The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th.

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the government has spent about $290m in direct spending to respond to challenges people and businesses have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, a figure that amounts to 2.5 percent of the country's GDP.

“This does not include the millions of dollars in lost tax revenue and economic activity for The Bahamas,” he said during his budget communication yesterday. #During this fiscal year, the government has spent $194.9m responding to the pandemic. #Dr Minnis said up to March 2021, $25.9m was spent on COVID-19 public health and safety measures to ensure the healthcare system and healthcare workers had what they needed to function. #A total of $118m was spent in government funded unemployment assistance, including direct cash for unemployed and self-employed Bahamians. #“While neighbouring countries may have only provided unemployment assistance for up to three months, my government made the conscious decision and have committed thus far to extend unemployment assistance for some 15 months already to end – July 2021,” Dr Minnis said. #Meanwhile, $32.5m was spent in social assistance, mostly through the food assistance programme while $44.5m was spent as part of a payroll support programme that allowed private businesses to use tax credits to pay their employees. #Dr Minnis said $53.3m was spent in business continuity support to entrepreneurs and small businesses and $5m was given to private schools above their budgeted subventions to provide operational and payroll support. #As part of the government’s COVID-19 programme, more than 1,000 small businesses were approved for loan and grant financing. Dr Minnis said this represented a collective total of $45m that was allocated and disseminated through the Access Accelerator Programme of the Small Business Development Centre.

“This does not include the millions of dollars in lost tax revenue and economic activity for The Bahamas,” he said during his budget communication yesterday.

During this fiscal year, the government has spent $194.9m responding to the pandemic.

Dr Minnis said up to March 2021, $25.9m was spent on COVID-19 public health and safety measures to ensure the healthcare system and healthcare workers had what they needed to function.

A total of $118m was spent in government funded unemployment assistance, including direct cash for unemployed and self-employed Bahamians.

“While neighbouring countries may have only provided unemployment assistance for up to three months, my government made the conscious decision and have committed thus far to extend unemployment assistance for some 15 months already to end – July 2021,” Dr Minnis said.

Meanwhile, $32.5m was spent in social assistance, mostly through the food assistance programme while $44.5m was spent as part of a payroll support programme that allowed private businesses to use tax credits to pay their employees.

Dr Minnis said $53.3m was spent in business continuity support to entrepreneurs and small businesses and $5m was given to private schools above their budgeted subventions to provide operational and payroll support.

As part of the government’s COVID-19 programme, more than 1,000 small businesses were approved for loan and grant financing. Dr Minnis said this represented a collective total of $45m that was allocated and disseminated through the Access Accelerator Programme of the Small Business Development Centre. 

 

Funeral service for Rosemary Miller, 76 yrs., a resident of McKinney Drive & formerly of Mangrove Cay, Andros, will be held at Southern Cemetery, Cowpen & Spikenard Roads, on Friday, May 28, 2021. Officiating will be Pastor D.W. Dorsett.

 

Cherish memories will remain in the hearts of her daughters: Lena Mae Armbrister, Sandra (Hubert Newman); sons: Jerome & Wellington Strachan; sister: Grace Roker; sister-in-law: Thelma Miller; grandsons: Antone Strachan, Maurino and Mauricio Cash, Solomon Burrows & James Junior; granddaughters: Gleniece (Vincebert Lewis), Kendera Taylor, Sancha, Shantae, Dora and Rebekah Burrows, Kadeisha Clarke; great grandchildren: Kamani Rigby, Kaydyn Adderley, Liam Lewis, Karmarie Antonio Strachan, Anna Clarke; nieces: Marie Major, Frances and Reginald Johnson, Judy Carey, Wandlee (Ricardo Bonamy), Evyette (Lynden Johnson), Natasha, Fiona and Nyokia Miller, Shelia (Aubrey Major); nephews: Livingston (Diane Cash), Absolmn, Andrew, Prince, Clarence (Claramae Cash), Michael Cash, John, Jimmy, Steve and Jermaine Miller, Alvin (Manon Roker), Lennard, Eugene, Larry (Zona Roker); numerous grand nieces & nephews: Darren  (Theresa Cash),  Steven, Chris, Althea, Dexter, Samantha, Michael, Mark, Christopher, Andrew, Sophie Cash, L.J., Valencia, Gary, Lisa, Vernita, Verdell, Dutches, Karen, Ludell, Tina, Vernell, Sheldon, Chrissy, Clara, Cola, Ronald, Bobby and Christina Major, Myron, Kimberely, Kenva, Glensta, Emerald, Magarett, Kareem and Justin Roker; numerous great grand nieces & nephews to many to mention; caretaker: Arnett Francis Deleveaux; other relatives & friends including: Beryll, Nesaline & family, Maurice Cash, Carolyn Armbrister, Carolyn & Jeffrey Bain, Harold Strachan, Michelle Sweeting, Jerome Rolle, Frank & Sherrell Roach, Patricia Jones, Nyioka, Deneatress, Sherese, Godfrey Brown, Patrice Brown, Enoch Thompson,  Arlington Rolle, Odereo Sears, Pastor Danny Clarke, Albert Clarke & family, Ivan, Lloyd, Daisy, Ann, Harold, Francis Baillou & family, Dolan Miller & family, Marion Kelly, Madgeline Mackey & family, Commodore Davey Rolle & family, Elsada Bowleg, Dorothy Johnson & family, Janet, Ettamae, Steven, Charlene, Prenell, Beatrice, Leola Bullard, Francira Nairn & family, Vernia King & family, Cyril Green, Garnett Bullard & family, Elsie Sears, Theresa Hepburn, Ms. Paulamae, Mr. Dorsett & family, Michael & Masline, Antone, Moley, Charlene Pinder & family, G.J., Charlton, Kenneth, Department of Environmental Health Services, St. Benedict Catholic Church, M.C.A., Bain Town, Laird & Peter Streets, Pinders, & the entire community of Mangrove Cay, Andros too numerous to mention.   Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 10-5:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Cherish memories will remain in the hearts of her daughters: Lena Mae Armbrister, Sandra (Hubert Newman); sons: Jerome & Wellington Strachan; sister: Grace Roker; sister-in-law: Thelma Miller; grandsons: Antone Strachan, Maurino and Mauricio Cash, Solomon Burrows & James Junior; granddaughters: Gleniece (Vincebert Lewis), Kendera Taylor, Sancha, Shantae, Dora and Rebekah Burrows, Kadeisha Clarke; great grandchildren: Kamani Rigby, Kaydyn Adderley, Liam Lewis, Karmarie Antonio Strachan, Anna Clarke; nieces: Marie Major, Frances and Reginald Johnson, Judy Carey, Wandlee (Ricardo Bonamy), Evyette (Lynden Johnson), Natasha, Fiona and Nyokia Miller, Shelia (Aubrey Major); nephews: Livingston (Diane Cash), Absolmn, Andrew, Prince, Clarence (Claramae Cash), Michael Cash, John, Jimmy, Steve and Jermaine Miller, Alvin (Manon Roker), Lennard, Eugene, Larry (Zona Roker); numerous grand nieces & nephews: Darren  (Theresa Cash),  Steven, Chris, Althea, Dexter, Samantha, Michael, Mark, Christopher, Andrew, Sophie Cash, L.J., Valencia, Gary, Lisa, Vernita, Verdell, Dutches, Karen, Ludell, Tina, Vernell, Sheldon, Chrissy, Clara, Cola, Ronald, Bobby and Christina Major, Myron, Kimberely, Kenva, Glensta, Emerald, Magarett, Kareem and Justin Roker; numerous great grand nieces & nephews to many to mention; caretaker: Arnett Francis Deleveaux; other relatives & friends including: Beryll, Nesaline & family, Maurice Cash, Carolyn Armbrister, Carolyn & Jeffrey Bain, Harold Strachan, Michelle Sweeting, Jerome Rolle, Frank & Sherrell Roach, Patricia Jones, Nyioka, Deneatress, Sherese, Godfrey Brown, Patrice Brown, Enoch Thompson,  Arlington Rolle, Odereo Sears, Pastor Danny Clarke, Albert Clarke & family, Ivan, Lloyd, Daisy, Ann, Harold, Francis Baillou & family, Dolan Miller & family, Marion Kelly, Madgeline Mackey & family, Commodore Davey Rolle & family, Elsada Bowleg, Dorothy Johnson & family, Janet, Ettamae, Steven, Charlene, Prenell, Beatrice, Leola Bullard, Francira Nairn & family, Vernia King & family, Cyril Green, Garnett Bullard & family, Elsie Sears, Theresa Hepburn, Ms. Paulamae, Mr. Dorsett & family, Michael & Masline, Antone, Moley, Charlene Pinder & family, G.J., Charlton, Kenneth, Department of Environmental Health Services, St. Benedict Catholic Church, M.C.A., Bain Town, Laird & Peter Streets, Pinders, & the entire community of Mangrove Cay, Andros too numerous to mention.  

Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 10-5:00 p.m. on Thursday.

 

Mrs. Monica Flowers, 78 a resident of East Dennis Court Yellow Elder, died at PMH on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. She is survived by her children: Floyd Butterfield and Patrice Williams; brothers, sister, numerous nieces and nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren, family and friends.