WASHINGTON, DC -- National Security Minister the Hon OAT “Tommy” Turnquest, who chaired the 10^th regular session of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), said at the end of the three-day conclave that discussions over the course the session underscored the validity and legitimacy to the Bahamas-proposed theme “Public/Private Partnerships In The Fight Against Terrorism”.  

Mr Turnquest, whose work as Chair of the meeting was supported by The Bahamas’ National Point of Contact for the CICTE Peter Deveaux-Isaacs and Second Secretary Charice Rolle, said he had been honoured and privileged to hold the chair.  

On the aptness of the theme, he said, “It was our intention during these deliberations...

Nassau , Bahamas - The cooperation of several aspects of the justice system is required for prosecution of a matter in the courts. Included among them are physical facilities, judges, juries, prosecuting and defence counsel, witnesses, the accused and police and prison.

Addressing Senators on the 2009-2010 mid-year Budget Statement Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Senator the Hon John Delaney said, “Addressing the requirement of timely trials is not a matter of the Department of Public Prosecutions alone. Nonetheless, our Department, some 22 lawyers strong, plays an important role.”

A backlog of criminal matters have accumulated in the Department of Public Prosecutions over an extended period of time and are pending for prosecution. Some of the maters date back more than 10 years and many have accumulated during the past 10 years said the Attorney General...

Nassau, Bahamas - Dr Davidson Hepburn, outgoing Chairman of the Antiquities, Monuments, and Museums Corporation (AMMC) has left to serve as President of the General Counsel of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, France.     

Speaking on his last day at the Corporation on March 12, Dr Hepburn said, “I don’t like to consider myself the past Chairman of the AMMC because it was a wonderful experience here and I enjoyed every moment of it.”   

As the chairman of the AMMC, he was keen for Bahamians to become knowledgeable about the history of the country.  He also helped promote and plan the restoring of Old Nassau, which is part of the Downtown Revitalization Project... 

NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Almost 6,000 Bahamians have pre-registered for Phase I of the National Prescription Drug Plan which is scheduled to be launched before Summer, 2010, Minister of Health, Dr the Hon Hubert A Minnis said Wednesday.  

The pre-registration drive is being conducted by officials of the Ministry of Health, the Department of Public Health the National Insurance Board at health clinics and NIB offices on the islands New Providence, Grand Bahama, Exuma, Abaco, Eleuthera, Andros, Long Island, San Salvador, Bimini, Inagua and Mayaguana, Cat Island, Crooked Island and Acklins “for the convenience of Bahamians everywhere.”  

Dr Minnis urged those persons who “fall in the eligible groups of persons” to continue to register for membership in The Plan “as soon as possible”...

WASHINGTON, DC -- National Security Minister the Hon Tommy Turnquest assumed the chairmanship of the 10^th Regular Session of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) – an arm of the Organization of American States – at a ceremony in Washington DC on Wednesday evening. It is the first time The Bahamas has chaired the Committee.  

The Bahamas was elected by acclamation to chair the committee through March 2011, after having served as Vice Chair to Mexico over the last year. Colombia nominated The Bahamas, citing among other things the country’s “widespread activity” in support of Mexico’s chairmanship as reason to support The Bahamas in the position of chairman. Canada, a major contributor to the OAS and the CICTE, seconded the nomination...

EIGHT MILE ROCK, Grand Bahama -- Members of the Local Government Townships in the West Grand Bahama District and members of statutory boards will hold two events for retiring Family Island Administrator, Rufus Johnson this weekend.  

Chief Councillor for the West Bahamas District, Marjorie Darville said, “We want to first call on God’s grace and so we will be attending church as a unit on Sunday.  We will assemble at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Eight Mile Rock for the 11:00 a.m. service.

“From there, we will travel to Everlena Reception Hall in Deadman’s Reef for a special luncheon where we will pay tribute to Mr Johnson in a more tangible way,” she said.  

Minister of State for Lands and Local Government the Hon Byron Woodside will be the featured speaker at the luncheon...

Nassau , Bahamas --The Downtown Redevelopment Project is offering architecture students an opportunity to document measurements and locations of historic buildings and redraft lost blueprints for historic buildings included in the Downtown Redevelopment Project.

Five governmental partners came together to give the students a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn their history through hands on experience.

“The Downtown Redevelopment Partnership works with five partners, all gathering data about Bay Street through the Bahamas National Geographic Information Service (BNGIS), and the Antiquities, Monuments & Museums Corporation AMMC will be the repository of that information,” said Andrew Chin, Assistant Dean of Florida A&M University ...

Nassau, Bahamas -- The Royal Commonwealth Society has launched the 2010 Young Commonwealth Competitions under the theme “Science, Technology and Society.” The competition is open to anyone living in a Commonwealth country under the age of 30.

Over 60,000 young persons enter the competitions, which are held under a different theme each year. The objectives of the competitions include the opportunity to nurture the creative talent of young people, encourage the youth to respond to current international events, enable young people to share their thoughts with peers around the world and promote the use of the English Language.

Participants may have the opportunity to take part in expert workshops with leading figures; meet with famous authors, film directors and photographers at a gala awards...

GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas -- Minister for the Environment the Hon Earl Deveaux recently extended a warm welcome to the captain and crew of the container ship Northern Jasper. The one-year-old German owned ship is nearly 1,093 feet long and 141 feet wide making it one of the largest vessels ever to berth at Freeport Harbour.   

The ship has the capacity to carry the equivalent of 8,402 20-foot cargo containers, thousands more than a typical ships that normally berth at Freeport Harbour.  

Mr Deveaux spoke on the growth and development of the Maritime Industry in The Bahamas and was also keen on the continued development of the Freeport Container Port...

Freeport, GRAND BAHAMA -- Michael A Weber, newly appointed General Manager of the Our Lucaya Resort on Grand Bahama Island, paid a courtesy call on the Hon Neko C Grant, Minister of Public Works and Transport at the Office of The Prime Minister, Freeport, Friday, March 12, 2010.  

Mr Weber took the opportunity to inform the Minister of a major marketing program underway at the resort, as well as its teaming up with Celebration Cruise Lines to bring more tourists to the island and property.  

He also advised of promotions underway in Berlin, Germany and other European markets to visit...

Nassau, Bahamas - The Minister of National Security, the Honourable Tommy Turnquest, will assume the Chair of the Inter-American Commission on Terrorism (CICTE) at its Tenth Session, to be held in Washington, D. C, 16-19 March 2010. The Bahamas election as Chair of CICTE follows its earlier election for the period March 2009-2010 as Vice-Chair of this Commission of the Organization of American States (OAS), concerned with countering terrorism in the Americas.

The Bahamas leadership of CICTE is for the year 2010-2011, and it has presented as the theme for the year, “ Public Private Partnerships in the Fight against Terrorism”. Commenting on his Chairmanship of CICTE, Minister Turnquest said that experience of countries around the world has clearly shown that our country cannot consider itself immune from terrorist activity.

Nassau, The Bahamas - The Bahamas will begin its tenure as “Chair” of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) on Wednesday (March 17, 2010), with a push towards the establishment of Public-Private Sector Partnerships (PPPs) in the fight against Terrorism when the group’s Tenth Regular Session gets underway in Washington, DC, USA.

It will mark the first time that PPPs will receive the kind of consideration and attention they will at the Tenth Regular Session even though previous Declarations issued by CICTE have made reference to the important role the private sector can play in the fight against terrorism.

Bahamian National Security Officials say the establishment of a broad-based Public-Private Sector Partnership in the fight against terrorism will be high on their agenda as PPP’s are critical in the war on terrorism and transnational crimes – particularly with regards to small-island nations such as The Bahamas...

MARSH HARBOUR, Abaco - As the E Clement Bethel National Arts Festival entered its second week of adjudications in the Family Islands, parents of participating students voiced their pride in their children and showed support by attending the performances.  

In Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, Anne Bethel, the mother of an Emma E Cooper Primary School student said she was extremely proud of her son and that he enjoyed the preparation and performing process.  

“This was a very exciting experience,” Ms Bethel said on March 2, 2010.  “I had no idea that it was such a serious event until today and I am very proud to have him participate.  The fact that he was selected by the music teacher was inspirational.  I think he did a very good job...”