Couple worried about mile-wide oil patch off north coast

Read storyA couple fishing on the northern coast ran into a patch of oil about one square mile are worried that authorities don't seem to care.

After running into the patch of oil, Alex Callendar and her husband reported to the Department of Environmental Health.

“The man who they said was responsible for that area said he did not know anything about it and he didn’t seem too bothered,” said Mrs Callender.

Minister of the Environment, Earl Deveaux, and a member of the country’s national Oil Spill Contingency Response Committee, said Port Authority controller Captain Anthony Allen has primary responsibility for organising a response to such incidents.

On Friday, Allen had still not responded to messages left from him on Tuesday.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Witness said hospital staff killed man, not fall

Read storyNegligence by hospital staff caused the death of the man who fell from the Queen's Starcase last week, according to an eyewitness.

Pastor Kevin Cooper said he ran over to the man as soon as he fell, which was around 3pm last Tuesday. The man's identity is still not known.

Cooper said blood was pouring out of the man's broken body while he called 911, eventually running to the nearby hospital.

Staff, including the doctor, seemed in no hurry to help and took their time heading to the man, Cooper said.

Paramedics came 15 minutes later, making the total amount of time after the man fell 45 minutes.

“It wasn’t the fall that was fatal," Cooper said, "it was their negligence, and slow response that killed the man.”

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

30 new trees for South Beach

Read storySeveral organizations and a local nursery planted 30 natives trees and cleared 15 bags worth of trash, just the beginning of their efforts in the country's million tree campaign.

The Rotaract Club of East Nassau, the Rotary Club of East Nassau
and the Nature Conservancy worked with the Native Sun Nursery to plant silver and green buttonwood plants along the coast at South Beach last week Saturday.

Full Story in The Tribune here

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Bahamas says goodbye to its first ambassador

Read storyThe country held a state funeral for its first ambassador last Thursday, saying goodbye to Livingston Basil Johnson.

Johnson became the country's first ambassador after independence. An attorney, he partnered with Sir Lynden Pindling, with whom he formed a close friendship and was the best man at his wedding.

He was described as a meticulous worker with excellent judgment, conservative and dignified.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Man murdered in food store parking lot

Read storyA man died in hospital a day after he was admitted with head wounds.

Bradley Smith, 46, was in the Wulff and Village Road area around 6 p.m. last week Tuesday when he was injured.

Police say they are still not sure what happened but were searching the Wulff Road area on Thursday evening.

Family members say Smith was attacked in a food store parking lot and have asked anyone with information about the attack to come forward.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

New road too close to homes

Read storyResidents are upset about the impact a new road might have on their homes and property value.

The road, currently going by the name Corridor 18, will alter West Bay Street near Saunders Beach.

Several residents complained that it will bring traffic too close to their homes, bringing dirt, noise and invading their privacy.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

PMH says it checked in patient before it lost track of him

Read storyHospital officials said they had checked in Lloyd Whyms before he went missing.

After checking the 54-year-old's condition, staff decided his condition "posed no threat".

Whyms was found about 10 hours after he was brought to the hospital by ambulance and is still in a coma.

Whyms' daughter, Latheria Johnson, said a doctor told her that her father had a bruise on his head from a fall. He didn't go to the hospital for that, so I don't know how it got there," Johnson said .

His family is upset that the staff lost track of their relative and the way they were treated during the search.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

New regulator will control media

Read storyThe government is considering creating a new regulator that would control electronic communications, including the Bahamas Telecommunications Company and Cable Bahamas.

The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) would control the content of electronic media and prevent companies from dominating the market.

It would have the power to fine up to $500,000 or 10 percent of a license holder's turnover.

Under the terms of the proposed law, Cable Bahamas and BTC would fall into the Significant Market Power Category and automatically subject to regulation.

A company would have up to one year to appeal characterizations that it was unfairly blocking competition.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Governments wants $40,000 in suspected drug money

Read storyThe government wants to confiscate $40,000 in what they say came from illegal drug profits.

Officer Weymond Demeritte testified that he found $28, 420 on Eugene Symonette and $10,571 on Ian Porter when he searched them in 2006 at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Porter is serving a 42 month sentence for conviction of possession of 961 pounds of marijuana. Symonette is on trial in relation to the seizure of 46 pounds of marijuana.

The trial continues on May 6.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Clinic introduces new health card

Read storyThe Walk-in Medical Clinic is introducing a 'smart card' that will give patients immediate access to services.

For $75 per month customers will get a card that includes their medical information and gives them immediate access to service, including x-ray, ultrasound, mammogram.

But use of the card is limited to one service per visit. According to Clinic director, Dr. Daniel Johnson, "if you come in and you have the flu and you say, 'oh I want a mammogram', that's not a part of what your present illness is. So it covers you present emergency."

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Minster wants cell phones out of prison

Read storyNational Security Minister Tommy Turnquest said the government has taken a "zero tolerance" position toward any prison officer found supporting illegal activities at the prison.

Turnquest asked middle managers from the prison why contraband like cell phones and drugs were still getting in the prison.

Speaking during a retreat at Sandals Resort on Thursday, he said the focus has to be on rehabilitation rather than punishment.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Funeral for Kelly's owner

Read storyPrime Minster Hubert Ingraham said businessman David Kelly had left his mark on Bahamian sports, commerce and communities.

Speaking at Kelly's funeral on Thursday, Ingraham said Kelly, who owned the popular Kelly’s Home Centre at Marathon Mall, was very intimately involved in the day-to-day operation of the business.”

He said: “It says something about the man that he seemed to have earned the genuine affection of those who worked with him.”

Full Story in The Tribune here

American fined $500 for drug possession

Read storyAn American tourist was fined $500 after she pled guilty to possessing marijuana on Thursday.

Police said they found the drugs on Zina Downs on Tuesday. Downs, a resident of South Carolina was on Cabbage Beach at the time.

She said she had paid $90 for the marijuana and tobacco.

Full Story in The Tribune here