NASSAU, Bahamas -- Students and faculty of University School paid a courtesy call on Governor General His Excellency Arthur D Hanna (front row center), Tuesday, January 26, 2010. To his right are teachers Jealem Hapkinson and Bishop Jean Gelin and to his left are Dr Glendon Rolle, Principal and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Grant Bethell and the school’s guest

Nassau, Bahamas - On Wednesday February 3 approximately 1:00 p.m. during the lunch period at The Bahamas Detention Centre, an officer stationed at The Bahamas Detention Centre was compelled to use excessive force in the interest of his safety.

The particulars are that during the feeding period of the day some male detainees were permitted to que up for lunch.

A Defence Force Officer assigned to manned the gate and organize the lunch line requested one male detainee to wait his turn.

The Detainee insisted on proceeding to the lunch line.

The officer then closed the gate to maintain order.

The Detainee went to the Dorm and returned with a sharpen bed spring (object), he tried push the object through the fence as to harm the officer.

The officer called for backup in an effort to disarm and subdue the detainee.

Other Cubans rushed to the area as the officer attempted to disarm the detainee.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer discharged his service revolver and a Cuban detainee was shot with a rubber bullet in the lower abdomen.

He was seen by a Physician who was visiting the centre at the time.  The officers were able to isolate the two detainees, the one who created uproar and the other who received minor injuries.

The matter is currently under Police investigation.  

NASSAU, Bahamas - The Bahamas will have to keep up with international standards if it wants to maintain its place as the fifth largest exporter of crawfish tails in the world, according to a local retailer.

Stores in the United States and Europe are showing increasing interest in seafood products certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The MSC only grants use of its increasingly recognized label to seafood products when all industry stakeholders have met their standards. That includes fishermen, processors, retailers, exporters, regulators and even consumers.

The label is applied to fresh, canned and prepared seafood; more than 2,500 products worldwide.

The intent behind the MSC's certification program is to encourage governments, private sector companies, consumers and all stakeholders to embrace sustainable practices, such as documenting fish populations, implementing management plans, enforcing catch size limits, and respecting season bans. The Bahamas is not one of the certified countries.

Jon Chaiton, director of Quality Assurance at Tropic Seafood, one of the country's largest crawfish exporters, told The Tribune that it would be difficult to compete without the MSC label as the international demand for certification increases.

"We were issued a notice from buyers in Europe and the US that they are participating in these programmes that they have a choice to buy all over the world, which means we have to read between the lines," Chaiton said. They are adopting the MSC standards and they have a choice. We better get in the game and become MSC compliant and have a fishery that is sustainable and proven to be sustainable."

In 2008, The Bahamas exported 4.5 million pounds. The fishing industry is the third largest income producer in the Bahamas behind tourism and the financial sector.

Minister of Agriculture Larry Cartwright said the government is considering the certification process and that local stakeholders are "more than willing to assist to defer the financial burden of the Bahamas being MSC certified."

Cartrwright said the process would be tedious but necessary. "Most definitely if we do not become MSC certified the industry will be impacted in a negative way. When we become MSC certified it will allow us to operate as normal," said Mr. Cartwright.

Read more in The Tribune here.

Local Retailer says Crawfish Industry could be in Danger

The Bahamas will have to keep up with international standards if it wants to maintain its place as the fifth largest exporter of crawfish tails in the world, according to a local retailer.

Stores in the United States and Europe are showing increasing interest in seafood products certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The MSC only grants use of its increasingly recognized label to seafood products when all industry stakeholders have met their standards. That includes fishermen, processors, retailers, exporters, regulators and even consumers.

The intent behind the MSC's certification program is to encourage governments, private sector companies, consumers and all stakeholders to embrace sustainable practices, such as documenting fish populations, implementing management plans, enforcing catch size limits, and respecting season bans. The Bahamas is not one of the certified countries.

Jon Chaiton, director of Quality Assurance at Tropic Seafood, one of the country's largest crawfish exporters, told The Tribune that it would be difficult to compete without the MSC label as the international demand for certification increases.

"We were issued a notice from buyers in Europe and the US that they are participating in these programmes that they have a choice to buy all over the world, which means we have to read between the lines," Chaiton said. They are adopting the MSC standards and they have a choice. We better get in the game and become MSC compliant and have a fishery that is sustainable and proven to be sustainable."

In 2008, The Bahamas exported 4.5 million pounds. The fishing industry is the third largest income producer in the Bahamas behind tourism and the financial sector.

Minister of Agriculture Larry Cartwright said the government is considering the certification process and that local stakeholders are "more than willing to assist to defer the financial burden of the Bahamas being MSC certified."

Cartrwright said the process would be tedious but necessary. "Most definitely if we do not become MSC certified the industry will be impacted in a negative way. When we become MSC certified it will allow us to operate as normal," said Mr. Cartwright.

Read more in The Tribune here.

he said the pro

 

The government is looking favourably to facilitate the certification process, but Lawrence Cartwright, Minister of Agriculture and marine Resources, said it is going to be a tedious process to get the country where it needs to be.

 

"The process is still in the discussion stage. The Government has not made a fixed decision. The stakeholders are more than willing to assist to defer the financial burden of the Bahamas being MSC certified," he said.

 

 

 

Lionfish Problem gets $300,000 Boost

A Caribbean project to deal with invasive plants and animals means the Bahamas will spend four years and $300,000 towards the lionfish population in Bahamian waters.

The project was launched last October in New Kingston, Jamaica and includes The Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Agriculture Minister Larry Cartwright said each country would concentrate on the species most important to them.

Referring to one of The Bahamas' top priorities, the Minister said, "The lionfish is likely to always be with us as there seems little likelihood that this species can be eradicated from the waters of The Bahamas."

Most of the funding for the project will come from the United Nations Environment Program.

Read more in the Nassau Guardian's story here.

 

Michael Braynen,

address invasive species in their waters

 

 

 

 

Good weather and good spirits made for family fun at last Sunday's Soccer for Haiti event.

There were two soccer games, t-shirts and lots of games and prizes. Children could get their country painted on their face or prove their skills in the dribbling, shooting and juggling competitions.

The first game between Jamaica and the Rest of The World ended in a 1-1 draw. The second, Bahamas XI v Haiti XI nearly ended the same but went to penalties to decide a winner - Bahamas XI  5

Haiti XI  6.

 

 

 

Families and

 

Final Scores..

 

Jamaica XI  1  v Rest Of The World XI  1

 

A draw..

 

 

Bahamas XI  0  v Haiti  XI  0

Game went to penalties to decide a winner

Bahamas XI  5

Haiti XI  6

 

 

 

Candidates include:

Rodney Moncur

Taxi Driver

Heritage Road, Black Village

Total Assets $220,286,000

Total Income $615

Total Liabilities $67,400

Net Worth $152,886

 

Leo Ryan Pinder, Lawyer from Sandyport

Total Assets $1,158,395

Total Income $220,000

Total Liabilities $726,367

Net Worth $432,028

 

Andre S Rollins, Orthodontist from Est Bay Street

Total Assets $950,450

Total Income $80,000

Total Liabilities $807.700

Net Worth $142,750

 

Duane Ernest Sands a surgeon from East Bay Street

Total Assets $8,465,000

Total Income $513,000

Total Liabilities 1,680,000

Net Worth 6,785,000

 

Cassius Vida Stuart, Bussiness Consultant, Garden Hills

Total Assets $1,195,000

Total Income $143,000

Total Liabilities $179,000

Net Worth $1,159,000

 

 

 

 

Travolta Extortion Trial Starts in September

The trial of the Senator and Paramedic accused of trying to extort $25 million from actor John Travolta will begin in September this year. Last week the court set the date of the new trial for September 16.

The trial is connected to Travolta's 16-year-old son, Jett, who died after a seizure at his family's vacation home in Grand Bahama. Progressive Liberal Party senator, Pleasant Bridgewater, and paramedic Tarino Lightbourne are accused of trying to sell stories to the media about the incident unless they were given $25 million.

The new trial date is nearly a year after the court declared a mistrial because Member of Parliament Pricewell Forbes announced that the accused senator Pleasant Bridgewater had been found not guilty before the verdict was announced. Forbes made the statement during a televised speech at the PLP's convention.

Forbes did not say where he got the information though his attorney said he was repeating a rumor.

During last week's proceedings, Tarino told the court he would not be able to afford a lawyer for the second trial. Judge Jon Isaacs is considering approving a stipend for Lightbourne's former attorney to cover his costs during the proceedings.

Bridgewater's attorney, Murrio Ducille, told reporters that there was no case against his client and that he planned to use the same defense he had used during the first trial.

 

 

John Travolta

 

September 16th

 

 

 

 

 

Employees at the Water and Sewerage Corporation donated $6,800 for relief efforts in Haiti and don't intend to stop there.

 

The donation will be used by the Bahamas Red Cross Society to transport water to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti's capital.

 

“Collecting items is one thing, but getting them there is another expense," said Caroline Turnquest, director general of The Bahamas Red Cross Society.

 

Ms. Turnquest was speaking at a press conference on January 28th to announce the donation.

 

Mynez Sherman, Employee Relations Manager at the Water and Sewerage Corporation said, “I can say the WSC employees are a compassionate group and we did the same for Freeport when it was damaged by the hurricane.

 

Ms. Sherman said the average donation was about $15 each. “We felt for the people in Haiti. We knew our barge could not do it; we saw the need to take up some funds.

 

“This is a long term situation for Haiti and as things develop, we will see how else we can help,” Ms. Sherman said.

 

From left: Paul McPhee, Clerk 1; Yamel Marshall, Administrative Secretary; Daphne Simmons SRAGM/HR; Patricia Archer, Senior Clerk; Caroline Turnquest, Director General, The Bahamas Red Cross; Jennifer Smith, Senior Supervisor HR; Mynez Sherman, Employee Relation Manager; Grace Darling, Human Resource Manager; Petra Burrows, Administrative Secretary; and Calvent Stevens, Clerical Officer. (BIS photo/Raymond A Bethel)

NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Hon Mr Justice Hartman Longley (left) is sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice for Grand Bahama by Governor General His Excellency Arthur D Hanna at Government House, Friday, January 29, 2010. 

(BIS photos/Patrick Hanna)