The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Darren. A Henfield, will lead The Bahamas’ delegation participating virtually in the 50th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States, to be held from 20th to 21st October 2020, Washington, DC.  The Session, which will be convened under the theme, “Facing the Challenges of COVID-19 in the Hemisphere: A Collaborative Approach to Address Vulnerabilities and Build Resilience in Times of Crisis, Based on the Four Pillars of the OAS”, will be an historic one, in that for the first time member states will meet in a virtual forum in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Bahamas was originally to have hosted the 50th OAS...

The Ministry of Health advises the general public of the current COVID-19 situation in The Bahamas.  
CURRENT CASE NUMBERS

Seventy-five (75) new cases1 have tested positive for COVID-19...

The field hospital which has a capacity for twenty (20) patients and is designed to specifically care for coronavirus positive patients is made up of seven tents...

Inclement weather did not stop the much-anticipated arrival from Nassau of the 30 children of the Grand Bahama Children’s Home on Friday, October 16, for the official reopening of the Home.

As promised, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie Campbell accompanied the youngsters from the nation’s capital to Freeport, along with other senior government officials and chaperones... 

The Grand Bahama Children’s Home had been damaged by Hurricane Dorian over a year ago, and the children were moved to home facilities in New Providence...

After spending a total of twenty-three weeks of New Entry Training at HMBS CORAL HARBOUR, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force welcomed 56 of the newest Marines into the organization during a Passing out Parade ceremony on October 16, 2020.

In the first ever graduation ceremony without family members in attendance, the young men and women of New Entry 57 and Woman Entry 26 displayed spectacular performances of drills that included: precision military foot drills, weapons drills and a physical fitness display...

See enclosed Remarks by Minister of Health the Hon. Renward Wells at the Ministry's COVID-19 Update Press Conference, October 16, 2020.:

Good afternoon members of the press and good afternoon Bahamas.

Here is the latest update on COVID-19...

Samaritan's Purse in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital is setting up a 20-bed tent hospital at PMH to assist in management of COVID-19 cases.  Samaritan’s Purse will work with PMH clinical staff to provide care to coronavirus positive patients.  Clinical services are tentatively set to begin on Monday, October 19, for a period of three to six weeks, after which a transition from Samaritan’s Purse personnel to PMH clinical staff will occur.  The hospital tent is located in the hospital’s parking lot “G” at the rear of the PMH Blood Bank.  Samaritan’s Purse...

Minister of Health the Hon. Renward Wells said throughout the COVID-19 response, consistent efforts have been made to increase the bed capacity at the nation’s healthcare facilities.

“We continue to work to ensure that COVID-19 patients, as well as patients with unrelated illnesses, have the needed space in our healthcare Facilities,” Minister Wells explained during a COVID-19 Update Press Conference at the Ministry of Health, Friday, October 16, 2020.

Minister Wells noted that through numerous capacity building exercises the total bed capacity for COVID-19 cases...

Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell, led a delegation of officials from the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development, and the Department of Social Services, that re-united 30 children from the Grand Bahama Children’s Home with administrators and staff members of the Home and the Grand Bahama community following their return Friday (October 16) onboard Bahamasair Flight 315.

The children were relocated to New Providence (September 2019) in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, which devastated the Home in Grand Bahama.  The monster storm ravaged parts of Grand Bahama and Abaco. Minister Campbell applauded the Administrators and staff of the New Providence-based Ranfurly Home for Children...

The United Workers Party is appalled at recent statements by St Lucia Labour Party candidate for Anse La Raye/Canaries, Wayne Girard, on the reason why his investment project, Freedom Bay failed. Appearing on the Choice Television Program, SoLucians, Girard told the Nation that Freedom Bay never opened its doors because Prime Minister Allen Chastanet upon assuming Office in 2016, whispered to his partners that he, Girard, ought not to be part of the Project and so to protect himself and the investors a decision was taken “to put the Development into receivership”....

The Prime Minister has activated the National Emergency Management Advisory Committee (NEMAC) which will hold a special meeting this afternoon. Prior to the NEMAC meeting the Cabinet of Ministers are meeting to discuss Saint Lucia’s current situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

A presentation is being made to Cabinet by the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar George, with other key officials in attendance including officials from the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), the Ministry of Education...

At total of thirteen Cuban Nationals were transported to the capital aboard Defence Force patrol craft HMBS LEON LIVINGSTONE SMITH after they were apprehended by a United States Coast Guard (USCG) cutter in the southwest Bahamas.

Nine Cuban nationals were discovered on Cay Sal and another four were discovered near Anguilla Cay by USCG Cutter ISSAC MAYO. As part of the Comprehensive Maritime Agreement between the US and The Bahamas, the Cuban nationals (11 males, 2 females) were transferred to HMBS L. L. SMITH under the command of Senior Lieutenant Jataro McDonald...

The Cabinet Office announces for general information the temporary closure of the Road Traffic Department, Ministry of Transport and Local Government’s stadium location.

The Road Traffic Department will be closed on Friday 16 October 2020 and Monday 19 October 2020 to facilitate the appropriate cleaning and sanitizing following exposure to a COVID-19 case... 

See enclosed Remarks by Minister of the Public Service and National Insurance the Hon. Brensil Rolle in his National Report, October 15, 2020:

Permanent Secretary, Chairman and Members of The National Insurance Board, Director of National Insurance Board and the Executive Management team of the Ministry of the Public Service and the National Insurance Board, ladies and gentleman of the media and my fellow Bahamians, Good afternoon...

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to advise Bahamians traveling abroad to take sufficient funds with them in the event they run into additional expenses as a result of restrictions and protocols put in place because of COVID-19. Bahamians are increasingly approaching Bahamas Embassies and Consulates Overseas requesting financial assistance related to COVID-19 testing, quarantine, accommodations, airline ticket changes, etc. The Ministry wishes to advise that our Overseas Missions do not have sufficient discretionary financial resources to accommodate and maintain persons who find themselves stranded because of a lack of funds...

The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) has signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA) to be the lead energy partner in the co-development of state-of-the-art, tailored climate information and services for the energy sector in CARICOM Member States. 

The Centre signed on to the agreement which first went into force in 2016, making the Caribbean the first region globally to officially create and implement a commitment between climate-sensitive sectors and a climate services provider to build climate resilience at regional and national levels...

Caribbean company Naledo overcame fierce competition to win the ‘New Food Product of the Year’ award at Food Matters Live 2020, a prestigious international food event in the UK.

Scotiabank Bahamas has announced that its Thompson Blvd Branch will be closed to the public for the next two weeks. Early Thursday (October 15), the Bank was informed that a staff member attached to the branch tested positive for COVID-19, this being less than 24 hours after it closed its Carmichael Road branch for a similar reason.

“Like all of The Bahamas, our operations continue to be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis...

US Embassy Charge d'Affaires a.i., Mr. John McNamara (left), paid a courtesy call on Minister of National Security the Hon. Marvin Dames at the Ministry, October 15, 2020. 

(BIS Photo/Ulric Woodside)...

Each year, on 14 October, World Standards Day is celebrated as a means of paying tribute to the collaborative efforts of the thousands of experts, globally, who develop the technical agreements that are published as International Standards. “Protecting the Planet with Standards” is the theme and focus for World Standards Day 2020.

Globally, current patterns of energy production and consumption are unsustainable and threaten the environment, through local pollution and global climate change. Emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels...