometime around 8:35am, the suspect was handed over to Immigration Officer for further investigations.

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Police Warning Location: North Eleuthera Police Station On Wednesday 5th January 2020, sometime around 11:15am, an adult male of Lower Bogue, came to the North Eleuthera Police Station and reported that his ex-girlfriend came to him on the night of Tuesday 4th January 2020, and started banging on his door and when he didn’t answer she started banging on his window, and refused to leave. He requested that she be warned.

On Wednesday 5th January 2020, sometime around 11:30pm, police, while at the North Eleuthera Police Station saw and spoke with the accused female of Bluff. She stated that the complainant keeps their daughter and she works two jobs from morning until 11:00pm, and the only time she really gets to spend time with her daughter is when she gets off, and she refused to leave without her child. She was warned to be of good behavior.

Arrest reference to Threats of Harm Location: Blackwood, Eleuthera On Monday 27th January 2020, sometime around 4:46pm, police while at the North Eleuthera Police Station, arrested and cautioned an adult male suspect of Blackwood, Eleuthera in reference to an outstanding threats of harm complaint that was made on Thursday 23rd January 2020.

Results: On Monday 27th January 2020, sometime around 4:55pm, police, while at the North Eleuthera Police Station, interviewed the suspect, under caution. During the interview the suspect denied threatening the complainant. He was later released from custody pending further investigations.

Police Information Only Shark Attack Report On Saturday 1st February 2020, a nurse c/o Harbour Island Community Clinic contacted Police and informed of a local male of Harbour Shores, Harbour Island who experienced a shark bite to the right leg, which took place on Saturday 1st February 2020 at about 2pm. It was stated that this male along with a friend went spear fishing in the area of South Cut off South Bar and as a result he received the injuries. Dr. Farrington c/ Harbour Island Community Clinic treated victim to the best of her ability then referred him to New Providence to have an X-ray.

Stealing Report - An officer reported

that while on mobile patrol in the area of Dunmore Street sometime around 6:40p;m he was beckoned and stopped by an adult male of Colebrooke Street (Harbour Island) who reported to him that at around 6:30Pm he discovered a male known to him that gained entry to his business establishment and stole several bottles of liquor and beers and other items. He further reported that the

38 www. EleutheraNews . com Continued from Page. 37 suspect is presently still there at the time as he was caught with a knapsack on his back attempting to exit the club, and was not allowed to leave until the arrival of the police. Police action requested. Police visited the scene and subsequently arrested and cautioned the suspect Dunmore Street at about 6:45Pm. On Tuesday 4/2/10 a Sgt reported that while at Harbour Island Police Station he interviewed the suspect under caution in reference to Stealing from a shop where the suspect admitted to the mentioned offense. He charged the accused with stealing from a shop contrary to section 140(1)b of the Penal code chapter 84 he was later then fingerprinted processed and given bail at the sum of $1,000 one suretor to appear before Magistrate Court Harbour Island on 5/2/20.

Stealing Report - On Tuesday 4th February, 2020 at about 9:00 am an adult male of Trianna Shores contacted the Harbour Island Station via phone and reported that sometime between 5:15pm on Monday 3rd February,2020 and 8:30am today’s date some unknown person/s went into a home under renovation located on Coconut Grove Avenue East and stole four (4) 25’ electric drop cords valued at $325.00, one (1) power drill and battery charger value unknown and a box of 2.5” stainless steel nails valued at $300.00. Police action requested.

Sudden Death Report- On Wednesday 5th February, 2020 at about 8:55am, An adult male of Barracks Street, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island contacted the Harbour Island Police Station via phone and reported that his mother Shelly Saunders of the same address died suddenly at their residence. Police Assistance requested. Police checked the body for signs of life and foul play with negative results. Dr. L. Farrington pronounced the deceased dead officially and stated she had known medical history but an autopsy had to be performed to determine cause of death.

Indecent Assault/Trespassing Report On Wednesday 5th February 2020 at 7:25pm an adult female of King Street, Harbour Island came to the HIPS and reported that on Wednesday 5th February 2020 at about 10am an unknown elderly male clad ina blue shirt, blue long pants, grey hair, missing top teeth with two long bottom teeth on each side of his mouth entered her yard begging for money. At about 7pm same date, the same male mentioned entered her yard again after she told him not too, begging for cigarettes and after she denied him, he then pulled out his private parts and showed it to her. Police action requested. On Wednesday 5th February 2020 at 7:25pm police came in at S-3 with an adult male suspect of Dunmore Street, Harbour Island in reference to Indecent Assault and Trespassing. He was arrested and cautioned the suspect on Wednesday 5th February 2020 at 8:50pm, while in the area of Dunmore Street.

Damage Report - On Thursday 6th February 2020 at 12;10pm an adult male of Colebrook Street, Harbour Island came

Crime News

to the HIPS and reported that sometime around 11:30am while after having an argument with his mother she threw bottles at him hitting him in his chest. He then left and returned and received information from his niece that his mom threw three of his bags into the street. The bags contained his Bahamian passport serial number unknown valued and $50.00, a RBC credit card mechanic valued unknown, four cartons of backwoods valued at $400.00 assorted clothing valued at $1,500.00. He made checks in the yard and streets where they were stated to be thrown with negative results. Police action requested.

House Breaking/Stealing Report - An adult female of Nesbitt Street Harbour Island came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that between 12:00 Pm on Sunday 31st January 2020 and February 7th 10:05Am she discovered that person(s) unknown entered the property she care situated Dunmore and Chapel Street and stole building supplies from two storage rooms and from a utility Trailer that was secured at the Eastern side of the property. Police Action requested.

Stealing From a Vessel Report -An adult male of Eastern Road New providence/ Old Norse Road South (Harbour Island) came to the Harbour Island Police Station sometime around 1:55Pm on 8th February 2020 and reported that sometime November 2019 he last traveled to Harbour Island and secured his 17feet Boston Whaler (Montauk) boat which has a 90HP Johnson/Envirude outboard motor attached to same at his property and residence on his drive way and on today’s date sometime around 1:30Pm he discovered that person(s) unknown stole his outboard motor valued at about $9,000.00 which was purchased from marlin marine about ten (10) years ago.

Police action requested.

Police visited the scene of the incident and saw the all white 17feet open hull Boston Whaler Montauk skiff on the Western side of the property with no motor attached , and the control wire harness cut and damage that indicated that there was signs of damage and force to remove the said motor.

Stealing Report - On Saturday 8th February 2020 at 2:04pm an adult female of Pitt Street, Harbour Island came to the HIPS and reported that sometime between 10Pm on Friday 7th February 2020 and Saturday 8th February 2020 at 6:30am, some unknown person(s) stole (3) brown Wicker chairs; value unknown, from the front of her yard. Police assistance requested..

Suspect in Custody Reference: Immigration Purposes On Saturday 8th February 2020 at 3:10pm an Immigration Officer came in at s-3 with suspect of Te Tortue, Haiti reference to Immigration Purposes. The officer reported that he had arrested and cautioned the suspect on Saturday 8th February 2020 at 12:20pm, while in the area of Blackwood, Eleuthera.

House Breaking Report On Monday 10th February, 2020 at about 3:08 am, an adult male of Juicy

Hill contacted the Harbour Island Police Station via phone and reported that at around 2:45 am he awoke to an unknown short male in his bedroom. He reported that when he yelled out, this male ran and exited via a western sliding door which he suspects to be the point of entry. Checks were made and all of his belongings were accounted for. Police action requested.

Assault Report - On Monday 10th February 2020 at 12:45pm a young adult female of Coconut Grove Ave, Harbour Island came to the HIPS and reported that on Sunday 9th February 2020 at 3:28am while at Eagle One Hotel room #5, a male she knows came into her room and Assaulted her about the body. Police action requested.

Possession of Dangerous Drugs Arrest - On Tuesday 11th February, 2020 at about 2:30 am the crew of Alpha Charlie came in at Harbour Island Police Station with an adult male of Barrack Street and an adult female of Duke Street. The above mentioned unit reportedly conducted a search of a white two storey wooden structure located on Duke Street where four (4) foil packages containing a green grassy like substance suspected to be marijuana was found in a northern bedroom on a bureau. As a result, both suspects were arrested and cautioned at 2:15 am in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

Possession of Dangerous Drugs w/ Intent to Supply Arrest - On Tuesday 11th February, 2020 at about 3:30 am D.E.U Officers along with a team of officers in at Harbour Island Police Station with an adult male of Dunmore Street.

The above mentioned crew executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence where a large quantity of suspected marijuana was found. As a result, Police arrested and cautioned the suspect in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs and Possession of Dangerous Drugs with Intent to Supply.

Stealing Report - Police received information that there was Stealing at a residence situated Trianna Shores Harbour Island. Police Assistance requested. Police visited the scene and saw and spoke to two adults of Texas who both stated that sometime between 6:45Pm and 9:30Pm on Wednesday 12th February 2020 they both discovered that person(s) unknown entered their residence and stole a sum of cash in U.S currency totaling about $800.00.

Police action requested.

Stealing from Vehicle Report - On Friday 14th February 2020 at about 2:40am an adult male of Trianna Shores, Harbour Island contacted the HIPS via phone and reported that his daughter called him and informed him that some unknown person entered her grey 2004 Nissan Cube l/p# unknown, which she left unlocked parked in the drive way of their residence. Police assistance requested Police recorded a written statement from the complainant who stated that while at home a sleep she heard footsteps outside her bedroom window, shortly after she heard a beeping sound her car makes once the door is open so she got up and open the front door making checks. At this time she

Feb/March, 2020 shouted “who is that in my car”, however the unknown male fled the scene. Checks were made of her vehicle and at this time she can’t say if anything is missing. See same attached to file. Police visited the scene, made checks of the immediate area including the old airport road with negative results. A possible suspect was spotted an hour before the incident took place, on a green golf cart sleeping on the airport road. Enquiries continue.

Housebreaking Stealing Arrest - On Friday 14/2/20 a Sgt came in at Harbour Island Police Station with an adult male suspect of Colebrooke Street Harbour Island and reported that the suspect was arrested and cautioned while on Dunmore Street, Harbour Island in reference to Housebreaking and stealing. The complaint was made on 13/2/20 and a stealing from a vehicle complaint made on 14/2/20.

Housebreaking & Stealing Arrest - On Saturday 15/2/20 at about 1:45 pm a PC came in at Harbour Island Police Station with an adult male suspect of Upper Bogue, Eleuthera, and reported that the suspect was arrested and cautioned while along Dunmore Street, Harbour Island in reference to Housebreaking and stealing. The complaint was made on 13/2/20 and a stealing from a vehicle complaint on 14/2/20. On Sunday 16th February 2020 sometime around 10:50Am Police conducted an interview under caution with an adult suspect of Pitt Street (Harbour Island) in reference to House Breaking and Stealing Case. he was asked a series of question which he admitted to being the watch out man while another adult male Stole from several Vehicles in the Trianna Shores area but denied the offence of House Breaking.

Action taken: Police on 16/2/20 while at the Harbour Island Police Station sometime around 1:30Pm charged the suspect in reference to Stealing Contrary to section 139 of the penal code chapter 84.He said nothing in reply to the charge.

On Sunday 16th February 2020 sometime around 11:10Am police conducted an interview under caution with a second suspect in reference to House Breaking and Stealing. He was asked a series of question and he admitted to Stealing from several Vehicles in the Trianna Shores area but denied the offence of House Breaking. Police charged the suspect in reference to Stealing Contrary to section 139 of the penal code chapter 84.He said nothing in reply to the charge.

Assault report - On Monday 17/2/20 at about 11:30am an adult female of Coconut Grove Avenue Harbour Island came in at Harbour Island Police Station and reported that while at a lady whom she knows craft shop located Dunmore Street Harbour Island she was assaulted by the lady putting her hands on her and shoving her out the shop after an exchange in words. Police action requested Stealing report - On Monday 17/2/20 at about 9:40am an adult female of Trianna Shores Harbour Island contacted Harbour Island Police Station and reported that sometime between 8:30pm Thursday 13/2/20 and Saturday 15/2/20 at 6:30am some unknown person entered his 2009 Black Honda Mini Van l/p #EL2644 whilst same was parked at his yard and stole his I – Phone charger and charging pod case

Crime News valued at $25 also some assorted change Police action requested. On Monday 17/2/20 a Sgt interviewed both suspects of Queens Highway Upper Bogue and of Colebrooke Street Harbour Island whom were both in custody at the time reference to other matters and both suspects admitted to the offense of stealing as a result both suspects were subsequently charged with stealing contrary to section 139 of the Penal code chapter 84 they were later then fingerprinted and processed and remain in Police custody.

Suspects Interviewed Ref: Stealing/House Breaking On Tuesday 18/2/20 a Sgt. interviewed both suspects who were in custody at the time reference to other matters and both suspects admitted to the offense of stealing in another case as a result both suspects were subsequently charged with stealing contrary to section 362 of the Penal code chapter 84 they were later then fingerprinted and processed and remain in Police custody.

Stealing report - On Friday 24/1/20 at about 8:30am an adult male of Gibson Street Bluff Eleuthera came in at Harbour Island Police Station and reported that on Thursday 23/1/20 5:00pm he left his job site namely located Marina Drive Harbour Island properly securing his 100ft drop cord valued at $70 and his aqua marine and silver Makita cordless drill valued at $180 to return on Friday 24/1/20 at 8:00am to discover that some unknown person/s had stolen his property of the premises of his workplace .Police action requested.

Arrest reference to: Threats of harm On Friday 24/1/20 at about 10:00am police came in at Harbour Island Police Station with the an adult male suspect of Love Lane Harbour Island and reported that a Sgt arrested and cautioned the suspect at about 9:50am while at Romora Bay Hotel and Marina located off Queens Highway Harbour Island .

While at the HIPS, a PC conducted an interview with the suspect under caution in the presence of a CPL in which he admitted to the offence. He was charged with Threats of Harm contrary to section 203 of the Penal Code Chapter 84. He was further cautioned and had nothing to say.

Arrest Reference: Fighting & Damage & Assault w/a deadly weapon On Sunday 26th January 2020 at 6:43pm, police in at S-3 with suspect an adult male of Colebrook Street, Harbour Island in reference to Fighting and Damage and assault w/a/deadly weapon. A PC reported that he had arrested and cautioned the suspect on Sunday 26th January 2020 at about 6:40pm while at his residence. He received a few lacerations to the hand as a result of the fight; however he refused medical assistance. On Sunday 26th January 2020 at 6:50pm an adult male of Colebrook Street came in at S-3 where he was arrested and cautioned by a CPL in reference to Fighting. The suspect was taken in Police custody.

Monday 27/1/20 police interviewed both suspects of Colebrooke Street Harbour as it relates to fighting in a public place where they admitted to the offense. As a result they were subsequently charged processed and given bail at the sum of $500 one surety each to appear before Magistrate Court Harbour Island on 5/2/20.

Housebreaking report On Monday 27/1/20 at about 10:07am an adult female of New York came in at Harbour Island Police Station and reported that at about 3:20am while at her rental home located King Street Harbour Island some unknown person gain access to the home via an unlocked eastern kitchen door which was left unlocked and upon seeing her fled out the same door however she was unable to identify the suspect due to the darkness in the room a check was made and nothing was stolen Police action requested.: Stealing report - On Wednesday 29th January 2020 at 10am an adult male of Alice Street, Harbour Island came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that sometime between 6pm on Tuesday 28th January 2020 and 9:50am on Wednesday 29th January 2020, some unknown person(s) stole (3) Penn and Shimano fishing rods and a gold gaff off of his boat which is parked by Sunset Harbour located off Colebrooke. All together total value $1,000.00. Police assistance requested.

TRESPASSING / UNLAWFUL ENTRY REPORT - At about 4:00pm on Tuesday 18th February 2020, an adult female of North Eleuthera came to the North Eleuthera Police Station and reported that during early morning of today’s date, a young man of Lower Bogue is suspected of unlawfully entering her home. She suspected that he maybe molesting her juvenile child of the same address and a student. A Sgt advised the complainant to bring her daughter to the Harbour Island Police Station to be interviewed and to have her examined by the medical doctor. Police action is requested in this matter and enquiries continued.

Police Warning Requested Location: Three Island Dock On Wednesday 22nd January 2020, sometime around 3:00pm, an adult female of Three Island, came into the North Eleuthera Police Station and reported that on the same date, around 2:00pm, while at Three Island Dock, an adult male was calling her foul names and using degrading language to her annoyance. Police action requested.

Police Assistance Requested Location: Current, Eleuthera On Wednesday 22nd January 2020, sometime around 6:00pm, an adult male of Current, Eleuthera, came into the N.E.P.S. and reported that his preteen daughter called him around 5:00pm, on the same date, and stated that a male is around their house telling her to come outside. Police assistance requested.

Feb/March, 2020

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Expunging Records Continued from Page. 34 view the reports and come to a conclusion.

5. The expungement - yea or nay is decided, and a recommendation is made to the Minister for final decision

6. Once the Minister has agreed to the expungement, that approval is sent to the Criminal Records Office of the Police, and the record is officially expunged That is the process in a nutshell.”

He continued, “While it took four years for the 2015 amendment to the law to be actioned, this is a very progressive piece of legislation. We have expungements going on now, but we’re moving to modernize the whole process, and bring it into the international standards of expungement of records. In other countries, from the time you make an application to the end process, sometimes it takes a year. I want to accelerate that process, because so many people have been disadvantaged in our society. From the time a person makes the application to the end decision, I want it to be a six-month period.

“There are people in this society for a number of years, and I’m talking thousands of people, who have paid their due debt to society, and cannot get any relief. Simply because they may not know the process, or may have doubts as to whether they are qualified to have expungement take place. I am ensuring members of the public, through the educational program, town hall meetings, and the media - receives this message. This cuts across the entire Bahamas. There are many people in the Family Islands that are victims, they’ve paid their due debt, and may not know the process.

“We have an obligation, under the law, to make things right for those persons.

Some people can’t get jobs because of a criminal record, and we have examples of that. Students can’t go to College, because they incurred minor infractions of the law, and their record is there - so, they cannot get a visa to travel, even though they have been accepted into a university - we also have examples of that. Sometimes persons cannot get a bank loan, because of some financial institutions requiring police records, and when they see the checkered background, they think twice about extending credit.

“So, this is affecting the entire society, across the board, and we want the message to go out to one and all. Almost every family has been touched. If you know of anyone in society who may need help, we are willing as a committee to reach out and help them.

“Because of us being an archipelagic country. If, for example, there are ten or fifteen applicants on an island. I’ve asked the government to provide the resources to have members fly down to the individual islands, to hear the applications, so the applicants don’t have to incur the expenses of coming into the city. I think that makes good sense, so, we can assist those individuals where ever they are in the islands. That’s what I intend to do as Chairman.”

For further information, readers can contact the Program Administrator at the Ministry of National Security, Ms Ann Ferguson at (242) 502-3300.

Friends of the Library:

New Direction in Funding for Haynes Library Dear Friends, The Friends of the Library committee are taking a new direction regarding fundraising for Haynes Library. As the National Library and Information Services evolve to standardise libraries throughout the Bahamas, the committee will focus on fundraising for specific programmes to assist in the educational needs of the children of Eleuthera.

The following areas will be our focus over the next 12 months: • Children’s textbook programme; • Children’s summer camp; • Maintenance of the computer lab; • Book purchases; and • Provision of national newspapers.

Kindly note that donations by cheque should be made out to “Friends of the Library” and dropped at Haynes Library or Buccaneer Club.

Thank you for your continuing support and we wish you all the best in 2020.

Kind Regards, Michele Johnson President Friends of the Library Committee

40 www. EleutheraNews . com

Police 2020 Continued from Page. 21 Frank Neely, ASP Nigel Rolle, Reserve executives, as well as division Inspectors, Sergeants, Corporals, and Constables.

During the service, a ‘Presentation of Colours and Police Standards’ was conducted, and Officers fallen from the ranks during 2019 were announced and solemnly remembered. Music in a variety of engaging forms was a powerful part of the afternoon program, which brought together members of the community with serving officers, from heartily sung audience hymns accompanied

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Feb/March, 2020

by melodious instrumentation, choir rendition, as well as instrumental pieces performed by the bands.

The uniformed officers, led by the melodious Royal Bahamas Police Force band, formed a colourful parade from the church through the heart of Rock Sound, under a light spray of rain, following the church service, with attendees marching energetically behind, to the beat. Fortunately, the showers of blessings held up, and the mini Beat Retreat performance went on immediately following the parade, in the area of the Methodist Church Hall, where the Royal Bahamas Police Force Marching band put on quite the show.

Photos on this page: The Mini Beat Retreat which followed the Annual Church Service was thoroughly enjoyed by onlookers.

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Pictured Above: Eleuthera Division RBPF, joined by other uniformed agencies on island, were accompanied by visiting top RBPF Executives, as well as the famous Royal Bahamas Police Force Marching Band in a parade following the Annual Church Service, which took them through the heart of Rock Sound, ending near the Methodist Church Hall, where the RBPF Marching Band treated the gathered crowd to an exciting Mini Beat Retreat performance.

The Eleutheran

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Feb/March, 2020

Literacy @ SGPAA Continued from Page. 22 up for grabs.

Parents were then invited to get in on the literacy action on Monday morning, February 17th, to Read Aloud to the students in grades one to six. On Tuesday, February 18th, the week of activities climaxed with the school hosting their much anticipated Literacy Book Fair, where hundreds of books for all ages were on sale at very affordable prices. Other highlights of the day for the children were prizes and surprises, as well as fun games, like hoopla and punch board.

Coordinator, Mrs. Culmer explaining the overall purpose of Literacy Week, said, “It was to get students involved in learning about how they could become independent readers, enjoying and understanding what they are reading, P44

Pictured on page: Students at the Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School, from grades K4 to 12 took part in the annual Character Parade, part of their Literacy Week of activities.

Pictured: (Photos above) Each class designed banners, themed after different storybooks, which they proudly carried ahead of the group during the Character Parade. Banners were also judged afterward, with the winning classes treated to pizza parties!

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Pictured on page: Students portrayed colourful smurfs, mickey mouse clubhouse clubbers, princesses, dalmations and more during the SGPAAS Character Parade.

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44 www. EleutheraNews . com Continued from Page. 42 and helping them to learn how to transpose their reading experience into better writing and communication skills.”

Colby Mullin, an 11th grader at the school, dressed as the voodoo doctor from ‘The Princess and the Frog’, following the character parade and banner competition shared, “It was alot of fun - a bit stressful making the banner, but we got it done, and grade 11 were the winners! So, the effort was definitely worth it.” Caitlin Johnson, also from the grade 11 winners, dressed as Princess Tiana’s mother, and being a new transfer from North Eleuthera High School in 2019, shared, “This was my

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first time experiencing the Character parade and Literacy Week at this school. It was a really great way of getting everyone together to express themselves... It’s also encouraged me to get more into reading.

Transferring in from a different school, I really was not into books like that, but, since coming here, my eyes have been opened. I’ve learned many new words, and my presentation and speaking skills are better.”

On this page: Colourful smiles at the SGPAAS Character Parade.

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PM’s visit Continued from Page. 22 that your entire roadway would be looked at very soon. Monies have been set aside for that, and within the next year, that will be dealt with appropriately. Also, the necessary striping and cat-eyes would be introduced to your road works. You will not get sand-sealed roads. Your roads will be built like I-95. Your roads will be similar to New Providence - you have graduated from sand-sealed.”

He continued, describing upcoming works on several local ports, as well as government’s intention to tackle challenges with available land for housing, saying, “Your Member of Parliament has been at the table repeatedly about the docks - the Governor’s Harbour main dock, the Governor’s Harbour fishing dock, and he has been agitating and complaining about land here in Eleuthera. Saying that many young people are leaving because they do not have land. We’ve made a commitment already, and have done the scoping and necessary due diligence to repair the main dock in Governor’s Harbour, as well as the fishing dock. The dock in Rock Sound will be repaired also. Those will be priorities, so that they will be fixed properly, and you will

loc a l +p lu s not face the challenges you’ve faced before.

“Then we must address the land situation. There is a land situation with BAIC. Many individuals have built homes on land owned by BAIC. We’ve made a commitment that we will ensure that those individuals become owners of that land. I will give BAIC a directive to ensure that those individuals own those properties, so if they wish to do so, they can take those properties to the bank, and utilize it as some form of collateral so that they can expand.

“We were looking at housing, and we have identified the property opposite the Royal Bank [in Governor’s Harbour]. Unfortunately, I received a communication from Lands and Surveys that that is private land, but I know that I have seen a document before, where that land was conveyed over to government. So, I will reconvene that conversation with Lands and Surveys, to ensure that is government land. Once we complete that process, be assured that land will become a housing development for the young people, residents and citizens of Eleuthera. We’ve also made a commitment with subdivisions moving forward, so as to assist our people. We have a policy that we have been using in New Providence, and the policy applies also to you. Subdivisions created by the government for the people of the Bahamas - the young people and other citizens - they will be able to build on those properties duty-free. They will pay no duty, and they will pay no taxes. We

Right: Prime Minister Minnis speaking to a full room at the Governor’s Harbour Primary School.

Left: One of several members of the community who took the opportunity to ask questions of the PM.

Celebrating Excellence

The Administration, Staff and Students of Windermere High School in Savannah Sound gathered together to help congratulate fellow student, Ms. Alisha Carey on her TOP ‘A’ award in Art & Craft in the National BGCSE examinations. Also joining in on the occasion were reps of the MInistry of Education.

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must give them a start, so that they can own their own home… So those are projects that we will be moving forward.”

Telling the audience that he would be seen more often in Eleuthera, PM Minnis stated, “It is essential for me to say these things, because we will be coming back repeatedly, with the relevant Ministers, and I want you to keep a checklist to ensure that we are meeting our commitments, and that we are doing what we promised to do. If we are not doing it, we must explain to you why the delay, so that you may understand if we’ve run into a snag, here or there. But, you must be informed as to why there is a delay… We want to be responsible, and we want you to keep our feet to the fire.”

The Prime Minister then opened the floor to audience questions, which ran the gamut, from longstanding temporary government workers being made permanent and pensionable, to the long delays in receiving crown grant deeds, as well as the current status of driver’s license renewals being unavailable on island, despite the presence of the necessary equipment. Following the question and answer session, he told the audience that their feedback had been noted, would be considered, and encouraged follow up on their concerns.

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Picture This Boot Camp -

mathematics session for island’s Juniors.

Grade six students, who are preparing to take the National General Level Assessment Test (GLAT) from primary schools across Eleuthera were brought together, along with their teachers, on February 18th, 2020 for a Mathematics support workshop held at the Worker’s House complex, where they received in-depth lessons on the chosen topic: Place Value concepts. The day’s lessons were facilitated by Math Teachers, Nadia McQuay and Delmon Rolle, out of New Providence.

College Fair Continued from Page. 29 tant way of reaching out to high school students, and letting them know the importance of a tertiary education.

They highlighted programs of study available at the University, as well as the available scholarship programs for students, especially on Eleuthera - like the tertiary education grant launched by the government in 2019.

Holland College out of Canada, offering two-year diploma based programs, represented by Michael Dimitroff, highlighted that once their students graduated, the key to what they offered were the partnerships they had with other schools in Atlantic Canada, the U.S. and internationally, that would take their full two years of credit and transition them into a four year degree path, with their students still doing only four years in total. “So, they can get the hands-on skills with their diploma with us, along with the full degree pathway,” explained Dimitroff.

Two students on

Wednesday commented on their College Fair experience.

First was Amanda Kemp, an 11th grader from Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School, who thought it had been quite helpful in steering her in the right direction. “Today has been helpful, and I feel it has given me more options.

It’s been an eye opener, because, now I’m not looking at just one particular major.

I’m looking at others that can help me become more successful in the career I’m interested in. It has also given me ideas about financial assistance opportunities. I’ve spoken with schools in Minnesota, in Arkansas, and also in Nassau, right here at home (UB and BTVI).”

Petra Kemp, a 12th Grader and Head Girl at Preston Albury High School, also found the Fair informative.

Although she had already applied to several schools, she had not yet fleshed out all of her options for financing her college years. “Today was helpful, because it al-

Above: Monique Hinsey, with the Ministry of Education’s Public School Scholars Program, addressing students, and providing them with invaluable information on how they could finance their college and university dream.

lowed me to see a number of different schools, and speak with them. One or two of them, I’ve actually already applied to, and got to speak with them about scholarships, and how to go about applying for them. I also got to speak with the representative from the Public School Scholars Program, and she informed me on the way that I should go about applying for it, as well as the requirements, and if I can still do it. So, it was really helpful.

“I want to major in Biology,” she added, “and to eventually become an Orthodontist. My top school choice right now is UPEI (University of Prince Edward Island). They were not here to-

day, but they have ties with Holland College, so their representative was able to tell me quite a bit about UPEI, and the scholarships available. I would definitely recommend them continuing to host this College Fair, because it is really helpful to students - I was also able to get a lot of information from local schools like University of the Bahamas, and BTVI as well, so, I think they should continue doing this for students.”

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The Damianos Family and Damianos Sothebys International Realty Celebrate 75 Years of Redefining Residential Real Estate in The Bahamas

All in the Family. George Damianos, left, Chief Executive Officer for Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty, took over the reigns of the real state firm from his father, Nick Damianos, in 1993. Lana Rademaker joined the company as an estate agent in 2002 before following in the footsteps of her Mother, Virginia, and partnering with her uncle after her mother’s passing in 2014. Both attribute their company’s success to the family’s deep roots in the community, the long-lasting ties they’ve formed over the years and their dedication to the business.

(NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS) Jan. 30, 2020— The year was 1945. Oakes Field, the Bahamas’ first airport, had opened a mere five years earlier, World War II had finally come to an end, and The Bahamas was on the precipice of becoming one of the world’s most desirable tourism destinations. It was also during this time that a young man named Nick Damianos decided to enter the business of selling real estate.

Nick Damianos a descendant of Greek immigrants who arrived in Nassau in the late 1800’s to set up a sponge exporting business, established himself in the business community with his straw, lobster and car businesses. But with the opening of an airport that could now accommodate more than just seaplanes, Nick saw opportunities ahead.

Larger planes meant more visitors, and more visitors meant potential second homeowners.

“The post–World War II economy was creating a boom around the world, and even back then The Bahamas was on track to become a popular destination due to our proximity to the U.S. and our status as a safe and financially stable Commonwealth Country,” said CEO George Damianos.

And while the real estate market of the mid1940s was very different from the market of today, Nick Damianos set up a small office at the top of Frederick Street in downtown Nassau. So small, in fact, that he opened his doors with his longtime employee, Al Deleveaux, who worked with Nick his entire adult life.

“My father was a people person. Wherever he went around Nassau, he knew everyone, and everyone knew him. He never met a stranger,” said George Damianos. “So, he didn’t need a huge staff to get the business rolling. He said that honesty

and integrity were the key to his success, and he impressed that upon me when I entered the business myself in 1972.”

By that time, Nick Damianos had moved the company’s office to the hustle and bustle of Shirley Street, directly across from Princess Margaret Hospital. As Nassau’s business district grew and flourished, this main vein through downtown was quickly becoming a high-profile area for local businesses. It’s also where the company’s downtown office remains located today.

In 1985 George’s sister, Virginia, joined the family business and the two remained dedicated to following Nick’s business philosophy of relying on relationship building to provide the utmost service to clients.

“I’ve known some of my clients for over 40 years and whether they are current clients or not, we’re in touch on a regular basis socially and professionally. They are a part of the fabric of our company,” said George Damianos.

“My mother’s passion was this business and our team,” Rademaker added. “She was a stickler for professionalism and ethics. She always made decisions that were in the best interest of our clients, working tirelessly until her passing in 2014. Not a sales meeting goes by when someone doesn’t quote something Mum would say. Her spirit continues to inspire this team.”

In 1995, Nick passed away and left the business to George and Virginia.

In 2002, Virginia’s daughter, Lana Rademaker (née Premock), joined her mother and uncle as an estate agent as did George’s son, Nick. It wasn’t long before the real estate firm began to expand across New Providence and into the Family Islands.

Over the course of the next 15 years, George and Virginia opened a total of nine offices throughout The Bahamas: Marsh Harbour, Abaco (2001); Lyford Cay (2002); Governors Harbour, Eleuthera (2006); Hope Town, Abaco (2006); Spanish Wells, Eleuthera (2008); Treasure Cay, Abaco (2010); Old Fort Bay (2010); Guana Cay, Abaco (2010); and, Harbour Island (2016).

The most momentous milestone to occur during this time period was when Damianos Realty purchased a Sotheby’s International Realty franchise in 2005 to become Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty.

“Purchasing the Sotheby’s International Realty® franchise was not a decision we took lightly,” George Damianos CEO, said. “At that point our business had been independently run and successful for 60 years. So, ultimately, we together with our family we came to the conclusion that being associated with a brand as distinctive as Sotheby’s International Realty® and gaining access to their wealth of contacts, partnerships and technology platforms would allow us to serve our clients that much better now and in the future.”

“Joining forces with Sotheby’s International Realty® has taken our business to heights,” said Lana Rademaker, who stepped into the role of Chief Brokerage Officer after her mother’s passing in 2014.

“Between the brand’s stellar reputation and global presence and its innovative, forward-thinking marketing strategies, our company has grown exponentially.”

In fact, 52 names now populate the company’s roster—a far cry from the mere two that occupied the Frederick Street office in 1945. But, no matter how large, George and Lana remain true to the company’s longstanding tradition of family, honesty and integrity.

“We consider our staff members to be a part of our family, and the true story behind our success,” Rademaker said. “We are a tight-knit group.

This is something my mother, Virginia Damianos, cultivated during her years as George’s business partner, and it’s a principle I strive to maintain in her stead. We sincerely care for one another, and I think people sense that when we’re out and about in the community,” This sentiment was never more apparent than when Hurricane Dorian devastated a portion of The Bahamas last September. The storm had barely passed before the staff members were reaching out to each other to offer support financially, emotionally and physically.

“It was truly touching and impressive to see this team we’ve created coming together in a time of such extreme national crisis,” Rademaker said.

“Dorian was an historical storm and none of us were prepared for its aftermath. However, every member of our team contributed whatever they could, whenever they could whether it was offering homes to their colleagues, their boats for searchand-rescue, or volunteering their personal time and money. While it was a low point for our country, it was a personal high point for me witnessing our team in action.”

Whether in times of crisis or times of economic boom, the one constant for Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty was, is and always will be dedication to excellence.

“We are fortunate to have been a part of this community for the past 75 years and we’re proud of our family’s history and what we’ve accomplished together,” Rademaker said. “We look forward to continuing to evolve over the next 75 years and to adapting with the needs of our clients and colleagues.”

About Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has 10 offices located throughout the islands of the Bahamas, providing unsurpassed market knowledge of Abaco, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Exuma, Nassau, Paradise Island, Ocean Club Estates, Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay, Albany and Private Islands.

Head office 75 Shirley Street, Nassau. For additional information, please contact 242-322-2305 or info @SIRbahamas.com.