NASSAU, BAHAMAS - An early morning traffic accident has left a man, believed to be in his early to mid 30s, dead.

Parliamentarians debated the human rights resolution for a select committee in the House of Assembly Wednesday, April 26, 2016.

In its latest communication to its members, World Athletics has released a new qualification system for relay teams for the 2024 World Athletics Relays in Nassau, The Bahamas, and the ensuing 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. The Bahamas is a direct beneficiary as it will have arguably its best opportunity, to date, to qualify five relay teams for the Olympics.

As the host country of the 2024 world relays, The Bahamas may enter one team in each of the five preeminent disciplines - the men's and women's 4×100 meters (m) and 4x400m events and the mixed 4x400m relay - regardless of any entry conditions. Additionally, the top 14 teams at the 2024 world relays in those five relay disciplines automatically qualify for places at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. In the past, it was the top eight.

Now, with the top 14 teams from the world relays qualifying for the Olympics, it presents as great of an opportunity as ever for The Bahamas to place five relay teams in Paris.

"This is historic," said Drumeco Archer, president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA). "We have a rare opportunity to qualify all of our relay teams - something that has never been done before. What is so spectacular is that even if the teams don't make the final at the world relays, they would still have an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics. This is grand. In the worst-case scenario, coming out of the first day of competition, a high finish in the 'B' final the following day would allow teams to qualify. This has never be done before and it would be huge for track and field and the sporting program here in The Bahamas."

The Bahamas has had four relay teams qualify for the world championships before, but never for the Olympics. For the world championships, the feat was accomplished in 2013 in Moscow, Russia, and again in 2017 in London, England. This year's world championships is set for August 19-27 at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary.

Given the stellar times ran by Bahamian athletes this year, particularly collegiate athletes, Archer said the prospects look good heading into the world championships.

"We have a real good crop of collegiate athletes and they have taken the lead in a number of disciplines," said Archer. "By all indication, we can field full 4×1 and 4×4 and mixed relay teams for the world relays next year. We are very confident that we will be able to attract our top collegiate athletes. The key is to have these discussions with the athletic departments of colleges and universities very early, speaking with the coaching staffs, and coordinate the availability of our athletes. I believe it's a win-win situation for everyone. Every college and every university want to know that they are attracting Olympians and they are being represented by Olympians; and, of course, we would want the best representation at the world relays and into the Olympics. We are very confident that we will be able to field full teams. This year is a pronouncement year to see what we have going into the world championships and it sets us up nicely for the Olympics. We are looking forward to it."

As mentioned, The Bahamas has had four relay teams qualify for a major meet in athletics, be it the world championships or the Olympics, but never five. The 2024 world relays would present a golden opportunity for The Bahamas to do so, and it will be at home.

The Bahamas hosted the first three editions of the world relays - in 2014, 2015 and again in 2017 - and will once again welcome the world's best sprinters to the world relays, set for May 4-5, 2024. A total of 32 teams will be entered in each of the five aforementioned relay disciplines – the men's and women's 4×100 and 4x400m relay events and the mixed 4x400m relay.

The Bahamas receives an automatic spot in those disciplines for the world relays as a result of being the host nation, but other teams will have to qualify. The top eight teams in each of those five disciplines at the Budapest World Championships will qualify for the world relays, and the remaining teams will be determined through the World Athletics top lists during the qualifying period (January 1, 2023 to Sunday April 7, 2024). Starting October 1, 2023, World Athletics will maintain a weekly list of relay teams in position to qualify through the top lists.

At the world relays, teams will have two opportunities to qualify. If they're unsuccessful during the heats on day one, another chance will be provided in the 'B' finals on day two.

The top 14 will qualify for the Olympics and the remaining two places in each discipline will be awarded based on the top lists during the qualifying period (December 31, 2022 to June 30, 2024). Archer said they are focused on taking advantage of the opportunity at home to directly qualify.

The contractors associations will submit their recommendations for the contractors board to government this week, and have had their suggested revisions to the Contractor's Act sent to the attorney general's office, President of the Bahamian Contractors' Association (BCA) Leonard Sands said yesterday.

Sands said the next step is for the minister of works to appoint the contractors board that the current legislation calls for.

Minister of Works and Utilities Alfred Sears told this paper recently that the government plans to amend the Construction Contractors Act, 2016 to allow contractors to be grandfathered in as licensed contractors, as the transitional period for the original grandfathering process "has been spent".

Sands was elated that the process to regularize professional contractors has begun in earnest again.

"We also were advised that the two revisions that the BCA made, and the two revisions that the other associations made were noted and forwarded on to the attorney general's office for the redrafting of the amendment to the Construction Contractors Act," said Sands.

"And then we await the appointment of the board by the minister. So, we will do our part this week, we will submit our names. And they only then have to take it to Cabinet, have it approved and debate it, and once it's passed, the minister appoints the board.

"And we will have a law that is enforced in the country. Once we submit the names, the associations would have done all we need to do. It's in the ministry's hands after that."

Sands said the BCA plans to continue moving forward with certifying contractors so that when the board is appointed, licensing can take place.

"We're using the act as our benchmark, so we just mirroring that, but moving ahead," he said.