Baha Mar urges govt to move quickly on Gaming Bill

The Nassau Guardian

Baha Mar urges govt to move quickly on Gaming Bill

Baha Mar executives yesterday expressed concern over the delayed Gaming Bill and encouraged the government to pass it by the start of the new fiscal year.

Baha Mar Senior Vice President of Administration and External Relations Robert

‘Sandy’ Sands, who previously expressed disappointment over the setbacks, said it is important that the government moves quickly.

"We are very anxious for this to be passed,” said Sands, responding to The Guardian’s questions.

It was expected that the Gaming Bill would be debated and passed last year.

However, recent considerations by the government to make web shop gaming legal for Bahamians have slowed the process.

“It's very important that this is passed by the first of July, or by the end of June,” Sands said.

“The government is very much aware of anxiousness that we feel. We have been assured that it will be passed.

“So we just have to remain hopeful that the government passes this bill as soon as possible.”

Senior Vice President and General Counsel Uri Clinton noted that the bill is important for the security of Bahamian jobs.

"There are thousands of Bahamian jobs that will be dependent on getting a modern gaming bill passed," said Clinton, who was also responding to The Guardian’s question.

Last year, Clinton called on the government to “urgently” pass the Gaming Bill, noting that Bah Mar needs time to “budget, plan and train, to ensure it can take immediate advantage of the new law when it opens its new development later this year.”

The proposed Gaming Bill would introduce an entirely new mobile and online gaming segment to the Bahamian resort’s gaming offerings, allowing The Bahamas to tap into what is projected to be a $100 billion industry globally in 2015.

Atlantis executives have also expressed disappointment over the delays.

Atlantis President and Managing Director George Markantonis said last year that Atlantis is prepared to make investments to take advantage of the new law.

However, he said construction of private gaming rooms will hinge on the passing of the bill.

Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe, who has responsibility for gaming, said last week work was continuing on the bill.

However, he declined to comment further.

In addition to regulating the numbers industry, the government is also considering removing the ban that prevents Bahamians from gambling in casinos.

Wilchcombe has said he hopes to have the Gaming Bill passed by July 1.

However, Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said recently that date is unrealistic given the amount of work required to properly regulate the industry.

 

 

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Sands slams launch of Fraser’s new church

The Nassau Guardian

Sands slams launch of Fraser’s new church

Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Chairman Dr. Duane Sands said yesterday that minors should not be allowed in the new church opened by convicted sexual offender Bishop Earl Randolph Fraser.

Sands, a former senator, said while he believes in second chances he was surprised that Fraser’s decision to open a new church has not garnered wide criticism.

“It raises a question of whether or not we are so politically correct now that we cannot admit to our visceral response, but believe that it’s okay that a sexual predator is not going to have significant limitations put on him,” Sands said.

“If he wants to have a church, fine, then he can’t have minors in the church. No child should come in the confines or environment of the church.”

He added: “While I will tell you that I believe in the power of redemption, I think we also need to call a spade a spade and Randy Fraser has been proven by the courts to be a sexual predator.”

Fraser was released from prison last November.

He was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of having sex with a dependant.

During Fraser’s trial, evidence revealed that he began an illicit affair with a 16-year-old girl shortly after their counseling sessions began in July 2005.

The sexual relationship ended in February 2006, his accuser said.

The girl said she and Fraser had sex on Mondays and Wednesdays on the floor of his office before services, and, occasionally, at his home when his wife was not there.

Police found Fraser’s semen on carpet swaths collected from the church’s office.

The Court of Appeal condemned Fraser as a sexual predator who “disgustingly defiled the sanctum of his church” when it upheld his conviction for having sex with the teenager.

He was fired as senior pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church during a meeting of the board of trustees late last year.

Fraser launched a new church, Palms of Victory Kingdom Ministry, on Sunday.

During the launch, Fraser apologized to the country for his “pastoral misjudgment”.

He told a crowd gathered at Workers House for the launch that he will press forward with his life.

Earlier this week, Dr. Victor Cooper, of New Bethany Baptist Cathedral, who was contacted for comment, said while he believes in “second chances” it may be too soon for Fraser to lead another congregation.

Cooper said before Fraser resumed a leadership position in ministry he should have gone through a “period of counseling and a period of personal introspection”.

 

 

 

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Mitchell wants task force to probe human smuggling

The Nassau Guardian

Mitchell wants task force to probe human smuggling

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said yesterday he will push for the appointment of a special task force to investigate and break up suspected human smuggling rings.

Mitchell’s comments came two days after 132 undocumented Haitian immigrants were apprehended during a routine patrol near Ragged Island.

The minister said he planned to discuss the matter in a Cabinet meeting yesterday. He said he would speak more on it in the House of Assembly today.

While large groups of illegal immigrants entering Bahamian territory by boat are nothing new, Mitchell said he finds it unlikely that the immigrants enter the country unaided by Bahamians.

He wants the proposed task force to gather intelligence that can lead to the detection and arrest of Bahamians who may be aiding the smuggling of illegal immigrants and profiting from the exercise.

“What is clear is this in my view is being driven by people in Nassau who are organizing these trips and I want to find out from my intelligence people why it is we can’t interrupt that and find out who’s driving this,” Mitchell told reporters before heading into Cabinet.

“This is just not people jumping on a boat. These things seem to be organized. It’s clear that they are paid for by people. So this is, I think, an organized smuggling ring.

“My intuition tells me that and we’ve got to find some way to interrupt that, to get at the people who are driving it here in Nassau.”

He said he has heard that some illegal immigrants pay as much as $5,000 per person to be smuggled into The Bahamas.

“I’m told very often they’re in communication with people by cell phone in Nassau . . .telling them where to come in, telling them where the police and the defence force are going to be,” Mitchell added.

“There are all these sorts of rumors going around, so I think we need to do more to interrupt on this side and put the pressure on people to see if there are people who are actually driving this from here and break up these smuggling rings.”

The latest group of immigrants that was caught brought the number of detainees at the Detention Centre to 331.

Mitchell said there is a concern about overcrowding at the facility, but he said he has been assured by Director of Immigration William Pratt that officials “can manage” the number of immigrants currently housed there.

He said officials are trying to organize repatriation of the immigrants within the next day or two.

Pratt said immigration officers picked up around 90 Haitian immigrants in Exuma last week during a special operation.

 

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FNM chairman says govt appears divided

The Nassau Guardian

FNM chairman says govt appears divided

Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash said yesterday the government appears to be divided after Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said July 1 is not a realistic deadline for the regulation of the web shop industry.

“Sadly, the Gomez statement is yet another example of how governance under [Prime Minister] Perry Christie continues to be a race to the bottom, as he seeks to have governance sink to the lowest levels this country has ever seen,” Cash said in a statement.

“The statement shows that this government has not yet learned how to work together, govern and speak in a way that inspires confidence that they know what they are doing.

“What is also clear is that the Bahamian people can no longer put up with this shambolic, pain and suffering-inducing style of government.”

In the House of Assembly on March 5, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe announced that he intended to soon present a proposal for the regularization of web shops to Cabinet and was pushing for this to be official by July 1.

But, Gomez said in an interview with The Guardian on Friday that, due to the complexities of establishing a regulated sector, July 1 is an unrealistic date.

When asked what would be a more realistic date to start taxing web shops, he said December 31.

Cash said the government appears to be adrift with no clear focus or agenda.

“They have abandoned the long-standing principle of Cabinet government with collective responsibility, and they don’t seem to care,” he said.

“This is a government of every man or woman for himself or herself.”

He added, “It is the FNM’s position that this dysfunction cannot be permitted to go on much longer.

“It is time for Prime Minister Christie to call for the dissolution of Parliament and go back to the people for a fresh mandate. His government has failed on policy and it has failed on process.”

Cash said Christie is far more concerned with giving grand speeches than he is with the details of writing laws, setting policies or governing departments and agencies.

FNM Senator Carl Bethel said last week the government is suffering from a “chronic lack of legislative focus,” and called on the Christie administration to “get its act together”.

Bethel was responding to comments made by Constitutional Commission Chairman Sean McWeeney who said the government may have to delay its promised constitutional referendum on gender equality for a third time.

 

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Roberts fires back over new criticisms from FNM chairman

The Nassau Guardian

Roberts fires back over new criticisms from FNM chairman

The Free National Movement (FNM) should be the last party to speak of internal division within a political organization, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday.

Roberts was responding to FNM Chairman Darron Cash, who said the government appeared to be divided after Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said July 1 is not a realistic date for the regulation of the web shop industry.

But Roberts noted that the FNM’s chairman, leader and deputy leader have recently been at odds on several issues.

“The FNM in opposition suffers from a credibility problem on three levels,” he said in a statement.

“Firstly, every single policy position they endorsed as the government, they managed to flip-flop on and oppose as the opposition.

“Secondly, the leadership has too many disagreements on policy issues, and thirdly, the FNM has failed to offer one single solitary policy alternative to the ones advanced by the PLP government.

“They do not understand that credibility is built by crafting, then defending the alternatives to the policies they oppose. This organization has failed miserably on all three counts.”

In the House of Assembly on March 5, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe announced that he intended to soon present a proposal for the regularization of web shops to Cabinet and was pushing for this to be official by July 1.

But Gomez said in an interview with The Guardian on Friday that, due to the complexities of establishing a regulated sector, July 1 is an unrealistic date.

In his statement, Cash said the government appears to be adrift with no clear focus or agenda.

But Roberts said the opposition was given “every opportunity to legislate and implement every single piece of legislation and public policy that they find so politically convenient to criticize”.

Roberts said the opposition has flip-flopped on value-added tax (VAT), regularizing the web shop industry and the stem cell issue.

Former State Minister for Finance Zhivargo Laing has said that if reelected the Ingraham administration would have given VAT early consideration. However, FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis has blasted the government over its plans to implement the new tax.

In an internal party memo, Cash recently urged the party to move away from “castigating” the government over VAT and provide specific policy suggestions.

Minnis and Cash were also at odds on the web shop matter.

The FNM chairman thinks the party should support the regulation and taxation of web shops, but Minnis has called on the government to abide by the results of last year’s failed gambling referendum.

Minnis and FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner also had a public disagreement after she called on homeowners whose mortgages are in trouble to demonstrate against Prime Minister Perry Christie.

 

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Participants in Bahamas Against Crime training course graduate

The Nassau Guardian

Participants in Bahamas Against Crime training course graduate

Bahamas Against Crime recently held its eighth security officers training course; a total of 54 graduates received certificates at the graduation, which was held on March 28 at the Paul Farquharson Conference Centre.

The participants underwent an intense four-day training course with Paul Thompson, retired assistant commissioner of police. The course, which was provided free of charge, has seen over 200 young men and women graduate, and, while a job was not promised following graduation, Bahamas Against Crime has assisted most of the graduates in finding employment.

 

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Nassau Flight Services workers protest at LPIA

The Nassau Guardian

Nassau Flight Services workers protest at LPIA

A lunchtime demonstration by more than 60 Nassau Flight Services (NFS) employees yesterday caused baggage delays of up to 45 minutes for at least two airlines at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), an airport spokesperson said.

Nassau Airport Development Company's (NAD) Communications Manager Shonalee Johnson said that around 2:20 p.m. NAD was informed that several dozen flight services employees withdrew their labor.

Those employees are responsible for ground handling of the majority of the carriers operating at LPIA.

“There are reports of baggage delays in The Bahamas customs area of up to 45 minutes for two arriving flights; Air Canada and WestJet,” Johnson said around 3:20 p.m.

“NFS management has indicated that they have sufficient staff on hand — management and/or temporary workers — to handle current baggage handling loads for arriving and departing flights at our facility.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Meanwhile, in the parking lot of the domestic arrivals terminal, Airport Airline and Allied Workers Union President Nelerene Harding said that after industrial agreement negotiations over the last year, NFS management and the union reached an agreement two weeks ago.

Harding claimed as a part of the new agreement, which she said has been signed by both parties but not registered, employees are entitled to triple overtime pay on holidays; the first of which will be Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

“Our issue is that on Friday I spoke to the managing director and I said to him the one thing that we would like to go forward with is that...we honor the holiday pay that is coming up,” Harding said.

But she claimed NFS management had not dealt with the matter.

“To me that is total disrespect to the agreement,” she said.

Harding said if the holiday pay is not reflected in employees’ salaries next Thursday the union would demonstrate again.

However, she later said she spoke with Minister of Labour Shane Gibson and was confident the matter will be resolved.

Employees resumed work shortly before 4 p.m.

Gibson, who was contacted for comment, did not confirm or deny employees would be paid.

“The differences with management and the union have been resolved with both me and the minister of transport and aviation,” he said.

Pressed on whether employees would be paid triple overtime, Gibson said, “After they spoke with me they felt satisfied.”

 

 

 

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Two men arrested after guns seized

The Nassau Guardian

Two men arrested after guns seized

Officers seized several illegal firearms hidden among a shipment of assorted household items and appliances in Exuma, police said.

Superintendent Ken Strachan, head of the Firearms Tracing Unit, said the seizure took place this week, but he did not give a specific date.

Strachan said customs officers inspected a shipment that originated from the United States and found two rifles, two handguns and dozens of rounds of ammunition.

The shipment also reportedly contained popsicles and juice bottles.

“We are communicating and in collaboration with the customs department and we are awaiting further details,” Strachan told The Nassau Guardian yesterday.

“We do have a team of investigators conducting further inspections.”

Two Bahamian men were arrested in connection with the seizure.

The men are expected to be charged with gun trafficking, although Strachan was unable to say when.

Asked whether he was surprised by the method used to smuggle the weapons into the country, Strachan said, “Nothing surprises me in law enforcement any longer.”

The find is the latest in several significant gun seizures in recent days.

“We seized two weapons, an assault weapon and a pistol,” Strachan said.

“In another incident, where visitors came to our shores, we recovered five weapons, three of which we took from [waters] off a harbor in New Providence.

“We had a dive team out for some five hours… and recovered three handguns.

“In addition to that we have taken into custody another foreign national who was duly placed before the court on a complaint related to a firearm that came into the country that was not cleared.”

Strachan said with the assistance of customs and the defense force his department has also seized several high-powered weapons in the last few months.

He said over the last week police seized two AK-47s and a Mac-11.

Several assault rifles, handguns with extended clips and at least one firearm with a drum magazine were also seized recently.

Police said they confiscated more than 100 illegal firearms and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition for the year.

In 2013, police said they seized 438 illegal firearms and 6,853 rounds of ammunition.

 

 

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FNM MPs urge clarity on VAT issue

The Nassau Guardian

FNM MPs urge clarity on VAT issue

Two Free National Movement (FNM) MPs lashed out yesterday at the government for ambiguity over value-added tax (VAT) with just three months before the proposed July 1 implementation date.

FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner told The Nassau Guardian the government would put the economy “in a tailspin” if it forges ahead with the July 1 date.

She anticipated that the government would make a definitive statement on the issue at the end of May, when the new budget is presented to Parliament, but she said this is too little time for the business community to prepare for the new tax.

“Businesses would need more than a month to prepare to do the double accounting system,” she said. “It’s not just a matter of lowering the rate.

“We still don’t know where we’re going, [and] we’re still just walking in the dark.

“It’s indicative of this government as far as I can see in terms of lack of organization, lack of process, very little focus and they create nothing but chaos and confusion.

“I couldn’t see them bringing this into force on July 1. And now that we are at this stage, seven weeks out, it’s worse. I don’t know what they are going to do. I’ve never seen a government so incompetent in my life.”

She also criticized the government for not yet finalizing the revised tariff schedule that will accompany VAT or releasing the supporting regulations.

East Grand Bahama MP and Shadow Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest said a forced implementation at this stage would be “disastrous”.

“The date is drawing near and one would have thought that all of the final details would have been released by now and the educational campaign would have been in high gear,” Turnquest said.

“The prime minister has foreshadowed some delay and we certainly would encourage him to stick to that position and to ensure that if we are going to go forward that there is a well thought out and coordinated plan for implementation.”

The FNM has repeatedly criticized the Christie administration for its plan to administer VAT and its handling of the process, however the opposition has also come under fire for not providing an alternative tax model.

Prime Minister Perry Christie said recently the government will introduce VAT at a rate lower than the 15 percent previously announced.

The prime minister has also hinted there might be a delay.

 

 

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Prince Hepburn appeal delayed

The Nassau Guardian

Prince Hepburn appeal delayed

The appeal launched by contractor Prince Hepburn against his conviction for the murder of his mistress won’t be heard until June.

Attorney Nathan Smith yesterday asked the court for an adjournment, claiming that his boss, Murrio Ducille, had not yet received the court transcripts.

Court of Appeal President Anita Allen questioned how this could be since the court had the transcripts since February 12.

The matter has been adjourned to June 18.

Hepburn was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the hacking death of Nellie Mae Brown-Cox between April 6 and 7, 2011.

Prosecutors alleged that Hepburn flew into a jealous rage after he learned that she was seeing someone else, prosecutors said.

Hepburn, 51, had left his wife and children for Brown-Cox, who was also married. They had planned to marry after divorcing their spouses.

In passing sentence, Justice Indra Charles said that Hepburn, who had no prior brushes with the law, could have walked away in the same manner that he left his wife and children.

According to the evidence, Hepburn confronted Brown-Cox about his rival and she brushed him off.

That’s when he launched into a violent rage, chopping Brown-Cox in the head, arms and torso with two cutlasses.

Police found the cutlasses with the words “You're next, George Sawyer" and "This is what cheaters get” engraved on them at the crime scene in South Beach.

Hepburn told a police officer at the scene that he’d spent over $1 million on Brown-Cox, left his wife and children for her and she cheated on him.

 

 

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Prison officers threaten action

The Nassau Guardian

Prison officers threaten action

The Bahamas Prison Officers Association (BPOA) warned yesterday there would be a “serious breakdown” in prison operations if the government does not address its mounting concerns.

Dennis Williams, the attorney representing the association, said prison officers have long had to contend with unsanitary and unsafe conditions at Her Majesty’s Prisons (HMP).

Williams said officers are continuously faced with the nauseating stench emanating from slop buckets that are still in use in maximum security.

“This cannot continuously happen, and, if it is not addressed, obviously there’s going to be a serious breakdown in the operations of the prison,” said Williams at a press conference at the Bahamas Public Services Union headquarters on Wulff Road.

“That is not a threat. That is just a fact.

“The chain will be broken. The machine will break down. I would just humbly ask the government to sit down and try...to come up with some sensible solutions to try to deal with these issues.”

The Guardian attempted to reach Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage and Minister of State for National Security Keith Bell, but calls were not returned yesterday.

However, both ministers previously acknowledged challenges at the prison. Nottage said last year that, at some point, the government will have to “bite the bullet” and build a new prison.

During yesterday’s press conference, Williams claimed that officers have been exposed to inmates with infectious diseases. He also claimed there is often a lack of sufficient running water at the prison.

BPOA President Gregory Archer and other senior members of the Association, in addition to President of the National Trade Union of Congress (NCTUB) John Pinder, were also at the press conference.

Pinder pledged to use the umbrella union’s influence to assist the BPOA.

“We have a number of members…We have some leverage to do some things,” he said. “So we are going to do what we have to do.”

NCTUB represents over 30,000 workers, according to Pinder.

Archer said the Association’s efforts to cause change have so far failed.

“For the past five years we’ve been agitating on health and safety issues at Her Majesty’s Prisons,” he said.

“We have met and talked but the problems are still there. I don’t know [why] we’re meeting if we’re not going to bring resolution to the problem.

“But I know the [BPOA]; we are at the point where we refuse to work in such horrible conditions.”

Last year, Bell acknowledged that the use of slop buckets is outdated.

“[Some prisoners] are locked away in a hallway that has been converted into a dormitory,” he said in the Senate. “They are locked there. There’s the slop pail method of getting rid of waste.

“…When I went there I thought there was a fire going on. The young men in there have to actually light pieces of paper to generate smoke to keep down the stench. That’s how bad it is.”

Last year, the government allocated $650,000 to carry out improvements at the prison.

 

 

 

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Contracts signed for additional Bahamian-registered ships

The Nassau Guardian

Contracts signed for additional Bahamian-registered ships

On April 8, 2014, Jola Shipping Company Limited and Jenna Shipping Company Limited entered into contracts with Imabari Shipyard of Japan and ITOCHU for the construction of two ships, which are to be built in Japan and delivered in 2016 and 2017.

The ships are to be named C/S Jola and C/S Jenna. The two ships will be operated and managed by Campbell Shipping Company.

The contracts were signed by Dario Lundy-Mortimer, representing the Campbell Group of Companies, Kiyoshi Higaki of Imabari Shipbuilding Co. and Tatsuo Imamura of ITOCHU Corporation.

The contract for C/S Jola and C/S Jenna were signed at Sapodilla Restaurant, off West Bay Street.

The Campbell Group of Companies said it is pleased to continue this very important relationship with Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., ITOCHU Corporation of Japan and Galbraiths’ Ltd. of London.

The Campbell Group of Companies is headquartered in Nassau, Bahamas and operates 17 dry bulk vessels.

The group has 41 employees shoreside and approximately 400 on vessels at sea.

Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. is one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world.

ITOCHU Corporation is a large and influential trading company which is engaged, among other matters, with investments in Japan as well as overseas.

Galbraiths’ Ltd. is one of the longest established and most respected shipbroking companies in the world.

The C/S Jola and C/S Jenna will be approximately 38,000 dead weight tons.

The Campbell Group of Companies said it looks forward to receiving the ships into its fleet.

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Christie says he assisted bank

The Nassau Guardian

Christie says he assisted bank

Prime Minister Perry Christie indicated yesterday his move to prevent the home of his tax consultant Ishmael Lightbourne from being repossessed was an effort to help the bank recoup its losses and not to help Lightbourne.

Christie said he has helped three or four families since he intervened in Lightbourne’s case.

The prime minister has faced a firestorm ever since he said on the floor of the House of Assembly that he called Lightbourne’s bank (CIBC FirstCaribbean International

Bank) in his capacity as prime minister and asked what he could do to save Lightbourne’s Cable Beach home.

“It is trite to believe that a prime minister separates himself and helps one person,” Christie said yesterday. “I have [helped] hundreds.

“And please, tell them if they have them lined up, people who need advice, send them all to me. Send them all.

“Let them see that I govern myself with both head and heart, but also that I have a day-to-day relationship with the financial community where there is mutual respect and understanding and any involvement on my part or my government’s part is to help the bank, that is the point, not to help the individual. The bank has it.”

However, the prime minister did not explain specifically what help he offered those other families nor did he identify those whom he assisted.

Christie was speaking during the Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation National Conclave at Breezes Resort.

He raised the issue while giving an address on the need for more Bahamians to become involved in public/private partnerships.

This is the second time that Christie addressed the issue in the weeks since The Nassau Guardian revealed that Lightbourne had not paid real property taxes in more than 20 years.

The bank had secured a court order to repossess the home.

Activities outside the home yesterday suggest that the repossession was in progress.

Christie’s intervention with the bank raised questions in some circles about whether he interfered with a judicial officer in the execution of his duties

Christie said yesterday the matter has been “misunderstood” and acknowledged that people are concerned about his intervention.

While members of the opposition accused Christie of abusing his power, members of the government have defended the prime minister’s actions.

Most recently, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said Christie was simply “seeking an understanding between the borrower and the lender”.

“I don’t know how it could be an abuse of power,” Davis told reporters last week.

“How is power abused? The fact is that we all who are in a position, we are often called upon as representatives of the people to intervene and to lend assistance when assistance is required.”

MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray recently said Christie should be praised for his intervention.

Gray said Christie was a “good Samaritan” for taking action when the bailiff showed up with the court order to repossess Lightbourne’s house.

Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said Christie’s intervention was inappropriate.

“I was ashamed, and all [of] The Bahamas should have been ashamed at the prime minister’s response,” Minnis said recently.

“That was totally inappropriate. When the prime minister said he called the bank, the bank manager to see what can be done, that can be interpreted, that’s abuse of power.”

 

 

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Police notice drug smuggling ‘trend’ from Canada

The Nassau Guardian

Police notice drug smuggling ‘trend’ from Canada

Police have noticed a “unique” trend of drug smuggling from Canada to The Bahamas with a higher quality of marijuana, Superintendent Samuel Butler said yesterday.

“It’s a growing trend,” said Butler, officer-in-charge of the Drug Enforcement Unit.

“Late last year we had some sighting of it, and noticed one or two instances.

“It is relatively new to have it in the reverse where people are smuggling drugs from up there and coming into The Bahamas.”

The Bahamas has traditionally been labeled a transit point for drug smugglers.

Butler said he did not have figures readily available on how many cases police have seen from Canada.

On Monday, police arrested two Bahamian pilots and a Canadian man in connection with a million-dollar drug bust at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA).

According to police, officers confiscated 149 pounds of marijuana, 17.4 pounds of ecstasy pills and 2.6 pounds of hashish oil. The drugs are worth $1,050,000, police said.

“What was unique about this particular seizure also is the type of marijuana, what we call hydroponic marijuana, a real high quality marijuana and it’s actually marketed at a very high price,” Butler said.

“Certainly, marijuana is the contraband of choice. There is a demand for it despite our public education initiatives. We still see throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas we’re having high demand.

“We also have to pay attention to our visitors who continue to have a demand for these once they arrive to The Bahamas.”

There have been several large drug busts across the country this year.

According to the U.S. Department of State’s 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, The Bahamas remains a transit point for illegal drugs bound for the U.S. and other countries.

It noted that marijuana use among young people remains an area of concern.

The report stated that Haitian and Haitian-Bahamian drug trafficking organizations continue to play a major role in the movement of cocaine into the country.

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Budding engineers participate in 17th Annual Mousetrap Competition

The Nassau Guardian

Budding engineers participate in 17th Annual Mousetrap Competition

Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis opened the 17th Annual Southeastern Consortium of Minorities Engineers (SECME) Mousetrap Car and Bottle Rocket Competition, which was held at the Jack Hayward High School grounds in Grand Bahama last weekend.

Davis gave the opening address and also launched the first rocket at the competition. This year’s event marked the first time that entrants had to submit a rocket patch design, technical drawings, posters and technical reports in addition to their cars and rockets for a total package of points.

Back as a major corporate sponsor was Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) joining the annual organizers the Rotary Club of Lucaya, Ministry of Education and the Bahamas Society of Engineers Northern Branch. SECME is a major event for budding engineers and has been an annual fixture on the island for 17 years.

Twelve high schools and nine primary schools entered this year’s competition. St. Paul’s Primary, junior high and senior high teams won 5 of the 6 divisions in this year’s competition, with Bishop Michael Eldon School preventing a clean sweep by winning the Mouse Trap Car competition in the junior high division.

This year was also the first year of the Corporate Challenge Bottle Rocket floating trophy, with CONCEM Cement Company narrowly edging out the Grand Bahama Shipyard for the inaugural award.

The committee that helped organize this year’s competition included Dennis Knowles from the Rotary Club of Lucaya, which has coordinated this event from its inception, Herbert Marshall, senior agriculture and science officer at the Ministry of Education; Ed Pavey, GBS director of technical and planning, and Darius Williams, president of the Bahamas Society of Engineers Northern Branch. Kettering University is the advising institution for this school competition.

This year, organizers also made the event more family friendly by adding free face painting, a bouncing castle, popcorn and snow cones, with hot dogs and hamburgers for sale. By moving the event to Saturday and adding the fun factor, the competition received the largest parent turnout to date.

Davis noted, “This event transcended political lines in that members from both sides put their differences aside to support our children.” Political attendees included the Davis; Deputy Opposition Leader Loretta Butler-Turner; Minister for Grand Bahama Michael Darville and East End MP Peter Turnquest. Davis also encouraged participants to “use this event to ‘blast off to the future’” as he looks forward one day to seeing a Bahamian astronaut.

Dr. Michael Darville acknowledged that this event is a major impetus in addressing the low levels of Bahamian students entering the science, technology, engineering and math fields. Butler-Turner was also truly amazed by the operation and length of travel of the bottle rocket and mousetrap cars.

Pavey commented, “Grand Bahama Shipyard is extremely pleased to be the major corporate sponsor of the SECME science competition here on Grand Bahama Island. This is our second year of participation and we are pleased to support the Ministry of Education in preparing our kids for such a great program. I personally feel most pleased to be a part of this event as I have ties with all parties involved; the Rotary Club of Lucaya, The Bahamas Society of Engineers, Grand Bahama Shipyard and our favorite beneficiary the Ministry of Education,” he said.

 

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Nottage, Greenslade defend police force

The Nassau Guardian

Nottage, Greenslade defend police force

Amid new speculation about the police force’s crime reports, Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage and Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade yesterday defended the integrity of the organization.

A recent Nassau Guardian article pointed out that a new U.S. Embassy crime warning referenced an attempted armed robbery of an armored truck at Wendy’s restaurant at Cable Beach week before last that was not included in the crime reports.

Nottage, who was asked for comment, said it is “ridiculous” for anyone to assert there has been any cover-up.

“Cover-up by who?” asked Nottage, following the Second National Consultation on Youth Gangs and Violence in Schools and Communities workshop at Police Headquarters.

“That is a ridiculous assertion and those who make those types of assertions for whatever reasons really ought to stop.”

Free National Movement Deputy Chairman Dr. Duane Sands questioned on Monday whether it was an accident, a deliberate omission or the political directorate that sought to suppress that information.

Greenslade, who was also asked for comment, said, “I am totally embarrassed, totally distressed and totally offended.”

He suggested there is an agenda driving the issue.

“Please, I beg you, stop selling The Bahamas short,” said Greenslade, who insisted his comments were not directed at the U.S. Embassy.

“I have difficulty with that and I am not sure what that agenda is [but] it must be an agenda, and it is not a good agenda.”

When asked who those comments were directed at, Greenslade did not respond directly.

“I am not sure what the agenda is,” he reiterated.

“I will tell you whatever has been said based on the intelligence I have, and the intelligence our people in this country have, there is something terribly wrong with the conversation.”

Despite police not reporting the attempted robbery, Greenslade said he is satisfied with the level of transparency of his organization.

He also commended the police press liaison officers.

“Superintendent Stephen Dean, my goodness what else could you ask of him,” Greenslade said.

“Mrs. [Tericita] Pinder in Freeport, my goodness what else could you ask of her?

“Every single day, several times a day, during wee hours of the morning we report to you in a spirit of openness.

“It is there for the world to see. Let’s stop making an issue of a non-issue.”

On Sunday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson also defended the police.

He confirmed the attempted armed robbery of the armored truck and said a firearm was recovered.

“What could have very well happened [is that] the information did not get to the press officer in time when he was sending out his release,” said Ferguson, when asked why the incident was not reported.

He added, “Obviously, if the U.S. Embassy got it, they must have gotten it from a police source.”

Yesterday, Greenslade said it is “out of order” for any comments to be made on a matter without him properly verifying the facts.

“No other person reserves the right to speak for me unless I brief them,” he said.

“And those people that I brief are the minister of national security and the right honorable prime minister of this country.

“Anyone else is offering an opinion and the public would do very well to be careful of those opinions.”

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RBC announces layoff plans

The Nassau Guardian

RBC announces layoff plans

RBC Royal Bank and RBC FINCO yesterday announced plans to create a third shared banking location, which will lead to “across the board” redundancies.

The move is part of an effort to cut costs, improve efficiency and give better customer satisfaction, according to Nathaniel Beneby Jr., RBC Royal Bank’s managing director in The Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos Islands.

The restructuring process is ongoing, Beneby said, adding that he could not say how many employees will be let go.

Some of the affected workers have applied for other job opportunities within the bank and have already secured different positions, Beneby said.

“Those who will be disengaged, we have enhanced packages and we are providing very strong support to our employees,” he told reporters at a press conference.

“We are confident, at the end of the day, that the net reduction will be favorable.”

Beneby added that the bank is operating in an environment of “increasing costs” and said staff reduction is just one measure to scale back expenses.

“We are looking at all of our operating costs,” he said.

“We are taking a holistic approach at managing costs, for example, real estate costs, stationary and printing, cleaning. Staff costs are just another cost line.”

When asked if high levels of loan arrears affected the bank’s decision, Tanya McCartney, managing director of RBC FINCO, said that, while high, the bank’s non-performing loans are below industry standards.

McCartney is also preparing to leave the bank in May, a move unrelated to the layoff announcement.

RBC FINCO’s main branch on Shirley and Charlotte Streets will relocate to RBC Royal Bank’s main branch on Bay Street as of May 12.

RBC FINCO’s Mortgage Centre in the Prince Charles Shopping Plaza will be consolidated with RBC FINCO’s Carmichael Road branch as of May 5.

The other shared location is in Grand Bahama.

The three shared locations will have integrated customer service.

“This means that RBC FINCO customers will make deposits, cash withdrawals, foreign exchange purchases, wire transfers, these all will be done at the RBC location,” Beneby said.

“The objective here, really, is to create a one stop shop concept for our customers, particularly the RBC FINCO customers. They will now have the benefit of access to the full suite of products and services of Royal Bank.”

The announcement came nearly a month after officials from UBS (Bahamas) said 70 employees would be impacted by the closure of its private banking unit over the next 10 months.

In January, Scotiabank confirmed its plans to move certain functions from The Bahamas to Trinidad and Tobago in an effort to enhance “the efficiency and effectiveness” of its operations.

It is unclear how staff levels will be impacted because of Scotiabank’s move.

 

 

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BNT partners help make research exciting

The Nassau Guardian

BNT partners help make research exciting

One of the Bahamas National Trust’s (BNT) international partners, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), recently published an exciting new booklet, “Guide to the Science of Marine Protected Areas in The Bahamas”.

"The reports generated by scientists on their many expeditions to The Bahamas are mostly too technical and science-heavy to be of use to decision makers and educators,” said Eric Carey, BNT executive director.

“This guide is a useful tool for breaking down the science into useful information that can be applied to conservation and education by both decision makers and educators. The BNT is pleased to see its production and hopes it will be an encouragement to other scientists to produce similar publications to bring their science back to Bahamians."

The booklet, which was written and designed with the Bahamian public in mind, was written after more than a decade of research and outreach. It helps to break down technical research by using colorful summaries and highlighting planned marine protected areas (MPAs).

“The Bahamas has led the way in marine conservation in the region and is also an important setting for scientific research about conservation,” said Dan Brumbaugh, senior conservation scientist, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History.

“As such, this booklet serves as a ‘thank you’ to the Bahamian public from several research communities.”

The BNT, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the American Museum of Natural History met with the Minister of the Environment and Housing Kenred Dorsett, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Housing David Cates and Director of the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology (BEST) Commission Philip Weech, to officially present them with copies of the booklet.

In addition the environmental groups also presented copies of the guide to the Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government V. Alfred Gray, and the Director of the Department of Marine Resources Michael Braynen.

The BNT will now send additional copies to other members of the Cabinet, and plans to distribute hard copies to other parts of government, local NGOs and the educational sector.

Moreover, the booklet is available for download via the link http://www.amnh.org/our-research/center-for-biodiversity-conservation/publications/for-policymakers/guide-to-the-science-of-marine-protected-areas-in-the-bahamas.

It will also be shared on the BNT website and social media pages to encourage further distribution and use.

Eleanor Phillips, program director, North Caribbean Program at The Nature Conservancy, who was a part of the delegation presentation commented, “The Nature Conservancy congratulates the AMNH for producing a publication that is appropriate for all ages. We are pleased to support the distribution of this publication, as the guide provides a user friendly and pragmatic approach to understanding the science of MPAs. It is a great resource for outreach and for generating further community support for expanding the national marine protected area network.”

 

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U.S. Embassy renews crime warning

The Nassau Guardian

U.S. Embassy renews crime warning

The United States Embassy in Nassau has again warned Americans living in and traveling to The Bahamas to be on “heightened alert” and “review their personal security plans” to avoid falling victim to crime.

The embassy issued a statement yesterday pointing to crimes that took place within the last month, including the attempted robbery of an armored truck in Cable Beach last week.

However, none of those incidents involved visitors, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson.

The embassy said police “responded and neutralized” three armed men who were shooting outside Waterloo nightclub.

According to police, officers shot a suspect multiple times outside the club shortly after 2 a.m. on Friday.

Police said two victims were transported to hospital.

The embassy said that last Friday around 5:30 p.m. three suspects attempted to rob an armored truck, which was parked outside a Wendy’s restaurant on Cable Beach.

The embassy said as two security guards transferred money into the truck, the men attempted to rob them, but the guards ran into the restaurant and eluded the men.

The suspects fled when they heard police sirens, the embassy said.

“On March 20 at approximately 2 p.m., a woman sitting in her vehicle in the parking lot of Caves Village Plaza was approached by three men in a car,” read the statement.

“One of the men exited the vehicle wielding a gun and demanded that the woman get out of her car.

“The attempted carjacking was thwarted when the woman’s screaming brought other passersby, who blocked the vehicle.

“The man got out of the vehicle and escaped with his companions in their own car.”

In another incident, the embassy highlighted that police arrested three suspects, two of whom were wearing electronic monitoring devices last Monday near the Mall at Marathon.

The statement said on March 16, a man approached another man on a motorbike at Arawak Cay and demanded that he get off. When the man refused, the suspect shot him.

The embassy said armed robberies remain a major threat to U.S. citizens and Bahamians in tourist populated areas on New Providence and Grand Bahama.

“In the past year, a number of U.S. citizens have fallen victim to armed robbery,” the embassy said.

“The Bahamian government has publicly stated its commitment to fighting crime and has increased anti-crime measures.

“Among the measures now being taken are increased police patrols and traffic stops.

“We remind U.S. citizens driving in The Bahamas to carry identification and their driver’s licenses and to cooperate with the police at traffic stops and identification checks.”

The embassy encouraged U.S. citizens to enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to get security updates and to be more easily contacted in case of an emergency.

The embassy has issued several similar warnings over the past few months, the most recent being in January.

Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade has said that up to March 19, all categories of violent crime with the exception of murder has trended downward.

Ahead of the embassy statement being released, Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday renewed his commitment to “smother and suffocate” crime.

 

 

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Sex trafficker found guilty

The Nassau Guardian

Sex trafficker found guilty

A 24-year-old woman was on Wednesday convicted of forcing two Jamaican women into the sex trade, marking the country's first conviction for human trafficking.

Chevaneese Sasha Gay Hall, who is also a Jamaican citizen, remained stoic as the jury foreperson announced six guilty verdicts — four for trafficking in persons and two for unlawfully withholding the victims' passports.

By contrast, one of her attorneys Jairam Mangra shook his head in apparent shock.

The nine-member jury returned the verdicts after deliberating for a little more than an hour.

Hall said she had nothing to say when Senior Justice Jon Isaacs asked if she had any remarks before the sentence was passed.

Mangra asked the court to defer sentencing for a probation report as Hall was resident in The Bahamas when the offenses were committed.

Hall, who faces a prison term ranging from three years to life imprisonment, returns to court on May 7 for sentencing.

Prosecutors said Hall recruited two women to work for her prostitution ring in January 2013.

The women, who were recruited separately, testified that they met Hall in Jamaica and she convinced them that she could get them jobs.

One said she was promised a job as a bartender; the other said she was promised a job as a masseuse.

However, Hall seized their passports once they came to the country and told them they would have to prostitute themselves.

The women said Hall dressed them up in provocative clothing and took pictures of them for prospective johns.

The women said they were closely managed and only left the apartment in Grand Bahama for jobs. However, the sex ring unravelled when one of the women escaped and alerted police.

For her part, Hall exercised her constitutional right to remain silent and called no witnesses in her defense.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen and Eucal Bonaby prosecuted.

 

 

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FNM deputy wants march against PM

The Nassau Guardian

FNM deputy wants march against PM

Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday called on the thousands of homeowners whose mortgages are in trouble and those whose homes have been repossessed to demonstrate against Prime Minister Perry Christie.

Butler-Turner said Christie abused his power when he called the managing director of CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank to halt the repossession of the home of his value-added tax coordinator Ishmael Lightbourne, who evaded taxes for more than 20 years.

“We have got to demonstrate that our communities, our society and existence as we see it today is being compromised by ineffective and incompetent governance,” she said in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.

Butler-Turner also blasted MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray and Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez for defending Christie’s action.

“As pointed out by V. Alfred Gray in his own words, a bailiff was there to serve, I guess, a summons to the individual (Lightbourne) who was rescued on the spot,” Butler-Turner said.

“That is circumventing the law. That is circumventing the ability of that lending institution to be able to secure [its] interest, and that in and of itself is not just about compassion.”

Gray revealed last week in the House that the prime minister took action to save Lightbourne’s home when a bailiff showed up with a court order to seize the house. He called Christie a “good Samaritan”.

Gomez later said it was CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank that told the bailiff not to serve the court order on Lightbourne after Christie called the bank and worked out an arrangement.

Gomez said Christie’s actions were not improper, and he (Christie) facilitated the bank being paid.

Gray’s statements raised concerns among some people about whether Christie interfered with a judicial officer in the execution of his duties.

Butler-Turner urged activists and struggling homeowners to join her and the FNM in a peaceful protest outside Parliament to demonstrate their outrage over the matter.

Butler-Turner said she plans to meet with the FNM parliamentary caucus today, but hopes the demonstration will take place in the coming days.

She also said the Christie administration has let down hundreds of homeowners, who were sold on the Progressive Liberal Party’s pre-election campaign promise of assistance through its mortgage relief plan, which failed.

“Bahamians do want to do for themselves, but when they see a prime minister of a country using his power to rescue, not just a wealthy businessman, who has clearly demonstrated that he has no desire to abide within the rules of law in our country, whether it is paying his taxes or his mortgage, they now have to question where do they stand,” Butler-Turner said.

Lightbourne has admitted to The Nassau Guardian that he evaded taxes for many years due to “financial hardships”.

Butler-Turner called Gray’s statement that God will never bless the FNM if its leaders continue not to open their bowels of compassion to people, the most “idiotic defense of the indefensible”.

The FNM deputy leader said the government should focus on coming up with a viable mortgage relief plan, adding she was not surprised the previous plan failed.

“We had already had those conversations, meaning the Hubert Ingraham administration,” she said.

“We had already had those conversations with the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation, with the various commercial banks and the various lending institutions to ensure that they go to the table with these individuals, who were facing hardship so they could renegotiate their mortgages.

“But the challenge that there was, was that many people had also lost their jobs, and it is very difficult to renegotiate a loan if there are no funds to go to the payment on the interest, and that was the problem that we faced.”

The government’s mortgage relief plan, which was projected to assist 1,000 homeowners, actually helped fewer than 10, officials said.

The government allocated $10 million for the plan in September 2012.

According to the government’s figures, at the time, there were around 4,000 homeowners in arrears.

In January, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis said the government was examining an alternative proposal to its last mortgage relief plan, which he said fell far below expectations.

He said at the time that until an alternative plan comes into effect, the government hoped to provide homeowners with other forms of protection.

 

 

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Men charged with assault of BEC workers

The Nassau Guardian

Men charged with assault of BEC workers

Two men appeared before a magistrate on Friday in connection with the alleged assaults of two female power corporation employees who came to disconnect their supply.

Joseph Smith, 52, of 23 Avocado Street, and Anfernee Gharte Nerend, of 21 Avocado Street, denied the charges at their arraignment before Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans.

Prosecutors allege that Smith assaulted Keithrell Culmer and Rochelle Forbes on March 25 and threatened them with harm.

Nerend is also accused of threatening the Bahamas Electricity Corporation employees on the same date.

The magistrate set Smith’s bail at $4,000. Nerend was remanded to prison pending a hearing to determine his immigration status.

The men make their next court appearance on June 30.

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24-member reparations committee announced

The Nassau Guardian

24-member reparations committee announced

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell has appointed The Bahamas’ National Reparations Committee ahead of a formal push by CARICOM heads to get reparations, debt cancelation, and an apology from former European colonizers.

During a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, Mitchell announced that former Attorney General Alfred Sears and former member of Parliament Philip Smith are co-chairs.

Mitchell said he expects the committee to present its preliminary research and recommendations by June.

He said the committee will carry out a wide public education campaign as it seeks to illustrate links between historic and modern-day discrimination and outline racial discrimination resulting from slavery in areas of health, education, living conditions, property and land ownership, employment participation and migration.

“I believe that the public discussion that will ensue...will be instructive and I think that is what the government hopes in its essence takes place; that there is a national discussion and dialogue on this, which has been treated as a silent subject for too long,” Mitchell said.

“And those of us who were raised in the 1950s and 1960s and saw the struggles pre-1967 in this country are somewhat astounded at how polite of a society we have become on this subject.”

Sears and Smith attended a CARICOM reparations commission meeting in Barbados in January.

Sears said Martyn Day, the lawyer leading CARICOM’s claim, will more than likely lodge a claim in the International Court of Justice.

Mitchell said before CARICOM heads make any legal claim they have agreed to convene a conference with the European countries.

Asked to respond to those who may disagree with seeking reparations, Mitchell said it is in the best interest of the country to have the research done.

“I think what often happens with these things is as it unfolds it turns out that people will come to accept that it is the right thing to do,” he said.

“I think you are going to have naysayers either way you look at it.”

Following a CARICOM heads meeting earlier this month in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, The Bahamas and other member states agreed to establish a 10-point plan that would seek a formal apology, some form of debt cancelation and reparations.

Other members of the committee are College of The Bahamas (COB) historian Dr. Chris Curry; COB historian Dr. Gail Saunders; rector at Mary Star of The Sea Catholic Church Father David Cooper; rector at Trinity Methodist Church Rev. William Higgs; attorney Marion Bethel; pastor of Bethel Baptist Church Rev. Timothy Stewart; COB researcher Keisha Ellis; Chamber of Commerce chair in Exuma Pedro Rolle; Sojouner Douglass College President Theresa Moxey-Ingraham; COB Sociology Professor Dr. Niambi Hall-Campbell; businessman Michael Symonette; COB Law Professor Michael Stevenson; Director of Archives Elaine Toote; Pompey Museum Director Kim Outten-Stubbs; Oral and Public History Director Dr. Tracy Thompson; Rastafarian movement representative Whitman McKinney; Bar Association President Elsworth Johnson; attorney Bianca Beneby; journalist and businesswoman Alesha Hart; journalist Travis Cartwright-Carroll; retired educator Cecil Thompson and an attorney from the Office of the Attorney General, who has yet to be announced.

 

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Miller slams CWC on BTC outage

The Nassau Guardian

Miller slams CWC on BTC outage

Following a blackout that impacted cell phone and landline services in areas across the country on Saturday, Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday accused Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) of “wrecking” the local telecommunications company.

Miller, who was speaking in the House of Assembly, said the massive outage, which impacted thousands of Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) customers “was damning to the country”.

“It affected the reputation of our country,” he said.

“It affected our number one industry, the [tourism] industry, when that situation took place and I don’t understand it.

“You have URCA (the Utilities Regulations and Competition Authority) here, and I sometimes wonder what purpose they serve.

“Bahamians suffered over the weekend.”

According to a BTC statement, a disruption in landline and mobile services resulted in a loss of service for prepaid mobile customers and sporadic service for postpaid customers.

Landline and Internet services were also impacted in Cat Island, Exuma, Abaco, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Bimini and the Berry Islands, according to the BTC statement.

BTC’s Senior Vice President of Brands and Communications Marlon Johnson said yesterday that BTC is still investigating the cause of the outage.

He said the public will be updated once the report is complete.

Johnson said except for a few isolated customers, service has been restored. BTC has apologized for the disruption.

Johnson declined to respond to Miller’s criticism of BTC and CWC.

Miller said he has not seen such a massive outage in about five decades.

“I take the greatest offense that we as a people have allowed a foreign entity to walk into this country and give us service that is incomprehensible when it comes to first class service in our country,” he said.

“I daresay they have taken us back about 50 years in the level of service that we are getting. It took Bahamians to build BTC and it took foreigners to wreck it.”

CWC purchased the majority stake in BTC for a reported $210 million in 2011.

The sale was very controversial and continues to face scrutiny.

Over the past several weeks, BTC has sought to improve its service.

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