Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) operations in the Family Islands, “with the exception of Andros”, were closed yesterday because employees did not report to work. Stores on New Providence remained open. Dino Rolle, president of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU), told Guardian Business yesterday that BTC employees decided “to take a break” because “they just couldn’t take it any more”.

BTC’s Chief Executive Officer Garry Sinclair explained in a statement that he had not heard from BCPOU on the incident.

“Our union partners have not yet contacted me, so I’m frankly unaware of what might have precipitated this action. However, it comes right on the heels of several positive developments regarding the welfare of our colleagues.

Minister of Public Works Desmond Bannister said despite days of load shedding, Bahamas Power and Light’s (BPL) performance so far this summer has been better than it was during any of the summers under the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration.

Over the past week, many BPL consumers on New Providence have expressed outrage as they experienced frequent power outages, some lasting hours.

“Notwithstanding the fact that we had to load shed…if you check the record, this summer has still been better than any of the five summers under the former administration, any of them,” Bannister said.

BPL has historically struggled to keep up with an increased demand for electricity on New Providence during the summer.

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel staunchly defended the government’s decision to purchase the Grand Lucayan resort, insisting the move will prove to be the foundation for “a full fledged economic rebirth” in Grand Bahama.

Mr Bethel, praising the move as an act that took “courage”, said the intervention directly reversed the fate of Grand Bahama’s economy. His comments came during the Senate’s debate of the 2019/2020 budget yesterday.

“(This was) a simple act of courage,” he said. “We had the courage to intervene, to break the economic - how should I say it - the economic theories of the last 25 years which called for the diminution of the role of State in the economy.”

FIFTEEN parks and basketball courts in the Over-the-Hill community have been identified for restoration as part of the government's plan to enhance and redevelop parks and green spaces throughout New Providence, said Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

Dr Minnis was speaking at the official opening of the Silver Gates Community Park in the Carmichael constituency on Saturday.

A detailed assessment of parks in the inner city has been performed to identify specific spaces, along with a needs assessment to restore the parks over time, a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister noted.