Authorities said yesterday they have apprehended nearly 600 illegal Haitian immigrants already this year. Defence Force Commodore Roderick Bowe yesterday expressed concern over the matter. "When we look at the numbers of last year and the [number] of repatriations, there was a total of 1,357 persons [who] were repatriated, so when we look at the almost 600 persons, it seems like there was a spike in the number of immigrants during the first two months of this year," said Bowe at a press conference at the National Emergency Management Agency.

"And so, that is some reason for concern." Based on last year's repatriation figure, there was an average of 113 illegal immigrants apprehended per month. According to Bowe, 591 Haitian immigrants have been apprehended for the year. Nearly 200 of them entered the country during the past week alone. They were apprehended in three separate exercises in Crooked Island, Cat Island and Inagua.

Bowe said the 591 immigrants do not include the immigrants who were apprehended at sea and repatriated by the United States Coast Guard. "And so, despite the efforts by our international partners and the agencies here in The Bahamas, there seems to be an increase over last year around this same time on the numbers that have been coming towards The Bahamas.

"We're not certain as to why there's an increase, but we believe that it's because the conditions are favorable for them to sail." He said the Defence Force has increased patrols in light of the situation. "In addition to having a vessel stationed in Inagua, we also have an aircraft stationed there to provide aerial surveillance to work in collaboration with that vessel," Bowe said. He said while he is pleased with the apprehension exercises, the force requires additional resources to maximize its efforts. Director of Immigration William Pratt said 114 Haitians will be repatriated today on a Bahamasair flight. Another 114 will be repatriated on Monday, he added.

New Bahamian film screened Showing tonight at Galleria Cinemas JFK @ 8pm

With a severe dengue fever outbreak, Nassau shuts down. Hospitals are full. People have to stay at home with their families. Tourism is halted.

Track Road Theatre (TRT) and No Budget Productions (NBP) present “Affliction”, a short film that follows Noah, Sidney and Emily, who are searching for food and clean water, while trying to avoid being quarantined or coming in contact with this deadly strain of dengue fever, which causes mind-bending pain, delusions and fits of rage.

On the heels of Collage Entertainment’s “Get Charlie” and the emergence of two Bahamian television shows, “Gippy’s Kingdom” and “It Takes a Village”, “Affliction” continues to feed the hunger that Bahamians have to see their own stories on the big and small screens.

In late 2011, TRT approved a co-production with No Budget Productions that matched their mission of commitment to community and industry. By partnering to produce “Affliction” on a micro-budget, TRT says it is explicitly exploring the commercial options for making film a viable local career choice. From local showings to festivals to video on demand, one of TRT's main goals is to see what works and why, and then share what they learn with the burgeoning local film community

Click HERE to read full article by Reva Cartwright-Carroll of The Guardian.

Nassau, The Bahamas - The Government-appointed Constitution Commission heard recommendations from representatives of The Bahamas National Council for Disability and Gay and Human Rights activist, with a view to ending discrimination against those groupings.

The public hearing was held Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at the Constitution Commission office in the British Colonial Hilton. Sheila Culmer, President of The Bahamas National Council for Disability and Erin Greene, Human Rights and Gay Rights Activist, made presentations.

Alliance Francaise des Bahamas - French Cine (Movie) Club - Friday, March 1, 2013 - 6:30 PM, Ocean Place, Cable Beach - MADAME BUTTERFLY The Alliance Francaise will hold its monthly movie club on Friday, March 1st at 6:30 PM. This month's movie is Madame Butterfly by Frederic Mitterand.

Madame Butterfly is a 1995 French franco/british/german film by Frederic Mitterand based on the Opera "Madama Butterfly" by Puccini starring: Ying Huang, Richard Troxell, Ning Liang, Jing Ma Fan & Christopheren Nòmura. SYNOPSIS Nagasaki, 1904...