A WITNESS’ recollection of how businessman Kurt McCartney met his death led to an emotional breakdown by the victim’s brother in the Supreme Court yesterday. The witness “AB”, who is under an anonymity order, was continuing his testimony that began Wednesday afternoon. He repeated earlier testimony that he was at a bar when he saw the victim walking with two women, one of whom he appeared to be arguing. The arguing female signalled to a man who approached and shoved McCartney, the witness said...

A WITNESS’ recollection of how businessman Kurt McCartney met his death led to an emotional breakdown by the victim’s brother in the Supreme Court yesterday.

The witness “AB”, who is under an anonymity order, was continuing his testimony that began Wednesday afternoon. He repeated earlier testimony that he was at a bar when he saw the victim walking with two women, one of whom he appeared to be arguing. The arguing female signalled to a man who approached and shoved McCartney, the witness said...

 

The Bahamas Chapter of the United Kingdom’s Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) hosted a Module 2 Law of International Arbitration Course in Freeport on November 13 and 14. Retired Justice Rubie Nottage, Chairperson of the Education and Training Committee for the Bahamas Chapter gave opening remarks and introduced the Course Leader, Ike Ehiribe. Professor Ehiribe is a Chartered Arbitrator, Accredited Mediator, the Visiting Professor at the Centre for International Legal Studies in Salzburg and was recently appointed the Senior Teaching Fellow at the well-known School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

The course was attended by local members of the Judiciary as well as local attorneys. The same course is concurrently run in Nassau by CIArb, with the aim of qualifying approximately 30 persons as International Arbitrators. This is considered an important step in establishing The Bahamas as an International Arbitration Centre and is being supported by the Ministry of Financial Services.

For more information on upcoming CIArb Bahamas and its activities, e- mail ciarbbahamas@ciarbbahamas.com

Governor General Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling joined straw and wood craft vendors at a service of thanksgiving Thursday, November 26, at the Downtown Straw Market, Bay Street. The vendors used the occasion to give thanks in music, prayer, scripture reading and worship. The annual service was organized by Unity Fellowship Prayer Band, led by Rev. Irene Rolle. The theme for the event was “Give and It Shall Be Given Back to You.”

In her greeting, the Governor General advised the vendors that the theme demonstrates that serving others is the hallmark for strengthening a community.

She said, “Giving and serving others has a reciprocal effect which ensures that the love and service of Almighty God continues to reign freely in our nation.”

The Governor General told the vendors that their longevity is evidence of their commitment to be there for each other and she was hopeful that their message of peace would encourage others to participate in positive and productive activities.

Kevin Simmons, Chairman of the Straw Market Authority, encouraged the vendors to be grateful and always give thanks as The Bahamas is a “blessed” nation.

Harrison Thompson, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, told the vendors that the nation is thankful for them as they are the first to be seen when visitors arrive by cruise ships. He advised them to always have an “attitude of gratitude” because God has been so good to them.

Apostle Delton Fernander, Senior Pastor of New Destiny Baptist Cathedral, was the guest speaker for the event. Straw vendors and wood carvers also participated in the service, which was followed by a luncheon in Pompey Square.

By: Katheryn Campbell | BIS

Governor General Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling speaks during a service of thanksgiving in the Downtown Straw Market.

Items pictured are to be donated to the needy and less fortunate by straw and wood craft vendors.

Kevin Simmons, Chairman of the Straw Market Authority, and Governor General H.E. Dame Marguerite Pindling chat with a vendor in the Downtown Straw Market.

Governor General H.E. Dame Marguerite Pindling (third from left) is pictured with officials including Harrison Thompson, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism (fourth from left), and Apostle Delton Fernander, Senior Pastor of New Destiny Baptist Cathedral, at an annual Thanksgiving Service in the Downtown Straw Market. (BIS Photos/Patrick Hanna)

Marco City MP Greg Moss said National Health Insurance (NHI) makes no sense in The Bahamas, charging that the government is merely seeking to tax Bahamians for the free health care they already receive.

"We as a country are responding to the potential of NHI in the wrong way," he said in a recent interview.

Moss, leader of the United Democratic Party, said because the prevailing conversation surrounding NHI is coming from the business community, people are focusing on the wrong issues.

"We are responding to it to say, 'How is it going to affect the insurance business and the business community? When is the government going to define what it relates to and what it doesn't relate to?'," he said. "That is totally beside the point.
"National Health Insurance makes sense in a country with no universal health care.

"It makes no sense in a country like ours where we already have universal healthcare because we have a public health system. All we are talking about with National Health Insurance is how to get the people to pay for the free public health they are entitled to and that they are already getting."

The Christie administration is expected to roll out the first phase of NHI on January 1. However, a review of the costs and funding of NHI conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) highlighted concerns about the government's scant details on NHI's financing mechanisms and governance structure. The government has yet to reveal how much the universal health care scheme will cost.

According to a report completed by Costa Rican consultants Sanigest Internacional, NHI would cost between $362 million on the low end and $633 million on the high end annually. In October, Prime Minister Perry Christie said that the government is considering a tax to fund NHI in the next fiscal year.

Moss said, "What the government is saying is that the money we used to spend on health, we now want to keep in our pockets to do other stuff with and we want to charge you to fund the healthcare system you already have and therefore we are going to call it National Health Insurance and charge you a premium.

"That is the discussion we should be having in this country. That is not the businessman's discussion. The consumer's discussion is why are we moving from seeing healthcare as a right and not a privilege."