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UWI Vice-Chancellor Leads Mission to The Bahamas - Sep 15, 2019 - 8:09:55 PM

Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, was visibly moved as he opened his Forum on the Hurricane Response in The Bahamas on Friday, September 13, 2019. Calling it a ‘zone of vulnerability and devastation’, he addressed the enormity of devastation, the magnitude of effort required to rebuild, and The UWI’s role in the context of post-colonial vulnerability.

The Vice-Chancellor and UWI teams had been and are in the affected islands working on the ground and with Government officials in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian which clocked winds of 220 and battered the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama for almost two days...

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Meet housing needs for displaced with repossessed properties says local realtor - Sep 15, 2019 - 7:07:37 PM

Thousands of repossessed properties sit vacant while thousands who lost their homes as Hurricane Dorian thrashed Abaco and Grand Bahama are sleeping in shelters, desperate for some semblance of a return to normalcy.

Now, says leading real estate broker and entrepreneur Mario Carey, as government searches for a solution to housing the answer may be staring them right in the face – incentivize investors to buy distressed properties and transform them into rent-controlled, affordable housing...

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EY Donates to Bahamas Hurricane Dorian Relief Efforts - Sep 15, 2019 - 1:43:37 PM

“This is an extraordinarily difficult time for the Bahamas and,by extension,all of the countries that make up a part of this region, so it is imperative that we come together as one to help the Bahamas and its people begin to rebuild,” said Dan Scott, Regional Managing Partner with EY..

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Trinidad and Tobago Troop arrives in Capital - Sep 12, 2019 - 9:27:04 AM

Included in the group were Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of National Security, the Honourable Stuart Young, and TTDF Chief of Defence Staff, Commodore Darryl Daniel...

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Balearia Caribbean statement on 119 passengers denied passage - Sep 9, 2019 - 8:12:40 PM

"We regret and apologize for the hardship and inconvenience experienced by the 119 passengers who are residents from Grand Bahama Island who could not be transported yesterday, Sunday, September 8. We boarded these passengers with the understanding that they could travel to the United States without visas, only to later having been advised that in order to travel to Ft. Lauderdale they required prior in-person authorization from the immigration authorities in Nassau.

In coordination with U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP), our Company is informing all Bahamian residents of the required travel documentation necessary for travel to Ft. Lauderdale."

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U.S. Dept. of Health meets with Princess Margaret Hospital - Sep 9, 2019 - 12:47:11 PM

Representatives from the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) met with senior members of the Executive Management Committee of the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) today. The meeting was held to discuss proposed medical support for the hospital in response to Hurricane Dorian.

The PMH team provided a snapshot of the current patient census at PMH, and the level of acute patients that were evacuated from Grand Bahama and Abaco to the Emergency Department and admitted to hospital. The meeting was also apprised on resource challenges such as beds and other medical equipment that are critically needed at PMH...

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Bahamas PM meets with USAID officials on Hurricane Dorian relief and recovery - Sep 9, 2019 - 12:21:17 AM

A USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) is on the ground in The Bahamas to lead the U.S. government’s humanitarian response to the Category 5 storm that devastated parts of Abaco and Grand Bahama.

Prime Minister Minnis thanked the Agency for its support and assistance...

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No Quarantine, Cholera or Epidemics in The Bahamas - Sep 8, 2019 - 12:55:42 AM

The Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) wishes to advise that no islands in The Bahamas are under quarantine.

Floods can potentially increase the transmission of water-borne and communicable diseases. Nevertheless, there have not been any detected cholera cases at the moment, nor any increased number of infectious diseases due to the hurricane.

The Ministry of Health and PAHO recommends that the population in the affected areas drink and use safe water and also continue to practice good hygiene such as hand washing to prevent water-borne diseases...

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Grand Bahama and Abaco advised to avoid drinking ground water - Sep 6, 2019 - 10:22:00 PM

Residents of Grand Bahama, Abaco and the surrounding Cays are advised to avoid drinking or consuming ground water.

Following the passage of Hurricane Dorian, officials are warning that ground water on these islands has the potential to be contaminated with infectious bacteria, chemicals and other pollutants which can cause illness.

Residents are advised to use only clean bottled water for drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene.

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NEMA updates on Abaco evacuations - Sep 6, 2019 - 3:26:33 PM

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is providing evacuation support to residents in the Abacos free of charge.  Starting today, BahamasAir planes and private aircraft donated by partners will conduct evacuations from Treasure Cay and Sandy Point, Abaco to New Providence. Transportation will be provided in Nassau for residents to be housed in local emergency shelters. The Department of Social Services will register evacuees to ensure family and friends can be notified of their status. Fast Ferries is also bringing passengers from Abaco by sea free of charge.

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Bahamas Marinas Are Open For Business - Sep 6, 2019 - 2:19:59 PM

Other Islands and Some 20 Marinas Fully Operational

The Association of Bahamas Marinas, on behalf of its participating members, are in full support mode of the northern islands of The Bahamas. As are all the Bahamian people, we are grateful for the outpouring of support and we will be there for our fellow marinas for as long as it takes to rebuild and come back better than before.

The Bahamas is an archipelago of over 700 islands spread out over 100,000 square miles of ocean and only a small portion of the country was impacted by Hurricane Dorian...

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Public directed to NEMA for inquiries on relative impacted by Dorian - Sep 5, 2019 - 7:28:06 PM

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) advises that all inquiries regarding relatives who may have been evacuated from Abaco and Grand Bahama for medical care to the Princess Margaret Hospital direct their inquiries to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). NEMA serves as the official agency facilitating the identification of the injured and deceased.

NEMA can be contacted at the following numbers 322-6081, 322-6082, 322-6083, 322-6084 and 322-6085. Representatives from the Department of Social Services and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) are posted at NEMA to render assistance...

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Bahamas Gov't Schools Notice after Hurricane Dorian - Sep 4, 2019 - 7:38:09 AM
All staff members are expected to report for duty.

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Lives lost in Abaco now 7 confirms Prime Minister - Sep 3, 2019 - 11:11:32 PM

In a media update today, September 3, 2019 following his aerial reconnaissance of the damage caused by Hurricane Dorian on the island of Abaco, facilitated by the US Coast Guard, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Hubert Minnis reported that the official number of lives lost is now seven, though that number may turn out to be greater.
The main centre, Marsh Harbour, including the airport, has been severely damaged. There has been less impact in the south of Abaco, than the north...

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Royal Caribbean is committing $1 million to Dorian disaster relief - Sep 3, 2019 - 4:09:16 PM

The Bahamas has always been more than a destination for Royal Caribbean and our guests.

For more than half a century, we’ve made many friends and many memories. The Bahamas is also home to more than 500 of our colleagues who work at Perfect Day at CocoCay and the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

So in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the Bahamian people are in our thoughts and prayers. And we’re rolling up our sleeves to help our friends, and inviting our guests to help...

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Five die in Hurricane Dorian, PM calls on Nation to Unite to Help those in Need - Sep 2, 2019 - 7:14:34 PM

The Royal Bahamas Police Force has confirmed that five people died during the passage of the category 5 Hurricane Dorian through North Abaco.

This was revealed by the Most Hon Dr Hubert A Minnis in a statement during a live NEMA press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2019.

"We are in the midst of a historic tragedy in parts of the northern Bahamas," said the Prime Minister.

"Our mission and focus now is search, rescue and recovery. I ask for your prayers for those in affected areas and for first responders..

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Bahamas Education on School Openings and Closures - Sep 1, 2019 - 5:40:47 PM

(Sept. 1, 2019) Nassau, Bahamas - The Minister of Education has announced the following with respect to the opening of schools throughout The Bahamas:

Schools in the islands of Cat Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Exuma, Long Island, Mayaguana, Ackiins, Crooked Island and Inagua will open for students on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 9 a.m. School administrators, teachers and support staff posted at these schools are to report to work tomorrow (Monday, Sept. 2) at their regular times as they will prepare for the return of students on Wednesday.

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RBDF prepares for Hurricane Dorian - Aug 29, 2019 - 10:00:24 PM

Members of RBDF Senior Command and the Enlisted Corps were briefed on Wednesday past on Hurricane Preparedness by Commander Defence Force, Commodore Tellis Bethel; Captain Coral Harbour, Captain Adrian Chriswell; the Commander Operations, Commander Chappell Whyms, as well as by Senior Enlisted personnel.

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Haitian Nationals rescued after Cargo Vessel Runs Aground - Aug 28, 2019 - 6:45:22 PM

The 57-ft wooden cargo freighter ‘SHAMU TOO’ was enoute to Haiti when their vessel experienced mechanical failure. As a result, it ran aground Hogstyle Reef with the men onboard.

None of the occupants were injured during the ordeal, and received food supply by an OPBAT helicopter...

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British Legion executives call on Commander of Defence Force - Aug 27, 2019 - 4:00:38 PM

Royal Bahamas Defence Force Reservist Adina Munroe-Charlow, the newly elected Chairman of the British Legion Bahamas Branch was in attendance, along with other members of the BLBB's executive committee...