The Eleutheran Newspaper Oct/Nov 2020 Issue

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Volume 13, Issue 10/12, 2020

Eleuthera, Harbour Island & Spanish Wells, The Bahamas

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Kiwanis in action as they celebrate 50 Years of Service to Community

Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, & Eleuthera - North, Central & South BACK COVER: Damianos Sotheby’s Int’l PAGE 3: Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty PAGE 5: HG Christie

During the month of December 2020, the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera will be celebrating 50 years of service. President, Nathalie Russell on behalf of Kiwanis members expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the Eleuthera public for the support and assistance given to the Club each year, in service to the Eleuthera community, allowing them to do what they love to do.

Ahead of celebrations in December, the Club continued with acP6 Dedicated members of the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera staying active and making a difference in their communities.

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10,000 TREES

MOTA Gears Up For Visitor Arrivals In Eleuthera As New Testing Protocols Kick In November 1st On Saturday, October 17th, 2020, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Dionisio D’Aguilar, visited Eleuthera’s Governor’s Harbour and North Eleuthera international airports, ahead of the announced new visitor arrival testing protocols which come into effect on November 1st, 2020.

He communicated with local frontline teams at the airports, including

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Eleuthera Hub opening

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Edible Eleuthera

SW Replacement Bridge

ADVICE:

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Successful Graduates of CTI’s Learn and Earn Program celebrated as their summer cohort ended in October. A stipend, hands-ontraining, and sought after trade skills make this program an excellent opportunity for young Eleutherans...

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Opinion :

Customs, Immigration, and local tourism industry stakeholders present during his visit that the Ministry of Tourism was working to rejuvenate tourism and traveling in a concerted effort, “The way we are doing that, is we are going to eliminate the 14-day quarantine.

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New Cohort of CTI ‘Learn and Earn’ Graduates Celebrate Success

Larry Forbes, Carpentry Instructor presenting his lesson .

On Thursday, October 15th, 2020, twenty (20) successful students of the Center for Training and Innovation’s (CTI) ‘Learn and Earn’ signature program, stood proudly as they

received their certificates in Carpentry and Electrical Installation.

The twelve (12) week ‘Learn and Earn’ program, which began this most recent cohort on July 13th, 2020,

took a multi-dimensional approach to improving the employability of the student participants by pairing employment with personal development and civic responsibility courses alongside

vocational training.

The program included participation in courses such as Carpentry, Electrical Installation, Culinary, Introduction to Computers, and Personal Development in addition to others, and on enrollment into the program, students were given a scholarship which allowed them to receive a weekly stipend and all the tools necessary for each phase of their training.

Among the graduates, twelve (12) were celebrating completion of their course in Electrical Installation, and seven (7) celebrated completion of their course in Carpentry. Mr. Steven Galanis was the instructor in Electrical Installation, and Mr. Graham Walker P18

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Minister of Tourism, Dionisio D’Aguilar (center front), at the Governor’s Harbour international airport, with MOTA colleagues, Immigration, Customs, Airport Authority and ALIV representatives during his October 17th, 2020 visit to Eleuthera.

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Visitors Covid-19 Tests

The government is replacing the 14-day quarantine... What we are doing is replacing that with a series of tests. You have a test right now, before you come here, an RT/PCR - we have checks to make sure that is all in place. We are also now going to have a test on arrival (a rapid antigen test), and then if you are in the country longer than four nights or five days, we are going to require another test (rapid antigen test), which we will provide within the community.”

Accompanying Minister D’Aguilar was a team from the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, along with executives from ALIV, and the Bahamas Airport Authority. The purpose of his visit, which included stops in at least six Family Island airports that day, he said, was to take a look at how things were on the ground at each of the airport locations and to establish the local contacts to properly manage and implement the new protocols. “What we would like is that when people disembark from the plane, they get tested, go to Immigration, go to Customs, then pick up their bags and be on their way. So, we will be liaising with the MP here, Mr. Mackey and our tourism partners on how we are going to process the testing on arrival.”

Describing how they ideally wanted the process to look like on arrival, the Minister outlined, “The ‘rapid antigen test’ should take about 45 sec-

onds for the test to be done, and the results should take about 15 to 20 minutes. We do not want the people to stay here to wait for their results. We can’t have all those people mingling around. So, we understand that the people will take the test, they will leave, and the results will be posted to them - either by email or text message - whichever means they provided when they got their travel visa. People ask what happens if they are positive - if they are positive they will be contacted by Ministry of Health officials to inform them that they have to quarantine for 14 days. If you are a foreign visitor, you may want to take the test again to confirm you didn’t get a false positive - but certainly if you get a positive twice you will be required to quarantine for 14 days, or you can choose to leave the jurisdiction... So, that is how the process is going to work.”

The test on day five, emphasized the Minister, was for people staying longer than four nights or five days, and that those coming to the island for a shorter period would only be required to get one test on arrival. He commented that the five day test was structured primarily for returning citizens and residents, however, on Eleuthera, which historically saw visitors come for longer stays - they would have to have the day five test done.

He added, “We are going to employ the private sector health providers to do the screening here, and to do the screening five days from arrival. That

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is basically how it is going to work. We are going to need buy-in from Immigration, from the Airport Authority, local Hotel Operators, and local authorities are going to assist in making sure that it works smoothly for tourism on the ground. So, it is going to be a concerted effort to get it going.”

Minister D’Aguilar continued, “...The numbers will probably be small to begin with, but we are hoping as we get closer to Thanksgiving things begin to pickup, and continue into Christmas and right into 2021. It will take quite a long time to get back to pre-Covid numbers, because world travel is down by two-thirds. Many people are not travelling, but we want to make our jurisdiction as attractive as possible.

“There will certainly be push back, but, it is our belief that Bahamians are not ready to just open up the country and let everybody in. We’ve been there and done that, and that did not work. So, this is what we think is possibly the best solution. Is it an impediment to travel? Yes, and there is going to be a cost associated with the travel visa... but it will include all the cost of testing, everything will be paid. So, we are hoping that motivates those that are in the country for more than four nights, five days to go get their second test - as it will be already paid for. The objective is to get people to comply as best as possible.”

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Kiwanis/Community

tive service, with the launch of an Essay Competition during September 2020, inviting students throughout Eleuthera to take part. “My Covid-19 Experience”, was the topic chosen for the competition, to give students a voice on how the current pandemic was affecting them.

Eighteen (18) young students took part in the essay competition, with participants from kindergarten to grade 9. Awards were presented at Sammy’s restaurant in Rock Sound in October, while observing all health safety protocols and those attending, said organizers, were treated to light refreshments. Eight (8) tablets were awarded to the young winners for back-to-school, along with certificates of participation to all, along with gift bags filled with school supplies donated by the Thompson Family Reunion.

Judges for the competition were outsourced from New Providence, and they included, Ms. Moya Thompson, Ms. Natasha Wallace, Mr. Eric Rose, and Mr. Ancin Munnings. Generous sponsors of the event were The Lumber Shed, Best Friends Forever Group, Kiwanian Sheilamae Sands and Kiwanians

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Leshanda and Renardo Brown.

The Club also once again partnered with the Windermere Foundation to facilitate distribution of $20,000 worth of grocery vouchers throughout the settlements in South Eleuthera. Vouchers were valued at $80 each, and they were said to have been much appreciated by all who received them.

President Russell, shared that even after distribution was completed, people were calling enquiring about the vouchers, however, they did not have to be turned away, she said, as the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera was still able to assist in a small way with their Food Pantry, which the Club established - open to help families who are in need.

The Windermere Island Foundation initiative, said Russell, was able to provide grocery for 540 families in South Eleuthera, “We are so grateful to them and the stores that partnered with us in the communities such as: The Market, Midway Cost Cutters, Your Friendly Store, Carey’s Drugs, Hall’s variety Store and Browns Convenience Store, who were all willing P27 and able to provide the

Dedicated members of the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera staying active and making a difference in their communities..

LEFT and BELOW: Students from Kindergarten to grade 9 took part in the Kiwanis Essay Competition. Eight top winners were awarded with tablets, certificates and gift bags.

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CO N S E RVAT I ON COR N E R

The Eleutheran

10,000 Trees for Eleuthera and Counting B y : D orlan C urtis J r . C ape E leuthera I sland S chool

Natural Mulch, Compost & Fertilizer - Just like a forest, fallen leaves are self-mulching and cover the soil on their own to retain moisture and their breakdown returns nutrients to the soil.

Natural Pest Control- No chemicals required! Food

Deep Creek Middle School (DCMS) students preparing the ground for planting.

As our country and local communities continue to regroup in the wake of hurricanes and COVID-19, the Cape Eleuthera Island School and our Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) continue to look to nature to help mitigate the effects of climate change while tackling food insecurity. Over the past year and more recently during the national lockdown, we have made efforts to plant over 100 fruit trees to improve and create “food forests� which are simply gardens of edible plants and trees that mimic ecosystems found in nature.

Trees play an important role in our ecosystem and continuous sustainable development due to their ability to absorb greenhouse gases and filter toxic emissions from the air released by our vehicles,

machinery and the open-air burning of waste at local dump sites. They in turn provide us with oxygen and clean air.

As one navigates tree planting to create a food forest, there are seven layers that must be implemented in its design - the overstory (large trees that provide a canopy), the understory (smaller trees), the shrub layer, the herbaceous layer, the root layer (root vegetables), the ground cover layer (crops/leaves that cover the soil) and a vertical layer (vines and climbing plants). The benefits to be realised from food forests are as follows: High Productivity - High density planting of trees ensures high yields and encourages biodiversity that continuously produces food all year round.

forests can be home to natural predators like birds, lizards, wasps, and ladybugs which help to naturally eliminate certain vegetable garden pests without use of pesticides or toxic chemicals.

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Increasing Cases In Eleuthera Raise Concerns As of Monday, October 26th, Eleuthera had seen a significant increase in Covid-19 cases on the island, with 33 cases added to its tally within the eleven-day period between October 15th and October 26th, bringing the total number of confirmed cases on island to 63.

Local Administrator in Central Eleuthera, Whelma Colebrook expressed a concern about people in the Central area, and across the island gathering and attending events with extended family members, as well as attending private event settings, like funerals and parties, that authorities may not be aware of.

With a number of funeral events having taken place in the Cen-

tral area during the past few weeks, she also commented that a possible source of exposure, may have been people flying in from New Providence, who according to emergency orders were supposed to quarantine, and in a number of instances claimed special privilege given in New Providence.

Guidelines for inter-island travel require individuals travelling from New Providence to take an RT/PCR test and have a negative result before applying for a travel health visa. On arrival in Eleuthera, or another Family Island they must quarantine at a government-identified or any other appropriate facility, determined by the Ministry of Health, at their expense, for 14 days or the duration of stay if for a lesser period.

Administrator Colebrook appealed to all residents to continue to practice the recommended safety measures, including physical distancing, wearing of masks, and frequent hand washing.

In recent digital meetings with town council members, she said she encouraged local leaders to monitor their areas, and to keep an eye out for people with no masks, and to report people gathering to police.

In North Eleuthera, where cases have grown less quickly to date, with four active cases on the Eleuthera mainland, as of Saturday, October 24th, Administrator Lynton Pinder commented that some contributors to the spread could be individuals not strictly adhering to the health and safety protocols of wearing face masks and social distancing. He confirmed that all active cases were being carefully monitored.

Administrator Pinder also shared that government agencies in the North Eleuthera district were working closely together at the sea and airports, in reference to properly processing people coming into Eleuthera.

During an October 16th Ministry of Health Press Conference, health officials described a trend of increasing cases on

Eleuthera, with Eleuthera then at 30 confirmed cases, and expressed concerns about those developments on the island.

When asked about whether or not restrictions may be recommended for Eleuthera, in light of increasing cases on the island, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pearl McMillan, responded saying, “The purpose of us monitoring those trends is to be able to make the necessary recommendations with respect to decreasing the likelihood of a surge on a particular island. As we begin to see those things, we will go ahead and make our recommendations with respect to how we can actually manage the increase in cases on the particular island.”

Dr. Jillian Bartlett, with responsibility for monitoring the situation in the Family Islands, added, “We have seen an uptick in cases in Eleuthera, as well as PUI’s or persons under investigation, presenting to health care providers, who are symptomatic - mostly between Central and South Eleuthera. So, yes, we have made recommendations, based on what we are seeing in the numbers, and what is happening operationally on the ground, that we would have more restrictive measures put in place in Eleuthera, mainly in the area of the Central and South - based on what is happening.”

As of Monday, October 27th, 2020, more than a week after those statements were made, and with 33 additional cases added to Eleuthera’s Covid-19 tally, no further public announcements had been made in relation to any changes in restrictions on the island.

On Tuesday evening, October 27th, Prime Minister Minnis announced he would hold a national Covid-19 update press conference on Wednesday evening, October 28th accompanied by Dr. Dahl-Regis. The press conference, which took place after this current issue went to print, held a distinct possiblity of announcements being made in relation to Eleuthera, and changes in the level of restrictions on the island.

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co m menta ry

OAS: In danger of undermining the ‘Right to Protect’

By Sir Ronald Sanders (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the U.S. and the OAS. 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 view expressed are entirely his own)

A noteworthy event occurred on the afternoon of Saturday October 10, that could have implications for nations across the globe. It merits attention.

The Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis

Almagro, issued a statement, indicating that he “designated international human rights lawyer Jared Genser as Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P)”. This appointment happened when the OAS is again facing dire financial circumstances and staff contracts are not being renewed.

Still, even in such difficult circumstances, an appointment of someone greatly needed to carry out the Organization’s work would be understandable. The difficulty with this appointment is that it is not a priority identified either by Ministers of member states or the Permanent Council of the OAS. Further, R2P is, rightfully, a matter on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly and under the authority of the Security Council.

Consequently, it is intriguing that, in his statement, Mr. Almagro said unequivocally that: “If existing international mechanisms are not responding to the demands and needs of the victims of mass atrocities in the Americas,

at the very least the OAS should try to design and build a regional mechanism that can prevent and respond more efficiently, and in a timely manner, to crimes of this nature in the Western Hemisphere”. Whether intended or not, this sounds like a dismissal of the UN Security Council and an arrogation by the OAS to act in its place “in the Americas”.

It is important to note that R2P was unanimously endorsed by the member-states of the United Nations at a World Summit in 2005. The agreement is designed to protect people the world over from four crimes: “genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing”. The question arises, therefore, about the identity of the countries “in the Americas” where Mr. Almagro suggests that such crimes are being committed and against which action is required “more efficiently, and in a timely manner”.

If such countries exist in the Americas, why have they not been brought before the UN Security Council? And why is this matter not being raised for discussion, with the evidence of atrocities, by member governments of the OAS in appropriate bodies of the Organization?

The way this matter has crawled into the OAS - not in the full light of transparent discussion and decision but in a weekend media statement from the Secretary-General - is why suspicion surrounds the OAS. It is a suspicion with which all its member states are tainted as complicit. Silence is taken as consent.

A further consideration is that the R2P does not replace the UN Charter; R2P is a UNled response to the problem of mass-atrocity crimes, and actions in furtherance of it require UN Security Council authorization.

Therefore, why would the OAS – a group of only 33 governments – seek to usurp the UN of 193 states, and a 15-state Security

Oct/Nov, 2020 Council?

Dr. Adrian Gallagher, Co-Director of the European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, makes the following salient point: “R2P does allow states to consider all coercive and non-coercive measures under Chapters VI, VII, and VIII of the UN Charter when a government is “manifestly failing” to protect its population from the four crimes. Though this does include the use of force, any action taken has to be authorized by the UN Security Council”.

In his statement, Mr. Almagro makes another point that merits attention. He says: “The costs of not having an R2P regional mechanism at the OAS so far have been the continued loss of human lives and the persistence of impunity for mass atrocities crimes”. He continues: “Yet, over time, there have been mass atrocities committed in far too many countries by repressive and undemocratic regimes”.

Sadly, where there have been such instances in the past, in OAS countries, governments of other OAS member states have ignored them for narrow, political reasons. Such politically selective and convenient responses must stop if the OAS is to have any credibility in advancing the principle of R2P. In this regard, another observation

by Dr. Gallagher is worth recalling: “It is important that those who champion the R2P do not overstate the scale of the crimes being committed. OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has invoked the Rwandan genocide as a pretext to justify R2P action in Venezuela, but clearly any such analogy is deeply flawed, as there is no pending threat of mass genocide”.

To be clear, the principle of R2P should be embraced by every country in the world. Every government should uphold the human, civil and political rights of its people, not oppress them and certainly not murder them or eliminate any ethnic group within them.

Where governments execute heinous atrocities, the wider international community, particularly neighbouring states, should act to prevent and punish them within the UN agreed framework.

The OAS should be discussing this openly and transparently, paying attention to every country in the Americas, and not just to those where the political or ideological interests of powerful states are served, one way or the other. If the OAS continues the selective path that it has followed, it will reverse every step that it now makes to be P13

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OUT ON A LIMB

By Mike Lightbourn

Did you know landowners are responsible for keeping their tree branches off power lines? If the answer is No, you’re not alone. Quite a few people think BPL is responsible for trimming trees on private property if they interfere with overhead lines.

Works Minister Desmond Bannister cleared up this misconception recently. He said property owners are responsible for making sure their trees don’t disturb power lines.

URCA, the independent regulator, has confirmed the onus is on property owners to keep their trees clear of lines. BPL can go onto private property, cut the trees, bill the landowner and even put a lien against the property if they don’t pay, Mr. Bannister said.

“If you live in the Bahamas you are contravening rules. What happens is your tree knocks down a line and after a storm, before BPL can power a substation, it has to go along every single line in that area. That is complicated by the fact that so many people do not cut trees in their yard,” he explained.

Spanish Wells: Spanish Wells is unique in that it has a private electrical provider - and a very reliable one at that. The provider, St Georges Cay Power Company, has a similar policy. The property owner is responsible for keeping their trees from interfering with the lines. If they neglect to do so, the power company will step in. However, the cost will be passed on to

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the consumer.

Keep the Trees: Now before you head for the chain saw to start cutting, stop right there! Understand that trees improve property values because they are beautiful, provide shade and soften hardscape. They are vital to life, the economy and the environment.

They feed us and give us oxygen, store carbon and combat climate change, the latter of which presents the biggest challenge to humans and wildlife. Trees help conserve energy.

They stabilise the soil and provide us with materials for tools and shelter.

They shield us from harmful ultraviolet rays, help prevent water pollution, conserve water and provide a habitat for wildlife. Trees relieve mental fatigue.

On the Flip Side: Conversely, trees on private property can cause a lot of damage if not properly maintained. Just one strong hurricane can topple a sturdy tree, tear down power lines and cause significant home damage. If the ground is saturated with water, trees become especially vulnerable to falling.

Some trees may appear healthy when, in fact, disease or insects have weakened their overall structure.

That’s why it’s important to keep trees pruned and clear of structures, including roofs. Trees that are particularly at risk have dense canopies, are dead or dying or have two or more trunks. Young trees also are more susceptible.

Commentary-

regarded universally as a credible and respected organization.

That is not an OAS that will serve the peoples of the Americas well.

As a regional organization, the OAS should not seek to supplant global efforts at the UN; it would better serve the region and the world by providing objective and non-discriminatory leadership in upholding and advancing the principle of R2P within the UN agree-

Ronald Sanders

ment of 2005.

Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com

15 October 2020

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By Mike Lightbourn

Branches that rub against roofs - even without storm conditions - will damage shingles if left unchecked. Regular pruning makes trees more resistant to damage from storms, insects and disease.

There is an art to pruning and maintaining healthy trees. Use a professional to safely prune or remove large trees. While there’s no such thing as a hurricane-resistant property, proper tree care and maintenance will go a long way towards preventing damage and the resulting mess from debris.

Next time you look at a tree on your property, stop and think. Surely, a little TLC is a small price to pay for all its amazing benefits?

Questions or comments?

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

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A DV ICE

Web of Lies:

Those Who Cry Wolf Teri M. Bethel

You may have heard the phrase quoted from the romantic play “Marmion” by Sir Walter Scott, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” Many smitten by a web of lies may muse that truer words have not been spoken. The question that begs an answer regarding deception in affairs of the heart is what makes a person lie to destroy innocent lives rather than choosing to walk away?

There is a growing number of cases where stories have been fabricated to accuse people of rape, causing innocent folks to spend an excessive amount of money to defend themselves, plus spend years in prison for crimes they did not commit.

While what is being addressed in this article is women accusing men, unfortunately, growing numbers of women are also sexually abusing men. That being said, many statistics confirm that the number of violent crimes against women still far exceeds the same crimes against men. But does it make it right to destroy any life? Before going any further, let it be stated clearly that rape or sexual abuse in any form should be tried and prosecuted to the full extent of the law, as should those who cry wolf.

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the life out of had no recourse to be reimbursed for the monies lost defending themselves. Nevertheless, the Jones family is grateful for Dan’s freedom.

They are indebted to Detective Alexander, who displayed character and courage as she pressed through to reveal the truth that not only led to Dan’s release but to Sara’s conviction.

Does it happen in The Bahamas?

That unfortunate event took place overseas, but what about similar situations taking place on our side of the watery fence. How does an innocent young man or woman stand a chance for freedom when there is undue influence against them? Recently, an 18-year-old young man was dragged before the courts on a false rape charge by an older young lady who had recently been ditched by her boyfriend.

Believing that someone had to pay for her heartbreak, she selected a handsome young lad—a sacrificial lamb she had recently met, who had no romantic leanings towards her, and no previous law infractions.

The woman who accused her fiancé of rape I recently watched a documentary regarding an Australian, Dan Jones, a young man who had been wrongly accused of sexual crimes by his fiancé Sara Jane Parkinson and thrown in jail. As I watched the story unfold, it was easy to ask from my sofa, how did he not see this coming? He barely knew Sara, proposing to her only after a few months of meeting her. It was as though somebody had cloaked Dan’s mind from thinking and responding sensibly to blatant misgivings. Even though the police had called him in to question his fiancé’s atrocious claims, he continued with their relationship, believing that it was, as she insisted, a mistake.

It wasn’t too long after that the hardworking Dan, a prison officer, who had recently constructed his home, realized that there was indeed a mistake. His mistake was believing the soft-spoken Sara without verifying anything she said from the first day they met. Not long after the allegations, Dan was placed on house arrest and banished to his parent’s home. His life crumbled as he was forced from his home while Sara remained in it. But this was not enough for Sara. She continued to trump up indecent charges of assault and rape against Dan and, eventually, his father, ultimately landing Dan in prison. To add to the tragedy, Sara moved her new boyfriend, the cop who helped her file the ludicrous claims, into Dan’s house.

When good police step forward Fortunately for Dan, Leesa Alexander, a detective, joined the department, and after reviewing the case, she immediately picked up on the inconsistencies of Sara’s story. Her lies were thin enough to see through. After many months in prison, Dan lost his job, his home, and nearly his mind. His parents lost their life savings and their home as a result of his legal fees. It wasn’t much longer that their 32-year-old marriage bit the dust—the once happy couple divorced. I guess you’re wondering what happened to Sara. Well, she admitted to the court that she wanted what his family had. Sara could have had the house her fiancé built when they married, but that was not enough; she wanted his parent’s home as well. She was willing to destroy them all to get what she wanted. This behavior was not new to Sara; she had conspired a similar plot against her best friend’s father, accusing him of rape, which almost cost the man his freedom, wife, and children.

Sadly the sting from the lies continues to plague both families, as lies have a way of lingering like flies over a rotting carcass. Though she only received three years and one month of imprisonment for her false accusations, the family she sucked

It didn’t matter to the arresting officer that the young lady picked him up from his home minutes before curfew, insisting that he accompany her home.

Neither did it matter that she drove him home the following morning after he rejected her bold advances. Two days later, she filed a rape charge. Instead of pushing for the case, her family should have advised her that the hurt she experienced was not rape but rejection.

Nonetheless, like Sara Jane Parkinson, another young man was about to be unfairly handled by those sworn to uphold the law. Even though being publicly humiliated and his name and face flaunted in the news and social media, no-one did a follow-up story to clear the young man’s reputation when the case was thrown out. How many innocent people line the walls of our prison having been falsely accused of a crime?

How many people have the character to admit that they were wrong or made a mistake in identifying an innocent

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person as a criminal?

Wrongful imprisonment Some of us may wonder what would drive a person to formulate a lie to destroy the life of an innocent person? I’m sure that’s a question many people have pondered, especially those who were victims of such lies. One victim of such a crime was Archie Williams; an America’s got talent contestant who spent 35 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Ricky Jackson, another American, was wrongfully accused and spent 39 years of his life in prison. Jackson was only 18 at the time of his imprisonment.

Being placed on death row for a crime he had not committed was a prime example of how the criminal justice system could affect an innocent life.

Are you ready for a relationship?

Too many people have no clue what a healthy relationship looks like. Before falsely accusing someone of such a heinous act as rape, wouldn’t it be wiser to learn to appreciate being alone?

Should you focus on two parties coming together before you have a chance to develop yourself? If you have issues you need to deal with, why complicate your life further with another person before addressing your problems? Do you know what you are looking for in a relationship? What are the characteristics of someone you believe would be a great mate? Do you have the character or emotional maturity to maintain a healthy relationship with someone?

Quite often, people engage in relationships for superficial reasons thinking everything will pan out nicely. No-one told them good looks and sweet-talking are not enough to sustain a friendship. Noone said to them that before becoming intimate with someone, you should get to know them first. Had they done some research, they would have seen that shiny things they thought were medals of honor were merely chump change and loose screws.

A uthor :

Teri M Bethel is a publisher and an author of relationship enrichment books, which include: Before We Say, I Do… and My Marriage Matters. She has also published romance and adventure novels, purse making, and fabric painting DVDs that seek to entertain, empower, and promote healthy lifestyles for adults and children. Her books are available where good books are sold in Eleuthera and New Providence, as well as on Amazon.com. Additionally, Teri provides a free online directory for local authors to showcase their family-friendly books.

She and her husband have two adult sons. Visit her website, www.BooksByBethel.com, or e-mail her at tbethel@booksbybethel.com.

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Oct/Nov

Grand Opening of Eleuthera Business HUB An Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce Initiative (Press Release) - It’s been a long time coming and stakeholders from both the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce and Cable Bahamas Business Solutions are excited to announce the launch of the new Eleuthera Business HUB facilities scheduled to open November 20th, 2020. This new collaborative office space is a great business networking opportunity and an ideal environment for small business owners, entrepreneurs and startup companies located in Eleuthera.

Conveniently, offices of the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Bahamas, as well as Disney Cruiselines will be located at the new Hub, as anchor tenants.

The Eleuthera Business Hub is a flexible workspace that offers users the ease of moving into an instant office that comes fully equipped with managed solutions that give members the tools and amenities needed to run operations and ensure smooth migrations for flexible workspaces.

“We are proud to be a partner in this innovative initiative”, stated Chantelle Sands, Head of Family Island Business Accounts for Commercial Innovations at Cable Bahamas Business Solutions. “Being able to provide technology solutions that include fixed and mobile phone services, reliable internet, secure cloud solutions and TV services for all the business needs from the onset of construction and throughout was a great opportunity for us and we are extremely excited for the grand opening. We

look forward to further growing our relationships throughout the island while expanding our network reach.”

Through this initiative, individuals will have access to fully serviced, state-of-the-art office facilities and meeting rooms, complete with the latest audio visual equipment; located in the recently remodeled office space at The Market Place, Rock Sound, Eleuthera.

Open desks, private offices, Wi-Fi and printing facilities are provided to ensure everything businesses need will be on hand.

“The technology being brought to this project is essential for the continued growth and success of our business community here in Eleuthera, commented Thomas Sands, ECC President. “This space is the perfect solution for large and small companies and entrepreneurs who want to work in a dynamic office environment. It’s all about business growth and creating innovations so that businesses can survive and thrive in this new environment that we find ourselves in.”

Indeed, as a native of Rock Sound, Eleuthera, Cable Bahamas Chief Operating Officer, John Gomez sees this as an opportunity to expand the company’s partnership in this community by supporting business leaders on the digital transformation journey. “This is supported and reinforced by Cable Bahamas’ robust and resilient network. Business continuity is nothing P31 new for us, but the

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‘Celebrating Our Valedictorians’

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Christianna Wallace - Valedictorian - North Eleu. HS ‘

In this third installation of our series, ‘Celebrating Our Valedictorians’, we highlight North Eleuthera High School’s, Christianna Wallace. As part of Eleuthera’s Class of 2020 high school graduates, who saw their 12th grade year turn on its end with the sudden arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, Christianna was one who was able to not only push through and celebrate the completion of her high school career, but to also do so as a stand-out amongst her peers, achieving the top academic result and award, as Valedictorian of her graduating class.

Christianna, who received the award in 2017 for the top BJC (Bahamas Junior Certificate - National Exam) results on the island of Eleuthera with 7 A’s, and 1 B, has also been a prefect at her school from 2017 to 2020, and was selected as Head Girl for her 2019-2020 12th grade school year. She was also chosen as the Alpha Kappa Alpha Honouree - a distinction given to the top academic female student in grade 12. Recently, Christianna also represented the Central & South Eleuthera Constituency in the 2020 Virtual Youth in Parliament sessions. In preparation for choosing her next step after graduation, eleven (11) college/universities approved her application, and Ms. Wallace received more than $100,000 in scholarship offers.

When asked to share a bit about her experience during this final year, Christianna agreed that it was one for the record books, saying, “This experience has truly been a unique one. I don’t think that anyone ever expected for COVID-19 to have changed our lives so drastically. I did feel discouraged at first but, I definitely adapted and rose above the situation. I had to stay focused especially because I know that I have huge goals that I wish to accomplish. I had to defeat procrastination and defy the odds. I honestly feel as if once you are certain and eager for something to happen, it will fall into place with the required work.”

Reflecting back on her junior high and senior high school experience, Christianna shared, “During the 6 years I spent at North Eleuthera High School, I learnt many valuable lessons that I hope to carry with me throughout the rest of my life. I most definitely will always remember that each and every day, I should work hard to become the best version of myself.”

She continued, “I learnt not to compare myself to others because I am not like everyone. I am exceptional and destined for greatness. I had great classmates, and wonderful teachers throughout my high school education and I will forever be grateful for them. They all have played some role into molding me into a

Miss Christianna Wallace, Valedictorian - North Eleuthera High School - Class of 2020.

phenomenal young woman.”

The next step in Christianna’s journey is the move into tertiary education. She is currently a freshman at the College of Saint Benedicts/ Saint John’s University in Minnesota and is studying Physics/Pre-Engineering with a minor in Chemistry. Sharing a bit about why she chose her field of study, Christianna described, “I had planned to become a doctor, but I knew that this wasn’t exactly my ‘calling’. It took guidance, strength, wisdom and understanding to realise that I wouldn’t be satisfied with becoming a paediatrician, cardiologist, oncologist, or a cardio thoracic surgeon. Being captivated by the engineering field, I aspire to become a Mechanical Engineer. Engineering, in

my opinion is a really important field needed in all aspects in life, and it’s very exciting and innovative. I was also inspired by the movie, ‘Hidden Figures’, it’s one of my favourite movies actually, where it highlighted black women who worked with colleagues to put the first man in orbit. The movie tells the untold story of the three black female engineers’ achievements.

I was moved.”

Asked about where she hoped to be after her undergraduate program was completed, Christianna shared, “In the next four years, I plan to attend graduate school, and conduct research based on my studies. I also hope that my small business, The Glam Trap Co., would become a big and well known one.”

She also shared some invaluable advice for Eleuthera students still in high school, saying, “I would definitely advise them to remain focused. Don’t take assignments lightly and do not procrastinate. Put your best effort into assignments, homework, basically whatever is assigned to you. I always tell 10th and 11th graders to study smartly for the SATs and take them at least twice. I cannot stress how important it is to score high on the SATs. It’ll also be wise for junior high students to start researching colleges as soon as they are sure about their intended majors. Applying to colleges early, and for many different types of scholarships is also great advice for students graduating in 2021 and later. Most importantly, make memories, join clubs, enjoy your high school life, because it ends in the blink of an eye!”

Christianna shared that she wouldn’t be the exceptional and hardworking young woman that she was without God’s strength and guidance. She also lauded and thanked her mother and nana, saying, “...they still are extremely supportive, and always pushing me to do my very best in everything that I do. My teachers also helped in inspiring me to become more academically inclined. Of course, my family and friends were always by my side to see that I continued striving, especially my Aunty Lex, my brother Jaheim and my best friend Mya. I love and appreciate them all, and I don’t know where I would be without them.”

Recognizing that she was very fortunate to have experienced her formative years on the beautiful and unique island that is, Eleuthera, Christianna shared that her home is where she wanted to be, “I definitely want to return back to The Bahamas after I finish with my studies. In fact, I aspire to own and operate my very own alternative energy company in Eleuthera.

I would also like to travel worldwide and work with other companies where I can meet new people and build life long connections.”

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10,000 Trees C

Nature prefers biodiversity and does not grow large areas or fields of one plant species.

Therefore, by planting trees and plants of various species and varieties, you can create a natural synergy which results in more productive and attractive ecosystems and landscapes. By incorporating the basic principles of how food forests grow and are self-sustainable, we mimic nature to model our own forests and sustainable food systems that produce food we can eat in our backyards.

In an effort to promote the creation of food forests on Eleuthera, the Center for Sustainable Design, together with The One Eleuthera Foundation, have been selected by ‘The Sustainable Lifestyle’ as Family Island partners for The Bahamas 100k Tree Planting Initiative. The initiative was launched in March 2020 with the goal of planting 100,000 trees of varying species towards the 1 Million Caribbean Tree Planting Project led by The Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance. This initiative helps our country to meet The 2030 DCMS students preparing the ground for tree planting

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to develop sustainable lifestyles in order to reduce our individual carbon footprints, thus ensuring a higher quality of life for future generations.

The Nassau administrative team began their collection, growing and planting activities on Blue Lagoon Island and have since donated free trees and seedlings to residents throughout The Bahamas, and established leaders on 8 Family Islands to ensure as many people as possible benefit from the initiative. To date, the Nassau team has collected over 1,500 seedlings and has given away 334 trees and seedlings to be planted in various communities in New Providence, and has organized a number of tree giveaways, namely on

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Earth Day. The intent of this initiative is to encourage climate action through the simple act of planting a tree. It also seeks to raise awareness on Bahamian plant biodiversity, educate on food security through investment and growth of fruit trees, and highlight the advantages of protecting our native coastal plants towards resilience.

Eleuthera has been tasked with a quota of planting 10,000 trees that promote and increase the presence of native and endemic trees that have medicinal, cultural and historical significance to The Bahamas. For our island, we plan to focus on two tree categories; coastal (mangroves and beach stabilizing plants) and terrestrial (fruit trees, national trees, native & medicinal plants).

How can you get involved with this initiative?

Anyone can contribute to the 10k tree goal by completing a form to report trees they have planted via the Sustainable Lifestyle website (www.thesustainablelifestyle.org) and social media pages.

Large scale project plantings (residential, private/public or commercial) can be registered by emailing the project’s particulars to the administrative team or local Eleuthera island representatives. Project particulars include: project name, island, and a brief description of the goals and number of trees planted to date.

You can also: Save seeds of native fruits, medicinal and beach stabilizer plants and replant.

Donate native tree clippings (eg: scarlet plum, breadfruit, mulberry, buttonwood), trees, or seedlings.

Donate your time to help with potting seedlings or community tree planting and

distribution.

Donate planting supplies (trees, seedlings, pots, soil, tools) to ensure the longevity of the initiative on Eleuthera.

Trees donated by the initiative on all islands will automatically be counted towards the goal of 100k! For more information on receiving free trees, contact your local Eleuthera island representatives, Dorlan Curtis Jr. (dorlancurtis@islandschool.org) or Deon Gibson (deongibson@oneeleuthera.org) or check out www.thesustainablelifestyle.org, or follow us on Facebook/ Instagram @TheSustainableLifestyle @ csdbahamas @oneeleutherafoundation)

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Learn & Earn

Oct/Nov, 2020

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Nineteen successful summer cohort graduates of the CTI Learn and Earn program, stand with class facilitators, and OEF CEO, Shaun Ingraham, while sporting their certificates in Carpentry and Electrical Installation, in front of the newly refurbished pool facility on the grounds of the OEF/CTI campus in Rock Sound, South Eleuthera.

and Mr. Larry Forbes were the facilitators in Carpentry.

The program was completed on October 2nd, 2020 with nineteen (19) successful students graduating. In Carpentry, the graduates included; Kendra Lightbourn,

Rozhandra Thompson, Alphaeus Cooper, Peaches Sweeting, Curlin Rolle, Kevon Hepburn, and Jonathan Mackey. In Electrical Installation, the graduates included; Destiny Seymour, Cameron McKinney, Emmanuel Pelecanos, Khristian Outten, Omar Sineus,

Hands-on-training and experience are key features of CTI’s Learn and Earn program.

Lamar Sineus, Suntera Alday, Jase Isaacs, Stephan Pennerman, Latanya Miller, Drevon Richards, and Dwight Cambridge.

During the 12 week

period of the program, students were also enrolled in CTI’s on-line campus, where they completed four (4) soft skills courses on Becoming a Better Learner, Effective Planning and Scheduling, Entrepreneurship, and Time Management. Additionally, students began and completed the demolition of one of the cottages on the One Eleuthera Campus.

Carpentry students also built several types of furniture, as part of their handson training.

Alphaeus Cooper, a carpentry student commenting on his experience in the program, shared, “The Learn and Earn program has benefited me tremendously.

It helped me P19 with social-

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Page. 18 izing more, speaking out more to people and learning how to communicate with customers or clients in the construction field.

When I started I had some knowledge of carpentry, because it’s the work that I do, but blueprint reading and getting quotes and estimates and getting the material list - those things would have already been done for me on the job when I worked for somebody.

“The Learn and Earn program, really put me on a path that made me feel like I want to venture out on my own and start a business - a construction business. I also now have the requirements to become a contractor. Had it not been for this program it would have been a more difficult task for me to get to these levels or otherwise, and I would have had to pay for schooling on my own.

On the job site, there are not many skilled men that are trying to teach the skills, so I really appreciate the Learn and Earn program.”

Another student, this one a young lady in the Electrical Installation course, Destiny Seymour, commented, “The Learn and Earn program has been a great benefit to me. Not only did it pay me a stipend every two weeks to help me along with whatever I needed; it also introduced me to a world of new things. Electrical installation, has been a passion of mine and Learn and Earn has given me the opportunity to pursue it. I learned a lot, and got a lot of hands on experience.

“They offered us online courses that were also very extensive, and at the same time very informative. It has also allowed me to meet new people, get into a different arena and helped me to get a better circle of associates and possible co-workers. It has also challenged me to step into something completely outside of my experience, as my past work experience included customer service and hospitality. In addition to that, by successfully completing this course, I am now a part of a group of women who dared to take on what is said to be a “man’s job” and helped break the status quo.”

Destiny Seymour, Electrical Installation Student.

Carpentry student getting hands-on experience.

On the ladder, Alphaeus Cooper, Carpentry Student.

Graduation, said CTI’s registrar, Mrs. Sharnette Kemp, saw the culmination of hard work and the determination of students that now possess basic skills in carpentry and electrical installation and much more.

Certificates and awards were presented during the ceremony

by One Eleuthera Foundation’s CEO, Mr. Shaun Ingraham, who also congratulated the graduating cohort of students, along with Special Guest Speaker, Mr. Keyron Smith, and Mrs. Sharnette Kemp.

LEFT and ABOVE: Learn and Earn students assist with the demolition of one of the cottages on the OEF/CTI campus, during the summer 2020 cohort.

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Government to restructure FDI investment applications decision-making process The decision-making process on Foreign Direct Investment applications will be restructured so that applications under $10 million will not be required to be submitted to the National Economic Council, said Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis.

This is one of a number of policy directions the Government will be pursuing based on recommendations from the Economic Recovery Committee (ERC). The Prime Minister tabled the ERC’s Executive Summary Report in the House of Assembly on

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis tabling the ERC’s Executive Summary Report in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, October 21st, 2020, where he highlights the government’s intention to restructure the Foreign Direct Investment application process.

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020.

The Committee, he shared, has proposed a broad range of reforms and recommendations intended to seed new industries and economic opportunities to expand existing ones; make The Bahamas more attractive for domestic and international investment; and to make certain bureaucratic systems more efficient and less burdensome for citizens and businesses.

“Consistent with the recommendations of the ERC, we will expedite the processing of the Bahamian and Foreign direct investments currently before the Government,” said the Prime Minister.

The Committee is also working on specific suggestions to expand the National Investment Policy, said Prime Minister Minnis.

The national investment process will be further digitized for domestic and international investors and other recommendations will be brought forward to make it easier for citizens, businesses and investors to access and use government services online.

As part of strategy to build a broader digital economy, the Government will promote the development of a National Digital Marketplace.

“This e-commerce platform can provide opportunity for small businesses and Bahamian entrepreneurs to buy and sell goods online across The Bahamas and provide opportunities for global sales,” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister updated the House on three investment projects that are still on track that will help in the economic recovery, including post-COVID-19.

Work is ongoing on the $200 million redevelopment of the downtown cruise port in Nassau

by Nassau Cruise Port Ltd. Environmental studies are complete, the demolition of the Customs warehouse has taken place and the demolition of Festival Place is imminent.

“A new world-class cruise port will be built so that as the cruising industry recovers, The Bahamas will remain a destination of choice for cruise lines,” said the Prime Minister.

On Grand Bahama, ITM and RCCL have

indicated their intention to carry out their investment in the Grand Lucayan project and redevelopment of the cruise port.

The developers have proposed an amended phased approach to the development, which is presently under review by the Government. The proposed project includes extensive renovations to the existing hotel and hotel property.

The Construction of GoldWynn, Nassau’s newest 156-unit condo-hotel and residences east of Goodman’s Bay is well underway, said Prime Minister Minnis.

The parade and mezzanine levels of the building are now fully completed and the second level is underway. Completions and delivery is on track for December 2021.

GoldWynn represents an investment by the developers of approximately $130 million. At present, the project has a work force of approximately 150 workers in construction. As the project moves into completion, employment figures are expected to rise to 250-plus.

Prime Minister Minnis said there are a number of other investment projects that he will continue to report on in the House and in other reports to the Bahamian people.

“The policy reforms we are embarking upon through the ERC report are intended to help expand the Bahamian economy of old,” said the Prime Minister.

The ERC represents a cross-section of the public and private sectors and is co-chaired by Acting Financial Secretary, Mr. Marlon Johnson, and Mr. Kenneth Kerr, the CEO of Providence Advisors.

To view the ERC’s Summary Report, visit www.opm.gov.bs.

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Water Supply in Central Eleuthera deliberately Cutoff By Foreign Operator amid Dispute with WSC

Water & Sewerage Corporation Chairman Adrian Gibson.

Residents in Central Eleuthera, from Savannah Sound to Gregory Town, who are reliant on Water & Sewerage Corporation’s (WSC) water distribution system, woke up on Tuesday morning, October 20th, 2020, unaware of the harrowing week ahead that they would be caught up in, with no running water, and all this amid rising Covid-19 cases on the island. The supply’s cut came as the Water & Sewerage Corporation (WSC) and their contracted foreign reverse osmosis operator disagreed over timeliness of payments from the WSC to the operator.

It would not be until Friday afternoon, October 23rd, 2020, that the WSC would release a notice to the public, via their social media page, advising customers that the plant was finally operational again, saying, “The Water and Sewerage Corporation advises customers in Central Eleuthera that our Reverse Osmosis Facility is now operating at full capacity. Some customers will continue to experience periods of low pressure, or no water, especially customers at higher elevations, over the next 24 hours, as the distribution system is repressurized. Settlements affected are Windermere Island, Savannah Sound, Palmetto Point, Governors Harbour, and James Cistern. The Corporation apologizes for any inconvenience caused as we work to bring water supply back to normal. Customers who continue to experience reduced service levels should contact the Corporation at (242)1-300-0150.”

As Central Eleutherans throughout the week were left with no water, affecting local government services, businesses, and homes, reasons for the sudden cutoff of the supply were left to rumour and hearsay. In fact, the WSC, itself in a notice to the public on Monday evening, ahead of the supply cut, stated that the impending lack of service, was because of ‘technical difficulties’.

On Friday, October 23rd, 2020, the WSC finally released a public statement describing its’ tussle with the operator, which began, “Last night (Thursday, Oct 22nd), the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) obtained an injunction against a reverse osmosis operator (of foreign origin) after that company deliberately and egregiously shut off the water supply to the people of Central Eleuthera.”

The WSC condemned the foreign operator’s actions, and placed blame for the position the Corporation was in on the former government, saying, “These acts come amid the worst global pandemic in the last 100 years, a pandemic where clean water and the maintenance of good hygiene is paramount... This contract, and several other related contracts, were signed under a previous Administration.”

The Corporation’s statement continued, confirming that water

had been restored and offered an apology to their customers adding that action would be taken to protect their right to a water supply, “The water has been turned back on in Central Eleuthera and, given the shutdown, customers (particularly those at higher elevations) will experience low pressure as the distribution system is being pressurized.

The Water and Sewerage Corporation apologizes to the people of Central Eleuthera for the inconvenience caused by these unfortunate actions. WSC will take every action to protect the people of Eleuthera and the Bahamas and their right to have access to water.”

The WSC ended the statement, giving an outline of steps they had recently taken to counter the actions of the foreign reverse osmosis operator, “Even as we face COVID-19, the Corporation has endeavoured to continue with regular payments to reverse osmosis providers. Last night (Thursday, Oct 22nd), WSC lawyers appeared before Supreme Court Justice Indra Charles upon the instructions of

WSC Executive Chairman Mr. Adrian Gibson, MP. “Today, the Order was filed and served upon the company in question. The Order includes a penal notice which declares that the said company and its agents “may be held to be in contempt of Court and may be imprisoned or fined or have you assets seized” should the Order be disobeyed or breached.

“The Supreme Court’s Order directs that the Defendant company is “forthwith compelled to immediately reinstate production and supply of water to the Central Eleuthera Settlements” and to “cease and desist the demobilization process thereunder”.

A vital question that some Eleuthera residents are now asking is, ‘If a foreign operator can choose to hold the public hostage, by effectively cutting off the water supply, for whatever reason, do we want to be in such a vulnerable position as a society, for something as essential - to all aspects of life - as water’?

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Face to Face in Virtual Times at Samuel Guy Pinder All Age During a press conference held in September, ahead of the beginning of the new school year, which was slated to begin on October 5th, 2020, the Ministry of Education announced that the Eleuthera District would engage in virtual instruction when schools opened.

However, in a communication to the District Superintendent at the Education District Office in Eleuthera, on October 9th, 2020, a small, but significant change was announced. Director of Education, Marcellus Taylor said that, based on information received from the nation’s health authorities regarding the ongoing instability caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and given the Ministry’s mantra of ‘Safety First, Education Always’ and their understanding of the situation on the ground at the time, schools in Eleuthera were directed to begin the school year with the virtual/ remote instruction, with the exception of Spanish Wells, which was permitted to use the face-to-face instructional modality.

Checking in with Principal Chardel Brown-Gibson near the end of October, on how Samuel Guy Pinder All Age school in Spanish Wells was faring so far, with face-to-face instruction, she shared that it was a joy to be back in the classroom with the students. “This was necessary for the children’s academic success as well as social. It took alot of planning in order to make it happen.

Firstly, we went in and measured the classrooms and put down 3x3 markers for the desks. We also created bubbles. Each class is a bubble and students cannot interact with persons outside of their bubble.

“Breaktimes are staggered to limit the amount of persons on the outside at one time. When students and teachers arrive on the campus their temperature is checked and they are sanitized.

Students are sanitized throughout the day and there is regular handwashing. The janitresses are doing more frequent cleaning and frequently touched surfaces are being sanitized regularly.

“We also have sanitizing and cleaning centers in every class with supplies purchased by the parents. To avoid cross contamination, each classroom has it’s own bucket, mop and broom.”

One of the highlights, said Principal BrownGibson was with one of the school’s autistic students, “In the past when he returned to school after a break, he experienced a lot of social anxiety and discomfort being back. However to my surprise and the surprise of his mother, on the first day of class he walked in the gate and to his class as if he was never away. This was something to

Students at the Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School returned to face-to-face instruction on October 5th, 2020.

ABOVE and BELOW: Students while at school are still being prepared for online learning.

celebrate.”

One of the main challenges encountered, since children had returned to the classroom in Spanish Wells, according to the teachers in a recent meeting, said the principal, was that with the students being out of school so long, it seemed to have affected their academic growth - leaving alot of catch-up to be done.

As Eleuthera crossed the fifty (50) cases line during the weekend of October 24th, and more cases were confirmed in the North Eleuthera area, Principal Brown-Gibson, commented that they were preparing for any necessary changes, “We are aware that cases on Eleuthera are growing and for the safety of the students and teachers we may have to revert to online learning, so, we are training the students on how to use the online platform now, while they are in school.”

Cleaning centers in every classroom now the norm.

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Public Works Gives Update on the Replacement Bridge in Spanish Wells

Teams working on the replacement bridge structure in Spanish Wells, on schedule to be completed during November 2020.

(Press Release) - The construction of the replacement bridge between Spanish Wells and Russell Island has commenced and is projected to be completed by November 2020.

Works Minister the Honourable T. Desmond Bannister said the bridge between Spanish Wells and Russell Island provides the only vehicular access between the two islands.

“There have been major delays to the project as the contractor was severely affected from Hurricane Dorian with the company losing the majority of their equipment. Also, the restriction imposed due to COVID-19, affected the project. Unfortunately, in May 2020, the existing bridge collapsed when a heavily loaded cement truck passed over the structure” Mr.

Bannister said.

“Following the collapse, a temporary access across the waterway, was constructed using a barge. Currently, the collapsed bridge has been removed and the new sheet piled abutments have recently been completed.”

Deputy Director and Civil/Structural Engineer Robert Mouzas said the next stage of the project is the installation of a modular Acrow Bridge.

Mr. Mouzas said, “The modular kit bridge is manufactured with high-strength steel.

Manufactured in the United States the bridge was galvanized to protect against corrosion.

The modular bridge will be assembled on the approach road and rolled into place from the northern side of the site. The advantage of using a modular bridge is the time for assembly and installation with an anticipated time of only 2 weeks.”

Waugh Construction (Bahamas) Limited

won the contract, for the project in June 2019, following a competitive tender exercise.

Robert Roberts, Spanish Wells Chief Councillor said the residents are “thrilled” that the bridge is being replaced. He said, “I speak on behalf of the residents as chief councillor that we are thrilled that we are getting a new bridge. One that hopefully we won’t have to worry about anymore. All in all, everything is going well.”

“We’ve been trying to get the bridge repaired and then replaced for almost nine years. The bridge was not in good shape and that certainly came to light in May when it collapsed and gave way. Luckily, the bridge didn’t do what we envisioned it to do; it went down very slowly.”

The photo above shows the collapsed Roderick Newton Higgs bridge, which connected Spanish Wells to Russell Island. May 6th, 2020.

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Hurricane Shelter Maps with Listings for North & South Eleuthera

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USCG apprehends Cuban Nationals in Bahamian Waters - Oct 15

RBDF photos ABOVE and LEFT show Cuban migrants on board Defence Force Patrol craft HMBS LEON LIVINGSTONE SMITH.

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A total of thirteen Cuban Nationals were transported to New Providence aboard Defence Force patrol craft HMBS LEON LIVINGSTONE SMITH after they were apprehended by a United States Coast Guard (USCG) cutter in the southwest Bahamas on Thursday, October 15th, 2020.

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service.� Russell also lauded the hardworking officers and members of the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera who assisted with distribution, along with the Green Castle Urban Renewal team, who also lent a helping hand.

Nine Cuban nationals were discovered on Cay Sal and another four were discovered near Anguilla Cay by USCG Cutter ISSAC MAYO. As part of the Comprehensive Maritime Agreement between the US and The Bahamas, the Cuban nationals (11 males, 2 females) were transferred to HMBS L. L. SMITH under the command of Senior Lieutenant Jataro McDonald.

The Cubans were brought to the capital late Thursday night, where they were handed over to Immigration Officials for further processing.

Tablet winners in the Kiwanis Essay Competition.

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Minister Lloyd calls on Bahamians to join in efforts to help students succeed Minister Lloyd - House of Assembly - October 21st, 2020.

By Kathryn Campbell NASSAU, The Bahamas – Education Minister, the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd, implored Bahamians to adopt a positive attitude and unite in the cause for students to succeed.

“As this is the time for unity among stakeholders in education and communities at large, I call on my Bahamian brothers and sisters to work collaboratively and optimistically with one common goal – and that is to nurture a citizenry that we can all be proud of,” said Minister Lloyd.

“The Ministry of Education’s (MOE) role is to provide quality education to all students throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas, and it is the role of every citizen to unite in the cause to make this happen. As I prefaced my presentation, I noted the importance of faith. Faith thrives in positivity, and the end result even after multiple obstacles or failures, will always be success.”

In a Communication to Parliament, Wednesday, October 21, Minister Lloyd presented an update on the start of the 2020/21 school year and the progress of educational instruction nationally, and the status of the MOE’s new Educational Management Information System, (EMIS), inclusive of the Learning Management System (LMS) fa-

cilitated by One-on-One, a Jamaican based company and partner of BTC. He explained that on Tuesday, October 13th, 2020, nearly 47,000 public school students resumed their studies after a long pandemic and summer break, many of whom were unable to access the Ministry’s virtual learning portal on that first day.

“The LMS System had been loaded, tested and re-tested to meet the access demand of 60k students over a 60-minute time period. However, what in fact happened, was that within a ten minute period on Tuesday, the 13th, between 8:39 am and 8:49 am, some 22k Users – educators and students -- hit the access button, overloading the system, resulting in the 8 systems defence mechanism being activated and therefore shutting down.

“Within hours the system was restored, but by that time, most of the students and the teachers had moved to an alternate learning platform – such as Zoom, Edmodo or Microsoft Teams – to continue their instruction.

“By Tuesday evening, the system was pretty much fully operational, but the Ministry decided to shut the system down, expand its capability through Tuesday evening and night, so that it could meet the demand of the 60k Users within a whatever time period…. This was done, and by Wednesday morning, October 14, the system was fully restored.”

Moreover, the Education Minister noted areas that need to be perfected primarily centered around logistical issues including

having the correct information, and users correctly accessing the system with the right user name and password.

“In many instances, this is not done, either because user names or passwords have changed, or are misspelt or incorrectly entered, resulting in individuals being unable to access the system.

“Additionally, the Ministry seeks to make access to all virtual

Elite

modalities accessible from one single platform, so that for all users – teachers and students – the learning and instructional process is a seamless and efficient process.”

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

Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera

2020,

Oct/Nov

nat io na l

The Eleutheran

Turks and Caicos Fishermen rescued at Sea Two Turks and Caicos nationals who were in distress while at sea were rescued off Inagua on Thursday morning, October 22nd, 2020, during a joint effort by members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and the US Coast Guard.

Reports are that sometime around 8:00 a.m., Police on the island of Inagua received information from a US Coast Guard Helo that a fishing vessel was spotted off Great Inagua, approximately 10 miles north of Matthew Town. A Police patrol vessel crew responded with Defence Force Marines aboard to investigate, assisted by the United States Coast Guard and launched a search in the area of the coordinates that were given. After a considerable time, a 27-ft. open fishing vessel with the two (2) male occupants on board were found drifting approximately 7 miles west of the island.

The men, who were in fair health, reported that their boat had experienced engine problems while they were out on a fishing trip, and had been adrift for eight (8) days. They were escorted into Matthew Town, Inagua alongside the RBDF Maritime Facility, and transported to the local Clinic to receive medical attention where they were treated for symptoms related to dehydration.

Rescued Turks and Caicos fishermen had been adrift for eight days.

29

f e at ure

30 www. EleutheraNews . com

Edible Eleuthera

The Pomegranate

By The Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve (LLNPP)

Native to Persia and the Middle East, the pomegranate is now grown throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world (Common Name: Pomegranate; Scientific name: Punica granatum; Family: Lythraceae).

This species can grow up to 16 feet (5 m) in height. It prefers environments that have been disturbed or altered by humans and is not likely to occur in natural areas.

The fruit possesses a thick, reddish husk with a spongy inner wall (called a mesocarp) which houses clusters of seeds in chambers. There is a very thin, fleshy membrane around each seed (called an aril) which contains its juice. The juice can sometimes be mildly sweet or very sour/ tart.

Like most Bahamian fruits, these too are enjoyed directly from the tree, although it can be tricky to determine if they are ripe. Don’t be fooled by the deep red exterior. Here’s a tip for

determining ripeness: at the bottom of the fruit is its receptacle. We’ve been told that once it browns and withers or falls off the fruit is ripe enough to be picked.

Pomegranates are usually enjoyed raw, expressed as a juice. They are great garnishes for fruit dishes, salads and beverages.

Punica granatum has been used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago to treat gastrointestinal issues and in strengthening teas. The raw juice is also considered an excellent immune booster and blood builder and is a good source of Vitamin C. If you decide to plant, fresh seeds are best and little preparation is required.

Punica granatum opening flower.

Photo Credit: Ethan Freid

Hummingbird at the Punica granatum flower.

Photo Credit: The Eleutheran.

Interior of the pomegranate.

Photo Credit: Dina Honke

Punica granatum fruit.

Photo Credit: Ethan Freid

Oct/Nov, 2020

2020,

Oct/Nov

Lo c a l

The Eleutheran

Work Commences on Rock Sound’s Commercial and Fishermen’s Docks (News Release - The Ministry of Public Works - Rock Sound, Eleuthera) - The construction of the replacement dock in Rock Sound has commenced and is projected to be completed by May 2021.

Works Minister the Honorable T. Desmond Bannister said the existing dock was in a condition where repairs and upgrade were deemed critical.

“The dock in Rock Sound, Eleuthera was in very bad shape. It was crucial that the dock be repaired and upgraded and the existing channel dredged to a deeper depth. The repaired dock will be more convenient for the residents of Eleuthera that utilize the mail boat,” the Minister said.

“This structure will allow larger vessels to dock, which will make the loading or unloading of goods or passengers much easier.”

Central and South Eleuthera M. P. Hank P32 Johnson said the

Demolition work at the Rock Sound Commercial Dock.

Page. 15

Eleu Business Hub Cont’d

Covid-19 pandemic has certainly shifted the concept of business as usual. Recent enhancements to the network infrastructure enables us to provide secure capabilities across a wide network that can scale.

Therefore, we’re excited about the establishment of this Business Hub workspace in conjunction with Eleuthera Chamber which will nurture and grow business opportunities in our economy.

To celebrate the opening of this new space, the Chamber will be hosting a grand opening event scheduled to take place Friday, November 20th where they will welcome partners, business owners, and entrepreneurs to the formal unveiling.

Rendering of New I-Hub Reception Area

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Page. 31

ROCK SOUND’S DOCK

Cont’d

Hurricane Shelter List 2020 for Eleuthera & Harbour Island With the Hurricane Season for 2020 having started on June 1st, the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development released an updated list of Official Hurricane Shelters for 2020 on Tuesday, July 28th.

The list of shelters provided for Eleuthera, however, was incomplete. A note included with the national list informed that shelters were still being actively sought in Spanish Wells.

See the official shelters listed for Eleuthera and Harbour Island, detailed below: See Online Link to full ISLANDS OF THE BAHAMAS 2020 OFFICIAL HURRICANE SHELTERS here: (http://eleutheranews.com/?p=22534)

Demolition work at the Rock Sound Commercial Dock.

people in Eleuthera are “thankful to God” this project has commenced.

Mr. Johnson said, “Residents are more than happy that the government has decided to upgrade the dock in Rock Sound. The people are grateful and it’s a spin off economically, and so we are looking forward to having quite a bit of the residents working on the project so there is quite a bit of positives to it.”

“The dock was in real bad shape and one of the problems we had there was that we were not able to bring in any large size ships because of the shallow depth of the water.

Companies therefore discontinued going into Rock Sound and everything had to be trucked out of Governor’s Harbour.”

He added: “Now that they are repairing the dock, putting in a ramp and dredging the basin, we will be able to receive ships of a bigger size and international vessels. Once this dock is completed all of the mail boat services won’t have to come through Governor’s Harbour, they can go directly to Rock Sound.”

The Central and South Eleuthera M. P. said residents will no longer have to transport products from Governors Harbour into Rock Sound.

“It was pretty costly for the residents having to truck items from Governor’s Harbour into Rock Sound. Eleuthera being 110 miles long with one main port of entry at a central location it made it difficult. That is why it is so important to have that docking facility,” he noted. “Rock Sound use to be a main point of entry one time ago, part of it was the developers were in the South and so with that dock being accessible traffic will be reduced quite a bit.”

A & D Gaitor Equipment, Rock & Sand won the contract for the project. The company’s owner, Andrew Gaitor, said the project started in September of this year and great progress is being made.

Mr. Gaitor said, “The barge arrived in

Oct/Nov, 2020

Rock Sound, Eleuthera and was offloaded on September 8, 2020. The first thing we did was demolish the old customs warehouse building. Then we made preparations to go out 200 feet from the main dock to prepare for the dredging process. The job requires the dredging to be 125 feet in width and 200 feet in length with a finished level at nine (9) feet water depth at low tide. The dredging is scheduled to be completed by October 16, 2020.”

“After the dredging process is completed we will install sheet piles. The sheet piles are scheduled to arrive in Rock Sound on October 30, 2020. The piling process will commence November 6, 2020 and the completion date is estimated to be January 31, 2021. As is relates to the refurbishing and extension of the concrete dock, we are hoping work will commence the second week of February next year.”

He added: “The fishermen’s dock removal and demolition was scheduled to begin October 22, 2020. The estimated completion date is January 2021.”

The Ministry spoke to residents and business owners who expressed their gratitude for the new dock. 700 Wines & Spirit manager, Oria Culmer, said the new dock will be very convenient for business. “We will be able to receive our products earlier. This was much needed because sometimes the trucks bringing the goods are late. I’m for it definitely, I’m glad they’re replacing it. I’m very glad this is happening because it is better for the community.”

Eleuthera Stationary Office and Supplies owner Michelle Gibson said she was happy to see “our tax paying dollars being put to good use”.

“I think this is a good thing the government is doing for Eleuthera. I think the community and myself are happy work is being done.”

CENTRAL ELEUTHERA

1. Camp Symonette - James Cistern 2. Church of The Nazarene - Palmetto Point 3. Emily G. Petty Primary School - Governor’s Harbour 4. George E. Johnson - Hatchet Bay 5. The Salvation Army - Palmetto Point 6. Wesley Methodist Church Hall - Palmetto Point

NORTH ELEUTHERA 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

New Jerusalem Church - Blackwood, The Haitian Baptist People Church - The Bluff, John Wesley Methodist Church - The Bluff, Charles Wesley Methodist Church - Lower Bogue, The Current Community Centre - The Current, Zion Methodist Church - Current Island Mission Church of God - Upper Bogue

SOUTH ELEUTHERA 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Church of God of Prophecy - Tarpum Bay Rock Sound Primary School - Rock Sound Green Castle Primary School - Green Castle Wemyss Bight Primary School - Wemyss Bight Deep Creek Primary School - Deep Creek St. Mary the Virgin Church - Bannerman Town

HARBOUR ISLAND 1.

2.

3.

4.

Lighthouse Church of God Harbour Island Public Library New Alliance Church of God Wesley Methodist Church

SHELTERS ARE ACTIVELY BEING SOUGHT IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: 1. Spanish Wells, Eleuthera As noted by the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development, this list is subject to change.

Source: Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development Department of Social Services (List updated as of July 28th, 2020)

co m menta ry Next Generation (Originally published – August 2016)

In the 1950’s when I was growing up as a young boy living in a neighborhood where we were surrounded by people of many nationalities and skin colors, it was difficult for me to understand why there were people in the world who hated other people simply because of the color of their skin. At that time my dad rented cars and drove a taxi and I became use to meeting people from other countries and of both light and dark skin colors.

It was apparent that the people of light skin color seemed to have more money and were highly respected because of it.

My mother would often tell me and my other brothers and sisters that God made people of every kind and that all were to be loved and respected, and that it made no difference if they were rich with money or had light or dark skin.

It was during that same time that people of dark skin color were protesting in the United States and other countries, for equal rights and freedom from racial discrimination. Here in the Bahamas where we were also experiencing similar discriminations, it was easy to adapt a position of hate, based on the color of your skin. It was also during that time that I became deeply interested in learning about the rest of the world and how other people were affected by hate and prejudice. Also in the Bahamas, the Government was becoming more influenced by the trends that were taking place in the other Caribbean countries where former

Colonial Powers were being pushed to relinquish power to the local citizens. If you were looking for something to hate, there were multiple choices; I chose to follow the teachings of Jesus and with the help of God see all people as my neighbors and love each one based on the love I receive from Him. In the Bible we are instructed to teach the next generation of our experiences of God’s love and faithfulness, so that they will not stray away from truth into evil, lies, and deception. We must teach them to love God and their neighbor to avoid repeating the mistakes that come from ignorance. You can read about the experiences of the Israelite nation in the book of Judges; they were God’s chosen people and were promised

by God that He would bless them if they were obedient to His commands. They would obey and follow God’s will while a Judge who rescued them was alive, but as soon as that Judge died, they would forget God and worship idols. This cycle was repeated over and over until the Prophet Samuel became their leader. It was then that they rejected God’s leadership over them and demanded that He give them a king like all of the other nations. It would seem to me that every new generation fails to learn from the previous one and as a result go on to repeat the same mistakes, only becoming worse and worse.

Oct/Nov, 2020

As I observe the subtle trends taking place in our country I remember the events of the 1930’s in Germany when the Nazis transformed that country into a hell-on-earth. It began with simple changes like all people having to register under their racial profile, become uniformed, and eventually all swore allegiance to one man, who they worshiped as a god. Many others have tried this form of dominance over the people they lead, it happens when people remain idle and quiet when they see, hear, feel, smell and taste subversion, but do nothing. We in this beautiful country of The Bahamas, and who live on the “Island of Freedom” Eleuthera are becoming more and more isolated from each other, as we adapt universal customs and laws that diminish social interaction and make us robotic. Our educational system has all but taken over the lives of our children who are being pressured to perform in a single examination that takes no regard of the multiple personalities and abilities of individual students.

The silence goes much deeper and is more destructive when our Courts-of-Law are designed to protect the offender at the expense of the offended. Our laws are enforced under the presumption that the offended has maximum, and all inclusive private insurance, and thus all it focuses on is the apprehension and punishment of the offender; and that

By: Andrew L. Burrows andrewburrows1@gmail.com too at the expense of us all. Unless we all wake up and see what is happening all around us in other countries, learn from the past and not repeat the mistakes of the last generation, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. You can only feel sorry for the future generation when you observe the isolation, lack of communication skills, and failure to interact with older persons by our developing students and teenagers. With the complexity of living in a world filled with all its temptations and distortions……. we are seeing a generation that does not know God.

Double Homicide Claims the Lives of Father and Child

Young Jeremy Green and his father, Jamoric Green.

Police reported that an adult father and his four-year old son were killed in Eleuthera on Saturday, October 3rd, 2020. Authorities on the island are still actively investigating the circumstances surrounding their deaths. According to Police, a

number of people have been taken into custody in connection with this matter. The latest arrests in the case were made during the week of October 12th - 16th, however, all suspects were released, confirmed authorities.

Initial reports indicate that shortly after 5pm, on October 3rd, Police in Eleuthera were alerted to the fact that a man and his young son, were found unresponsive on a property in the settlement of Rock Sound. Officers were said to have

33

responded, and on arrival, they discovered the bodies of an adult male, and a juvenile male with apparent gun shot injuries. The victims, who were later identified as 35-year-old Jamoric Green and his son Jeremy Green, were pronounced dead.

Officers then received additional information that a white vehicle with two children, related to the victims at the double homicide scene, were also missing.

Reports say that detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department in New Providence were dispatched to Eleuthera. A short time after their arrival, the investigators discovered the missing white vehicle through a dirt road, north of Rock Sound, with two young children still inside and they were unharmed.

Speaking to reporters in New Providence following the homicides, Police Commissioner Paul Rolle was quoted saying that the gunmen who had shot and killed the man and his son had followed the family to their Rock Sound property, which was some distance off the main road, to carry out the attack.

“The assailants then jumped in his vehicle and drove off. I don’t think they realised that the children were in the car and once they realised they ditched the car, but we found the car sometime later. Both of the children were reunited with the mother...regrettably, the father and one of the siblings were killed in that incident,” the Commissioner was quoted as saying, by a Nassau daily.

Police made an appeal to members of the public, especially persons on Eleuthera, who may have any information that could assist with this investigation to contact the Police at 919, 911, Crime Stoppers or any police station in Eleuthera.

34 www. EleutheraNews . com

Crime News

Oct/Nov, 2020

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.

Reports issued by the RBPF locally.

Eleuthera Reports

POLICE ON ELEUTHERA CONDUCTS OPERATION - The crime fighting strategies implemented by the Royal Bahamas Police Force has resulted in the arrest of seven suspects on the island of Eleuthera on Thursday 22nd October 2020 for the offenses of Stealing, Armed Robbery and Possession of Dangerous Drugs. Police on the island of Eleuthera mounted crime fighting operations in several settlements. Following the execution of several search warrants, the officers arrested a 39 year old male suspect who was wanted in connection with a major stealing complaint, a 31 year old male who is suspected of committing an Armed Robbery and five males for being in possession of suspected marijuana.

SHOPBREAKING REPORTED: At about 8:25 am on Monday 19th October, 2020, Officers at the G.H.P.S received information of a Shop Breaking.

Police assistance requested.

At 9:43am on Monday 19th October, 2020 Officers arrived at scene where he recorded a statement from the supervisor, point of entry was an eastern door, however nothing was stolen otherwise all appeared to be normal.

Arrest reference to Causing Harm: At about 6:45pm Monday 19th October 2020 an adult female came to Hatchet Bay police Station where she was informed of a complaint made against her in reference to causing harm. She was arrested and cautioned in reference to same.

The suspect was processed and charged with Causing Harm contrary to section 135(1) of the penal code chapter 84 - she had no reply.

Assault, Damage and Threats of Death with Arrest: At about 1:20pm on Sunday 18th October, 2020, an adult female came into the H.B.P.S. and reported that on Saturday 17th October, 2020, sometime around 6:00pm she was with her boyfriend when they were approached by her ex-boyfriend who came up to them and started an argument. He then drop-kicked her and began to beat her about the body before being separated by her boyfriend. She also reported that on Sunday 18th October, 2020, around 12:45pm he came to that location and made threats toward her putting her in fear for her life. Police action was requested.

At 2:00pm on Sunday 18th October, 2020, Officers while at H.B.P.S. cautioned and arrested an adult male in reference to Assault, Damage and Threats of Harm. He was processed and charged with that offence.

Robbery Report: On Wednesday 14th October, 2020 sometime around 5:30pm Officers

from the Rock Sound Police Station received a report from an adult female that sometime around 5:18pm on today’s date, while at a residence in South Eleuthera an adult male stole her 2004 blue colored Toyota Corolla sedan. She struggled to get him out of the vehicle for about a minute before she was pushed off by the male who sped off in a northerly direction. The vehicle is valued at eight thousand dollars - police action requested.

ARREST REFERENCE TO ROBBERY & Stolen vehicle Recovered: On Wednesday 14th October 2020 at 8:46pm, Officers came in at the Governors Harbour Police Station with an adult male under arrest. He reported that he arrested him on Queen’s Highway, Governors Harbour at about 8:42pm on 14/10/2020 reference to robbery. The suspect later led officers to the recovery of a blue 2004 Toyota Corolla. The suspect was processed and charged with that offence.

Arrest Reference to Murder: On 13/10/2020 at 12:10pm Officers came in at the R.S.P. Station with an adult male suspect under arrest for murder. The suspect was later transported to New Providence to assist with the ongoing investigation.

Shop Breaking Report: At about 9:13am on the 10.10.2020 an adult female reported to the Governors Harbour Police Station that sometime around 4:30pm on the 9.10.20 her co-worker locked and secured the office for the day leaving some $1,342:00 in the cash register with the keys in it as they normally do. On Saturday the 10.10.2020 sometime around 7:30am she discovered that some person(s) unknown had broken into the said office and stole the said case from the cash register along with the DVR for the security cameras. The culprits gained entry to the building by prying open the rear door.

Officers visited and processed the scene enquiries into this matter are ongoing.

Stealing Report: At 4:45pm on Saturday 10th October, an adult male came to the G.H.B.P.S and reported that he parked his vehicle a grey 2004 Nissan Xterra jeep in the rear of Royal Bank Governors Harbour between the hours of 2:00pm and 300pm. He came to the vehicle and started to drive home and saw that about $5 in coins was gone along with a tool kit - value unknown.

Therefore he returned to the area and was told by a bystander a male known as to him was in his vehicle. The complainant approached the male and asked him to return his items and he became irate and said he only took the coins. Police action is requested into this matter.

Arrest Reference to Stealing from a vehicle At 4:50pm Officers came in at G.H.P.S with an adult male under arrest reference to stealing.

He was processed in reference to this complaint.

Possession of Dangerous drugs Arrest On Saturday 10th October, 2020 3:50pm Officers came into G.H.P.S with an adult male under arrest in reference to Possession of Dangerous

Drugs. The suspect was processed and charged with that offence.

Arrest/ Possession of Dangerous Drugs On Saturday 10th October, 2020, sometime around 9:15pm, Officers came in at Rock Sound Police Station with an adult male under arrest.

Officers reported that he was arrested and cautioned sometime around 8:50pm reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs. The suspect was processed, interviewed and charged with Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

Moving Vehicle without Owner’s Consent & Extortion: At 1:06am Saturday October 10th 2020 an adult male contacted the Governor’s Harbour Police Station and reported that around 1:06am on Saturday 10/10/2020 while giving a woman he knows a ride she grabbed his keys to his car and drove off in his Silver Nissan Teana leaving him in the road . Police Assistance Requested.

Officers responded to the scene, At 2:15am officers came in at the Governors Harbour Police Station with an adult female under arrest reference to removing a vehicle without the owner’s consent. She was processed and charged with that offence.

House Breaking and Assault with a DangerWeapon: At 5:00am on Saturday October 10th 2020, an adult female reported to Police that sometime after 3:00am on Sat 10/10/2020, she had just arrived at her residence and upon entering her bedroom, she was approached by a man she identified as her cousin who was in her residence prior to arriving and placed a knife to her throat and chest, then fled the residence. Police action requested.

Officers responded to the scene and commenced investigation.

ous

Arrest Reference to House Breaking & AsDangerous Weapon On 10/10/20 and adult male came in at the police station and was placed under arrest in reference to Assault with a Dangerous Instrument and House breaking complaint. The suspect was processed and released pending further investigation. sault with a

REPORTED THREATS OF DEATH On Friday 9th October, 2020, sometime around 11:40am,an adult female came into the Rock Sound Police Station and reported that sometime around 2:00pm on Thursday 8th October, 2020, while at her residence, her son of the same address, approached her and threatened to kill her for no reason and putting her in fear for her life. She further reported that sometime around 8:30pm, same date, again while in her residence her son accused her of being a wicked woman, told her if she didn’t leave her home she would be sorry and forced her to leave. Police action requested.

Arrest Ref Threats of Death: On Monday 12th October, 2020, sometime around 1:40pm, Officers came in at Rock Sound Police Station with

Crime News an adult male under arrest reference to Threats of Death. Officers reported that he was arrested and cautioned sometime around 1:20pm while at his residence.

Suspect Charge ref Threats of Death On Tuesday 13.10.2020, at about 4:20pm, Officers while at the Rock Sound Police Station cautioned and charged an adult male with one count of Threats of Death contrary to section 418 of the Penal Code Chapter 84. He made no reply to the charge.

Search Warrant executed Sometime around 10:00am on the 8/10/20 while in the Gregory Town area, Officers executed a search warrant on the premises of an adult male in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs, Firearms and Stolen Goods. Present during this search was his girlfriend. The search ended with negative results.

THREATS OF HARM, DAMAGE & ASSAULT: On Monday 5th October 2020, at 10:38am an adult female came In at the Governors Harbour Police Station and reported that sometime around 11:30am while sitting in her vehicle she was approached by her husband whom she has been separated from for about two years. She also reported that he threatened to shoot her with his gun, slapped her to the face causing bruising under her eye and also damaged her glasses valued about $300.00. Police action requested.

Suspect Arrested: At about 3:10pm on the 5.10.2020, while at the Hatchet Bay Police Station Officers arrested the suspect an adult male in connection with this matter.

The Suspect was later interviewed and charged, given bail in the sum of $1,500:00 appear in the Magistrates court on the 6.11.2020.

ARREST REF TO POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS: Officers came in at the Governors Harbour Police Station at 12:10pm on Monday 5th October, 2020 with an adult male and reported that he was arrested and cautioned at 12:00pm on 5/10/2020 while in the area of Cupids Cay, Governors Harbour Eleuthera in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

The suspect was processed and 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.

House Breaking Report: An adult male of James Cistern came to the Governors Harbour Police Station at about 5:00pm on Monday 5th October, 2020 and reported that he received information from his sister in law that his apartment location had been broken into and two televisions were stolen. Police action was requested. Officers visited the scene and commenced investigation.

Arrest reference to House Breaking Sometime around 4:20pm on Tuesday 6th October, 2020 Officers came in at G.H.B.P.S with an adult male and reported arresting him in the vicinity of Bets Plaza Queens Highway Governors Harbour at about 4:10pm on the 6.10.2020, reference to a complaint of house breaking.

Officers later executed a search warrant on the suspect’s residence and recovered several

Play Station 4 games suspected of being stolen.

Investigations into this matter are ongoing.

Arrest reference to House Breaking Sometime around 4:20pm on Tuesday 6th October, 2020 an adult male came in at the Governor’s Harbour Police Station and was placed under arrest in reference to a complaint of House Breaking.

Road Accident Reported An anonymous caller contacted the Governors Harbour Police Station at about 8:10pm on Monday 5th October, 2020 and reported that there is a traffic accident on Queen’s Highway Governor’s Harbour, Police action requested.

Officers visited the scene and discovered a lone black male was lying in bushes on the western side of the road in the north bound lane. He was the rider of a black and blue Cryton Motor Cycle and he appeared intoxicated.

He appeared to have lost several teeth and his injuries appeared to be non life threatening.

He was transported to the Palmetto Point Clinic for medical treatment by ambulance accompanied by medical personnel. Investigations are ongoing.

Stealing Report: On Monday 5th October, 2020, sometime around 12:15pm an adult male came into the H.B.P.S. and reported that between 1:00am and 5:30am on the same date, some unknown person/s stole a red and black Honda Generator, value unknown from the outside of his residence. Police action requested. Investigations are ongoing.

Road Accident Report (4-4): On Monday 5th October, 2020, sometime around 4:00pm Officers visited the scene of a traffic accident with injury on Queens Highway, Rainbow Bay Eleuthera.

At about 4:16pm the mentioned crew arrived at the scene. Unit then saw and spoke to the adult female driver of a white Toyota Raun, and the adult male driver of a silver 2007 Nissan Tiida.

The driver of the Nissan informed officers that his passenger was transported to Hatchet Bay clinic by private vehicle to seek medical attention. Both drivers were served N.O.I.P. forms and told to produce their driver’s license and proof of third party risk insurance to the H.B.P.S. Measurements of the scene were taken. Investigations are ongoing.

ARREST REF. MURDER: On Monday 4rd October, 2020, sometime around 11:53am, Officers came in at Rock Sound Police Station with an adult male. They reported arresting and cautioning him at 11:50am at his residence in reference to murder. He appeared to be in good health and had no complaint.

Search

reference to possession of

DangerAt about 1:30 pm on the 4/10/20 Officers saw and spoke with a male. He was cautioned and arrested and escorted to his residence where a search warrant was executed on his premises in reference to possession of dangerous drugs, stolen goods and firearms. The search ended with negative results attained. He was subsequently released from police custody.

Search

reference to possession of

ous drugs and firearms:

DangerAt about 2:09 pm on the 4/10/20 a team of officers while in Hatchet Bay conducted a search warrant on the premises of an ous drugs and firearms:

Oct/Nov, 2020

35

adult male in reference to possession of dangerous drugs, stolen goods and firearms. The search ended with negative results attained.

Search

DangerAt about 2:30 pm on the 4/10/20 a team of officers while in Hatchet Bay conducted a search warrant on the premises of an adult male in reference to possession of dangerous drugs, stolen goods and firearms.. The search ended with negative results. reference to possession of

ous drugs and firearms:

Arrest Reference to Murder: On Sunday 4th October 2020 At 2:35pm while at Hatchet Bay Police Station, an adult male came into the Station where he was arrested and cautioned reference to Murder. The suspect was transported to New Providence to assist in an ongoing investigation.

ASSAULT WITH A DANGEROUS INSTRUMENT: On Friday 2nd October 2020, sometime around 7:00pm, an adult male came in at Rock Sound Police Station. He reported that sometime around 4:00pm, he was riding his bicycle, when a male known to him who was intoxicated, came up to him and put an Old Hickory 12-inch blade knife to his throat and told him he is cutting off heads tonight putting him in fear for his life. He requested police action in this matter. Investigations are ongoing in this matter.

ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT: On Friday 2nd October , 2020, sometime around 8:45pm, an adult female contacted Rock Sound Police Station and reported that there is a traffic accident on Queen’s Highway just north of the entrance to Cotton Bay Road involving three vehicles. She noted the need for an ambulance. Police assistance was requested.

Officers responded to the scene on Eleuthera main road, south of Sea Shells Resort which involved three (3) vehicles. Vehicle #1 a blue 2007 Dodge Durango Jeep registered to and driven by an adult male who declined to give a verbal or caution statement however an NOIP Form was served. Vehicle #2 a silver 2009 Ridgeline Honda Truck registered to and driven at the time by an adult female. She reported under caution that sometime around 8:30pm, her vehicle was parked to the left side of the road facing north on Queens Highway as she was assisting with waiting on someone to put gas in his vehicle which was parked next to her vehicle on the same side of the road. She saw an oncoming vehicle headed in a southern direction hit her vehicle sending her vehicle to the right side of the road causing damages. She received injuries to her right leg.

Vehicle #3 was a silver 2005 Chevrolet Blazer registered to and driven at the time by an adult male .

He stated under caution that he was parked at the left side of the street off the road putting fuel into his vehicle. vehicle #2 was also stationary next to his vehicle on the same side of the road and that he saw an oncoming vehicle heading in a southern direction at a high rate of speed. As a result, he ran into nearby bushes for safety as the oncoming vehicle collided into vehicle #2 and also hit his vehicle causing extensive damages. Measurements were recorded and NOIP forms were served on all drivers along with hospital forms. Minor injuries were sustained and all parties were seen at Wemyss Bight Clinic where they were treated and discharged. Investigations continue in this matter.

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Crime News

Oct/Nov, 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.

OPERATION NATION WIDE: Between the hours of 8:00am and 12:00pm Thursday October 1st 2020, the Operational Team set up numerous traffic check points in the settlement of Governors Harbour where a total of (4) vehicles were searched in reference to Dangerous Drugs and Firearms ending with negative results, (2) persons were cited for Seat Belt violations. A total of (12) persons were searched in reference to Dangerous Drugs and Firearms.

All searches ended with negative results.

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Vehicle Fire Report ; An anonymous caller contacted the Governors Harbour Police station at about 4:45pm on the 1.10.2020 and reported that there was a traffic accident and that the vehicles involved were on fire. Police action was requested.

Officers visited the scene and discovered a two car collision and engulfed in flames, vehicle (1) a 4 door Kia car registration unknown driven by an adult and a four door ford suv registration unknown driven by an adult male. Both vehicles were completely destroyed by fire, the drivers sustained minor injuries and were treated and discharged from the Palmetto Point clinic and discharged. Investigations are ongoing Assault Report: Sometime on the 20th September 2020 an adult male came in at the Hatchet Bay police station and reported where while at his place of employment on the same date a male known to him slapped him in the face for no reason causing him great pain.

Police action was requested in this matter.Sometime around 8:38am on the 1/10/20 while conducting traffic checks on Queens highway in the area of the Glass window bridge Officers saw and spoke with a male suspect in this matter .

He was informed of a complaint of assault made against him. He was warned of prosecution in regards to the matter of assault.

Search reference to PossesDangerous drugs and

sion of

Firearms

At about10:00am on the

1/10/20 while conducting traffic checks on Queens highway in the area of the glass Officers conducted a search on the person of two adult males reference to possession of dangerous drugs and firearms with negative results attained.

Search reference to Possession of Dangerous drugs and Firearms At about 10:20am on the 1/10/20 while on Queens Highway in the area of the Glass window bridge Officers conducted a search on the person of an adult male reference to possession of dangerous drugs and firearms. The search ended with negative results.

ARREST: POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS On Thursday, 1st October 2020, sometime around 10:50am, Officers came in at Rock Sound Police Station with an adult male and reported he was driving a silver Nissan Note along Queen’s Highway, Rock Sound in the area of the Home Coming Site, where he was stopped and searched.

A small marijuana cigarette was found in his possession and he was subsequently arrested and cautioned reference to possession of dangerous drugs. Suspect was charged and released on bail.

REPORTED UNLAWFUL ENTRY AND STEALING: Sometime around 12:50pm, on Wednesday 30th September, 2020, an adult female reported to the Rock Sound Police Station that sometime between 8:00pm on Monday 28th September, 2020 and 8:00am on Wednesday 30th September, 2020, some unknown person/s entered her residence through an unlocked southern back door. The culprit/s searched her house and stole from a bureau drawer in her bedroom five hundred dollars ($500.00) cash, her gold with white and green stones wedding band value unknown and a fine link gold neck chain valued at one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00).

Police action requested.

Enquiries are being continued.

ARREST REFERENCE TO UNLAWFUL POSSESSION” On Monday 28th September 2020 at around 10:20am Officers came to the GHPS with an adult male where he was cautioned and arrested in reference to Unlawful possession.

At 2:45pm, the accused was released from Police custody pending further investigations.

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

Arrest Ref. to Possession of Dangerous Drugs: On Sunday 27th September, 2020 at about 6:45pm Officers came in at the Governors Harbour Police Station with an adult male under arrest for Possession of Dangerous Drugs. It was reported that he was arrested at about 6:40pm while on Haynes Ave, Governors Harbour after he was found with a quantity of suspected marijuana in his front left pants pocket.

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.

Traffic Accident Reported: An Anonymous caller contacted the Governors Harbour Police station at about 8:00pm on the 25.9.2020 and reported that there was a traffic accident in the vicinity of Queens Highway Governors Harbour. Police assistance was requested.

Officers reported that they visited the scene of this accident which involved one vehicle which was being driven at the time by an adult male who reported that he was travelling in a northern direction on Queens Highway sometime after 8:00pm in his white Dodge Ram when his front tire blew out, as a result he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a wall.

As a result his vehicle received damages to front right side. There were no injuries, he was served with a NOIP form, and vehicle was removed from the scene. Inquiries are ongoing.

BREACH OF THE LIQUOR LICENSE ACT [SUSPECT ARRESTED] On Sunday, September 20th, 2020, sometime around 5:47pm, Officers came into the Rock Sound Police Station in private vehicles with an adult male suspect, under arrest for Breach of the Liquor License Act. The suspect was processed and charged with that offence.

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

NORTH In Accordance With The CommisPolicing Plan 2020 Priority #3 Public and Road Safety - Traffic Road Check On Thursday 1st October 2020 between 8:00am and 11:00am, ASP Rolle O/C Harbour Island Police Station, Eleuthera District lead a team of Officers, according to the Nation Wide Operation Order and conducted a Traffic Road Check on Bay Street Dunmore Town, Harbour Island where seven motorists were reported for numerous traffic infractions and one person reported for not wearing a facial mask according to the Covid-19 Protocols as mandated. Motorists and Pedestrians were reminded by Officers to continue to adhere to the regulations of the Road Traffic Act and the Covid -19 Protocols as mandated. sioner’s

Assault Report On Friday 2nd October, 2020 at around 6:20 pm a woman of Colebrooke Street came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that at about 6:00 pm while at her residence, her landlord knocked on her door and hit her to her right leg with a stick causing pain. She further reported that he then told her that she needed to get the ‘;*(&(*&’ out of his apartment because he has people lined up to rent it. She requested police action in this matter.

Police recorded a written statement from the complainant and attempted to issue the complainant with a police hospital form however she declined and stated that she didn’t see the need. On same date the complainant returned to Harbour Island Police Station and stated that she then wished to see the Doctor due to pain coming from her right leg. She was then issued one Police Hospital Form to seek medical assistance at Harbour Island Community Clinic.

Alleged Unlawful Sexual InterReport: On Saturday 3rd October 2020 sometime around 10:30Am a woman came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that sometime between the hours of 2:00am and 2:30am on Monday 28th September 2020 she discovered her teen daughter on her cellular phone. When she made course

Crime News a check of the phone she stated that she discovered her daughter conversing with a young male she only knows via whatsapp engaging in explicit conversations. Police action requested.

Police are presently continuing investigations into this matter.

Breach of Covid 19 Emergency Breach of liquor license act On Saturday 3/10/20 at about 11:10pm a police crew reported that while on Bay Street Harbour Island an A.S.P reported an offender for operating without a license and permitting more than twenty people on his premises in breach of the Covid 19 emergency order. He was informed of the offenses and warned of prosecution. order:

Prisoner in for safekeeping from Spanish Wells Police Station Re: Stealing/shop breaking On Saturday 3/10/20 at about 10:37pm a police Crew came in at Harbour Island Police Station with the a male suspect of 15th Street Spanish Wells under arrest in reference to stealing/shop breaking - a matter reported in Spanish Wells on 2/10/20.

The suspect was taken into Police custody. Investigations ongoing Prisoners in for safekeeping Re: Murder: On Sunday 4/10/20 at about 3:00am a police crew came in at Harbour Island Police Station with the suspects – a male of Queens Highway Lower Bogue and one of Deep Creek Eleuthera both under arrest in reference to Murder. Both suspects appeared to be well with no complaints and remain in Police custody.

Search Warrant Executed: On Sunday 4th October, 2020 at about 5:16 pm police executed a search warrant in reference to Firearms and Dangerous Drugs at the residence of a man of New Dunmore Subdivision in the presence of a woman at the residence. There was nothing illegal found at the time of the search.

Search Warrant Executed: On Sunday 4th October, 2020 at about 5:22 pm police executed a search warrant in reference to Firearms and Dangerous Drugs at the residence of a man of Bay Street in his presence.

At the time of the search, a Cpl. found a small suspected marijuana cigarette butt on the kitchen counter. Otherwise, nothing illegal was found during the search.

Cultivation Of Dangerous Drugs Arrest (Search Warrant Executed) On Sunday 4th October, 2020 at about 5:52 pm police executed a search warrant at the residence of a man of Dunmore Street, Harbour Island in reference to Firearms and

Dangerous Drugs. While making checks of the back of the yard, K-9 Spartacus and handler found a silver tin tub containing two (2) mature Cannabis trees and two (2) immature Cannabis plants. As a result police arrested and cautioned the man in reference to Cultivation Of Dangerous Drugs. He was transported to the Harbour Island Police Station for further processing along with the suspected Drugs.

Suspect Interview Reference Cultivation of Dangerous Drugs: On Monday 5th October 2020 sometime around 12;05Pm police conducted an interview under caution with the suspect who was in Police custody reference to Cultivation Dangerous Drugs.

• Police Charged the accused in reference to Cultivation of Dangerous Drugs contrary to section 29(1) C and punishable under section 29(2) B of the Dangerous Drug Act Chapter 228.

• The Suspect was taken into police custody pending further investigations.

Causing Harm Report: A young man of Princess Street Harbour Island came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that on Saturday 3rd October 2020 sometime around 10:47Pm he was struck multiple times to his left side with a metal baseball bat by a male known to him while walking along Dunmore Street in the vicinity of Wesley Methodist Church causing pain and injuries. He further added that this accused young male’s father was present during the altercation.

Police action requested.

Found Ammunition Report: On Tuesday 6th October, 2020 at around 6:30 pm an anonymous caller contacted the Harbour Island Police Station via phone and reported that several slugs were found in a deceased man’s home along Duke Street. Police assistance requested.

Police arrived on scene where a man of Coconut Grove Avenue pointed out a dresser drawer in his deceased father’s home containing twenty (20) shotgun shells suspected to be 20 gauge. He suspects that they belonged to his father and wished to surrender them.

Police collected the ammunition and transported same to S3 for safekeeping.

Assault report On Wednesday 7/10/20 at about 6:00pm a woman of Clarence Street Harbour Island came in at Harbour Island Station and reported that on same date at about 5:45pm while at a family members residence located Dunmore Street

Harbour Island a young man whom she knows of Harbour Island burst into the mentioned residence and struck her to the left shoulder with an unknown object and he then punched her to the face causing pain. Police action requested.

Arrest reference to Assault: On Thursday 8/10/20 at about a police crew came in at Harbour Island Police Station with the suspect man of Johnson View Road Harbour Island and reported that he was arrested while on South Street Harbour Island.

The suspect was subsequently interviewed and granted Bail in the amount of $500 one suretor to appear before Magistrate Court on Wednesday 4/11/20.

Stealing report - Police action requested: On Thursday 8/10/20 at about 8:10am a man of Colebrooke Street Harbour Island came in at Harbour Island Station and reported that sometime between 10:30pm on Wednesday 7/10/20 and 7:00am Thursday 8/10/20 some unknown person stole his beige 2000 Club Cart from in front of his residence.

The Golf Cart was found in the area of Queen’s Highway with the Rocket Battery black in color missing valued at $110. Police action requested.

Search Warrant Executed: On Friday 9th October, 2020 at about 9:30 am a police crew executed a search warrant at the residence of of Ripley Street in reference to Dangerous Drugs and Firearms with negative results.

Possession of Unlicensed FireArrest: On Friday 9th October, 2020 at 10:17 am a man of Dump Road, Three Island Dock was arrested and cautioned by a PC in reference to Possession of Unlicensed Firearm. arm

Search Warrant Executed: On Friday 9th October, 2020 at about 10:20 am a police crew executed a search warrant at the residence of a man of Colebrooke Street in reference to Dangerous Drugs and Firearms with negative results.

Possession of Dangerous Drugs Supply Arrest: On Friday 9th October, 2020 at about 11:30 am a police crew came in at the Harbour Island Police Station with a young man of New Dunmore Subdivision. The suspect was reportedly arrested and cautioned while along New Dunmore Subdivision in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs with Intent to Supply.

Police escorted the suspect enroute to his residence to execute w/Intent to

Oct/Nov, 2020

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a search warrant in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms. While at the suspect’s residence, they discovered a bag with a transparent plastic wrap containing a quantity grassy like substance suspected to marijuana. As a result, the suspect was further cautioned in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs. He was transported to S3 along with the drugs for further processing.

Police interviewed the suspect and charged him with (2) Counts of Possession of Dangerous Drugs contrary to section 29(6) & 29(2)b of the Dangerous Drugs Act chapter 228.

He was granted bail at the sum of $2500 with one suretor to appear before Magistrate Court Harbour Island on Wednesday 4/11/20 @ 9:30am Possession of Dangerous Drugs Arrest: On Friday 9th October, 2020 at about 11:32 am a police crew came in at the Harbour Island Police Station with a young man of Princess Street.

The suspect was reportedly arrested and cautioned while along Colebrooke Street in reference to Possession of Dangerous Drugs. Police interviewed the suspect and charged him with Possession of Dangerous Drugs contrary to section 29(6) & 29(2)b of the Dangerous Drugs Act chapter 228. He was granted bail in the amount of $1000 with one suretor to appear before Magistrate Court Harbour Island on 4/11/20 @ 9:30am.

Trespassing and Causing Harm Report: On Sunday 11th October, 2020 at about 12:45pm a man of Princess Street came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that at about 12:20 pm while in his back yard, a male known to him entered his yard with a cutlass and came after his son.

He further reported that he was able to get this male out of his yard however while in the street he began fighting with his son. He reported that while attempting to stop the fight, the accused swung the cutlass and cut him to his left forearm causing pain and minor injuries. Police action requested.

• Police arrested and cautioned the suspect man of Princess Street in reference to Causing Harm and Trespassing. He was interviewed and then released from custody pending further investigations.

Causing Harm/Fighting Reported On Sunday 11th October 2020 at 7:00pm a man of Princess Street, Harbour Island came to Harbour Island Police Station and reported that sometime around 10:30pm on the 10-10-20 while thru Princess Street, Harbour Island he was attacked and beaten about the body with unknown objects by a group of about eight males three of whom he P38 knows, causing bruises

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to his back. The other suspects he only knows by face. Police Action Requested

Causing Harm/Fighting In A Public Place Arrest: On Monday 12th October, 2020 at about 8:40 am a man of Johnson View Road came to the Harbour Island Police Station where he was arrested and cautioned by PC 2866 Hall in reference to Causing Harm. The suspect was charged with Fighting In A Public Place contrary to section 208 (6) chapter 84 of the penal code, fingerprinted and released on bail to appear in the Magistrate’s Court in Harbour Island on the 4-11-20. He was warned of prosecution for not wearing a face mask reference to the Covid-19 protocols.

Fighting in a Public Place ArOn Monday 12th October, 2020 at about 1:20 pm a police crew came to the Harbour Island Police Station with a woman of Grant Street. The suspect was reportedly arrested and cautioned while at her residence at 1:10 pm in reference to Fighting in a Public Place.

The suspect was charged with Fighting In A Public Place contrary to section 208 (6) chapter 84 of the penal code, fingerprinted and released on bail to appear in the Magistrate’s Court in Harbour Island on the 4-11-20. She was warned of prosecution for not wearing face masks reference to the Covid-19 protocols. rest

Fighting in a Public Place Arrest: On Monday 12th October, 2020 at about 1:20 pm a police crew came to the Harbour Island Police Station with a man of Princess Street. The suspect was reportedly arrested and cautioned in reference to Fighting in a Public Place. The suspect was charged with Fighting In A Public Place contrary to section 208 (6) chapter 84 of the penal code, fingerprinted and released on bail to appear in the Magistrate’s Court in Harbour Island on the 4-1120. He was warned of prosecution for not wearing a face mask reference to the Covid-19 protocols.

Causing Harm/Fighting In A Public Place Arrest: On Monday 12th October, 2020 at about 1:20 pm a police crew came to the Harbour Island Police Station with a man of Princess Street. The suspect was reportedly arrested and cautioned while along Princess Street at 1:05 pm by police in reference to Causing Harm and Trespassing. The suspect was charged with Fighting In A Public Place contrary to section 208 (6) chapter 84, fingerprinted and released on bail to

Crime News

appear in the Magistrate’s Court in Harbour Island on the 4-11-20. He was warned of prosecution for not wearing a face mask reference to the Covid-19 protocols.

Fighting in a Public Place Arrest: On Monday 12th October, 2020 at 1:50 pm ,a man of Barrack Street, Harbour Island came into S-3 where he was arrested and cautioned in reference to Fighting in a Public Place. He appeared to be well. The suspect was fingerprinted and released pending further investigations. He was warned of prosecution for not wearing a face mask reference to the Covid-19 protocols.

Fighting In A Public Place(Suspects Charged): Police at S-3 took written statements under caution from two men. They were charged with Fighting In A Public Place, fingerprinted and released on bail to appear in the Magistrate’s Court in Harbour Island on the 4-1120. They were warned of prosecution for not wearing a face mask in public reference to the Covid-19 protocols.

Assault Report: On Friday 16th October, 2020 at about 1:10 am a woman of Pitt Street came to the Harbour Island Police Station with her adult daughter who was disoriented at the time. She reported that while along Bay Street at about 12:35 am today’s date she observed her daughter’s boyfriend strike her daughter to the head causing her to drop out. She reported that she believes that this male has her daughter in fear for her life and requested police action on her daughter’s behalf. The victim was issued with a hospital form and asked to file official complaints as soon as medical attention has been sought. The victim later came in and she stated that she was not in a position to give a statement at that time due to how she felt. She stated she would return later on in the day.

Damage/ Assault Report: On Friday 16th October 2020 at 1:10am a man of Colebrooke Alley, Harbour Island came to Harbour Island Police Station and reported that sometime around 12:40pm today’s date while on Bay Street, Harbour Island he and girlfriend got into a physical altercation where she slapped him up, her mother also got involved and hit him in his head which resulted in him pushing both of them off him.

His girlfriend also grabbed the right windshield wiper on his company truck and twisted it. Police Action Requested

Breach of Emergency Order” On Friday 16th October, 2020 at about 3:00pm, an anonymous caller contacted Harbour Island Police Station and reported that at about 1:00pm, while on a ferry boat heading to Harbour Island, she spoke with two (2) male tourists. The males informed her that they would not be quarantining for the fourteen (14) days as directed by officials when they landed at North Eleuthera airport. She was not aware as to where they were staying on Harbour Island. Same was reported for police information.

At about 3:10pm, W/Sgt. contacted the Department of Immigration at North Eleuthera Airport.

Immigration officer confirmed that seven (7) passengers came to North Eleuthera from Miami onboard American Eagle and were advised of all the necessary protocols.

Threats of Harm Report: On Monday 19th October, 2020 at about 5:35pm, a man of Barrack Street, Harbour Island came into Harbour Island Police Station and reported that three nights ago, a male he knows threatened to shoot him, claiming to have a firearm, after he assisted a female he knows with a ride on his golf cart. He later heard from a friend that the accused is going around saying that he will shoot him putting him in fear. Police warning requested.

Causing Harm Report: On Wednesday 23rd September 2020 sometime around 4:20pm a young man of Colebrooke Street Harbour Island came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported while on his job site a male known to him struck him to his back with stones and bottles after an exchange of words causing injuries. Police assistance requested.

Assault Report: On Wednesday 23rd September 2020 sometime around a woman of Ripley Street Harbour Island came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that while at her residence her estranged husband of the same address attacked her by pushing her towards the wall and punching her to the face after a verbal altercation over their 10 year old daughter causing pain and discomfort. Police action requested.

Damage Report: On Wednesday 23rd September 2020 sometime around 6:55Pm a man ( the accused above) came to Harbour Island Police Station and reported that while at his residence situated

Oct/Nov, 2020 Colebrooke Street Harbour Island his estranged wife caused damage with a kitchen knife to Three (3) tires attached to his Van. Police action requested.

Causing Harm Report - Police Requested: On Wednesday 23rd September 2020 sometime around 8:15Pm a police crew received information from 2nd O.I.C Inspector that information received was that a male known to him of Colebrooke Street Harbour Island was attacked and assaulted by several males resulting in injuries to his face. Police assistance requested.

• On arrival to the Harbour Island community Clinic police saw and spoke to a young man of Colebrooke Street Harbour Island whom stated that while standing outside at the front of his residence he was attacked and beaten about the body and in his face by two male known to him resulting in injuries to his left eye and mouth. Police action requested.

• An officer while at the Harbour Island Police Station arrested and cautioned the young male suspect of Paris Lane and Nesbitt Street Harbour Island in reference to Causing Harm. He admitted that he was involved in a physical altercation with the complainant.

• Police while at the Harbour Island Police Station arrested and cautioned a male suspect of Colebrooke Street Harbour Island in reference to Causing Harm.

action

Suspect arrested - Re: Assault/ Causing harm: On Thursday 24th September 2020 sometime around 7:30am,while on duty at the Harbour Island Police Station an officer arrested and cautioned a young man of Coconut Grove Ave in reference to Assault/Causing Harm.

Suspect Interviewed/Charged: On Thursday 24th September 2020 sometime around 3:35Pm a PC conducted a interview with the male suspect under caution where he admitted to the offence and allegations of Causing Harm. He was Charged in reference to Causing Harm contrary to section 135(1), and fighting in a Public Place contrary to section 208(6) chapter 84. Police granted the suspect bail in the sum of $1,000.00 with one (1) suretor to appear before Magistrate court on 4th November 2020.

Arrest reference Assault: On Thursday 24th September 2020 sometime around 8:10pm an officer reportedly arrested and Cautioned the a man of Ripley Street Harbour Island in reference to an Assault complaint made P39 by his estranged wife on the 23rd September

Crime News 2020. Police interviewed and Charged the accused in reference to Assault contrary to section 133 of the penal code chapter 84.

He was granted bail in the sum of $300.00 to appear before Magistrate court on 4th November 2020.

Further he reported that he received information that the males is spreading around the community where ever they see him, it’s on, placing him in fear for his safety. Police action requested.

Investigations are ongoing in this matter………

Arrest reference Damage : On Thursday 24th September 2020 sometime around 9:20pm police reportedly arrested and cautioned a woman of Ripley Street Harbour Island in reference to Damage - a complaint made by her estranged husband on the 23rd September.

• Police interviewed and Charged the accused in reference to Damage contrary to section of the penal code chapter 84. She was granted bail in the sum of $1,000.00 to appear before Magistrate court on 4th November 2020.

Vagrancy Report; On Sunday 27th September, 2020 at about 9:18am, a man of Princess Street, Harbour Island came into Harbour Island Police Station and reported that while cleaning the restrooms on the government dock, he found an unknown male sleeping on the bathroom floor who produced a box cutter when asked to exit. Police assistance requested.

• Police arrived on scene, met a male, asleep on the bathroom floor. He was awoken and escorted out of the building. The male was searched and a yellow handle box cutter and screwdriver was recovered. Information received is that the male, of Green Castle, South Eleuthera is a known mental patient. He was transported to Harbour Island Police Station for safekeeping where he was provided clothing, food and given medical care at Harbour Island Community Clinic. He was later assisted to Three Island Dock, Lower Bogue, to be further assisted to his residence on Eleuthera.

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Defamation of Character: On Friday 25th September, 2020 at about 1:15pm, a young man of Alice Street, Harbour Island, Eleuthera came into Harbour Island Police Station and reported that he was shown a post on a Facebook group which accused him of recently being released from prison for murder which is not true. Same has defamed and damaged his character. Police action requested.

Arrest Reference - Causing Harm: On Friday 25th September 2020 sometime around 5:20pm a police crew reportedly arrested and caution one (1) suspect – a man of Trianna Shores Harbour Island while in the area of Bay Street Harbour Island in reference to a Causing Harm complaint made on 21/9/20.

• Police interviewed and Charged the accused in reference to Causing Harm contrary to section 135(1) of the penal code chapter 84.He said ok in reply to the charge.

• He was released and granted bail in the sum of $500.00 at 6:30Pm with one (1) suretor to appear before Magistrate court on 4th November 2020.

Causing Harm Report: On Wednesday 23rd September 2020 sometime around 5:05pm a young man of Alice Street Harbour Island came to the Harbour Island Police Station and reported that on Tuesday 22nd September 2020 around 10:00Pm while at a Night Club he was involved in an altercation with a male armed with a knife which resulted in him being cut to his left arm causing injuires. He added that during the altercation a group of unknown males accompanied the accused and surrounded him and two (2) of them attempted to stab him.

Police Assistance requested Reference to Emergency Covid 19 Order 2020 On Sunday 27th September, 2020 at about 1:40pm, a male contacted Harbour Island Police Station and reported that an unknown suspicious red speed boat just docked at a Resort and Marina. Police assistance requested.

• At about 1:44pm, police arrived on scene, saw and spoke with a Captain of West Bay Street, New Providence and Co-Captain also of New Providence who stated that they had left New Providence onboard a red 30’ David Lawrence 34 center console boat registration #NP 8132 with Bahamas Jet Boat label on the sides to transport (10) passengers consisting of (8) females and (2) males to Harbour Island to visit the pink sand beaches for a few hours. However, all did not have a negative Covid test as required in the Emergency Covid Orders 2020.

As a result, they were instructed to return to new Providence until negative tests can be produced which they agreed and obliged. Area left quiet and in order.

At about 12:50pm on Thursday 15th October 2020, a man of Colebrooke Street, Harbour Island, Eleuthera came to the North Eleuthera Airport Police Station and reported Armed Robbery. He stated that sometime around 12:20pm on the same date, he was travelling south along Queens Highway, Upper Bogue in a Jeep taking two deposits bag to a bank which belongs to a business. As he was driving a White note type vehicle with license plate beginning with the letter A exited from a side street and pulled in front of him.

This vehicle began to slow down and a Black Honda type vehicle pulled in the back of him and boxed him in causing him to stop.

A dark male clad in a long sleeve shirt, wearing a mask and brandishing a hand gun exited the car from the back passenger seat and pointed the gun at him. He lowered the window and handed him a deposit bag containing $19,000.00 cash. This male then jumped back in the car driven by another male who was wearing mask and armed with a handgun, spun around an left travelling north making good their escape.

The deposits were made up in $50.00 x300 and $20.00 x 200 cash. Police action is requested.

Arrest for Stealing ; At about 5:40pm on Thursday 15th October 2020, an officer cautioned and a man of Colebrooke St. Harbour Island (the complainant above) for questioning ref to Stealing while at the North Eleuthera Airport Police Station. He was later transported to Harbour Island Police Station for safe keeping and further investigation.

Stealing report Location: Queens Highway, Lower Bogue North Eleuthera; At about 6:00pm on Friday 16th October 2020, a man of Lower Bogue, Eleuthera Came to the North Eleuthera Airport Police Station and reported that between 28th September 2020 @ 5:30pm and Tuesday 6th October @ 6:00pm he discovered that some twenty (20) pieces of 2x6 eighteen a case of 16 penny nails were stolen from a duplex he has under construction situated on the Airport Road, Lower Bogue, Eleuthera. Police action is requested.

Threats of Death, AsDamage: On Thursday 24th September, 2020 at about 2:00pm a woman came in at the North Eleuthera Police Station and reported that sometime sault and

Armed Robbery report Location: Queens Highway, Upper Bogue North Eleuthera

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around 9:25am on Sunday 20th September 2020 while in the a room with her boyfriend of, Eleuthera he pushed her to the ground, pulled her by her hair, poked her in both eyes, and made Threats to kill her putting her in fear for her life while both of them was involved in an argument. She requested police action in this matter.

Arrest: Threats of Death, Assault and Damage; On Saturday 26th September, 2020 at about 8:00am while at the North Eleuthera Police Station an officer arrested and cautioned a man of Rainbow Bay in reference to Assault, Threats of Death and Damage.

CAUSING HARM: On Monday 28th September ,2020 at about 11:30pm a man of Upper Bogue came into the NEPS and reported that while at his sister’s home another man and him got into an argument for him cursing out his sister. The other man took a cutlass and spanked him on the left side of his face and neck, causing injuries. Police Action Requested.

Threats of Death and DamOn Tuesday 29th September ,2020 at about 12:50am a man of Lower Bogue came into the NEPS and reported that,He and another man (the complainant above) got into a argument for his sister. The accused took a metal rope and swung the same at him saying you ‘&)*&)*))*’ DEAD, I’LL KILL YOU, then the complainant said he took his cutlass out and hit him because he was in fear for his life. The accused then took a wood and damaged the Hood of his vehicle and ran. Police Action Requested.

age:

Arrest Assault

gerous Instrument:

with a

Dan-

On Tuesday 29th September 2020 at about 12:55pm an officer cautioned and arrested a man of East Street, Lower Bogue for questioning ref to Assault with a Dangerous Instrument while at the N.E.P.S. He was interviewed and was charged with Assault with a Dangerous Instrument and was granted bail to appear in the Magistrate Court Harbour Island on the 5/11/2020 at 9:30am with one surety.

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24 Hour Weekend lockdowns announced for New Providence and Abaco - Ongoing since first week in October

Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis during as address in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, October 7th, announced new restrictions for New Providence and Abaco.

be removed,” he communicated.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis, during an address in the House of Assembly on Wednesday morning, October 7th, 2020, announced a new set of restrictions and safety measures for the islands of New Providence and Abaco, as a result of the pace of their increasing cases.

“High numbers in New Providence,” said the PM, setting up his position in support of the new measures, “have placed a significant strain on the health system and healthcare workers... Hospitals are full. Medical teams have been pushed to their capacity.

“If there is further deterioration in the situation on New Providence,” he added, “we risk the collapse of the healthcare system. The current situation in New Providence and Abaco requires new restrictions to reduce infections and save lives” “The new restrictions seek to balance the needs of the people to make a living, and the serious public health concerns of the moment. Nobody wants or likes complete lockdowns or full restrictions, so we seek to implement what is reasonable and necessary for a period of time - to reduce sickness and death. When the goal of cases being reduced have been achieved, the restrictive measures will

PM Minnis said that after a briefing from PAHO and meetings with the Ministry of Health, and to balance the health, economic and social needs of the country, the Bahamas Cabinet agreed to a variety of measures for both New Providence and Abaco. “The measures we are taking are multi-dimensional, and include enforcement of regulations, encouragement and ongoing public education. The greatest measure is still the individual’s responsibility...,” he emphasized, and continued, “The new measures are designed and targeted to reduce the spread of Covid-19 on both New Providence and Abaco.”

“The following provisions (Abaco and New Providence only) took effect on Friday, October 9th, 2020 at 7pm: - A full 3-Day 24 hour weekend curfew for NP and Abaco only, to end on Tuesday, October 13th at 5am.

- Continued weekend curfews beginning on Fridays at 7pm and ending on Monday mornings at 5am.

- During weekend curfews, only essential services permitted to operate.

- Sea and airports to continue operating.

- One hour religious services to continue on weekends from 7am to 1pm.

- Pharmacies, gas P41 stations, construction sites, laundromats, al-

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Bahamians Advised to Take Additional Funds When Traveling to Address Unforeseen Expenses Related to Covid-19 Protocols The Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in mid-October 2020, attempting to curtail an increasing volume of requests by Bahamians abroad for financial assistance while traveling, issued the following statement: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to advise Bahamians traveling abroad to take sufficient funds with them in the event they run into additional expenses as a result of restrictions and protocols put in place because of COVID-19.

Bahamians are increasingly approaching Bahamas Embassies and Consulates Overseas requesting financial assistance related to COVID-19 testing, quarantine, accommodations, airline ticket changes, etc.

The Ministry wishes to advise that our Over-

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seas Missions do not have sufficient discretionary financial resources to accommodate and maintain persons who find themselves stranded because of a lack of funds. Persons travelling in this COVID environment should anticipate that there will be delays and interruptions in their schedules that may result in them having to remain in these overseas jurisdictions longer than they had intended.

Bahamians who are in distress should continue to contact the nearest Bahamas Overseas Mission and should be reminded that though each request for assistance is considered on its own merits, the general policy governing the award of financial assistance to Bahamians in foreign jurisdic-

PM restrictions

lowed to operate during weekend curfew.

- National Food Task Force distribution to be tailored for weekdays.

- No social gatherings to be allowed whatsoever (strictly enforced to reduce the spread of Covid-19).

- Police to setup monitoring stations during curfew.

- A telephone Hotline has been set up for citizens to report on social gatherings at 702-9967-9.

- Religious services during the week, to continue according to guidelines.

- Funerals - Only ten people permitted at graveside, in addition to officiant. No repasts.

- Weddings - ten people only permitted, in addition to officiant. No receptions.

- Schools on New Providence and Abaco to proceed virtually - no in person schooling for students.

- Beaches and parks are again closed on NP and Abaco.

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- Exercise permitted in one’s neighbourhood (Mon to Fri 5am to 7pm). Exercise on weekend in an individual’s yard only.

- Gyms are closed once again.

- Workplaces - seen as a major source of spread by health officials All who can work from home should do so, said PM Minnis. Where possible, a shift system to be implemented to allow as few people as possible at the workplace.

- PM Minnis made a special appeal to businesses to adhere to safety and health guidelines.

- Public Officers, he said, were to work from home.

- Restaurants - only takeaway, curbside and deliveries permitted.

No indoor or outdoor dining on New Providence and Abaco.

- All retail will be curbside, except for foodstores.

- Gas stations are not permitted to allow indoor services.

- Hotels allowed to have outdoor

tions is to have a family member, or some other individual, deposit with the Consular Division of the Ministry an amount equivalent to the amount requested of the Overseas Mission by the person who, because of unforeseen circumstances resulting from COVID-19 protocols requires assistance.

The funds will then be advanced to the individual by the nearest Consular Office, whose funds will then be reimbursed by the Ministry.”

dining for guests.

- All fines for breaches of protocols to be doubled (with the exception of the mask-wearing fine) to encourage adherence to public measures.

- Businesses to be fined on first violation, and closed on second violation of orders - for 14 days.

- If a business or construction site has a 10% infection rate of its full compliment of staff, the business will be closed, and all staff members quarantined for 14 days.

- Bahamians and residents seeking to book at hotels on New Providence and Abaco will be required to have a negative RT/PCR test before entering such facilities.”

Health officials, said Prime Minister Minnis, have set targeted goals and timelines to measure the impact of the restrictive measures, and the likely success of slowing the transmission of Covid-19 in New Providence and Abaco.

The measures of success he said would include: Numbers of cases no longer increasing; Hospitalizations decreasing; a reduction in the need for ICU or intensive care, and a de-

crease in Covid-related deaths.

The success of these measures, said the PM, will inform health officials and the government whether more restrictive measures are needed or if measures can be relaxed.

The measures outlined, he added, has no effect on air travel, with no changes to the current travel regime, and the opening of the international tourism sector remains set for November 1st, 2020. These measures, he said, were also being taken, in order to reduce case numbers in preparation for the border opening of the tourism sector.

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BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND LIVING WITH COVID COALITION PARTNER TO SECURE 3 MILLION COVID-19 RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS

“Public-Private Partnership Enables Country-Wide Testing & Management Platform for Citizens, Residents & Visitors” Thomas Bethel, LWCC Head of Operations. “COVID-19 will be here for a while and we believe that it is our responsibility as Bahamians to work together, act fast, and present a practical and responsible solution that is simple, easy, rapid and connected. Our diverse membership of concerned Bahamians from the private sector, civil society, academia, labour, politics and religious society are all feeling the strain from the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s up to each of us to get tested and follow the health protocols if we want to save our economy.”

He added that LWCC will be making tests and the management platform available to any lab, doctor’s office, clinic, pharmacy, business, organiza-

NASSAU, Bahamas, 25th October 2020 – As The Islands of The Bahamas move towards safely and effectively discontinuing its current “Vacation in Place” protocol, and begins to implement new testing requirements for all visitors, returning citizens and residents on 1 st November, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation has announced a solution for securing a steady supply of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests.

Through a public-private partnership with the Living With COVID Coalition (LWCC), a not-for-profit coalition within the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG), The Bahamas will have access to as many as 3 million World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of Health-approved rapid antigen tests. The tests will be provided by medical solutions provider, Ports International, at a low cost per unit.

“We are grateful for this partnership with LWCC,” said Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar. “Having uninterrupted access to high-quality rapid antigen tests is a crucial compo-

nent for us to begin reinvigorating our critically important tourism sector. The new testing protocols are designed so that we can responsibly enforce public health and safety measures, while giving our visitors a better and more seamless vacation experience, ultimately allowing tourism-dependent professionals to get back to work.”

The new protocols will require visitors, returning citizens and residents to obtain a RT-PCR (swab) test no more than seven days prior to travelling to The Bahamas. A rapid antigen test will then be conducted upon arrival and again five days (96 hours) after their arrival.

Simplifying the testing, reporting and case management process is a secure, web-based, end-to-end management system that will allow Tourism and Health authorities to have real-time visitor and resident data and more effectively manage those with positive test results.

“We are proud to partner with the Government of the Bahamas on this nationally significant initiative,” said

tion or government entity that wishes to join the national platform. All those participating have agreed to work at cost or for free.

According to the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) the fast and reliable antigen tests recently approved by WHO are set to transform COVID-19 response in the region.

PAHO said the new tests are much more accurate than previous versions in determining if someone is currently infected, and allow health workers to better identify and isolate cases rapidly.

For more information on the Living With COVID Coalition and how to support its efforts, please visit www.livingwithcovid.org and follow @lwccbahamas on Facebook and Twitter.

Government to review legalization of a hemp industry, and inject 250M for small business development The Government will review the possible legalization of a hemp industry that would include variations of cannabis low in THC, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis announced on Wednesday, October 21st, 2020, in the House of Assembly.

The Prime Minister was speaking as he tabled the Executive Summary Report submitted by the Economic Recovery Committee (ERC).

The Committee has proposed a broad range of reforms and recommendations intended to seed new industries and economic opportunities to expand existing ones; make The Bahamas more attractive for domestic and international investment; and to make certain bureaucratic systems more efficient and less burdensome for citizens and businesses.

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Several Initiatives Taken to Strengthen Financial Services, Says Minister Elsworth Johnson He said this move would address the ongoing concerns about the speed and efficiency of operations as it relates to economic permanent residency applications.

Additionally, as a part of the government’s efforts to attract remote workers and students to work remotely in paradise, the Ministry is just weeks away from launching the Extended Visa Stay Programme. He pointed out that Monarch House will manage the launch of this programme.

The Ministry will also launch the Tax Residency Certificate (TRC) by the end of 2020.

The TRC, he said, is a high priority item on the Ministry’s agenda, as there has been mounting international pressure to formally identify the expatriate residents and investors who are domiciled within Bahamian borders to ensure greater transparency of income and financial records, particularly for taxation purposes.

He said that the government’s ultimate goal is to fully comply with international information exchange agreements according to the

Minister of Financial Services, Trade & Industry and Immigration, Hon. Elsworth Johnson.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every industry, resulting in economic turmoil globally, said Minister of Financial Services, Trade & Industry and Immigration, the Hon. Elsworth Johnson. However, despite this global uncertainty, he shared that he is optimistic about the future of the financial services sector. The Minister expressed the government’s commitment in keeping pace with technology while delivering a national address from the Office of the Prime Minister, on October 22nd, 2020.

“It is a privilege and honour to stand before the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to give an account of my stewardship at the Ministry of Financial Services, Trade & Industry and Immigration. And the progress we have made with our future-focused agenda.”

He said that since COVID-19 over the past seven months, the government has taken several steps to care for the Bahamian people, bolster the economy and manage the nation’s finances.

To this end, he said that the government intends to advance the relevant legislation while also implementing the necessary changes to bring about the modernization and digital transformation needed to not only engage with industry stakeholders during the pandemic, but to be competitive within a 21st century, technology-focused world.

He said that in May, the ministry successfully hosted the first-ever Financial Services Virtual Symposium. He said that the turnout was ‘healthy’ and they received ‘overwhelmingly’ positive feedback from stakeholders. They intend to continue this trend of hosting and participating in more digital engagements in the future. The Ministry’s website (www. mofstii.gov.bs) was also launched in May. It will serve as a central access point for all of the Ministry’s activities and announcements, and a portal for industry-wide engagement.

He said that strides have also been made in the Trade Unit, where they have digitized the process of applying for concessions under the Industries Encouragement Act. Further, he said that they have continued to make progress in the Department of Immigration with the implementation of the Immigration Integrated Management System to allow for cashless transactions, online application processes, exploration of online and external delivery of relevant client documents.

OECD’s Common Reporting Standards.

He said that capacity building has also been high on the agenda. Consequently, for the first time in five years, there is a director of financial services. In addition, the Ministry has hired – for the first time ever – a deputy director of financial services. Additional hires include a new director of the trade unit, as well as a consultant specifically tasked with overseeing the roll-out of new Alternative Dispute Resolution legislation to establish the Bahamas as a centre for International Commercial Arbitration.

He concluded by saying that the Ministry is ready to take advantage of the opportunities available and to drive growth in new and unexplored ways.

(By Betty Vedrine, Bahamas Information Services)

FAO member states approved 3 new priorities for Latin America and the Caribbean (The priorities approved by the FAO Conference are: sustainable food systems to provide healthy diets for all; hand in hand to achieve prosperous and inclusive rural societies; and sustainable and resilient agriculture.)

October 23, 2020, Santiago, Chile The FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean concluded on October 21 with the agreement of all member states on three major priorities that will guide the Organization’s actions over the next two years.

The three regional initiatives approved by the Conference are: Sustainable food systems to provide healthy diets for all; Hand in hand to achieve prosperous and inclusive rural societies; and Sustainable and resilient agriculture.

“The pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of the world’s food systems, but it has given us the opportunity to rebuild better,” said FAO’s DirectorGeneral Qu Dongyu, during a side event of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).

“We will continue to support all of our Members in their efforts to transform their food systems by making them more efficient, healthy and sustainable,” said Qu. Member States fully supported

FAO’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Program and the Hand in Hand Initiative, highlighting the importance of innovation, digital technologies, datadriven agriculture, investment, and public-private partnerships.

They also valued positively the results of FAO’s work in the region during the 2018-2019 biennium, presented in the report to the Conference, and agreed that Ecuador will host the next Regional Conference.

The Regional Conference had the highest political participation in the history of the Conferences in the region, with 436 participants from the government, 50 ministers, 40 vice ministers and 103 observers from civil society, the scientific and academic world, the private sector, government agencies, the United Nations and regional multilateral organizations.

In addition, it was followed live by more than 30 thousand people throughout its three days, and over 50 thousand people visited the Conference webpage.

“This Conference - the first that had to be fully digital due to the pandemic has been more open, more inclusive and

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New Travel and Testing Protocols to Eliminate the Need to Quarantine The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation (MOTA), early in October 2020 released a communication on its updated plans for reintroducing tourism to the Bahama Islands, which included new testing protocols, designed to eliminate the need for its current 14-day “Vacation in Place” requirements. The statement read as follows: “The Islands of The Bahamas remains committed to welcoming visitors to its shores and providing an exceptional tropical vacation coupled with our world famous warm and friendly hospitality, while, responsibly enforcing public health and safety measures to protect residents and visitors alike.

While 15th October is still set for the reopening of the tourism sector, until 31st October all incoming visitors must “Vacation in Place” for 14 days or the duration of stay, whichever is shorter, which means limiting the vacation experience to the grounds and amenities of a traveler’s hotel or accommodations. Beginning 1st November, The Bahamas will remove the mandatory “Vacation in Place” requirement for all visitors, returning citizens and residents thereby, enabling everyone to move about and explore the destination beyond the confines of their hotel or other accommodations.

The new protocols will require visitors, and returning citizens and residents to obtain a RTPCR (swab) test no more than seven (7) days prior to their travel to The Bahamas.

In addition, and to ensure that travelers remain COVID free, a rapid antigen test will be conducted upon arrival, and then again four days (96 hours) after arrival in The Bahamas.

Children ten (10) and under are exempt from taking a rapid antigen test.

[Note: Local MOTA officials confirmed that rapid-testing in Eleuthera on arrival and four days after arrival will be accommodated at the North Eleuthera and the Governor’s Harbour International airports, as well as the Spanish Wells Marina - if arriving by sea.]

Specifics are as follows: Prior to Travel: • COVID-19 RT-PCR Test: All persons traveling to The Bahamas must obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (swab) test taken no more than seven (7) days prior to the date of arrival.

The name and address of the lab, where the test was performed, must be clearly displayed on the test result. o Children ten (10) and under and pilots and crew of commercial airlines, who remain overnight in The Bahamas, are exempt from obtaining the RT-PCR test.

• Bahamas Health Travel Visa: Once in pos-

session of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test, all travelers will then be required to apply for a Bahamas Health Travel Visa at travel.gov.bs (click on the International Tab) where the required test must be uploaded.

The cost of the visa will depend on the length of stay.

Upon Arrival • Day of Arrival (Day One): Rapid Test – All persons entering The Bahamas, at an approved Port of Entry, will receive a Rapid COVID-19 antigen test.

If arriving by air, an approved Port of Entry will be: Nassau, Freeport, Marsh Harbour, North Eleuthera, Georgetown (Exuma), Bimini (and Cat Cay) and San Andros (Andros).

If arriving by sea, an approved Port of Entry will be: Nassau (Atlantis, Bay Street Marina, Lyford Cay, Albany and Nassau Yacht Haven); Grand Bahama (West End – Old Bahama Bay and Freeport – Lucaya); Abaco (Marsh Harbour Government Dock); Eleuthera (Spanish Wells Marina); Berry Islands (Chubb Cay Club); Bimini (Big Game Club and Cat Cay Club); Exuma (Georgetown Government Dock).

American Airlines has indicated that, beginning in late October, they wish to provide each passenger traveling to The Bahamas from Miami with a Rapid COVID-19 antigen test before boarding the plane. These passengers, along with the passengers of any other airlines wishing to provide a similar service, will not be required to complete the Rapid Test upon arrival in The Bahamas.

After Arrival • Day Five (96 hours after arrival): Rapid Test – All persons who entered The Bahamas, and who are staying longer than four nights and five days, will be required to take a second Rapid COVID-19 antigen test. To be clear, all visitors departing on Day Five will not be required to obtain this test.

The cost of the rapid tests on and after arrival will be included in the cost of the visa.

The rapid tests are easy, quick and will yield results in 20 minutes or less with results being provided electronically. Many hotel properties will provide relevant information on testing arrangements, while others will facilitate the required rapid test for their guests.

All persons on yachts and other pleasure craft will be able to make arrangements for their required rapid tests at the port of entry or via the relevant website.

All other visitors, returning residents and citizens will be able to make arrangements for their required rapid tests at the port of entry or via the relevant website.

The On Island Experience: All islands in The Bahamas require the wearing of masks and appropriate social distancing in public places.

The Bahamas has remained diligent in its efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 throughout the islands, and these measures are imperative to ensure that remains the case. The health and wellbeing of both residents and visitors remain the number one priority of our public health officials. It is important to note, however, that due to fluidity of the COVID-19 situation, both in The Bahamas and worldwide, protocols are subject to change.

BDB Changing Location and Highlighting New Focus On October 25th, 2020 the Bahamas Development Bank announced that it was moving its physical location, after making a number of internal organizational changes during the past 24 months, in efforts to modernize operations, and better position itself to fulfill the Bank’s mandate, saying, “After three decades of renting the iconic pink building on the Cable Beach strip, The Bahamas Development Bank is moving. The Bank has contracted McBrady’s enterprises to develop its newly purchased premises on Robinson Road. The building architecture, designed by The Outside Office Design group, will be functional, bright, and modern, in keeping with The BDB’s new brand that launched in July of this year.”

The statement continued, “The move is the next step in revitalization for the 40-yearold institution. Over the last 2 years, BDB has worked to address numerous legacy challenges, improved balance sheet performance, and adopted an ambitious Strategic Plan that focuses on Sustainable P45 Development Goal Accomplish-

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“Our cannabis laws are outdated and must change,” Prime Minister Minnis said. “The global legal cannabis market is already in the billions of dollars with significant projected growth in the years to come.”

The Prime Minister said Bahamianowned or majority Bahamian-owned companies must and will lead any new hemp industry in The Bahamas.

Hemp is used in multiple products, from clothing to building materials and even in tea bags, such as Lipton’s tea bags, Prime Minister Minnis noted.

“There are potentially many opportunities for creative Bahamian businesspeople to get involved in this new industry,” said the Prime Minister.

The Government will report back to the nation following greater public consultation, he said.

Earlier this year, the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana recommended the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana, and allowing medicinal marijuana use.

Starting in 2021, the Government will begin the expunging of records of those convicted for the possession of small amounts of marijuana, said the Prime Minister.

As part of the Government’s strategy to continue to create economic opportunities for Bahamian entrepreneurs, there will be a significant increase in funding to the Small Business Development Centre, said the Prime Minister.

Two-hundred and fifty million dollars will

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Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis.

be provided to Bahamian businesses over 5 years, said Prime Minister Minnis.

Farmers and fishermen will receive direct financial support through the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, said the Prime Minister.

“A broad, sustained recovery requires Bahamian businesspeople to have the funding required to create jobs,” he said. “We need our Bahamian entrepreneurs to have money to create new businesses, or to expand existing ones.”

The Prime Minister noted that the Government

is pursuing a number of policy directions based on recommendations from the ERC but will not accept all of the Committee’s recommendations.

The ERC represents a cross-section of the public and private sectors and is co-chaired by Acting Financial Secretary, Mr. Marlon Johnson, and Mr. Kenneth Kerr, the CEO of Providence Advisors.

To view the ERC’s Summary Report, visit www.opm.gov.bs.

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ment and support for The National Development Plan. It is envisioned that the new central location will increase accessibility to potential clients while providing space for the growing complement of professional staff.

“Attracting top talent has been a priority for the Bank in recent months to rapidly scale up capacity for new, progressive initiatives designed to stimulate industrial development in key sectors across the Green, Orange, and Blue Economies.

Now that most of the historical problems that plagued The Bank have been resolved, BDB is focused on building its performing portfolio with new loans.

The statement concluded, highlighting future plans for the Bank, and targeted new offerings for micro to medium businesses, as well as international trade operations and farming enterprises, “The Bank is building a Trade Desk concentrated on import/export financing, and an Agricultural Financing Desk tasked with designing customized lending products that take into account farmers’ unique needs. The Bank has developed specialized offerings such as the MSME Digital Trans-

BDB new Robinson Road location in New Providence.

formation Loan Program, which will help businesses adapt to the new normal of a post COVID environment. The Bank is also investing in data infrastructure to improve internal processes, improve market surveillance, and track development performance.”

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more transparent than any other. And it had an unprecedented level of participation. This shows the power of innovation and digitization.

Innovation makes the impossible become possible,” said Qu Dongyu in his closing speech at the Conference.

The Regional Conference was attended by 545 virtual participants from 33 Member States, including a Prime Minister, two Vice Presidents and 92 Ministers and Vice Ministers. 103 observers from civil society, the scientific and academic world, the private sector, the parliamentary world, United Nations agencies and multilateral and intergovernmental organizations participated, and it was followed live by more than 10,000 people a day.

“Innovation will be a cross-cutting priority of FAO’s work in the region, including agricultural, food, technological and digital innovation,” said FAO’s Regional Representative Julio Berdegué.

Sustainable food systems to provide healthy diets for all

FAO’s first regional initiative will focus on creating sustainable food systems, in

order to ensure greater supply and physical access to diversified and nutritious diets for all.

“FAO will work with countries to improve consumer information and consumption habits to promote healthy diets, and will support producers to sustainably increase healthy food production. It will do so by facilitating access to productive assets, financing and training for small and medium producers, and promoting technological and digital innovation”, explained Berdegué.

FAO will also seek to reduce food loss and waste, improve food distribution systems, stimulate short supply chains and trade policies that promote greater food security, along with better food quality and safety.

“We will help countries increase investment in public goods and infrastructure, strengthen secure access to land, extend the coverage and quality of rural services, and generate greater market links for the agricultural sector,” said Berdegué.

FAO will also promote the global Hand in Hand Initiative, rural non-farm employment, private investment, and access to the Internet, information services and telecommunications, essential elements for the transition to digital agriculture and digital rural societies.

Sustainable and resilient agriculture The third initiative approved by the Conference seeks to create a sustainable and resilient agriculture that can produce food in a more sustainable way, with less

Hand in hand to achieve prosperous and inclusive rural societies

The second initiative approved by the countries during the Conference seeks to eradicate hunger and poverty in rural areas and stimulate the development of new economic opportunities in lagging territories.

Police Constable Renardo Brown Commended by Community The Deep Creek National Neighbourhood Watch Council (NNWC) extends commendations to Community Police Officer, Police Constable 1311 Renardo Brown, a thirteen-year veteran of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and resident law enforcement official in Deep Creek for the past seven years. Officer Brown is a community policing extraordinaire who is well-loved in South Eleuthera and his presence is greatly appreciated by the residents of Deep Creek.

Since day one Officer Brown has thrown his support behind the Deep Creek NNWC rendering assistance wherever necessary, sharing ideas and suggestions to bring the community together and help the organization grow, and lending his services and being an active participant whenever and wherever

necessary.

Officer Brown is the honorary public relations officer of the Deep Creek NNWC who takes all of the photos of events. He came up with the idea for the car wash, leads the community exercise and workout sessions, and has training sessions with the newly minted Citizen-OnPatrol (COP) personnel. He is also a diligent member of Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera. He involves himself in community functions and always makes himself available to citizens who may need his assistance and advice. The Deep Creek NNWC salutes Officer 1311 Brown for his exemplary service.

Police Constable Renardo Brown.

Oct/Nov, 2020 environmental impacts and with greater adaptation to climate change.

“Achieving this requires better disaster risk management, restoring soils, making efficient use of water, promoting low-emission livestock and the sustainable management of forests, fisheries and aquaculture,” said Julio Berdegué.

FAO will help countries to implement productive practices that are resilient to climate change, integrate biodiversity conservation into production policies, combat illegal fishing, and promote initiatives related to the region’s natural and cultural heritage, such as environmental services and products with geographical indications.

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Snapshot Covid -19

As it was October 26th, 2020

Handy Tip! DIY Painting & Purse Making Tips Each month, learn a bit about do-it-yourself painted designs and purse making with valuable tips and expert advice: TIP 3.

For daily information visit www.EleutheraNews.com

World Data

(https://clustrmaps.com/)

Note: “Today� refers to Oct. 27th, 2020

Besides store-bought fabrics, other materials can be used to diversify the look of your handbags. Straw plait and sisal are always a boost to purses but coupled with painted fabrics or even seeds, beads, and shells you can transform a bag from bland to beautiful in minutes. What do you have around you that would be a unique addition to your surface?