HAVE VISITORS WEAR CAMERA, SAY POLICE
Advice after recent alleged attacks by jet ski operators
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
Chief Reporter
Making a difference for future of coral
The US Embassy’s advisory warned travellers of sexual assault risks tied to jet ski rentals in The Bahamas, noting that both victims were picked up from beaches on Nassau
IN the wake of two reported rapes involving jet ski operators and a heightened warning from the US Embassy, police have proposed outfitting tourists with body-worn cameras as a safety measure — an idea some licensed operators support, though they say the real problem is a lack of enforcement against unlicensed vendors.
RBDF OFFICERS FACE DISCIPLINE FOR MA RINE BEATEN AND LEF T
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
SEVERAL Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers are facing internal disciplinary proceedings in connection with the alleged assault of a marine and his subsequent abandonment in Inagua last year, officials said yesterday.
The case, which drew public attention after the marine’s detailed account of being beaten aboard HMBS Kamalamee and forced to buy his own flight back to New Providence, is now at the summary trial stage.
Captain Glen McPhee, captain of Coral Harbour, confirmed yesterday that
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
THE MSC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of one of the world’s largest cargo operators, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), officially opened its Marine Conservation Centre on Ocean Cay, marking a significant investment in coral reef restoration and environmental research in The Bahamas. The non-profit organisation aims to promote sustainable practices that conserve marine
ecosystems. By 2027, it expects to cultivate 3,000 corals in its offshore nursery and outplant more than 6,000 corals annually. The centre includes 22 aquaria used to study coral physiology, with the ability
Girl with cerebral palsy will get education, says ministry
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Education says a special needs student in Abaco is expected to resume inperson classes immediately after the identification of necessary support staff to
replace a school employee who resigned.
The development follows national attention on the case of Royaltee Newton, a student with cerebral palsy who was unable to attend Central Abaco Primary School after losing
JET SKI OPER ATOR ONE OF TWO ON CHA RGES OF R APING TOURISTS
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
TWO men, including a jet ski operator, accused of raping female tourists in separate incidents in New Providence and San Salvador were informed that their cases will proceed to the Supreme Court for trial. Whitney Burrows, 37, and Jabez McDonald, 19, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn
PAGE THREE
MINISTER of Education Glenys Hanna Martin.
OFFICIALS including Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Kingsley Smith, Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting, Pierfrancesco Vago, Diego Aponte, Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation Chester Cooper view a coral growing aquarium during the official opening ceremony of the MSC Marine Conservation Centre at Ocean Cay yesterday.
Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Making a difference for future of coral
to control environmental factors such as temperature and pH to optimise coral resilience and reproduction. Once mature enough, the corals are transferred to offshore nurseries and eventually transplanted onto reefs to help regenerate more robust coral populations.
A Bio Lab on site will further support research into coral health, genetics, and early warning signs of environmental stress.
MSC executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago spoke of the transformation of Ocean Cay from a sand mining site to a beacon of restoration.
“The solution came to a paradise with a thriving marine and land ecosystem with nearly 300 Bahamians employed here. They take care of the honour and rich natural heritage of The Bahamas, and this new facility you see today reflects more than 20,000 hours of dedication, which is the tireless effort of 150 on-site workers and the steadfast commitment of hundreds of suppliers,” he said.
Mr Vago announced that new coral outplanting efforts around the cay began this year and revealed that the Foundation’s newest partnerships with the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) and the University of The Bahamas will support the training of marine scientists and conservationists. The programme aligns with the
Ministry of Education’s goals for technical and vocational development.
Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis described the centre’s opening as the “full flowering of a bold vision”.
“We thank MSC for believing that development and sustainability don’t have to be opposing forces. They can and, of course, must exist together, and Ocean Cay is proof of that. This project will create jobs, it will support local livelihoods, it will protect the environment, and it will invite the world to see The Bahamas not just as a destination, but as a leader in ocean conservation,” Mr Davis said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Chester Cooper applauded MSC’s flagship restoration initiative.
“Today I applaud this investment — this marine conservation centre — not necessarily depicting muscle and strength, but depicting the heart and the soul and the pride of the MSC Foundation,” he said. He also suggested MSC may become one of the largest port holders in the world through its stake in the Grand Bahama Shipyard.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Vaughn Miller highlighted the government’s ongoing commitment to protecting coral reefs, noting that a Cabinetapproved resolution led to the creation of a coral reef task force following the discovery of a deadly coral disease.
THE MARINE Conservation Center welcome hub seen during the official opening ceremony of the MSC Marine Conservation Centre at Ocean Cay yesterday.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Have visitors wear camera, say police
and Paradise Island and then taken to remote islands near New Providence, where the assaults occurred.
National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said that a police-led task force examining the jet ski industry has proposed attaching bodyworn cameras to life vests rented with jet skis. He supports the idea and said it could improve safety while removing secrecy around incidents that typically occur away from public view.
“If you have live camera on it, then you’re never alone,” Mr Munroe said.
“The body-worn cameras permit you to communicate to a base, so if you get injured, you can call for help.”
He said authorities are also exploring centralising jet ski rentals in designated areas, citing a suggestion from the US Chargé d’Affaires about using beach stalls similar to those used by coconut vendors.
“Being a tourist destination that we are,” he said, “we have to make a step in safeguarding not only the industry but, more importantly, citizens from The Bahamas and other countries who come in.”
Licenced jet ski operators told The Tribune they do not object to the proposed camera policy but believe its effectiveness would be limited unless the government cracks down on rogue
operators who target tourists without oversight.
Dennis Johnson, owner of Dennis Watersports, said unlicensed vendors are the real issue and should be removed from the beaches.
“Those who are not licenced, they need to tell them, look here, leave the area,” he said.
Pedro Bannister, CEO of Pedro’s Watersports, said licenced operators “wouldn’t have a problem” with body-worn cameras but questioned how the policy would apply to unregulated vendors operating outside authorised areas.
He said people working legitimately “ain’t gone never see nothing,” while the illegal operators will remain unchecked.
Mr Bannister, who has operated his business for over 30 years, said he already imposes strict rules on his six employees, including warnings not to ride with intoxicated female tourists or leave his line of sight.
“You can’t go no funny place with my tourist,” he said, adding that Defence Force officers on jet skis could help patrol popular areas.
Mr Johnson also called for more robust police presence at beaches to deter bad actors in the industry. Another veteran operator, speaking publicly, but asking not to be named in this article, criticised government’s approach to regulation, saying unlicenced vendors are
of National
frequently allowed to roam beaches on weekends without police interference. He claimed some of them lure female tourists with free rides and then take them to offshore cays with predatory intentions.
MINNIS: TRUMP URGED HIM TO ADDRESS ISSUES INVOLVING JET SKI OPERATORS WHEN HE WAS PM
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said US President Donald Trump once urged him to address complaints about harassment and aggression involving jet ski operators and pleasure crews in The Bahamas during his time in office.
Dr Minnis’ comments come after the US Embassy in Nassau issued a security alert on Wednesday highlighting safety concerns with jet ski operators, including two recent reports of American women being raped in New Providence.
Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Dr Minnis recalled a meeting with President Trump and other Caribbean leaders at Mar-aLago, Florida, where Trump raised the issue directly.
“President Trump expressed that he had one concern, and he asked of me to address it as quickly as possible,” Dr Minnis said.
“His concern at that time was jet skis and the pleasure crews that toured the American tourists. There were
too many complaints about harassment and other forms of aggression or illegalities.”
Dr Minnis said the US president called for stronger legislation to regulate the industry and insisted on consistent enforcement.
Dr Minnis said media reports at the time mentioned rape and inappropriate conduct involving jet ski operators.
He said his administration considered tougher laws in response to the concerns but maintained that enforcement — not
JET SKI OPERATOR ONE OF TWO ON CHARGES OF RAPING TOURISTS
from page one
Vogt-Evans on separate charges of rape.
McDonald, reportedly a jet ski operator, is accused of raping a 20-year-old female tourist on a beach in New Providence on November 2, 2024.
Burrows is accused of raping a 30-year-old female tourist in Cockburn Town, San Salvador, on January 26. Last week, The Tribune reported that a Carnival Cruise Line passenger alleged a jet ski operator raped her near Junkanoo Beach. A man has since been charged with raping the 23-year-old woman. Earlier this week, the US Embassy in Nassau issued a warning to travellers about sexual assault risks associated with jet ski
rentals in The Bahamas. Both defendants were served with voluntary bills of indictment (VBIs), officially transferring their cases to the Supreme Court. After signing their VBIs, they were told they would appear before Senior Justice Cheryl GrantThompson on June 27 to enter pleas.
The accused were also informed of their notice of alibi rights and their obligation to notify the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions within 21 days of any potential witnesses who might support their defence.
They were both remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley served as the prosecutor.
legislation — was the country’s core weakness.
“We don’t need laws — what we need is enforcement,” he said. “We are a country of laws but not a country of enforcement, and that’s what the President was basically saying.”
Dr Minnis said he was not surprised the issue had resurfaced recently, adding that Trump’s warning underscored longstanding concerns about safety for American tourists and the lack of action in response.
MINISTER
Security Wayne Munroe.
THEN Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and US President Donald Trump and their spuse during a 2018 visit.
RBDF officers face discipline for marine beaten and left
proceedings are finally moving forward.
“I can say to you that all of us in the Defence Force are subject to service law, and our military justice system is robust enough to effectively address any breach in a transparent and objective manner,” he told The Tribune. “With that said, without prejudice to that particular case, I’m able to say that its completion has extended beyond our expectations for various reasons.”
He cited personnel being on medical or vacation leave, the need for legal guidance on a missive submitted on behalf of one of the officers, and the possibility of a court-martial being considered in addition to the summary trial.
“We are currently in this stage, or at the process of summoning all of those involved to facilitate a summary trial with a start date of Monday, the 28th of April 2025,” Captain McPhee said.
He said it was difficult to predict how long the trial would take because of the
number of charges being considered. He added that the findings from the proceedings will be public, typically shared in the daily order by an authorised officer.
Commodore Raymond King also confirmed that charges had been filed and said the matter is ongoing. He declined to share specifics.
The investigation stems from an incident reported by The Tribune in June 2024, when the marine — Able Mechanic Marvaughn Miller — alleged that a senior officer physically attacked him after returning to the ship from a bar. He claimed a second officer joined in, kicking and punching him while he lay on the ground.
According to his internal report, after the first assault, he was taken to his room, only to be attacked again the next day during a meeting with the command team. He alleged that the senior officer repeatedly punched him, placed him in a headlock, and that no one intervened.
He said he later found he had lost two teeth, from
including a gold implant, and sustained bruises and a black eye. He claimed he was then ordered to pack his belongings, after which the vessel left Inagua
HYPE programme aims to assist at-risk youth through mentorship
HYPE (Helping Young People
Excel) is a national youth intervention and empowerment programme spearheaded by the Bahamas Ministry of National Security. It is designed to steer at-risk youth toward positive personal development through mentorship,
discipline, emotional resilience, and community engagement. The program brings together educators, law enforcement, health professionals, and social services to create a structured, supportive environment that fosters transformation and prevents crime.
without him. He said he paid for his flight back to New Providence and was not reimbursed. At the time, he told The Tribune he was “somewhat
satisfied” with how the Defence Force initially handled the matter but questioned whether justice would be served.
“They tend to always
lean on the side of the superior rank rather than who is right,” he said, noting he is seeking damages and wants the matter treated as a criminal offence.
MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe opens the workshop with a national call to action.
Photos: Keile Campbell
DR Carlos Reid shares his journey and street-level insights on gang culture.
MINISTER of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin speaks on the role of educators in steering young people toward discipline and success.
Girl with cerebral palsy will get education, says ministry
restroom assistance.
The ministry said that after consultations with Royaltee’s mother and officials in the Abaco district, a solution was found to restore the support she had previously received. It also pledged to ensure that “no gaps are created in this critical commitment,” echoing Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin’s earlier remarks. She said the student’s loss of care highlighted broader vulnerabilities in the education system’s support for special needs students.
She told reporters that virtual learning had been offered to Royaltee after it was reported she could not attend school due to the loss of restroom help.
“We’ve communicated to that parent the virtual school we’ve made available so that child does not loose learning time,” she said, while acknowledging that in-person learning is preferred. “The ministry –– between the district superintendent locally in Abaco and the director of education –– are working now in finding a solution for that situation.”
Royaltee’s mother, Deandra Newton, publicly voiced frustration after being told for more than a year that no teacher’s aide was available. She said her daughter did not need “a teacher to physically go into the toilet with her and watch her use the toilet. It’s just to wheel her to the restroom.”
She questioned the ministry’s “Every Child Counts” slogan, expressing doubt about its commitment to children with disabilities.
Before attending Central Abaco Primary, Royaltee was enrolled in a private school, which her mother said became too expensive to maintain alongside mounting medical bills.
Mrs Hanna-Martin confirmed that Royaltee was initially assisted by a school employee who later resigned. A teacher stepped in temporarily, but that arrangement did not last.
“I’m advised that that child was accommodated in the school through the auspices or assistance of one of the employees. However, that employee resigned, and that created a gap in care or in assistance, and then a teacher stepped in, and the teacher assisted, and then there was certain requirements that were asked, and the teacher could not, did not wish to comply with in terms of that,” she said.
Education Director Dominique McCartney-Russell responded to the controversy after a social media post by Ms Newton went viral. She said she was alerted to the situation through social media and had requested a full report. She also intends to meet with Ms Newton and the school’s principal to discuss the matter further.
Royaltee’s experience has drawn attention to the broader challenges families of children with disabilities face in accessing consistent support in the public school system, exposing gaps that advocates say remain despite legal protections.
The Education Act requires the Ministry of Education to identify students with disabilities and ensure they receive appropriate support, either in special schools or through modified instruction in regular schools. While the law ensures the right to special education, it does not explicitly mandate a teacher’s aide for every student with a disability. The Ministry determines what support is necessary on a case-by-case basis.
Mrs Hanna-Martin said special education remains a priority for the ministry, pointing to efforts to hire more teachers, increase accommodations, and create more inclusive environments for students with special needs. Under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, schools are required to provide reasonable accommodations — such as modified curriculum, physical access, or support staff — based on individual needs. The law also prohibits denying or expelling students based on disabilities, reinforcing the right to inclusive education.
While not guaranteed by law, the assignment of teacher’s aides may qualify as a reasonable accommodation, depending on the student’s circumstances.
“We’ve
communicated to that parent the virtual school we’ve made available so that child does not
loose learning time. The ministry – between the district superintendent locally in Abaco and the director of education – are working now in finding a solution for that situation.”
- Glenys Hanna-Martin Minister of Education
MAN ACCUSED OF ATTE MPTED MURDER OF THREE FA MILY ME MBERS AND POSSESSION OF FIREAR M
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was remanded into custody yesterday after being accused of attempting to kill three family members outside a clothing store on Farrington Road last month.
Jamal Miller, 40, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on three counts of attempted murder and three counts of possession
of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Prosecutors allege that on March 28, the defendant got into an altercation with Demars Woodside. After Wayne Woodside intervened to break up the fight between Miller and his son, the accused allegedly fired a gun at both men, as well as family matriarch Julia Woodside. Wayne Woodside was shot in the arm and treated successfully in hospital. Miller was not required
to enter a plea at this stage. He was told his case would be transferred to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI) and informed of his right to apply for bail in the higher court. He will be held at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is potentially served on June 12.
Miller was represented by Alphonso Lewis. Inspector Deon Barr served as the prosecutor.
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What to do with the clutter of signs?
COLUMNIST Diane Phillips was right to raise the issue of the forest of signs at Montagu blocking the view of the ocean.
Take a drive along, instead of seeing the sea, you will see a sea of advertisements. This company, that company. She is not the only one to be frustrated by the visual clutter blocking us off from the beauty of the ocean view. Someone put up a sign saying: “Don’t like the sign? Don’t buy the product!”
Ironically, that is one sign that seems to have been swiftly removed.
Then there is another sign up for the Durward Knowles sailing event – that was held in February and yet still a sign is up. When the sailing was ongoing, it would have helped block the view of the racing itself.
A petition has also been started asking for the out of control signage to be taken in hand.
In all things, there should be a balance, and the balance certainly seems out of whack right now.
Some measure of resolution would be welcome – but let us also consider that weeks-old advertisement for a sailing event. Around the country, you will find signs that are past their date. There are signs for church fairs and nightclub events, there are signs for all manner of occasions long past –and while the organisers were quick enough to put up the signs in the first
place, they drag their heels to remove them afterwards.
Some of those signs are for political parties from as long ago as the last election. There are still occasional signs up for candidates whose electoral hopes are long gone but whose smiling faces keep adorning street posts, trees, and wherever they forgot they left them.
Yesterday, driving along Eastern Road, there could be seen a plethora of small advertisements for what seems to be a new company, all stuck into trees along the route. That does not do the trees any good, so if the company is trying to win favour, it might well alienate as many as it wins over.
We do hope the matter at Montagu might find a solution – but after it does, perhaps some thought might be given to the bigger picture too.
Montagu’s view is a particular gem to treasure, but we should not leave the rest of our streets cluttered too.
One thing to consider – many of the companies advertising at Montagu are good members of our community. Perhaps some of those will choose to withdraw or relocate the signs on their own. So read Diane’s column today, and consider what we can collectively decide to do to improve our environment.
After all, small steps can lead to big changes.
Raise wages for possible re-election
EDITOR, The Tribune.
ON April 7th, Moody’s released its updated sovereign credit rating for The Bahamas, moving us from “stable” to “positive”. While I personally give little credence to the likes of Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s or the other dismal footmen of international capitalism (none of whom understand the Bahamian economy any better than my cat), this will at least deprive elements of our local media of an opportunity to distract voters away from the things that really matter.
In fact, in light of a largely uneventful recent calendar of credible “corruption” stories, a remarkable recovery from the deplorable Minnis era and a stabilising murder rate, there is every reason to hope that Mr Davis’ can be the first two term government since 2002.
But perhaps the easiest fix of all for any sensible Bahamian government seeking
To
re-election is to adjust the minimum wage upward once again – and substantially so.
Relative both to the general wealth of The Bahamas and to prices here, our minimum wage is simply too low.
To illustrate this, consider a comparison with Jamaica, which is less than a fifth as wealthy as The Bahamas, yet has a minimum wage more than a third as high as ours.
In terms of prices, consider that every single cost to a foreign investor in The Bahamas (and to Bahamian consumers, too) is higher here than on the US mainland - with the exception of labour. This, and nothing else, is the ultimate explanation of our permanent “cost of living” crisis. It is also a structural strain on growth in the domestic economy, which always lags foreign investment levels. It is important to understand that the wealth upon which we all live is not generated in The Bahamas. It is
hamas.
Why now is Lewis a no good MP?
EDITOR, The Tribune.
generated externally and is merely circulated here.
So by raising wages to ensure that more locally circulated wealth goes to employees (consumers) and less to employers (middlemen), government does not constrain either investment or employment levels. Rather, it merely directs more foreign capital into consumption in the domestic economy and less into dividends and profits parked in private accounts – enhancing economic growth. With the very real possibility of another global recession on the horizon (and with an opposition desperate to reverse the gains of progressive government), it is advisable for the Prime Minister to call an election ahead of any headwinds – and to begin the campaign with a substantial increase in the national minimum wage.
ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, April 9, 2025.
I WAS dismayed after listening to former staunched Free National Movement supporter Natasha Darville list her reasons for the fallout between Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis and that area’s constituency association on Shenique Miller’s Beyond the Headlines program. According to Darville, the constituency association turned against Lewis after he had launched a campaign for the FNM leadership in late 2021. At the time, former FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis was coerced into resigning after his party suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of the Progressive Liberal Party in September 2021. I am at a loss for words in attempting to make sense of why was there a breakdown in Lewis’ relationship with FNM leader Michael Pintard, who wasn’t even the leader at that time. According to Darville, after Pintard won the FNM leadership race Lewis went to him and assured him of his support moving forward. I have no reason to doubt Lewis’ sincerity. If Darville’s account of what led Lewis to defect from the FNM to the Coalition of Independents is right, then it would mean that the atmosphere within the FNM became too hostile and unbearable for Lewis to
remain. He became persona non grata. Darville has been an FNM for decades. The fact that she is now speaking out against the party she has loved for most of her life should be concerning to party insiders. Based on her account to Miller, I am now led to question the accuracy of the words of executives of the Central Grand Bahama constituency association to The Nassau Guardian.
According to a representative of this association, Central Grand Bahama constituents wanted Lewis gone because “he was an absent member of Parliament who was not as visible in the community as prior representatives.”
I am not buying this explanation to The Nassau Guardian. You see, Lewis was the architect of the farmers festival at the International Bazaar every other weekend, which gave struggling Grand Bahamians the opportunity to earn money by selling their garden produce, juices or cooked food as vendors. Lewis was also behind the backyard farming initiative in Freeport in which he was a fierce advocate for. He also held annual
Christmas parties and back to school events for the kids in his constituency. I also personally know of him donating to a group of Bahamian missionaries and he was very accessible to his constituents. If Lewis does not deserve to be reelected, then who does? Exactly what standard are we using to gauge Lewis with? Who are these constituents who want Lewis gone? Thousands of Grand Bahamians are disillusioned about that island’s economy. Are we going to scapegoat Lewis, who has been an MP since 2017, for a recession that began about 16 years before he entered Parliament?
The picture that the Central Grand Bahama constituency association spokesman painted in The Nassau Guardian is very inaccurate, and it leads me to the conclusion that they are now coming out of the woodworks to smear Lewis because he has left the organisation. Why wasn’t this said before his announcement in the House of Assembly last week? When he was an FNM MP nobody had an issue with his representation. Now all of a sudden, I’m to believe that he was a worthless MP who did diddly squat in his community?
KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama April 8, 2025.
EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Moody’s announcement sweet music to PM Davis but how many of our financial commentators would agree? Reporting the whole story…Central Bank does not report ‘bills unpaid’… You know the ones kept in the desk draw and usually after an election and a change of Government we hear the new administration found $450-600m of unpaid bills. Was Moody’s appraised of those invoices-unpaid bills? Kudos PM anyway. Revenue arrears...remember arrears can only be collected once. MPs, how many can get re-elected on their own merit and not as in their initial election on coat tail of the PM? Very few. The move by MP Lewis and his confident assertion to me is a joke as are so many more elected MPs...sip sip the PLP new 2026 candidate list you can hardly recognise the names...
numerous new unknowns... We vote governments out and governments through competition between the leaders - cash in campaignmusic at rallies but 2026 will concentrate on social media as the new and young voter is now unrecognised and has little interest. How many young voters have registered? No party likes that. M THOMPSON Nassau, April
SAILOR navigates the Montague foreshore in the early morning hours yesterday in Nassau, Ba-
Photo: Tim Aylen/Bahamas Visual Services
BNT workshop on sustainable
fishpot building in Long Island
THE Bahamas National Trust (BNT), with support from The Builders Initiative (TBI), recently concluded two workshops to build capacity among local fishers and promote long-term sustainability in Bahamian fisheries. The sessions, held on April 2 and 3 at the Clarence Town Community Centre, brought together commercial and subsistence fishers and interested community members from across Long Island to strengthen their knowledge and practical skills in responsible fishing and diving safety.
The Fish Pot Construction Workshop, held on April 2, was led by trapmaking expert Castwelt Mounts, who shared over 45 years of experience in fisheries and trap design. Participants received handson training in building more environmentally responsible fish pots designed to reduce bycatch and minimize damage to marine habitats. This workshop encouraged responsible fishing practices that help sustain fish populations and support healthier marine ecosystems.
The following day, the Diver Safety Training Workshop was facilitated by captain Omar Daley, a certified International Technical Nitrox Dive Instructor and former dive master at Stella Maris Inn.
With a diving career spanning more than three decades, Daley guided attendees through the essential principles of safe diving, emergency preparedness, and best practices for commercial and subsistence divers. The presentationbased session focused on critical safety knowledge
without requiring in-water participation.
Both workshops are part of an ongoing collaboration between the BNT and TBI to support fishers across The Bahamas through community-based outreach, education, and conservation training.
One participant shared: “I’ve been fishing for years, but I learned things today that will help me work smarter and protect the ocean at the same time. The instructors were very knowledgeable, and both of these workshops are something that was very needed.”
“These workshops are aimed at empowering fishers to protect their livelihoods and marine resources,” said Tatyana Archer, Outreach Officer at The Bahamas National Trust. “By offering hands-on training and practical knowledge, we’re helping to build a stronger foundation for sustainability in our Family Island communities. We’re incredibly grateful to our instructors, our participants, and our partners at The Builders Initiative for making these sessions possible.”
This outreach with fishers on the island is especially timely, as the BNT is currently developing a management plan for Conception Island National Park, one of the most ecologically significant protected areas in the country.
Long Island plays a vital role in the future of the park, both geographically and as a key stakeholder community. Engaging local fishers at this stage ensures that their knowledge, experiences, and priorities are reflected in the long-term stewardship of this important marine ecosystem. Participants will receive certificates of completion, and each participant was able to keep the fish pot they constructed during the workshop. The BNT plans to continue hosting similar training sessions across The Bahamas to strengthen capacity and promote sustainable marine resource use as part of the Builders Initiative Project. The Builder’s Initiative Project aims to improve the management effectiveness of Bahamian Marine Protected Areas through science, technology, and stakeholder appreciation.
Police arrest four involved in daylight hold-up in Grand Bahama
POLICE in Grand Bahama arrested four people on Wednesday in connection with an armed robbery that involved a staged car sale and a brazen daylight hold-up.
According to police, a man arranged to meet someone he knew around 12.30pm to purchase a vehicle at a business establishment near East Mall Drive. When he arrived, two other men—also known to him—approached from behind, pulled guns, and robbed him of a large amount of cash before fleeing in a white SD vehicle.
Officers acting on intelligence later found the suspected getaway car at a home on Chichester Crescent. A 19-year-old woman, the lone occupant, was arrested at the scene. Police later took three men — ages 29, 27, and 31 — into custody on Allenby Lane in connection with the case. Investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, police in New Providence are investigating a separate armed robbery that occurred shortly before 10.30pm the same day. A man sitting in his car at a financial
COURT ORDERS MAN TO
PAY
institution on John F Kennedy Drive was reportedly approached by two armed men wearing dark clothing and hoodies. They robbed him of his black Ford Focus, licence plate DC0480, and fled west along JFK Drive.
Police have reported marijuana along with $42,256 in cash has been seized in Exuma and a 31-year-old male islander arrested after executing a search warrant at a residence in Steventon on Thursday afternoon. The marijuana has an estimated value of $1,000.
$1,000 TO PERSON HE THREATENED TO KILL WITH GUN
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was ordered to compensate someone $1,000 after admitting to threatening to kill him with a gun last week.
Magistrate Lennox Coleby arraigned Jamal Morley, 36, on a charge of possession of a firearm with
intent to put another in fear. Jamal and Jarrad Morley were also jointly charged with threats of death.
Jamal, while armed with an imitation handgun, reportedly threatened to kill Valentino Cartwright on April 5 in New Providence. Jarrad Morley is also accused of threatening Mr Cartwright during the same incident.
Both defendants pleaded guilty.
The brothers were ordered to pay $1,000 in compensation to the complainant or face six months in prison.
They are expected to return to court on April 22 with proof of payment.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie prosecuted the case.
TWO-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR SC AMMING THREE PEOPLE OF $7,500 IN FRAUDULENT CONTAINER SCHEME
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was sentenced to two years in prison for scamming three people out of $7,500 in a fraudulent shipping container scheme.
Emmanuel Bonaby, 28, was charged with three counts of fraud by false pretences before Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville. Prosecutors said Bonaby defrauded three people between January 5 and
April 25, 2022, under the guise of securing shipping containers.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges on December 12, 2024. His attorney, Levan Johnson, submitted that a two-year sentence would be appropriate, while Inspector Cordero Farrington, who prosecuted the case, argued for a three-year term. Inspector Farrington also pointed out that Bonaby had a recent similar conviction
before Magistrate Kendra Kelly-Burrows. Magistrate Serville ultimately sentenced Bonaby to two years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He also acknowledged the defendant’s request to keep his hair uncut in prison due to his Rastafarian faith. Before being taken into custody, Bonaby was allowed a brief moment with a female relative in court.
Community meeting in Long Island discusses proposed Conception Island National Park
THE Bahamas National Trust (BNT) hosted a community meeting in Clarence Town, Long Island, on Wednesday to engage the local community in the development of a management plan for Conception Island National Park (CINP). The session brought together residents, fishermen, business owners, and community leaders to discuss conservation priorities, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration for the national park.
Conception Island National Park, located northeast of Long Island, is one of the most ecologically significant national parks in The Bahamas. Established in 1964 and expanded in 2009 and 2021, the park protects Conception Island, Booby Cay, South Rocks, and their surrounding marine ecosystems. This remote national park is home to critical habitats that support several endangered and conservation-significant species. Its mangroves provide nursery grounds for juvenile green turtles and commercially important species such as Nassau Grouper and Queen Conch.
The park’s shallow and deep reefs host a wide range of marine life, including the endangered Elkhorn Coral and one of the most extensive Monastrea reefs in the Caribbean. Its coastlines are important feeding and nesting grounds for resident and migratory birds, particularly seabirds like
the White-tailed tropicbird and various species of terns.
The BNT is currently developing a management plan for CINP to guide conservation actions, address environmental threats, and ensure the sustainable use of the park’s resources. This plan will also reflect the values and priorities of local communities, making meetings like this one essential to shaping the future of the park.
During the meeting, participants shared concerns about illegal fishing, habitat disturbance, and the impacts of unregulated tourism. They also emphasized the need for increased enforcement, community education, and representation in decision-making.
The BNT outlined key goals for the management plan, including the creation of clearly defined park zones, protection of sensitive habitats like mangrove creeks and Elkhorn coral reefs, and improved monitoring through tools like drone technology. The organization also outlined its plan to install more signage and physical boundary markers in the park. During the meeting, the BNT invited participants to share their views on whether CINP should be designated as a complete no-take zone. The overwhelming majority expressed strong support for this proposal, signaling a clear community consensus in favour of heightened
protection - like the model used in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.
“This meeting is just the beginning of what we hope will be an ongoing and collaborative process,” said Lakeshia AndersonRolle, Executive Director of The Bahamas National Trust, who shared a lot of BNT’s plans during the meeting. “Long Island is a key stakeholder island in the future of Conception Island, and this community’s voice, knowledge, and vision must help shape how the park is managed and protected. When community members are involved from the start, we create stronger, more meaningful conservation outcomes, and we ensure that the park continues to benefit both the environment and future generations of Bahamians.”
As part of its next steps, the BNT plans to host additional meetings to engage other key stakeholder groups, including North Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador. The BNT also announced its plans to soon establish an office and increase staff presence on Long Island, as well as host future educational and community activities.
Once drafted, the management plan will be circulated for public review, with a 30-day period for community feedback and input. A full recording of the meeting can be viewed on The BNT’s YouTube page.
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WORKSHOP instructor Castwelt Mounts (sixth from left) shows participants how to build sustainable and environmentaly safe fish pots.
‘Their eyes were watching God’
BAHAMIAN artist Jack-
son Burnside confided in the nation’s leading hurricane authority Wayne Neely for his book on the 1929 Andros hurricane that he “first learned about this storm by listening to older persons in the community talking about this giant of a storm.
I also learned about it by reading a book called Their Eyes Were Watching God, by well-noted American author Zora Neale Hurston. He said that a TV film collaboration between Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones and Halley Berry garnered 24.6 million US viewers “entrenching the novel in the public consciousness, and in the American literary canon”.
Zora Neale Hurston encountered this hurricane in The Bahamas while she did research for that book, and has said that it influenced the depiction of the storm in its climax.
From New Orleans, Hurston travelled to South Florida, then on to The Bahamas. Her stay was devoted mostly to the collection of native songs and learning about the Jumping Dance. During her visit to The Bahamas in 1929, Hurston experienced the powerful three-day hurricane of late September, which resulted in the deaths of many persons and animals and the washing away of hundreds of homes. Hurston called on the memory a few years later to develop and duplicate the terror in her Everglades hurricane in Their Eyes Were Watching God, which is actually based on the Great Lake Okeechobee Hurricane that struck Florida in 1929 and caused severe flooding…” and casualties. “She repeated her trips to The Bahamas during the latter part of the 1920s
By Eric Wiberg
and early 1930s. Today, this book is widely regarded as a literary masterpiece.”
When Hurston became an anthropologist, she was not only compelled to explore her African-American heritage in Florida but also to travel to the Caribbean. She used scholarship money,
grants, and advances on her books to finance field trips to various islands. In late September and October 1929, she traveled to The Bahamas for two weeks, doing research and filming dances. She experienced a violent hurricane, and was able to return to
The Bahamas in January and February of 1930 to finish her field work, which was published in an article entitled “Dance Songs and Tales from The Bahamas” in the July to September 1930 issue of Journal of American Folklore.
According to a biographer, in April 1936 the author travelled to Jamaica and studied the Maroons, then visited Haiti until the end of the year. In early November of 1936, she began writing Their Eyes Were Watching God and finished it the third week of December, either while still in Haiti or soon after returning to the States. In May 1937 Hurston went back to Haiti but took ill, yet continued to return. She wrote a book covering travels and research in Haiti and Jamaica entitled Tell My Horse.
In K Cartwright’s “‘To Walk with the Storm’: Oya as the Transformative ‘I’ of Zora Neale Hurston’s Afro-Atlantic Callings,” her biographer notes that Hurston’s research trip to The Bahamas began when she “left behind a tumultuous love affair with a younger man”.
The “Guggenheimfellowship-supported trip gave her respite from a man who demanded she give up her career to devote to their relationship. This personal tale is interwoven
with memories of Hurston’s own experience of a 1929 hurricane in The Bahamas, as well as her interviews with survivors of the Okeechobee hurricane in Florida. Their Eyes Were Watching God thus intersects the geopolitical memories of Florida, Haiti, the Bahamas, and New York… the hurricane an apt metaphor for tensions and contentions shaping black women’s lives…”
In her autobiography Dust Tracks on a Road, Hurston recalls hearing a song on her first visit to Nassau in 1929: “I loved the place the moment I landed. Then, that first night as I lay in bed, listening to the rustle of a coconut palm just outside my window, a song accompanied by string and drum broke out in full harmony. I got up and peeped out and saw four young men and they were singing Bellamena, led by
Ned Isaacs. I did not know him then, but I met him the next day.” Hurston the musicologist and anthropologist continues to relate how Ballymena “has a beautiful air, and the oddest rhythm. I found out later that it was a song about a rum-running boat [the former yacht Ballymena] that had been gleaming white, but after it had been captured by the United States Coast Guard and released, it was painted black for obvious reasons. That was my welcome to Nassau, and it was a beautiful one. The next day I got an idea of what prolific song-makers the Bahamans are. With that West African accent grafted on English of the uneducated Bahamian, I was told, “You do anything, we put you in sing.”” With humor, Hurston comments wryly that she “walked carefully to keep out of ‘sing.’” And she did.
ABOVE - Monument to the victims of the hurricane which hit Lake Okeechobee, Florida.
RIGHT: Zora Neale Hurston, trailblazing American novelist and a leader in the Harlem RENAISSANCE
BODIES being carted from the hurricane when it hit Florida.
Excuse me, what did you say your address was?
A FEW years back, some time around 2019, I think it was, the government of The Bahamas decided we should have addresses. Well, we probably already had addresses, we just did not know them, so they decided to formalise it.
It seemed like a good plan at the time. Being able to say 31 East Street South would simplify things instead of launching into a lengthy explanation of where you could be found that could pass for a history lesson and went something like this: “I by East Street jus’ a li’l ways south off Wulff Road, you know where the walk-up Wendy’s is what used to be a Jiffy Cleaners, yeah, long time ago, remember the orange and blue building, yeah, yeah, that’s the one, now it’s a Wendy’s, the one youse just walk up ta da’ window at, and across from Mr. Wilson’s shoe fix-it place. So da’ place is jus’ behind ‘dere in ‘da white building with ‘da yella trim what needs paintin’, I’ll be waitin’ fo’ ya. Wha’ time you say ya comin’?”
So you can see that 31 East Street South would be a lot easier. Not as lyrical, but easier.
Addresses would make it easier for BPL to find you, too, should the unthinkable happen and your power went off. BPL got smart way before the rest of us. Long before Google decided to map the modern world, BPL adopted its own address system, giving every pole a number, not that they would ever need it for the reason most people have addresses, like for mail or other in-person
By Diane Phillips
delivery but at least they would know what pole needed fixing if you could only describe what’s close to the pole so they know the address approximately without having to guess which big dilly tree you are telling them your home, now without benefit of light to help find it, is near. Google map it
What is truly astounding is that even without addresses on buildings for long blocks at a time it is possible to find your way anywhere in New Providence using Google maps. Amazing, truly amazing, when you consider that most places, even though they got an address when they were giving them out, did not bother to post that information anywhere where Google could see it (or BPL or anyone else, for that matter). And on top of that, or maybe it’s just me being confused, but it feels like the address system was designed by two different companies. Like one had the job of doing every building on the east side of the road and the other on the west, or one on the north and the other on the south, because in some places the addresses seem like they crisscross or one is smaller than the other
when it is farther away from what you thought was a starting point. Like how could the British Colonial be One Bay Street and another building a block west also boast One Bay Street? Speaking of One, how many places choose what feels like it should be an address for a name? One Ocean. One Marina Place. One Cable Beach by the way the Google address for which is HGW+6FH. Can you just us see us as a family on a Sunday drive – honey, let’s go to HGW+6FH, maybe they have one of those beautiful condos for sale. Nobody ever says if that’s One, maybe the building next door should be Two. Nope, they just march on and find another name. It’s no wonder this address thing has us confused. If one address is good…
They say some places have an abundance of addresses because the developer had assigned them one before the official system decided to kick in and provide another. So while some people never did get an address, others now have two. Rumour has it that some folks in Sandyport have two addresses for the same residence. I can just hear the conversation now, “Hello,
...And the numbers continue to climb
T H E R E are now 17, count them, 17 signs blocking the view of Montagu Bay. How dare they? The crass, com mercial out-of-control signage that increasingly blocks one of the last open pieces of water front in New Providence continues to grow and fester like a cancer that kills. Kills the view. Kills the sense of peace and tranquility.
Plaudits to the brave individual who erected a small sign that suggested economic boycott of those companies who think their names and their shallow messages are more important than your right to view Montagu Bay. There is a place for proper signage. The waterfront is not one of them. As someone whose profession touches marketing, I am astounded that companies do not understand the reverse impact improper placement of a message can have, like trying to sell weed to a Sunday school class of six-year-olds. So where should businesses be advertising or positioning their goods or services? Here’s a professional’s view - on bus stop benches and shelters, on moving vehicles, including wraps on jitneys, on their company vehicle in a dignified style, on tour vehicles, in print, on TV or radio and definitely in social media, banner ads, L-shaped, or in any format that companies like BahamasLocal can blast. Use Google ads. Tell your story in a press release. Host an event. Create a signaturesomething that is your trademark. Use digital ad space in appropriate places, indoor at LPIA,
instance, or on Shirley Street in Nassau and in front of Town Centre in Old Fort Bay, but not in residential areas or places so clogged that signage instead of being attractive merely adds to the look of clutter and junk begging to be removed. Find a suitable influencer or two or more as your conduit, actively delivering your message in non-traditional environments. Use the best tool of all – provide a great product or service and incentivise loyalty and word-of-mouth from satisfied clients and customers. Nothing is more powerful than the spoken word. But don’t litter, clutter or block the view of Bahamian waters anywhere. Those views must be held sacrosanct.
I just wonder if those who choose to clutter for commercial gain understand their abuse of the environment by means of billboard blasphemy can backfire as drivers subconsciously vow not to do business with those entities who do not care about what they do to our right to open spaces and views of beautiful waters. Thank you to the individual who sent the photo suggesting a boycott. Whoever you are, please contact me. We can stop this if enough people care and clearly people do because as of this writing, more than 330 have signed the petition opposing the signage on Montagu Foreshore. Thank you to whoever started that. Let’s unite to build up the pressure until the disastrous mess that never should have been there in the first place comes tumbling down and we can see the clear blue waters of the bay by day and lit by the moon at night.
BPL, this is 37, I mean 53, or you can say 53 but it’s really 37….do they end up describing like we did before, ‘turn by da corner by dat big dilly tree…”
Addresses could be handy if a) if numbers were posted on most, if not all, buildings and b) we knew where the numbers originated so the progression would make sense and we would know if we were headed in the right direction.
Take Bar 20 corner, for instance, whatever that stands for, but you know where it is on Mackey Street. Actually, it is called Parkgate Avenue further east but understanding the numbering system is like trying to solve the rubik’s cube unless they switch at Kemp Road and move up and down from there,
but then what does that do to thinking that One Bay Street is the beginning of the numbering system?
Even Google must be confused. Just the other day there was a car with a big Google sign on top driving through New Providence, either trying to find its way around or more likely, updating information.
Realistically, addresses are actually a good thing and a government could rightly say “We brought you addresses” and not invite any sort of argument from the Opposition, if only we understood how the address system worked.
There’s never been a lot of pressure to worry about getting addresses or getting the address system to work in our favour because we don’t have mail delivery
except to post office boxes and they could soon be a thing of the past. When’s the last time you checked your mail or worried you were missing something important someone had mailed to you because you had not checked your box since COVID restrictions were lifted?
Yup, addresses could be handy if we bothered to post the numbers we were assigned. But there is something lyrical about describing 31 East Street South in 100 words or less and lapsing into a conversation about how that neighbourhood used to be back in the day before life took a turn for the simpler that turned out to be confusing and we wanted to rely on numbers we hunt and seek.
Position Title: Senior Project Manager
Position Title: Senior Project Manager
Location: Paradise Island, Bahamas
Location: Paradise Island Bahamas
Job Summary: Responsible for the overall progress of the onsite work, as well as the management of labour, equipment, and material resources
Key Responsibili<es:
• Manage the day-to-day acCviCes on site, including managing subcontractors and direct labour tracking against schedule, and monitoring quality, and safety.
• Liaise with the logisCcs team to ensure materials, equipment and labour are on site when required
• Inventory management, check-in/receive materials, goods and equipment, ensure proper storage, and handling of all items
RFI management between client team and contractors
• Work alongside design and commercial colleagues to produce work package scopes and RFPs, to be sent out to consultants and contractors
• Supervise the quality of work both by direct labour and contractors. Assist with producing regular updates for senior management and ownership.
Skills:
• Demonstrated leadership skills with prior Superintendent/Project Manager experience.
• Ability to accurately read drawings, details, secCons, plans, models, schedules etc.
• Must be IT literate and able to use MS Office suite of soPware, ability to use MS Project highly desirable
• Experience with Procore construcCon management soPware is highly desirable.
• Must be proficient in reading/wriCng/conversing in English.
• Basic first aid training and the ability to manage a medical emergency.
• Must have a valid Driver’s license
• Work a minimum of 40 hours per week plus addiConal hours as required
Educa<on/Experience Required:
• University degree in ConstrucCon Management or closely related discipline Minimum of ten years progressively responsible and related experience in construcCon supervision in a UK or Caribbean contracCng environment
• Experience of marine, infrastructure, hospitality, and leisure projects.
• Caribbean and/or internaConal experience is preferenCal (but not essenCal). The ability to operate a small boat (Approx. 30P) is advantageous
• Physical Requirements:
• Must be able to remain in a staConary posiCon for long periods of Cme. Must be able to move about outdoors and on Company property to assist the wider daily operaCons of the organizaCon
• Ability to work outside all kinds of Island weather (i.e. heat, humidity, rain, wind, etc ).
• Physical liPing requires to liP and/or move up to 100 pounds.
Interested persons should submit their resume to P.O. Box SS19098
BAHAMAS GIRL GUIDES ASSOCIATION
Monday, March 7, was an exciting day in Long Island.
The Ranger Guides participated in the establishment of the Wall of Fame for alumni of the NGM Major High School where Dr Ruth Sumner, president, and Elma Garraway, assistant chief commissioner, were among the old scholars who were inducted.
In the afternoon, 18 Brownies travelled from. Simms Primary School and joined the 12 Sunflowers at Mangrove Bush Primary for their Promise Ceremony.
The creative presentations by the girls in poetry, choral speaking, singing and knowledge of the Guiding programme were received enthusiastically by parents, teachers and guests.
Gratitude is extended to the Sunflower leader, Patrice Minnis, for her commitment to ensuring the continuity of a vibrant Sunflower Patch at Mangrove Bush Primary. Ginger Turnquest, principal, commended the quality of meetings and expressed tangible support with a donation to the BGGA Building Fund.
Stephanie Brown, leader of Simms Brownies, assisted by Miss Boudie, teacher and assistant Brown Owl, were applauded for their work and significant effort to ensure that the Brownies are engaged in the programme, earn badges and do many good turns in the community. Parents and principals join the association in seeking leadership for the establishment of a Guide Company at both high Schools on Long Island.
PILOT CLUB OF NASSAU
The Pilot Club of Nassau, through its Pick Me Up Division, hosted a Caregivers’ Recognition Luncheon on Saturday, April 5, at the Canon Neil Roach Hall, Holy Cross Anglican Church. Ten caregivers were honoured under the theme “Caring for the Caregiver.”
The event celebrated nurses, teachers, police officers, patient care technicians, hostel workers, and family caregivers for their dedication to helping others. Each honoree received a token of appreciation and a
heartfelt tribute. Part of Pilot International’s Pick Me Up programme, these monthly events offer small acts of kindness to uplift caregivers and highlight their oftenoverlooked service. Guest speaker Rev Cheryl Carroll, in her inspiring message, encouraged our award recipients to continue rendering outstanding service.
“Caregivers give so much of themselves without expecting anything in return,” said Serethea Clarke, co-ordinator of the Pick-Me-Up Division. “This is our way of saying thank you.”
The recipients honored
were: Sr Marva Coakley, OSB, Judy Carey, Kezetta Edwards, Alexander Gibson, Stephanie McKinney, Mavis Pratt, Lakeno Strachan, Narona Smith, Lauralyn Smith and Shirley Bell-Walker.
SAXONS JUNKANOO GROUP
Never in the history of our number one culture, Junkanoo, a prolific leader like Percy “Vola” Francis has ever emerged. As the Saxons celebrate their 60th Anniversary this year, so too does Vola Francis as their leader!
In 1965, when the Mason Street Boys formed their Junkanoo Group and named themselves after the costume they were performing under the Saxons, they also named Vola as their leader.
This artistic young man who wanted to be a doctor found himself as the leader of a coalition of groups from over-the-hill who wanted to rush on Bay Street and compete with the best of them.
This was an unprecedented challenge and Vola was used to challenges from he was a small boy. Coming from a large family headed by a Baptist preacher who didn’t tolerate his children going astray. This Junkanoo venture was an outlet for Vola and his artistic talents that he embraced wholeheartedly, and emerged as a likable leader.
This was a great move by Vola to embrace the leadership role, but it was also a great move by the coalition of young Junkanoo groups to name Vola as their leader.
Yes, 60 years later the whole world now see the benefits of what these moves mean to The Bahamas and the world at large.
The Saxons are the number one group who have weathered many storms but have remained as the core Junkanoo group with one leader for 60 years.
Nobody today can imagine Junkanoo without the Saxons and Vola leading them. They have remained strong and have set many records including the last four straight Junkanoo victories. They have remained almost unbeatable and have set the Junkanoo world ablaze. Who can beat the Saxons, is now the number one priority for all the groups.
In addition to the Saxons and Vola celebrating parallel anniversaries, their sponsor Shell is also celebrating 40 years as their sponsor. This too is a record
and have set the benchmark even higher for groups and sponsors alike. Who can match Shell?
Vola is grateful for the leadership role and the life that Junkanoo has given him. He has blossomed as a better leader, father, friend, husband and family man all because of the Saxons and Junkanoo.
He’s especially grateful to the relationships this has brought to him including members of his executive circle which includes Olvin Rees his Treasurer, Toby Austin his Chairman of the Saxons and many others including Sir Franklyn Wilson, chairman of their sponsor who he considers one of his biggest supporters and friend.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve as leader of the Saxons these last 60 years” said Vola. “God has been so good to me to bring me these people to help steer me in the right direction and make the right decisions”, continued Vola. “I don’t know what my life would have been like without the Saxons and Junkanoo with so many friends and people that I love, I’m eternally grateful”. The Shell Saxons Superstars are jointly celebrating 60 years and 40 years. Their partnership has yielded unprecedented breakthroughs and results, and Vola has been the center of it all. This anniversary year, the Saxons and Shell have planned several events to highlight these milestones.
“The best is yet to come” said Olvin Rees, treasurer of the Saxons and Chairman of their 60th Anniversary Committee! Indeed it is as Vola has made a commitment to celebrate and give thanks throughout this historic year to everyone who have contributed to their success.
We congratulate the Saxons on their 60th anniversary and also Shell on their 40th anniversary as well. We look forward to great things from both.
TOASTMASTERS CLUB 1600
For over five decades, the First Bahamas Branch of Toastmasters Club 1600 has
been a pillar of leadership, personal development, and excellence in communication. On March 22, the club commemorated its remarkable history with the Legacy Leadership Banquet, a soldout black-tie affair held at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Convention Center.
The evening served as a tribute to the 60 Past Presidents whose dedication and vision have shaped the club’s success over the past 56 years. A major highlight of the night was the Legacy Leadership Awards, recognising seven distinguished members for their outstanding contributions to the club’s growth and impact.
The banquet was held under the esteemed patronage of Past President #12, Philip Davis KC, DTM, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. His presence underscored the profound influence of Toastmasters in developing leaders who go on to serve in critical roles throughout the nation.
Club president TM Camron Reckley expressed gratitude on behalf of the executive team. Special appreciation was extended to the dedicated banquet planning committee, chaired by TM Azano Major (vice president Membership) and co-chaired by TM Daniel Douglas (vice president public relations).
As Toastmasters Club 1600 continues to empower individuals through communication and leadership, the Legacy Leadership Banquet served as a powerful reminder of the club’s rich history and its unwavering commitment to shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
JOIN THE CLUB
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For more information about the page, contact Stephen Hunt on 826-2242.
SCENES from Guiding activities in Long Island, above and right.
PERCY “Vola” Francis, of the Saxons.
THE PILOT Club of Nassau hosted a Caregivers’ Recognition Luncheon, above and below.
PRIME Minister Philip Davis was among the attendees at the Toastmasters Legacy Leadership Banquet.
Inagua All Age School performs for National Art Festival
STUDENTS at the Inagua All Age School, showcased their artistic skills through performing in the E Clement Bethel National Arts Festival adjudications, at the school in Matthew Town, on Monday. Among those present were the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training’s South Central Bahamas district superintendent Jerome Forbes and Family Island administrator Quenna Gibson.
Photos: Eric Rose/BIS