Former Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday that the lease of land on Paradise Island to Royal Caribbean International (RCI) would be a “fundamental error” by the government. “By allowing one cruise line to create a dominant position in the harbor of New Providence would be a fundamental error that will go against the income that Bay Street should earn,” he said. Christie added, “[Atlantis] created a major investment with its water offerings. The cruise ships patronize Atlantis and its water offerings. Baha Mar, they are building a water experience and would expect cruise ships to patronize it. Bay Street has been going through a generational challenge of being relevant to cruise ships.

CROWDFUNDING giant GoFundMe will donate more than $200,000 to the HeadKnowles Foundation, signalling its support for Gina Knowles as she tries to recover funds from charity co-founder Lia Head-Rigby. Mrs Head-Rigby, who split from the charity last September, withdrew funds that she did not send to the foundation as mandated, according to Bobby Whithorne, director of GoFundMe’s North America communications. His statement to The Tribune came after Ms Knowles sued Mrs Head-Rigby and her husband in Florida, alleging they have withheld Hurricane Dorian GoFundMe donations. Mrs Head-Rigby has denied the allegations in the lawsuit saying her “hands are clean”. The GoFundMe campaign attracted nearly $1.5 million in donations since the deadly September storm.

POLICE were called to a disturbance at the National Insurance Building in Freeport where a man and woman were involved in an argument on Valentine’s Day. When police arrived they found a large unruly mob gathered in the parking lot, and fired several shots in the air to disperse the crowd. It is believed that the woman, who was hit in the head by the man, was employed at the NIB, and that a co-worker came to her assistance and tried to break up the fight.

THE government is clamping down on cruise ships operating in Bahamian waters, with Transport Minister Renward Wells declaring yesterday discharges at sea will not be tolerated. His statement came as he revealed officials recently learned of a discharge in Bahamian waters from a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel, however he did not provide specifics. This incident was voluntarily reported to the Bahamas Maritime Authority, he said. A spokesperson from BMA said by next week, the government will be in a better position to report on the specifics of Norwegian’s waste dumping. Last month, The Tribune reported that Carnival Cruise Line had been caught polluting Bahamian waters yet again in 2019 after being found to have committed the infraction in 2017. Last year, Carnival Corporation reached a settlement with US federal prosecutors that would see it pay $20m in fines for violating terms of its probation in relation to its dumping.