With a vibrant backdrop of crystal-clear skies and the sapphire-blue Atlantic, the Rotary Club of South East Nassau (RCSEN) recently held its fifth Annual Polar Bear Swim at Jaws Beach. This fun-filled event combined fellowship, excitement, and philanthropy, with participants raising sponsorships to support the Club’s community service projects.

Twenty brave individuals—including RCSEN members, directors, and long-time supporters—took the plunge into 75°F waters, joined by Axl, the popular potcake, and several members of the Nassau Hash House Harriers Club, who have been part of the event since 2021. In a fun twist, international visitors at the beach enjoyed the swim, eager to experience the thrill and learn more about Rotary’s mission.

Although the water temperature was in the mid-70s, it still provided a brisk challenge, making the Polar Bear Swim a true test of endurance by local standards. The event raised funds for the Club's operations and showcased the fun spirit that defines Rotary. Participants embodied the commitment to service and enjoyment with each splash. RCSEN has adopted a "5th Challenge" to the Rotary Four-Way Test- “Will it be FUN?”

A celebrated photo opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing legacy of the Rotaract Club of South East Nassau Centennial (RCSENC), as former Rotaractors and now seasoned Rotarians currently holding senior roles in the Club also participated. The RCSENC will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in February 2025.

“The Polar Bear Swim is more than a fundraiser; it’s a celebration of fun, fellowship, and community,” said Kelly-Anne Frendo, Environment Director and founder of the event. “We are incredibly grateful to all who participated and supported this event, enabling us to continue our important community work.”

For more information about RCSEN’s projects and how to get involved, please visit www.rcsen.org.

With a vibrant backdrop of crystal-clear skies and the sapphire-blue Atlantic, the Rotary Club of South East Nassau (RCSEN) recently held its fifth Annual Polar Bear Swim at Jaws Beach. This fun-filled event combined fellowship, excitement, and philanthropy, with participants raising sponsorships to support the Club’s community service projects. Twenty brave individuals—including RCSEN members, directors, and long-time supporters—took the plunge into 75°F waters, joined by Axl, the popular potcake, and several members of the Nassau Hash House Harriers Club, who have been part of the event since 2021. In a fun twist, international visitors at the beach enjoyed the swim, eager to experience the thrill and learn more about Rotary’s mission. Although the water temperature was in the mid-70s, it still provided a brisk challenge, making the Polar Bear Swim a true test of endurance by local standards. The event raised funds for the Club's operations and showcased the fun spirit that defines Rotary. Participants embodied the commitment to service and enjoyment with each splash. RCSEN has adopted a "5th Challenge" to the Rotary Four-Way Test- “Will it be FUN?” A celebrated photo opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing legacy of the Rotaract Club of South East Nassau Centennial (RCSENC), as former Rotaractors and now seasoned Rotarians currently holding senior roles in the Club also participated. The RCSENC will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in February 2025. “The Polar Bear Swim is more than a fundraiser; it’s a celebration of fun, fellowship, and community,” said Kelly-Anne Frendo, Environment Director and founder of the event. “We are incredibly grateful to all who participated and supported this event, enabling us to continue our important community work.” For more information about RCSEN’s projects and how to get involved, please visit www.rcsen.org.

As the world continues to advance its digital platform, the need for cybersecurity continues to be at the forefront of the agenda for governments worldwide. The Bahamas is no exception. To ensure that citizens can safeguard their identities and financial assets, countries must continue to innovate and protect themselves against cyber threats.

One of those ongoing measures includes innovations in the digital arena. In this regard, the 3rd Annual CIRT-BS Cybersecurity Conference and ITU Regional CyberDrill is being held at the British Colonial, January 15-17.  The conference has the theme, “Building Shared Cyber Resilience.” 

The Inter-American Development Bank and the United States Embassy in The Bahamas have partnered with the Bahamas Government to facilitate the conference.

During an opening ceremony held on Wednesday, Minister of Economic Affairs (with responsibility for ICT and Digital Innovation), Senator, the Hon. Michael Halkitis said it was a privilege to collaborate with other stakeholders for this conference.

“This year, we are privileged to partner with the InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU), whose collaboration since the establishmentof the National CIRT has been instrumental to the progress we celebratetoday,” said Minister Halkitis. “ITU’s ongoing support underscores the value ofour strong, enduring partnership in advancing our shared goals.” Mr. Halkitisalso thanked the IDB and the US Embassy for partnering with The Bahamas on this digital transformation journey since its inception.

He said that the presence of international and regional attendees, speakers, and partners speaks to the importance of the theme for the conference,particularly in an era when cyber threats have become a persistent challengewith far-reaching implications.

“Your participation strengthens our collective resolve to secure a resilientdigital future,” he said. “Cybersecurity is a priority for The Bahamas, both forthis administration and for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. It is a cornerstone of our 'Digital Transformation to Strengthen Competitiveness'project, which aims to modernize our nation’s infrastructure and enhance ourglobal competitiveness.”

He said that the formal launch of the National Computer IncidentResponse Team, CIRT-BS, on December 14, 2023, and the subsequentcommencement of its services in January 2024, were ‘pivotal’ milestones.

“These achievements marked a new chapter in our national cybersecurityjourney.  Most recently, on December 4, 2024, we proudly unveiled ourNational Cybersecurity Strategy, further demonstrating our unwaveringcommitment to safeguarding our digital future.”

These milestones, he noted, underscored the government’s commitment tofortifying the country’s digital resilience and ensuring that systems andnetworks remain secure.

“Cyber resilience, as the theme suggests, is not merely a national ambition but a shared responsibility” said Mr. Halkitis. “It requires collaboration acrossborders and sectors, which is why the presence of such a diverse group ofstakeholders here today is so encouraging.”

He stated that the July 2024 international incident, involving a flawedsoftware update, is a reminder of the critical importance of cybersecurity,

The July 2024 incident, which disrupted airlines, hospitals, and financialinstitutions worldwide, serves as a stark example of the interconnectedness ofour systems and the devastating impact of cyber vulnerabilities, he said.

“This event, which affected over 8.5 million devices and caused billions ofdollars in losses, highlighted the necessity for countries and organizations towork together to build resilience.”

He expressed that events such as the conference and cyber drill exemplifiedthe power of collaboration.

“The agenda is rich and varied, covering topics such as incident response,threat intelligence, digital forensics, and the role of artificial intelligence incybersecurity. The CyberDrill will provide an invaluable opportunity to testour response strategies through realistic scenarios. Together, we will exploreinnovative approaches to strengthening both national and international defences against cyber threats." 

As the world continues to advance its digital platform, the need for cybersecurity continues to be at the forefront of the agenda for governments worldwide. The Bahamas is no exception. To ensure that citizens can safeguard their identities and financial assets, countries must continue to innovate and protect themselves against cyber threats. One of those ongoing measures includes innovations in the digital arena. In this regard, the 3rd Annual CIRT-BS Cybersecurity Conference and ITU Regional CyberDrill is being held at the British Colonial, January 15-17.  The conference has the theme, “Building Shared Cyber Resilience.”  The Inter-American Development Bank and the United States Embassy in The Bahamas have partnered with the Bahamas Government to facilitate the conference. During an opening ceremony held on Wednesday, Minister of Economic Affairs (with responsibility for ICT and Digital Innovation), Senator, the Hon. Michael Halkitis said it was a privilege to collaborate with other stakeholders for this conference. “This year, we are privileged to partner with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), whose collaboration since the establishment of the National CIRT has been instrumental to the progress we celebrate today,” said Minister Halkitis. “ITU’s ongoing support underscores the value of our strong, enduring partnership in advancing our shared goals.” Mr. Halkitis also thanked the IDB and the US Embassy for partnering with The Bahamas on this digital transformation journey since its inception. He said that the presence of international and regional attendees, speakers, and partners speaks to the importance of the theme for the conference, particularly in an era when cyber threats have become a persistent challenge with far-reaching implications. “Your participation strengthens our collective resolve to secure a resilient digital future,” he said. “Cybersecurity is a priority for The Bahamas, both for this administration and for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. It is a cornerstone of our 'Digital Transformation to Strengthen Competitiveness' project, which aims to modernize our nation’s infrastructure and enhance our global competitiveness.” He said that the formal launch of the National Computer Incident Response Team, CIRT-BS, on December 14, 2023, and the subsequent commencement of its services in January 2024, were ‘pivotal’ milestones. “These achievements marked a new chapter in our national cybersecurity journey.  Most recently, on December 4, 2024, we proudly unveiled our National Cybersecurity Strategy, further demonstrating our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our digital future.” These milestones, he noted, underscored the government’s commitment to fortifying the country’s digital resilience and ensuring that systems and networks remain secure. “Cyber resilience, as the theme suggests, is not merely a national ambition but a shared responsibility” said Mr. Halkitis. “It requires collaboration across borders and sectors, which is why the presence of such a diverse group of stakeholders here today is so encouraging.” He stated that the July 2024 international incident, involving a flawed software update, is a reminder of the critical importance of cybersecurity, The July 2024 incident, which disrupted airlines, hospitals, and financial institutions worldwide, serves as a stark example of the interconnectedness of our systems and the devastating impact of cyber vulnerabilities, he said. “This event, which affected over 8.5 million devices and caused billions of dollars in losses, highlighted the necessity for countries and organizations to work together to build resilience.” He expressed that events such as the conference and cyber drill exemplified the power of collaboration. “The agenda is rich and varied, covering topics such as incident response, threat intelligence, digital forensics, and the role of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity. The CyberDrill will provide an invaluable opportunity to test our response strategies through realistic scenarios. Together, we will explore innovative approaches to strengthening both national and international defences against cyber threats." 

Executives of the National Training Agency (NTA), Grand Bahama, paid a courtesy call on Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey on January 16, 2025. 

Pictured from left are Executive Administrative Assistant Melissa Harding; Executive Director Bridget Ferguson; Minister Moxey; and Grand Bahama Manager Kenneth Miller. 

FIFTEEN fentanyl-related deaths have been recorded in the country over the past two years, according to Dr David Allen, a renowned Bahamian psychiatrist who has repeatedly warned that the drug could have a devastating impact on Bahamian society.

THE government's violence interrupter programme, initially announced in 2022 as a community-based intervention to address rising violence, remains unimplemented, raising questions about the roles of people initially associated with it.