Grand Lucayan redevelopment project to create 1,750 jobs
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter
THE $827m Grand Lucayan redevelopment will create more than 1,750 permanent jobs, it was announced yesterday, in what is a landmark deal for Grand Bahama.
Prime Minister Philip Davis said the redevelopment of the hotel signals a “turning point” for the island that will create opportunities and change lives.
Speaking at the signing of the heads of agreement (HOA) with Concord Wilshire yesterday, Mr Davis said the resort village will include three new hotel buildings, a casino, megayacht marina, golf course, water parks and retail spaces.
“The Grand Lucayan redevelopment is very ambitious. And rightly so. At the heart of this redevelopment is an integrated resort village that will create jobs, restore confidence, and give Grand Bahama the momentum it deserves,” said Mr Davis.
“That means three new hotel buildings. A full-scale cruise resort. A revitalised 25,000-square-foot casino. A Greg Norman-designed golf course. Over-the-water cabanas, beach clubs, family attractions, water parks, retail spaces, restaurants, music venues — and a 16-slip mega-yacht marina.”
He said that as a result of the redevelopment over 1,300 jobs will be created in the construction phase and 1,750 permanent jobs will
be available once the resort is opened.
“Thousands of Bahamians will have an opportunity to earn, to grow, and to build a future for themselves and their families, right here at home,” said Mr Davis.
“We’ve said clearly: Bahamians must be at the centre of this. At least 80% of these jobs must go to our people. That’s not just a condition—it’s a conviction. Because we know the skill is here. The talent is here. The work ethic is here. What’s been missing is opportunity.”
Mr Davis said the Grand Bahama International Airport will also be remodelled to accommodate the development and attract more airlift.
“What we’re building here at the Grand Lucayan is not a stand-alone project — it’s part of a wider, more connected vision for Grand Bahama,” said Mr Davis.
“We are moving ahead with a new, modern airport that matches the scale of Grand Bahama’s ambitions — able to attract more carriers, handle more capacity, and offer visitors a first impression that reflects the quality of what this island has to offer.”
Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said the redeveloped hotel and the surrounding area is “a key plan in the overall ecosystem of Grand Bahama”.
He noted that air arrivals to Grand Bahama have already increased by 11.6 percent and with the opening of Carnival’s
BACSWN’s US deal for system to help improve flight safety
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@trribunemedia.net
A BAHAMIAN company has become the first in the region to cement a deal with the United States for an advanced aviation forecast system.
The Bahamas Aviation, Climate & Severe Weather Network (BACSWN) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to develop and install an advanced aviation forecast system that will improve flight safety for airlines traversing the country’s airspace.
Dr Steve Thur, assistant administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and acting NOAA chief scientist, said the agreement will also allow NOAA to access additional weather observations, which will be used to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts.
He said the agreement is a “win-win”, as the data sharing will improve aviation safety and severe weather tracking for both nations.
“[About] ninety percent of the visitors to The Bahamas come through the US or from the US, and so this partnership
DIR defends advance business licence payments
BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business
PAYING business licence fee estimates is the equivalent of paying for a product before you get it, according to the Department of Inland Revenue (DIR).
With some businesses expressing their disapproval of the policy that calls for business licence fees to be paid in advance, DIR’s training and communications manager, Beaumont Todd, at the Institute of
Chartered Accountants’ (BICA) SMP seminar, yesterday, clarified that a “business licence is actually a product that you’re actually paying to have to continue your business” supporting the idea that you have to pay for it before you can get it.
“So the thing is, most persons, when they go into a business and you have to purchase a product, do you get the product before you purchase it and pay for it, or do you get a product after
BY ANNELIA NIXON
A YEAR OF GROWTH AND COMMUNITY IMPACT
By the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute
FARMERS and fishers on Cat Island have experienced a transformative year thanks to BAMSI's extension services. Spearheaded by Alfred Stubbs, BAMSI extension officer, the programme has not only tackled key challenges in agriculture but also fostered community development and collaboration.
“BAMSI’s extension services have had a very strong and positive impact throughout the communities of Cat Island,” Mr Stubbs said. “Not only do our services provide learning opportunities for the locals, but we also assist with addressing challenges within the community.”
One of the standout achievements of 2024 was BAMSI’s seedling distribution initiative. From July to December 1, a total of 8,512 seedlings were distributed to farmers. The effort culminated in a highly anticipated two-day island-wide distribution on December 9 and 10 at the BAMSI main office in Knowles, Cat Island. During this event, over 12,000 seedlings were given out, including sweet pepper, habanero pepper, okra, squash, tomatoes, beets, onion, celery, broccoli, carrots, basil, and cucumber.
“The distribution was successful as anticipated, and the local farmers came out in abundance to show support to the BAMSI department,” he said. In total, more than 30 trays of seedlings were distributed, amounting to approximately 12,000 seedlings.
According to Mr Stubbs, who is a 2018 graduate of BAMSI’s associate degree programme in agriculture, the impact of the seedling distribution programme has been profound. “It provides farmers with high-quality and hardy seedlings to transplant into their farms. When these seedlings mature, farmers can decide whether
to put their produce to market or reserve some to ensure they always have good-quality seeds.” Additionally, the initiative fostered collaboration and knowledge-sharing among farmers, bringing together individuals with varying levels of expertise to support one another.
BAMSI’s extension services have tackled various challenges in Cat Island, including pest management, drought and poor water quality. Transportation remains a critical issue, with many farms located off rugged dirt roads. Mr Stubbs highlighted the importance of improved transportation: “It allows us to reach more farmers, implement more demonstration plots and field days, and respond quickly to problems.” Despite these hurdles, the team made significant progress in 2024, including:
Two orchards were established in the southern region with 200 trees, made possible through a donation from The Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister.
Two shade houses were set up at Old Bight and Arthur’s Town High Schools, providing students with valuable hands-on agricultural experience.
Looking ahead, BAMSI aims to expand its outreach and encourage commercial farming in Cat Island. “We want our farmers to learn as much farming knowledge as they possibly can,” Mr. Stubbs said. He envisions workshops and training sessions as key to helping farmers transition to largescale farming for profit. Plans for 2025 also include:
Collaborations with the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister and the Chinese
Ambassador on new projects.
Increased school visits and farming meetings to keep the community informed and engaged.
Enhanced workshops to introduce farmers to improved agricultural technologies, such as mechanised farming and efficient irrigation systems.
Mr Stubbs said he takes pride in the ability of BAMSI’s Extension Services programme to foster community and measure impact through feedback. “I always try to be available to support and encourage their work, and they always appreciate my dedication,” he said. His personal motivations include helping others, developing innovative solutions and making
DIR DEFENDS ADVANCE BUSINESS LICENCE PAYMENTS
FROM PAGE B1
you pay for it? And see, most persons don’t look at the fact like that for the business licence, because we operate also as a part of the financial ministry, where we collect on the government’s behalf. Your business licence is actually a product that you’re actually paying to have to continue your business. So in order for you to get that, you have to pay for that in advance. And I think a lot of persons doesn’t realise it’s not the fact that we just charge you. You’re actually paying for your business licence in order for you to operate. Anywhere else in the world you go and you look at it, they do the same thing.
You pay in advance before you get it. It’s not that you operate the business. So if you go into a store and take their drinks and their different products and you leave, what they call that? It’s a crime.
“It’s a crime. So basically, I think persons don’t realise that is actually what we’re doing. We’re just putting in place where you operate just the way any other business that you go into. Before you get that product, you have to pay for it.”
Aware of the backlash DIR is receiving for the business fee estimates, Mr Todd noted that it is law and the only way they will stop requiring business owners to pay their fees in
a difference in the lives of those he serves. As BAMSI’s extension services continue to grow, its influence on Cat Island is undeniable., “In the year 2025, I see extension services evolving to help farmers adapt to new technologies and innovations and increasing support of rural communities as they look to develop their agriculture sector and increase their agricultural products.”
advance is if the the law is changed. “Now that is something that Inland Revenue wouldn’t actually be able to make any changes to directly. We operate under law, and basically that’s law. So that would be something that the government itself would have to change, or the lawmakers would have to change in order for us to make any adjustments.”
Mr Todd also noted that those who overpay or overestimate when paying are eligible for a tax credit or a refund. However, he suggested that taking the tax credit is the easier option to avoid longer processing times.
By
farmers
ing
He said: “If they overpay for their business licence, they can actually apply for a tax credit, or they can actually apply for a refund. There’s a process for it. Now, sometimes the process may take long enough that by the time you get it, you might as well just let the credit roll over. But there is a process in place for refund if you do happen to overpay.”
He added: “In order for you to operate a business, you have to have a licence, and you pay for the licence. Now, let me just say, for persons that are basically under the threshold, there is really no fee for the business licence. Up to basically about $100,000, there’s nothing that you actually pay for your licence to renew. As long as you’re under that $100,000 threshold, there’s just a lot of times persons don’t renew in time and sometimes end up getting filing fees. But up to the $100,000 threshold, your business licence is completely free. You just have to file on time to make sure that you avoid any penalty fees.”
BAMSI seedlings distribution helped fuel the schools agricultural efforts.
BAMSI donated a green house to the school.
THE BAMSI team at a college fair in Cat Island.
THE BAMSI team - Alfred Stubbs and Leanora Pratt-Riley during a school visit.
BAMSI supports the agriculture programme at the Arthurs Town Comprehensive School.
empowering local
and address-
their needs, BAMSI is paving the way for a brighter and more sustainable future for Cat Island.
BACSWN’s US deal for system to help improve flight safety
is certainly going to advance what you all can do for those that are traveling through Bahamian airspace or into The Bahamas and the surrounding Caribbean areas,” said Dr Thur.
“It’s also important for us as the data that’s going to be shared, improving our models, and given the importance of tropical cyclones, hurricanes, tornadic activities, we’ve got an opportunity to combine private sector expertise with some of the foundational capabilities that we have, and I see this as a true win-win.”
Dr Thur also noted that as NOAA is a branch of the US Department of Commerce, the agreement is an example of how governments can partner with the private sector to “address a common challenge”.
“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sits within our Department of Commerce, and so the connections that we make to commerce while we are an environmentally focused organisation are high priority for us,” said Dr Thur.
“Given that we are in the same organisation as those dealing with international trade and economic development, I was really
pleased to see this progressing, and I think it’s a great example of ways that we can use the strengths of both the private sector and the governmental sector, transnationally, across borders, to address a common challenge.”
Under the agreement, BACSWN will pay NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory $728,000 to install a cloud-based version of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) and Hazard Services application. This system will provide advanced forecasting and decision tools to forecasters, allowing them to more easily identify aviation in-flight hazards, such as turbulence and thunderstorms.
Robert Carron, founder of BACSWN, also said the agreement would not have been possible without the efforts of both the Davis administration and US officials.
“I’d also be remiss if I didn’t also thank our Prime Minister [Philip Davis] and Minister of Energy and Transport [JoBeth ColebyDavis], and actually, our Prime Minister just met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Rubio informed him that they had endorsed this and they were making the right choice. So, Secretary Rubio, thank you very much, sir,” said Mr Carron.
Mr Carron said most US carriers traversing Latin America and the Caribbean fly through Bahamian airspace, and the agreement
will allow for up to 30 percent more air traffic, which will boost economic activity.
He said the agreement can serve as a model for other regional partners that would like to improve their aviation tracking capabilities.
“This is a culmination, the final piece of a $427m budget for aviation and climate and severe weather tracking and sensing. Most US carriers who are going on their journeys to and from Latin America, the Caribbean and coming to the United States come through our airspace, and it is the gateway to the Gulf of America and the Panama Canal, so it’s a key ally,” said Mr Carron.
“My hope is that this could be a model for future developments, because it’s the first one for the Caribbean, and hopefully together, we can make it so that it’s beneficial for the aviation sector and the safety and improvements that we’ve been making for the US carriers. The safety and efficiency—we will
open up the airspace, collaborating with the FAA by tracking radar. The airspace can be opened up to 30 percent more planes, which means more economic activity.”
Curtis Alexander, acting director of the Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), said the new technology will support the Bahamas Department of Meteorology in issuing Airmen’s Meteorological Information (AIRMETs), which are used to warn pilots about moderate turbulence, strong winds, low visibility, and moderate icing; and Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMETs), which are used for warnings of severe icing and turbulence associated with severe thunderstorms, hurricanes,
dust storms, volcanic ash, and other hazardous weather advisories.
“This work is going to allow the Bahamas Department of Meteorology to generate some aviation inflight products, including AIRMETs and SIGMETs, and function as a meteorological watch office. The support in this effort obviously moves toward their goal for ingestion, validation, visualisation, and distribution of accurate data,” said Mr Alexander.
“It relates to severe weather events, including aviation hazards such as turbulence, in a real-time operational framework. This will also empower the Bahamas to issue TAFs and overflight products.”
Govt’s renewed optimism for GB after deal signed
BY ANNELIA NIXON
THE Davis administration feels a renewed sense of optimism for Grand Bahama’s tourism industry, following the heads of agreement signing for the Grand Lucayan.
Expressing great pride and excitement, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, recalled previously letting the world know that “Grand Bahama is open for business.” He noted that the message has been received as “serious, responsible investors are paying attention.”
“When we came to office, we sent a clear message to the world that Grand Bahama is open for business,” Mr Cooper said. “Serious, responsible investors are paying attention, and we have been boasting about $2bn of new foreign direct investments for Grand Bahama. I feel so proud to tell you today that we’ve increased it by 50 percent and with our $3bn. We committed in our blueprint for change that we would recover, rebuild and revolutionise and today is the beginning of an incredible transformation.
“But I pause to thank and recognise the management and employees of the Grand Lucayan Resort
for having held it together during very trying and uncertain times. You’ve always welcomed me home warmly and made me proud to call the Grand Lucayan our hotel.”
Mr Cooper added that the government took their time in choosing this developer after failed sale attempts in the past. He believes the redevelopment of the Grand Lucaya will aid in the economic growth of the island, noting that Grand Bahama has already seen progress in its tourism numbers.
“The sale and redevelopment of the Grand Lucayan Resort is a strategic move that sets the foundation for long term economic growth and revitalisation,” Mr Cooper said. “After
Developer promises ‘unique’ destination at Grand Lucayan
FROM PAGE B1
championship signature golf course.
“And finally, the seventh element is the integration of this entire village with the Port Lucaya Marketplace, which is owned by BahamaLand Investments and its principal, Mr Peter Hunt, who is also acquiring Port Lucaya Marina Yacht Club Maria and associated uplands, which will also be part of this full integration.”
Greg Norman, who will head the golf course project, said integrating the golf course will be a
challenge given the layout of the development. He added that he is excited to flush the marina.
“Our job is easy, but our job is difficult because as you heard, the layout and the vision of the development, we have to be integrated with that in every way, shape or form,” Mr Norman said. “We have to be special. We have to be unique. It has to be playable. It has to test the best players in the world, but it’s got to also test the hackers in the room here. So, we’ve got to balance the golf course, which I’m
our past experiences, we were not interested in a fast deal, but we were more determined to find the right deal. The one that delivers for the people of Grand Bahama, retailers, straw vendors, taxi drivers, tour operators, creatives, hair braiders and entrepreneurs alike. And that’s why we took our time, that’s why we were deliberate, and that’s why today’s announcement is more than just about property changing hands. This is about a brighter future taking shape.
“And already Grand Bahama’s tourism numbers have turned in favour. We had 11.6 percent in air arrivals ahead of last year as the fastest growing island in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. That is a sign
of regained momentum, and it’s just the beginning.
“Come July, Carnival Celebration Cay will open, bringing with it a surge of roughly 1m visitors in 2025. This will more than double all of the arrivals we had last year. So Grand Bahama is also on a fast track to become the fastest growing cruise destination in The Bahamas, which will deliver in 2026 millions of passengers. So Grand Bahama with this important backdrop, and with this announcement today, it’s safe to say that your ship has come in.
“A redeveloped Grand Lucayan Hotel and the surrounding areas is a key plank in the overall ecosystem of this island, with nearly 1bn of new investment today, the project is intended to be redeveloped as you have already seen and heard as a first class, world class, not just a resort, but a world class destination in and of itself. This will again bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Grand Bahama and let me say that tourism success isn’t just measured by visitor statistics alone. It’s about how many Bahamians benefit from that growth. And this revitalisation is expected, therefore, to create hundreds of new jobs, as you’ve heard, to become a significant employer in the northern Bahamas. And Grand Bahama you have
extremely proud to be able to do. And I look forward to it. “One of the processes that I’m really, really proud of doing is the water canal that you see being cut through. That is going to flush the marina. And flushing a marina system is critical to the sustainability. We’ve built marinas around the world with golf, and one that I’ve got to mention today is in the Middle East, and we built a marina that was cut into the desert, and it was layered up, if you could, believe it or not. And from there, we developed an ecosystem where the porpoises would come in, fish would come in. The flushing of that Marina was critical to the Red Sea and what was happening. So as
waited decades, and I ask you today to take your role at the center of this transformation on all fronts.”
Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey said due to the redevelopment, Grand Bahamians are returning to the island.
“Today is another grand day, and this right here is a very, very big deal for the people of Grand Bahama Island,” Ms Moxey said.
“Yes, it’s been a long time coming, but you can feel the excitement in the air. Grand Bahamians are ready now more than ever to come back home. In fact, many have already returned with the billions of real investments happening now. And so this signing today between the government of The Bahamas and Concord Wilshire for many of us signals renewed hope, newly found optimism and a feeling that better days are ahead. And in case some of you don’t understand, the significance of today cannot be understated. You see this resort served for decades as the heartbeat of tourism on this island. Where there’s a magnificent beach and casino and shopping, diving, dotting and golfing, the complete experience and with this signing, this destination will become world renowned for all of that and so much more.
“The redevelopment of this iconic property will stimulate jobs, create more
opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs, generate new developments in the hospitality, retail and real estate sectors, increase heads in beds and breathe new life into our island. The signing today is also an indication of the growing interest and renewed investor confidence in Grand Bahama Island. This positive trajectory correlates with our government’s strategic plan, as outlined in our blueprint for change, with a focused agenda to recover, rebuild and revolutionise our country. And we’ve said it time and time again, Grand Bahama has enormous potential and plays a critical role in the long term sustainable development of The Bahamas.
“Our beautiful natural landscapes and immersive cultural experiences, combined with our residents’ resilient spirit and innovative minds create a vibrant hub for sustainable tourism development. For this reason, the Ministry for Grand Bahama has focused on initiatives to empower our people. In collaboration with the Tourism Development Corporation, my ministry is establishing the Innovate 242 incubator on the Mall Drive as a one stop shop for business development, from concept to launch, as we support our entrepreneurs and further diversify our economy.
you see this evolve here, with the waterway cutting through, that is going to be critical. But it also allows us to open up other opportunities for Steve Sirang and his team to look at other opportunities with potential residential development in that place. So yes, it’s golf, but golf flow with the flushing system also elevates it to another level, and then it also elevates it with the real estate.”
Brian Roche, a gaming magnet, heading the casino side of the development added that employees will be compensated for their loyalty even through the construction of the development.
“As a resort and gaming developers, we’re very focused on selecting only
the best operating partners, and that is the same here for Grand Lucayan,” Mr Roche said. “We have thoughtfully planned through this new destination resort, every element is being integrated with a select branding partner to ensure long term stability and growth. However, I want to speak to the real heart of Grand Lucayan, and that is its team members and employees who have been loyal contributors to this resort, many since the very first day that the property opened. We recognised that we couldn’t operate this property without them, and their dedication should be rewarded, and it will be rewarded even through the construction period.
“We’ve developed an employee compensation program to reward team members. This program includes monetary incentives, benefit assistance and job recall when we reopen. We want to be sure that there is the least level of disruption to your lives.
He added: “We have a significant interest to the world of hospitality, cruise lines, hotels, casino brands or who want to affiliate with their worldwide marketing programs to stimulate this whole new world class resort destination. Casinos and gaming must be much more than just a place to place a bet. It must be about the experience of leisure combined with all the other benefits of an integrated
resort. While the cruise industry will be driving millions of resort customers by sea, our casino operation will increase guest traveling by air. What is a resort without relevant fun and food beverage, food and beverage. Well, as most destination resorts have, we’ll have our well known operators. What I can say is just walk across the street and go across to the marketplace and have the experience and the flavors and the fun and local fun of our food and beverage operations here in Grand Bahama we’re committed that today’s consumer who wants a local, experiential travel adventure will get the benefit of our local food and beverage operators as well.”
“Within the components of a multi operator resort property, seamless delivery of guest services is paramount to our success, along with the services, is this worldwide market reach that individual operators will bring value to the aggregation of all of their customer base. We’ll leverage our experience in entertainment from Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami, attracting entertainment to further drive new visitors to Grand Bahama. Whether you’re a resort guest, cruise guest, every guest will have access to the Beach Club, Yacht Club, golf course, casino and all resort amenities.”
NOTICE NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that AS EY JEAN
of Freeport Grand Bahama is applying to the
responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 16th day of May 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that K NC Y JEAN of Freeport Grand Bahama is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 16th day of May 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE
CHESTER Cooper speaks at the Grand Lucayan redevelopment signing ceremony.
Grand Lucayan redevelopment project to create 1,750 jobs
Celebration Key the island is “on track” to become the fastest growing cruise destination in the country.
“Already, GB tourism numbers have turned in our favour. At 11.6 percent, Grand Bahama is already the fastest-growing destination in the country for air arrivals. That’s a sign of regained momentum – and it’s just the beginning,” said Mr Cooper
“Come July, Carnival’s Celebration Key will open, bringing with it a surge of roughly one million visitors in 2025, this will more than double overall arrivals for the island in 2024. Grand Bahama is also on track to become the fastestgrowing cruise destination in The Bahamas, which will in 2026 deliver millions of passengers.”
Mr Cooper, who is also Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, said the Grand Lucayan is expected to become the largest employer in the Northern Bahamas and Grand Bahama is now receiving $3bn in new foreign direct investments.
“We fully expect that this will become the largest employer in the Northern Bahamas, recruiting training and empowering a worldclass workforce,” said Mr Cooper.
“We were boasting $2bn of new Foreign Direct
Investments for Grand Bahama. I feel so proud to tell you that it has increased by 50 percent and its now $3bn.”
The Grand Lucayan was acquired from Cheung Kong (CK) Property Holdings in 2018 by the Minnis administration for $65m to head-off the resort’s threatened closure by its former owner. Efforts to find a private buyer for the resort, including the Royal Caribbean/ ITM Group deal submitted to the former administration and the bid by Electra America Hospitality Group,
AIR TAXIS TO FERRY FANS AND VIPS TO VENUES AT 2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPICS
piloted electric air taxi known as
Midnight will ferry up to four passengers from a vertiport takeoff and landing hub near a major venue about 10 to 20 minutes to their destination within the company's Los Angeles network. The planned network includes vertiports at SoFi
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that JAMEROLSTON VIL of Wulff Road, New Providence, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of May, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that FRANCINA JOSEPH of Mckinney Ave, Stapledon Gardens Nassau, The Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration/Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of May, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
Stadium in Inglewood and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum south of downtown, which are slated to share opening and closing ceremonies. Other locations are Los Angeles International Airport, Hollywood, Santa Monica and Orange County.
"We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America," Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation, said in a statement Thursday.
failed to secure a purchaser. And the Bahamian taxpayer was forced to subsidise the Grand Lucayan’s annual losses to sustain its operations.
The 2024-2025 Budget provides a $17m subsidy for the resort and its immediate holding company, Lucayan
"There's no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games."
Archer says the air taxis produce less noise and emissions than a traditional helicopter. The eVTOL aircraft is built with redundant, fault-tolerant systems, including 12 total engines and propellers, allowing Archer to target certification with the FAA at similar levels of safety as commercial airliners. The air taxis are made at the company's manufacturing plants in San Jose, California, and Covington, Georgia.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ELLA CHARLES of P. O. Box NP3363, Hawthorne Road, Oakes Field, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 16th day of May 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that HOWARD HUGH TOMLIN of #31 Woodcock Loop, Freeport, Grand Bahama, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration/Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of May, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
By MICHAEL HILL Associated Press
FOR decades, a carveout in New York's child labor laws allowed kids as young as 11 to legally partake in the time-honored tradition of a paper route.
Flipping papers into suburban hedges, bicycling through snow squalls, dodging dogs and getting stiffed for tips became a rite of passage for generations of youths.
But a change to the law quietly made via the state budget this month makes clear the job is now not allowed for anyone under 14 years old. The move was first reported by Politico.
Renewal Holdings, which matches the current fiscal year’s allocation. However, the $17m provided for the 2023-2024 Budget year was virtually exhausted at end-March 2024, with some $16.632m having been spent, meaning that Bahamian taxpayers will almost certainly incur cost overruns.
And, given that the government provided Lucayan Renewal Holdings with $17.882m in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the resort is set to cost taxpayers close to $54m by the time the upcoming fiscal year closes at end-June 2025. Given this subsidy run rate, taxpayer exposure to the Grand Lucayan now likely exceeds $200m.
Among the projects that Concord Wilshire has been involved with is the development of the Diplomat Golf Resort on Hallandale Beach, Florida, featuring 938 hotel keys and 250 residential condo units in partnership with Greg Norman’s company, which handled the golf course revamp. The entire project involved a $548m revamp. Other Florida resort developments include the Diplomat Resort on Hollywood Beach, featuring 1,000 hotel keys and 200,000 square feet of meeting space, in a $535m investment that also had connections to Atlantis owner, Brookfield.
As an official provider to the LA 2028 Olympics, Paralympics and Team USA, Archer also will use the air taxis to provide support for emergency services and security.
"Our vision is to fundamentally reimagine the Olympic and Paralympic Games experience," LA chairperson and president Casey Wasserman said. "This partnership represents an incredible opportunity to deliver something unprecedented."
The change comes even though paper boys and girls have mostly gone the way of phone booths, mimeograph machines and their urban "newsie" forebears who shouted "Extra! Extra!" on street corners.
While many teens used to take on paper routes as after-school jobs, that became rarer decades ago as more daily newspapers switched to early morning deliveries. Newspapers are now increasingly online and tend to rely on adults with cars to make home deliveries, according to industry watchers.
"The need for a workforce of kids to go throwing newspapers on stoops is just a thing of the past," said attorney Allan Bloom, an employment law expert with the Proskauer firm.
Lawmakers made the change as part of a broader update of child labor laws. Bloom likened it to a "cleanup" as lawmakers streamlined the process for employing minors and increased penalties for violating child labor laws.
Diane Kennedy, president of the New York News Publishers Association, said she was not aware of any newspapers in New York using youth carriers.
Christopher Page recalled buying his first guitar on earnings from a paper route started in the late '70s in suburban Clifton Park, north of Albany.
"I just had a 10-speed that I destroyed," said Page. "It was truly rain or shine, I'm out there riding the bike. Or even in the winter, I would still ride the bike in the snow through all the potholes and the ice."
When dogs chased him on his bike, Page would ward them off with his shoulder bag full of newspapers.
At age 13, Jon Sorensen delivered the Syracuse Herald-American on Sunday with his 11-year old brother in the Finger Lakes town of Owasco from the back of their mother's Chevy station wagon.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that JEANNE SAINT PREUX of Rock Crusher, Farrington Road, Freeport, Grand Bahama, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration/Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of May, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that FRANCKLIN BIENAIME of East Street, Nassau, The Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration/Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of May, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
KIMBERLY FURNISH GINGER MOXEY NAME
PHILIP DAVIS KC
Why was Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok preoccupied with South Africa's racial politics?
By MATT O'BRIEN AP Technology Writer
Much like its creator, Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot Grok was preoccupied with South African racial politics on social media this week, posting unsolicited claims about the persecution and "genocide" of white people.
The chatbot, made by Musk's company xAI, kept posting publicly about "white genocide" in response to users of Musk's social media platform X who asked it a variety of questions, most having nothing to do with South Africa.
One exchange was about streaming service Max reviving the HBO name. Others were about video games or baseball but quickly veered into unrelated commentary on alleged calls to violence against South Africa's white farmers. Musk, who was born in South Africa, frequently opines on the same topics from his own X account.
Computer scientist Jen Golbeck was curious about Grok's unusual behavior so she tried it herself, sharing a
photo she had taken at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show and asking, "is this true?"
"The claim of white genocide is highly controversial," began Grok's response to Golbeck. "Some argue white farmers face targeted violence, pointing to farm attacks and rhetoric like the 'Kill the Boer' song, which they see as incitement."
The episode was the latest window into the complicated mix of automation and human engineering that
leads generative AI chatbots trained on huge troves of data to say what they say. "It doesn't even really matter what you were saying to Grok," said Golbeck, a professor at the University of Maryland, in an interview Thursday. "It would still give that white genocide answer. So it seemed pretty clear that someone had hard-coded it to give that response or variations on that response, and made a mistake so it was coming up a lot more
Air traffic controllers in Denver scrambled to use backup communications during an outage
By JOSH FUNK Associated Press
AIR
traffic controllers in Denver lost communications with planes for 90 seconds earlier this week and had to scramble to use backup frequencies in the latest Federal Aviation Administration equipment failure.
The outage at a control center that directs planes flying at high altitude between airports all over the country on Monday afternoon affected communications, not radar, the FAA's head of air traffic control, Frank McIntosh, said during a House hearing
Thursday. This communications failure follows two high-profile outages of radar and communications in the past 2 1/2 weeks at a facility in Philadelphia that directs planes in and out of the Newark, New Jersey, airport. The FAA said in a statement that the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center lost communications for approximately 90 seconds. McIntosh said both the primary and main backup frequencies went down, so the controllers had to turn to an emergency frequency to communicate. "Controllers used another frequency to relay
instructions to pilots. Aircraft remained safely separated and there were no impacts to operations," the FAA said.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California told McIntosh during the hearing that these outages are happening more regularly and it's concerning every time. "We know that there are staffing and equipment problems at air traffic control," Garcia said. "We know that the problems have gone back decades in some cases, but it's still an absolutely shocking system failure and we need immediate solutions."
often than it was supposed to."
Musk and his companies haven't provided an explanation for Grok's responses, which were deleted and appeared to have stopped proliferating by Thursday. Neither xAI nor X returned emailed requests for comment Thursday.
Musk has spent years criticizing the "woke AI" outputs he says come out of rival chatbots, like Google's Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT, and has pitched Grok as their "maximally truthseeking" alternative.
Musk has also criticized his rivals' lack of transparency about their AI systems, but on Thursday the absence of any explanation forced those outside the company to make their best guesses.
"Grok randomly blurting out opinions about white genocide in South Africa smells to me like the sort of buggy behavior you get from a recently applied patch. I sure hope it isn't. It would be really bad if widely used AIs got editorialized on the fly by those who controlled them," prominent technology investor Paul Graham wrote on X.
Last week, the Trump administration announced a multibillion-dollar plan to overhaul an air traffic control system that relies on antiquated equipment. Air travel is safe even if the air traffic control system is old, but the problems in Newark were unacceptable and could have been prevented if the system had been upgraded sooner, said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a Thursday op-ed in Newsweek. The Newark airport has generally led the nation in flight cancellations and delays ever since both radar and communications went out on April 28 and again on May 9. A third similar problem happened Sunday, but that time the backup system worked and kept radar online.
Graham's post brought what appeared to be a sarcastic response from Musk's rival, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. "There are many ways this could have happened. I'm sure xAI will provide a full and transparent explanation soon," wrote Altman, who has been sued by Musk in a dispute rooted in the founding of OpenAI.
Some asked Grok itself to explain, but like other chatbots, it is prone to falsehoods known as hallucinations, making it hard to determine if it was making things up.
Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump, has regularly accused South Africa's Black-led government of being anti-white and has repeated a claim that some of the country's political figures are "actively promoting white genocide."
Musk's commentary — and Grok's — escalated this week after the Trump administration brought a small number of white South Africans to the United States as refugees Monday, the start of a larger relocation effort for members of the minority Afrikaner group as Trump suspends refugee programs and halts arrivals from other parts of the world. Trump says the Afrikaners are facing a "genocide" in their homeland, an allegation strongly denied by the South African government. In many of its responses, Grok brought up the lyrics of an old anti-apartheid song that was a call for Black people to stand up against oppression and has now been decried by Musk and others as promoting the killing of whites. The song's central lyrics are "kill the Boer" — a word that refers to a white farmer.
THIS image from the xAI website shows a search field for the artificial intelligence chatbot Grok on Thursday, May 5, 2025. Photo:AP
Wall Street drifts back within 4% of its record after the S&P 500 notches a 4th straight gain
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
MOST U.S. stocks drifted higher in quiet trading Thursday following a jumble of mixedreports that offered little clarity on how the U.S. economy is managing through President Donald Trump's trade war.
The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, enough to extend its winning streak to a fourth day and to pull within 3.7% of its all-time high set earlier this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 271 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2%.
Stocks got a lift from easing Treasury yields in the bond market. They fell after the economic reports suggested the Federal Reserve may have more room to cut interest rates later this year to bolster the U.S. economy if it weakens under the weight of high tariffs.
But the reports did little to spell out whether the economy is falling toward a recession, as many investors had been fearing, or shaking off the uncertainty after Trump called off many
of his tariffs temporarily. The headliner reports said shoppers spent less at U.S. retailers last month than expected, while inflation was better at the wholesale level than economists forecast. Other updates said U.S. manufacturing looks like it's still contracting but fewer U.S. workers are applying for unemployment benefits than expected. Even though China and the United States recently agreed on a 90-day standdown for many of their tariffs, "the trade story isn't over, and it's still going to take time for tariffs to make themselves felt in economic data," according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Such uncertainty showed itself in Walmart's stock, which slipped 0.5% even though it reported a bigger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Like other U.S. companies struggling through Trump's on-again-off-again rollout of tariffs, Walmart said it decided not to offer a forecast for how much profit it will make in the current quarter.
Chief Financial Officer
John David Rainey pointed to "the range of near-term outcomes being exceedingly wide and difficult to predict," though the company did say it expects sales to grow between 3.5% and 4.5%, not including the swings that shifting values of foreign currencies can bring.
The nation's largest retailer also said that it must raise prices due to higher costs caused by Trump's tariffs.
Equipment maker Deere said it's seeing "nearterm market challenges" and called the situation
"dynamic," as many other companies have. It lowered the bottom end of its forecasted range of profit for the full year. But Deere's stock nevertheless rose 3.8% after it reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
Cisco Systems was another winner and rose 4.8% after the tech giant likewise topped expectations for profit. Analysts said they're optimistic about Cisco's artificial-intelligence prospects.
Elsewhere on Wall Street, Dick's Sporting Goods tumbled 14.6% after it said
TRADERS JONATHAN MUELLER, right, and Michael Capolino work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
it would buy the struggling Foot Locker chain for $2.4 billion. Dick's also said that it made a better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
Foot Locker soared 85.7% after coming into the day with a loss of nearly 41% for the year so far. All told, the S&P 500 rose 24.35 points to 5,916.93. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 271.69 to 42,322.75, and the Nasdaq composite fell 34.49 to 19,112.32. In the oil market, crude prices sank roughly 2% on expectations that more petroleum could be set to flow into global markets because of a possible deal between the United States and Iran over that country's nuclear program. Such a deal could help ease sanctions against Iran, which is a major producer of oil.
Elsewhere, China moved to reverse some of its "nontariff" measures against the U.S. as agreed with Washington in their temporary trade war truce, while
demanding that the U.S. side "immediately correct its wrong practices."
A Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson accused the Trump administration of violating world trade rules by announcing that use of Ascend computer chips made by China's Huawei Technologies violates U.S. export controls.
Stock indexes fell 0.8% in Hong Kong and 0.7% in Shanghai, while indexes were mixed elsewhere in Asia and Europe. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.44% from 4.53% late Wednesday. Falling bond yields can encourage investors to pay higher prices for stocks and other investments.
The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, dropped to 3.96% from 4.05% as traders built bets that the Fed will resume cutting its main interest rate as soon as September.
