AROUND DA ISLANDS
PINTARD CALLED OUT
ON CARTWRIGHT SNUB
ORG chief taking Davis promise of transparency ‘with grain of salt’
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
Reporter
Miller: FNM leader’s treatment of party’s deputy leader ‘spiteful’ and ‘mean-spirited’
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Cabinet minister Leslie Miller accused Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard of being “mean-spirited” and “spiteful” yesterday, questioning why the opposition leader did not appoint deputy leader Shannedon Cartwright to the Senate after the FNM’s bruising general election defeat.
Mr Pintard, who retained his Marco City seat, appointed four senators after the May 12 election: former NBA player Rick Fox, attorneys Elsworth Johnson and Arinthia Komolafe, and Dr Trevor Johnson. Mr Cartwright, who lost to Progressive Liberal Party candidate Owen Wells in the newly created St James constituency, was not among them.
Campbell waits for own survey on overfished marine species
Matt Aubry, executive director of the Organization for
A KEY governance reformer said yesterday he is treating the Davis administration’s renewed promises on transparency with “a little grain of salt”, warning that the upcoming budget will show whether the government is serious about long-delayed reforms or merely repeating pledges it failed to deliver in its frst term.
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell said the government will wait for its own fsheries survey before deciding how to respond to a peer-reviewed study
Walker denies lack of trust in Bahamian govt
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
US Ambassador Herschel Walker denied yesterday that the redaction of a Bahamian politician’s name from a US court fling refected a lack of trust in the Bahamian government. “It is strange because things like that happen,
people are so surprised by it,” he said. “But you know, I think things that just happen and sometimes people just don't understand the reason why. I don't think no one understood the reason why.”
Asked whether he believes The Bahamas is doing enough locally to
warning that several commercially important marine species in The Bahamas are overfshed.
Mr Campbell told reporters during a community farming event that his ministry had read the Perry Institute for Marine Science
FNM leader Michael Pintard speaks during a press conference in 2024 as deputy leader Shannendon Cartwright looks on.
SNUB - SEE PAGE FIVE
ORG DIRECTOR MATT AUBRY
Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Jomo Campbell.
Royal Caribbean backs new farm to boost food security
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
A COMMUNITY farm
backed by Royal Caribbean and the Ministry of Agriculture ofcially opened in Centreville yesterday, with organisers saying the project is aimed at helping residents facing food insecurity while pushing The Bahamas toward greater food self-sufciency.
The Centreville Community Farm was launched during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by government ofcials, community leaders and Royal Caribbean executives.
The Royal Caribbean Group Foundation contributed $75,000 to the project, including $50,000 for development and $25,000 for maintenance. Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell also announced that his ministry would provide a $10,000 grant and $5,000 in vouchers through its fsh and farm store to help purchase agricultural equipment.
Agricultural Development Organization
president Philip Smith said the Centreville farm is the ffth opened under a wider plan to establish community farms in all 41 constituencies.
According to ADO, 70 percent of the produce grown at the farm will be distributed to residents in need in the community, while the remaining 30 percent will be sold to restaurants to help sustain the operation.
Mr Smith said the initiative was shaped by his 15 years operating the Bahamas Feeding Network, which he said distributes more than 5,000 meals weekly and regularly encounters people struggling to get food.
He said the goal is to create a more sustainable feeding network while encouraging Bahamians to rely more on locally grown produce.
Mr Smith also praised Royal Caribbean’s support for hunger relief initiatives, recalling previous donations made through the Bahamas Feeding Network.
“I remember one time we received two 40-foot
containers of frozen meat,” he said. “It’s just been amazing.”
Royal Caribbean Bahamas president Philip Simon said the company saw the farm as an investment in community resilience and long-term food security.
He said agriculture and sustainability projects have become more important as countries face growing concerns about food security. He said the project could also help younger Bahamians reconnect with
farming and community development.
“At one point in our national story, farming and fshing were simply a way of life,” Mr Simon said. “Families understood the value of working the land, growing food, and being able to provide not only for themselves but for others as well.”
“So today we hope that we are planting seeds not only in the soil but in the minds of young people who may one day become farmers, entrepreneurs and leaders in our communities.”
Mr Campbell said the farm represents a step toward self-sufciency, education and national development.
“We are planting hope, self-sufciency, education and sustainability for generations to come,” Mr Campbell said.
He said the farm would give families and young people a space to learn about agriculture while improving access to fresh produce in the community.
MINISTER of Agriculture and Marine Resources and MP for Centreville Jomo Campbell opened a community farm opn Fritz Lane yesterday. Attending were Royal Caribbean Bahamas president Philip Simon, Agriculture Development Organization president Philip Smith and other officials.
Photos: Nikia Charlton
Ministry wants its own facts on overfishing
report, which found that 11 of 12 assessed species were overfshed to some degree. Nassau grouper and yellowfn grouper were classifed as “grossly overfshed”.
“I can say that the Department of Marine Resources, under the leadership of Acting Director Dr Gittens, we are also conducting our own survey, and so once we fnd out that we have that report, and we can juxtapose both against each other with the input of persons from the industry, then we will be moving forward with an action plan.”
He said the ministry would respond to the fndings “in short order”.
The study, released this week by the Perry Institute for Marine Science, reconstructed 73 years of catch data from 1950 to 2022 and concluded that queen conch, Caribbean spiny lobster, black grouper, Nassau grouper and other species were overfshed.
Researchers found yellowfn grouper was at 40 percent of the biomass needed to support sustainable harvest levels, while Nassau grouper stood at 49 percent.
Despite those fndings, Mr
Campbell stopped short of accepting the report’s conclusions. Asked whether there was concern future generations may no longer be able to enjoy some traditional Bahamian seafood species, he said: “Well, that was one report.”
“What we frst have to establish based on our fndings is in fact whether there is overfshing and in what sectors, as you know, it related to both the spiny lobster, conch and also fsh Nassau grouper in particular, and so we want to get all the data, so we can have science-based driven facts to put to the nation,” he said.
The PIMS study warned that declining grouper and snapper populations threaten domestic food security and local seafood supply chains, describing the species as the “backbone” of the country’s seafood market.
The organisation also said it intended to share its fndings with the Department of Marine Resources and fsheries management working groups as the government reviews revisions to national fsheries regulations.
Asked about the Golden Yolk initiative, Mr Campbell said another media tour of the project was expected within weeks.
US PRESIDENT UNCERTAIN WHETHER HE WILL ATTEND TRUMP JR’S BAHAMAS WEDDING
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has not ruled out travelling to The Bahamas for his son’s wedding on a private island this weekend, expressing uncertainty due to ongoing tensions from the Middle East war along with other pressing matters.
US Ambassador downplays redaction of politician’s
name in drug probe
combat corruption tied to narcotics trafcking, Mr Walker pointed to continued cooperation between the two countries.
“The Bahamas and the US, we’re working together. I think this is a combined efort,” he said.
His comments come after a US Drug Enforcement Administration afdavit tied to the arrest of convicted cocaine smuggler Jonathan “Player” Gardiner intensifed scrutiny of the relationship between US investigators and Bahamian authorities.
According to international reports, President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, is set to marry his partner, model Bettina Anderson, in a small, private ceremony, although the exact island location has not been disclosed.
about the wedding, the president appeared to confrm the event but was non-committal about his attendance.
When asked by reporters
"He'd like me to go," President Trump said. “But it's going to be just a small, little private afair and I'm going to try and make it."
Trump threatens US military intervention against Cuba
WASHINGTON Associated Press
P RESIDENT
Donald Trump and America’s top diplomat on Thursday again raised the specter of US military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that takes on greater weight a day after the administration announced criminal charges against the island’s former leader, Raúl Castro.
Trump said previous US presidents have considered intervening in Cuba for decades but that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.”
“Other presidents have looked at this for 50, 60 years, doing something,” Trump told reporters when asked about Cuba during an environmental event in the Oval Office.
“And, it looks like I’ll be the one that does it. So, I would be happy to do it.”
The afdavit detailed an undercover DEA investigation in The Bahamas and suggested that US authorities kept the government and local law enforcement out of a three-year narcotics probe that relied heavily on undercover “co-operating sources” operating on Bahamian soil.
Bahamian law enforcement to facilitate a $2m cocaine trafcking scheme into the United States.
redacted the name in the filing.
The latest DEA afdavit went further, alleging that the politician met inside a Bahamian Parliament building with people he believed were involved in drug trafcking.
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who has long taken a hardline against Cuba’s socialist leadership, said the Trump administration wants to resolve differences with Cuba peacefully but is doubtful the U.S. can reach a diplomatic resolution with the island’s current government.
Trump’s “preference is always a negotiated agreement that’s peaceful. That’s always our preference. That remains our preference with Cuba,” Rubio said in Miami before boarding a plane to attend a NATO meeting in Sweden and then visit India.
“I’m just being honest with you, you know, the likelihood of that happening, given who we’re dealing with right now, is
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters separately that Cuba has been a national security threat for years because of its ties to US adversaries and that Trump is intent on addressing it.
not high,” he said.
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday unveiled an indictment that accuses Castro of ordering the shootdown in 1996 of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles. The charges, which were secretly filed by a grand jury in April, included murder and destruction of an airplane.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has condemned the indictment as a political stunt that sought only to “justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.”
The Castro indictment has led many to believe that the Trump administration is following the same playbook it did when it captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation in early January. Maduro, who has been imprisoned in the U.S. since his seizure, faces federal drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.
The document alleged that an unnamed Bahamian politician met inside a Parliament building in October 2024 with an undercover DEA source and a pilot to discuss a cocaine shipment reportedly worth $30m. The politician is the same unnamed fgure referenced in a November 2024 indictment issued by the US Southern District of New York.
That indictment alleged that the unnamed politician was expected to authorise
The court filing also said Gardiner was allegedly carrying $30,000 in Bahamian currency after being rescued from a plane crash on Election Day. The money was reportedly found in an envelope labelled with the handwritten name of a politician, but US prosecutors
The redactions have fuelled intense speculation and renewed pressure on the government to address its ties to Gardiner. The Office of the Prime Minister said this week that the government had received no official information identifying any public official in relation to the matter and would again ask US authorities for information. The government has said any wrongdoing that is established will be dealt with without fear or favour.
AGRICULTURE AND MARINE RESOURCES MINISTER JOMO CAMPBELL
STUDY from page one
TRUST from page one
US AMBASSADOR HERSCHEL WALKER
PRESIDENT Donald Trump walks off Air Force One, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, on arrival to Groton-New London Airport, in Groton, Conneticut, en route to speak at the US Coast Guard Academy commencement. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Reformer questions govt’s renewed transparency pledges
Responsible Governance, was responding to the administration’s second-term agenda, read by Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt during Wednesday’s Speech from the Throne.
The speech revived several accountability promises the Davis administration made during its frst term, including full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act and the Independent Commission of Investigations. Both pieces of legislation have been passed in Parliament but have not been fully enacted. They remain underfunded.
Mr Aubry said he was not moved by the promises, noting that successive governments have made similar commitments without following through. He said the budget debate will be a critical test of whether the government intends to fund the full scope of reform or focus on only one piece of implementation.
specifcally now going to be designated to just providing training for public public ofcers across the governments, that may not be the most efective use in terms of moving it forward,” he said.
Mr Aubry said an implementation plan has already been drafted for the Freedom of Information Act, recommending a pilot programme involving about ten agencies. He said that approach would allow systems, technology, regulations and staf training to be developed and tested before the act is fully rolled out.
He described the plan as the “blueprint” for advancing the act, saying the reforms should be carried out in a coordinated way rather than treated as a series of disconnected steps. He said trained ofcers will not be enough if the technology, regulations and systems needed to process information requests efciently are not also in place.
part of this will be worked on whereas the rest of these things need to be in place for Bahamians to be able to utilise and enjoy what a Freedom of Information Act is when it comes forward,” he said.
Mr Aubry also pointed to the lack of updates on the Ombudsman Bill, the Public Disclosure Act and campaign fnance reform, which he described as critical pieces of legislation.
He said observer missions have repeatedly raised concerns about the absence of campaign fnance laws in The Bahamas.
“I mean Commonwealth very specifcally pointed to this opportunity that comes with fnancial reform that makes sure that folks believe and understand how monies are used and understand the interests that are represented in these types of campaigns,” he said.
BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter
THE Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said classes are
“If there’s a higher budget line item that is
“That also ensures a commitment that we want people to believe that their voice can matter as much as somebody who maybe is putting, you know, a certain amount of money into a campaign.” ORG from page one
“So saying it is one thing but committing to and mentioning one specifc part might be a process of indicating that only one
CLASSES TO RESUME TUESDAY AFTER SCHOOL SCABIES OUTBREAK
expected to resume next Tuesday at the Harbour Island All-Age School in Eleuthera, following a brief suspension earlier this week after six cases of scabies were confrmed.
According to Dominique Russell, director of education, the outbreak was confned to a cohort of Grade two students at the school. She reported that no additional cases have been
identifed at this time.
“It is only that one Grade 2,” she said, adding that the children involved had already been screened and were expected to return next week.
On Tuesday, the Ministry, in consultation with the Eleuthera District Ofce, school administration, local health authorities, and the Department of Environmental Health Services, confrmed the outbreak and noted that a series of containment measures were undertaken.
In addition to the suspension of classes for the entire Grade 2 cohort, deep cleaning and disinfection was carried out in the afected classrooms, and fogging of the campus was initiated.
Screening of the Grade 2 students was conducted at a local clinic, and meetings were held with parents, staf, and union representatives.
In the statement issued, the Ministry emphasized that the measures were designed to protect students, staf, and the wider school community while ensuring continuity of education where possible.
When contacted on Thursday for an update, Ms Russell said teachers were very concerned about the
situation.
“The response was swift once the cases were identifed and the district superintendent immediately coordinated with health ofcials, ensuring that clinic staf visited the school and that afected students were screened” she stated. She confrmed that health ofcials also conducted contact tracing as part of the investigation.
Ms Russell stated that proper communication was initiated immediately with parents and staf to address any concerns.
“Parents responded quickly once informed, ensuring children were screened without delay, and that educators had expressed understandable concern about possible spread within the school.
“Everybody was concerned… and so they wanted to know if they were safe,” she said, noting that health authorities were actively involved in ensuring safety protocols were followed.
On additional precautions moving forward, Ms Russell said the school had reinforced hygiene education among students, and talks about scabies
awareness and transmission.
“There were conversations with students in terms of hygiene and cleanliness,” she explained, describing the response as an “educational moment” to ensure students better understand prevention practices. She added that while daily cleaning is routine, deeper cleaning protocols would now be implemented more frequently.
Ms Russell also clarifed that the school does not have a resident nurse on campus, but that a local clinic serves as the primary point for student screening and medical follow-up.
The Ministry has assured parents and the public that all necessary steps are being taken to maintain a safe learning environment and that operations for the affected Grade 2 class are expected to resume shortly.
• Scabies is a highly contagious skin infestation caused by the microscopic human itch mite. The mites burrow into the upper layer of the skin to live, feed, and lay eggs, causing an allergic reaction that results in intense itching and a pimple-like rash.
Miller accuses Pintard of being ‘mean-spirited’ over Senate snub
The decision has drawn criticism from some who see it as an attempt to sideline Mr Cartwright.
Mr Miller said Mr Pintard’s decision raised questions about his leadership and treatment of senior fgures in his party.
“I just see the leader of opposition as a mean-spirited person on his actions as leader to FNM, has proven that over and over and over again,” Mr Miller said.
Mr Cartwright represented St Barnabas from May 10, 2017, until the 2026 general election. The FNM won only eight seats in the election.
Mr Miller said Mr Cartwright never told him he wanted a Senate appointment, but he believes the former MP would have accepted one.
Mr Miller also pointed to former Minnis administration ministers Desmond Bannister and Renward Wells, whom he believes were treated unfairly. He alleged that Mr Pintard pushed to remove them from frontline politics.
The Tribune asked Mr Pintard why he did not appoint Mr Cartwright to the Senate, but he declined to comment.
Mr Cartwright did not respond to The Tribune’s requests for comment up to press time. SNUB from page one
BTVI to ask public to help fund $250m mega campus
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute unveiled a master plan yesterday for a proposed new 20-acre campus, but officials said the final price tag is still being calculated as the institution prepares to ask Bahamians and the private sector to help fund the project.
Elvin Taylor, BTVI’s chairman, said the campus would be a “very expensive exercise”, with preliminary estimates ranging from $180m to $250m.
“Different technical institutions around the world have costs differently,” Mr Taylor said. “I would assume when it's all said and done, 180, 100, 250 million is going to cost, we still calculating the cost. We're not there yet, but every Bahamian is going to be asked to participate, whether it's $20 a month, $100 a month, everyone is going to be expected to contribute.”
The master plan was unveiled by Kevin Basden as United States Ambassador Herschel Walker paid a courtesy call to BTVI’s New Providence campus off Old Trail Road.
Officials said the proposed campus would include a courtyard
and spaces designed to enhance student life, including athletic and social activities. The conceptual designs were developed after consultations with internal and external stakeholders, including faculty and students.
Mr Taylor said BTVI is preparing to launch a capital campaign and will look beyond government funding to finance the project.
“What we want to say, as well as we look forward to this brand new campus, is that we're about to launch a capital campaign and so, in terms of funding from government, we're also going to be looking to the private sector,” he said. “There's also opportunities as we look at this partnership and relationship with the US, perhaps some concessionary financing to assist with the infrastructure, tools, equipment, etc.”
BTVI president Dr Keyshan Bastian said the institution wants to strengthen technical and vocational education pathways, including programmes that allow students to move directly from high school into tertiary-level technical training.
“BTVI is the premier technical institution in the country for career and technical education training. We want to be branded and seen as such.
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We want to have programmes in country that allow high school students to matriculate from high school into a tertiary programme where they see the value of going into career and technical education and not competing with an academic programme” she said.
“We want parents to recognise in the paradigm shift to take place where parents recognise that career and technical education is a viable option with viable injections with careers that have viable income and sustainability, and so we can attract those students very early on and bring them into the program very early into high school.”
“We keep them here, we build a model that sustains the country, but can be mirrored example and branded to take into international areas, international communities, and so that's the combined vision.”
Dr Bastian said career and technical education accounts for about 70 percent of the nation’s graduates. She said BTVI currently offers 35 active programmes and expects about 500 graduates this summer.
Mr Taylor compared BTVI’s ambitions to the former Bahamas Hotel Training College, which trained hospitality students from across the Caribbean. He said BTVI
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has the opportunity to play a similar regional role in technical education, comparing its potential impact to the University of the West Indies’ role in academics.
Ambassador Walker said the United States Embassy has worked with BTVI for years and wants to make it easier for Bahamian students to study in the US.
“We're happy at the embassy to have joined forces here with BTVI for many years, because we can help to make it easy for all the Bahamian kids that are thinking about studying in the US because that's one thing we want to do is make it easy,” he said.
“We're family, so what we have to do is make things easier, and we thank you for what you're doing, and we can see that you're making progress in doing this here, having a new campus and doing the things that you do and we want to help, and how we can help is continue to join forces.”
He noted an October college and university fair and efforts to reach students in the Family Islands.
Mr Walker also sought to ease concerns about US restrictions affecting different countries.
"People see what's
happening in Trump administration and they just assume things are difficult, but it's really not,” he said. “Things are very simple, you know. One of the first agenda that President Trump said is keeping America safe, and you know, people think when I came to The Bahamas I'm just looking to keep America safe, but if I keep America safe, I got to keep the Bahamians safe as well so this goes together.”
“That’s the reason we got a new embassy, and that's the reason we have Education USA. We want people to come, the kids to come and learn how to make it easier to go to the US. That's going to make things a little bit easier, and I think that's the problem. People just assume that countries are open up -– they’re not. Come and let and find the reason how we can make it easier for you to come to the US.”
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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.
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FNM must rebuild from grassroots
THE opening of Parliament may have put the spotlight on the PLP and the second administration of Prime Minister Philip Davis – but over on the other side of the House of Assembly, the FNM has plenty of questions of its own to answer about its future.
Answers may yet be in short supply for the FNM as it begins the process of understanding why it failed to appeal enough to the electorate to earn the votes it would take to win ofce.
For now, there are certain things that are clear.
The party has fnally parted ways completely with former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. After years of clashes within the party, the infghting involving Dr Minnis is gone.
Equally, we know that the party has decided to stick with Michael Pintard as the party leader – for now.
The party went into the election with Shanendon Cartwright as its deputy leader. He moved constituencies in a bid to win a seat, only to lose to freshman MP Owen Wells. He has also now not been given a post as senator for the party – which puts an obvious question mark over his future role in the party. It is hard to be a deputy leader without a voice in either the House or the Senate.
The party also went into the election with Dr Duane Sands as its chairman. He too had moved constituencies, having previously been the MP for Elizabeth from 2017-21, to take on the incumbent candidate in Bamboo Town, Patricia Deveaux, and also losing.
Simply put, the leader presided over a defeat – having also previously lost two by-elections, while his deputy and his chairman are gone from the front line of politics entirely.
That alone shows that the party is going to have to go through the process of determining its future path – and that means calling a convention and determining its leadership.
In the FNM’s favour, it does not need to win an election tomorrow. It needs to put itself into a position where it can win an election fve years from now.
In the negative column for the party, it now has the Coalition of Independents (COI) snapping at its heels. The COI did not win a seat – but it did increase its share of the national vote, and its leader, Lincoln Bain, at one point looked like he might be on the way to winning in Pinewood. The FNM fnished in third place in Pinewood.
One ally of Dr Minnis, Desmond Bannister, who previously said he would be on the frontline to support Dr Minnis if he ran for leader amid the party’s infghting, has called for Mr Pintard to resign after the election defeat.
The party’s secretary general, Serfent Rolle, had a level-headed response to that, saying: “People want blood all the time because they like drama, and it’s all that. But nobody can die for that. It will happen. There will ultimately be a convention.”
Mr Pintard, meanwhile, has also said that he believes in conventions, saying he was “absolutely committed” to the convention process.
If Mr Pintard did resign, the line-up in the House of Assembly is short of experience. Only Adrian White and Kwasi Thompson remain from the last term, while there are new faces in J Leo Ferguson, Lincoln Deal, Frazette Gibson and Michela Barnett-Ellis. Dr Andre Rollins has previously served in the House – and made an early impression by heckling the PLP’s Kingsley Smith during his swearing-in and answering back to comments in the House from JoBeth Coleby-Davis.
Over in the Senate, Mr Pintard has appointed Elsworth Johnson, Rick Fox and Arinthia Komolafe, who all lost at the polls in the election, and Trevor Johnson.
If Mr Pintard is not the leader, which of those would lead in his place? If Mr Pintard resigned his seat, traditionally by-elections go the way of the party in government, so there would be no guarantee any replacement candidate would add an extra face to the House.
More than that, the party needs to look more deeply than simply changing the person at the top.
At the ground level, the party was unable to drive people to the polls to vote in their favour. There is a disconnect. That is the bigger issue beyond simply who is at the top.
So as the party settles into its new term in Opposition, the question will be as much about the grassroots of the party as it will be about the top end.
Party member Carlyle Bethel has talked of the need for restructuring, renewal and an end to internal strife. He is right.
Why does this matter to the rest of us?
Well, any democracy is best served when it has strong opposition. If the FNM aspires to be that, it has to think seriously about how it got here.
By the time of the next election – if all goes according to the likely timetable –the party will have been out of power for a decade. If experience is in short supply now, it will not get any easier.
A convention is inevitable – but it is not a be-all and end-all to cure the party’s ills.
The party must not be in a rush to answer questions, but to ask those questions themselves internally. A failure to learn from its mistakes will see the party risk a prolonged period in the political wilderness.
Mourning the death of a nation’s integrity
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I WRITE as a concerned citizen and former student of philosophy, refecting on a course I took years ago in college—Legal Positivism and the Rule of Law.
At the time, the concepts seemed abstract, confned to textbooks and the writings of Hart and Kelsen. But today, as I watch the steady unraveling of accountable governance in The Bahamas, I realise that my professor was trying to teach us something painfully practical: a legal system without ofcial fdelity to enforcement is no legal system at all. It is a stage play. And we, the Bahamian people, have been watching the same tragic act for nearly three decades.
Let me be direct. Since the administration of Hubert Ingraham, we have witnessed a spiral into what I can only describe as performative accountability.
Say what you will about Mr Ingraham—he was abrasive, confrontational, and often polarising. But he ofered a promise that, for a time, he kept: “I mean what I say, and say what I mean.”
When a minister in his government acted rogue, the public saw immediate action. Revelations led to consequences, not commissions. That clarity did not make his administration perfect, but it made it legible. The law meant something, and the chief executive enforced it. Since he left ofce, that legibility has vanished.
The successive administrations of Perry Christie (PLP), Hubert Minnis (FNM), and now Philip Davis (PLP) have each campaigned on platforms of accountability. Each promised independent investigations into corruption. And each has failed—utterly failed—to produce a single meaningful prosecution of their own friends, family, supporters, or party fnanciers.
Instead, we have watched a phenomenon become normalized: the promise of an investigation, followed by a press conference, followed by a shelved report, followed by silence. The loophole has become the operating system of Bahamian governance.
From my philosophy course, I recall HLA Hart’s concept of the rule of recognition—the shared acceptance by ofcials of what makes a law valid. Under Ingraham, that rule included the expectation that clear legal violations would be enforced, even against the powerful. Today, the rule
has been replaced by a cynical alternative: the law is valid only when we choose to enforce it, and enforcement is a political favor, never a duty. This is not “rule of law”. It is “rule by law” —the use of legal forms to shield wrongdoing, not constrain it.
The most alarming evidence has come from a US federal court, where revelations emerged that sitting Bahamian ministers and their associates were conducting illegal fnancial operations to the detriment of our country—reportedly from within the very chambers of the House of Assembly.
Even more disturbingly, the same pattern extended into the last general election: government cofers and funds from undisclosed individuals allegedly used to sway election results. This is not a gray area of policy disagreement. This is the bright red line of criminality. And the Davis administration’s response? False narratives, defection, and the same promise of “looking into it” that we have heard from Christie and Minnis before. How can anyone expect this administration to change? Within less than a week of the US court revelations, we have already witnessed multiple breaches of stated commitments and a systematic efort to distract from the failure to follow the law. This is not a new corruption. It is the same old phenomenon, merely wearing a new face. The PLP perfected the art of non-accountability under Christie. The FNM under Minnis copied it faithfully. And now the Davis administration has raised it to an art form.
The consequence for the Bahamian electorate has been predictable and tragic. Voter turnout is declining— not because we are apathetic, but because we have made a rational calculation that participation changes nothing. The system is perceived as a closed loop: politicians enrich themselves, allies remain immune, and we are asked to choose between two brands of the same impunity. Into this vacuum steps a populist fgure, Mr Bain. His rhetoric resonates precisely because he promises what Ingraham once delivered: directness, consequence, and a rupture with the corrupt status quo. He ofers bold
solutions that speak to our frustration.
But here is the painful irony—and my philosophy course taught me to notice this. Mr Bain himself has already practiced the same legal positivism he condemns. In his own run-ins with the law—failure to comply with the courts requirements, public disputes over legal obligations—he has adopted the identical posture: exploiting procedural gaps, refusing accountability, and masking non-compliance as legitimate interpretation.
His economic proposals, while emotionally compelling, are neither feasible nor practical. He ofers the language of accountability without its substance. He is not the cure; he is the populist mirror of our disease.
So where do we stand?
The Davis administration has shown, in less than a week of fresh breaches, that genuine change is beyond its will. The Minnis administration proved no better. The Christie administration set the template. And Mr Bain, even before attaining ofce, has already absorbed the same cynical logic.
My professor once said that a legal system remains valid only so long as it is broadly efective—so long as ofcials and citizens actually comply.
By that measure, The Bahamas has crossed a threshold. The political class no longer complies. And the electorate sees it. To expect the Davis administration to suddenly investigate its own ministers, return illicit funds, or allow prosecution of its fnanciers would require a political miracle. And miracles, by defnition, do not arrive on the heels of a week flled with fresh breaches and false narratives.
I write this letter not with hope, but with clarity. The abyss is real. The question is whether Bahamian democracy will hit bottom before a new, genuinely accountable politics can emerge from the wreckage—or whether we will continue to elect diferent faces who recite the same empty promises. I took a philosophy course to learn how to think. I did not expect it to teach me how to mourn the death of a nation’s integrity. Yours in frustration and sober refection.
RABBI COMMON ZENSE
Freeport, Grand Bahama May 21, 2026.
PLP faces early test
EDITOR, The Tribune.
ON Tuesday May 12, 2026, the Progressive Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Philip Davis won the general election in The Bahamas in convincing fashion defeating the opposition Free National Movement and securing 33 seats in Parliament. The Prime Minister and his team are to be congratulated for running a disciplined campaign and for achieving an overwhelming majority.
Unfortunately, the Progressive Liberal Party’s victory has been overshadowed by reports in the local and international press regarding the rescue and arrest of a Bahamian suspected of trafcking cocaine through The Bahamas. It is also reported that the individual was reportedly carrying $30,000 in cash packed inside an envelope labeled with the name of a Bahamian politician. The revelation immediately sparked public speculation as Bahamians questioned the identity of “Politician 1”, while the Opposition called for a full investigation into the matter. Calls for an investigation intensifed following claims by DEA Special Agent Michael Coleman that an unidentifed “high-ranking Bahamian politician” met with the suspected drug trafcker and a DEA informant inside the halls of the
Bahamian Parliament in October 2024. These allegations have once again cast a stain on the reputation of The Bahamas and revived memories of a dark period in our history that damaged the nation’s social fabric. Given the seriousness of these allegations, it behooves the Prime Minister to act swiftly to repair any damage done to the country’s reputation by ensuring there is a full, open and transparent investigation and that anyone found guilty of wrongdoing is punished to the fullest extent of the law. It is concerning that the United States authorities appear to know more about what is happening in The Bahamas than our own government and law enforcement ofcials. This matter warrants more than a simple press release from the Prime Minister, as Bahamians are demanding decisive action. In addition to these allegations, the opening of parliament has also been overshadowed by calls from The Bahamas Christian Council for the Prime Minister to reconsider the appointments of two Cabinet Ministers with longstanding ties to the gaming industry.
Under Section 26(2) of the Gaming Act, a person may not hold a gaming license if they are “a member of Cabinet or is a family member of such person”.
The Christian Council further highlighted the potential negative impact these appointments could have on The Bahamas’ standing with international anti-money laundering bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). This concern is particularly signifcant given that The Bahamas is scheduled to have a mutual evaluation by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) in October 2026, which will include an assessment of the gaming industry’s technical compliance and efectiveness. In the aftermath of a decisive electoral victory, the Davis administration now faces an early test of leadership and credibility. While the government has earned a renewed mandate from the Bahamian people, it must also recognize that public confdence can quickly erode if serious allegations are not addressed with urgency, transparency and accountability. At a time when The Bahamas is preparing for increased international scrutiny, the country cannot aford controversies that undermine confdence in its institutions or tarnish its international reputation. Bahamians expect not only answers, but clear action proving that the rule of law applies equally to all.
~ THE BAYMAN Nassau, May 16, 2026.
Man accused of sex with teen denied bail, claims setup
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 26-YEAR-OLD man accused of having sexual intercourse with an underaged girl last November was denied bail yesterday after claiming the allegations were part of a setup.
Prosecutors allege that Brandon Neymour had unlawful sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl in New Providence on November 8, 2025.
The complainant claims she awoke in a bedroom to fnd the accused on top of her. The defendant allegedly removed her pants, restrained her and forcefully had sex with her against her will.
Neymour was denied bail on the unlawful sexual intercourse charge by Justice Darron Ellis. Justice Ellis denied bail on the basis that there was no unreasonable delay in Neymour’s trial, that he had prior convictions and a pending frearm matter, and that he posed a risk to public safety if released due to the risk of reofending. The judge also found that there was a risk of Neymour absconding before trial. The accused has prior convictions for stealing, bail violation and assault with a dangerous instrument. Neymour denied the allegations and claimed he was a ft candidate for bail.
He submitted that he was “a victim of a setup”,
claiming that a group of people appeared to be setting up young men and attempting to extort money from them.
The prosecution argued that Neymour was not a ft candidate for bail and that the evidence against him was cogent. Prosecutors submitted that there was a recording of the accused allegedly saying sexual intercourse occurred between the pair, but that the complainant initiated it.
The prosecution also argued that, if granted bail, the accused would pose a risk to both witnesses and public safety.
Timothy Bailey appeared for the prosecution, while Donna Major represented the accused.
Pair granted bail after gun threat over parked car
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN and woman were granted bail after they allegedly threatened a man with a gun to make him move his car on Prince Charles Drive last week.
Prosecutors allege that Shaquel McKenzie, 32, and Donaca Nairn, 30, while armed with a gun, threatened Ron Fernander Sr and told him to move his gold Kia Soul after he parked behind them outside a business at 7pm on March 15.
The accused reportedly fed the scene in a white
Nissan Cube but were stopped by police on Beech Tree Avenue. Police allegedly recovered a black Springfeld Armoury Hellcat Pro 9mm pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition inside the vehicle. The accused pleaded not guilty to possession of an unlicensed frearm, possession of ammunition and possession of a frearm with intent to put another in fear before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. They elected to have the matter continue before the magistrate. Sergeant 3004 Forbes, the prosecutor, raised no objections to bail.
Nairn’s bail was set at $4,000, while McKenzie’s was set at $8,000. Each must provide one or two sureties.
McKenzie must also be ftted with a monitoring device.
Both accused were warned not to interfere with the complainant or risk having their bail revoked.
The defendants must sign in at the East Street South Police Station every Monday and Wednesday by 6pm. McKenzie must also sign in on Fridays.
The trial begins on September 11. Ian Jupp represented the accused.
Man who escaped in stolen police truck remanded
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN who allegedly escaped from custody and stole a police truck earlier this month was remanded to prison.
Prosecutors allege Aaron Virgil, also known as “Dominic Clarke”, 34, caused $1,200 worth of damage to hurricane impact windows belonging to Higrove Lightbourne and stole $3,489.95 worth of appliances from him at a construction site between May 5 and 6.
During the same incident, Virgil allegedly stole $2,477.63 worth of tools belonging to Felix Moss.
Virgil allegedly gave Police Constable 147 Varence false information to evade the law on May 6. While in police custody for the alleged theft, Virgil and an accomplice, Daniel Mott, 30, allegedly stole a 2023 Nissan Frontier police truck and escaped from the East Street South Police Station later that day. The suspects were left unattended in the back of the truck in handcufs before the escape. Mott managed to slip out of his cufs.
Mott was later arrested on Winder’s Terrace, where he resisted arrest and punched Police Constable McKinney that same day.
Virgil was arrested at a later date after a wanted poster was issued for him.
Virgil pleaded not guilty to escape from lawful custody, damage, deceit of a public ofcer, three counts of stealing and two counts of receiving before Deputy Chief Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux.
Last week, Mott was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the escape and one year for the remaining charges, to be served concurrently. Inspector K Wilkinson, the prosecutor, objected to Virgil’s bail, citing the risk to public safety. Virgil was remanded to prison and returns for trial on July 20.
Man granted $10,000 bail after Potter’s Cay marijuana seizure
A MAN accused of having $6,000 worth of marijuana was granted $10,000 bail yesterday.
Prosecutors allege that Leeland Curling, 64, conspired to possess and possessed three pounds of hydroponic marijuana on May 14. Police, with the assistance of K-9 units, reportedly found the drugs in a Blanco box among freight destined for Exuma at Potter’s Cay Dock around 10.20am. Curling pleaded not guilty to possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply before Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms.
His bail was set at $10,000 with one or more sureties. Under the terms of his bail, he must sign in at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station every Monday through Friday by 6pm. Curling’s trial begins on July 20.
Sergeant 2257 Wilkinson prosecuted the case.
Position Summary:
The Vice President, Engineering & Planning is a senior executive responsible for leading BGC’s overall engineering, system planning, and grid development strategy for the New Providence electrical network and broader system expansion initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Operations Offcer, the VP provides strategic leadership in system planning, protection and control oversight, capital development, and grid modernization. This role ensures the safety, reliability, and future ready development of BGC’s electrical infrastructure by integrating long-term planning, engineering design, operational reliability, and capital investment strategy. The VP serves as the primary technical advisor to executive leadership on system capacity, infrastructure expansion, and network resilience.
Essential Functions:
Strategic Financial Leadership
Lead the development and execution of long term system planning strategies for generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.
• Oversee load forecasting, capacity planning, and system expansion studies to ensure alignment with current and future demand growth.
• Direct preparation of integrated system expansion plans, including feeder, substation, and transmission development requirements. Identify system constraints, infrastructure gaps, and investment priorities to support reliable grid performance.
Power System Analysis & Grid Reliability
• Oversee advanced system studies including load fow, short circuit, voltage stability, contingency (N-1/N-2), and reliability assessments. Ensure engineering analysis supports safe, reliable, and effcient operation of the electrical network under normal and contingency conditions.
• Evaluate system performance under growth scenarios, DER integration, outages, and planned maintenance conditions. Provide technical direction on system resilience, reliability improvement, and risk mitigation strategies.
Capital Planning & Infrastructure Development
• Lead engineering input into capital planning, budgeting, and long-term infrastructure investment programs.
Evaluate, prioritize, and justify capital projects including substations, feeder upgrades, transmission enhancements, and system automation initiatives.
• Oversee preparation of technical justifcation reports, engineering studies, and investment business cases.
Ensure alignment between engineering requirements and fnancial planning with the Finance function.
Protection, Control & System Engineering Oversight
Provide executive oversight of Protection & Control engineering standards, philosophies, and system reliability strategies.
• Ensure protection coordination, relay settings governance, and system security compliance across the grid.
• Support root-cause analysis of system disturbances, outages, and protection mis-operations.
Oversee integration of SCADA, automation systems, and grid control technologies in coordination with IT and Communications teams.
Grid Modernization & Technology Integration
• Lead grid modernization initiatives including automation, digital substations, advanced metering infrastructure, and smart grid technologies.
• Support integration of distributed energy resources (DER), renewable energy, and energy storage systems.
• Collaborate with Cybersecurity, IT, and Operations teams to ensure secure and resilient digital grid infrastructure.
Regulatory, Stakeholder & Executive Interface
• Serve as the primary technical advisor to executive leadership on engineering, system planning, and capital investment matters.
• Support regulatory flings, technical submissions, and compliance requirements with government and regulatory agencies. Represent BGC in technical discussions with consultants, government bodies, major customers, and industry stakeholders.
Leadership & Organizational Development
Provide leadership, direction, and oversight to engineering teams, including System Planning, Protection & Control, and related technical functions.
• Mentor senior engineers and develop technical leadership capability within the organization.
• Drive a culture of accountability, safety, innovation, and engineering excellence.
• Ensure succession planning and capability development within the Engineering Division.
Operations Support & System Response
Provide engineering leadership during system disturbances, outages, storm response, and restoration activities.
• Support real time operational decision-making in coordination with Control Room and Field Operations.
• Participate in emergency response planning and system recovery initiatives as required.
Other Requirements
• Must be available for emergency response, storm restoration, and critical system events.
• Ability to travel to substations, feld sites, and operational facilities across The Bahamas.
Must Have valid Driver’s License
• Ability to work extended or irregular hours during outages or major capital projects.
• Must maintain confdentiality of sensitive system and infrastructure information.
Qualifcations:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, or a related discipline. Professional Engineer designation or equivalent professional certifcation strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 15+ years of progressive experience in power system engineering, system planning, or utility operations, including senior leadership experience.
• Proven expertise in load forecasting, system planning studies, capacity analysis, and grid reliability assessments.
Demonstrated experience developing capital improvement plans, infrastructure investment strategies, and technical planning reports within a utility environment.
What’s In It for You:
Competitive compensation and performance based incentives
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefts
• Retirement savings plan with company matching
• Generous paid time off and leave benefts
• Life and accident insurance coverage
Opportunities for professional growth and career development
• Executive leadership role shaping the future of BGC’s power system, infrastructure, and grid modernization strategy.
• Direct infuence on long term capital investment decisions and national energy reliability planning.
Opportunity to lead high impact engineering functions including system planning, protection strategy, and network development.
Eric Wiberg • Lighthouses
Great Stirrup Light, Berry Islands & survival stories
CAPTAIN Mike Burke is legendary for his bold innovations going back to the 1960s, in which he capitalised on the number of unused classic sailing vessels and tapped into a nostalgic need. He helped create a US-Caribbean market to sail on sentimental windjammers for weeks at a time "of the beaten track". Of course, all cannot be smooth sailing. Burke’s feet included the 135-foot tall ship Polynesian – the second in the Windjammer Cruises feet from Miami. In January 1966, it ran aground in the Biminis with 47 passengers. They were rescued by the US Coast Guard, which sent two helicopters, and the schooner survived being pulled from "hard aground on a reef" to sail another day.
In 1920, The Tribune carried an article advertising a boat used by Pilot 1, Captain JM Brown, sitting at Rawson Square, and a "desirable tract of land at Berry Island to the East of Lighthouse", clearly using Great Stirrup Light as a reference point. The light has arable land east of it
– at least 50 acres – and Whale Point Light has no land east of it; rather, only ocean as far as Nassau.
Great Stirrup Light is the middle of three prominent lights – Great Isaac to the west and Hole in the Wall to the east. It has red-and-white stripes around its stone tower. Constructed amid greenery and set a bit back from the coast, it stands 82 feet above sea level. Though the island is now mostly a marine preserve, the northern end is used by a cruise ship conglomerate, as a consequence of which the beaches resemble a cross between Amarillo, Texas, cattle pens and Penn Station, New York, on a Friday afternoon –many of the bipeds have a red-and-white striping pattern similar to lighthouses.
Built in 1862, Great Stirrup Light’s tower is 56 feet tall and active as a navigational aid and landmark, witnessing thousands of vessels a year go past, from cruise ships to Nassau, oil tankers in and out of Freeport, fshermen, container ships, recreational sailors, and many more. The cay is 268 acres, peopled by Lucayans at Great Stirrup Cay specifcally, and used as a base for pirates and wreckers. Settled starting in 1815, they left behind stone structures. Confederate ships anchored of the cay in the Civil War, and the US constructed a military base in the Cold War. Norwegian Cruise Line purchased Great
Stirrup Cay nearly 50 years ago and has repurposed it with a deep-water dock and the amenities its passengers pay to expect. Great Stirrup Cay and its medium-sized lighthouse have become one of the few authentic
lights – along with Ocean Cay, Paradise Island, and Eleuthera’s southernmost cape light – to be surrounded and subsumed by mass tourism. The "captive economy canned tourism" cruise ship trade built its "private island"
concept around those lights, whereas in Ocean Cay and Grand Bahama, they simply erected fake lights. The ships, dumping many thousands of sunburnt bodies at a time for a few highly regulated hours, describe the light thus: "this historic lighthouse has become a popular spot for cruise ship passengers". That’s because it’s just a short walk – and even easier to
look at than to walk to –from the beach. In 1888, a New York editorial touted how British lighthouses ended almost weekly wrecks in the islands. Some argued that "government meddled with the most flourishing industry in the colony" – wrecking. There was a lot printed which was highly uncharitable towards professional wreckers. Perhaps the tone was sharpened due to the proximity of large, well-funded American wreckers in the Florida Keys, keen for a larger share. As a consequence, it’s as difficult to confirm rumours of "moon-cussers" as of folks who damage lighthouse lights. Like the Bermuda Triangle, it's impossible to prove or disprove.
In December 1925, the steamer Orizaba rescued three men employed together from a skiff which drifted in a galeswept ocean for four days.
The skiff, owned by William Brush, was hoisted aboard the ship, and they were taken to New York from north of the Bahamas. Florida’s Indian River Press in September 1972 published an article entitled "Trimaran Shipwreck". The story is of a Vero Beach cook named Don Zook, his wife Lucille and three daughters, as well as their pet dog, cat, and even a turtle. They set off for the Bahamas aboard their 24-foot trimaran sailboat Tri-Me. Disabled, adrift, and lost after many days, lost fishermen took them ashore at Walker's Cay – the northernmost of the archipelago. Then, a USCG cutter, Cape Shoalwater, took the family back across the Gulf Stream to Fort Lauderdale.
In 1956, a message from a bottle launched in Allen’s Cay, Exuma, was found at Andros and sent to the Chalmers boy who had sent it. It was discovered at the Joulter Cays by a fisherman who thought it might have whisky. This was a happy connection for them to have made. In 1965, the Miami papers reported on how six persons were rescued on a Bahamian Cay along with a wooden dog as a pet. Hurricane Betsy shipwrecked them on their boat while the Florida physician, Dr. Robert McFall, his spouse, children, and their guest were on an ill-fated cruise. Fortunately, US Coast Guard helicopters rescued them after they were stranded on Joulter Cays, 10 miles between Andros and the Berry Islands. In 1935, twenty Bahamians, six of them women,
were plucked from the passenger boat Onward by a ship named SS Seatrain. They had drifted for a perilously long two weeks after the Onward's engine broke. Towed to Miami by a rescue boat, they were then regrettably detained. The British freighter Domira wrecked off Abaco at Great Guana Cay, after which the crew were rescued when the gale abated in September 1929. A Louisiana paper in June 1920 wrote of SS Monterey rescuing the Pauline M. Cummins, whose logwood cargo and people were taken off after the ship wrecked in the Bahamas.
In 1907, a massive schooner named Thomas W. Lawson with seven masts ran aground on the Great Bahama Bank. She had a cargo of oil. Tugs were working on getting the ship spun around and off the reef. Thomas W. Lawson was the largest sailboat afloat, had a steel hull, and was on charter to Standard Oil.
The Boston Globe of 1872 spoke of wrecks in the Bahamas of the Adelaide Baker of Britain, from which 2,500 bales of cotton were salvaged; a barque named Rhea Sylva, wrecked at Mucaras Reef in the southern Bahamas; and the schooner Bethel, which was freed from the reefs and sailed to Havana with her cargo. Fast forward to 1997, and a UK-flagged ship named Merchant Patriot was 250 miles off Canaveral and north of Grand Bahama. There, the crew were rescued by a helicopter and landed at Great Abaco.
In December 1966, a baby was born just before Christmas on remote Rum Cay, whose population was barely a few dozen. Baby Boy Smith was born under a flashlight and sailcloth. A sailor's knife was used by his skipper father to cut the umbilical cord. Captain Smith had been a legal man in the US Navy when he met his wife Ytta in Denmark. She was 27 and 11 years his junior. Together they were sailing on a 116-ton sailing brigantine named Laila. After wrecking with two companions, they grabbed what food they could, and because of Ytta’s condition, had to stay put ten miles from Port Nelson. Cans of beans and rice are all they had. After five days, the child was born. They managed to boil the last gallon of water to sterilise the birth and cut the cord. Then, 24 hours later, a BASRA unit managed to find and rescue them.
GREAT STIRRUP LIGHT Berry Islands, The Bahamas.
Source: Bahamas Tourism Board
Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits launches exclusive Buffalo Trace bourbon
JIMMY’S Wines & Spirits (JWS) continues to elevate its premium spirits portfolio with the exclusive launch of a hand-selected single barrel of Bufalo Trace Bourbon, marking another milestone in the company’s commitment to bringing world-class brands and unique experiences to Bahamian consumers.
The speciality barrel, flled on February 24, 2017, was personally selected on April 25, 2025, and bottled on August 25, 2025, giving it a precise age of 8 years and 7 months. As part of Buffalo Trace’s exclusive single barrel program, the selection was sealed with the Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits logo, making each bottle a rare and collectable item available only through JWS.
The ofcial launch took place in April at Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits East Bay Street location, where guests were treated to an intimate and immersive bourbon experience. The event featured special guest George Puyana, the Caribbean Brand Ambassador for Bufalo Trace, who guided attendees through the rich heritage of the distillery and the unique characteristics of the selected barrel.
Puyana engaged guests with insights into the legacy of Bufalo Trace, widely regarded as the oldest operating distillery in the United States, with roots dating back over 200 years. Known for producing some of the world’s most respected bourbons, the distillery has maintained its reputation
through generations, even continuing operations during Prohibition under a special license to produce “medicinal whiskey”. Its long-standing commitment to craftsmanship and innovation has made it a benchmark in the global spirits industry. During the event, guests enjoyed a curated tasting experience, sampling not only the exclusive Jimmy's Wines & Spirits’ single barrel but also a selection of standout bourbons from the Sazerac portfolio, including Eagle Rare, Sazerac Rye, and Small Batch 1792. Attendees were given the opportunity to purchase their own bottle of the limited-edition release, many of which were personally autographed by Puyana, adding to the exclusivity of the evening.
The launch refects Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits’ ongoing strategy to expand its premium oferings and provide customers with distinctive, high-quality products. Over the past year, JWS has continued to strengthen its inventory with globally recognised brands, while also investing in engaging, educational experiences that connect consumers directly with the stories behind the spirits.
Windira Brooks, Key Accounts Manager and Brand Manager for The Sazerac Portfolio, emphasized the signifcance of the collaboration. “I am proud of the growth and expansion that Bufalo Trace has had with Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits. It is always a pleasure to execute brand activations that
educate the public and share the expertise of our Brand Ambassador,” Brooks said.
“I take pride in representing a globally recognised brand that has survived decades of evolution.”
The single barrel program highlights the artistry behind bourbon-making, where each barrel develops its own distinct favor profle based on aging conditions and time. By selecting and bottling a
single barrel, Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits ofers customers a truly one-of-a-kind product that cannot be replicated. With limited quantities available at Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits, Bufalo Trace Single Barrel, is expected to be highly sought after by bourbon enthusiasts and collectors alike. Brooks wants to remind Bourdon fans to “purchase this collectable soon.”
Christ Church Cathedral hosts Clover High School in free concert
The music department of Christ Church Cathedral will host the award-winning Clover High Choraliers at a special spring concert on Saturday (May 23) at 2pm.
The Choraliers, under the direction of Jay Forrest, is a 144-member auditioned SATB choir at Clover High School in South Carolina. The ensemble is a 12-time First Place State Champion of the South Carolina
Choral Concert Festival and has performed for numerous state conferences and distinguished guests, including the Governor of South Carolina.
The group has appeared at festivals and performance venues in Atlanta, Orlando, Williamsburg, New York City, Washington, D.C., and aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in The Bahamas. The ensemble has also performed in concert with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and appeared on the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience tour under the direction of composer/conductor Ramin Djawadi, based on the HBO series Game of Thrones.
The concert has a free admission and we will take a free will ofering to support the music department of the Cathedral.
SPECIALTY barrel of Buffalo Trace Bourbon marks milestone at Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits