BTC is announcing that it will decommission copper services in four communities in Grand Bahama, effective March 9th, as it is on the cusp of completely “fiberizing” the island with future proof technology.

The company boasts of pioneering fiber technology in the country and has been on a journey to provide top notch services for its customers. BTC’s fiber is the only local product that delivers up to 1Gb of symmetrical speeds for customers. Additionally, the BTC fiber bundle includes a minimum of 164 television channels which can be viewed live or on demand including Paramount+, Flow Sports, and WWE.

Copper services in the Sunrise Subdivision, Hawksbill, Wellington Pinder Heights, and Glenburn communities in Grand Bahama will be permanently shut down on March 9. BTC is urging customers in these communities to avoid disruptions in service, by visiting the Pioneer’s Way retail store or contacting the company by phone or WhatsApp message at CALL-BTC, 225-5282 to schedule an appointment to be upgraded.

In December and January, BTC reported many incidents of sabotage, which resulted in service outages for scores of customers.

BTC CEO, Sameer Bhatti noted that: “We have been plagued with copper theft in several communities in Grand Bahama, and as we are working with the authorities, the best option in the interim is to upgrade our customers to our fiber services, to reduce the frequency of service disruptions, and provide a more reliable service experience. As an added incentive, we are providing a complimentary battery pack, for continued connectivity in the event of a power outage for customers upgrading. Our customers have expressed apprehension about power outages, and the battery pack will help with several hours of power for landline and internet services. We have teams canvassing the communities, but if you have not been reached yet, we are asking you to contact us as soon as possible.”

The rollout of fiber furthers national development, growth, and progress for all.

“BTC is the smart city leader in the country, and this move is another step in our commitment to create smarter cities and safer communities throughout the country. Fiber connectivity enables everything that’s next. As we fiberize New Providence and Grand Bahama, we are also working on major national initiatives including our rollout to extend CCTV to hundreds of new areas,” Bhatti continued.

BTC will continue to decommission copper services throughout Grand Bahama and will begin copper deactivation activities in New Providence in the coming weeks.

BTC is announcing that it will decommission copper services in four communities in Grand Bahama, effective March 9th, as it is on the cusp of completely “fiberizing” the island with future proof technology. The company boasts of pioneering fiber technology in the country and has been on a journey to provide top notch services for its customers. BTC’s fiber is the only local product that delivers up to 1Gb of symmetrical speeds for customers. Additionally, the BTC fiber bundle includes a minimum of 164 television channels which can be viewed live or on demand including Paramount+, Flow Sports, and WWE. Copper services in the Sunrise Subdivision, Hawksbill, Wellington Pinder Heights, and Glenburn communities in Grand Bahama will be permanently shut down on March 9. BTC is urging customers in these communities to avoid disruptions in service, by visiting the Pioneer’s Way retail store or contacting the company by phone or WhatsApp message at CALL-BTC, 225-5282 to schedule an appointment to be upgraded. In December and January, BTC reported many incidents of sabotage, which resulted in service outages for scores of customers. BTC CEO, Sameer Bhatti noted that: “We have been plagued with copper theft in several communities in Grand Bahama, and as we are working with the authorities, the best option in the interim is to upgrade our customers to our fiber services, to reduce the frequency of service disruptions, and provide a more reliable service experience. As an added incentive, we are providing a complimentary battery pack, for continued connectivity in the event of a power outage for customers upgrading. Our customers have expressed apprehension about power outages, and the battery pack will help with several hours of power for landline and internet services. We have teams canvassing the communities, but if you have not been reached yet, we are asking you to contact us as soon as possible.” The rollout of fiber furthers national development, growth, and progress for all. “BTC is the smart city leader in the country, and this move is another step in our commitment to create smarter cities and safer communities throughout the country. Fiber connectivity enables everything that’s next. As we fiberize New Providence and Grand Bahama, we are also working on major national initiatives including our rollout to extend CCTV to hundreds of new areas,” Bhatti continued. BTC will continue to decommission copper services throughout Grand Bahama and will begin copper deactivation activities in New Providence in the coming weeks.

The Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) are excited to announce the signing of a groundbreaking contract aimed at advancing the Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund’s Building Back Equal project.

The initiative is jointly led by UN Women, FAO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and United Nations Development Program (UNDP). It will support women-led businesses in the agriculture, creative, and tourism industries, and will serve as a regional pilot for best practices in gender equitable financing in advancing small island developing states (SIDS).

Gavin Christie, the Bahamas Development Bank’s Deputy Chairman, said, “This partnership signifies a significant step forward for BDB, FAO, and the nation at large. It underscores BDB’s dedication to driving inclusive economic development and gender equality, aligning with the sustainable development goals. As we support and empower women-led businesses, we are fostering social growth and sustainability in The Bahamas.”

Nicholas Higgs, the Bahamas Development Bank’s Managing Director, added, “The collaboration with FAO underlines our commitment to not only bolster the economy but to also ensure that women entrepreneurs are at the forefront of this advancement. By providing these targeted funds, we aim to catalyze a transformation in the industries that help form the backbone of our economy. This initiative is not just about financial investment, but also about investing in the skills and capabilities of women-led enterprises. The empowerment of women is a cornerstone for resilient and sustainable economies, and BDB is proud to lead by example. Through these efforts, we aspire to create a ripple effect that will not only uplift women within The Bahamas but also set a precedent for gender equity in funding across the region and globe.”

BDB is the national coordinating authority on the Joint SDG Fund and has played a crucial role in shaping the project's design and implementation. The total contract allocation to BDB for the FAO-funded section of the project is $186,000. The proposed blended financing instrument is a collaboration between BDB and FAO, and will combine capital from the Bahamas Development Bank with non-reimbursable funding from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The strategic partnership will provide women-led businesses with access to low-cost capital after undergoing technical capacity development. A portion of the funds will also be allocated to a grants program.

BDB will also sign a similar agreement with UN Women, which will add a further $100,000 to the fund for women-led businesses and further showcase its commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs in diverse sectors.

The Bahamas Development Bank is implementing a streamlined approach to its adjudication process to facilitate a faster decision-making process, ultimately ensuring expedited access to funding for women-led beneficiaries in the program. An announcement regarding applications will be announced in March.

The Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) are excited to announce the signing of a groundbreaking contract aimed at advancing the Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund’s Building Back Equal project. The initiative is jointly led by UN Women, FAO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and United Nations Development Program (UNDP). It will support women-led businesses in the agriculture, creative, and tourism industries, and will serve as a regional pilot for best practices in gender equitable financing in advancing small island developing states (SIDS). Gavin Christie, the Bahamas Development Bank’s Deputy Chairman, said, “This partnership signifies a significant step forward for BDB, FAO, and the nation at large. It underscores BDB’s dedication to driving inclusive economic development and gender equality, aligning with the sustainable development goals. As we support and empower women-led businesses, we are fostering social growth and sustainability in The Bahamas.” Nicholas Higgs, the Bahamas Development Bank’s Managing Director, added, “The collaboration with FAO underlines our commitment to not only bolster the economy but to also ensure that women entrepreneurs are at the forefront of this advancement. By providing these targeted funds, we aim to catalyze a transformation in the industries that help form the backbone of our economy. This initiative is not just about financial investment, but also about investing in the skills and capabilities of women-led enterprises. The empowerment of women is a cornerstone for resilient and sustainable economies, and BDB is proud to lead by example. Through these efforts, we aspire to create a ripple effect that will not only uplift women within The Bahamas but also set a precedent for gender equity in funding across the region and globe.” BDB is the national coordinating authority on the Joint SDG Fund and has played a crucial role in shaping the project's design and implementation. The total contract allocation to BDB for the FAO-funded section of the project is $186,000. The proposed blended financing instrument is a collaboration between BDB and FAO, and will combine capital from the Bahamas Development Bank with non-reimbursable funding from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The strategic partnership will provide women-led businesses with access to low-cost capital after undergoing technical capacity development. A portion of the funds will also be allocated to a grants program. BDB will also sign a similar agreement with UN Women, which will add a further $100,000 to the fund for women-led businesses and further showcase its commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs in diverse sectors. The Bahamas Development Bank is implementing a streamlined approach to its adjudication process to facilitate a faster decision-making process, ultimately ensuring expedited access to funding for women-led beneficiaries in the program. An announcement regarding applications will be announced in March.

After years of successful Leak Detection activities throughout New Providence, the partnership between the Water & Sewerage Corporation (WSC) and MIYA Bahamas has improved its performance in a whopping 300 per cent increase, from 1,000 to almost 3,000 per Year, giving WSC the ability to quickly fix leaks, fostering less interruptions for consumers.

This means now that crews have noted an increase in leak repairs throughout New Providence of 40 percent, from 3,800 to 5,300 per Month, this is in addition to the visible leaks communicated from the WSC Call Center.

The positive increase in leak detection has been also assisted by last year’s implementation of 600 FIDO AI-technology leak detectors per Month, across New Providence, that are equipped with the ability to alert operators of potential leaks,

improving accuracy and response times of WSC crews. It works by deploying small ‘bugs’ at an average distance of 200 ft that communicate with each other.

“After several years with Active Leakage Control Teams finding 1,000 leaks per Year, we have created an incentive scheme for our 100% Bahamian leak inspectors’ and we have set an ambitious goal to boost the team morale and results,” according to MIYA Country Representative Alvaro Ramalho.

“We are proud to verify that 2023 was extremely successful, finding now 3,000 leaks, allowing MIYA and WSC to improve 300 per cent over last year’s results and reduce non-revenue water due to the successful repair of several non-visible leaks that had gone previously undetected.”

According to Ramalho, the first two months of 2024 continue to show a similar trend with around 400 leaks detected per month, with similar average pressure in the water system as per previous years.

The statistics come amid constant monitoring of the FIDO detectors´ performance across the island, which were installed last year and have been dubbed ´the most advanced solution for leak detection´.

The detectors are deployed in service connections to listen to the network and correlate the leaks, and subsequently moved and relocated every five days.

An assessment of water systems across New Providence conducted by MIYA in 2012 uncovered a loss of up to 6.87 million gallons of non-revenue water daily. An $83 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan secured a partnership between WSC and MIYA Bahamas with the aim of improving efficiency and quality of service provision of potable water to address critical needs across the island.

Since signing in 2012, the partnership between WSC and MIYA Bahamas has seen a significant reduction in the amount of non-revenue water loss, improved water pressure and significantly improved water quality. The average water loss in 2023 was below 4 million imperial gallons per day and in 2024 is trending to 3 million imperial gallons – saving valuable water but also significant savings for Water and Sewerage too.

MIYA Bahamas and WSC members continue to ask for the public’s support in not disturbing or tampering with the FIDO devices.

After years of successful Leak Detection activities throughout New Providence, the partnership between the Water & Sewerage Corporation (WSC) and MIYA Bahamas has improved its performance in a whopping 300 per cent increase, from 1,000 to almost 3,000 per Year, giving WSC the ability to quickly fix leaks, fostering less interruptions for consumers. This means now that crews have noted an increase in leak repairs throughout New Providence of 40 percent, from 3,800 to 5,300 per Month, this is in addition to the visible leaks communicated from the WSC Call Center. The positive increase in leak detection has been also assisted by last year’s implementation of 600 FIDO AI-technology leak detectors per Month, across New Providence, that are equipped with the ability to alert operators of potential leaks, improving accuracy and response times of WSC crews. It works by deploying small ‘bugs’ at an average distance of 200 ft that communicate with each other. “After several years with Active Leakage Control Teams finding 1,000 leaks per Year, we have created an incentive scheme for our 100% Bahamian leak inspectors’ and we have set an ambitious goal to boost the team morale and results,” according to MIYA Country Representative Alvaro Ramalho. “We are proud to verify that 2023 was extremely successful, finding now 3,000 leaks, allowing MIYA and WSC to improve 300 per cent over last year’s results and reduce non-revenue water due to the successful repair of several non-visible leaks that had gone previously undetected.” According to Ramalho, the first two months of 2024 continue to show a similar trend with around 400 leaks detected per month, with similar average pressure in the water system as per previous years. The statistics come amid constant monitoring of the FIDO detectors´ performance across the island, which were installed last year and have been dubbed ´the most advanced solution for leak detection´. The detectors are deployed in service connections to listen to the network and correlate the leaks, and subsequently moved and relocated every five days. An assessment of water systems across New Providence conducted by MIYA in 2012 uncovered a loss of up to 6.87 million gallons of non-revenue water daily. An $83 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan secured a partnership between WSC and MIYA Bahamas with the aim of improving efficiency and quality of service provision of potable water to address critical needs across the island. Since signing in 2012, the partnership between WSC and MIYA Bahamas has seen a significant reduction in the amount of non-revenue water loss, improved water pressure and significantly improved water quality. The average water loss in 2023 was below 4 million imperial gallons per day and in 2024 is trending to 3 million imperial gallons – saving valuable water but also significant savings for Water and Sewerage too. MIYA Bahamas and WSC members continue to ask for the public’s support in not disturbing or tampering with the FIDO devices.

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