Hayley’s dream becomes reality

Hayley Wilson being named the 24th Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year (BPSSY) brought double the pride to her mom, Gillian Wilson. As a mother, Wilson described it as a wonderful feeling to witness firsthand one of her child’s dreams come true. And as principal at Summit Academy, she was doubly proud that her daughter brought the institution its first title in her final year. Hayley, 12, begins seventh grade at Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) today.

Wilson recalled a first grade Hayley who was probably six years old at the time, watching the student of the year on television and saying to her, “Mommy, I want to be student of the year.” She remembered telling her daughter how hard the children who receive the honor work. Since that day, Wilson said, Hayley focused on that goal.

Hayley made her dream a reality.

“When she sets her mind to something, she works incredibly hard until she achieves that goal. So, to see her receive that award, and knowing firsthand how hard she worked, it was just such a wonderful feeling,” said Wilson. She said she and her husband, Michael, were elated for their daughter.

In announcing Hayley as the 2020 primary school student of the year, the board of directors of the Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation (BPSSYF) and the Nassau, Bahamas, Pan-Hellenic Council, in conjunction with the judges, described her as “a brave, kind, diligent, adventurous, well-balanced and resilient student”.

The pre-teen was selected from among 111 nominees. Raquell Stuart, a student at Queen’s College, was the first runner-up.

“For me to be primary school student of the year, it meant that out of all those amazing, talented students that I had to go against, they chose me to win, which I think meant that I was well-rounded and had good grades and was an active person in the community,” said Hayley.

She took home $7,000 in scholarship money. This year, the 2020 nominees shared in approximately $70,000 in scholarship and prizes as the BPSSYF saw its prize purse literally cut in half. The foundation usually offers between $140,000 and $190,000 in scholarship and prizes annually.

When Hayley heard her name announced as the newest BPSSY, the first thought she said she had was, “Wow! I won this for Summit Academy – that’s crazy!”, because no one else at Summit Academy had ever won student of the year award before.

At a young age, she has an impressive curriculum vitae.

The pre-teen volunteers with REACH (Resources and Education for Autism and Related Challenges), and established “Hayley’s Beading to Beat Autism” in 2016 as a means for creating awareness about the autism spectrum disorder. She has also worked to raise money for cancer awareness through Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

She’s no slouch academically either, and has been a 4.0 student since first grade and was the 2019/2020 head girl at Summit Academy and active in the institution’s scholastic chess club.

Hayley is active in Early Act Club (sponsored by Rotary Club of East Nassau) and Helping Hands Club (a charter club of Hands for Hunger). She’s a junior volunteer at St. Francis Catholic Church, and a member of the Lawrence Carroll Dance Academy.

She is a member of the 77th Nassau Girl Guides (a former Brownie of the year, Sixer and patrol leader). Throughout her years in Brownies, she achieved over 20 badges.

Additionally, she is involved in other extracurricular activities including art, music, dance, tennis and her church’s CCD program.

In her spare time, Hayley enjoys spending time with her three siblings Sara, Michael Jr. and Ryan, developing business ideas, baking, reading and watching classic movies. She is currently completing her website to launch a new business venture in the fall.

Having made history for Summit Academy, Hayley moves on to seventh grade at LCIS. She starts the new school virtually.

She said she’s excited and looking forward to the challenges in the work field that come with transitioning into a new school, and in a COVID-19 environment.

“Transitioning to Lyford might be a bit hard for me at first, but over time I think I’m going to eventually get into it. But I am really excited that I am able to go to a new school, because Summit is where I’m comfortable, and it’s what I know, and I think it’s time I go somewhere new,” she said.

Her primary school student of the year honor, she said, sets high standards for herself of what she can do and should accomplish as she transitions into seventh grade and going forward. And she said she’s excited to try out virtual learning again in a new school setting.

“I think I found virtual learning a rather easy transition for me, because it’s virtually what we’ve been doing, except we moved it online and [Summit], to not really stress out students, had cut back on hours for school, so instead of going 8:30 a.m. to 3:10, we went from 9 a.m. to the latest I think would be 2 p.m.”

In the new academic year at a new school, she said, the schedule will be different, but she’s excited to try it out and learn new things.

Hayley’s advice to her peers is to not stress themselves out.

“Don’t take on more than you can handle, because doing that is not good for you at all. Focus on your work, and then do whatever else you can. Get involved in extracurriculars that you know you can handle,” said Hayley.

The BPSSY has been recognizing talented sixth-grade students around The Bahamas since 1997. Since its inception, the foundation has presented approximately $1.8 million in scholarship and prizes, and recognized over 2,600 primary school students.

Wilson, a proud mom first, and proud principal, said Hayley’s win proves that Summit, a small school, provides excellent education for students that’s comparable with the more established schools. She said in the past five years, most of Summit’s candidates usually land in the top 10.

“We’ve always come so close, but to know we were actually able to win this year is just a wonderful morale booster,” said Wilson.

Summit is starting the year, September 7, online, virtually, which is something they changed recently. They had planned a staggered reopening at the end of August through the first week of September.

Wilson said their health and safety committee has agreed that they should at least for the first month go online, and then revisit at the end of the month, hoping to be back sometime in October.

 PAST PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENT OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2019 – Lauren Scriven, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Primary, Abaco

2018 – Remington Minnis, Eva Hilton Primary, New Providence

2017 – Hanna Edomwonyi, Clara Evans Primary, Andros

2016 – Lila Nottage, Lyford Cay International School, New Providence

2015 – Samaiya Lundy, Sunland Baptist School, Grand Bahama

2014 – Donovan Butler, Xavier’s Lower School, New Providence

2013 – Lauryn Rolle, St. Thomas More Catholic Primary, New Providence

2012 – Nadja Simon, Genesis Academy, New Providence

2011 – Anna Albury, Hope Town Primary, Abaco

2010 – Jared Fitzgerald, Xavier’s Lower School, New Providence

2009 – Khes Adderley, Temple Christian Schools, New Providence

2008 – James Boyce, Hope Town Primary, Abaco

2007 – Taran Carey, Tarpum Bay Primary, Eleuthera

2006 – George Zonicle – Bahamas Academy Elementary, New Providence

2005 – Shirdat Jadoo, Maurice Moore Primary, Grand Bahama

2004 – Saul Salonga, Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Academy, Grand Bahama

2003 – Tanielle Curtis, Sts. Francis & Joseph Catholic Primary, New Providence

2002 – Zachary Lyons, Queen’s College Primary, New Providence

2001 – Kenny Roberts, Spanish Wells All Age School, Eleuthera

2000 – Sasha Bain, Walter Parker Primary, Grand Bahama

1999 – Tiffany Moncur, Carmichael Primary School, New Providence

1998 – Andrea Moultrie, St. John’s Primary, New Providence

1997 – Vashit Darling, St. John’s Primary, New Providence 

source https://thenassauguardian.com/hayleys-dream-becomes-reality/

Private schools ditch hybrid/blended re-openings

The Anglican Central Education Authority (ACEA) has adopted the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) model of a fully virtual platform for the reopening of Anglican schools for the new academic year, while a number of private institutions that had opted for a hybrid start to the year have changed course and will reopen fully virtually as COVID-19 confirmed cases surge.

In a communication from Italia Davies, ACEA director of education, the authority which has responsibility for St. John’s College, St. Anne’s School, Bishop Michael Eldon School on Grand Bahama and St. Andrew’s Anglican School on Exuma, has set September 14 as its anticipated reopening date.

Students from Pre-K through grade 12 will engage in online learning using the Google Classroom and Google Meet platforms. It’s a model the authority said is subject to change, depending on the advice and directives from the MoE in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.

MoE schools reopen virtually on September 21, with 100 percent online learning, and with a transition to hybrid/blended learning on October 5, if circumstances permit.

In its communication, the ACEA said it has always followed the ministry’s lead in times of national crisis, emergencies, storms, hurricanes and even more so now in this pandemic.

“We respect their decision-making process as the competent authority in the education arena. Further, we are deeply sensitive to, and cognizant of, the need not to put our parents, students and teachers at undue risk – consequently, we fall in line with the protocols mandated by the competent authority,” read the release.

ACEA officials said it is their desire to return to the physical environment and hold face-to-face classes, but they remain in synchronized lockstep with the MoE until the protocols are lifted and the all clear is given.

St. Augustine’s College (SAC), the Catholic Board of Education (CBE), Kingsway Academy (KA) and Nassau Christian Schools (NCS) officials have all made about-face decisions, scrapping any form of in-person instruction.

St. Augustine’s College

SAC, in a reversal of its in-classroom decision, in its most recent communication to parents, said the school year will begin with online instruction, with the opening date remaining the same, September 21.

SAC Principal Sonja Knowles said in the letter, dated August 20, that the reversal is due to the current situation with the high rate of COVID-19 transmission.

As of Saturday, August 29, there were 2,135 cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas.

New Providence led the nation with 1,318 cases, followed by Grand Bahama with 547 cases.

Abaco had 67 cases; Bimini had 53 cases; the Berry Islands, 15; Exuma, 19; Cat Island, eight; Eleuthera, five; Inagua, eight; Acklins, four; Crooked Island, two; and Andros one; the location of 88 cases was listed as pending.

The total recovered cases were 782. There were 1,293 active cases, 77 hospitalized cases, 43 deaths and seven non-COVID-related deaths; 11,037 tests had been completed. These included tests conducted by private facilities.

SAC will use the Plus Portals program, which Knowles said has been “update/revised” and that only school-based student emails will be used to access the portal. And that only students with fees that are paid, or whose parents/guardians have entered a payment arrangement with the school, will have access to the portal and classes.

Catholic Board of Education

Claudette Rolle, director of Catholic Education, said although the CBE had planned to open schools using in-person instruction on September 21, due to the high rate of COVID-19 transmission in The Bahamas at this time, all CBE schools will begin the 2020-2021 school year with virtual or remote learning on September 9.

In a letter dated August 16, Rolle said schools will issue schedules, orientation dates, meeting times, procedures for the collection of workbooks and other pertinent information on Monday, August 24. And that the schools’ guidance counselors and nurses will also reach out to parents and students to advise of the plans for social and emotional support and maintaining good health.

CBE, the largest private education system, has oversight for Aquinas College; Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Academy; St. Francis de Sales School; St. Cecilia’s School; Sts. Francis & Joseph School; St. Thomas More School; Xavier’s Lower School; and Every Child Counts.

Rolle said only students whose first term fees are paid in full or whose parents or guardians have entered into an arrangement with the school and met their initial commitment will have access to CBE’s Google Classroom.

Rolle reminded parents that in the virtual learning environment, the first few weeks of the new academic year will be important for children. She said faculty will be working tirelessly to address learning gaps and introduce new concepts. And that participation is paramount, so that valuable teaching time is not lost when they make the transition to in-person learning.

“Regardless of the mode of instruction, we remain faithful to our high academic standards and we are determined to keep our students engaged, learning and connected during this initial remote phase. Additionally, we remain committed to commencing face-to-face or in-person learning as soon as it is determined safe to return to campus,” said Rolle.

Kingsway Academy

Kingsway Academy has altered its plans for reopening to September 14, instead of September 7, to complete preparation for remote learning in both the high school and the elementary school.

In its communication to parents/guardians, the school attributed scrapping its ambitious face-to-face experience in their lower school, and hybrid learning experience for their high school, to the increase in COVID-19 infections on New Providence and the second lockdown.

“We are finding it necessary to protect our students and staff, and therefore, it is advisable that we continue the remote learning experience at least for the first term of school until the spread of the virus is under control,” read the communication signed by Gregory V. Williams, acting director, on August 14.

Kingsway will utilize the Google Classroom platform for its elementary school. The high school will continue with Edmodo and Zoom.

Nassau Christian Schools

NCS, in its communication to parents, said it has reverted to six weeks of virtual school with a start day on September 14, which school officials said is due to the COVID-19 setback.

According to the communication signed by Lisa Miller, acting principal, their official learning platform will be Google Meets Classroom and students will be engaged following the class schedule for the full school day. And only students who appear on the official class roster, cleared by the business office, will be allowed to access the virtual learning platform and participate.

NCS officials noted that once the threat of COVID-19 is under control, they will revert to earlier learning models advertised.

Queen’s College

QC had initially announced it would go through a phased reopening from September 1 to 7, offering face-to-face instruction for Foundation Years, blended instruction for Primary Years and blended instruction for high school, but reversed its decision.

A letter to parents/guardians, signed by Principal Reverend Henry Knowles, said QC would reopen school in September using a full remote learning environment in all school sections.

“In our recently published road map for the safe reopening of school 2020-2021, we highlighted the instructional model that each section of Queen’s College would follow, was contingent on the current state of the country in relation to COVID-19. Since the release of this document, The Bahamas is experiencing an exponential increase in COVID-19 cases and we are under national lockdown protocols, which may extend for several weeks. Based on these ongoing conditions, we will now reopen school in September, using a full remote learning environment in all school sections,” said Knowles.

He informed parents that with the new direction, Google Classroom will be their main online instructional platform for all sections of the school. All students are expected to receive a “qccomet” email account, along with efficient communication and online support. He said an academic technology coordinate will oversee training and support for staff, students and parents in order to successfully implement and use Google Classroom.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/private-schools-ditch-hybrid-blended-re-openings/

Indya collects pennies to help feed the needy

Knowing that the Central Bank of The Bahamas will be discontinuing one-cent coins as legal currency, and the Bahamian penny will no longer be accepted at the register by the end of the year, relegated to the annals of history, Indya Joseph, 11, came up with a brilliant idea – she would engage in a penny drive to collect as many pennies as she can through December, and use the money to help feed people in need.

Indya, who will be entering sixth grade, began collecting pennies earlier this month. The pennies will be deposited to the bank and the funds earmarked to go to a feeding organization to be determined.

“I keep seeing on the news that people have lost their jobs, and I wanted a way to help,” said Indya. “I know pennies are soon not going to be good anymore and we can’t use them anymore, so I said if I could collect enough pennies, since that is the easiest thing to give, I thought that enough money could be raised to help feed people.”

Indya spoke to her mother, Vashti Cox-Joseph, about her thoughts, which took her mother by surprise.

“One day she came to me and said, ‘Mommy, it sounds as if so many people are hurting; plenty people lost their jobs and I wish there was a way I could help.’ And then we didn’t hear anything about it anymore,” said Joseph.

“I was stunned, because first of all, I didn’t even know she was listening to the news,” said Joseph. “You don’t think kids pay attention to the news and we always have the TV on listening to the latest COVID updates and what’s going on with COVID. I know she knew about COVID, but I was stunned and I was surprised.”

Indya eventually returned to her mom and her dad, Andrew Joseph, with her idea to collect pennies because she felt they would be the easiest thing for people to part with. She told her mom she wanted to collect the pennies for the remainder of the year and use the money to help feed the needy.

Joseph said she is proud her daughter has compassion, and thinks about other people.

“I was proud to know that my daughter is such a compassionate person to think about other people. We have food here and she’s thinking that other people are hungry. I was touched,” said Joseph.

Indya’s penny drive, which started earlier this month, began in her own home. The Josephs, like many families, have a penny jar that they do nothing with. Those pennies have now been allocated towards Indya’s penny drive.

Indya, president of her school’s K-Kids (youth arm of Kiwanis Club of Nassau), a service organization for primary school children, approached her advisor with her idea and hosting it in conjunction with them. They agreed to assist.

While Indya has no idea of how many pennies she currently has, she said people have been contacting her to collect their pennies to help her in her cause.

“Me and my mom drove around, and people just gave us pennies – like a lot.”

Indya said every penny counts.

As she prepares to return to school virtually, Indya is happy she was able to think of the initiative, and hopes her peers will join in on the effort.

“I’m proud of myself because I want to help people. I love to help people,” said Indya.

Her mom, who said Indya is a soft-natured person naturally, believes Indya’s giving and altruistic nature took root as a result of witnessing what her parents, who are heavily involved in their church, do for others.

“She sees when we give care packages to people. We’re Christians, we go to church and she hears be nice to people and things like that. So, she has a heart for people [and] I guess that’s due to the influence of us parents.”

She said her daughter has often told her about the different mean things she saw people do at school or who was being bullied, and she would ask Indya if she helped them.

“One incident, a friend of hers was being bullied, and the girl was quiet and staring at the bully and the tears were about to [fall]. And [Indya] went to the girl and pulled her away from the situation. So, she has a soft heart and is very involved around school.”

Joseph said her daughter not only has a heart for others, but is also academically driven. Indya had a 97 percent on her last report card, and has been on the principal’s list multiple times. It’s an honor her mom said her daughter strives for.

“When she first started Xavier’s, she was on the honor roll. In third grade I told her she came second in class, she was like, ‘What?’ She didn’t even know that they placed kids – and she was like that’s unacceptable basically. From then on, she’s been on the principal’s list.”

People wanting to donate pennies to Indya’s penny drive can contact 456-4335 or 676-0896.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/indya-collects-pennies-to-help-feed-the-needy/

Day by day

“It’s my faith in God that gets me through.”

Such is the refrain of Hurricane Dorian survivors in the ground-zero settlements of east Grand Bahama where many of the island’s 33 confirmed and presumed deaths occurred, and where the majority of those who live to testify, are still working to rebuild their homes and their lives.

A scorching Saturday with a heat index hovering near 100 degrees was respited only by the welcoming resolve of residents, who spoke to Perspective about their paths to restoration ahead of tomorrow’s one-year anniversary of Dorian’s ruinous landfall.

Once the morning rain gave way to clearer skies, east Grand Bahama’s ever-resilient homeowners emerged to continue whatever external repair work they can manage on their own, and to beautify yards in anticipation of one day returning full-time to the place they swear they will never leave.

Cleanup at ground zero has progressed well save for Sweeting’s Cay, but the process of reconstruction has been painfully slow over the past year, and is further hampered by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

When we last visited back in January, single-father Rodrigo Mitchell and his young son, Rodrigo Jr., were on the grounds of what used to be their Bevans Town home that was swept off its foundation in Dorian’s onslaught.

This weekend, there were signs of progress as Mitchell came to greet us, taking a brief break from the stud work of his replacement structure while his son and another young boy kicked a basketball around the rocky grounds.

Like many east Grand Bahama residents, Mitchell is doing as much reconstruction work as he can on his own and with the help of friends, and is still back and forth between Freeport and his property until he can make his home livable again.

On his state of mind as the Dorian milestone approached, he said, “We’re still alive and we’re thankful that God gave us life, and we are still getting things done as slow as it is.

“I’m just taking it day by day.”

“I LOST SEVEN COUSINS”

The main roadway through the east remains a maze of dangerous potholes, and is bordered with pine forest marked hauntingly by thousands of flood-injured pine trees broken and bowed, as though paying their respects to the fallen.

As we drove toward the settlement of High Rock where the majority of east Grand Bahama’s presumed storm-deaths took place, the “End Title” score for the soundtrack of the motion picture “Changeling” — a film about a mother whose missing nine-year-old son was never found — began to play on the radio.

In that moment art imitated life, as the score’s bridge of a moaning trumpet crescendoing to a climactic and punishing wail of a high note reminiscent of a grieving mother’s screams, jolted us into the reality that loved ones who traverse this roadway must contend with the anguish of not knowing whether the remains of their child, spouse, sibling or other relative lie unrecovered within the pine forests.

Carlton Roberts was busily weeding and planting grass cuttings outside his home still under repair, and soon took a break from the sweltering heat to speak to us, revealing that he lost seven family members during those fateful days last September.

He paused reflectively and recalled, “I lost seven of my first cousins.

“It ain’t easy, because every time you really think about it, you just…” Roberts offered as his thoughts seemingly trailed off toward the memory of his loved ones.

He began again, “We were close. Through it all God promised to never leave us, so that’s all I’m really relying on, that’s how I’m making it.”

His wife, Melinda, who was inside at the time, spoke to us through a bedroom window echoing her husband’s sadness, and expressing hope that they can soon complete repairs and return to their home.

She shared, “How the anniversary [of Dorian] is approaching, it gets you a little nervous again, because you came so far with the repairs, and you’re wondering now if you’re going to go through the same thing again.

“You just have to hold onto your faith.”

It is that same faith that Ruth Roberts and her husband, Harrison, are holding onto, as they work to repair their flood-damaged two-story High Rock home where they previously rode out other major hurricanes over the past 15 years.

Her husband suggested his wife speak; she was at the time tending to the family garden a ways off.

When she asked lightheartedly from the distance, “How come you did not want to speak?”, he replied, “Because I might end up crying.”

We retreated to the front porch, where stood an ocean-brined organ with broken keys frozen in time, and atop it sat a salt-stripped typewriter that undoubtedly told no more harrowing a tale than the family’s survival on snacks for two days, having fled to their second floor to escape flood waters that burst open their front door and grew chest-high in seconds.

Recounting the psychological toll, Ruth disclosed, “There was a time I toted a backpack everywhere with all our documents because that was our identity, and that represented a foundation for us to start again.

“They laughed at me and called me the bag lady, but everything that was of value to us was in it.”

The year’s journey to a sense of normalcy has been tiring, she admitted, pointing to the difficulty with finding honest and competent laborers, and the loss of funds they have suffered due to laborers refusing to show up to do work for which they had been paid.

As an escape, she finds comfort in restoring her garden that was flourishing prior to Dorian.

“It’s an escape from the sights on the inside of the house,” she noted, “and it also gives you a sense of accomplishment because what you can do inside is limited, so the plants are a sign of progress.

“It’s life, it’s green, it’s hope.”

“You can’t give up”

A steady stream of cars headed down to the renowned Bishops Beach Club, which together with its bonefishing lodge in High Rock owned by proprietor Ruben “Bishop” Roberts, were destroyed by Dorian’s storm surge.

Having rebuilt the beach club restaurant that reopened just last week, Roberts was in good spirits, while at the same time concessionary about the reality of rebuilding all of what he had lost.

“I’m optimistic that things are going to happen,” he assured, “and everybody is trying to do the best that they could do. But everything is looking up.”

When asked if he planned to rebuild his lodge as he initially indicated in the immediate aftermath of Dorian, Roberts heartily smiled and reckoned, “I’m an old man; I’m 80 years of age, so I’m just going to do a gazebo out on the water there, and lay off and say, ‘It was nice while it lasted.’”

Inklings of movement toward re-establishing businesses were evident as we drove just east of Bishops, where a backhoe operator was preparing the grounds for what construction workers said would become a bakery on the foundation of what used to be a snack shop.

When one visits the east, what is readily apparent is that family is important to residents, and that the strength of family is what has bolstered the spirit of perseverance for those who have lost everything.

A heartwarming example of this was found as we continued our travel eastward toward the settlement of Pelican Point, where Natalie Laing, 79, was sitting under the portico of her storm-gutted home, as her children and grandchildren shared laughs and helped to do what they could to restore the family home.

Laing turns 80 on September 2, and recounted the pain of Dorian; last year’s unwanted birthday event.

“When it first happened I was very depressed because everything I had was gone, but thank God I am still alive and I’m feeling good.

“I feel good to see that the children are getting the house back in shape for me.”

Miles away, in the settlement of Rocky Creek, police search teams recovered the remains of a little boy last year, thought to be one of Dorian’s victims from McLean’s Town.

Not far from the site of the child’s remains is a small community, where residents have built temporary wooden structures until they are able to rebuild their homes ripped apart by Dorian’s Category 5 winds.

As we drove through, Paul Russell, a native of Abaco who has lived in Rocky Creek with his wife for almost 13 years, came out to meet us, and began busily covering stacks of plywood sitting on his former home’s foundation with tarp to shield from the threat of more rainfall.

Of his current state one year after Dorian’s passage, he said, “I don’t feel good about it, but ain’t nothing you can do. You’ve gotta take one day at a time.”

Russell was the lone Rocky Creek resident who chose to ride out the storm — a decision he said he regrets.

Though floodwaters remarkably stopped a good distance away from his community, he plans to rebuild farther inland on the main road, but the process of rebuilding has been slow-going.

“I’m getting there slowly,” he noted, “but ain’t no money making so you’ve gotta peck, peck, but you can’t give up — no time to give up on yourself.”

“THIS IS MY ROCK”

The easternmost settlement of McLean’s Town is still without electricity a year since Dorian’s passage, and according to Jeremy McIntosh, 20, who is anxious to return to his family home, residents are only given a three-hour window daily to access running water for sanitation.

Cleopatra Russell, corporate communications manager for the Grand Bahama Power Company, told us yesterday that the company initially planned to restore McLean’s Town by the end of August, but it is presently two to three weeks behind schedule due in part to COVID-19-related delays.

Without electricity, significant reconstruction and a return to normalcy remain an afar-off notion for residents.

As we drove through the once bustling settlement, we observed that many homes are in much the same state as they were in the immediate aftermath of Dorian.

McIntosh noted, “My home now is alright, but everyone around me is down, so even though I’m home, it still doesn’t feel good in my spirit that I’m here living good, and my neighbors are still down.”

The young McLean’s Town native still lives in Freeport for now and returns home on the weekends, a situation he is eager to bring to an end.

Gesturing proudly to his community, McIntosh said, “I call this my rock.

“I get homesick; sometimes I tell my mom I want to move back home, but coming up and seeing the house empty puts a toll on me. After Dorian every time I came up, I would start to cry.

“But I am hoping to return home for good before Christmas.”

SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

A boat ride away from the mainland is the settlement of Sweeting’s Cay, which we revisited back in June to follow up on concerns expressed by residents who are still living in tents one year later, and who bemoaned inadequate heavy-debris cleanup on the cay.

They are also still without electricity and piped running water.

Following our report in June, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority advised that portable housing trailers would be sent to the cay, but according to resident Eleanor Tate, only portions of trailers have arrived and none have been erected, with no communication from officials on what is to happen next.

She told us by telephone from the cay, “They started to bring something across here and it stopped; only parts of it came over and they placed it in the schoolyard, and nobody is saying anything.

“We are humans. Let us know something so we can have some kind of hope. We are desperate.”

Fishing is the livelihood of Sweeting’s Cay residents and in order to make a living, Tate said, she needs to return to the cay to go out to sea, but doing so is not without its share of constant challenges.

“When the weather comes and my tent comes down I have to run to Freeport because there is nowhere else for me to be,” she explained.

“To be honest with you, it has been very depressing. A couple of days ago, I started to go into a depression stage, and it’s a good thing I have God in me because the devil was putting things and thoughts into my mind.”

Tate continued, “You could be in Freeport but after a while you have to come back because if you are not working down there, you can’t stay in nobody’s house or apartment; you have to pay bills.

“You have people who have been here since the hurricane and you can see sometimes that their heart and mind are troubled. It feels like no way out.”

Her niece, Neceva Adderley, who also spoke to us from the cay on Saturday, pointed to the special and prohibitive circumstances Sweeting’s Cay residents face in the rebuilding exercise, because they must pay hundreds of dollars to get their materials shipped from the mainland, and labor costs on the cay are consequently higher than elsewhere in east Grand Bahama.

She stressed, “I’m fighting for survival to try to pay a little something on my mortgage so I won’t lose my house in Freeport.

“After the hurricane, and I never shared this with nobody, the devil came to me many times to poison myself because the burden is really too heavy.”

That both she and her aunt alluded to thoughts of self-harm due to states of depression, raises the alarm about the psychological impact of a disaster the magnitude of Dorian, and the extent to which awareness exists about what storm victims should do to protect their mental health.

Adderley added, “I come to the cay every day. We try to catch some fish and some conch and I take it back into Freeport and make the best out of life; you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to try to make it on your own.”

When asked what she wants the country to know about the state of Sweeting’s Cay, she pleaded, “We need help and support for what we are going through.

“Please help the residents to get back home, and get back on their feet.”

source https://thenassauguardian.com/day-by-day/

Miller Jr. to play right away for FGCU

Bahamian collegiate guard Franco Miller Jr. does not have to wait until the 2021-2022 season to see action on the court for the Florida Golf Coast University (FGCU) Eagles. It was recently announced that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) granted him a waiver for immediate eligibility to play.

The information was publicized on the FGCU Eagles athletics website. Initially, it was expected that Miller would have to miss the upcoming season because of NCAA rules regarding transfers. He played for the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels last season, and entered the NCAA transfer portal back in March of this year, eventually catching on with FGCU and their Head Coach Michael Fly.

“Having Franco to be immediately eligible is a big boost to our lineup this season and adds another veteran player who has experience in high-level competition,” said Fly. “As a mature player, this announcement helps Franco stay in his basketball timeline without being away from game competition for a year and strengthens our backcourt for the foreseeable future when you look at our roster makeup.”

Miller is coming off a tumultuous season for the Rebels, not seeing much playing time as the Ole Miss Rebels featured a veteran backcourt. He played just 85 minutes last season, with most of his playing time coming against the University of Arkansas Razorbacks when he stepped on the court for 24 minutes. Miller started one game last season, and averaged 0.3 points and 0.5 rebounds per contest.

As a team, the Rebels finished with a 15-17 win/loss record including going 6-12 in conference play. They finished 12th out of 14 teams in a highly competitive Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Miller redshirted his first season, sitting out due to a kneecap fracture.

There were high expectations for the Grand Bahamian heading into his freshman year for the Rebels. He had a stellar senior year at Crestwood Preparatory College in Ontario, Canada, and was looking for a smooth transition to the NCAA. Miller averaged 25.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.3 steals per game in his senior year in high school. That year, he scored 40 points in a game twice for Crestwood. For his efforts, the guard was named to the NPA (National Preparatory Association) First Team and the All-CISAA (Conference of Independent Schools Athletics Association) First Team.

The former Tabernacle Baptist Academy star is one of six new additions for Coach Fry and the Eagles. When Miller first chose to play for FGCU, Fly spoke about the versatility of the 6’ 3” guard.

“We are excited to add a student and player of Franco’s caliber to our program. He is an experienced guard who can play the point guard position or slide over to the wing as a scorer,” Fly stated.

FGCU, which became a full NCAA Division I school in 2011, plays in the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. They appeared in three NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournaments, also known as March Madness, with their latest appearance being in 2017. The Eagles advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013, falling to the University of Florida Gators. That was their best performances ever at the tournament. 

This past season, the Eagles finished with a 10-22 overall record, 7-9 in conference play. They finished sixth out of nine teams.

With the insertion of a healthy and motivated Miller, the Eagles are looking forward to a strong season. The 2020-2021 schedule has not been released as yet.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/miller-jr-to-play-right-away-for-fgcu/

Gaither finishes fourth in women’s 200m

The season continues for Bahamian elite athletes despite the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over at the 2020 Drake Blue Oval Showcase, hosted by Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Bahamian speedster TyNia Gaither was in action. It’s been a busy season for the 27-year-old Grand Bahamian as she took part in a number of 60 meters (m) races indoors, ran a 60m race outdoors, ran both the 100 and 200m outdoors and ran the 200m indoors.

On Saturday, she lined up in her specialty, the 200m outdoors.

Gaither finished third in her heat and was fourth overall in a modest 23.08 seconds.

A trio of Americans took the top three spots. Representing Adidas, Lynna Irby finished first in 22.52 seconds. Nike athlete Kyra Jefferson was second in 22.69 seconds and Shakima Wimbley, of Adidas, rounded out the top three in 23.07 seconds.

All of the performances were wind-aided.

Bahamian Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo lined up to compete in one of the two heats but did not finish the race. According to reports, she felt a little discomfort about 70 meters into the race and decided to stop.

The meet was the first major track and field event on US soil since Drake hosted the USA Championships July 25-28, 2019. The meet brought nearly 80 athletes from 10 countries to the Blue Oval, a field that included 20 Olympians and eight Olympic medalists.

As for Gaither, she has had a respectable season, turning in season-best times of 7.31 seconds and 23.73 seconds in the 60 and 200m indoors, and 11.59 seconds in the 100m outdoors. She also ran a personal best time of 7.46 seconds in a 60m outdoor race.

Just a week ago, at the American Track League Meet #7 on the campus of Life University in Marietta, Georgia, Gaither ran to victory in 11.61 seconds in the women’s 100m after running 11.59 seconds in the heats. 

Before that, in Texas where she trains, she was splendid in taking both the women’s 60 and 100m.

The two-time world finalist in the women’s 200m is gearing up for a run at what would be her second consecutive Olympic Games. The postponed Olympics is set for July 23 to August 8, 2021, still in Tokyo, Japan. Gaither is one of six Bahamian athletes who have qualified. She went under the qualifying standards in both the women’s 100 and 200m.

The other Bahamian qualifiers are Miller-Uibo in both the women’s 200 and 400m, Steven Gardiner in the men’s 400m, Samson Colebrooke in the men’s 100m, Pedrya Seymour in the women’s 100m hurdles and Jamal Wilson in the men’s high jump.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/gaither-finishes-fourth-in-womens-200m/

Deficit climbs to near $800 million

Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an estimated threefold increase in the fiscal deficit to $788.1 million in FY2019/2020 from $219.3 million in the previous fiscal year, according to the Fourth Quarter Fiscal Snapshot and Report.

The report stated that the severity of the impact of COVID-19 on revenue performance was “very pronounced” in the final quarter.

While total revenue for FY2019/2020 decreased by $337.1 million or 13.9 percent to settle at $2.09 billion, in the fourth quarter alone, the government saw reductions across the board of its tax categories by 55.2 percent — led by a significant contraction in value-added tax (VAT) receipts, which decreased by $169.2 million (55 percent).

There were also significant contractions in customs and import duties, falling by $54.2 million (or 63.6 percent), departure taxes by $27.6 million (or 63.7 percent), license to conduct specific business activity by $37.6 million (or 75.1 percent) and gaming taxes by $8.2 million (or 47.2 percent).

The Ministry of Finance said these numbers reflect the combined impact of slower economic activity in Hurricane Dorian-affected Abaco and Grand Bahama, and the reduction in business activity amid the series of national lockdowns throughout the last quarter of the fiscal year.

Acknowledging the severity of the impact of COVID-19 on revenue performance, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest said despite the strain on government finances, the Minnis administration continues to meet government obligations while doing its part to sustain domestic economic activity.

“Consistent with our budgeted plans, we are disbursing millions in unemployment assistance, maintaining public service salaries and engaging in targeted capital expenditures to support the COVID-19 response and the broader effort to restore the economy,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“Prolonged shutdowns increase fiscal risks for all governments, including our own, which is why we are closely monitoring the situation. The coronavirus is not going away, so our highest priority is adapting so that business and commerce can occur safely despite COVID-19.”

Economic activity came to a near standstill during the last quarter of the 2019/2020 fiscal year, April 1 through June 30, during which the country’s border’s were closed to international commercial flights and a national lockdown forced hotels and businesses deemed non-essential to close their doors to slow the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.

With tourist activity projected to remain subdued throughout the remainder of the year and the first half of the 2020/2021 fiscal year, Turnquest said the government will have to lean heavily on domestic spend to buoy the economy.

“The domestic economy is going to lead the way with a well-considered and balanced reopening strategy; this is not only important to restore the livelihoods of Bahamians, it is important for the country’s fiscal health,” he said.

“We are actively working on new models and testing our assumptions to determine if, when and where adjustments may be necessary.”

Looking at the whole picture, tax receipts for the FY2019/2020 fell by $349.0 million (15.9 percent) to settle at $1.849 billion.

“This was partly explained by the shift in taxes on realty transactions from stamp to value-added tax, which resulted in a corresponding $158.5 million (70.3 percent) decline in stamp taxes on realty and financial transactions,” the snapshot showed.

“Notwithstanding, VAT receipts declined by $19.2 million (2.1 percent), under the weight of weakened economic activity. Growth in non-tax collections, of $11.8 million (5.2 percent) to roughly 84 percent of the revised budget, was primarily due to the $12.8 million payout from the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF).”

On the expenditure side, total government spending grew by $231.7 million to $2.8 billion, representing an increase in recurrent expenditure which settled at $2.5 billion and capital expenditure which stood at $368.7 million, enlarged by outlays for Hurricane Dorian ($94.0 million) and COVID-19 initiatives ($39.5 million).

“In the final quarter of FY2019/20, the government spent over $57.3 million directly on COVID-19-related recurrent and capital expenditures. These items included $1.7 million to support the COVID-19 response in the Family Islands; $1.2 million to cover rental charges associated with government-funded quarantine sites and over $4 million to purchase medical supplies, including PPE, between the Ministry of Health and the Public Hospitals Authority. It also included $39 million to support business continuity programs for Bahamian small businesses,” the Ministry of Finance noted in the report.

At the end of June, government debt stood at $8.24 million.

“The government’s operational requirements resulted in a net increase in its debt obligations of $714.4 million for FY2019/20. Short-term funding comprised $228.0 million in Treasury bill taps, and another $60 million in Central Bank advances — the latter being repaid within the fiscal year,” the ministry of finance noted.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/deficit-climbs-to-near-800-million/

Bahamas virtual camp comes to a close

The first Bahamas Virtual Basketball Camp, hosted by Ballin’ by da Beach Camps and the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF), is in the books. The unconventional camp attracted young campers from all across The Bahamas and even the United States of America (USA).

Camp Director Jurelle Mullings described the week as one filled with energy from the campers and coaches. The camp got underway on Monday, August 24, and wrapped up on Friday.

“The week was fantastic,” Mullings said. “I enjoyed the experience given the circumstances. Even though we were virtual, I still felt the energy from the campers and the coaches who presented. The kids were engaged, interactive, parents kept sending words of encouragement and it helped to carry the momentum throughout the week. It was an enjoyable experience.”

Campers tuned in from 12 separate locations across the archipelago – Abaco, Andros, Bimini, Cat Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Inagua, Long Island, New Providence, Grand Bahama, the Berry Islands and Moore’s Island. There were also a few who were in the USA.

The camp had 289 registrants. There were 58 campers who tuned in everyday on the Zoom platform. Monday had to the most campers logging on with 125. On the final day, 100 campers logged on.

Parents were grateful to have something where their kids could be relieved from being idle in the house all day. It was something where they could be interactive and enjoy an experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A camper from Mangrove Cay, Andros, said: “I’ve truly enjoyed those days of camps and I must say my mental strength is far better than before the camp. Thanks for the opportunity and allowing me to be a part of it.”

A parent said she was impressed with how the camp turned out and wanted an extra week.

For skills and drills, Mullings said they did the best that they could have done with the assessment. The campers were able to take part in fitness competitions, doing exercises such as push-ups and burpees. The organizers were able to see improvement over the five days. The campers were rewarded prizes for the mental, leadership and basketball IQ portion of the camp. Mullings expects to see some real strong ball handlers coming out of the camp, post-COVID-19.

They did a poll daily with the campers, finding that nearly 100 percent of the campers said they had fun, learned something new and got better at basketball because of the teachings offered. 

Some of the coaches and instructors who played a role in the camp were University of The Bahamas (UB) Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bacchus Rolle, Golden State Warriors’ Assistant Coach Chris DeMarco and University of Houston Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Mikhail Higgs; other presenters were Marvin Henfield, Sanchez Moss, Kayle “Sly” Fox, Anton Francis, Rashad McKenzie, Shantell Penn and Geno Bullard.

“The coaches were grateful for the opportunity to showcase themselves this summer and to have a platform. Some of them have pilot organizations so it gave them an opportunity to market directly to kids who may be interested in their services. They are really passionate about kids so they were really grateful for the opportunity to connect with these kids on such a large scale. They really enjoyed the camp and are looking forward to doing it again. Some may even replicate the platform,” Mullings said.

Mullings admitted that the virtual camp format is tiring also but added that it is not as taxing as a physical camp.

“There is still a level of work that has to go into it,” Mullings said. “You have to update social media, use videography and luckily I had the support of Sideline Sports’ Jerome and 10th Year Seniors’ John Marc-Nutt. Those guys helped lessen the burden, so I appreciate their support, but it was still tiring.

“Both types of camp have their challenges. None are easy. I think anything worth doing is never easy. Both have challenges but the rewards are equally gratifying. The satisfaction comes from seeing the kids have fun, grow and get better and learn something new.”

The sponsors for the camp were Mr. Ship It, the Bahamas Basketball Federation and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. Many of the kids did not have basketballs but were able to acquire balls thanks to the sponsors.

Mullings, who is also the coordinator of the Student-Athlete Resources and Support (STARS) Program at the Ministry of Education, would love to do another virtual camp but extend it beyond basketball. She said although the experience is virtual, it still takes a lot of energy and resources. If it is going to be a free camp, she and her team are going to need sponsors to come onboard, particularly those companies that are staying afloat in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mullings said it always an honor to adhere to community needs, especially when it is for the youth.

Mullings said there may be more virtual events in the community moving forward to keep the kids engaged. Parents and kids are asking when the next one will be and when can they do it again.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/bahamas-virtual-camp-comes-to-a-close/

Government borrowing inches closer to $9 billion mark

The government has borrowed $1.095 billion in Bahamian dollars and $445.7 million in foreign currency, according to the Fourth Quarter Fiscal Snapshot and Report for the fiscal year 2019/2020.

While the government has repaid $826.9 million of its debt to the end of June 2020, government debt stood at $8.241 billion at the end of June, accounting for 68.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), up from the $7.527 billion recorded at the end of June 2019.

As it stands, 45 percent of government borrowings are in the form of loans, with 36 percent in bonds, 15 percent in treasury bills and 4 percent accounting for advances.

“The government’s operational requirements resulted in a net increase in its debt obligations of $714.4 million for FY2019/20. Short-term funding comprised $228 million in treasury bills and another $60 million in Central Bank advances, the latter being repaid within the fiscal year,” the report states.

In the fourth quarter of FY2019/20, the government contributed an additional $16.5 million to the sinking funds —  established to retire future debt obligations — bringing total contributions to $46.5 million for the twelve-month period, according to the Ministry of Finance.

“As at June 2020, the three arrangements earmarked for scheduled retirement of external bonds held a cumulative value of $181.8 million, while the funds set aside for the two local arrangements stood at $13.2 million,” the report notes.

“Equity investments for FY2019/20 consisted of the second and third quarter incremental $10.3 million contribution to Lucayan Renewal Holdings Ltd. — the special purpose vehicle created to house transactions related to the Grand Lucayan purchase. During the third quarter, the government signed a heads of agreement with Bahamas Port Investments Ltd. — a joint company of Royal Caribbean International and the ICM Group — for the sale of the resort and the development of a cruise port in Grand Bahama.”

The Ministry of Finance also highlighted two shareholder loans of $15 million each, made to Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) in June 2019 and August 2019, respectively, which were originally due to be repaid in December 2019.

“While BPL continued to service the loans according to the loan agreement, the maturities have been extended to September 2020 because of the ongoing delay in the rate reduction bond transaction, now exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the report states.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/government-borrowing-inches-closer-to-9-billion-mark/

Abaco firms to close their doors in remembrance of Dorian victims

With tomorrow marking one year since the deadly Category 5 Hurricane Dorian ravaged parts of Abaco, the surviving businesses on the island – many of which had to rebuild – announced they would close their doors in remembrance of those lost.

Abaco Chamber of Commerce President Ken Hutton said the businesses decided to unite not necessarily to take a stand for the community, but to stop and think about how far they’ve come since the devastating storm.

“For anyone who was there, I just think we were thinking about it as something that had such an affect on us that it really needs to be memorialized and we need to take the time to figure out that it’s been a year and where are we from there,” he told Guardian Business.

“I guess it’s more than anything probably a thanksgiving that we’re still here and many of us aren’t and whatever we have right now, we should really be thankful for and remember those who didn’t make it.”

Official records estimate that 74 people died as a result of the storm and dozens more are still missing. Damage from the storm has been estimated at more than $3 billion.

While rebuilding efforts have begun on the island, Hutton has in recent times lamented the lack of skilled labor and electricity.

Asked if he’s satisfied with the pace that commerce is returning to the island a year later, Hutton said, “No, we’re nowhere near where we were pre-Dorian. And the primary reason for that is the entire commercial district of Abaco is still in ruins. So there’s really nowhere for any business to go but up.”

Looking ahead, Hutton said the business community on Abaco is hopeful about the year ahead and returning the island to its former glory.

“I think that obviously we’re hoping that this next 12-month period is better than the previous one. Back in March, we seemed to be on a trajectory to start to recover. But then when the COVID-19 situation happened it basically stopped everything almost dead in the water,” he said.

“So once we get past this and we can have a chance to recover and get some kind of momentum, I think that Abaco will start to recover a lot faster than it did in the last 12 months.”

source https://thenassauguardian.com/abaco-firms-to-close-their-doors-in-remembrance-of-dorian-victims/

Majority of new RBDF recruits test positive for COVID-19

Roughly 85 percent of a recent group of Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) recruits undergoing basic training tested positive for COVID-19, RBDF Commodore Raymond King said yesterday. 

The group, which was set to graduate on August 28, contains 56 people, King said.

As a result of the exposure, training was discontinued, the RBDF said in a separate statement.

“The Royal Bahamas Defence Force acknowledges the quick spread of COVID-19 amongst its latest intake of recruits undergoing basic training,” the RBDF said.

“As such, the defense force wishes to advise that new entry training has been discontinued at this time, to allow the proper management and treatment of those testing positive for the virus and to keep non-COVID-19-positive recruits in isolation.”

The RBDF said the the recruits are all asymptomatic and are on a vitamin and electrolyte regimen to boost their immunity and clear the virus from their system. The group is also in quarantine.

“Moreover, they have been briefed on protocols to follow should they or their fellow recruits exhibit any symptoms,” the RBDF said.

The statement added, “Steps have been taken to sanitize the training facility, lodging, classrooms and other common spaces occupied or utilized by the recruits and training staff.

“The recruits will continue to be quarantined/isolated onboard HMBS Coral Harbour and monitored closely by the force medical officer, registered nurses and emergency medical technicians team.”

The recruits and instructors are being screened twice daily, the statement added. 

“The remaining three weeks of training will ensue once a medical all-clear is given for these persons,” it concluded. 

COVID-19 cases in The Bahamas, particularly on New Providence, surged in recent weeks. 

Between March and July, there were 104 cases of the virus. Since July 8, there were over 2,000 cases reported. 

The virus has touched nearly every sector in the country, from the uniformed branches to health workers. 

Last Monday, the Ministry of Health said 11 positive COVID-19 cases were confirmed within the defense force during the second wave on New Providence.

Thirty contacts were identified as a result of those cases.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/majority-of-new-rbdf-recruits-test-positive-for-covid-19/

PM pleased with restoration efforts on Abaco, GB

Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis said he is “very pleased” with restoration efforts on Abaco and Grand Bahama one year after Hurricane Dorian devastated the islands.

The monster Category 5 — the strongest on record to hit The Bahamas — pummeled the northern Bahamas for three days uprooting infrastructure and buildings and causing more than $3.4 billion in damage and losses.

In recent months, the COVID-19 pandemic has stagnated Dorian restoration efforts as inter-island travel was sporadically restricted and non-essential businesses periodically closed in order to contain the spread of the virus locally.

Despite this, Minnis told reporters on Friday, “I am very, very pleased with the progress that’s being made.

“You would be very, very surprised when the Ministry [of Disaster Preparedness] does a one year report and you would see, I think the entire Bahamas will be extremely shocked.

“The unfortunate thing is that in The Bahamas we feel that everything happens overnight. If a hurricane occurs today, then the following day we want to be back in business, we want everything back to normal and it takes a while.” 

He said clean up has essentially been completed.

Minnis said only private properties are being cleaned at the moment.

In November, the prime minister said that government will provide free Crown Land on Abaco and Grand Bahama for the construction of low cost homes for Dorian survivors.

Minnis said that government will also install infrastructure for utilities at the homes at no cost to buyers. 

On Friday, he provided an update on that initiative.

“They’ve already gotten the land, the two 60 acre plots,” Minnis said.

“We have sent that out to RFP (request for proposal) so that individuals can build, so I think you’re going to see a new Abaco and a new East End Grand Bahama.

“Abaco is doing very, very well.”

Minnis has said that the government cannot afford to give more than $10,000 in repair assistance to Bahamians who lost their houses during the storm.

He has promised that the government will do all it can.

Dorian displaced thousands of people.

In July, North Abaco Administrator Terrece Bootle-Laing said estimates indicated that about 20 Dorian survivors were still living in tents on the island.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/pm-pleased-with-restoration-efforts-on-abaco-gb/

Reserve sergeant returns to court today

Reserve Sergeant Tess Pratt returns to court today after she spent the weekend in custody.

Pratt, 33, was arraigned last Friday on multiple charges, including breaches of the emergency orders.

Pratt made the perp walk from the South Street Magistrates’ Court Complex shortly before 4 p.m.

She appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguspn-Pratt without a lawyer.

Prosecutors allege Pratt used obscene language to the annoyance of PC 4060 Outten on August 24.

She’s further accused assaulting Outten, causing damage to his uniform and resisting arrest at the same time.

Additionally, on August 27, Pratt allegedly broke COVID-19 emergency order rules by failing to wear a mask and failure to adhere to social distancing protocols while at Toote Shop Corner.

During that incident, Pratt allegedly behaved in a disorderly manner and resisted arrest.

Pratt admitted to cursing to the annoyance of the officer but she denied the other charges.

Ferguson-Pratt asked Pratt if she had any family members present to sign her bail.

She said that she had called her father but he hadn’t arrived yet.

A police inspector said she had called Pratt’s father and he was 20 minutes away.

However, Ferguson-Pratt explained that clerical staff could not wait that long since the building was supposed to have closed from 2:30 p.m.

The magistrate said the court had waited for Pratt to arrive and they couldn’t wait any longer.

She told Pratt that she would be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections.

Pratt said, “I’ll be okay.”

source https://thenassauguardian.com/reserve-sergeant-returns-to-court-today/

Body found off Carmichael Road

A dead body was found in bushes in Millars Heights, off Carmichael Road, shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday, according to Chief Superintendent Shanta Knowles.

Knowles confirmed that the victim was a male, however, she was unable to confirm his age. 

When asked about the injuries sustained, Knowles replied, “We cannot determine that. The body is in a state of decomposition. We’re going to wait for the autopsy’s report.”

She said police will start the identification process at the morgue today.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/body-found-off-carmichael-road/

‘We are looking forward to a new and better Abaco’

As she watched the roof of her apartment lift up with a surge of water entering through her front door, Vandea Stuart, 42, a resident of Marsh Harbour, Abaco, said she thought she was going to die when Hurricane Dorian raged over Abaco on September 1, 2019.

“It got real for me when I saw the roof in my bedroom lifting up and slamming back down,” Stuart said.

“I knew the roof was coming off. When I looked in my bathroom ceiling, the roof began to collapse in the tub. The water outside was coming in like a big wave. I was alone. I thought I was going to drown in my apartment.”

Over 70 people died during the storm and 279 people are listed as missing.

Stuart said the storm destroyed her apartment. 

Her only hope was her employers at the Abaco Club on Winding Bay, who provided much-needed relief, she said.

“They came through for us,” Stuart said.

“They assisted with getting all of their employees off the island.”

Stuart said she is grateful that she is still employed with the resort.

“We reopened shortly after the storm in October,” she said.

“We began accepting guests by the end of October. The resort is located in the southern end of the island, so it did not receive much damage.”

She said the resort housed all of its employees who were severely impacted by the storm.

“All the employees had somewhere to stay,” she said.

“Most of the employees at the club practically lost everything. They converted an area on the property to a trailer park that housed employees and their families. They provided groceries and stipends. Throughout the entire process, they assisted us until we were back on our feet.”

After Dorian destroyed the place she called home, her landlords were not compelled to rebuild.

“Initially my landlords had to relocate to Nassau,” she said.

“They were saying that they were not going to rebuild, but they have since moved back to Abaco and began rebuilding their home as well as the apartment I was renting. I am looking forward to moving back to my place soon.”

Stuart said although some buildings are still damaged, Abaco is progressing towards complete recovery and is rebuilding stronger than ever.

“On any given day, we have bumper-to-bumper traffic, which means a lot of people have come back home,” she said.

“There’s a lot of construction going on so it’s a lot of jobs. Dorian created a lot of opportunities amidst the chaos. Everywhere you look, there’s rebuilding. We are getting there. We are looking forward to a new and better Abaco.”

source https://thenassauguardian.com/we-are-looking-forward-to-a-new-and-better-abaco/

One year on, for many an unending storm

On the day Kendra Williams spoke to The Nassau Guardian, it was storming.

There was no hurricane, but bad weather takes her family back to September 2, 2019, when Hurricane Dorian sat over Grand Bahama and changed everything.

“That’s something I would never want to experience again,” she said. “Fifty-one years and I have never experienced anything like that in my life.”

One year later, Williams and many others are reflecting on the Category 5 system which created a lasting storm. On Grand Bahama, 11 people were killed and 22 are still missing.

Homes, businesses, the international airport, the public hospital and government offices were inundated by flood waters.

Williams, her son and six of her eight grandchildren, the youngest only a year old, were among hundreds of residents who were forced to flee to their roofs on that Monday morning, as sea water rushed in and drowned everything they owned.

As restoration continues all over the island, the family home, which Williams moved into in January 2008, now sits as a shell in the Heritage subdivision of Freeport.

“I can’t go back to it, I know that,” she said. “The kids are traumatized, so that’s a no-no.”

According to Williams, going anywhere near their old neighborhood is a trigger for the children.

“The kids start asking me where we are going,” she said. “They say, ‘Oh no, we don’t wanna go back there. We’re gonna drown; we’re gonna drown!’”

In the months after Dorian, Williams said, her older grandchildren received some counseling, but since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it’s been difficult to continue that care.

“Therapists came around and provided counseling, but with the COVID thing there is no counseling so there is more strain on me,” she said. “If there is any rain or wind, they go off; so now in our house we just say the ‘h’ word. I have to tell other adults not to say hurricane in the house.”

Before the storm hit, meteorologist Wayne Neely said, “I’m afraid for Abaco and Grand Bahama.”

Williams was afraid, too. While she was prepared for the worst, Dorian’s wrath wasn’t anything she could have seen in her wildest dreams or scariest nightmares.

“We had already battened down and had enough food and everything,” she explained. “But we never thought water would come in that area. I was worrying about the roof with six small children.”

That roof she was concerned about was the least of their worries and would turn out to provide refuge for six hours for the family of eight before help arrived. Once out of the house, they were taken to the nearest shelter at Church of the Ascension.

Williams said, “The guys who rescued us didn’t know where to go so we had to watch the wires from the light poles and guide them. There were like 50 of us in this like tractor head.”

One of the heroes in that extraordinary rescue was Sergeant 3703 Glen Telusma.

“It was truly a breathtaking experience,” he told The Nassau Guardian, “one that I will never forget. I’m just really grateful that we were able to rescue them.”

Telusma rode along with a fellow Royal Bahamas Police Force officer, a Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer and the operator of the tractor.

The sergeant still checks in on Williams and her grandkids, even sending treats for the children.

“You know up to today twice a week or sometimes three times a week we would hear from him, and that makes me feel good,” Williams said.

Telusma explained, “I just grew attached to them. They are the most brilliant kids with awesome personalities. I also developed a close friendship with the family.”

As the family prepares for the one-year anniversary, Williams said, “I told my coworkers I can’t promise you all what will happen. I don’t know… I just don’t know.”

source https://thenassauguardian.com/one-year-on-for-many-an-unending-storm/

One year later, Dorian survivor says he’s still haunted by killer storm

Erick Auguste, 37, a resident of Treasure Cay, Abaco, watched in horror as his mother, who was clutching to his arm, was swept off with a storm surge after a sharp object severed his left arm from his body during Hurricane Dorian last year.

Auguste said yesterday that he is still haunted by what happened that day.

However, one year later, Auguste and his wife, Elsie Bain-Auguste, are expecting a beacon of hope.

“My wife is in Nassau getting ready to have another baby,” he told The Nassau Guardian.

“So, I’m excited. I have a baby girl coming. For the last two weeks, it was very touching. I was very emotional about it. She’s coming and I won’t be able to lift her and do this and do that.

“It was very emotional but my son told me, ‘Daddy, it’s okay. We will help you. We will help you.’”

The monster Category 5 storm terrorized Abaco and Grand Bahama for the first three days of September last year.

It killed at least 74 people and left 279 missing in its wake.

Auguste said doctors expect his daughter to be born “in the next three days”. 

“I’m just grateful,” he said.

He said the last year has been challenging for him following his amputation.

“I have to live in a different way,” he said.

“I have to learn how to do everything. Everything that I knew for 30 years, now I have to learn how to do something else and how to survive, how to live, how to put my clothes on, how to eat.”

He said the experience has been “frustrating”.

“Sometimes, it’s very emotional knowing everything I could do before and now I can’t do it,” Auguste said.

“My mind is telling me to do it but my body cannot do it. It’s really, really frustrating… Emotionally, it’s killing you from the inside.”

Auguste spent six months in Miami, Florida, following Dorian as a result of his injury.

He said he returned to Abaco at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

He said the island was not the one he remembered.

“When I came back, it was like I walked into a different place,” Auguste said.

“It was not the Abaco that I knew. I don’t remember some streets because trees were gone. Houses that were there, they were destroyed.”

August said he doesn’t want to risk his life returning to the United States during the pandemic.

“We still have all our stuff in Miami,” Auguste said.

“Everything is there. Before the first lockdown, we were in Abaco and we never went back. So, all our belongings, everything is still in Biscayne.”

He said his family plans on staying on Abaco.

“We’re moving back home,” Auguste said.

“Home is home. This is where my heart is.”

Auguste is living in Crossing Rock, Abaco, where his wife was raised.

“We plan on moving back to Treasure Cay sometime next month,” he said.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/one-year-later-dorian-survivor-says-hes-still-haunted-by-killer-storm/

Incompetently led —the other crisis

A sombre prime minister read a brief message yesterday afternoon advising on the further reopening of segments of the economy beginning today.

He made no comment on the country’s progress in flattening the second wave of COVID-19 infections nor did he comment on the rising number of deaths attributed to the disease.

And, he gave no information on the timing of his major national economic address which he, last Monday, promised would be delivered “shortly”.

He advised that the minister of education would provide a report to the nation today at 3 p.m.

Parents will be anxious to hear from the minister. Schools throughout the country closed in mid-March, including on islands that remained free of a single COVID infection up to end-June.

Still parents remain uncertain when school will fully reopen, on which islands and whether virtually or in-classroom.

We have lived in the throes of a public health crisis since mid-March of this year.

This crippling crisis has locked us down in our homes nightly, continuously for five months and counting; paralyzed public administration and shuttered accessibility to many public services like death certificates or marriage licences. The operations of the Office of the Attorney General, the Registrar General’s Department and the courts are hovelled. ZNS is on life support.

Civil servants, other than the uniformed branches and other health professionals and essential workers providing health and medical care to the public including those determined to be essential workers by the heads of their ministry, are ordered to work from home. The same applies to utility providers and certain businesses, legal and financial services providers.

In the midst of this crisis, periodic press briefings regurgitate information on repairs, upgrades and expansion of healthcare facilities and on the status of COVID-19 spread, the latter available on the daily health dashboard.

These briefings have been highly structured sessions producing inadequate answers, with questions sometimes excused or simply deferred. Inadequate provision of forthright information on the virus continues to mar the record.

We now have confirmation that our healthcare and hospital systems are overwhelmed.

Testing remains inadequate – so, too, is contact tracing.

Assurances that backlogs in processing tests, contact tracing and imposition of quarantines of individuals testing positive and their contacts, are not convincing.

Promises that bed capacity is being expanded or is now increased continues to repeat advice given almost six months ago in March and April.

The authorities have inexplicably not bothered to reconvert space in the new Critical Care Block, originally designed and built to have more Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and “step-down” units but converted to administrative offices, into their intended usage.

Advice that the country has some 70-plus ventilators on hand without advice on the availability, training and or employment of ICU nurses to man them is not reassuring.

Yesterday, the prime minister continued his practice of addressing the public in settings that do not afford the media the opportunity to question him.

The biggest change in the delivery of yesterday’s “message” was the change in the demeanor of the prime minister.

While in the past he has appeared almost imperial in his decrees and admonitions to citizens, yesterday he looked and sounded almost chastened as he announced that beauticians, barbers and bus drivers could resume business and that restaurants at Arawak Cay and Potter’s Cay were to be included among restaurants permitted to offer takeaway services.

A change in demeanor of the prime minister does not engender an expectation that the incompetent leadership that has directed our COVID-19 response to date has turned a corner.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/incompetently-led-the-other-crisis/

The FNM was elected to govern, not the COVID-19 Task Force

Dear Editor,

The Free National Movement (FNM) was elected by the majority of Bahamian voters to govern the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on May 10, 2017, not the COVID-19 Task Force.

Ministry of Health officials must remember this.

Nonessential business owners and employees must now be breathing a collective sigh of relief after Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis finally decided to open up the economy, albeit in phases.

Perhaps coming to the conclusion that COVID-19 will be a thorn in our side for the foreseeable future, until a vaccine is discovered by scientists, Minnis has probably come to the realization that the repeated lockdowns are doing irreparable damage to the economy, while being ineffective in curbing the spread of COVID-19, as confirmed cases are now well over 2,000.

Additionally, with the troubling announcement by Public Service and National Insurance Minister Brensil Rolle that the National Insurance Board (NIB) cannot continue its unemployment benefit scheme beyond mid-September, it is obvious to all and sundry that COVID-19 is dangerously close to maxing out the government’s safety net.

Minnis is certainly aware of an Inter-American Development Bank report that claims that a high percentage of household incomes in the Caribbean has dipped below minimum wage due to the new coronavirus recession.

With horror stories of Bahamian families being months in arrears in mortgage, rent and utilities, I find it astonishing that one particular COVID-19 Task Force official is perturbed by the central government’s decision to ease restrictions on nonessential businesses, with the aim to jumpstart the economy.

The official obviously prefers that the overwhelming majority of Bahamians stay put. But what do you tell a breadwinner who is months behind on his rent, with an eviction hanging over his head, that he must stay home? What do you say to a single mom who is jobless, flat broke and months behind on her rent and utilities?

At times I am left to wonder if COVID-19 Task Force members are oblivious to what is happening on the ground.

One is led to believe that Ministry of Health officials are living in a bubble.

The reader should have noticed that many of the Office of the Prime Minister’s lockdown announcements were prefaced with “based on the recommendations of Ministry of Health officials…” or something to that effect.

Many frustrated Bahamians have assumed that Minnis had governed unilaterally like a despot, while failing to appreciate the COVID-19 Task Force’s massive role in the decision-making process during the lockdown period.

Recall that even Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar had dismissed rumors of a severe lockdown for New Providence, only to be contradicted days later when Minnis announced an immediate seven-day lockdown for the island, which has led to rumors of intramural strife within the FNM Cabinet.

Whatever the case may be, it once again appears to this writer that the COVID-19 Task Force has the undivided attention of the competent authority, and is carrying on like a de facto executive branch of the government, while the FNM Cabinet has been covertly sidelined in the fight against COVID-19.

In a recent press release by Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Deputy Leader Chester Cooper, it was alleged that Minnis’ 180-degree lockdown reversal was politically motivated.

In my opinion, Cooper’s conclusions about Minnis are redundant.

As a politician, the overwhelming majority of Minnis’ decisions are politically motivated, as are those of Cooper’s.

In conclusion, Minnis has to start thinking ahead to 2022.

That is a burden that the COVID-19 Task Force doesn’t have to bear.

Whether it’s the FNM or the PLP in government, COVID-19 Task Force officials and other Ministry of Health workers will still have their good paying jobs.

Ironically, many of their decisions, while noble, have caused severe economic hardship to thousands of Bahamian families, to the extent that many are now psychologically traumatized.

It is these Bahamians, fairly or not, who will hold Minnis accountable on election day.

— Kevin Evans 

source https://thenassauguardian.com/the-fnm-was-elected-to-govern-not-the-covid-19-task-force/

Tribute in memoriam to Justice Neville L. Smith (ret.)

Dear Editor,

Grateful if you would publish this tribute in memory of Justice Neville L. Smith (ret.):

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than anything I have ever done; it is a far, far, better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.” — Charles Dickens.

It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Justice Neville Smith, a legal and judicial light, a gentleman and scholar.

Smith was called to the Bahamas Bar and joined the Department of Legal Affairs in 1967, where he served until his elevation to the Supreme Court bench in 1985.

He demitted that judicial office in 1995 and joined the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, where he remained until his return to The Bahamas in 2001. He then entered private practice which continued until a few months before his passing. He was made a Queen’s Counsel in 2015.

Inexorably, he has been in the forefront of the legal and judicial service of The Bahamas for nearly 50 years.

As director of legal affairs between 1975 and 1985, he was the chief legal advisor of the government, responsible for advising the attorney general, and represented the state in civil actions before the court in the aftermath of The Bahamas’ transition from colony to independent nation.

He was known for his scholarly and well-written legal opinions, for his careful and meticulous preparation of his briefs and for his excellent and fearless presentation of his cases before the court.

In that capacity, he also mentored many young lawyers in a newly independent Bahamas, and was a stern but kindly taskmaster, setting for them high but achievable standards. He insisted that his lawyers work hard and produce the best legal opinions they were capable of, and that they perform in court to the best of their ability.

Undoubtedly, his insistence on hard work and the attainment of excellence, and his stellar example, were instrumental in producing, from persons who had served in that department under him, five Supreme Court justices – with four out of the five becoming justices of appeal, registrars, magistrates and many senior lawyers who now practice at the private bar.

As justice of the Supreme Court, Smith continued his commitment to duty and was as relentless in his work ethic as he had ever been.

He penned some courageous decisions and insisted on lawyers following the rules of court and complying with the prescribed timelines. This practice did not make him popular with lawyers, but in time, he earned their respect.

Throughout his tenure on the bench, he tenaciously adhered to the highest standards of judicial service and positively impacted the administration of justice in The Bahamas. Likewise, in his private practice after his judicial service, he continued to uphold all the lofty traditions and standards of the bar.

His greatest pride was the following in his path by his son and daughter, both fine lawyers who continue his commitment to legal excellence.

But above all his attributes, Justice Neville Smith was the consummate gentleman – gracious, charming and quick to share a story or a laugh.

He was steeped in, and guided by, his faith; deeply committed to his God and very much involved in the life of Christ Church Cathedral, where he served for many years as lay reader, vestry member, cell coordinator and catechist.

His fellow faith travelers will miss his faithful work and witness, and I will always cherish the lifelong source of wisdom and encouragement. I therefore offer this tribute, with fondness and gratitude.

— Dame Anita Allen 

source https://thenassauguardian.com/tribute-in-memoriam-to-justice-neville-l-smith-ret/

Upgrades to Rand Memorial Hospital to be completed by Nov.

Minister of Health Renward Wells said the majority of repairs to the Rand Memorial Hospital on Grand Bahama are scheduled to be completed by November.

“By the end of October 2020, renovations to the pediatrics, pharmacy, admissions, lobby, doctors’ offices, on-call and nurses suite, the morgue and surrounding corridors and other works for each space are scheduled to be completed,” he said at a Ministry of Health press conference on Friday.

Wells said $21 million dollars was allocated for the phased redevelopment of the hospital, which suffered significant damage a year ago during Hurricane Dorian.

Wells said Part A of the restoration, which includes the main entrance, foyer, pharmacy, admissions and pediatrics, is budgeted at $628,397 and currently 80 percent completed.

“It started on April 29, 2020 and is scheduled to end on September 29, 2020,” he said,

Part B of the restoration is budgeted at $352,344.60. It includes the medical, surgical, step-down and intensive care units. Wells said the project started on April 29, 2020 and is 65 percent complete. It is scheduled for completion in October 2020.

Wells said Part C, which encompasses the east wing, public corridor, the healing gardens and chapel, is budgeted at $1.75 million and is 45 percent complete.

“The project started on April 29, 2020 and is expected to be completed in November 2020,” he said.

Wells said the restoration of the main operating theater suites, post-anesthesia unit and central sterilized supplies department is 95 percent complete. He said it is budgeted at $660,449.76.

“The Rand Memorial Hospital restoration program also involves the container operating theater suite, post-anesthesia unit and central sterilized supplies department,” Wells said.

“This is being donated by Build Health International, a non-governmental organization known as Direct Relief. This project started on March 5, 2020 and is expected to be completed by the end of this month with absolutely no cost to the government of The Bahamas.”

Wells said the Rand Memorial Hospital COVID-19 Program, which consists of three projects, is expected to be finished next month.

“The new COVID-19 Infectious Disease Unit is being developed at a budgeted cost of $1,386,596.15,” he said.

“This project started on April 12, 2020 and is scheduled to end on September 3, 2020. Currently, this project is 98 percent complete and is in the defects liability stage.

“The Infectious Disease Unit Cancer Association project is budgeted at $244,897.79. The project started in the first quarter of this year and is scheduled to end by September 25. This project is currently 85 percent complete.

“The kitchen cafeteria completion project is 90 percent completed and was budgeted at $407,593.67. By early September, the infectious disease unit at the Rand Memorial Hospital is expected to be ready for occupancy.”

Wells also said that $10 million has been allocated for renovations at Princess Margaret Hospital.

He said the project will result in improvements at the emergency department, which include a new entrance, enhanced security, isolation room, wound care and orthopedic departments.

Wells said the Agape Family Medical Clinic will also be expanded. He said the old operating theater suite will be converted into a 19-bed inpatient suite. The renovations will also include the addition of 15 beds to male surgical I, as well as the construction of bathrooms in the old ICU, legacy, and outpatient departments.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/upgrades-to-rand-memorial-hospital-to-be-completed-by-nov/

After five-week battle with COVID-19, GB native tests negative

Bianca Strachan, 32, a resident of Lucaya, Grand Bahama, received a phone call on August 25 informing her that she tested negative for COVID-19 after a five week battle with the virus.

The call came 13 days after she was retested for COVID.

“It’s cliche to say that a weight was lifted but honestly I had a headache the last couple days leading up to that night, and I promise you that as soon she told me that, my headache went away,” Strachan told The Nassau Guardian.

“I think it was just the stress of waiting. The pressure of waiting was literally making me sick. I was constantly thinking, ‘What if it’s positive again? What if I have to do another round of retesting and I got to wait another two weeks and before you know it I’m out of work for two months?’

“It’s really easy to say you should relax, you shouldn’t stress, but when you’re in the midst of that situation it’s very hard to actually do that.”

Although she recovered, Strachan said her body has not returned to normal.

“At the end of the day, I still haven’t gotten my sense of smell back 100 percent,” she said.

Strachan said she constantly worries about the long-term effects of COVID-19 on her body.

“I still have my moments of paranoia because it’s like I don’t know what the long term effects of having it will be,” she said.

She added, “I’ve been reading forums where there are countless people who said that even though they have tested negative and they have recovered their smell isn’t back for like months. You might recover but that doesn’t mean that your body goes back to pre-COVID instantly.”

There have been over 2,100 cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas and nearly 800 recoveries. 

source https://thenassauguardian.com/after-five-week-battle-with-covid-19-gb-native-tests-negative/

CMO says patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have at least one comorbidity

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pearl McMillan said every COVID-19 patient who was hospitalized up to Friday has at least one comorbidity. 

“Hypertension and heart disease, followed by diabetes and asthma accounted for the top comorbidities in our cases,” she said during a Ministry of Health press conference on Friday.

“And all hospitalized patients had at least one comorbidity.”

Up to Friday, 80 people were hospitalized for COVID-19.

According to data presented at the press conference, 46 percent of COVID-19 patients with comorbidities suffer from hypertension or heart disease. Thirty-one percent have diabetes; 11 percent, asthma; two percent, cancer; one percent, lung disease; and one percent, sickle cell.

The other eight percent were listed as having “other” comorbidities.

Of those hospitalized, McMillan said 32 percent are at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH); 27 percent are at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre; 18 percent are at Doctors Hospital West; 10 percent are at Doctors Hospital East; eight percent are at South Beach Clinic; and six percent are at Rand Memorial Hospital on Grand Bahama.

McMillan said that as of Thursday, 107 healthcare workers had tested positive for COVID-19. She said while some remain in isolation, many have already returned to work. 

There are over 2,100 cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas with cases on 12 major islands.

According to the August 29 dashboard, 88 cases in the country had pending locations.

Asked on Friday why the ministry is having difficulty determining the islands those cases are from, McMillan said there have been “gaps” in data provided about cases.

“When we get information that comes in to the surveillance unit that has those kinds of gaps, we will have to reach out to those individuals one by one and seek to get the information that is required to populate the dashboard,” she said.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/cmo-says-patients-hospitalized-with-covid-19-have-at-least-one-comorbidity/

Bahamas Labor Day parade

Bahamas Labor Day Parade
https://youtu.be/WFEU7ZvL0YM

Turning $193 into $965 During The First Half of August by Reselling Clot...

Take your tastebuds on a world trip

Meal kits have been experiencing an uptick in popularity in the western hemisphere. They take the hassle out of deciding on weekly menus, and having to shop for ingredients in this COVID-19 environment, with people preferring to stay safe at home if they can. It was the perfect environment for Chef Romero Dorsette to launch Showman E-bistro, a meal delivery kit that gives people the option to create delicious meals without the waste while broadening their cooking skills and experiencing new flavors or recipes they may not have tried otherwise.

How it works: Showman’s team of chefs curate a specialty dinner kit weekly; you purchase your box with either cash, charge card or Kanoo; collect your meal kit from their distribution center or pay the small charge to have it delivered – and then chef it up. Of course they provide you with recipes online, or you can opt to do your own thing.

I decided to check it out during one of the lockdown weekends to see what the hype is all about. I went into it really with no idea what to expect. I assumed everything in the box would be prepared and all I would need to do was reheat, plate beautifully and serve. I was in for a rude awakening.

I actually had to cook!

The week I received my box featured the cuisine of Louisiana and Haiti, and 90 percent of the ingredients I would need to make dishes like soup joumou (a traditional pumpkin soup that symbolizes Haitian independence and freedom and enjoyed on January 1); pikliz (Haitian condiment of pickled cabbage, carrots, bell peppers and Scotch bonnet peppers); Creole-style snapper (Haitian specialty consisting of slow-cooking red snapper with water, tomato paste and spices); Dalgona whipped coffee (the Korean coffee drink that is taking the internet by storm and is like a cappuccino turned on its head with frothy coffee on top and milk underneath); cafe au lait (equal parts steamed milk and strong hot coffee); red beans and rice (a Louisiana staple); pork griot (a popular Haitian dish); bannann (plantain fritter served with rice and beans and pikliz); legume (a Haitian dish comprised of mixed vegetables cooked with meat, usually beef, then mashed and served over rice); seafood etouffee (a classic Louisiana dish); jambalaya (a culinary staple in New Orleans that includes sausage, chicken or pork and seafood); fried chicken; shrimp po’ boy (a Classic Louisiana sandwich); sos pwa (A Haitian black bean soup typically served with white rice); Creole mussels with rice; cornbread; and the ubiquitous beignets (deep-fried nuggets of sweetened dough).

All recipes that I had never made before.

As I unpacked the ingredients at home, clearing the box seemed endless at first. All the ingredients required – meats, produce and grocery items – I discovered in the box that two people had to lift.

Now mind you, Showman E-bistro says their meal kits feed a family of four, five to seven pre-portioned meals per kit, and during the weekends of lockdowns, and nowhere to go, I had the grand idea that I would spend an entire day in my kitchen, preparing the meals from my box. That proved not to be feasible.

In my first foray, I was able to get through two meals – the one-dish jambalaya which was chock-full of andouille sausage, shrimp and chicken; and the pork griot and pikliz.

Now, I’ve had griot before from a colleague’s friend, and I thought it was nothing special – that was until I made it myself. The enticing aromas that wafted out of my pot while the pork marinated took me by surprise; it was amazing. Then it was on to braising then frying up the fatty nuggets of porky goodness to pair with the spicy pickled vegetables. This is one of those dishes I’ve found you want to make yourself.

The following day, I delved back into the box and prepared the red beans and rice, which I loved, and actually decided to pair with the pork griot and pikliz before having to give the meal preparation a rest again.

The amount of food I got from each meal preparation took me off guard. It was that much.

It took another five days, but I dove back into the box to make the cornbread and looked high and low for the can of cream-style corn (which I hate), until I realized Showman intended for me to make the cream-style corn from scratch with the fresh corn provided. It took literally five minutes to make, if that, and after having made cream-style corn from scratch I’ve changed my mind that it’s not as horrible as I thought… Well, at least the stuff in the can is horrible. The cornbread which I normally wouldn’t eat, I actually enjoyed; maybe it’s because I made it myself.

With thoughts of the latest internet craze, Dalgona whipped coffee, on my mind, with a side of beignets, I made those the following day to jumpstart my Sunday – quite deliciously I might add.

This method of making coffee is by no means new. It’s been used for years in the Middle East and Asia, but has suddenly become popular in the States – and no coffee maker needed. It’s super easy – instant coffee, sugar and hot water, whipped by hand with a whisk or with an electric mixer until fluffy and lightened in color, then spooned atop a glass of iced milk. Feel free to swirl it in if you want as well.

I was a little skeptical about whether my beignets would come out or not, because I’m not accustomed to frying anything; I may not be from New Orleans, but I thought my fried dough nuggets were amazing. Paired with the whipped coffee, they were a real treat.

It’s been more than a week, and I haven’t gotten through my entire meal kit and have plans this weekend to make the soup joumou.

Showman E-bistro’s dinner kits are akin to taking your taste buds on a trip, without actually having to go.

The dinner kits were introduced the second week of May, and this week the box features ingredients to make African meals.

So far, Showman E-bistro has explored a number of cuisines including a dinner kit celebrating Bahamian cuisine during the Independence holiday week. Italian, Middle Eastern, foods of the United Kingdom, Spanish and vegan foods have also had curated boxes.

When Dorsette conceived the idea of the meal kits, he did so with thoughts of families coming together to explore foods and recipes from around the world; and coming together in the kitchen to prepare the meals, according to Ray Morrison, Showman E-bistro director of public relations

“Our owner [Chef Romero Dorsette] is very big about folks getting together, enjoying and celebrating good times over a great meal. So, the whole idea of being able to prepare or have these meals put in a box and have families get in the kitchen and laugh and chef it up together was a part of this novelty idea,” said Morrison.

Since Showman E-bistro’s debut, Morrison said they have been well-received and that people have been enjoying the convenience of their dinner kits which showcase fresh, quality food and provide great value for money.

Dinner kits run $120.

Showman E-bistro’s dinner kits are a concept Morrison said they want to be able to provide the Bahamian public with long-term, and they’re exploring ways to diversify the price point to allow everyone the opportunity to be able to enjoy and appreciate the concept that is Showman – great quality food, great service and great value for money.

Showman E-bistro is an offshoot of Showman Bahamas Ltd., an elite culinary and concierge provider which Dorsette started in 2005.

“We like to say [Showman] is probably the big catering company that you probably don’t hear about,” said Morrison.

Dorsette named his company “Showman” in homage to his grandfather, the late Alexander “The Whip” Dorsette who was known for anything to do with horse racing in the ‘50s, and gave his grandson the nickname “Showman” – a name that stuck.

There are a number of ways people can order a dinner kit. They can call 801-7751, go online and order the boxes and pay online, or go into their distribution center which is located on Claridge Road, in the old Bahamas Food Services building, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/take-your-tastebuds-on-a-world-trip/