Pindling drug story praised and hated

Read storyAn article connecting former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling and Columbian Drug dealer Joe Lehder has attracted praise and condemnation.

The Tribune article (available here, Part II here) suggested that pilot Chauncey Tynes was killed because he knew of the close connection between the country's first Prime Minister, Lehder and a senior police officer.

Former PLP backbencher Edmund Moxey supported the article, saying "young Bahamians need to know their history".

Political activist Paul Moss said the article was "repulsive" and a "desecration".

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Broken barge means no water for eastern New Providence

Read storyResidents of eastern New Providence have had little to no water for the last two weeks because of a problem with the barge that brings water daily.

The Water and Sewerage Corporation said the barge is being repaired in Florida and should be operational again by the end of the week.

Water has been off for the last two weekends for some and low otherwise.

Residents with low or no water for extended periods are asked to call 302-5599.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Officers from 8 countries at Defence Force for training

Read story
Officers from the US Coast Guard gave lessons in boarding vessels and the differences between cooperative and uncooperative suspects.

US Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Matthew Rouse demonstrated how to attack pressure points, handcuffing procedures as well as how and when to use more force.

Officers from defense services from The Bahamas, St Vincent and Grenadines, St Kitts- Nevis, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Belize, Barbados and the Dominican Republic were all at the Coral Harbour base Monday for Exercise Tradewinds 2009.

More photos here

Fisherman sells boat to avoid jail

Read storyA fisherman sold his boat after a judge told him to pay his National Insurance or face jail time.

Colin Fox, 53, owed $700 in National Insurance contributions.

He said he had received no warning about his lack of payment until he was summoned to court.

In a panic he sold his boat for half its retail value to avoid a prison term.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Baha Mar announces new deals with China

Read storyThe president of Baha Mar Resorts recently announced an agreement signed with Chinese investors to go ahead with the multi-billion dollar resort.

Although the agreements are described by hotel executives as preliminary, they include deals with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation to build the resort and a memorandum of understanding regarding project financing was signed with Export-Import Bank of China.

Baha Mar President Dan Robinson announced the agreements in China but, speaking to The Guardian at a seminar in the Bahamas, CEO Sarkiz Izmirlian said:

"The China State Construction Company will be the general contractor and [will] build the project. They will also be an investor in the project and then the China Exim Bank will finance the project."

"We're going to be operating the casino and the casino hotel and we're the developer. We put all this thing together."

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Government approves food price increase

Read storyThe government has approved price increases for several basic food items, including evaporated milk, butter, sugar, cheese, flour, and margarine.

A few items also went down in price. See the full story for more prices and differences in the family islands.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Miss Teen Bahamas – apply online

Read storyYoung women interested in this year's Theodore Elyett’s Miss Teen
Bahamas have been invited to apply online at www.missteenbahamasworld.com.

An information session will be held this Saturday at the Wyndham Nassau Resort.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Woman on woman cutlass attack

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: A 27-year-old woman is in hospital after she was attacked by a woman with a cutlass Friday.

The woman, a resident of Jervis Crescent was attacked in the Garden Villas area. She was in Rand Memorial Hospital up to Monday evening.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Abaco crime reports resume

Read storyABACO: Assistant Commissioner of Police Hulan Hanna said police will again be making reports available to the press in Abaco.

The publishers of The Abaconian, David and Kathy Ralph were concerned last week after Supt Sean Neville-Smith allegedly told the local newspaper that it would no longer receive crime reports “because they reflect badly on the police.”

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here

Doctor made several mistakes according to witness

Read storyA doctor made several errors in treating one of his patients and it might have led to heart failure, a court heard Monday.

Dr Andrew Selwyn, a cardiologist from Boston, said Dr Ian Kelly should have done several things differently in the case of Christopher Rogers.

Rogers, whose heart failed after weeks under Kelly's care, has taken legal action against the doctor.

Selwyn said Kelly should have been concerned about Rogers high score on a type of blood test, should have done a differential diagnoses and should have noticed the patient's fever and weight loss, which he said was a clear sign of infection.

Failure to figure out what was wrong with Rogers worsened his condition and caused more damage.

Eventually the infection spread to Roger's heart.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Former minister has stroke during sermon

Read storyFormer PLP minister Kendal Nottage had a pacemaker implanted after he suffered a stroke Sunday.

Nottage, who left politics for the church in 1992, ended a sermon abruptly and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

His brother, Dr Bernard Nottage said the minister had not suffered any brain damage although they are monitoring him closely.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Amnesty asks public to get involved

Read storyAmnesty International has renewed it's calls for inspections at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

In a letter issued to media as well as several ministers, the group said it is concerned about reports that inmates, including women and children, are marched outside three times a day for head counts and are pushed around with officers guns.

Other reports include overcrowding problems, inmates sleeping on the floor and a lack of appropriate attention to asylum requests.

Amnesty International wants an independent investigation and has asked the public to request an immediate and thorough investigation into claims of abuse at the centre.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Expectant father becomes murder victim 13

Read storyA taxi driver was fatally shot at The Big Yard nightclub early Monday morning.

Gentry McPhee became the 13th murder victim this year aftare an argument turned more violent.

Shots injured his abdomen and hand. He died soon after arriving at Princess Margaret Hospital.

McPhee and his wife were expecting their second child in seven months.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

TED: How to make happiness

I think psychologist Dan Gilbert offers some startling perspectives on happiness in this talk. He can be a little convoluted at times but it's worth watching more than once.

Most interesting was the value of synthetic happiness, which is human's ability to feel good about a situation even when it seems impossible.

Gilbert also shows how choice can be the enemy of happiness.

He has another talk that I plan to share soon so if you don't like this one you probably want to mark it boring.

PM Warns: $60m shipyard is not necessarily permanent

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: A new $60 million drydock opened in Grand Bahama last Saturday, expanding a service that already serves 70 percent of the cruise ships in the region.

The drydock is one of the largest in the world at 310 meters by 54 meters wide.

It is the third drydock at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

At the opening, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham welcomed the investment but also expressed a note of caution:
"We here in the Bahamas are fully cognizant of another reality and that is this shipyard is mobile. It can be picked up and taken away any day."

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here

Additional coverage in The Tribune here

CoB developing Creole textbook

Read storyThe College of The Bahamas is working on what could become the most functional and up-to-date Creole textbook.

Lecturer Frenand Leger has been given a $3,500 research grant to develop a textbook focused on modern teaching methods.

Leger envisions a text with photos of Haitian people and culture accompanied by audio lessons, a workbook and a website.

The move is part of the College's aim to encourage research and increase its international presence. Last year CoB awarded thousands of research dollars to faculty to pursue various projects.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Child's body found in burnt home

Read storyFirefighters discovered what they believe is the body of a four-year-old girl in a home that burned down Saturday night.

Neighbors who tried to stop the fire say the building was engulfed in flames when they got there.

They told The Tribune that the child was in her stepfather's care and was alone in the house at the time.

The death is the first fire-related death of 2009.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Bahamians have $23 million tied to CLICO - including pensions

Read storyBahamians have $23 million tied into long term investments in CLICO Bahamas, including $800,000 in ZNS pension funds and $3 million in annuity payments from Bahamasair.

There are nearly 400 similar accounts in CLICO's records; some deposits range from $100, others are several million.

At least four people have accounts of more than $1 million.

Prime Minister Ingraham said last week it was too early to tell if policy holders would lose money as a result of the company's liquidation.

He also said that annuity holders "are not likely to be as favorably rewarded at the end of the day as some other policyholders."

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Junkanoo heads to Georgia

Read storyJunkanoo is heading to Georgia this week, as Barabbas and the Tribe prepare for their annual visit.

Quenton "Barabbas" Woodside originally took the group as a birthday present to his friend, Jack Flanigan who lives in Tybee Island.

The group was a hit, performing at Flanigan's restaurant and in the town's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

That was in 2004 and Woodside has been back every year since, despite increasing difficulty finding funding to make the trip.

This year he is appealing to the public for support for what has become an unofficial Junkanoo ambassadorship.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Thieves attacks former MP's business and home in one night

Read storyAn attack on his Sunburst Paint store was simply a way to get business owner Leslie Miller out of his house in order to rob him according to reports.

Miller, a former MP, said he rushed to his store at about 11pm Friday after he found out that several of his store windows were broken by a man with a hammer.

On the way to the store he remembered finding the door of his home tampered with earlier that day and so he phoned police.

Miller returned home to learn that someone had indeed broken into his home and taken cash from his nightstand.

He thinks the attackers were scared by the police, Miller said, thanking them for responding quickly.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Freeport landmarks demolished to prepare for oil tanks

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: Explosives brought down some of Freeport's best-known landmarks Saturday when three concrete stacks built by the BORCO plant were demolished.

The stacks, which were several hundred feet high, were demolished to make way for the construction of tanks that will store 22 million barrels of oil.

The tanks are part of a $250 - $300 million dollar project by Vopak Terminal Bahamas.

T J Huizer, managing director of Vopak, said the company already has a large impact on global oil flow, pointing out that three quarters of the oil used in Puerto Rico is stored at their terminal in Freeport.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Bahamian student comes first in Florida spelling bee

Read storyBahamian students took part in the Knights of Columbus Annual Spelling Bee Competition in Kissimmee, Florida (photos) over the weekend.

Sponsored by local chapters of the KoC, Yelena Persaud from St Francis de Sales School in Abaco placed first in her division.

Persaud had finished behind Maya Francis from Xaviers Lower School in the 42nd Annual Catholic Archdiocese Spelling Bee Competition in Nassau. Francis also took part in the weekend bee but failed to place in her division.

District grand knight Gregory Christie said: "Our knights throughout the Bahamas are pleased to have assisted these students in their opportunity to compete in this one-day event among their peers from around the state of Florida.

“We’ve had previous winners and runners-up at this event and we’re extremely proud that our first ever entrant from Abaco was able to return this year as champion speller in her division.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Birdwatchers come from 20 countries to learn, share

Read storyBird watchers from 20 countries in the Caribbean took part in a recent workshop on bird studies.

The workshop, held by the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB), included information on monitoring techniques, effective conservation, and managing local and visiting bird species.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Family says police think they should 'get over it'

Read storyAfter reading about crew members of an American sailboat trespassing, chasing endangered birds and eventually killing and roasting their pet duck, a local family feels that police are not taking them seriously.

Peter Graham and his family read about the Americans' visit to the island on their blog, which included photos of the family's pet duck plucked and about to be cooked.

Graham's daughter, Amanda said the police have shown a lack of interest, even hanging up on the family when they call for updates.

"We filed a complaint and they haven’t done anything," Amanda said.

"The general perception is that we should just get over it but they are not seeing the bigger picture here, and perhaps that is the mentality of the police themselves."

Full Story in The Tribune here

See other CBN stories about this subject here

700 Students transfer from private school to public

Read storyIn the last six months, 762 students have moved from private schools to government schools.

Education Minister Carl Bethel said the transfers happened between September of last year and February 18.

Bethel said public schools will not refuse any students because of overcrowding: "We all must make room. This is critical and a matter of firm policy".

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

New farming projects could mean more, better local food

Read storyA number of agricultural projects could change the way Bahamians eat and support the economy.

Executive chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation Edison Key told the House of Assembly about a number of ways the government is working to improve agriculture:

• The North Andros Agricultural Expansion Project – 561 acres in Andros for growing export-quality vegetables, citrus, tropical fruits and livestock
  
• Two refrigerated trailers offered at a "nominal" fee to help farmers get their goods to market in the best condition possible.
  
• Meetings between farmers and buyers will continue with an aim to get produce to markets throughout the country

Full Story in The Tribune here

$2 million owed in immigration fees

Read storyCompanies in Nassau and Grand Bahama owe more than $2million in to the immigration department.

In his contribution to the budget debate, Immigration Minister Branville McCartney said $834,718 is owed from 70 companies in Nassau and $1.5 million from 330 companies in Grand Bahama.

The Minister said "As for those companies who owe the department
money, the department will not be minded to issue further renewals without either a settlement of outstanding fees or a payment plan arrangement".

McCartney also stated spending figures:

• $11.76 million on salaries including $3 million for overtime
  
• $2 million for repatriation exercises
  
• $1.3 million for Family Island operations
  

Full Story in The Tribune here

Girl missing since February - Photo

Read story

Eldricka Ingraham has been missing since February 17th.

The 14-year-old D W Davis student went to school in her uniform - a green plaid skirt and yellow blouse - and has not been seen since.

She is about 4 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 110 pounds. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the police at

919
324-2030
502-9991
328-TIPS

The Nassau Guardian

Full Story in The Tribune here

Unemployment levels highest in 15 years

Read storyAbout half the people unemployed in Grand Bahama lost their job in the last six months. In Nassau that number is about a third for the same time period.

As speculation about job loss grows, the Department of Statistics prepared a report ahead of its usual schedule. It showed that unemployment rose from 8.7% in May to 12.1% last month.

In Nassau that means 16,315 people of the 134,400-person workforce are without a job and 4,195 out of 28,820 in Grand Bahama.

The unemployment levels are the highest they have been since 1994.

The Nassau Guardian

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Minister accused of hiring PLP supporters

Read storyFinance Minister Zhivargo Laing has accused former Public Works Minister Bradley Roberts of giving instructions to hire PLP supporters at the Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation.

Speaking at the House of Assembly, Laing submitted a list of about 100 names suggested for employment. Roberts name is listed near many of the applicants approved for employment.

The names of other MPs are written next to other employees hired and so are notes such as “strong party supporter”.

Roberts said the Laing has used the document to mislead. When asked where the document came from, the former minister told reporters to “ask Zhivargo Laing that".

After Laing tabled the document, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham stood to shake his hand and tell him he was "very proud".

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in the Tribune here (Page A1)

Man pleads guilty to car scam

Read storyShane Mackey, 28, pled guilty to stealing $14,700 from seven people on Friday.

Mackey collected deposits from people interested in buying cars. Customers found him through ads he placed in the classified section of local newspapers.

He is expected to return to court for sentencing today (Monday).

The Nassau Guardian

Full Story in The Tribune here

Court releases man accused of sex with 10-year-old

Read storyA court has suspended its case against a man accused of sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl because of the length of time it has taken for his trial to proceed.

The man was arraigned on March 30, 2005. He did not receive bail as he has no legal status in the country.

Supreme Court Justice Jon Isaacs said: “I am satisfied that the applicant’s right to have a fair trial within a reasonable time has been infringed when regard is had to the penalty that may be imposed."

If convicted, the man would have face seven years in jail, the maximum sentence; four if he did not break prison rules.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Woman badly injured in student fight

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: A woman suffered multiple face fractures when she tried to stop a group of students from fighting.

Students from the Eight Mile Rock High School (EMRHS) were fighting at a nearby KFC restaurant when a female KFC worker tried to stop them and was hit in the face with a rock.

Police say they are trying to determine who was involved in the fight and who was just watching.

Some of the students may face criminal charges.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Casino closing leaves 234 jobs in doubt

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: The Isle of Capri casino announced Tuesday that it will not renew its lease in May leaving 234 employees jobless if a new operator does not take over.

Casino officials said the company is shutting down operations in the United Kingdom as well and plans to concentrate on its 18 American properties.

Greg Moss, president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, said:
"It's a fair comment to make that any termination of employment in Grand Bahama has a like effect as if it was a multiple of five times when compared to Nassau," Moss said. "So if you look at 100 people being terminated in Grand Bahama, it's like 500 people being terminated in New Providence when you look at the respective population sizes. So clearly, it will have a massive impact."

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Woman terrorized by Immigration officers may sue

Read storyA woman who said she and her daughter were unnecessarily terrified by officers from the Immigration Department said she may be planning to sue.

Violet Hanna, 41, and her daughter Amber, 7, were sleeping when she claims the officers broke apart the gate securing the backyard of her Nassau Village home and broke a hinge on her back door during a 4am inspection on February 24.

Hanna said the officers left the maul they used to break her gate and door but have still not arranged to repair the damage.

Immigration Minister Branville McCartney said he would personally investigate the matter and Ms Hanna spoke with him last Friday but has not heard from him since.

Her daughter was in hospital for pneumonia which she said they both got after the incident.

Hanna said she has hired a lawyer and is looking into security bars in an effort to feel safe in her home again.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here

17 months waiting for trial not 'unreasonable'

Read storyA judge refused the bail request of a man charged with murder, saying 17 months was not an unreasonable amount of time to wait for his trial to begin.

Senior Supreme Court Justice Anita Allen denied bail for Mario Flowers, who is charged with the December 2007 murder of police officer Ramos Williams.

Reports are that Williams and two other officers had followed a car onto Deveaux Street from Collins Avenue. The occupants of the vehicle allegedly fired on the policemen, hitting Williams in the chest and arm.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Nurses protest new work shifts

Read storyA change in work hours led some nurses to protest in Rawson Square Wednesday, saying the new schedules are unfair.

Nurses who formerly worked four 10-hour shifts followed by four days off are now working regular 8-hour shifts with two days off.

In addition some nurses are complaining that they have been scheduled to work at 7am after leaving work at 11pm the night before. They said this violates a union agreement guaranteeing a 12-hour break between shifts.

Health Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the new shift system will save the government hundreds of thousands of dollars and will mean more nurses can be hired.

The change affects auxiliary nurses at Princess Margaret Hospital, Sandilands and the Rand Lab.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here

New Bahamas Doctor wrote the textbook on cancer

Read storyThe Cancer Centre has appointed one of the world's leading authorities in the education and treatment practice of cancer as director of medical oncology.

Dr Karol Sikora is Dean of the Buckingham School of Medicine advisor on cancer to the World Health Organisation and author of The Treatment of Cancer, the standard British post-graduate
textbook on cancer.

The $12 million Cancer Centre is the only facility in the western hemisphere and the second in the world outside the US to be accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncology.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Obama crackdown could mean trouble

Read storyUS Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner renewed President Barack Obama's commitment to crackdown on offshore banks that allow Americans to evade taxes.

Geithner said the President supported the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act, which lists The Bahamas as one of 34 'secrecy jurisdictions'.

Brian Moree and Ryan Pinder, both prominent figures in The Bahamas financial services industry, said the country must be proactive in proving our banks do not encourage or permit illegal activities if we expect to avoid pressure from US authorities.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Sister describes her brother's shooting death

Read storyThe sister of murder-victim Eric McGreggor told the court the details of her brother's shooting, Tuesday.

Shecoya McGreggor said on May 18, 2006, Edward Taylor pulled up to a laundromat on Carmichael Road, walked up to her brother and said "You have a message for me? You have a message for me?" before he pulled out a gun and fired.

She said Taylor fired again as Eric ran inside. Shecoya testified that she then put the killer's license plate number in her cell phone.

Shecoya said about a month before that Taylor had circled her family's home on Bacardi road threatening to kill people if they did not stop "sending the police around my [expletive] place".

Taylor's lawyer argued that she got the license number when the vehicle was impounded and that she was mistaken about the shooter being Taylor.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Social workers, clergy tour detention centre amid hunger strike

Read storyA senior officer from the Carmichael Road Detention Centre said social service worker and local clergy toured the facility Monday.

Senior Deputy Director at the centre, Roderick Bowe said the purpose of the tour was to inspect conditions at the facility.

Bowe was not a part of the tour, which included Immigration Director Jack Thompson and Defence Force Commodore Clifford Scavella. He did not give the names of the social workers or clergy or give details of their findings.

Reports received by The Tribune are that three detainees at the centre are still on a hunger strike that started last week Wednesday.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Former ministers say missing funds exaggerated

Read storyFormer Housing Minister Shane Gibson accused the government and the auditor general of politicizing a recent report to make him look bad.

He said the report - which said hundreds of thousands of dollars were unaccounted for – included figures that had been recorded in a previous report.

Gibson also said that whenever these kinds of reports are prepared there are documents that are missing.

“My point is, if they are losing documents, why should I be held responsible? No permanent secretary would release any cheques unless there is proper documentation. The PS is the official accounts officer. It’s all political.”

He said that it would be easy for someone to hide a document if they wanted to "make a minister look bad".

On Tuesday, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred Mitchell, held a press conference to protest a Tribune headline based on the same report.

The headline read "$1 million missing from embassy funds".

Mitchell said the headline suggested that the funds were missing because of misconduct but the story (and the report) refer to procedure irregularities and missing documents.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Mitchell story

Gibson story

Abaco crime on the rise

Read storyAbaco residents are concerned that crime is rising and police have allegedly stopped crime reports to the local newspaper.

David and Kathy Ralph, publishers of the island's newspaper, The Abaconian, say residents are angry after they reported that they would no longer be getting crime reports. See story here.

But residents say crime in Abaco is getting worse and needs to be addressed. Several recent incidents have raised concern:

Lily Sands, a woman in her seventies, was forced into her home and gunpoint and locked in her closet while men robbed her home.

A man who was was locked in his trunk by a would-be kidnapper was told by a policeman that he could not help because he was there to patrol the Junkanoo parade. Meanwhile the kidnapper ran into the crowd.

Several boats have gone missing, in more than one case on the day after they dock in Abaco.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Bahamians must invest in climate or expect the worst

Read storyThe Bahamas must act now to protect its climate or it could be face permanent damage according to Neil Pierre, a director for the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

Pierre was speaking during a meeting with Philip Weech, director of the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology (BEST) commission and Arthur Rolle, director of the department of meteorology.

The meeting was to discuss the Review of the Economics of Climate Change in the Caribbean which will be presented at a United Nations Climate Conference in December.

Weech said The Bahamas needs to take long term steps, including introduce energy efficient technology, develop sustainable tourism, encourage cruise ships to use desalination plants and enforce land use and building codes.

If not, The Bahamas could change forever: “Climate change is a death sentence for small island states," he said.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Miss Universe pageant comes to The Bahamas

Read storyOn August 30 this year, The Bahamas will host the Miss Universe Pageant, which attracts millions of viewers.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the event would expose the country to "a larger global audience that at any time in the history of The Bahamas”.

Atlantis will be the primary venue for the show but the Prime Minister said the entire nation would receive exposure as contestants will tour the family islands before the final show.

Full Story in The Tribune here

PM says CLICO customers should keep making payments

Read storyDespite the liquidation of the CLICO (Bahamas) insurance company, policy holders should keep paying their premiums, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told the House of Assembly yesterday.

He said if the company is bought, the buyer will only take policies that are up to date. Those that are not up to date will be dealt with "somewhere down the line in the liquidation process".

Four Bahamian insurance companies have expressed interest in buying CLICO - Atlantic Medical, British American, Colina Imperial and Family Guardian.

In his speech, Ingraham outlined some of the mistakes that led to the government's decision to liquidate CLICO, including CLICO's decision to lend $73.6 million to a Florida real estate company that ultimately compromised its financial integrity.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Abaco TV station

Read storyABACO: The Bahamas' second television station was launched over the weekend.

The Bahamas Christian Network was opened in Abaco by Pastor Silbert Mills and his wife Dolly.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Threats against sea turtle activist

Read storyLocal animal activist Jane Mather has been threatened over her campaign to stop the catching of sea turtles.

She has received several calls during the last week including one that said "We know where you live".

Mather said while unnerving, it is not the first time she has been threatened.

She and her husband are tightening their home security and police are investigating.

Full Story in The Tribune here

NIB files 100+ cases against delinquent employers

Read storyThe National Insurance Board filed more than 100 cases against businesses and persons who owe payments to the board.

Businesses of "just about every type" were delinquent with payments, according to NIB director Algernon Cargill.

He said the board is taking a proactive approach to ensure that everyone who owes, pays.

The board is obligated to pay employee benefits even when one of the country's 16,000 employers is not making payments.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Police refuse to give crime reports that make them look bad

Read storyABACO: The editor at an Abaco newspaper was told he will no longer receive crime reports because it makes the police look bad.

Dave Ralph, editor and publisher of the bi-weekly Abaconian, said Superintendent Sean Smith, the officer in charge of the Abacos, told him the paper would not be getting any more crime reports because they don't "reflect well on police efforts".

Ralph said he did not include the crime report from January in the most recent edition of the Abaconian after Smith asked him not to.

Ralph said he expects a lot of angry letters from his readers concerning the police decision.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Staff now need employer's signature for NIB benefits

Read storyWorkers will now have to get employers to fill out a form when they apply for certain National Insurance benefits.

In the past only the applicant and doctors were required to provide information on claims for sickness, maternity leave and injury benefits.

But according to a statement from the National Insurance Board, this often led to workers collecting supplementary income even though they were still going to work and collecting income.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Hundreds of thousands of government dollars missing

Read storyA report of government spending from the 2006/2007 financial year says officials did not account for money as they should have, leaving doubts about how taxpayers' money was used.

The report, made by the auditor general, has listed several areas of concern, including:

• It is unclear how $909,000 in funds intended to fund the opening of the Bahamas Embassy in Cuba were actually spent
  
• Items were released without evidence that duty was paid and nearly 3,000 cargo lists show no dollar values
  
• In Abaco $300,149 – nearly a quarter of the island's total expenditures – was released without the administrator's signature
  
• Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent by the Ministry of Housing is unaccounted for. Kenneth Russell, current Housing Minister, said police are investigating.
  
•  Visa applications are missing signatures, occupation details and a photograph. Auditors also raised concerns that one person was able to sponsor visas for 16 people.
  

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Search for tourists accused of killing protected ducks

Read storyFor the second time this year, police want to question American tourists about an animal attack after they saw photos on the internet.

Police are looking for the crew of the Adamo sailboat, last seen in Exuma. The crew is suspected of trespassing on a private island where owner Peter Graham has been investing around $35,000 annually to increase the population of whistling ducks since the 1960s.

Pictures from the crew's blog (internet journal) showed a plucked duck about to be roasted. Killing and chasing the protected West Indian tree ducks is prohibited by international law.

Members of the Graham family suspect the crew of chasing ducks on the island for two hours before killing a flightless pet duck.
Graham said: "When we saw their pictures on their website we lost our minds. It's sickening."

Read about last month's arrest of two Americans for eating an iguana and catching under-sized conch here.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Grand Bahama Shipyard is the world's busiest

Read storyThe Grand Bahama Shipyard services four times as many ships as its closest competitor, making it the world's most productive shipyard, according to the Carnival Corporation.

Speaking at the 11th annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference in Freeport, Giora Israel said the GBS represents $200 million worth of investment for Carnival, which owns 80 per cent of the shipyard. The Grand Bahama Port Authority owns the rest.

Israel said GBS is one of the largest electricity users on the island and helps sustain the economy through the rental of housing by shipyard crews.

Full Story in The Tribune here

College of The Bahamas more Earth-friendly

Read storyThe College of The Bahamas is making efforts to lower its impact on the environment.

The school has ditched cleaning agents that include chloroform, carbon and petroleum and is using more natural products.

CoB has also installed programmable thermostats to lower its annual $1.5 million electricity bill, with aims of getting down to $900,000.

The change has already led to a $5,000 drop in the electricity costs from the first building they installed the thermostats.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Police were wrong to hold suspects beyond 48 hours

Read storyA Supreme Court judge has found the Police Force liable for unlawful detention and malicious prosecution of two people who were accused of stealing.

Omar Rolle and Atisha Tinker were arrested in April, 2004 and charged with stealing a CD player. The pair was held for 4 and half days.

Rolle and Tinker sued the police force and the Attorney General after charges were dropped in 2005.

Justice Anita Allen said the detention of the couple beyond 48 hours was not justified and that the prosecutors should not have moved ahead with so little evidence.

Justice Allen will hear arguments as to what damages will be awarded later this week.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Celebrity impersonators invite Bahamians to free show

Read storyCelebrity impersonators and twins Eddie and Anthony Edwards have invited Bahamians to a free show.

The brothers said the show is their way of saying thanks to the Bahamas for hosting their performances for the last three years.

All Bahamians with identification are welcome to the show at the Rainforest Theatre on Sunday, March 8.

Eddie is famous for his Barbara Streisand and Cher impersonations while Anthony will become Tom Jones (and others) for this Sunday's show.

Click here to see a video of the brothers.

The Tribune

Underwater weddings coming soon

Read storyPreparing to offer underwater weddings, Atlantis held a test run on Valentine's Day.

Linzi and Daniel Belton renewed their vows at the bottom of the Ruins Lagoon at the Resort.

Daniel wore a tux, Linzi wore her original wedding dress and the couple plunged into the chilly tank along with a local marriage officer, a photographer and a videographer.

Future ceremonies will offer custom-made his and her wetsuits as well as underwater communication.

Full Story in The Tribune here

TED: Amazing photo software

Amazing video about new software that could change the way we view and use photos.

Minister denies hunger strike claims

Read storyThree Cuban men at the Immigration Detention Centre said on Friday they had been on a hunger strike for two days but Immigration Minister Branville McCartney said that was not true.

The Minister said an internal investigation had shown there were no cases of abuse at the centre and that inmates were being well treated.

"From our investigations I can say there is not one person on a hunger strike in the Detention Centre."

The Minister said he was open to an international investigation but that he would want a third party involved as "international reports tend to be absolutely wrong on occasion".

Last week The Tribune published several stories based on interviews with inmates. The reports included allegations of officers being bribed to produce false papers and violent beatings of inmates.

On Thursday, The Tribune spoke to ten inmates at the centre who all said there was a hunger strike and who described some of the beatings and abuse they claim are a regular part of life at the centre.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

More than 100 employees sent home

Read storyCLICO (Bahamas) sent more than 100 employees home last week, perhaps for good.

During a midday meeting last Thursday, workers were asked to stay home and wait for further instructions according to staff who spoke with The Guardian.

Jerome Gomez, one of the company's liquidators, said it's too early to tell what's going to happen next and that assessments were still being made.

He said they plan to setup a call center and website for CLICO customers to answer questions.

The company has just over 29,000 policy holders and more than $100 million in policy liabilities.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Murdered man's cousin says he helped plan robbery

Read storyThe cousin of murdered gas station owner, Keith Carey, said he helped plan the robbery that led to Carey's death.

Vaughn Carey testified that he was promised $9,000 to help with the robbery, including telling the thieves the best time for a robbery and signaling them when his cousin, Keith, had left with the deposit bag.

Keith Carey was shot outside Bank of the Bahamas and robbed of $40,000. Vaughn said he never got the money he was promised and did not see the men again until all of them were in jail.

Vaughn was originally charged with three other men before he became a witness for the prosecution.

The defendants' lawyers all suggested that Vaughn had made up his testimony so that charges would be dropped against him.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

US Report said Bahamian schools overcrowded

Read storyA report by the US State Department said prejudice towards Haitians was common, discrimination against homosexuals was evident and that ZNS favored government candidates in the 2007 election.

• The report, released Thursday, highlighted a number of areas of concern, including:
  
• The large and expanding backlog of court cases, presently more than 8,000 A lack of legal aid for those who could not afford a lawyer
  
• Insufficient funding for child welfare and education, including a lack of basic educational materials and overcrowding in public schools
  
• A lack of proper consideration for immigrants seeking asylum 

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Jones Communications owes government $400,000

Read storyJones Communications owes government $400,000

The head of Jones Communications has pled guilty to owing more than $430,000 in National Insurance payments.

Wendall Jones, CEO of Jones Communications, said he was negotiating with the agency to come to an agreement.

Sources at magistrate's court told The Tribune that Jones has agreed to pay 40% - $180,000 - up front and the remaining $250,000 over the next two years.

Reports in The Guardian the 40% down payment is normal in these cases and that employers are usually given two years to pay the balance.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here
The Tribune

Half a million in Freeport development

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: Minister of Works Neko Grant signed contracts for $673,000 worth of projects Thursday, including:

• $212,000 for a new 1,900 square-foot ferry terminal at the McCleans Town dock that will include a post office and police station
• $256,809 to repair the air conditioning at the Freeport Post Office
• $136,950 for road paving and between Freeport and Eight Mile Rock
• $42,500 for line markings and reflectors along the highway between Seagrape and West End
• $25,000 to repair graves and tombs at the Holmes Rock Cemetery that were damaged during Hurricane Wilma
  

The Nassau Guardian

The Tribune

Canadian tourist drowns in Eleuthera

Read storyCanadian tourist Beatrice Chapman drowned while snorkeling in Eleuthera Thursday.

Chapman, 71, was a passenger on the SS Maasdam cruise ship.

Police reported that Chapman was snorkeling in the Half Moon Cay area around noon when she drowned.

The Nassau Guardian

Immigration officers terrify Bahamian mother and daughter

Read storyA woman and her daughter are trying to get back to normal after a terrifying encounter with the Immigration Department.

Violet Hanna said she thought someone was trying to break in when she heard banging on her door early Tuesday morning.

She realized it was the Immigration Department after she saw more than a dozen armed men and women in green uniforms outside her front and back doors.

Hanna said the officers started counting down, threatening to break her door if she did not open it quickly. Her 7-year-old daughter, Amber, was so scared she started crying and throwing up, she said.

Hanna told The Tribune that officers never identified themselves and did not apologize for breaking her gate to get to her back door.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Bahamas may borrow $200m

Read storyThe Bahamas government wants to borrow $200 million to make up for a lack of revenue in the 2008-2009 financial year.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced the decision, which will have to be approved by parliament, during a budget report on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister said given the present economic difficulties facing the country, it makes more sense for the government to absorb losses rather than reduce government spending.

The money would come from several banks and be used for a stimulus programme.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Incest victims not getting support

Read storyReports of incest from the Family Islands will mean island to island travel by social workers who want to hear from victims.

Chairman of the National Child Protection Council, Pastor Gil Maycock, said reported cases probably account for a third of total incidents.

"We've gotten reports. It's not just one or two. We have gotten reports. We've put some emphasis on certain islands over other islands,” Maycock said.

The chairman said the situation is made worse by relatives that are not willing to support victims because they are afraid of the shame it will mean for their family.

Maycock said with only a "miniscule" amount of government funding, the council will need donations to tackle the problem, which will mean traveling to the out islands.

Full Story in The Tribune here

CLICO customers worried

Read storyPolicyholders concerned about their investment were asking questions at Clico (Bahamas) Wednesday, a day after the government moved to liquidate the company.

Several customers were reassured that their money was safe; one said he was told to check back on Thursday (yesterday), another that he should not worry because the company will be bought and his life insurance policy was re-insured.

Another client was "seething" as she left the office because she was told she would have to wait two weeks for the liquidators to pay and that there was no guarantee she would get her money back.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A1)

Less overtime for customs officers = lower duty prices

Read storyThe government plans to change the way customs officers work to reduce overtime payments and lower the cost of importing goods.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said high overtime payments has for a long time meant high costs for airlines that come to The Bahamas and discouraged business.

Better management of customs is one of the ways the Ministry of Tourism hopes to lower the cost to travel to The Bahamas and attract more visitors.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here

Eleuthera school celebrates sustainable technology

Read storyThe Island School* in Eleuthera, which uses solar panels to power dorms and makes its own biodiesel, shared its 10th anniversary with some special speakers.

Students heard from College of The Bahamas president Jayne Hodder as well as Dr Eddie Widder, senior scientist at the US-based Ocean Conservation and Research Association, during anniversary celebrations this month.

The Island School is one of four entities funded through the Cape Eleuthera Foundation. The other three are:

• The Deep Creek Middle School
  
• The Cape Eleuthera Institute - a scientific research and technology site
  
• Cape Systems - installs sustainable technology around the island
  

*Open link in Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox

Full Story in The Tribune here

Bahamians owe hundreds of millions in property tax

Read storyBahamians owed more than $363 million in real property taxes up to June last year.

About $80 million of this figure came from 2006/2007 and the rest from previous years.

The Auditor General, who prepared the report, recommended that government take action immediately to collect money owed by taxpayers.

The money is especially important as the government considers ways to make up for lower national revenue.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Gas prices heading up again

Read storyGas prices have risen along with increased oil costs, making some fuel as much as 20 cents more.

Esso is up to $3.56 from 3.26 per gallon, Shell is at $3.34 and Texaco at $3.36. On other islands the price is as high as $3.75.

Diesel is about $2.73 a gallon in Nassau and as high as
2.82 in the Family Islands.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

TED: Check this out! (not sad)

Read story

No, this is not Bahamian or about The Bahamas. It is inspiring. Every day I'm going to try and post something educational at the bottom of the page, usually a video.

The only thing it won't be (hopefully) is boring.

If you have something inspiring that you want to share (especially Bahamian things) send them to:


(click on image)

Amnesty wants Detention Centre investigated

Read storyDespite a quick assurance from the Department of Immigration (DoI) that inmates at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre are not abused, Amnesty International wants an independent investigation.

Hours after a Tribune story detailed abuse claims (links at the end of this post) the Immigration Department released a statement saying it did not know of a planned hunger strike and that "at no time were detainees mistreated or beaten".

But Amnesty International said the claims were similar to reports it has gotten over the years including: "miniscule" amounts of food for inmates, inadequate medical and bathing facilities and limited access to the outside world.

The Immigration Department's statement said inmates are given quality food three times a day and that menu choices consider the different nationalities at the facility.

The statement said that angry detainees sometimes try to tarnish the names of workers at the facility.

Click here to read an interesting take on the DoI's statement by Tribune Editor Paco Nunez.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

The Nassau Guardian

Child abuse up 24%

Read story

Reports of child abuse rose by 24% in 2008, according to statistics from the National Child Protection Council (NCPC).

The NCPC released the findings at a press conference Tuesday.

NCPC chairman Gil Maycock said abuse falls into six categories:

1. Abandonement
   
2. Neglect
   
3. Incest
   
4. Emotional abuse
   
5. Sexual abuse
   
6. Physical abuse
   

Maycock said neglect is by far the largest category, and includes children left alone at night, not fed properly and living in unsanitary conditions.

He said the NCPC expect abuse cases to increase this year, along with the bad economy.

This is especially true of neglect she said, as people work several jobs to make ends meet.

Judge concerned that evidence not consistent

Read storyOfficers who chased Lincoln Forbes until he was shot and killed by a fellow policeman gave their versions of the night's events.

But Magistrate William Campbell pointed to a number of inconsistencies that have clouded details of Forbes's 2004 death.

Detective Sergeant Rubin Stuart told the court that he and two other officers had stopped Forbes and his friend Trevon Stevens after chasing their car.

Stuart said Forbes ran out of the car and the other two officers chased him. Soon after, he told the court, the suspect came running from between some houses and fell on his face, shot.

Officer DC Martin, one of the officers who chased Forbes, testified that the third officer, named Ranger, shot Forbes when he turned and pointed his weapon at them.

A firearms expert testified earlier in the case that Forbes's weapon was actually a toy gun.

Magistrate Campbell asked why the officers had said that Forbes fell face down when crime scene photos showed him face up.

Stuart said that emergency medical workers had moved him but Campbell said the photos should have been taken that way.

The Magistrate also said it was unfortunate that Stuart's Uzi Submachine gun was not tested by police to see if it was fired on the night of the shooting.

Stevens testified that Stuart shattered their car's windshield with the Uzi during the chase. But Stuart said he had not fired the gun "at all".

The case resumes in April.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here

Former officer said police would not come to help

Read storyFormer police officer Rupert Moxey said despite calling police three times, no-one came to help him stop a man who was throwing rocks at his home and threatening his life.

Moxey, 58, said at around 11 o'clock Friday night, he saw a young man fighting outside his home. The man turned on him after he told him to put down a rock.

The attacker came to his yard and said "I'll kill you, I'll **** you up."

Moxey called the police emergency number. When no one came he called back and was told to call the Carmichael Road Station. They told him there was no-one available.

Meanwhile, the man was throwing rock after rock at Moxey's house, damaging his friend's car and breaking his front gate.

After a sleepless night, he called back the next day and the following Monday but no one has gone to see him.

"I really just want the police to come so I don't have to deal with this on my own.

He threatened to kill me when he threw the first stone and I was really afraid."

Assistant Superintendent of Police Walter Evans said he would look into the incident.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Ross University means $10m for Grand Bahama

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: Ross University is expected to bring $10 million to the Grand Bahama economy over the next year.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham was recently at the Freeport Campus for the school's launch.

The university is expected to pump $10 million as staff and students pay for housing, food, transportation and living expenses.

The Bahamas campus will serve as the clinical site of Ross University's medical programme in Dominica. Two hundred students have enrolled at the Freeport Campus for this year's courses.

Man ordered to give $5,000 to AIDS group

Read storyMagistrate Renae McKay ordered Travis Crossgill to pay $5,000 to the AIDS Foundation after he pled guilty to possession of 13 bullets for a 9mm handgun.

The guilty plea meant police dropped charges against the five people arrested with Crossgill, 20.

The Nassau Guardian

Man on bail charged with second murder

Read storyA man on bail for murder was charged with another murder in court Tuesday.

Dior Johnson is accused of shooting Ignacio Smith to death in front of his home on January 28.

Johnson was on bail for the October 2006 murder of Jason Rolle, who was stabbed to death.

The Nassau Guardian

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

CBN wants your vote

Read storyDo you like the way things are now or would you prefer more, shorter stories?

Click Boring if you want more stories.

Click Interesting to keep things as they are.

Thanks!

Cuban prisoners plan hunger strike to protest beatings

Read storyA detainee at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre will start a hunger strike today (Wednesday) after he was allegedly beaten so badly that he lost his fingernails.

It was one of many accusations made by inmates at the centre during an interview with The Tribune. Here are some of the most startling:

• People sleep on the floor and in bathrooms with old hole-filled blankets
  
• Inmates get so little to eat that some are willing to give sexual favours for food
  
• That American inmate Mathew Davenport - who set fire to a male dormitory at the centre - was beaten "senseless" when he climbed onto a roof to protest conditions. The next day he started the fire.
  
• That officers knocked out the teeth of a prisoner named Reginald and broke both his knees.
  

"Without hesitation I can say this is a concentration camp. Any human being walking through the door would be shocked. . . " according to a prisoner.

The protestors are asking Bahamians to donate diapers, baby formula and food.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Inmate says officers paid thousands to aid escapes

Read storyIn another story from the Carmichael Road Detention Centre an inmate told The Tribune that officers collect between $4,000 and $6,000 to help prisoners escape.

He also mentioned several cases of fraud, including the case of a Haitian man who paid $5,000 and "became a Bahamian national overnight”.

“They falsified school records to say he attended school in the Bahamas,” the detainee claimed. “I don't know what else happened from that point but that’s where it began,” he told The Tribune.

The inmate mentioned another case in which five Chinese persons paid officials at the centre $30,000 to be released.

“They put them on an airplane to Cuba so that they could try and re-enter the Bahamas from there and then go on to the US.

"They stayed in Cuba for a few days and then they got caught again here in the Bahamas, so essentially they lost their money,” he said.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Judge accuses judge of trying to ruin her career

Read storyA magistrate is suing Deputy Chief Magistrate Helen Jones, saying Jones wrongly accused her of accepting bribes and stealing fines.

Magistrate Subusola Lawanson-Swain accused Jones of making false accusations against her and trying to punish her because of the way she handled cases connected to Jones' husband, father-in-law and electrician.

Lawanson-Swain, who is now presiding over a juvenile court, said Jones' accusations caused enormous embarrassment and damaged her career.

She is seeking damages for slander, libel, malicious falsehood and misfeasance in public office.

The Nassau Guardian

Court Briefs: Stabbing, 12-year-old sex assault

Read storyA 17-year-old male was charged with the brutal stabbing of a Haitian man found dead on Wulff Road.

The victim, 33-year-old Ecvard Ficien, was still holding money when police found his body near the Happy Hour Bar last Wednesday.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

On Monday, Delbert Roberts, 44 was charged with having unlawful intercourse with a 12-year-old girl in December of last year.

Roberts was given $10,000 bail and his case was adjourned until April 28.

Sheehan Comarcho, 22, was charged with raping a woman at her Prince Charles Drive home and robbing her of $1,000, a phone and her Nissan Sentra.

Comarcho returns to court on June 1st.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Men charged with taking $90,000 in robbery spree

Read storyThree men were charged in connection with armed robberies that included nine victims and were valued at more than $96,000 in cash and goods.

John Augustine and Colbert Augustine, both Haitian, were charged with robbing the Alpha Learning Centre of $2,100 in cash on February 16th.

Both men, along with Shaun Johnson, were charged with six robberies between two days in February. Click here to see table.

John Augustine and Colbert Augustine were charged with robbing more than $86,000 in on January 19th. Click here to see table.

Man shot by police had "toy" gun

Read storyFirearms expert Charles Bain told the Coroner's Court on Monday that the gun found next to Lincoln Forbes was a "toy gun" meant to shoot firecrackers.

But Mr Bain also testified that anyone could have mistaken the gun for the real thing.

The inquest is reviewing the details of Forbes' June 3, 2004 shooting death.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here

Nassau Harbor getting $70 million deeper

Read storyIn about a month, the government will close a $70 million deal to dredge Nassau Harbour and extend Arawak Cay.

Bids from seven companies - all foreign – were considered. A Bahamian company did submit a bid but did not meet prequalifications.

The project is expected to take nine months and will allow the harbor to accommodate new, larger cruise ships.

It is expected to more than double the length of Arawak Cay, which was chosen as a project partially because it was the most economical way to use the material dug up from the harbor.

The Nassau Guardian

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are in Nassau

Read storyCheerleaders from The Dallas Cowboys are in Nassau to shoot their 2010 calendar.

The cheerleaders will pose at spots around the Atlantis Resort.

About half of the team of 60 will be in Nassau until March 1.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders website here

History channel looking for UFOs in The Bahamas

Read storyHosts from the History Channel's show, UFO Hunters, will be in Nassau next month to investigate recent alien sightings in and around the Bahamas.

Host Johnathan Walton told The Nassau Guardian that the team is looking for witnesses.

Anyone who thinks they have seen an Unidentified Flying Object of interest is asked to email him at walton@motionpictureprod.com.

Check out the UFO Hunters website here

Woman robbed and raped by intruder

Read storyA woman was raped during an attack at a Prince Charles Drive home early Friday morning.

After a man got into the house through the front door, he robbed a 30-year-old woman inside and sexually assaulted her.

The police officer reporting the crime did not reveal the extent of the woman's injuries but said she was substantially traumatized.

According to The Tribune, another woman in the house escaped to a neighbor where she called police. The Guardian reported that neighbors heard commotion from the home and called.

Either way, police were able to make an arrest, although again there are different reports.

The Tribune stated that police are holding one man in connection with the crime while The Guardian said two 23-year-olds.

Both papers said the suspect(s) were expected to appear in court yesterday.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Two robberies at home entrance

Read storyA 32-year-old man was attacked by two gunmen outside his house in the Cool Acres subdivision Friday evening.

The men went inside his home, took his shotgun and then shot the man in his left leg when they were leaving.

He was in stable condition on Sunday.

Around 10pm, a woman in her early 50s was robbed of about $2,000 at her home in Twynam Heights.

The woman, who was with her son, was also approached by two men with guns, who took cash and some personal items.

They tried to take her car but did not succeed.

Police Superintendant Elsworth Moss warned Bahamians to make sure homes are well-lit on the outside and that people inside know to expect you.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Full Story in The Tribune here

Survey of Bahamas experts say the worst is coming

Read storyThat country may not have seen the worst of the financial crisis according to a survey of financial professionals in The Bahamas.

A survey of 40 financial service professionals, conducted by The Nassau Guardian and The Bahamas Financial Services Board, asked 13 questions about the state of the nation.

Not everyone answered every question but below are some of the points raised and the responses.

The worst has passed
29 said it hasn't

Government should focus more on financial services
30 said it should

Delayed/Cancelled projects will have a significant impact on the country's supply of foreign money
32 said they will

Difficulties facing Swiss banks will affect confidence in offshore banking
20 said yes, 16 said no

Everyone who responded to a question about local industry said the country would have to make major changes for the financial services sector - the nation's number two money-maker - to remain competitive.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Groups not coming to Atlantis

Read storyGroup bookings at the Atlantis' Resort are way down and are probably going to stay that way.

George Markantonis, president and managing director of Kerzner Bahamas, told The Nassau Guardian that companies that would normally come to the resort for meetings and rewards programs are cutting out exotic trips.

Citigroup Inc.'s Primerica Financial Services recently canceled a trip for its salespeople. Markantonis said that would have a big impact on occupancy levels but said the hotel intends to collect cancellation fees.

Despite the loss of much of its most important business, the Atlantis executive told The Nassau Guardian that the resort is more or less on target. There are no plans for layoffs among the resorts' 8,000-plus workers.

Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Family wants longer sentence for killer

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: A family is upset that the man who killed their relative has been sentenced to only 15 years in prison.

Labion LaRoda stabbed his wife Tiffany at least 20 times, killing her. LaRoda pled guilty to the manslaughter.

Her sister, Shavonne Munnings, said: “I sat through the trial and the accused admitted and described in detail what he did as part of the plea bargain to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

"I do not agree with this plea bargaining thing and I also believe that the 15-year sentence was not sufficient because he took a mother away from her four children."

Ms Munnings said she believes LaRoda should have been sentenced to at least 35 years for his crime.

Rev Glenroy Bethel, founder of a group known as Families for Justice or FFJ, said the victim’s family would appeal the decision.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Man crashes Jeep into home

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: After losing control of his Jeep Cherokee, a driver crashed through the wall of a home.

According to police, Ashley Moxey was speeding on the East Sunrise Highway at about 3am last week Friday.

Moxey lost control then hurtled across the median and the highway's other lane before crashing through the northern wall of Rowland Stuart's Home.

The crash did not hurt anyone in the home but Moxey was taken to Rand Memorial for treatment.

Full Story in The Tribune here

Police: Yard fires will be punished

Read storyBahamians that burn rubbish or debris will be subject to the most severe sentences possible according to Fire Services administrator Bradley Knowles.

"It's a nuisance and we want the public to understand that this is a breach of the law - the only (legal) avenue you have for lighting fires in the neighborhood is for cooking purposes," Knowles said.

"We've been doing a lot of warning but the time has come where we're going to have to prosecute people before the courts."

Full Story in The Tribune here

Government getting tougher on crown land policy

Read storyThe government plans to be tougher on squatters in efforts to protect the approximately 15,000 acres of crown land left on New Providence.

Land and Surveys Director Tex Turnquest said persons who are trying to hold on to land without devloping it will be stopped.

Turnquest said the government is providing more resources to the department which will help them to deal with squatters more efficiently.

Land and Surveys is currently putting together a map of the crown land still available in The Bahamas, one island at a time.

The Nassau Guardian