Bahamians ‘not fully empowered’ without land registry reforms
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor
BAHAMIANS will never “be fully empowered” under present land law, an attorney asserted yesterday, adding that reforms now before Parliament will allow this nation to “unlock its full economic potential”.
Sharlyn Smith, who cochaired the committee overseeing and guiding the Davis administration’s land reform drive, told Tribune Business that an “increasing number of conflicts” over property and real estate ownership will likely erupt without the planned switch to a registered land system that provides “absolute title”.
With the present paperbased deeds and searches system only able to offer “clear title” opinions, she explained that the two Bills now tabled in Parliament - the Land Adjudication Bill and Registered Land Bill - will pave the way to a quicker, efficient process for determining land ownership is more readily
accessible and less accessible for all Bahamians.
Besides offering greater certainty over ownership and title, Ms Smith told this newspaper that the amendments - which she described as “absolutely transformative” and of at least equal importance with the Davis administration’s energy reforms - will modernise land administration and “bring us into line with most of the” British Commonwealth by finally concluding a reform effort that began over 60 years ago.
“Through the system of adjudication, and its accessibility, it will make the obtaining of land title more accessible for all and incredibly less expensive,” Ms Smith said of the two Bills’ goal. “The Government is providing the infrastructure and putting in place the mechanism to allow this to happen. The only such mechanism that exists now is the Quieting Titles Act, which is an incredibly expensive process.
Marina chief: Lease tear up ‘politically motivated’
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
The Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president is seeking multi-million dollar damages from the Government over its “politically motivated” breach of the lease for a marina and parking lot project.
Peter Maury, who launched his Supreme Court claim in a personal capacity on May 13, 2025, is alleging the Davis administration failed to honour a lease agreed with its predecessor for a Nassau Harbour development which would have been located close to the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge serving Paradise Island.
The businessman, who manages and operates Bay Street Marina, told this newspaper the project was initially designed to provide off-site parking for employees of Margaritaville restaurant, in which he is a principal, plus other Paradise Islandbased businesses such as Dolphin Encounters.
This would have replaced their existing Paradise Island parking arrangement, which was about to cease, with staff ferried back-andforth between their workplace and mainland New Providence. Mr
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Maury said the project would ultimately have expanded to include development of the Freetown Marina, which would provide docking and accommodation for Bahamian excursion and commercial vessels.
Rather than cater to visiting foreign boaters, the ABM president his plan was intended to address the shortage of both parking and marina dock space on Paradise Island, as well as provide a cheaper alternative where Bahamian tour, excursion and other commercial marine operators
Union chief ‘satisfied’ on Grand Lucayan workers
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A TRADE union leader says he is “satisfied we have something to go to the workers” at the Grand Lucayan with following talks with the Prime Minister over how the staff transition will be handled.
Obie Ferguson KC, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) president, who represents the Bahamas Hotel Managerial Association (BHMA) and its middle management members at that resort, told Tribune Business he met Philip Davis KC on Monday over how workers’ rights - including severance, benefits and employment contractual terms - will be dealt with following the
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
“Financial institutions recorded increased usage of Internet banking services during the review year,” the Central Bank said.
“Internet banking solutions afford customers the ability to check their account balances, make transfers between personal and third-party bank accounts, pay utility bills and purchase foreign currency.
“The range of Internet services varied among financial institutions, and
THE number of Bahamian Internet banking users grew by 39 percent in 2024 to more than 164,000 despite the failure by payments providers to fully integrate the Sand Dollar digital currency. The Central Bank, in its 2024 annual report, also disclosed that the volume of digital wallet transactions declined year-over-year despite the regulator and industry’s ever-escalating drive to push consumers to electronic banking channels.
IMAGES showing how the proposed Freetown Marina would have looked.
OBIE FERGUSON
EX-BNT CHIEF CALLS FOR TOUGHER ENVIRONMENTAL FINES, PENALTIES
By FAY SIMMONS
A FORMER Baha-
mas National Trust (BJT) executive director says rogue developers must pay to remedy environmental damages as well as pay fines for any infractions committed.
Eric Carey praised the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) for issuing fines when environmental regulatory and permit breaches come to its attention but argued that Bahamian law does not go far enough to punish offenders.
ERIC CAREY
of the damage,” said Mr Carey. “There should be an assessment and an environmental account. Basically, if you have caused $100,000 worth of damage, that’s really what you should be charged. I don’t know if the law is set up like that, but we have been having this discussion in the environmental community.”
are involved that severely damage or alter the environment, developers should pay that price,” said Mr Carey.
He added that repeat offenders should be hit with a fine that is “much more substantial”, and pay a fee relative to the amount of damage.
fined $20,000, and issued with a ‘cease and desist’ order, after a video showing dredging activity on Rockwell Island, North Bimini, went viral. Residents were outraged about the penalty given to the multi-millionaire developer due to the alleged widespread destruction of marine nurseries, sea beds and beaches.
He added that, in addition to fines, the DEPP should also require developers to pay for an environmental assessment and issue a secondary fine based on the findings.
“I think that the $20,000 spot fine is okay for an incident. However, that should be followed up with an assessment of the damage that was done and then another fine should be levied that is linked to the environmental assessment
Mr Carey said he is confident the environmental watchdog will continue to use its enforcement powers against rogue offenders, but said current fine structure does not go far enough to deter wealthy developers that wish to violate environmental laws.
“Some people are okay with a $20,000 fine because it would be a deterrent if they were to do something like cut down a protected tree. But when actions
Senior doctors seeking industrial deal progress
By ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business
SENIOR doctors in the public healthcare system are hoping progress will now be made in concluding their own industrial agreement after their junior counterparts received their deal.
Dr Charelle Lockhart, the Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) president, said that following the industrial agreement signing between the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) and the Bahamas Doctors Union Union (BDU), its planned Friday meeting with the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) operator was cancelled “due to lack of details” and no new date has been provided.
“I am so pleased that our junior colleagues were able to get to the finish line yesterday and get their agreement inked,” Dr Lockhart said. “Our meeting was cancelled yesterday, unfortunately, due to lack of details/information. With this new industrial agreement proposal, we don’t have a new meeting date as only some of our concerns were addressed.
“So they offered us health insurance with an 80/20 split (payment of the premium; employer/ employee) based on a cap,” Dr Lockhart added. “We asked what I thought were reasonable questions. Which insurance company? What plan? What’s the cap? “To date we have no answers, and so the meeting we had set was cancelled. Only one person knows the answers to those questions.
It baffles my mind. There are multiple people on the PHA [and] government negotiation team. Why doesn’t everyone on the team have these answers?
“Our agreement will also be retroactive with incremental increases in salary. How and when will those retroactive payments be made? I will say the PHA representatives have been working diligently in the last week to get this to the finish line. However, we are still waiting for the finance team to clarify these simple questions.”
With ‘clocking in’ to work by doctors one of the major issues for the unions, Dr Keva Thompson, the PHA’s deputy director, said at the BDU signing that the new Oracle system will help solve a lot of these concerns.
“The second offence should be scaled up. If you do it again you should be given a fine that’s much more substantial, like $250,000, and there still should be an assessment of the amount of damage done and a fee. There should be additional fines, especially with the large developer that has the ability to pay more money. There has to be a deterrent,” said Mr Carey The DEPP confirmed last week that Bahamas Bay Development was
Dr Lockhart has been vocal in advocating for a system in which ‘clocking in’ does not involve being within the four walls of an institution given that sometimes services are provided elsewhere. She told Tribune Business: “Oracle is a wait and see. It is a tool that can be customised to many different categories of staff and situations.
The developer was previously granted a certificate of environmental clearance (CEC) for specific activities related to its project. However, the actions shown in the video were in violation of that certificate.
Dr Rhianna Neely, DEPP’s director, defended the fine by saying the regulator is legally bound by limits set in law and “can’t just pull numbers, because somebody rich”. She stressed that officials can only act within the law.
“It has fantastic features that will assist us with communication with human resources. It will certainly be useful in the future.”
Dr Lockhart also sought to clarify remarks by Pia Glover-Rolle, minister of labour and the public service, at the BDU signing where she was referred to when discussing the union’s signing and its negotiations.
“The department will continue to do its job, and if the developers continue to do what they’re not supposed to do, there’s another recourse,” said Dr Neely. Last year, the House of Assembly passed an amendment to the Environmental Planning and Protection Act, setting penalties between $1,000 and $20,000 for environmental infractions. These include harming coral reefs, discharging hazardous substances and breaching protected area laws. Fines collected are to be used for restoration, pollution control and conservation via the Environmental Administration Fund. The Bimini incident has renewed public calls for stronger penalties to deter large-scale environmental violations.
“I wanted to make a few clarifications as Pia GloverRolle mentioned my name on one of her interviews, which confused the public and my membership,” said Dr Lockhart. “I’m assuming she misspoke based on the clip I saw and that she was referring to Dr Glinton, the BDU president.”
Ecologist calling for greater environmental safeguards
A BAHAMIAN ecologist is calling for greater environmental protection of marine resources in the central Exumas given their “unique and exceptional coastal environment” that aids the climate change fight.
Alannah Vellacott spoke out after spending a day diving and assessing the conditions of marine life around Sampson Cay, the site of a proposed development by Yntegra to construct a Rosewood hotel that calls for substantial dredging and the potential disruption of wetlands and thriving coral reefs.
“Sampson Cay, located in the Exuma Cays, presents an exceptional and unique coastal environment due to the proximity and connectivity of vital marine ecosystems: Seagrass beds, coral reefs, mangrove creeks and deep ocean waters. This rare juxtaposition provides a dynamic and productive habitat for a diverse array of marine life and plays a crucial role in the health and sustainability of the region’s biodiversity,” said Ms Vellacott.
“The coral reefs, particularly the large, healthy colonies of bouldering coral species observed, indicate a pristine environment and suggest possible resilience to climate change. These reefs are essential for coastal protection and fisheries, sustainability and
tourism, main industries of The Bahamas.”
Ms Vellacott said The Bahamas is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, despite being home to the most extensive seagrass beds in the world.
“By championing seagrass beds, The Bahamas demonstrates its commitment as a global leader in conservation. Given The Bahamas’ initiative to enter the blue carbon market, protecting these ecosystems can mitigate the effects of climate change on the country, potentially providing a source of hurricane relief funds,” she said.
“Seagrass beds, in conjunction with neighbouring mangrove ecosystems, store a large amount of carbon per unit area compared to other ecosystems. The deep ocean connected to these ecosystems supplies cool, nutrient-rich water that promotes life, regulates temperature in the shallow bay providing relief from temperature rise, helps mitigate coral bleaching and provides a connection for larger marine life for feeding, breeding and shelter.”
The north bay of Sampson Cay is at the centre of a dispute between Yntegra, whose plans involve dredging two large marinas and a supply dock in waters with seagrass and coral reefs. Save Exuma Alliance (SEA), a growing alliance of businesses, neighbouring islands and residents, has
joined forces to protect the Central Exuma cays and lobbying for sustainable development.
Amongst SEA’s members are Staniel Cay Yacht Club, Makers Air, Embrace Resorts, Hattie Cay, Over Yonder Cay, Little Major’s Spot, Staniel Cay Adventures, Turtlegrass Resort & Island Club, Wild Tamarind Cay, Bahama Boyzz Adventurezz and Flying Pig Cafe.
Ms Vellacott maintained that Sampson Cay’s north bay ecosystem should remain undisturbed to facilitate further study and conservation.
“The marine life observed further underscores the ecological significance of Sampson Cay. Hundreds of juvenile queen conch were documented, a threatened species vital to Bahamian culture and economy, which highlights the importance of conserving these nursery areas to support long-term population sustainability,” she said.
“The sightings of at least three juvenile green turtles and 35 spotted eagle rays in a nearby high-current, sandy-bottom area affirms the critical role of these interconnected habitats in fostering endangered species and maintaining the ecosystem’s pristine condition.”
Nearly 2,200 people have signed the petition urging a halt to the proposed Yntegra & Rosewood Hotel plan calling for its modification.
Norman’s Cay manager dismisses worker claims
By ANNELIA NIXON
EXECUTIVES with a Norman’s Cay-based resort developer have dismissed allegations that Bahamian workers have been unjustly terminated despite concerns that firings have not been halted.
Howard Thompson, the Government’s director of labour, said he had learnt more workers had been released despite promises to halt terminations until his department’s probe into the complaints was completed.
This emerged as an island manager on Norman’s Cay development described allegations of Immigration violations and other infractions as “completely false”.
Voicing optimism that Mr Thompson and his team would “vindicate us and clear the situation, the manager’s comments came following a labour and Immigration visit to the
island amid an investigation into claims of improperly documented foreign workers, housing and food concerns.
“What I can say is that that is completely false,” they said. “And one thing that I think everybody needs to realise is that we had the director of labour down here. We had the Immigration officials and everybody was here. They physically walked the entire island. They did their checks. And what I can say is that, respectfully, we should wait until the director releases his official statement.
“And I do believe that that would vindicate, because he would have walked these areas. Immigration would have stopped [and] asked persons for their work permits. They also would have spoken to the majority of the employees. So I am very confident that the official report from the inspectors that were
Eleuthera hit by new BPL outages wave
By ANNELIA NIXON
ELEUTHERA and Harbour Island residents yesterday voiced fears that Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) will yet again be unable to handle summer demand following another weekend of power outages.
“With the increased temperatures as summer draws near, and persons using more air conditioning to keep cool, as well as the increase in power consumption due to refrigerators and freezers trying to maintain their temperatures, I have grave concerns BPL will be able to maintain a stable supply during summer,” Aldred Albury, former local government representative for the settlement of Current, said.
“As we all know July, August and September are our hottest months, and we are experiencing these outages in May. I must commend BPL for the tree trimming as well as street light replacement exercises that I have seen them carrying out on the island of Eleuthera.
“We all know that hurricane season is soon upon us, and any trees in the lines can cause a serious concern for stable electricity as well as a fire hazard should any wire spark or break as we have seen in the past. While they have done a commendable job with the tree trimming, I would like to BPL be able to maintain a consistent electricity supply,” he added.
“Whether that means increased generation capacity or replacing electric lines, Eleuthera has a large population of older persons, some of whom are not able to get out of the house. So being home with no electricity and increased summer temperatures is a recipe for disaster. Also,
with persons who are diabetic or other ailments and have to have medication refrigerated, it can be a cause of concern.”
Karen Catalyn, owner of The Island Spa in Harbour Island, who has plans to connect the business to the generator at her family’s Tingum Village Hotel next door, said she does not believe BPL can take on the summer demand that is to come.
Donna Whitfield, manager of Princess Street Gallery in Harbour Island, added: “We do not live in this fantasy world. It’s like summer is coming. Summer has come early. We had a long winter. We had no rain, and so it got hot right after that little storm we had last week, Wednesday. “And so it’s hot now, like, really hot, and everybody’s got their air conditioning on. So I don’t think they’re ever really prepared for that. It’s going to happen. We’ve been conditioned in a way to this understanding that this is what’s going to happen.”
On Saturday, various areas throughout Eleuthera experienced electricity interruptions.
“Bahamas Power & Light Company advises that supply to portions of the mainland was interrupted earlier this morning due to a fault on one of the main transformers connected to the rental generation system,” BPL said. “That issue has since been isolated and supply restored.
“A short while ago, the Governors Harbour Airport Intellirupter along the Hatchet Bay south feeder (HBSF) opened. The team is currently patrolling the line to determine the cause. Separately, M&E (mechanical and engineering) is continuing work on a rental unit in Rock Sound that supplies power to customers from Upper Rock Sound to Bannerman Town.
here on the ground will set the record straight. “The director was here on the ground along with Immigration officials. They walked the housing, they tested the food, they did a full inspection of persons that they came in contact with, and they were compliant. However, I am suggesting that we wait on the official report from the director of labour, who I am very confident would vindicate us and clear the situation.”
The manager, in response to former employees speaking out on what they consider unjust terminations of Bahamian, said: “Bahamians who were let go were the ones who were making the most noise.” They called for the reasons behind those terminations be examined.
“That narrative is completely false,” they added.
“I would also say that the Bahamians who were let go were the ones who were making the most noise. I
“We are awaiting an estimated restoration time and will provide updates as soon as more information becomes available. We thank customers for their patience as we work to restore full supply.”
BPL then announced that supply had been restored to Harbour Island after “a series of configuration changes to the Dunmore and Narrows feeders.” BPL noted that the Dunmore feeder was restored at 11.45 am and the Narrows Feeder was reconfigured at 11.58 am. It later explained that “power fluctuations were caused by increased load on the Hatchet Bay feeder”, and that the rental unit had been restored to service.
“This occurred while a rental unit that normally supports the area was undergoing maintenance,” BPL added. “During that time, Hatchet Bay was supplying power directly to Bannerman Town, triggering the Intellirupters to operate as designed in response to the elevated load.”
BPL also experienced issues in Mayaguana last week. Major Bed Bath & Breakfast owner, Mario Murphy, added: “I’ve been back here living now seven years, and we’ve been doing pretty good.”
Leroy Joseph, who owns a rental home in Abraham’s Bay, said the tenant occupying the residence at the time of the outage “just had to ride it out”. He said: “With Abrahams Bay, I don’t know with the generator and the Water and Sewerage generator, because sometimes they have water outages up in that area.
““They’re not like down here in Betsy Bay. Abrahams Bay set up on the capital is flat, so residents have to go get water to flush and stuff like that. So I don’t know if that was the situation, but I hope not [and] that Water and Sewerage had their back-up generator going.”
The Petition of Denise Lightbourne in respect of ALL THAT piece, parcel or lot of land owned by the Petitioner and situate on the Eastern side of Collection Street and approximately 400 feet Southwards of Robinson Road in the Southern District of the island of New Providence which said piece parcel or lot of land is bounded on the North by a public road (Collection Street) and running thereon Sixty (60) feet East by the said Lot 82 and running thereon Seventy (70) feet on the South by the said Lot No. 76 and running thereon Sixty (60) feet and on the West by Lot No. 84 and running thereon Seventy (70) feet which said piece parcel or lot of land is more particularly described on or by the plan or diagram filed in this action.
Denise Lightbourne claims to be the legal owner in possession of the land and has made application to the Supreme Court of the Bahamas under the Quieting Titles Act to have his title to the land investigated.
The filed plan may be inspected during normal working hours at:-
a) The Registry of the Supreme Court, George Streets, Nassau, N. P., Bahamas; or b) Themis Law Chambers, 79 Farrington Road, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that any person having any adverse claim or claim not recognized in the Petition shall on or before the 30th day of June, A. D. 2025, file in the Registry of the Supreme Court and serve on the Petitioner or the undersigned a statement of such claim in the prescribed form and verified by an affidavit to be filed therewith. Failure of any such person to file and serve a statement of such claim on or before the 30th day of June, A. D. 2025, will operate as a bar to such claim.
would say that the media outlets should do a background check on these particular employees to find out exactly what the reason was that the three who were mentioned in the papers were let go.
“I would not want to breach their confidentiality of the reason why, but you can trust it was definitely not for a foreigner, because those positions were not replaced.”
A former housing manager at the development, Mary Hanna, said she feels “victimised”, adding that she was “terminated without warning or explanation”. Ms Hanna linked her termination to her “stand against sub-standard living conditions”.
“I feel unjustly treated and victimised,” she said. “After speaking up about poor living conditions and supporting staff morale, I was asked not to attend managers’ regular morning briefings. Without any explanation as to why I
should not attend, the only thing I can attribute this to is my stand against substandard living conditions.
“I also noticed other persons were then taking credit for my work, prompting me to involve upper management. Despite positive evaluations and sustaining an injury on the job, I was terminated without warning or explanation a week later, which I believe was deeply unfair, especially when I was told by human resources I will not receive my payout unless I give a ‘proper handover’. This was said to me one hour before my flight to return to Nassau and after I was already terminated.”
Another former employee told Tribune Business they were also terminated without explanation, connecting this to them speaking out over a number of issues. “I would say they were unjust - as I was never given a reason as to why I was terminated, no issues ever mentioned,”
they said. “I do believe the central reason was [that] those who were terminated spoke up for better treatment of staff.
“As noted, I wrote an e-mail on mould, spoke about work-life balance, the unfair assessment of lieu days [and] understaffing.”
Mr Thompson told Tribune Business that he requested terminations on Norman’s Cay be halted until the ongoing investigation has been concluded. However, he became aware that two more employees were let go and was later informed of the intent to terminate more, who are all Bahamians.
“The department has received information with respect to the termination of a couple of employees since our visit, and more recently we received a communication to indicate that there may be some restructuring that’s about to happen,” Mr Thompson said.
‘Victory for industrial harmony’ over junior doctors’ salary deal
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
SOME 300 junior doctors within the Bahamian public health system will benefit from a newly-signed fiveyear industrial agreement after their previous pay deal expired some seven years ago.
The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) and the Bahamas Doctors Union’s (BDU) latest industrial agreement will be retroactive to 2021, thus meaning it will expire in 2026 and a fresh set of negotiations will be required soon.
Dr Michael Darville, minister of health and wellness, said the agreement will strengthen the
DR MICHAEL
partnership between the union, its members and the PHA and improve the working environment for healthcare providers. This, he added, will ensure
Bahamians receive quality medical assistance.
The minister said the agreement includes salary increases for all union members plus an additional increment to ensure they are fairly compensated.
“This agreement today reflects the PHA recognition of the evolving needs of medical professionals in the healthcare system, ensuring fair, competitive working conditions for our staff members,” said Dr Darville.
“This agreement includes salary increases for all Bahamas Doctors Union members with additional increments in year three, four and five, ensuring physicians are fairly
DARVILLE
BAHAMIANS ‘NOT FULLY EMPOWERED’ WITHOUT LAND REGISTRY REFORMS
“It’s a tremendous opportunity. It’s empowering for people. It’s an area that I’ve worked in for 20 years, and I believe better land law will allow this country to unlock its full potential, empower the people of The Bahamas and, importantly, reduce conflicts.
“Without it, I don’t think Bahamians will be fully empowered, and I don’t think there will be the economic growth we could expect with land registration. And, without it, we could expect to have an increased number of conflicts.... This is definitely a foundation for social and economic growth and empowerment of people.”
The Land Adjudication Bill, if passed into law by Parliament in its current form, provides an adjudicator - who must be an attorney with at least seven years’ conveyancing experience - and two other persons with the authority to form an adjudication tribunal. This tribunal will then assess and determine claims to land ownership in a particular area designated by the responsible minister.
Once these claims are adjudicated, they will be entered into a Land Registry, whose creation is backed by statute law as opposed to the present system of lodging and recording conveyancing deeds in the registry of records at the Registrar General’s Department.
The two Bills tabled by the Davis administration will thus work hand-inhand, complementing each other to bring Bahamian land administration into the 21st century. Ms Smith described the adjudication process as “incredibly transparent”, plus accessible and relatively inexpensive to use for Bahamians from all backgrounds and income levels.
She added that this mechanism, and moving to a registered land system, will be a “big, big difference” from the present deedsbased, paper driven process for determining title and provide multiple benefits - including the ability to obtain “absolute title”.
“In an unregistered land system, we are concerned with back title deeds,” Ms Smith explained. “It’s a deeds-based system. We have to look to back title deeds to establish what we refer to as ‘clear title’. There’s no absolute title. With registered land, there’s absolute title.
“This register is maintained by the Government. There is an obligation on subsequent purchasers to register their interest in their land, and the registry records the most pertinent details with the title. We’re moving away from the need to do searches of paper deeds, and moving to a system.... a certified registration system.
“Under a system of registered land, there’s a system of title by registration as opposed to registration of
Union chief
title. Big, big difference. The adjudication that goes on before the land goes on the register to make sure it’s legitimate and correct,” she added.
“The Registrar General’s Department presently accepts what is presented [to the Registry of Records] and it is not vetted. The adjudication process is intended to confirm rights and interest in a parcel. Everyone will have an opportunity to have their parcel adjudicated upon, and their rights and interests determined. That process is accessible to all and is incredibly transparent.”
Ms Smith said it is for the Davis administration’s Cabinet to determine how quickly the various adjudication tribunals will be established once the two Bills become law, but pointed out that Ryan Pinder KC, the attorney general, had given every indication that the Government plans to move quickly.
“That is for the policymakers,” she added, “but the Attorney General has said there’s some impetus to this. There’s a desire to have it going soon. The Attorney General mentioned he’d like to have four parcels going as soon as possible.”
It will likely take years, if not a decade or more, for The Bahamas to complete the transition and have all land parcels and their ownership registered in the land registry. “It depends on which part, and depends on
‘satisfied’
on Grand Lucayan workers
property’s sale to Concord Wilshire.
While giving few details on what was discussed ahead of his media briefing today, the union chief
signalled that the Prime Minister had provided enough detail to suggest the workers will be taken care of in the transition from Lucayan Renewal Holdings, the Governmentowned special purpose
vehicle (SPV) that holds the hotel, to the developer’s Ancient Waters Bahamas subsidiary.
“I had a meeting with the Prime Minister. He set up a meeting for me,” Mr Ferguson told this newspaper.
how many parcels you have going through,” Ms Smith said of reform’s likely pace.
“There are parts of The Bahamas that lend themselves more readily to it because mapping is in place. Freeport, for example, or newer subdivisions; all subdivisions, especially the newer ones. Ultimately, it depends on the amount of parcels you have up and going.”
Ms Smith acknowledged that the reforms represent “a fundamental shift” for attorneys, especially conveyancing practitioners such as herself, who have become accustomed to conducting deeds searches, pronouncing title opinions and earning fees that are typically set at around 2.5 percent of the real estate purchase price.
She added that intensive consultation had taken place with both the Bar Association and Bar Council, with those involved agreeing that the Bills pave the way “to better land law” some six decades after The Bahamas first mooted reform. “We have had studies going back over 60 years. The issues have been identified and well-documented,” Ms Smith said.
Noting that the Quieting Titles Act was passed in the 1950s to give Bahamians in “possession of land”, but without the necessary deeds, a path to obtain documentary title, Ms Smith added that a ‘white paper’ on further potential land law changes was drafted as far back as the 1960s.
“It was discussed what the arrangements were on Monday. He made a commitment to me, and there were discussions and information was provided. I will make that available on Monday morning [today].
“Suffice it to say we had the meeting, discussions occurred and information was provided. I am satisfied that, at the end of the day, we have something to go to the workers with.” When companies, and their assets, are acquired and sold, staff are normally paid their due severance and other benefits before either being hired by the new owner or made redundant.
Mr Ferguson confirmed he represents around 91-92 middle management members of the BHMA at the Grand Lucayan, which he estimated also employs around 200 non-managerial workers. He voiced optimism that the Government’s deal with Concord Wilshire will “take off” and prove “a major injection of economic vitality for Grand Bahama”.
“If it becomes reality as it’s being portrayed, I think that it will be a major injection of economic vitality for Grand Bahama; certainly the employees at the Grand Lucayan, the Port Lucaya Marketplace and Freeport as a whole,” the TUC president said. “All the other vendors, all the workers, will be better off.
“It’s a major injection of capital investment in that region, and once it becomes finalised we will say some more things about it. Right now, we understand it’s an agreement. Once we can see things look like its ready to take off, the TUC will support that.”
And a 1984 Ministry of Housing report, produced when Hubert Ingraham was the responsible minister, said an inexpensive mechanism for establishing title to occupied land required “urgent” development and consideration. Subsequent reports have also warned that proof of land ownership, especially in the Family Islands, remains a major concern and impediment to economic development.
Ms Smith said the proposed reforms will finally enable The Bahamas to catch up with its Caribbean competitors, and other Commonwealth countries with the UK common law legal system. She added that many had used The Bahamas’ early versions of the Land Adjudication Bill and Registered Land Billdating from as far back as 1967 - as the basis for their own reforms.
But, while The Bahamas failed to move this legislation forward, its competitors used its own work to leapfrog and bypass this nation. The Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands passed their reforms in 1971, after the Turks & Caicos preceded them in 1968.
“They were based on laws intended for The Bahamas,” Ms Smith said. “This really brings us into line with much of the Commonwealth full stop. It was important for it to be a priority. I’m happy the Government has made it a priority and seen it through.
Mr Ferguson suggested that the economic boost from the Grand Lucayan’s redevelopment, if it occurs as billed, will positively impact all the teachers, Customs and Immigration officers that the TUC represents in Grand Bahama.
“We are pleased with the announcement, and we hope things will take off, and we’re going to work with the Government in ensuring this thing becomes a reality. The workers are pleased,” Mr Ferguson added.
The Grand Lucayan’s sale, purportedly for a $120m purchase price, includes the 56-acre beachfront resort along with the adjacent 160-acre Reef Golf Course. Its redevelopment has been billed as an $827m project by Concord Wilshire, the Miami-headquartered developer and purchaser.
The developers say the revived property will feature seven major resort components, including three new hotel buildings and branded timeshare units. Other features include a 35-acre cruise destination open to all cruise lines and guests, a 25,000 square foot indoor/outdoor casino, the conversion of the Reef Golf course to a 160-acre Greg Norman signature golf course, and a 16-slip mega-yacht marina.
Construction is expected to begin within 90 days of obtaining the necessary permits and approvals. The project will be rolled out in phases, creating 1,320 construction jobs and 1,750 permanent positions once the resort is fully operational.
Mr Ferguson, meanwhile, stressed that the TUC and
‘VICTORY FOR INDUSTRIAL HARMONY’ OVER JUNIOR DOCTORS’ SALARY DEAL
FROM PAGE B3
compensated for their critical role in the healthcare delivery system.”
Dr Darville said the required funding will be allocated by the Ministry of Finance and not pulled from the PHA’s own budget. He added that the 2025-2026 Budget, set to be presented this week, will incorporate the salary increases.
“Funding is always an issue, and this is one of the reasons why the Ministry of Finance was involved with the financial components associated with the agreement,” said Dr Darville.
“Now that this agreement is behind us, the resources will be allocated from the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the commitments are met. And so,
“Once Bahamians have an opportunity to obtain title, they have choices. They will have choices now as to what they do with what they own, and what they are able to do. There’s access to credit. All of that goes to why I see this as empowering. The choices Bahamians will now have empowers us. The benefits can transform lives.” Land and its ownership is an issue that will touch every Bahamian at some point in their lives. Being able to confirm they have ‘absolute title’ to real estate, and are the true owners, will give citizens an asset that they can pledge as collateral to raise financing or use to develop businesses, thus generating economic and social empowerment. The land registry is also viewed as a tool to reduce the number of real estaterelated disputes in The Bahamas. An Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report previously found that 15 percent of the parcels in the country were in dispute.
Given that 70 percent of the land is controlled by the Government, this report implied that only 15 percent of the remaining land, and which is in private hands, was not in dispute. Expressed differently, an the IDB study in the early 2000s found half the land in private hands in The Bahamas was subject to dispute.
wider labour movement plan to renew their push for a $90 per week, or 34.6 percent, increase in the present minimum wage to $350 as it is “too difficult” and “almost impossible” to live on $260 per week due to the cost of living crisis.
“We have over 200,000 workers in this country. Our obligation, our significant obligation, is to look after and protect them,” the TUC chief told Tribune Business. “That’s the reason we stress the livable wage. The minimum wage, it’s too difficult for the average Bahamian to live on $260 per week.
“We’re not trying to disrupt or interfere with anyone’s programme. It’s almost impossible. Very, very difficult. We say we should look at a minimum of $350 per week. We’re going into this Labour Day, and that’s going to be an issue with the workers of this country, and it’s going to be an issue for the TUC.
“We’re not fighting anyone; we’re fighting for the working people. We have to do what’s reasonable, nothing personal. We take into consideration the workers of The Bahamas, that’s the first thing, and then we look at the further interests of all the Bahamian people, because whatever we do it will have an affect on the workers and the majority of the people,” Mr Ferguson added.
“We look after the interests of the workers of this country, and that’s what we’re doing. We will not do anything that damages the economy.”
as we move into the new Budget allocation, I’m certain that this was taken into consideration and we are definitely in a position to live up to our obligations.” The BDU represents more than 300 junior doctors across the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) and Department of Public Health. The BDU and the Government have been locked in negotiations for months after their previous agreement expired in 2018. The agreement is retroactive from 2021 and will expire in 2026.
Pia Glover Rolle, minister of labour and the public service, said the agreement’s signing is a “victory for industrial harmony” and will improve labour relations in the public healthcare system.
“There have been prolonged delays and numerous rounds of negotiations, but we stayed at the table thanks to the support of the labour relations union unit of the Ministry of Labor and Public Service. So today marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to ensuring fair and productive labour relations, specifically within our public health system,” said Mrs Glover-Rolle.
“Today’s signing is not only a victory for industrial harmony, but also our renewed commitment to better healthcare delivery for our Bahamian people. So, we’re grateful for this partnership. Again, I congratulate both parties, and we look forward to continue harmonious relations.” The agreement also includes changes to the doctors’ group medical insurance and allowances for overtime payments.
Marina chief: Lease tear up ‘politically motivated’
could securely dock and tie-up their boats.
Mr Maury, in his legal claim which has been obtained by Tribune Business, alleged that the Minnis administration offered him a five-year Crown Land lease for a site next to Betty Cole Park, at the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier bridge, on July 1, 2021. He said the offer and its terms, including the rental rate, were accepted and some $646,176 was invested in development costs and cleaning up the site.
However, within months of the September 2021 general election, the ABM chief alleged that he was ordered by the Ministry of Works to halt work on December 1, 2021. And, after further correspondence and exchanges, Mr Maury claimed he was informed by David Davis, the then-most senior civil servant in the Prime Minister’s Office, that the Government wanted the site to remain as “public open space”.
The ABM president then alleged that, around the same time he received Mr Davis’ May 31, 2022, letter informing him of the Government’s decision to “repudiate” his agreement, he discovered it had entered into a lease deal for the same site with another Bahamian businessman involved in the marine and watercraft industry.
And Mr Maury is also alleging that this businessman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is “a relative” of the same David Davis, who at the time was permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
However, David Davis, who is now permanent secretary at the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, told Tribune Business that any allegation that he is related to the entrepreneur presently operating from Mr Maury’s chosen location is “an absolute lie”.
He also vehemently rejected any suggestion that conflicts of interest, or any other form of impropriety, impacted the Government’s dealings with Mr Maury, and said he was unable to “recall a perfected lease” was ever agreed or executed between the two parties.
Mr Davis, responding to this newspaper’s inquiries, said: “I vaguely recall this matter. It would seem prudent to refer this matter to the Office of the Prime Minister [which] has access to the relevant files. I do not. I do not recall a perfected lease.
“It is an absolute lie to suggest that I am related. I do not know [him]. Mr Maury might educate me on how we are related.” Mr
Davis added that he would not have been at the Prime Minister’s Office whenever a lease deal with the other Bahamian businessman was made, and was not “privy to the details”.
And the same businessman, who Mr Maury asserted leased the same site after the Davis administration refused to honour his agreement, yesterday retorted that any suggestion of a family connection to David Davis is “false”.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he argued that he was present at the location before Mr Maury and the latter’s lease deal with the Minnis administration, and asserted that it was himself - rather than the ABM chief - who paid for and executed the area’s clean-up.
The entrepreneur added that he possesses all necessary permits and approvals, having obtained the permissions from the Port Department and other relevant government agencies, to operate in the area. Besides putting in docking facilities of his own, other amenities at the property also include a ‘floating bar’ on the waterfront complete with kitchen/eating facilities.
Recalling the events that occurred just prior to the September 2021 general election, and around the time Mr Maury obtained his lease, the Bahamian businessman asserted: “Nobody spent a dime there. He’s [Mr Maury] actually claiming something he didn’t do. I got it. I came there and spent money to clean up. I was there before him. I was there already. He didn’t do anything with it.”
Because the waterfront bulkhead is attached to Potter’s Cay, the businessman said he is treated as if he is a vendor at that destination. “It’s in my name at the registry,” he said of the site. “I don’t have any ties with the PLP or FNM. I don’t play politics.
“I didn’t know anything about his [Mr Maury’s] plans. I went there, cleaned up the area, went to the Port Department and got approval for it; laying pilings for the docks. I did what I had to do the legal way with my documents. I went to the Port Department, and they signed it and it got approved. You can only put pilings in if you have permission. I have my own small marina there.”
Mr Maury, though, pledged to Tribune Business that he is “prepared to take it to the Privy Council if I have to” and disclosed that he had been looking at the Freetown Marina project since 2016 after learning that his and other Paradise Island businesses were likely to lose their existing parking arrangements as
CALIFORNIA UTILITY
a result of Brookfield, the Atlantis owner, selling the Hurricane Hole site to a new developer.
His legal claim also breaks down the $646,176 in expenses he is alleged to have incurred prior to the Ministry of Works ‘stop order’, including $250,000 in legal fees; $100,000 for development and consulting; and $85,000 for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and architectural fees.
The ABM chief is alleging that, as a result of the Government’s failure to honour the lease, the Margaritaville restaurant has suffered an estimated $7m worth of losses “due to inability to provide customer parking” on Paradise Island. And additional staff parking charges equal to $1,500 per month have been incurred since July 2021.
He is seeking a Supreme Court order that the Government perform, reinstate and live up to the terms of his five-year lease agreement and reimburse the initial $646,176 development costs. Or, alternatively, Mr Maury is seeking $3.125m in damages for the Government’s failure to abide by the lease’s terms plus the same development costs.
Describing the situation as “as bad as it gets”, Mr Maury told Tribune Business: “I spent $75,000 with clean-up work, and spend additional money on the business plan. I had been working on this since pretty much 2016, when I was told we were going to lose the parking.”
That parking was at the Hurricane Hole location which Brookfield sold to Sterling Global Financial for redevelopment into Paradise Landing. Mr Maury said his plan for the site across the harbour, next to Betty Cole Park, was also designed to accommodate employees from Dolphin Encounters as well as his Margaritaville staff, plus their boats.
“I spoke to David Davis, Francis Clarke got involved from the Parks and Beaches Authority, and Richard Hardy at Lands and Surveys,” the ABM chief recalled. “I met with everybody. I met with the Prime Minister. It was approved by the Minnis Cabinet, and was rejected by the Davis administration.
“I was going to put in a marina. What was happening... I’m in the marina business. I knew this was coming long before anyone else. Once Hurricane Hole sold, I knew they wanted to develop their marina, and a lot of boats that go there - Dolphin Encounters, Powerboat Adventuresthey lost their docking.
“I talked to those guys and said we can put more
TO PAY $82 MILLION SETTLEMENT IN LAWSUIT STEMMING FROM HUGE 2020 WILDFIRE
LOS ANGELES
Associated Press
A CALIFORNIA utility has agreed to pay the federal government $82.5 million stemming from an enormous 2020 wildfire that churned through mountains northeast of Los Angeles and into the Mojave Desert, officials said Friday.
The U.S. Justice Department announced the payment by Southern California Edison on Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement that the settlement provides "meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the ... fire and for the widespread damage to public lands."
Edison agreed to pay the settlement within 60 days of its effective date, May 14, without admitting wrongdoing or fault, prosecutors said. Utility spokesperson Diane Castro said, "Our hearts are with the people who were affected by the Bobcat Fire. We are pleased to have resolved this matter and will continue to advance wildfire mitigation measures."
The settlement stemmed from a 2023 lawsuit filed by federal prosecutors on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service against Edison and Utility Tree Service to recover costs from fighting the so-called Bobcat Fire and for the extensive damage that it caused to the Angeles National Forest.
docks in and provide private parking for your employees. I was told that I couldn’t put a restaurant in there; it was dockage and parking for the employees so they could operate those businesses.”
The Freetown Marina was to be “designed specifically for resident excursion boats”, providing yearround slips and docking for boats up to 60 feet in length, along with “full water and electricity hookups” at each slip and “high capacity” waste pump-out and garbage removal.
Security and on-site surveillance would be present continuously, and Mr Maury’s business plan predicted the marina would “reach full capacity within the first year” with “a positive return on investment by the end of year three, given our projections for occupancy and service utilisation rates”. The location by the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge was also in close proximity to where tour operators pick up their guests.
“It was to support Bahamian businesses and employees,” Mr Maury said of the Freetown Marina. “It would save the employees and companies a bunch of money as far as parking and dockage. It was pretty much for Bahamian excursion businesses; cheap dockage. Now, everybody is really looking for dockage because of all the boating business.
“The plan was always to expand the marina. Initially, it was about $300,000 with the dock and parking. I could have put 100 excursion boats there. It was a working marina. These are small docks for 30-60 feet boats. It would have been a hell of a lot cheaper than the marinas at Bay Street and Yacht Haven. Those are transient marinas.
“I still have excursion companies coming to me now, saying they can’t afford the higher rates. This would have been not the most attractive place by the Water & Sewerage plant, but for business operators it would have been a safe place to keep their boats and a cheaper option to hopefully make their businesses profitable. That’s the whole reason; it’s not to make money, it was to accommodate employees.”
Accusing government insiders of “stealing my plan”, Mr Maury called for the creation of a system that would record and monitor business ideas presented to the Government so as to better protect Bahamian entrepreneurs and their creativity, and prevent this from happening.
“It’s like what happened on Athol Island with the pirate ship, what happened to Toby Smith on Paradise Island,” he said of his
lease. “I’ve talked to other Bahamians who submitted business plans to the Government, and they’ve said the same thing.
“I said I’m not going to let this happen to me, and I will file a lawsuit. Why, as a Bahamian, should I accept it? It’s not fair to me or my employees. I’m not going to let this go. It’s not fair.
Bahamians are currently run over in this country. You can see it in the cruise business, the taxi business. Business has just got more difficult for legitimate Bahamian operators, and it’s not fair.”
Asserting that Margaritaville restaurant has lost business because some of “the small parking area for my business” on Paradise Island has to be taken up by staff, rather than customers, Mr Maury added: “They broke a lease that was approved by the Cabinet.
“Bahamians should at least feel like they should have some comfort in our own government, but when someone is taking our ideas it becomes very alarming to tell the truth. I have filed a lawsuit and am prepared to take it to the Privy Council if I have to. I don’t think this behaviour should be accepted and I should go away.”
Mr Maury, in his legal claim seen by Tribune Business, said he applied to the Prime Minister’s Office on March 18, 2021, to use “an area of land adjacent to Betty Cole Park” for a parking facility for Margaritaville Restaurant staff and “relieve the strain” over on Paradise Island. A ‘letter of interest’ was also sent to Robert Deal, the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s general manager. Richard Hardy, thenacting director at the Department of Lands and Surveys, replied on July 21, 2021, and offered Mr Maury a five-year Crown Land lease that was backdated by three weeks to start on July 1 that same year. The annual rental rate was set at $1,200, and the property was to be used solely for employee parking and be occupied within three months of the lease date.
Mr Maury asserted that he complied with all necessary conditions to give effect to the lease, and began works that included the removal of derelict vessels, creation of an access road for vehicular traffic, laying down tarmac, site clearance, pothole repair and construction of a small management office.
However, after the Davis administration was elected to office in September 2021, Mr Maury alleged that he received a ‘stop order’ from Melanie Roach, then the Ministry of Works’ director of public works,
dated December 1 that year. She alleged that he had constructed an “illegal right of access” and was undertaking “unauthorised construction through a public community park” in violation of the law.
Ms Roach’s letter called for “an urgent meeting” with the Ministry of Works to discuss Mr Maury’s alleged lack of approvals, but no meeting was ever held and he branded the claims by the director as “unfounded”.
The ABM chief then received a December 2, 2021, letter from David Davis which said that although the previous administration “had agreed to lease the property” to Mr Maury “the present administration had decided to revisit that decision” and he was to cease all works and improvements immediately.
Mr Maury said he wrote seeking a meeting with Prime Minister Philip Davis KC on May 28, 2022, so he could “discuss the proposed commercial marina” for Bahamian vessels and also seek the necessary seabed lease. The two met later that year, but the Government’s position did not alter.
David Davis then informed Mr Maury in a May 31, 2022, letter that his request that the Government reconsider its position “had not received favourable consideration” and it was “resolute in its determination that this area remain ‘public open space’ and be retained for the recreational use and enjoyment of the general public”.
Mr Maury was also asked to provide evidence of his spending to-date so that he could be reimbursed by the Government, which the ABM chief is arguing represents “an admission of liability by the Government”.
Asserting that there had been “repudiatory breaches” of his lease, he added that this appeared to be “politically motivated”. All lease payments were returned and he was told he needed another permit to build the marina. The response and defence from the Government, which has taken the position of not responding to legal claims, is now awaited.
The government alleged that the fire ignited when trees that were not properly maintained by the utility and its tree maintenance contractor came into
contact with power lines. Damage from the fire closed campgrounds and more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) of trails for years and harmed habitat for the federally endangered wildlife-mountain yellowlegged frog and federally threatened fish and birds, the government said.
Temple Christian School invites applications from qualified Christian persons for the following positions for the 2025-2026 school year:
• Teacher’s Aide
• Elementary Teacher
• Mathematics Teacher, grades 7-12
• Female Physical Education Teacher, grade 7-12
• Music Teacher, grade 7-12
• Female Custodian
• Pre-school Vice-Principal
Applicants must:
Be a practicing born again Christian who is willing to subscribe to the statement of faith of Temple Christian School.
Applications are available on the school’s website www.templechristianbahamas.com and at the Administrator’s Office, 4th Terrace East Collins Avenue (directly behind the New Evangelistic Temple). A detailed job description is also available at the Office of the Administrator.
Applications are to be submitted to: Dr. Samuel L. Rutherford Administrator Temple Christian School 4th Terrace East, Collins Avenue P.O. Box N-1566 Nassau, Bahamas Ph: 325-1095 / 322-5157
The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, June 6, 2025, at 3:00 p.m.
Internet banking users up 39% amid Sand Dollar fall
some banks levied fees for the facilities. During 2024, the total number of users, inclusive of residential, business, public sector and other users, expanded by 39 percent to 164,262.” However, this has yet to translate into increased Sand Dollar and digital wallet usage as a payments option.
“Retail payments activity, facilitated by electronic money service providers (EMSPs), was marginally reduced when compared to 2023 despite increased account usage among individuals and authorised financial institutions’ (AFIs) more entrenched educational outreach in the Family Islands,” the Central Bank added.
“While integration of the digital currency platform with the ACH (Automated Clearing House) provided for more efficient funds
transfers, AFIs have not fully implemented this lowcost functional convenience in their proprietary wallets.
Government-to-people (G2P) and business-to-persons (B2P) also remained under-utilised, both of which are expected to receive more sustained emphasis in 2025.
“The number of digital wallet service providers held steady at seven, although the number of agents decreased by 19.5 percent to 140. Digital wallet services registered a 78 percent reduction in top-up transactions in 2024, and a corresponding 44.2 percent decline in top-up values to $10.4m,” the banking regulator continued.
“Correspondingly, the frequency of withdrawals decreased by 10.6 percent alongside a 35 percent contraction in the associated value to $16.2m. As
for payments, the volume of person-to-person (P2P) transactions reduced by 19.9 percent, with the associated value lower by 14 percent at $4.8m.
“Person-to-business (P2B) transactions also decreased by 4.3 percent, but the attendant value rose by 1 percent to $50.5m. Concerning business-to-business (B2B) transactions, the number of transactions declined to 45 from 188 in 2023, while the corresponding value decreased to less than $0.1m from $4.8m in the previous year when there were heightened SandDollar promotions.
“At end-2024, the total number of e-money users increased, with the volume of residential user accounts rising by 17.2 percent (21,426) to 146,093, while business accounts advanced by 15.3 percent (283) to 2,131.”
Norman’s Cay manager dismisses worker claims
“I have received information to that effect. I did make a specific request for no further terminations to be had until I have finished my investigation. Subsequent to that, two persons were terminated. Immediately upon hearing that I had a conversation with the island manager regarding that to express my disappointment in what had happened, and then several days later I would have received a further written communication indicating to me of possible restructuring that may lead to some redundancies.
“They tried to justify why they did what they did, but
in any event, I still found that unacceptable. As the director of labour, I made a specific request, which I don’t think was unreasonable, to simply let me know during this investigation the intent to terminate anyone else,” Mr Thompson added. “Not that you need any approval for me to do it, just that I’m able to speak with those persons who were terminated and at the very least find them a suitable or similar job somewhere else. And so, like I said, a couple of days later, they did formally write to me indicating a possible restructuring in which a number of persons will be made redundant, and I’m looking closely into that.
“I did receive a communication regarding a possible restructuring that may lead to some redundancies. I am in receipt of those names, all of which I can confirm are Bahamians, and I will take steps to find those persons suitable employment at another development somewhere else. I would hasten to highlight the fact that it doesn’t seem that this anticipated restructuring includes any foreign workers.”
Another anonymous source informed Tribune Business yesterday that they had just been let go “about an hour ago”, and they felt their termination was unfair. They said upon arriving in Norman’s Cay
TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS TO BOOST NUCLEAR POWER, SPEED UP APPROVALS
By MATTHEW DALY and JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press
PRESIDENT Donald Trump signed executive orders Friday intended to quadruple domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, a goal experts say the United States is highly unlikely to reach.
To speed up the development of nuclear power, the orders grant the U.S. energy secretary authority to approve some advanced reactor designs and projects, taking authority
away from the independent safety agency that has regulated the U.S. nuclear industry for five decades.
The order comes as demand for electricity surges amid a boom in energy-hungry data centers and artificial intelligence.
Tech companies, venture capitalists, states and others are competing for electricity and straining the nation's electric grid.
"We've got enough electricity to win the AI arms race with China," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. "What we do in the next five years related to
Elsewhere, the Central Bank said the newly-created financial services ombudsman post had either resolved or closed 90 percent of the 107 consumer complaints it received in 2024 regarding financial services providers.
“The Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman (OFSO) continued to explore the development of a more established consumer financial protection framework for The Bahamas, supported by legislation, while strengthening the bank’s public education and engagement on ongoing concerns raised by the public. Staff resourcing for the unit was increased in 2024,” the Central Bank said.
“During the year, OFSO liaised directly with financial institutions to help resolve complaints referred to the Central Bank from the public. The OFSO
they were not provided with orientation or training, but were terminated on the basis of “my work ethic was not of housekeeping” and they “don’t fit in in the department.”
“I was working housekeeping here [on] Norman’s Cay and I was recently terminated about an hour ago,” they said. “[The] reason for my termination, to my understanding, is that my work ethic was not of housekeeping, that I don’t fit in in the department. I haven’t breached anything on my contract, so I don’t feel as if it was a valid reason for me to be terminated.
“If it was something that I didn’t do correctly, I felt a supervisor supposed to correct me on it. When I first came here, I did not do any orientation. I came here April 30. I was already working on my first day. My first date would have
handled a total of 107 complaints and inquiries in 2024, with approximately 90 percent of the cases resolved or closed by year-end.
“The majority of complaints for the year related to mortgages and collateral document processes, reflecting a key area of concern for consumers.
As an extension of this outreach, the OFSO also provided trend analysis and complaint resolution at meetings with industry participants, highlighting opportunities for improvement and increased focus.”
As for so-called dormant accounts, which attain such status after seven years of activity, the Central Bank said these totalled some 45,780 accounts containing a total $128m at year-end 2024. “Banks are required by law to transfer such amounts to the Central Bank for safekeeping until the account holders claim
been May 1 working. They just throw me right in the field. They didn’t explain anything to me. They didn’t show me this how this supposed to be. Everything I had to learn off my own.
“And before I left, I was asked if I wish to sign the form of my termination, and I replied ‘no’, because I felt as if it was untrue and unfair,” they continued.
“When they call you to interview you, like I had an online interview, and when I was called, I was called saying that my interview was successful, and they did not even give me time to get prepared. The day before time for me to leave, to come over there, they send the flight and the time. And they didn’t tell me all I needed, as in for work clothes or anything like that.
“When I was selected to come, they didn’t explain to me about my pay, salary
the funds,” the Central Bank said.
“Unclaimed funds are escheated to the Government immediately upon transfer to the Central Bank if the account balances are $500 or less, and after a further period of ten years for all other balances. As at December 31, 2024, the bank maintained custody of 45,780 dormant accounts totalling $128m denominated in five currencies.
“Balances in US dollars and Bahamian dollars combined accounted for 92.9 percent of the total, while the Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Euro and British pound accounted for the remaining 7.1 percent. In accordance with the law, as at December 31, 2024, an estimated $5.8m in dormant funds was due for escheatment to the Government against the applicable ten-year custodial period expiration.”
or anything like that. Like I said, there was no orientation, no training, any of that. They just put you straight out in field to do the work.”
Mr Thompson also confirmed with respect to the revocation of some work permits that he had “received information to that effect”. However, he has not had “ the opportunity to contact the director of immigration to verify”. Acting director of Immigration, Rudolph Ferguson, declined to comment adding that he “cannot speak to that” when contacted by Tribune Business.
Mr Thompson said the investigation is ongoing and he still intends to make visits to the island. He noted that the Department of Labour is still in the process of preparing its preliminary report.
electricity is going to determine the next 50" years in the industry.
Still, it's unlikely the U.S. could quadruple its nuclear production in the time frame the White House specified. The United States lacks any next-generation reactors operating commercially and only two new large reactors have been built from scratch in nearly 50 years. Those two reactors, at a nuclear plant in Georgia, were completed years late and at least $17 billion over budget.
The nation's 94 nuclear reactors supply about 19%
of U.S. electricity, compared to about 60% for fossil fuels and 21% for renewables, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Trump is enthusiastic At the Oval Office signing, Trump, surrounded
by industry executives, called nuclear a "hot industry," adding, "It's time for nuclear, and we're going to do it very big."
Burgum and other speakers said the industry has stagnated and has been choked by overregulation.
"Mark this day on your calendar. This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry,'' said Burgum, who chairs Trump's newly formed Energy Dominance Council.
The orders would reorganize the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure quicker reviews of nuclear projects, including an 18-month deadline for the NRC to act on industry applications.
PRESIDENT Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 23, 2025, in Washington.
Photo:Evan Vucci/AP
SEE A PENNY, PICK IT UP?
IN THE FUTURE, PROBABLY
NOT AS OFTEN — AND, SOME SAY, THAT MATTERS
By DEEPTI HAJELA Associated Press
ASK someone for their thoughts: Could it now cost you a nickel? If you want to call somebody stingy, would you say they're a quarter-pincher? And if they spend money unwisely, are they now dime-wise but pound-foolish?
OK, maybe those are some minor, small-stakes, dare we say penny-ante concerns in the wake of the U.S. Treasury confirming Thursday that it will stop making shiny new penny coins after the current production run is complete. But it is the end of an era in the United States. While there will still be over a billion already existing pennies in circulation, rattling around in jars, gathering dust under the sofa cushions and waiting to be picked up from sidewalks, no new cents will be joining their ranks for the first time in more than two centuries.
Answering advocates' demands to abandon the coin
The Trump administration made the call as a cost-saving measure - it costs almost four cents to make a penny (which, by the way, are now primarily made up of zinc with a copper coating). They're not as financially useful as they were in other times as prices have gone up, and digital technologies have overall reduced the use of
physical bills and coins for many people. Advocates have been calling for the penny to drop for decades. But will no one think of the archeologists?
"Since 1793, we have continuously seeded the archeological record with datable pennies, and now we're going to stop doing that," laments Frank Holt, an emeritus professor at the University of Houston who has studied the history of coins in his work.
"In 2,000 years, there are going to be archeologists pulling out what hair they have left saying, 'What am I going to do now that I don't have these datable objects there?'"
And for something with such a small face value, the copper-colored coin has punched above its denomination in the culture, Holt says.
"It's not just an economic argument, because pennies and all coins are embedded in our culture. They reflect our politics, our religion, our art, our sense of ourselves, our ideals, our aspirations," he says. "We put mottos on them and self-identifiers and we decide — in the case of the United States — which dead persons are most important to us and should be commemorated."
Holt points to traditions of putting pennies in loafers, of rhymes like "See a penny, pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck," of
PUBLIC NOTICE
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
The public is hereby advised that I, PIA MARIA METZ-STUBBS of Western District of New Providence, Bahamas intend to change my name to PIA MARIA METZ. If there are any objections to challenge the name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.
PUBLIC NOTICE
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
The public is hereby advised that I, DISHON BRENDON ROLLE of 501 W Oklahoma Avenue, Weatherford, Custer County, Oklahoma, USA intend to change my name to DISHON BRENDON WILLIAMS. If there are any objections to challenge the name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.
PUBLIC NOTICE
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
The public is hereby advised that I, CHIMA SHERMAL WRIGHT of George Town, Exuma, Bahamas intend to change my name to CHIMA SHERMAL JOHNSON. If there are any objections to challenge the name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.
people who think an unexpected penny sighting could be a sign from a loved one who's passed on.
A larger conversation is happening behind it all
When it does come to economics, the discussion of whether or not there should be pennies is actually part of a larger conversation, says Ursula Dalinghaus, an assistant professor of anthropology at Ripon College in Wisconsin who studies the anthropology of money.
For example, a bedrock of American culture is the price tag ending in $.99, somehow trying to convince
buyers that the 1-cent difference keeping the cost from the next dollar makes it a good deal, she points out. What happens to that price now?
Also, while many people have switched over to digital forms of payments and couldn't even tell you the last time they carried a coin around or had a bill in their wallets, there are many people who still use all kinds of physical currency — yes, even pennies.
"Cash is very important for a lot of people to budget, to keep control of costs. Even just donating a penny to someone asking for small change, it does add up," she says. "I feel like we're far too quick to only look at what is the cost of minting it or distributing it and we're not really willing to look at the everyday experiences and interactions people have. So maybe if we don't use small change, we don't think about it. But other people do."
FRESHLY-made pennies sit in a bin at the U.S. Mint in Denver on Aug. 15, 2007.
Photo:David Zalubowski/AP
Federal judge blocks Trump administration decision to bar foreign students at Harvard
By The Associated Press
A FEDERAL judge has blocked a Trump administration decision to revoke Harvard University's ability to enroll international students.
The temporary restraining order stops the government from pulling Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows the school to host international students with visas to study in the U.S.
Here's the latest:
Lawsuit challenges Trump's order to allow commercial fishing in Pacific monument
The legal challenge brought by environmentalists is to a presidential executive order that they say strips core protections from the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument and opens the area to harmful commercial fishing.
On April 17, the same day of a proclamation allowing commercial fishing in the monument, Trump
issued an order to boost the industry by peeling back regulations and opening up harvesting in previously protected areas.
The monument was created by President George W. Bush in 2009 and consists of about 500,000 square miles (1.3 million square kilometers) in the central Pacific Ocean.
President Barack Obama expanded the monument in 2014.
A week after the proclamation, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service sent a letter to fishing permit holders giving them a green light to fish commercially within the monument's boundaries, even though a longstanding fishing ban remains on the books, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Honolulu.
White House conducting massive overhaul of National Security Council, officials say
The overhaul Trump is ordering will shrink the NSC's size, lead to the ouster of some political appointees and return many
career appointees to their home agencies, according to two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the reorganization.
The move is expected to significantly reduce the number of staff at the NSC, according to the officials, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel matter. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been serving as national security adviser since early this month following the ouster of Mike Waltz, who was then nominated for ambassador to the United Nations.
The NSC has been in a continual state of tumult early in Trump's second term. Waltz was ousted weeks after Trump announced the firing of several NSC officials, a day after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns directly to him about staff loyalty.
— Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani and Seung Min Kim Venezuelan workers at Disney put on leave
after losing temporary protective status
The 45 employees were placed on leave after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to strip their legal protections.
The move aims to ensure that the employees are not violating the law, Disney said Friday. The workers will continue to get benefits.
"We are committed to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all our employees who may be navigating changing immigration policies and how
they could impact them or their families," the company said in a statement.
About two-thirds of the workers are in union jobs. The contract for Walt Disney World service workers in Florida allows them to be reinstated without loss of seniority or benefits once they provide proper work authorization within one year, according to union official Julee Jerkovich.
"It's very distressing," Jerkovich said. "Disney is being made to be the bad guy, but they didn't have any choice."
▶ Read more about the workers
Bruce Springsteen's lyrical view of America has long included politics — even more so as he ages
Even as his fame and wealth have soared over the decades, Springsteen has retained the voice of the working class' balladeer, often weighing in on politics. This month, though, his music and public statements have ended up as particularly pointed and contentious.
At a concert in England, Springsteen denounced Trump's politics, calling him an "unfit president" leading a "rogue government" of people who have "no concern or idea for what it means to be deeply American."
"The America I love, the America I've written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous
administration," Springsteen said in words he included on a digital EP released a few days later. Trump shot back and called Springsteen highly overrated. "Never liked him, never liked his music or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he's not a talented guy — just a pushy, obnoxious JERK," he wrote on social media.
▶ Read more about Springsteen lyrics that ventured into current events and the plights of people caught up in them
Apple has had few incentives in the past to start making iPhones in US
Lashing out at Apple's plans to make most of its U.S. iPhones in India, the president threatened to slap a 25% tariff on the popular device unless the tech giant starts building the product in its home country — a move that still seems unlikely to happen any time soon, if ever.
For decades Apple has been building most of its devices in China, where it has invested tens of billions of dollars in massive factories that rely on a vast network of local suppliers.
The company's reliance on a crucial pipeline outside the U.S. thrust the technology trendsetter into the crosshairs of Trump's trade war. In response to Trump's tussle with China, Apple CEO Tim Cook said this month that most iPhones sold in the U.S. during the March-June period would come from India.
NOTICE is hereby given that ERNITA PIERRE of Key West Street, 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 26th 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 SANTAISHA JOSEPH of Banks Road, Eleuthera, 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 26th day of May, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that CLAUDIN LORISTON of
Cay, Abaco, The
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 19th day of May 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
PRESIDENT Donald Trump silences his mobile phone which rang two times as he was speaking to reporters after signing executive orders regarding nuclear energy in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 23, 2025, in Washington. Photo:Evan Vucci/AP
Trump says US Steel will keep HQ in Pittsburgh in a sign he'll approve bid by Japan-based Nippon
By MARC LEVY and PAUL WISEMAN Associated Press
PRESIDENT Donald Trump said Friday that U.S. Steel will keep its headquarters in Pittsburgh as part of what he called a "planned partnership" that seemed to signal that he'll approve a bid by Japan-based Nippon Steel to make a big investment in the iconic American steelmaker, if not buy it outright.
Still, Trump's statement left it vague as to whether he is approving Nippon Steel's bid after he vowed repeatedly to block the deal to prevent U.S. Steel from being foreign-owned.
More recently, Trump suggested that Nippon Steel would invest in U.S. Steel, not buy it, and one union official suggested Friday that the federal government will have a role in the company's management going forward. But investors seemed to take Trump's statement as a sign that he's approving some sort of merger, sharply pushing up U.S. Steel's shares, and the companies issued approving statements.
Nippon Steel said the partnership is a "game changer — for U.S. Steel and all of its stakeholders, including the American steel industry, and the broader American manufacturing base." U.S. Steel said it "will remain American, and we will grow bigger and stronger through a partnership with Nippon Steel that brings massive investment, new technologies and thousands of jobs over the next four years."
Nippon Steel's nearly $15 billion bid to buy U.S. Steel was blocked by former President Joe Biden on his way out of office and, after Trump became president, subject to another national security review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
In his statement Friday, Trump said that "after much consideration and negotiation, US Steel will REMAIN in America, and keep its Headquarters in the Great City of Pittsburgh."
What Trump called a "planned partnership" will add $14 billion to the U.S. economy, he said, although
it wasn't clear what the terms of the deal would be or who would control U.S. Steel under the arrangement. Neither company explained Friday how the partnership would be structured.
Japan's chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa told reporters Friday that he was closely watching the development. He said Nippon Steel has made a proposal that could win support from U.S. Steel and make a good
investment for both Japan and the U.S.
Josh Spoores, the Pennsylvania-based head of steel Americas analysis for commodity researcher CRU, said that, from what he's seeing, "this 'partnership' is a green light for the acquisition."
Shares of U.S. Steel jumped 21% on the news, and continued rising in aftermarket trading.
U. S. Steel's board and stockholders approved Nippon Steel's bid last year.
It has been opposed by the United Steelworkers union. The union had no immediate comment Friday.
A union official who defied the United Steelworkers' leadership to support Nippon Steel's bid said Friday that the federal government could take on a major role in the deal.
"It's sounds like the deal's done,'' said Jason Zugai, vice president of the United Steelworkers union local at U.S. Steel's Irvin finishing plant near Pittsburgh.
Zugai said he was "relieved, happy and thankful.''
He hadn't seen anything on paper but, he said, his understanding was that Nippon "will make all the profit'' and the federal government will have "a golden chair'' that allows it to veto any plans to idle or shut down U.S. Steel plants.
Keeping U.S. Steel's headquarters had always been part of Nippon Steel's bid to buy it. To sweeten the deal, Nippon Steel had offered up a $2.7 billion commitment to upgrade U.S. Steel's two blast furnaces and pledged that it
wouldn't import steel slabs that would compete with the facilities.
Nippon Steel also had pledged not to conduct layoffs or plant closings during the term of the existing labor agreement and to protect the best interests of U.S. Steel in trade matters.
U.S. Steel's CEO David Burritt warned last September that blocking Nippon Steel's bid would mean U.S. Steel would "largely pivot away" from investing in its two blast furnaces — one just outside Pittsburgh and one in Gary, Indiana — and it would raise "serious questions" about remaining headquartered in Pittsburgh.
As recently as December, Trump said he was "totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company."
Then in February, Trump suggested that Nippon Steel wouldn't buy U.S. Steel, as it had planned, but that it would instead invest in U.S. Steel.
Last month, Trump ordered a new national security review of Nippon Steel's proposed bid.
MARINE FORECAST
THE UNITED States Steel logo is pictured outside the headquarters building in downtown Pittsburgh, April 26, 2010. Photo:Gene J. Puskar/AP
