With the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season at its peak for the Northern Bahamas, the Government of The Bahamas is making the rounds to ensure all available hurricane shelters are fully functioning and ready to take in evacuees should the need arise.  

During a recent visit to Grand Bahama, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis accompanied West Grand Bahama Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Kingsley Smith on a tour of the Eight Mile Rock High School Gymnasium.  

With a maximum capacity of 500 people, the gym -- now considered a multi-purpose community centre -- is able to accommodate a wide-range of sporting activities, and with renovations now just about complete, it can once again serve as the largest emergency shelter for West Grand Bahama. 

West Grand Bahama, over the years, has seen more than its fair share of hurricane damage.  It is considered the storm capital of the region. The land is inherently low-lying which makes it vulnerable to flooding from heavy rains and with ocean water all around -- sea surge.  Fully functioning and fully equipped shelters, in tandem with proper evacuation plans and proper drainage, are necessary requirements for area residents. Works to repair the gym, which had been in a state of disrepair for a number of years, began in 2023 and included improvements to the flooring and roof.

Expressing his elation at the finished works, Mr. Smith noted that as an emergency shelter, the Eight Mile Rock High School Gymnasium will complement the community and overall island’s current shelter listing. “West Grand Bahama is prone to hurricanes and West End in particular is a mandatory evacuation zone, should the need arise, so this will play a major role in our constituency. I’m sure that once we open and commission this site, you will see the appreciation in the many smiles on the faces of West Grand Bahama residents,” he stated.

Contractor Tadd Martin of Skye’s Construction Company said a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the works as he wanted to ensure a quality facility that residents could depend on for years to come. “We knew what we had to do to bring the finished product to reality so we had a lot of sleepless nights.  It was a project well planned and executed,” he said.

Following the tour of the facility, Prime Minister Davis, impressed, gave kudos to Martin and his team at Skye’s Construction Company. “I’m really proud of our young Bahamians who have come up to answer the call to be professional in the execution of their craft. I mean the finishing work here, the way they have executed this work is marvellous and we have to be proud of our young Bahamians… it’s just part of our mandate to ensure that we invest in our young people -- at the end of the day, investing in this is investing in young people.”

An official opening, pending a final assessment from Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs officials, is expected in short order.

With the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season at its peak for the Northern Bahamas, the Government of The Bahamas is making the rounds to ensure all available hurricane shelters are fully functioning and ready to take in evacuees should the need arise.   During a recent visit to Grand Bahama, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis accompanied West Grand Bahama Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Kingsley Smith on a tour of the Eight Mile Rock High School Gymnasium.   With a maximum capacity of 500 people, the gym -- now considered a multi-purpose community centre -- is able to accommodate a wide-range of sporting activities, and with renovations now just about complete, it can once again serve as the largest emergency shelter for West Grand Bahama.  West Grand Bahama, over the years, has seen more than its fair share of hurricane damage.  It is considered the storm capital of the region. The land is inherently low-lying which makes it vulnerable to flooding from heavy rains and with ocean water all around -- sea surge.  Fully functioning and fully equipped shelters, in tandem with proper evacuation plans and proper drainage, are necessary requirements for area residents. Works to repair the gym, which had been in a state of disrepair for a number of years, began in 2023 and included improvements to the flooring and roof. Expressing his elation at the finished works, Mr. Smith noted that as an emergency shelter, the Eight Mile Rock High School Gymnasium will complement the community and overall island’s current shelter listing. “West Grand Bahama is prone to hurricanes and West End in particular is a mandatory evacuation zone, should the need arise, so this will play a major role in our constituency. I’m sure that once we open and commission this site, you will see the appreciation in the many smiles on the faces of West Grand Bahama residents,” he stated. Contractor Tadd Martin of Skye’s Construction Company said a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the works as he wanted to ensure a quality facility that residents could depend on for years to come. “We knew what we had to do to bring the finished product to reality so we had a lot of sleepless nights.  It was a project well planned and executed,” he said. Following the tour of the facility, Prime Minister Davis, impressed, gave kudos to Martin and his team at Skye’s Construction Company. “I’m really proud of our young Bahamians who have come up to answer the call to be professional in the execution of their craft. I mean the finishing work here, the way they have executed this work is marvellous and we have to be proud of our young Bahamians… it’s just part of our mandate to ensure that we invest in our young people -- at the end of the day, investing in this is investing in young people.” An official opening, pending a final assessment from Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs officials, is expected in short order.

JAMESLY Richmond's mother and cousin begged him not to buy a motorbike, fearing it would put him in danger and jeopardise his safety.

On Saturday, three weeks after the former CI Gibson High School graduate defied their advice and bought a bike, he was reportedly struck by a vehicle, and his bike went missing from the scene. He died on Tuesday in the Princess Margaret Hospital. Although his relatives insist he was a robbery victim and suggest his death should be classified as murder or manslaughter, police have not released information about the incident, making details around the matter unclear. His mother, Michelle Aime, said police have not contacted her. However, on social media, scores of people called for justice and expressed sorrow at the death of a young man they said was hard-working and well-liked. Just one post on Facebook had over 1,000 likes, comments and shares. Jamesly, 19, worked as a server at Sandals and part- time barber at Young Kings Cutz Barbershop on Robin- son Road. His death came nine years after his father, Jean Richmond, was shot and killed in Palm Cay during an argument with a contractor over outstanding payments. His mother, Ms Aime, said her son’s motorbike became his primary means of transportation. “When he come and tell me he going to buy a bike I say, Jamesly, do not buy the bike,” she said, adding that she was tempted to have someone remove the bike after he bought it. “Jamesly is a hard-working young man, little man, who tries to get something for his own life, so they take away half of me,” she said. Jamesly’s employer and cousin, Mark Baptise, 28, said Jamesly was like “everything to us in the barbershop.” “Jamesly was the type of person that you don’t know but he knows you,” he said. “Sometimes, some of the customers that we have in here, I might not know my customer names, but guess who knows that customer’s name? Jamesly would know that customer’s name.” “Sometimes I wonder to myself if those guys that had killed him to take that bike, if they had a chance to meet Jamesly they would not have done what they did if they knew who he was.” Mr Baptise blames himself for his cousin’s death, insisting he should have done more to prevent him from buying the bike. “I was saying to him do not get the bike, but then there were some guys in here who were saying that he had to feel it,” he said. “I didn’t feel as if I tried hard enough to not make him get that bike, but he ended up getting the bike so everything that happened to him was not just his fault, it was my fault and it was the guys that actually killed him fault.” A co-worker, Jacuqes Israel, said he wants answers, adding: “How did you sleep at night, bey? How you went home and wake up, laughing like eve- rything cool, bey?”

On Saturday, three weeks after the former CI Gibson High School graduate defied their advice and bought a bike, he was reportedly struck by a vehicle, and his bike went missing from the scene.

He died on Tuesday in the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Although his relatives insist he was a robbery victim and suggest his death should be classified as murder or manslaughter, police have not released information about the incident, making details around the matter unclear.

His mother, Michelle Aime, said police have not contacted her.

However, on social media, scores of people called for justice and expressed sorrow at the death of a young man they said was hard-working and well-liked. Just one post on Facebook had over 1,000 likes, comments and shares.

Jamesly, 19, worked as a server at Sandals and part- time barber at Young Kings Cutz Barbershop on Robin- son Road.

His death came nine years after his father, Jean Richmond, was shot and killed in Palm Cay during an argument with a contractor over outstanding payments.

His mother, Ms Aime, said her son’s motorbike became his primary means of transportation.

“When he come and tell me he going to buy a bike I say, Jamesly, do not buy the bike,” she said, adding that she was tempted to have someone remove the bike after he bought it.

“Jamesly is a hard-working young man, little man, who tries to get something for his own life, so they take away half of me,” she said.

Jamesly’s employer and cousin, Mark Baptise, 28, said Jamesly was like “everything to us in the barbershop.”

“Jamesly was the type of person that you don’t know but he knows you,” he said. “Sometimes, some of the customers that we have in here, I might not know my customer names, but guess who knows that customer’s name? Jamesly would know that customer’s name.”

“Sometimes I wonder to myself if those guys that had killed him to take that bike, if they had a chance to meet Jamesly they would not have done what they did if they knew who he was.”

Mr Baptise blames himself for his cousin’s death, insisting he should have done more to prevent him from buying the bike.

“I was saying to him do not get the bike, but then there were some guys in here who were saying that he had to feel it,” he said. “I didn’t feel as if I tried hard enough to not make him get that bike, but he ended up getting the bike so everything that happened to him was not just his fault, it was my fault and it was the guys that actually killed him fault.”

A co-worker, Jacuqes Israel, said he wants answers, adding: “How did you sleep at night, bey? How you went home and wake up, laughing like eve- rything cool, bey?”

 

Avoid the Shirley Street area by The AutoMall if possible. An accident in front of the car dealership that has brought traffic to a virtual standstill.

ATLANTIS representatives did not respond to questions before press time yesterday after a ten-year-old American boy was bitten by a shark at the resort.

Tourism Director Latia Duncombe said the incident was “unfortunate”, but further details were not available. Police said the ten-year-old Maryland boy was participating in an expedition in a “shark tank at a local resort on Paradise Island” when the incident happened. Atlantis offers a snorkelling programme where people can swim alongside sharks and other animals. NBC News reported yesterday that Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said: “I’m a police officer on the island, and I have never been over to the aquarium that they’re referring to. As for how it’s set up, you’ll have to speak to personnel at the resort.” The shark attack comes amid increased attention to such incidents. Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) president Robert Sands said in December that a task force would examine watersports and beach activity concerns after a shark killed an American woman in waters near the Sandals resort that month.

Tourism Director Latia Duncombe said the incident was “unfortunate”, but further details were not available.

Police said the ten-year-old Maryland boy was participating in an expedition in a “shark tank at a local resort on Paradise Island” when the incident happened.

Atlantis offers a snorkelling programme where people can swim alongside sharks and other animals.

NBC News reported yesterday that Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said: “I’m a police officer on the island, and I have never been over to the aquarium that they’re referring to. As for how it’s set up, you’ll have to speak to personnel at the resort.”

The shark attack comes amid increased attention to such incidents.

Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) president Robert Sands said in December that a task force would examine watersports and beach activity concerns after a shark killed an American woman in waters near the Sandals resort that month.