AROUND DA ISLANDS
BOMB SCARE
POLICE and other security agencies investigate a bomb threat at Grand Bahama Power Company yesterday. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn
Man shot dead outside Shirley Street gym after morning workout
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
A MAN leaving an early-morning workout was shot dead yesterday in the parking lot of the Shirley Street Shopping Plaza, just steps from the gym he had attended for nearly three years. Police said the victim, a man in his late 30s, had exited a business establishment shortly after 9am and was walking toward his car when a Japanese vehicle pulled up. A man
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A BOMB threat forced an emergency shutdown of Grand Bahama’s main power plant Tuesday morning, plunging large parts of the island into darkness and halting business across Freeport. Shortly after 7am, staff at the Grand Bahama Power Company’s generation plant on West Sunrise Highway and Peel Street received the threat and
evacuated the facility. Firefighters and the police Bomb Assessment Team searched the compound. Nothing was found. The precautionary shutdown left residents and businesses without electricity for about four hours. The utility’s Freeport head office also closed, turning away customers as a notice on the door said it would remain shut until further notice. Power returned around 12.30pm.
‘WE WERE PROMISED THAT WE WOULD BE WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND IT HASN’T HAPPENED’
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
SOME employees of Grand Lucayan Resort are now facing growing uncertainty about their future amid impending staff layoffs, accusing the government of leaving them in limbo for months and giving them false hope that caused missed opportunities.
Workers, speaking anonymously to The Tribune
yesterday, said many held off seeking new jobs because they believed they would be transitioned under the resort’s new ownership, only to now face termination.
“There was the numerous promises that the government made during the heads of agreement signing but none of that has been followed,” said a finance employee, who worked at the resort for three and a half years.
“They claimed that there would be no lay offs and it would’ve been more of a transition. We were promised that we would be well taken care of and it hasn’t happened.”
His comments, echoed by other employees, came after The Tribune reported the planned layoffs on Thursday.
The proposed terminations were outlined in a
Young men gather for mentorship at 2nd Governor General’s Boys’ Retreat
YOUNG men gather for the 2nd Annual Governor General’s Boys’ Retreat Ceremony yesterday at Government House. The event focused on mentorship, leadership, and personal development, and included remarks from Cynthia Mother Pratt, Governor General of The Bahamas, along with a musical selection by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.
Photos: Shawn Hanna
Grand Lucayan staff say govt’s false hope left them in limbo
STAFF from page one
letter sent to Obie Ferguson, president of the Trades Union Congress, warning of planned severance pay packages and other benefits to some 279 staff by month’s end.
Workers said the impending layoffs, while disappointing, were not a surprise because of what was happening on the ground.
“It was expected, not because of what was told to us, but because of what we saw We drew assumptions based on what we saw happening,” he added.
Staff also claimed they have not been paid since November and had already been experiencing irregular payments before that. Many said they stopped reporting to work months ago as operations slowed and uncertainty deepened.
The finance employee, who happens to be a father of two, said he’s been forced to rely on family and friends to make ends meet but doubts that staff would ultimately receive severance pay.
He added that even if a payout is made, it will do little to ease his situation.
“I think this was just a publicity stunt heading into election,” the worker added. “If there is a substantial amount that the hotel gives me, the only thing it’s going to do is pay off the amounting bills that I’ve accumulated.”
Another employee of Grand Lucayan Resort, who worked in management for five years, said
“If there is a substantial amount that the hotel gives me, the only thing it’s going to do is pay off the amounting bills that I’ve accumulated”
- Grand Lucayan worker
his financial situation became so dire that he could not afford gas to leave his home and had to depend on relatives for support.
He criticised the government for what he described as a lack of transparency, saying workers were left in the dark and given false hope about the resort’s future. “I wish I could have gotten into another hotel, because that’s all I’ve been doing,” he said when asked about his future plans. “But I don’t know because if I have to move from here to go to Nassau, because I can’t even get a job here in Freeport.”
He said relocating to New Providence would not be his preferred option because of his ties to Grand Bahama.
Nonetheless, he said he would remain hopeful that the new owner retains staff after the deal is finalised.
Others said they blamed themselves for waiting too long to seek other employment, admitting they had trusted the government
that everything would work out.
“We missed a lot of opportunities and there was mass hirings at Celebration Key and other companies that were looking for for staff,” said one worker. “So, now right after the holidays, you’re looking for employment.”
However, not all employees of Grand Lucayan Resort were upset by the news.
One housekeeping worker, who said he has been employed at the resort for more than 30 years, told The Tribune he
“felt good” and is looking forward to receiving his severance pay. He could not say what he expects to receive, but added: “I’m happy because at this point, I pray that I could finally get what’s due to me.”
Yesterday, FNM deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright rebuked the Davis administration over its handling of Grand Lucayan staff, accusing the government of failing the people of Grand Bahama.
He said the FNM has been clear about its plans for the island and
reiterated the party’s commitment to delivering on its promises to the community.
The Grand Lucayan has been a contentious issue for Grand Bahama since the Minnis administration bought it in 2018 for $65m to protect tourism and jobs. A proposed deal with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and ITM Group was scrapped when the PLP took office in 2021, and multiple sale attempts have since stalled.
Last May, the Davis administration signed a
Heads of Agreement with US-based Concord Wilshire for a $120m sale of the resort.
The deal includes plans for an $827m redevelopment of the 56-acre beachfront property into a mixed-use resort and cruise destination.
However, the transition has been slow, and during the Christmas period last year many Grand Lucayan employees were sent home and went weeks without pay as salary payments were repeatedly delayed amid the handover process.
Bomb threat leaves Grand Bahama in darkness
SCARE from page one
The company said it took “proactive action” to protect employees and the public and began restoration once authorities declared the site safe. It added: “We understand the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police
Nicholas Johnson said officers evacuated the property and carried out a systematic search.
“On arrival, the property was evacuated, and officers conducted a systematic check of the premises,” ASP Johnson said. “No incendiary device or any explosive device was found on the property.”
Police are now trying to determine whether the threat was a hoax and who made it.
“We are in the initial stages of investigation,” ASP Johnson said.
“There’s not much more information that I can give at this point, but an investigation has been launched to determine who is responsible for this threat.”
He warned that threats against critical infrastructure would be treated seriously.
“We cannot take the threat lightly,” he said.
“Anytime you get a
threat, you should be concerned whether it’s found to be credible or not. And that’s why we take it serious.”
“There’s no playing when you’re going to make threats on these major facilities,” he added. “When these facilities have to cease and start their operations, it affects the normal functioning of society, hinders traffic, and puts everyone on alert.”
GRAND Lucayan Resort in Grand Bahama.
GRAND Bahama Power Company shut down all operations after receiving a bomb threat yesterday morning leaving the island in drakness and customers outside their office waiting.
GB AUTHROITIES scan GBPC facilities after bomb threat was received yesterday morning. Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
Moore: Govt failing to tackle crisis of mothers prostituting daughters
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
ONE year after Social Services Minister Myles Laroda reported a disturbing rise in cases of mothers prostituting their daughters, the Bahamas Urban Youth Development Centre (BUYDC) says the government has failed to create a comprehensive, funded national response to the issue.
Prodesta Moore, president of BUYDC, said the commercial sexual exploitation of minors is still happening. This includes cases where mothers feel forced to prostitute themselves and, in some instances, their daughters because of extreme financial hardship.
Ms Moore stressed that the practice is not a sudden spike. She described it as a decades-long systemic issue rooted in poverty, housing instability, generational trauma and a lack of coordinated intervention.
While she acknowledged that public awareness has increased, she said the government has not implemented a targeted and
funded national response. She pointed to gaps in emergency housing for at-risk girls, economic stabilisation support for vulnerable mothers, and trauma counselling and rehabilitation services. Other strategies, such as prevention education in high-risk communities and sustainable funding partnerships with frontline non-governmental organisations, have also not been applied, she said. Founded in 2010 by youth advocate Ms Moore, BUYDC has offered trauma-informed care, mentorship, housing referrals and life-skills training for vulnerable youth. The organisation has focused particularly on girls pushed into transactional sex because of poverty or coercion.
In June 2025, Mr Laroda reported an uptick in cases of mothers prostituting their daughters. Some victims were as young as 14. He said the activity was carried out to pay household bills. Although no official statistics were provided, he said victims are typically between 14 and 16 years old.
“Lives are being destroyed before they begin to live them,” he said during his budget contribution in the House of Assembly in June.
“While the age of consent is 16, using a minor for the sexual gratification of an adult constitutes prostitution and rape, which are criminal offences and should be reported to the police.”
Ms Moore said that if the country is serious about tackling sexual exploitation, there must be action beyond public acknowledgment.
She said the “crisis still exists”, emphasising that the time for collaborative action is now.
“This issue is not simply about criminal justice, it is about survival. When families are choosing exploitation as a means to pay rent or buy food, that signals a deeper social protection failure,” she said.
“BUYDC remains ready to partner, collaborate, and implement solutions immediately. But meaningful change requires political will, coordinated leadership, and financial investment.”
When contacted by
to mitigate
By DUDLEY TURNQUEST
SENATOR and Attor-
ney General Ryan Pinder heralded the country’s twenty-five year journey from “tax haven” to international tax compliance at an industry forum this week.
Senator Pinder noted the country was blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2000 during his speech at the Bahamas Financial Board’s (BFSB) Industry Development Series on Wednesday.
He said: “Over the last 25 years our tax compliance journey has helped shape our industry, to provide the focus necessary to be competitive, and to ensure we have the scope of offerings to be a jurisdiction of choice.
“Tax compliance has acted as a pillar of our national development,
especially in the financial services industry.”
He noted the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) accused the country of being used as a destination to avoid a client’s home country’s taxes, and as a result, the country was placed on their blacklist to the detriment of national development.
“Penalties and new costs from blacklisting divert funds away from essential areas, totaling $35,000,000 in 2000 when The Bahamas was first blacklisted ($61,931,300.81 in 2023 factoring in inflation of the USD), affecting crucial development initiatives,”
Mr Pinder said. He continued: “This assault on our national development continued. Over the last fifteen years The Bahamas has been in a ‘Fight for our Lives” mode.
We have endured at least three black or Grey Listings aimed at our financial services sector - The EU non cooperative countries on Tax Matters, The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey Listing and the EU Anti-money laundering (AML) Blacklisting.
“These initiatives compounded the adverse financial impact on our country, economy, stagnating again our national development."
Mr Pinder said: “We as a jurisdiction reformed, passed many compendiums of new laws, created new institutions such as the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Compliance Commission, the Compliance section of the Office of the Attorney General and the Competent Authority in the Ministry of Finance. The Government of The
Death Notice For
Jonette Bridgette Parker Munroe, 41
of #7 Tristangie Circle off Prince Charles Drive, New Providence and formerly of Murphy Town, Abaco, Bahamas, died on Tuesday, 10th February, 2026 at Broward Health Medical Hospital, Florida.
She is survived by her Husband: Shawn K. Munroe Sr.; Sons: Shawn (SJ), Caleb, Joshua Munroe; Father: Jonathan S. Parker; Adopted Mother: Rev. Dorothy Newbold Brother: Kenneth E. Cornish; Sisters: Shandlene R. Grant and Donnalee M. Peet; Brother-in-law: Bishop Ricardo Grant, Wesley Peet Sr., Pastor Willard Munroe Sr., Albert Munroe, Silas Turnquest, Enoch, Steven, Roston, Rosevelt, Antonio, and Ashwood Munroe; Sisterin-law: Juliette Cornish, Valerie Gumbs, Cecilia Munroe, Veronica Major, Jennyilee Rolle, Marcia Munroe, Shenifer Rolle.
Funeral arrangements are being finalized and will be announced at a later date
He acknowledged
Bahamas expended tens of millions of dollars to build the necessary regimes to be tax complaint.”
The attorney general said he believes that the new regulations cost the country business from some International institutions, but argued that "the composition of today’s financial services industry is much more relevant and ready to compete".
Senator Pinder also commented on the added complexities of becoming completely tax compliant with bodies such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which he accused of having double standards.
He said: “Unfortunately, things have gotten even more complicated given the current state of geopolitics and greater imbalance in treatment when it comes
to international tax compliance and administration.
“The OECD has had a history of double standards, evidenced by the global exercise of the Common Reporting Standard and automatic exchange of information on a common accepted rules-based framework. That is all except for the United States which had its own regime, FATCA, which allowed the US to participate in regulatory arbitrage when it came to transparency.
He said: “This has not changed, immediately after coming to office, President Trump withdrew from the OECD Pillar 2 initiative to establish a global corporate income tax.
“An initiative that again was supposed to be a standard approach the world over, now there will again be an uneven playing field – a playing field that will
be more difficult for small international financial centres like The Bahamas to play on, presenting a further risk to our national development.
“In January 2026, the OECD agreed a "Side-bySide" (SbS) package which allows the US tax system to co-exist with the 15 percent global minimum tax (Pillar Two).
“It exempts US-parented multinationals (MNEs) from key Pillar Two penalties—the Income Inclusion Rule (IIR) and Undertaxed Profits Rule (UTPR).”
He added the United Nations would be better suited at creating international regulations that would “design and build a truly equitable and inclusive international tax administration architecture, with equal-footed representation.”
Missing 4-year-old boy found unresponsive in Grand Bahama canal
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A MISSING fouryear-old boy was found unresponsive in a canal in the Bahama Reef area, in what appears to be a drowning. The discovery was made shortly after 7pm on Wednesday in waters at the rear of a residence off Lunar Boulevard in the area of Bamboo Cay. According to reports, a relative contacted the police to report that her
grandson was missing from the residence.
ASP Nicholas Johnson, officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, said a short time later, the child was found unresponsive in the canal.
“On arrival, officers were directed to the rear of another residence where the male child, aged four, was retrieved from the water.
“EMS was quickly summoned on scene, where they rendered medical assistance to the child, however the
child was unresponsive.”
“Based on the information that we received from relatives, the description of the male child that was taken from the water is the child that went missing from the residence,” said Mr Johnson. Morticians were called to the scene, and the body was transported by hearse to the hospital, where the child was pronounced dead by doctors.
ASP Johnson said an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death
The Tribune, Mr Laroda said the government continues
the issue. He noted officials are working to eliminate instances where children fall victim to exploitation.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RYAN PINDER
BUYDC PRESIDENT PRODESTA MOORE
Morning workout ends in fatal Shirley Street ambush
got out, produced a firearm and opened fire before fleeing.
His body lay on the pavement opposite the gym where he had trained minutes earlier.
Press liaison Chief Superintendent Sheria King said the police control room received the report after 9am.
The gym manager said the victim arrived around 5.30am and had already finished his workout when they last spoke.
“We were joking around about his progress,” the
manager said. “We were joking around about him losing more weight because he wanted to lose more weight and look more lean and more muscular, and so, you know, summertime coming, so he wanted to get a summer body together.”
The manager did not hear the gunshots and learned of the shooting from gym members after police sealed off the plaza, forcing businesses to close temporarily.
He said the killing left him shaken.
“Acquaintance that come in and out the gym, and we have conversations,” he said. “I basically have conversations with
all of the customers. So it leaves me shaken, because I interact with all of the members of the gym. I take them as friends and so any one of the customers get hurt or anything happen to them, I feel personally, that happens to me not because the money thing, but it’s just something that I have become so accustomed to knowing them and talking to them. Some of them tell me their personal lives and so forth and so on.”
The manager described the victim as motivated and focused on improving his health and said he regularly appeared cheerful.
Cooper orders probe into Exuma runway lights after patient’s death
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
AN emergency med-
ical flight into Exuma International Airport on Wednesday night may have been affected by a runway lighting issue, and the intended patient later died, Exumas and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper said.
In a statement, Mr Cooper said he had requested a full investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas after receiving an initial
report that runway lighting may have affected the flight.
“I have been advised that preliminary investigations confirm that routine checks of runway lights at sundown confirmed that they were fully operable at that time. Unfortunately, I am advised that the intended patient of the emergency flight has passed,” he said.
Mr Cooper said he wants a full investigation to determine what happened and said he would update the public as more information emerges. Yesterday, some residents
pointed to construction at the airport in recent months, including paving work on portions of the runway.
The incident drew a political response from Debra Moxey-Rolle, the FNM candidate for The Exumas and Ragged Island, who said it reflected a deeper breakdown in healthcare services on the island.
“For years, the people of the Exumas and Ragged Island have been asked to accept less when it comes to healthcare,” Ms Moxey-Rolle said. “What we are
seeing now is not inconvenience. It is a failure. And it is dangerous.”
She said concerns were raised on October 26, 2025, but only a temporary fix followed, and conditions have worsened since.
“This is totally unacceptable. Where is your heart, Dr Michael Darville? Where is your representation, Mr Chester Cooper?” she asked. “The people of
Exuma elected you to serve us. Instead, we have been left to struggle and suffer. How many of our people must postpone our care because we cannot afford to pay private institutions or to leave the country for basic, decent healthcare?” Ms Moxey-Rolle alleged conditions continue to deteriorate, with emergency medical flights costing about $1,800. She
said the clinic’s
not functioning
of the heat, and that
has no ultrasound
nician, forcing pregnant women to travel to
Providence for routine prenatal scans. She said laboratory services that should be offered weekly now take place only twice a month, and sometimes only once, because of budget constraints.
THE BODY of a man fatally shot yesterday is removed from the scene at the Shirley Street Plaza. Photos: Shawn Hanna
morgue is
because
Exuma
tech-
New
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
Publisher/Editor 1972-
Published daily Monday to Friday Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207
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How cartels are laundering money
THE cocaine market exploded between 2014 and 2023. Production in Colombia increased more than sevenfold to nearly 2,700 tonnes, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Behind the scenes, drug traffickers find equally illicit ways to pay their suppliers and foot soldiers, or to spend the proceeds of their criminal trade. Their solution? Money laundering. It is estimated that 25% of the funds collected is laundered.
Criminals generally launder money in three stages: firstly, they inject it into the financial system; secondly, they layer it with the aim of obscuring the origin of the funds; and finally, they integrate it into the financial system to legitimise the money. This typology does not take into account the fact that money laundering is sometimes partial, stopping at the first stage. Take the money from cocaine originating in Colombia. Some of it is laundered entirely on-site by reinjecting the cash into legitimate businesses, while another part is used to pay for the goods. In Europe, the cash is exchanged for €500 notes by accomplices working in banks and then entrusted to money mules. The latter take the plane with sums of between £200,000 and £500,000.
To fully get one’s head around the use of cryptocurrencies in drug money laundering, one needs to understand how this cash smuggling works. Criminologist Peter Reuter and intelligence officer Melvin Soudijn accessed the accounting records of traffickers in six cases tried between 2003 and 2008, accounting for €800 million transported between the Netherlands and Colombia.
Factoring in the cost of exchanging denominations, paying mules, and avoiding heavy surveillance at Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, the transport of funds to Colombia alone costs between 10% and 17% of the amounts moved.
In concrete terms, the traditional process looked like this:
The cocaine leaves Colombia and is sold by intermediaries in Europe.
The money collected is turned into €500 notes (at the cost of a 3% fee).
The €500 notes are entrusted to mules (at the cost of a 3% fee).
The mules travel to Colombia (at the cost of a 3% fee).
The cash arrives in Colombia to pay for the drugs, then is laundered on the spot.
Anti-money laundering regulations succeeded in significantly increasing the costs of smuggling, but not the selling price, especially
An airport is not an economy
EDITOR, The Tribune.
FOR 25 years, it has been asserted, by no other than Prime Ministers, that the growth of the Bahamian economy will be heavily influenced by Grand Bahama’s economic status, and this remains true today.
considering France’s national consumption has increased ninefold since 2000. To circumvent these regulations, traffickers relied heavily on the €500 note.
However, in a twist on May 4, 2016, the European Central Bank decided to permanently discontinue the €500 note, citing concerns that it facilitated illegal activities. That same year, a new financial asset burst onto the scene: Bitcoin.
As €500 notes grew scarcer, cryptocurrencies contributed to redrawing the map of cash trafficking. We are now witnessing a process of specialisation. On one hand, drug traffickers exchange their cash for cryptocurrencies to pay for supplies in Colombia. On the other, a money laundering network collects the banknotes and transports them along easier routes, such as Dubai.
How do we know this? The UK National Crime Agency’s Operation Destabilise exposed an international network controlled by Russians. They used an exchange platform called Garantex for crypto transactions and Dubai for cash. They collected cash and paid traffickers in crypto tokens (particularly USDTTether), charging only 3% in fees.
Compared to the old cash-smuggling costs, this represents a saving of 70% to 80%.
In concrete terms, the new method follows this route:
The cocaine leaves Colombia and is sold by intermediaries in Europe.
The money collected is exchanged for USDT-Tether cryptocurrencies (3% fee).
The USDT-Tether is sent to Colombia to pay for the drugs.
For the laundering network, the cash is entrusted to mules traveling to Dubai (1% fee).
In Dubai, the cash is laundered (1% fee). It’s reasonable to believe that recent anti-money-laundering rules on crypto-asset service providers will complicate matters for criminal organisations, though we can trust they will pinpoint the smallest loopholes and exploit them.
The invention of cryptocurrencies set the fight against organised crime back by years, but the “coalition of the willing”—including Switzerland, The Bahamas, Malta, and France—is finally getting organised. In France, a June 2025 law created a specialised national public prosecutor’s office, alongside measures like the administrative closure of front businesses and the freezing of drug traffickers’ crypto-assets.
But traffickers are adapting to avoid being caught,
Our democracy deserves maturity over manoeuvring
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I READ with interest the February 13, 2026 letter by Mr Orland H Bodie Jr regarding Dr Hubert Minnis and the internal struggles of the FNM. Mr Bodie’s loyalty and historical recollection are evident, and his defence of Dr Minnis is presented with conviction. However, the central issue confronting the Bahamian public is not whether Dr Minnis can stage a political return, nor whether reconciliation within party ranks is strategically beneficial. The deeper question is whether our political culture is advancing beyond personality-driven cycles of removal and restoration. The electorate does not merely observe party conventions and internal caucus conflicts; it measures leadership by governance outcomes. Economic stability, institutional accountability, transparency, and national development must outweigh factional grievances and redemption narratives. Mr Bodie suggests that the “Minnis Factor” remains potent. Perhaps. But political relevance must be determined not by internal party calculations or strategic alignments, but by the confidence of the Bahamian people based on performance and vision.
On his radio programme, Mr Bodie once remarked, “I don’t wanna go heaven nor hell, I want to reincarnate.” That statement reflected an openness to rethinking established paths. In that same spirit, perhaps our politics must also “reincarnate” — not in the sense of recycling familiar personalities, but in transforming how leadership is evaluated and how governance is delivered.
Our democracy deserves maturity over manoeuvring, structure over spectacle, and progress over political nostalgia.
ROLAND E ANDREWS Sr Nassau, February 18, 2026.
It is evident to any rational individual, especially those that calls Grand Bahama their home, that yet another intricate and ambiguous announcement regarding the Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA), alongside an additional statement about the Grand Lucaya property that appears highly implausible, is not what Grand Bahama requires at this time.
The Grand Bahama community has experienced numerous announcements of airports and hotels, each delivered with a sense of assurance, only to be subsequently followed by evolving circumstances, altered timelines, and new explanations. Residents of Grand Bahama are increasingly fatigued by the constant postponement of anticipated celebrations. For nearly 25 years, political commitments have frequently failed to materialise as advertised. What is urgently required by the people of Grand Bahama and the broader Bahamas are actionable strategies, measurable objectives, and genuine opportunities that can be both monitored and actively engaged in by the community.
Grand Bahama is in urgent need of a comprehensive economic development plan that is publicly accessible, meticulously detailed, and strategically phased. This plan must articulate the rationale for investing in the airport as an integral part of a broader strategy to promote island-wide growth. It is essential to avoid treating the airport as an isolated solution and to ensure that all elements of the development strategy are interconnected and mutually reinforcing.
An airport serves as an entry point rather than a final destination, and it is definitely not an economy in itself.
If we modernise GBIA without a clear and integrated plan for what happens after arrivals, we risk creating a beautiful gateway with insufficient demand. Airlines do not schedule flights based on speeches. Investors do not commit capital to vague visions.
A substantial investment in the airport must be accompanied by a robust strategy for both the destination and the economy that effectively addresses the pertinent inquiries raised by the residents of Grand Bahama.
These inquiries include: Who holds responsibility for each component of the project? What specific outcomes will be delivered, in what sequence, and at what scale? When will each phase of development commence and conclude? Where will the focus of development efforts be directed? How will the success of the initiative be evaluated? What
measures will be taken in the event that performance targets are not achieved?
At a minimum, Grand Bahama needs a detailed Travel, Hospitality, and Tourism Destination Strategy as the first pathway to economic viability, because tourism is the quickest route to cash flow, jobs, and business activity that can scale within a near-term horizon. However, it must be emphasized that tourism cannot be the sole driver of the new plan. A sustainable economy cannot rely on just one pillar, particularly in a world faced with hurricanes, global shocks, airline capacity constraints, and shifting travel patterns.
Tourism has the potential to be the quickest driver of our island’s recovery, but we must not rely solely on it as our only source of momentum. Diversifying our economic engines will ensure a stronger and more resilient future for our community.
A genuine Destination Strategy must extend beyond just airport announcements. It should provide clear data and timelines that illustrate how Grand Bahama can regain its competitiveness. This includes establishing a pipeline for hotel room availability by year, creating a credible airlift plan with targeted routes, developing a year-round events calendar to address seasonality, enhancing visitor logistics, offering organised and bookable experiences, focused restoration of the island capital, West End, revitalizing the downtown areas and waterfronts, and implementing workforce training programs to ensure that Bahamians are equipped to fill and lead these jobs.
Alongside that, the economic development plan must establish additional avenues for resilience: logistics and maritime activities, light manufacturing and industrial services, digital and knowledge-economy jobs, environmental and blue economy opportunities, local entrepreneurship, and CMSME (cottage-micro-small-mediumenterprises) growth. It must also include modern infrastructure that enhances the island’s invest ability and livability. This involves serious attention to power reliability and cost, wastewater management, solid waste systems, housing, transportation, public safety, healthcare access, and governance reforms that ease the process of doing business.
If the plan is not integrated, we will repeat the same cycle: grand projects announced, partial delivery, and limited benefits for local ownership.
The key message is that the future of our economy should be established and controlled by Bahamians themselves. Empowering our people to build and own this new economy is essential for sustainable growth and prosperity.
If we are committed to creating a thriving,
inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economy that fosters opportunity and ownership, we must move beyond a mindset where Grand Bahamians are expected to passively witness development around them. Ownership cannot be merely rhetorical; it must be embedded in the structure through local procurement targets, CMSME participation requirements, training pipelines, management-track opportunities, and equity pathways that empower everyday Bahamians to invest, not just observe.
To achieve this, we also need to explore new funding models that leverage both local and international resources while ensuring local participation. Grand Bahama cannot depend on a single investor class or financing source. We need blended finance approaches, diaspora participation mechanisms, community investment vehicles, and capital formation structures that enable Bahamians to be co-builders of the future. The specifics will differ, but the principle is non-negotiable: opportunity must lead to ownership.
For any of this to be successful, there must be a comprehensive and transparent conversation across the entire island. This discussion should involve all stakeholders, including the government, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the business community, utilities, community leaders, labor organisations, educational institutions, and residents. It is imperative that the citizens of Grand Bahama actively engage in this process. Their involvement is critical to achieving a successful outcome.
Grand Bahama does not need more political theatrics; it needs a credible blueprint for the future. This blueprint should include a phased economic development plan anchored by an actionable Travel, Hospitality, and Tourism Destination Strategy, which would serve as the quickest route to viability. To ensure resilience and long-term prosperity, it should also be supported by additional economic pillars. We want a clear and comprehensible plan. We want to have public milestones to track our progress. Moreover, Grand Bahamians demand pathways that empower Bahamians to become actively engaged in and take ownership of the economy being built.
Many Grand Bahamians, myself included, are ready to share ideas regarding the who, what, when, where, why, which, and how for our island and our sister island, Abaco. However, this will only happen if the leadership of the Grand Bahama Port Authority for Freeport and the Central Government of these islands recognises that the collective intelligence of the many will always surpass that of a few.
Still Optimistic.
EDEN MERRY JOHNSON
Freeport, Grand Bahama February 16, 2026.
FNM claims ‘political
over voter drive at ILTV Studios
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
THE opposition accused the Parliamentary Registration Department yesterday of partisan conduct after a voter registration drive was held at ILTV Studios, a site it says is linked to Progressive Liberal Party Fort Charlotte candidate Sebas Bastian.
Free National Movement
Fort Charlotte candidate Travis Robinson said the department should “cease and desist” from what he described as political activity and called the move “political skullduggery” during a sensitive political season.
He said Mr Bastian is a major shareholder in the studio and that campaign operations are run from the same location, with political material stored there.
“Many of the political vehicles are stationary at the front and back door of the same location,” Mr Robinson claimed.
He argued holding
registration at a politically affiliated venue undermines confidence in the process.
In a statement, Verizon Media Group Ltd, operator of ILTV Studios, rejected the allegations and said the exercise followed official authorisation.
“The voter registration exercise was conducted as a non-partisan initiative with strict adherence to the guidelines, procedures, and authorisation established by the Parliamentary Registration Department,” the statement read. “Its sole purpose was to encourage eligible Bahamians to exercise their democratic right to register.”
The company said the initiative was open to staff and the public and broadcast live, adding the political campaign referenced operates in a separate section of the premises and had no involvement.
“At no time did Verizon Media Group Ltd coordinate with, support, or facilitate any political campaign in relation to this initiative, nor would it,” the
statement said. The confrontation unfolded during a press conference outside the Government Building, where opposition figures raised broader complaints about the voter register and registration process.
Deputy Opposition leader Shannendon Cartwright said the gathering was an “agitation and awareness” effort prompted by voter complaints and
rejected suggestions of grandstanding.
He claimed young voters were wrongly denied registration because of passport expiry dates.
“We have confirmed reports from the registration centers at South Beach and the Mall. Young first-time voters are being told they cannot register because their passport expires later this year. They are being told that this is
new law — that is false,” Mr Cartwright said. “There is no new law that says your passport must be valid beyond the date you register to vote. Even an expired Bahamian passport does not cancel your citizenship. If you are Bahamian, you have a right to register, full stop.”
He also questioned delays in updating the electronic register.
“How long is the registration supposed to take? What controls exist to make sure registrations are entered correctly? Who is accountable when names simply disappear?” he asked.
Mr Cartwright said some voters appeared in multiple constituencies.
“That should never happen — one voter, one constituency,” he said.
“Anything else opens the door to abuse.”
FNM Golden Gates candidate Michael Foulkes said deceased people remain on the list despite repeated reports.
“I have sent in reports
from Golden Gates as to specific issues, as to people who have been on the list and should have been off the list for years, and they have not been removed,” Mr Foulkes said. “As of yesterday, I got a brand new, fresh register, and they’re still on the list from 2022.”
Mr Cartwright urged the Ministry of National Security to intervene, citing inconsistent guidance at registration centres and confusion over transfers between polling divisions.
“You do not have the ability to choose. You have to be an ordinary resident in a particular polling division and register in that polling division,” Mr Cartwright said.
“There continues to be, in our view, and in the view of many Bahamians, disparities in terms of what it takes to register, what it takes to transfer, what it takes to ensure that the necessary changes that have happened in the Boundaries Commission report have been facilitated adequately,” he said.
Govt signs 15-year lease for $6.5m Potter’s Cay terminal amid contract questions
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
THE government has entered into a 15-year renewable lease agreement with D and T Shipping to redevelop a building at Potter’s Cay Dock into a Family Island freight and passenger terminal, though key details about how the contract was awarded were unclear up to press time. The deal involves the
former Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation building, once known as the Produce Exchange. The government retains ownership of the property while D and T Shipping financed the refurbishment at a reported cost of $6.5m. Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell said the arrangement aligns with the administration’s economic plans. “The land is still vested
with the government and so what we have here is we have a meeting of the minds with the government of the Bahamas to the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources and D and T shipping, as indicated, and we are trying to follow through on the mandate that was given in our blueprint for change. As you would be aware in the last budget exercise, there was a theme of expanding opportunity, island by island, and this
will certainly do that,” Mr Campbell said. He said the facility is intended to connect Family Island farmers and fishermen to markets in New Providence and support small businesses through on-site restaurants and shops selling local products.
Gregory Stuart, president and chief executive officer of D and T Group of Companies, said the redevelopment revives the historic Produce Exchange model, where
Family Island farmers once brought goods to Nassau for sale.
He said the project aims to replace the current practice of passengers waiting outdoors or in vehicles before boarding vessels with an air-conditioned terminal offering seating and refreshments. The building will also house maritime logistics operations, including a marine supply store for mail boats, fishing vessels and freight operators, and
space for the sale of Bahamian-grown produce. Construction began in August last year and is expected to finish in late April or early in the second quarter. Officials described the project as a significant upgrade to Potter’s Cay Dock, a central passenger and freight hub, but questions remain about the procurement process and the terms under which the lease was granted.
Plea deal sees serial armed robber get 20 years in jail
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A REPEAT offender was sentenced to 20 years in prison yesterday after being convicted of a 2017 armed robbery of a web shop.
The same man also received 12 years in prison after accepting a plea deal covering 11 additional armed robberies.
John Demeritte was sentenced before Justice Franklyn Williams.
Prosecutors said Demeritte, armed with a shotgun, robbed the Bet Vegas Web Shop on May 28, 2017, stealing $2,000 from Onette Dean. During the
INDECENT
By PAVEL BAILEY
incident, he also robbed Ms Dean of a brown handbag, $215 in cash, her passport and NIB card.
A jury unanimously found him guilty last July of two counts of armed robbery. Lead prosecutor T’Shura Ambrose recommended a sentence of 18 to 20 years because of the severity of the crime. Defence attorney Damian White asked for eight to ten years and suggested probation of one to two years, with an additional year in prison if breached. Justice Williams imposed a 20-year sentence, taking time spent on remand into account. Betty Wilson also prosecuted the matter. In a second case, Demeritte
pleaded guilty before Justice Williams to 11 counts of armed robbery as part of a plea agreement.
While armed with a handgun, he robbed Super Value of $200 on May 19, 2017. On January 13, 2018, he robbed KFC Oakes Field of an undetermined amount of cash.
On February 12, 2018, he robbed 6 n’ 4 Restaurant of an undetermined amount. On May 14, 2017, he robbed Polhemus Drug Store of $200 and an additional undisclosed sum. On July 10, 2018, he robbed a Rubis gas station of an unspecified amount of cash. On January 3, 2018, he robbed BJ’s Food Store of $621.32. On January 17, 2017, he robbed Peardale
Supermarket of $300. On February 26, 2018, he robbed a pharmacy of $1,700. On May 20, 2017, he robbed another Rubis gas station of an unspecified amount.
On January 9, 2018, he stole $350 in cash and 20 phone cards from Monty’s Beauty Supply. On January 3, 2018, he robbed Polhemus Drug Store of $575 and $80.
Defence attorney Tamika Roberts apologised to the victims on behalf of Demeritte and said he pleaded guilty to spare the court’s time. She said he was addicted to cocaine in 2018 and committed the offences to fund his habit. She also said he apologised to his wife and family for the embarrassment caused.
Justice Williams noted the defendant’s wife spoke positively of him in the probation report but said his personal problems should not burden the public. He observed that most victims were women and that Demeritte discharged firearms during several incidents, including firing a shotgun at a woman and shooting bystanders. He also said some robberies were planned because Demeritte frequented certain establishments he later targeted.
The judge told him there is no shame in seeking help for addiction and asked whether he thought about his children while committing the crimes. He said the children would
now be without their father for 12 years, but credited the defendant for not taking the matters to trial.
Demeritte was sentenced to 12 years in prison on those charges. Justice Williams said rehabilitation depended on Demeritte’s own effort. He was allowed a moment with his wife before being taken into custody. Janet Munnings and Tenielle Bain prosecuted the second matter.
Earlier this week Demeritte was also sentenced to 12 years in prison before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minnis after pleading guilty to robbing the Landshark Hotel of $511 on December 9, 2018.
ASSAULT SUSPECT CLAIMING MENTAL ILLNESS REMANDED FOR PSYCH EVALUATION
Staff Reporter
A MAN accused of inappropriately touching a woman was sent to prison for psychological evaluation yesterday after claiming mental illness. Prosecutors allege Cury Cachiguango Peralta, 21,
TEEN ACCUSED OF NEW YEAR’S DAY JEWELLERY ROBBERY GRANTED BAIL
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy accused of robbing a man of jewellery on West Bay Street on New Year’s Day was granted bail yesterday. Prosecutors allege the juvenile, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, robbed Kayon Facey of a gold blue-marlin coin charm with gold chain and a blue and red Invicta watch on January 1. The items were valued at $845.
The boy denied the robbery charge before Assistant Chief Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux and was arraigned in the presence of his guardian. Bail was set at $2,000 with one or two sureties. He must obey a 4pm to 7am curfew and remain indoors on weekends. He returns before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr for a trial fixture on March 3. Inspector K Wilkinson prosecuted and Tonique Lewis represented the accused.
spanked the buttocks of a 43-year-old woman in New Providence on February 10. Although he initially pleaded guilty to indecent
assault before Magistrate Abigail Farrington, a not guilty plea was entered after he said he suffers from mental issues and does not remember the incident. Peralta apologised to the complainant and was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for
evaluation. He returns to court for a report on May 6. Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould prosecuted.
SHANENDON Cartwright giving brief remarks at FNM Presser held at the Parliamentary Registration Department.
Photo: Nikia Charlton
Williams Island: the boneyard of bullet-ridden drug planes
NOTlong ago,aformer American bank robber who fakedbeing adoctorfrom Eleuthera dominatedthe Andros drug trade from a manse inCable Beach.CharlesE. Hilliard begansmuggling in 1979when“theywerefeeding coketothehogs,”heisquoted as saying.
“So manypeople areinvolved, thatoff-loading [drugs] has becomea respectable occupation. We used to throw$20,000 to$30,000 around likepaper, he bragged.“Icouldgetanything donethatIwanteddoneinthat country.”
His Cuban peer, named Garcia, bought himself a runwayon westAndros,and another American, Robert Frappier, bought an island called DarbyCay inthe Exumas. But the men in uniform that Hilliard and company had become accustomedto paying offwere notalways aguarantee ofsmooth sailing,as Austin Evans, captain of the 45-foot sailboat Bell-Esprit learned off Nicholl’sTown in the 1980s. A speedboat overtook them with passengers who claimedthey wereCustomsofficers. Whenasuspicious Evans took up arms, theyfiredathisyacht15times until aRoyal BahamasDefenceForce(RBDF)planeappeared overhead.It was searching overAndros fora
lost plane whenit was struck bygunfire. RBDFaviation technician Neville ‘Trooper’ Moss said that their aircraft landedin Nassauforrepairs afterbeingstruck bytwobullets while on patrol.
Fewpeople atthe timefelt generallysafeor knewwhoto trust.
A dangerous place
Duringthe heightofthe drug smuggling traffic betweenthe Caribbeanand Florida via theBahamas, one outcrop islandwas asmuggler s haven:Williams Island. On June 14, 1981 the Miami Herald even warned readers to “avoid lingeringwhere drugtrafficking isreportedly heavy, such as Williams Island, as troubled waters include the Williams Island area of North Andros.” The island is120 miles northof Cuba,100 mileseast of Miami,and 50miles from Nassau. Andros Town, one of thenearest settlements,is35 mileseast,throughalmostimpenetrable mangroveswamp.
Nowadaysthe runwayis grown over, butthe carcasses of at least four shot-up aircraft--including aDC-6 remain, visible from the air.
Williams--or Billy Island as it was known--is a batshapedamalgam ofabout10 tiny isletsunited by 3x 3 square miles of marsh. Gold Cay, tothe west,is about1.5 miles long, andnarrow. These aredesolateplaceswhere,like mining towns, the only motivefor living and working there would be profit. It wasadangerous placefora long time in the 1970s and 80s. In fact, whenI applied to work on crawfishing boats west of Andros atthat time, I wasturned downwith theexplanation that anyone looking ‘South American’ would attractalot ofnegativeattention. Therewereotherwaypoints for smugglers as well, according to 30-year RBDF veteran Moss: CayoVerde,San Andros,Mangrove Cay,and
Joulters Cays.Another transitspot wasincentral Andros, named Twin Lakes Farm,” is halfway between WilliamsIsland and Andros Townand featuresover 6,000feet(1.15 miles) of airfield. Although theplaceislongabandoned, over 20 airwrecks are officiallyrecorded. Almostall weresmall planesnot knownto besmuggling drugs:five Cessnas,eight Pipers,threeBeechcraft,and an Aero.
In early1973, aformer
US Navy lieutenantand an engineer--both Miamiansin their 20s--wereconvictedforpossessionof600poundsofmarijuana at Williams Islandon a26-foot Seacraft,ownedby SeaandAir Charters.Represented byattorneyHenry Bostwickin Nassau,they took13 bagsof pot andretained twofor personaluse.They saidtheyhad been blownoff coursewhile fishing and loaded the drugs with charitable intent. However, Magistrate Osadebay was notpersuaded, andsentencedthemtoayearinjailand a$1,000fine.
In February1977, the Miami Herald reportedthatthreeother Americanswere caughtwith 10,000pounds ofmarijuana whentheyapproachedanisland – verylikely WilliamsIsland –in a24-foot-boat. Thedrugs, worth $3 million, had been droppedbyan airplaneandthe men--ages18,26,and28--were intercepted by aUS Customs aircraft.
InJuneof 1980,the Herald also reported that a US-owned 40-foot sailingyawl named Snowbound was allegedly attacked by armed men in four speedboats atWilliams. The men demandeddrugs andreportedlysank adinghywith gunfire.”
The crew, Michael Kallestad and Peter Deambrogio of Miami escapeduninjured, accordingtothereport.
A few weekslater two other Americanmen madethemistakeoflanding atWilliamsand were reportedly accostedby 12 to15 armedmen. Thegunmen demandeddrugs, robbedthem, and disabledtheir aircraft.One man,listedas aleadparticipant intheevent,claimedatthetime that hedoes nothave apilot s license, has neverbeen to the Bahamas, and hasnever heard oftheincident.”
As earlyas March1970, the Miami News reportedthat four
survivorsofaprivate Mooney aircraftthat lost fuel pressure off Andros were pluckedfromthe seasbya UnitedStates CoastGuard (USCG)chopper.
Ten years later, an NBC Newshelicopteronanewsmission crashedwithout atrace in thearea, despiteUS andBahamian aircraft having thoroughly searched over Andros.
On November 14, 1980, the Miami News reported that searchers had spotted asilvery wreckage outlined againstthe greenery of the swamp. Butit provedto bea small single-engine planewith its fuselage brokenintwo.
Commander Jim Sutherland at the US Coast Guard Search Center (USCGSC) later reported that there weredozens of wreckedaircraft up and down Andros Island. “Just about allwere ditched by drug smugglers, he said. We saw fouror fivemore wrecks scatteredalongtheeasternedge ofAndros. Theterrain wasno placeto godown.Saltwater pondsandbayous cuttheland into amosaic ofwater and swamp.Mostof Androswasa wetswampywaste.”
given tothe BermudaBiological Station forresearch purposes, which wasdiverted to Carter, who strippedthe boat tocarrydrugs ratherthanstudents.
A Miami Marine Patrol investigatorpredictedthatCarter is going to run out of funds. And when thathappens, heis goingtorunoutoffriends. He was right. (The TV show Bad Monkey--based onCarl Hiaasen’s 2012novel andset in Androsand theFlorida Keys--maybelooselymodelled onCarter.)
The gangs of North Andros
In1984, the Miami Herald reportedhow NorthernAndros wascontrolled bytwo gangsof drug smugglers: one led by Ronald Markowski, a truck fleet ownerfrom Indiana,and theotherbyHilliard.
Another US con man
InJulyof 1979,the Miami News carriedthe storyof another con man atwork in Andros. LikeCharles Hilliard,he wasa drugmastermindpretending to be a scientist. His namewas DavidM. Carter,a self-described US educator and marine geologistwho boasted of experience at AUTEC and BermudaBiologicalStation.He made headlineswhen hewent missing,and waspresumed dead, after flyingalone on a small airplanebetween BahamasandMiami. Notcoincidentally, hewas scheduled to beginserving a three-year sentence for drug offences that sameday. The Cessna 150that hebought for $10,000 cash thatday at a Miami flight school,turned up intheCarolinas.Andthestory–including dead associates – unravelled.
Carterhad beenhead ofthe “Instituteof MarineSciences” onAndrosandwasconvictedof possessing 600 pounds of pot. Severalmonths afterhis “death” inThe Bahamasheresurfacedin MexicoandBaltimore.
Carter’s sadlegacy includes thedeathofhiscolleague,ascientist, who mysteriously choked to death on conch in his sleep at Andros.In truth, the young man stumbled on Carter’s marijuana smuggling andpaidthepricewithhislife. Others metthe samefate as theyoungman:anewpilotwith a pregnant wife that went missinginBelize,aswellasthe owner of aplane that Carter flewall overthe placefor months. Then there wasthe yacht
“From1977 through1982 Markowskiledalargegroupof smugglers[and]mannedanairfieldin theBahamas[moving] morethan 49,800poundsof marijuana and4,100 poundsof cocaine, his indictment stated. “The smuggling operationwas runlike abusiness, withinvestors, secretaries, wholesalers, drivers, pilots, and offloaders all onthe operation's payroll. A pilotwas named presidentofthecorporation.” According toauthorities, the “normalcourseof anytripwas fromColombiatoastopoverin the Bahamasfor refuelling. Markowski’s henchmen largely controlled AndrosCentral AirportandnorthernAndros.” On Bahamianology.com, Nicole Robertsreports onthe Hilliard s exploits. American Armed Robber BuysBahamian Passport And BecomesDr. MichaelJames Robertsonof Cable Beachin 1984for $25,000.” Roberts writes that “…during the 1980s The Bahamas [allowed] money, drugs and shadowycharacters [to] flow through islandsand cays unabatedlike theTradewinds. For atime, it allappeared unstoppable.The1980slandedon The Bahamas like a hurricane. That decade,twisted andtested thistiny islandnation, inways that could scarcelybe imagined. An article inthe Miami Herald on September28,1984 toldasimilarstory:“AnAmerican armoured car robber Charles E. ‘The Gangster’ Hilliard,fugitivefromjustice, became’ a doctorof insect studies, born in Eleuthera, in 1946.”
Photo: Bahamas.com
CHARLES E. Hilliard DAVID Carter
AERIAL photo of remains of threecrashedaircraftonWilliams Island, Andros.
Photo: Reddit
AERIAL photo of remains ofa crashedaircrafton Williams Island, Andros.
Photo: Reddit
US SAILORS Kallestad and Deambrogio
The energy-sapping struggle for perfection and a heart-felt apology to a good family
WESPEND alot oftime trying to getthings right, which also means avoiding gettingthemwrong.Everydecisionwemake--fromthemoment we wakeup and shake off sleep tothe moment we crawl into bed at night--is, in some way, a subconscious effort to do the right thing.
Or at least notto make a mistake, eitherbecause we don’t wantto embarrass ourselvesor forfearthat someone will seeus and think we are less than perfect.
The fear offailing in our quest for perfection ranges from the mundaneto the critical.
Shooting offan email without asingle spelling error;
Picking the best package of lettuce withthe fewestwilted leaves
Choosing the fastest route when youneed tobe somewhereontimeandtrafficisridiculous.
Every decisionweighed, every choice ofthis over that orthat overthis,takes itstoll onourmentalenergy.Wedoit a thousand timesa day, exhausting ourselves mentally, without even realising how much energy we’re expending just trying to get it right. We don’tstoptothinkaboutitbecause we re too busy focusing on the decision at hand.
Howmany timeshaveI stoodinthegrocerystorewith a plasticcontainer ofbaby spinach in eachhand, staring attheoneontheleft,checking the one on the right--to see which one isbest--until I reach that splitsecond when I chastise myself for the indecision, plunk them both back down where they came from, and grab one I hadn t even checked.
The urge to make the right choice, to send the perfect emailwith therighttone without leaving anything out, to choosethe correctroute when speed is of the essence, to remember everything we weresupposedto doatwork canbe soexhausting thatit s
no surprisewe growweary andat somepoint orderthe wrongpizzaonlineortakethe route thatwas theworst possible choice.
30,000+ decisions a day It s understandable.Researchtellsusthattheaverage adult makes between 30,000 and 35,000 decisions every day. That’s about2,000 decisionsanhour.It snowonder we suffer from what’s called decision fatigue. Apparently, asthe day wears on andour “decision fuel tank gets lower, we shift to shortcuts, which alsohelps toexplain whywerelymoreon GoogleorAIlaterin thedaythanwedoin the morningwhen our brain energy has a fuller tank. We used tothink ofit as beingsharper inthe morning but now we understand it s all about how much is left in the tank as the demand todecide sapsa bitoffuel nearly every second.
The right scalpel choice
Mostofusarejust ordinary folks, slammed as we are by thechoices we haveto make.Not likealawyerorlitigator, forinstance, who must getit right inthe courtroombecause his client’s fatehangsinthebalance.Or thesurgeon, whose patient s life isat stake when sheis slicing into fleshwith a scalpel during surgery. For most of us, our dailydecisions are more along the lines ofthe lettuce conundrum-- fewer wilted leaveson the leftor theright.But attheendoftheday,
the sheer number weighs us down. Andwhen wemake amistakeandlackofperfectionbecomesapparent, weare, asI said, justordinary folks, tryingtofigureouthowtoforgiveourselvesoraskothersto
understand. Those closestto usmay see andshaketheirheadforamoment. But imagine what it’s likeforacelebritylikeaTiger Woods, who slipsup with a possible extramarital affair. Morethan25 yearslater,we
canall stillpicturethe rageof abeautiful blondewifeon ThanksgivingDaychasingher husbandwithacellphoneand smashing hiscar windows witha golfclubashe triesto escape. Some mistakesare alot harder to overcome than choosingthe worstoftwo heads of lettuce.
Even as weforgive and hope that Tiger s health holds up,and thathis soncontinues toshineonthecourse,westill can’t quite shakethat moment in time when a woman scorned held the attention of a country on America s national holiday.
From Rudy to hobbit: Astin brings magic to new role
By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP)
Sean Astin has takenonthe presidency ofthe SAGAFTRA ata particularlyperiloustimefortheactorsunion, andfor Hollywood.There's the threat of human actors being replaced by artificial intelligence. The ongoing upheavals ofstreaming. Studio consolidation andrealignment. Nearly threeyears ago,the actorslaunched a four-month strike, securing some protectionsand higherwages.And on Monday, negotiations on a new three-year contract with studioand streamersare already beginning again. So what actor would want this role?
“In myimagination, growing up, I would want to have been in a place of consequence, hetold TheAssociated Press in an interviewin his office atthe guild's Los Angeles headquarters. “And so tohave theopportunity to beinarole,leadingaunionof
160,000people atthismoment of consequence when there sturmoil, whenthere s fearand uncertaintyand danger, this isexactly where I want to be.”
Alife asan actorand union member Astin, an elected board member during thestrike who lefthismark asafieryrally speaker, won the presidency in September,replacing the outgoing Fran Drescher As anactor, thenow-54year-old is known as the leader ofa scrappyband of kidsin 1985's The Goonies, an aspiringfootball player with never-endinggrit in 1993's “Rudy,” and Samwise Gamgee, FrodoBaggins' steadfastbestieinthe“Lordof the Rings” trilogy. He's a SAG lifer, becoming amemberas ayoungboyin 1981. Hismother, Oscar winner PattyDuke, whodied in 2016, waspresident of the guild from 1985 to 1988, before it added the -AFTRA in a 2012 merger. His father, JohnAstin, now
Retail Jewelry Company is seeking to retain a Diamond Expert. This role is a full-time, long-term contract. Requirements are as followed:
• Five (5) years experience in selling and buying gemstones in international markets;
• Degree/Diploma/Certification in jewelry products;
• Expertise in precious/ semi-precious stones/ metal and gemstones;
• Ability to examine diamonds to detect imperfections;
• Ability to appraise diamonds for customers;
• Grades stones for quality of cut, perfection and for color;
• Keep abreast of the latest gemological information within the industry;
• Must possess scientific knowledge on a diamond grading;
• Must understand all aspects of Merchandising including budget planning and sales forecasting.
• Must be able to relate value customer stones for trading in or making exchange pieces.
• Estimate wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations and various economic changes that affect distribution of precious stones.
Please send your resume to Bahamasjob8@gmail.com
95, is bestknown for playing Gomezon The Addams Family.” His brotherMackenzie Astinis achild star turned journeymanactor who recentlyhad athree-episode arc on The Pitt. SeanAstinsaid hehopesto getactorslikehisbrother,who rely heavilyon smallongoing payments for guest roles, to have streaming residuals pay as well as theydo for broadcast TV.
I can t wait to be at a Thanksgiving ora Christmas with himand nudgehim and say, Hey, how s your residuals doing?’” he said.
The coming contract talks Astinsaid hehas reasonto believe thenew talkswon't start with actors and their employers at each other's throats.
“They camein lasttime provokingthe fight, he said, referring to the Alliance of MotionPictureandTelevision Producers. “They wantedthe strike. Noquestion inmy mind. Iwas inthose rooms everysingle day.They’re sendingmuch differentsig-
nals now.They’re sending signals of wanting stability, of wantingto workaspartners again.
TheAMPTPsaid inastatement to the AP that the group representing studios and streamers looked “forward to working collaboratively with our partnersat SAG-AFTRA as we commenceformal bargaining.”
Bytaking thetimeto thoughtfullyengage onthe challengesconfronting ourindustry, we areoptimistic that, together, wecan reacha fair deal that reflectsour shared commitmenttosupportingour industry s talented performers and promoting long-term stability, the statement said.
Astin said the guild won't yield any of the ground it won in 2023,whether itbe wage increases orrequiring informed consent for the use of actors' likenessesvia AI.and that meansthey can’t disarm in advance-- strikingis not out of the question, whatever the lingering pains from last time.
Vacancy for Jeweler
Retail Jewelry Company is seeking to retain a Jeweler. This role is a full-time, long-term contract.
Requirements are as followed:
• Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience as a Jeweler in wholesale or Retail Jewelry Industry.
• Demonstrated proficiency and skill in the areas of sizing, chain repair, prong repairs and all types of stone settings and polishing or other finishing techniques.
• CAD design a plus;
• Must be able to carve wax and know all stages of casting;
• Must possess a gemology diploma ( G.G, F.G.A, A.G.S)
• Ability to examine diamonds and detect imperfections;
• Keep abreast of the latest gemological information within the industry;
• Must possess scientific knowledge on a diamond grading;
• Ability to examine diamonds to detect imperfections. Please send your resume to Bahamasjob8@gmail.com
news of his death hit The Bahamas. Ihad triedunsuccessfully to reach the family throughnumerous channels.I am not perfect by a long shot no matter how hard I try. I erred.
I have asked the Unwalas, a trulyremarkable family,for their forgiveness. I have since spokenwith Darius’ brother, Jehan,onmorethanoneoccasionandhere sharewithyou what he shared with me after confiding how muchhe had lookeduptohisbigbrotheras his lifelong hero.
By Jehan Unwala
What led me to thesubject of our lack of perfection is the sectionof this column that follows: Nearly eight years afterI began writing on aweekly basis for The Tribune churning out more than 3,500 columns and countless words and thoughts, I erred inone thatmadeadifference toa family. And for that I am intensely sorry. In my column on January 2, 2026, intended to pay tribute to Dr.Darius Unwala, Imistakenly said the cause of death was prostate cancer. That message had beencirculating online and inconversations when
Dr. Darius Unwala tragicallypassedaway attheageof 50 ofmetastatic kidney cancer. Hewas inperfect health until theonset of symptoms, which were promptly evaluated.He wascaredfor bycolleaguesattheCleveland Clinicand quicklyscheduled forsurgery andinitiationof targeted therapy.Darius fought through multiple rounds oftreatment andhospitalizations so thathe could beatthe sideofhisbeloved childrenandreturntohislife's work asa urologist,but ultimatelydieda yearafterdiagnosis.
Darius dedicatedhis lifeto caringforpatientswithkidney cancer and hisillness only made himmore empathetic. Thereare norecommendations for routine screening tests forkidney cancer,and the majority of patients are diagnosedwhilebeingworked up for other illnesses. His memory will liveon through thelivesof thepatientshe touchedand thelovingfamily he left behind
Thank you, Jehan. And may theentirefamily cherishthe memoryofthe son,husband, father,andhero he wasto allwho knewhim, andthe peoplehe leftbehind in twonations whoare poorer for his loss,but richer for having known him in life.
VACANCY FOR GEMOLOGIST.
Retail Jewelry Company is seeking to retain an Gemologist. This role is a full-time, long-term contract.
Requirements are as follows:
• Minimum 3-year experience in Diamonds & Jewelry products.
• Degree/ Diploma/Certification in jewelry products.
• Expertise In precious /semi-precious stones / metal & gemstones.
• Ability to examine diamonds to detect defects.
• Ability to appraise diamonds for customers.
• Grades stones for quality of cut, perfection and for color.
• Five (5) years’ experience m selling and buying gemstones international markets,
• Keep abreast of the latest gemological information within the indust1Y
• Must possess scientific knowledge on diamond grading
• Must understand all aspects of Merchandising including budget planning and sales forecasting
• Must be able to relate and close sales with highend clients.
• Estimate wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations, and various economic changes that affect distribution of precious stones.
Email can be sent to: Bahamasjobs8@gmail.com
DARIUS Unwala and Family at High School
Graduation of son, Summer 2025
SAG-AFTRA president SeanAstin showsoffa finishedsolid bronzeActor statuetteduringthe32nd ActorAwardsstatuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif.
AP Photo: Chris Pizzello
VACANCY FOR DIAMOND EXPERT
Former Prince Andrew arrested and held for hours on suspicion of misconduct over ties to Epstein
By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press
THE former Prince Andrew was arrested and held for hours by British police Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Jeffrey Epstein, an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment.
It was the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal was placed under arrest, and it underscored how deference to the monarchy has eroded in recent years.
King Charles III, whose late mother lived by the motto “never complain, never explain,” took the unusual step of issuing a statement on the arrest of his brother, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,’’ the king said. “As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.’’
The Thames Valley Police force said Mountbatten-Windsor was released Thursday evening, about 11 hours after he was detained at his home in eastern England. He was photographed in a car leaving the station near the home on the royal Sandringham Estate.
Police said he was released under investigation, meaning he has neither been charged nor exonerated.
The police force, which covers areas west of London, including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, said Thursday that a man in his 60s from Norfolk had been arrested and was in custody. Police did not identify the suspect, in line with standard procedures in Britain.
Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, moved to the king’s private
April
2025.
estate in Norfolk after he was evicted from his longtime home near Windsor Castle earlier this month.
Police previously said they were “assessing” reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent trade information to Epstein, a wealthy investor and convicted sex offender, in 2010, when the former prince was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Correspondence between the two men was released by the US Justice Department late last month along with millions of pages of documents from the American investigation into Epstein.
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,’’ Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement.
Two homes searched Police searched Andrew’s Sandringham home, and his former residence at Royal
Lodge in Windsor.
Earlier in the day, pictures circulated online that appeared to show unmarked police cars at Wood Farm, Mountbatten-Windsor’s home on the Sandringham Estate, with plainclothes officers gathering outside.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his association with Epstein.
The allegations being investigated Thursday are separate from those made by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked to Britain to have sex with the prince in 2001, when she was just 17. Giuffre died by suicide last year.
Still, Giuffre’s family praised the arrest, saying that their “broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty.”
The family added: “He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”
New Mexico reopens investigation into alleged illegal activity at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press
NEW Mexico’s attorney general has reopened an investigation into allegations of illegal activity at Jeffrey Epstein ‘s former Zorro Ranch.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office made the announcement Thursday, saying the decision was made after reviewing information recently released by the US Department of Justice.
Although New Mexico’s initial case was closed in
2019 at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, state prosecutors say now that “revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination.”
The New Mexico Department of Justice said special agents and prosecutors at the agency will be seeking immediate access to the complete, unredacted federal case file and intend to work with other law enforcement partners as well as a new truth commission established by state lawmakers to look into activities at the
ranch.
“As with any potential criminal matter, we will follow the facts wherever they lead, carefully evaluate jurisdictional considerations, and take appropriate investigative action, including the collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available,” the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a statement.
A ‘spectacular fall from grace’
“This is the most spectacular fall from grace for a member of the royal family in modern times,” said Craig Prescott, a royal expert at Royal Holloway, University of London, who compared it in severity to the crisis sparked by Edward VIII’s abdication to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
“And it may not be over yet,’’ Prescott added.
Thursday’s arrest came a day after the National Police Chiefs’ Council said it had created a coordination group to assist forces across the UK that are assessing whether Epstein and his associates committed crimes in Britain. In addition to the concerns about Mountbatten-Windsor ‘s correspondence, documents released by the US suggest Epstein may have used his private jet to traffic women to and from Britain.
US President Donald Trump said the arrest was “a
shame” and “very sad.”
“I think it’s so bad for the royal family,” he told reporters in Washington. The documents also rocked British politics. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had to fight off questions about his judgment after the papers revealed that Peter Mandelson, the man he appointed ambassador to the US, had a longer and closer relationship with Epstein than was previously disclosed.
London’s Metropolitan Police Service has said it is investigating allegations of misconduct in public office related to Mandelson’s own correspondence with Epstein. Mandelson was fired as ambassador to the US in September.
But it is Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with Epstein that brought the scandal to the doors of Buckingham Palace and threatened to undermine support for the monarchy.
Last royal arrest was in the 1640s
The last time a senior British royal was arrested was almost 400 years ago during the reign of King Charles I that saw a growing power struggle between the crown and Parliament.
After the king attempted to arrest lawmakers in the House of Commons in 1642, hostilities erupted into the English Civil War, which ended with victory for the parliamentary forces of Oliver Cromwell.
Charles I was arrested, tried, convicted of high treason and beheaded in 1649.
Modern concerns about Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein have dogged the royal family for more than a decade.
The late Queen Elizabeth II forced her second son to give up royal duties and end his charitable work in 2019 after he tried to explain away
his friendship with Epstein during a catastrophic interview with the BBC.
But as concern mounted about what the Epstein files might reveal, the king moved aggressively to insulate the royal family from the fallout.
Since October, Charles has stripped his younger brother of the right to be called prince, forced him to move out of the royal estate he occupied for more than 20 years and issued a public statement supporting the women and girls abused by Epstein.
Last week, the palace said it was ready to cooperate with police investigating Mountbatten-Windsor.
Charles was forced to act after Mountbatten-Windsor’s correspondence with Epstein torpedoed the former prince’s claims that he severed ties with the financier after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Instead, emails between the two men show Epstein offering to arrange a date between Mountbatten-Windsor and a young Russian woman in 2010, and the thenprince inviting Epstein to dinner at Buckingham Palace.
Additional correspondence appears to show Mountbatten-Windsor sending Epstein reports from a two-week tour of Southeast Asia that he undertook in 2010 as Britain’s trade envoy.
Police did not release details of Mountbatten-Windsor’s questioning at a small-town police station in Aylsham, near Sandringham.
Danny Shaw, an expert on law enforcement in the UK, told the BBC that the former prince would likely be placed in “a cell in a custody suite” with just “a bed and a toilet,” where he will wait until his police interview.
“There’ll be no special treatment for him,” Shaw said.
On Tuesday, New Mexico’s truth commission had its first meeting. The bipartisan, four-member panel of state House representatives is charged with investigating allegations that the ranch may have facilitated sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
New Mexico lawmakers also said they want to know why Epstein was not registered as a sex offender after pleading guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl and whether there was corruption among public officials.
Epstein purchased the sprawling Zorro Ranch in New Mexico in 1993 from former Democratic Gov. Bruce King and built a 26,700-square-foot (2,480-square-meter) hilltop mansion with a private runway.
The property was sold by Epstein’s estate in 2023 — with proceeds going toward creditors — to the family of Don Huffines, a
candidate in Texas for election to the office of state comptroller. In a social media post on X, Huffines said the property has been renamed San Rafael Ranch after a saint associated with healing and that his family plans to operate a Christian retreat there.
BRITAIN’S ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR, formerly known as Prince Andrew, looks round as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England,
20,
Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Republican
THE ENTRANCE of the San Rafael Ranch, which was previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein and called the Zorro Ranch, is seen, January 31, 2026, near Stanley, New Mexico. Photo: Savannah Peters/AP
Sunset Roteract Club
celebrates anniversary
TheRotaract Clubof NassauSunset proudlycelebrates its 12th Anniversary on Friday,February 20th,2026, markingmore thanadecade ofservice, leadershipdevelopment,and communityimpact in The Bahamas.The milestonewascommemorated at the club’s anniversary meetingheldonMonday,February16th, 2026,inan evening filled with reflection, inspiration,andrenewedcommitment to service.
Ahighlight ofthecelebrationwasakeynoteaddressdelivered byattorney and Founding President, Ms. Knijah Knowles.
Her presentation,themed Becoming the Leader You Needed WhenYou First Joined, resonated deeply with memberspast and present.Drawingfromherexperience in establishing and nurturing theclub, Ms. Knowles challenged Rotaractors to reflecton their personal growthjourneys and to intentionallycultivate leadership that empowers others. In her address,she outlined four foundationalpillars es-
sential todeveloping strong and sustainableleadership withinthe club:belief,vision, knowledge, andbuilding your team. She emphasized the importance of believinginthe mission andin one’sown potential; crafting and communicating a clear vision for the future; continuously seeking knowledgetoremaineffective andrelevant;andintentionally building ateam thatfosters collaboration, trust, and shared purpose. Her words served as both a reminder of the club’s beginningsanda call to action for its future. Chartered in2014, the RotaractClub ofNassau Sunset operatesunder the global umbrellaof Rotaract,a serviceorganizationforyoung professionals committed to leadership and community service.
Currently led by President Brittany Bainand herdynamic board, theclub continues to buildupon its strong foundation withenergy, creativity, andpurpose. Together, they remain committed to expanding opportunities for pro-
fessional development,fostering meaningfulfellowship, and executingimpactful service projects across the community.
TheclubhasfeaturedadditionalspeakerssuchastheRt. Hon.MinisterJobethColebyDavis,and collaboratedon initiatives withorganizations such as the alumni chapter of the KappaAlpha PsiFraternity andAACARI Bahamas.
Throughinitiativesfocused onhealth andwellness,youth development, community outreach, andprofessional growth, the clubhas consistentlydemonstrated itsdedicationto meaningfulimpact within Nassau and beyond. Guidedby itsmotto, “One Family, One Community, One Mission,” the club strives tomaintain awelcoming,supportive, andvibrant atmospherefor members and prospective Rotaractors alike.This ethos hasbeen centraltoits longevityand success,fostering camaraderie while driving purposeful service.
Grand Bahama resort and deepwater marina to sell at auction
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Digital Editor aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
ANoceanfront resortand deep-water marinaon the westerntip ofGrandBahama is headed to auction nextmonth, withbidding expectedto beginonMarch 18andcloseonMarch25.
The 20-unitBlue Marlin Cove Resort &Marina, locatedat1BootleBayinWest End, islisted at$13.5m and will besold throughSotheby’s Concierge Auctions incooperation withChristopher andVanessa Ansell of The Ansell Group at Bahamas Sotheby’s InternationalRealty.
The turnkey property comprises 20 fully finished condominium residences within a30-unit resort, along withthree oceanfront development parcelsand a fourth parceldesignated for ayachtfuel station.Theoffering also includes extensive waterfrontand canal frontage, deep-wateraccess
andmajoritydeclarantrights within the homeowners association.
ChadRoffers, chiefexecutive officer andco-founder of Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions,saidtheproperty s multi-use nature and expansion potential makeit attractive to a broad range of buyers. With itsoperating marina, income-generating residences, and significant expansion potential, the property appeals to a wide buyer pool, Mr Roffers said, adding thatthe auction platform is designed to attract qualified buyers and providea “transparent, efficientpathtosale Christopher Ansell said theauction modeloffersa defined timelineand global exposuresuited toresortscaleproperties.
“Partnering with Sotheby s Concierge Auctions allows usto leveragetheir global buyer network with a time-certain processand level of executionto bring clarityandmomentumtore-
As theRotaract Clubof NassauSunset stepsconfidentlyintoits 13thyear,itremains steadfast in its commitmentto developingleaders, strengthening communities, and upholding the spirit of service above self
sort-scale offeringslike this,”hesaid.
Vanessa Anselldescribed the propertyas balancing lifestyle appeal with operationalutility.
“Owners have immediate access to world-class fishing, a protected marina, and fully finished residences,whilealsoholdingthe potentialto enhanceand evolvethe property,” she said.
The resort amenities includeaswimmingpoolwith Jacuzzispa,tikibarandrestaurant, outdoorkitchen areas, family recreation spaces, communal lounges, on-site managementand security, anda caretaker s cottage. Theresidences aredesignedfor full-timeliving, vacationuse orshort-term rentals.
A keycomponent ofthe offering isthe freehold marina,positionedonGrand Bahama’swesternedgewith direct oceanaccess viaa deep-water channelengineeredforvessels upto100 feet.The marinacurrently includes 20 of 30 existing slips,with infrastructurein place toadd approximately 15 or moreadditional perimeter berths,bringing potentialtotalcapacitytomore than45slips.
Situated about 68 nautical mileseast ofPalmBeach, Florida, and minutes from WestEndAirport,whichoffers on-sitecustoms andimmigrationservices,theproperty ispositioned asan accessible boatingdestination. Potential revenuestreams include condominium rentals, marina dockage, fuel operations,and food andbeverageservices.
Sotheby sConciergeAuctionssaid thesale willalso contribute toits KeyFor Key giving programme in partnership withGiveback Homes, which funds the constructionof homesfor familiesinneed.
Additional details,including property documents andauctionterms,areavailable on theauction platform’swebsite.
