Civil service compensation to breach $1bn for rst time
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
TOTAL compensation paid to the Bahamian civil service will breach the $1bn mark for the frst time in the upcoming 2026-2027 fscal period, it has been revealed, with its ranks having expanded by 2,342 persons over the past four years.
Budget documents show that the total bill for central government employees is forecast to hit $1.013bn during the 12 months to endJune 2027, all of which will be funded by Bahamian taxpayers. The just-disclosed Fiscal Strategy Report 2026 breaks
this fgure down into $868.2m in wages and salaries; an additional $96.9m in allowances; and some $47.9m in National Insurance Board (NIB) contributions.
The all-in fgure represents a near-$73m, or 7.7 percent, increase on the $940.3m payout forecast for the current fscal year. And Tribune Business’s review of Budget records shows that the civil service has expanded by more than 11 percent over the past four years, growing from 21,082 total workers in the 2022-2023 period to 23,424 for the upcoming Budget year.
The Davis administration’s projections give the impression of an ever-increasing size
HGTV-featured developer says land title woes ‘real hindrance’
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A SOUTH Andros resort developer well-known internationally through his starring role in an HGTV series yesterday stressed the area faces a “real horse and cart and chicken and egg situation” as he warned that land title woes are deterring fresh investment.
Bryan Baeumler, co-owner of Caerula Mar Club Resort,
told the Andros Business Outlook conference that south Andros faces the dilemma of needing to attract more visitors and investment but currently lacks the means - via infrastructure, airlift connectivity and activities - to do so.
Asked to identify the most pressing issue in south Andros that must be addressed over the next fve years, he replied: ”It’s really tough to boil it down to an only single issue, and as was said it’s not as simple as putting on another
Tourism ‘rethink’ must treat Bahamians as greatest asset
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A SENIOR government ofcial yesterday argued that The Bahamas needs to “rethink” tourism by treating its people as the country’s greatest selling point while also targeting “value” rather than visitor volume for its Family Islands.
Dr Kenneth Romer, deputy director-general of tourism and the Government’s aviation chief, told a panel discussion at the Andros Business Outlook conference that The Bahamas needs to “put our people ahead of product” and view them as the most
important asset for this nation’s largest industry. And he also asserted that Bahamians needed to broaden their defnition of “sustainable tourism” beyond just environmental and marine protection to embrace “the preservation of our cultural and heritage assets” - elements vital to deliver the authentic local experience that world travellers are increasingly demanding from all destinations. While acknowledging that Andros’ “natural assets”, such as its concentration of blue holes and the world’s third largest reef at 190 miles long, are vital to its economic sustainability
Florida jet ski operator hits out over US alert
BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter
jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
A SOUTH Florida operator yesterday pushed back against a recent US Embassy alert warning Americans not to rent jet skis in The Bahamas, arguing that the industry's safety record does not justify such a sweeping move.
of government whose cost burden will have to be funded by Bahamian taxpayers. Total civil service compensation is forecast to grow by almost $300m over the next decade to hit $1.3bn by 2035-2036a projection that, if it comes true, will represent a 28.3 percent hike over ten years.
Wages, salaries and NIB contributions on behalf of public ofcials remain the largest line item in the Government’s recurrent spending Budget, which represents its fxed operating costs for a single Budget period. They are projected to account for 27.2 percent of all recurrent expenditure in 2026-2027, which means more than $1
fight. It’s not as simple as having more rooms available for tourists. It is about having that widespread strategy where we stop talking and start doing.
“There’s been a lot of talk for years, and we love south Andros, but there’s a lot of challenges - from cost to access to skilled labour to a marina. It’s about making the business and, from an investor standpoint, to make the business sustainable so we can make these changes. We have incredible natural assets but we have got to draw people with facilities and infrastructure that we don’t have.”
Besides detailing his concerns about the current condition of Mangrove Cay airport (see other article on
Ranks swell by more than 2,300 new hires in four years
Wages and salaries forecast to jump $113m in two years
Sta , debt interest, subsidies over 60% of recurrent costs
out of every $4 spent by the Government - or over one-quarter of its fxed costs outlay - will go towards covering personnel related costs. The next highest recurrent spending item is interest payments totalling $711m, which must be paid to holders of the Government’s existing debt, also representing a new annual record high. This is closely followed by subsidies to loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to keep them operational and fnancially solvent, which are forecast at a collective $517m.
EXPENSE - See Page B4
Page 1B), Mr Baeumler also cited “partially paved roads” and his resort’s marina, which he described as being in “a battle zone”.
“There are a lot of land title issues in south Andros,” he added. “That’s a real hindrance, I think, to attracting new investment and new property ownership. I love the concept of bringing some of that responsibility to Andros because, as we know, nobody is coming to help us.
“We have to get ourselves to a certain point, and hold ourselves accountable, because we are in a real horse and cart and chicken and egg situation. We need to bring in more people, but when
‘Forced back in time’: Aviation chief pledges new Mangrove Cay airport by ‘end 2027’
South Andros residents and hotels cite multiple airlift woes Resort living in ‘bubble’; forced to bring guests in by boat Airline: Customs and Immigration presence ‘no.1’ priority
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@ tribunemedia.net
THE Government’s aviation chief yesterday promised long-sufering Mangrove Cay residents they will enjoy an improved airport “by the end of 2027” amid complaints they and visiting tourists have been “forced to go back in time” over airlift connectivity woes.
Dr Kenneth Romer, director of aviation and also the Ministry of Tourism’s deputy director-general, told attendees at the Andros Business Outlook conference that muchneeded upgrades will soon forthcoming after he was repeatedly pressed on the issue by Elizabeth Bain, principal of the Mangrove Cay Club.
“For the airport in Mangrove Cay, give me a date,” Ms Bain asked. “Soon” was the initial reply but, not satisfed, the resort owner and operator persisted by retorting: “I’ve been hearing that for a very long time.” This drew a more fulsome response from Dr Romer, who said the improvements would be based on the upgrades made to Great Harbour Cay’s airport in the Berry Islands.
“I’ve been hearing about airports for a very long time; since 2022,” the aviation director said, seemingly referring to the Government’s Family Island ‘renaissance’ programme that is overhauling and upgrading multiple airports via public-private partnerships (PPPs) and other fnancing/operating arrangements.
John Rosen, who owns Jet Ski Fort Lauderdale, and operates the rental platform JetSkiFL.com, said he felt compelled to defend Bahamian operators after the Embassy issued what he described as an exaggerated warning that could damage legitimate businesses throughout the country. "I just didn't agree with the US Embassy going to the extreme and telling US citizens not to rent jet skis," said Mr Rosen. "If you look at the numbers, it doesn't make sense."
Speaking to Tribune Business, Mr Rosen said the statistics cited by the US Embassy do not support the conclusion that tourists
DR KENNETH ROMER
Bahamas must prepare next generation of entrepreneurs
AS The Bahamas seeks to diversify its economy and create new opportunities for sustainable growth, entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical pathway for innovation, job creation and economic resilience. While access to funding, technology and training remains important, one often overlooked ingredient in entrepreneurial success is mentorship.
Mentorship provides young entrepreneurs with access to practical knowledge, professional networks and real world experiences that cannot always be learned in a classroom. A skilled mentor can help aspiring business owners avoid costly mistakes, identify opportunities, navigate challenges and develop the
confdence needed to lead a successful enterprise. In a small nation such as The Bahamas, where business relationships and community connections are highly
valuable, mentorship can signifcantly accelerate the growth of emerging entrepreneurs. Many young business owners possess innovative ideas but lack experience in areas such as fnancial management, marketing, customer service and strategic planning. Mentors who have successfully navigated these challenges can ofer guidance that shortens the learning curve and improves the likelihood of business success. Moreover, mentorship fosters accountability by encouraging entrepreneurs to set goals, measure progress and remain focused during difcult periods. For mentorship programmes to be efective, several best practices should be adopted. First,
Gov’t gives little detail on anti-corruption watchdogs
BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
THE Davis administration was unable to provide implementation timelines for three major anti-corruption and transparency watchdogs amid continued questions over whether it has provided sufcient funding. were also raised over whether current funding levels are sufcient to support the Ombudsman's Ofce, Freedom of Information and the Independent Commission of Investigations.
Opposition MPs used the debate on the 20262027 Budget to press ministers on the status of the Ombudsman's Ofce, Freedom of Information Act commissoner and the Independent Commission of Investigations - long-promised oversight bodies - as they sought details on funding,
stafng and implementation schedules.
Questions frst arose over the Ombudsman's Ofce, which is intended to provide citizens with an independent avenue for seeking redress when they believe they have been treated unfairly by public authorities.
Opposition Leader, Michael Pintard, said the Budget allocation for the ofce has seen little change despite repeated commitments to bring the institution fully into operation.
"There has been no signifcant change from last year to this year regarding the Ombudsman's Ofce, despite the fact that we have agreed to bring that ofce into full force," said Mr Pintard. "I wanted to know what the total projected Budget would be if the ofce were fully operational, and why that amount has not been allocated."
Prime Minister Philip Davis KC responded that $40,000 has been
allocated, and said the ofce is expected to be stafed using existing public servants rather than new hires. "It is intended that the ofce be populated by existing public servants, and that exercise is now being undertaken by the Attorney General," he said.
However, Mr Davis also acknowledged that no comprehensive budget has yet been established. "No overall budget has been established, but it is intended that the Ombudsman's Ofce will be supported by personnel allocations that already exist within the public service," he said.
When Mr Pintard later asked for a timetable for the ofce's full establishment, the Prime Minister said the relevant information rested with the Attorney General's Ofce and indicated he would provide an answer later.
Questions also focused on the government's plans for the Freedom of Information Act. Long Island
Bahamians not capitalising on record business support
BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter
anixon@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIANS are failing to capitalise on a number of government-backed business initiatives despite unprecedented levels of fnancial and technical support for entrepreneurs, according to a senior tourism executive. Speaking during the Andros Business Outlook, Ian Ferguson, the Tourism Development Corporation’s
(TDC) executive director, said The Bahamas has never had as much assistance available for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), yet participation remains disappointingly low.
“The reality is there are so many opportunities; so many free opportunities that have now been provided for entrepreneurs. It’s just amazing that so few Bahamians are taking full advantage of these opportunities,” Mr Ferguson said.
He pointed to one TDC initiative that ofered free website development and hosting to 100 tourism businesses over the past two years. Despite the agency covering the cost and requiring only a few hours of participants’ time, just 12 entrepreneurs enrolled.
“Someone made mention of the fact that it’s hard to actually give money away to Bahamians,” he said. “It’s the strangest thing. We’re going to host your website for you. We’re going to pay for it. We’re going to pay for the development of it… and sometimes getting persons to commit is a great challenge.”
Mr Ferguson said Andros’ long-term prosperity will depend on three priorities - strengthening MSMEs, building stronger business linkages and partnerships,
mentors and mentees should be carefully matched based on industry interests, business goals and personal compatibility. A strong relationship built on trust and mutual respect is essential for meaningful growth.
Second, mentorship programmes should establish clear objectives and expectations from the outset. Defning goals, meeting schedules and desired outcomes helps both parties remain committed and focused throughout the engagement.
Third, mentorship should be structured yet fexible. Regular meetings, workshops and networking events provide consistency, while allowing room for discussions tailored to the entrepreneur’s evolving needs.
MP, Andre Rollins, asked ministers to explain a $140,000 line allocation, which Michael Halkitis, minister of fnance, said was intended to support Freedom of Information operations.
Asked whether the allocation was sufcient to fully implement the objectives of the Freedom of Information framework, Mr Halkitis replied: "Yes, we do." He later clarifed that the allocation covered operational expenses and did not include salaries.
"Operational expenses. It does not include salaries and related costs," Mr Halkitis said. Mr Rollins also questioned whether the ofce had previously been allocated more than $1m, but Mr Halkitis pointed to previous Budget documents showing allocations rising from $92,400 in 2024 to $140,000 this year.
The issue resurfaced when East Grand Bahama MP, Kwasi Thompson, asked when the Freedom of Information Act and Independent Commission of Investigations would be fully implemented.
"Can you confrm the full implementation date for the Freedom of Information
and expanding high-value, community-based tourism experiences.
He argued that support for entrepreneurs has expanded signifcantly in recent years through agencies such as the Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund, the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC), Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC), the Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) and the TDC.
“There has never been, in the history of our country, this level of support to MSMEs,” Mr Ferguson said, noting that assistance now extends beyond fnancing to include business planning, fnancial management, marketing strategies and digital development.
Among the TDC’s programmes is the Home Suite Home initiative, which has invested around $3m over the past two years to help Bahamians convert cottages, apartments and other properties into vacation rentals, increasing room inventory while allowing more locals to beneft directly from tourism.
Beyond fnancing, Mr Ferguson said greater collaboration between
Fourth, companies should provide mentor training. Successful business leaders may not automatically possess mentoring skills. Training can help mentors develop efective communication, coaching and feedback techniques.
Finally, mentorship should be integrated into the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. Partnerships among schools, universities, government agencies, chambers of commerce and private sector organisations can create a pipeline of mentors and resources that support young entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. The future of Bahamian entrepreneurship depends not only on great ideas but also on the guidance that helps transform those ideas
Act, as well as the full implementation date for the Independent Commission of Investigations?" Mr Thompson asked.
Mr Davis declined to provide dates. "The answer is no diferent than before," he said.
"The implementation and full operation of those entities are matters within the knowledge of the Ofce of the Attorney General, and you can obtain that information through that department."
The funding levels and pace of implementation have also drawn criticism from the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG).
In its analysis of the 2026-2027 Budget, ORG said the Ombudsman allocation of approximately $40,000 appeared insufcient to support meaningful operational capacity, investigations, public awareness eforts or citizen access.
Regarding Freedom of Information, ORG described the $140,000 allocation as "wholly inadequate" for full implementation and noted that the same amount is projected through the forward estimates period.
industries could unlock signifcant economic gains, particularly by reducing the country’s dependence on imported food.
He added that The Bahamas imports roughly 94 percent of its food, and argued that even reducing that fgure to 90 percent over the next fve years would be transformative if local producers focus on products they already have the capacity to supply.
“We don’t have to import okra,” he said, adding that local farmers already produce enough to satisfy domestic demand. “However, we’re still importing okra.”
Mr Ferguson said stronger linkages between tourism and agriculture, along with producer co-operatives, could help local businesses secure contracts with hotels and other tourism operators, while keeping more tourism spending within the domestic economy.
The Tourism Development Corporation has already begun encouraging that model, establishing conch jewellery training programmes and co-operative development initiatives in Grand Bahama aimed at
into thriving businesses. By building strong mentorship networks, The Bahamas can cultivate a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to drive innovation, economic growth and national prosperity.
• NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organisations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.
The organisation said previous government implementation plans contemplated a signifcantly more robust system, including a fully operational Information Commissioner's Ofce, deputy commissioners, trained information ofcers throughout government, public education campaigns, technology systems and records-management improvements.
ORG said its earlier review of the implementation framework estimated that approximately $1m annually would be required for meaningful implementation. "The concern is not simply the amount allocated," the organisation said. "It is the absence of a visible implementation road map."
ORG also noted that the Independent Commission of Investigations will receive an increase from approximately $30,000 to $100,000, but argued that the allocation remains modest and lacks a clear growth path demonstrating how the institution will build the capacity envisioned by Parliament.
replacing imported souvenirs with locally-produced products.
Looking specifcally at Andros, Mr Ferguson said the island is well-positioned to expand its reputation as a high-value tourism destination by building on experiences such as bonefshing, birdwatching, blue holes, mangrove tours, cultural immersion and culinary tourism.
He also suggested using virtual reality attractions in Nassau and other population centres to expose millions of cruise visitors to Family Island experiences, potentially encouraging longer stays and repeat visits to destinations such as Andros.
With visitor arrivals now exceeding 12 million annually, Mr Ferguson said The Bahamas has a unique opportunity to convert more tourists into customers for locally-owned businesses.
“When you have so much opportunity, and now, so much support, it’s time now, I believe, for Bahamians to fully take advantage of what is available,” he said. “We know the potential is great. We know much of it is untapped.”
Development Bank reveals $22m in nancing available
BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) yesterday revealed it has $22m available to fnance development projects across The Bahamas, including Andros, as it urged investors to view the country’s largest island as a strategic national asset rather than untapped potential.
Sumayyah Cargill, the BDB’s deputy managing director, told the Andros Business Outlook conference that the island already possesses the resources needed to drive national growth, but warned that fragmented planning has prevented it from realising its full economic value.
“So, frst and foremost, I want to say that we have a habit in The Bahamas of describing our Family Islands as places of potential,” she said. “But I want to reframe that conversation. Andros is not just a place of potential. Andros is a place of assets, and there’s a critical diference… Potential is abstract. Assets are
real. Assets form the basis for fnance and investment. And what I’m saying is that Andros already has the assets that The Bahamas needs to fuel its growth.”
Ms Cargill argued that Andros’ location, just a short distance from New Providence, could become one of its greatest competitive advantages as new transportation technologies reshape travel between islands. She pointed to emerging technologies such as electric sea gliders and seaplanes as innovations that could dramatically reduce travel times and costs.
Such connectivity, she argued, will unlock new opportunities for housing, employment, investment and commerce, while relieving some of the pressures facing New Providence, including trafc congestion, rising housing demand and increasing population density.
Ms Cargill also identifed eco-tourism as one of Andros’ strongest economic opportunities, saying the island’s extensive protected areas should be leveraged not only for conservation but also as
revenue-generating attractions. She said international examples have shown that environmental protection and economic development can reinforce one another through carefully managed visitor experiences.
“For Andros, the opportunity is to establish a globally recognised identity as a premier marine and ecotourism destination within The Bahamas,” she said. Ms Cargill envisioned a connected tourism product built around the island’s blue holes, barrier reefs, wetlands, marine ecosystems, national parks and cultural heritage, generating demand for accommodations, transportation providers, tour guides, restaurants and other local businesses.
“The takeaway is not that we’re simply protecting nature,” she added. “It’s about making nature one of the island’s most valuable economic assets while ensuring it remains protected for future generations.”
Beyond tourism, Ms Cargill said Andros has the land resources needed to help address growing national concerns surrounding food
security and energy resilience. With global supply chains remaining vulnerable, and food prices expected to continue rising, she argued that expanding agricultural production, agri-processing and renewable energy generation on Andros will strengthen The Bahamas’ long-term economic resilience.
“In that environment, the ability to produce more of what we consume, both food and energy, is no longer [just] an economic opportunity, it’s a strategic advantage,” she said.
“And few places in The Bahamas are as well-positioned as Andros to contribute to expanded agricultural production, agri-processing and agricultural innovation, while at the same time creating opportunities for renewable energy generation and storage at a scale that is difcult to achieve anywhere else in the country.”
Ms Cargill described the island as a “strategic national asset” capable of advancing national goals for food security, energy sovereignty, climate resilience and sustainable development. She maintained that
fnancing is not the primary obstacle to development, arguing instead that projects have too often been pursued in isolation rather than as part of integrated economic ecosystems.
“We try to build economies one project at a time, but a project is not an ecosystem,” Ms Cargill said. Using agriculture as an example, she explained that expanding farm production requires far more than access to land. Farmers also need cold storage, transportation, processing facilities, fnancing tailored to agriculture and, critically, confdence that there will be reliable buyers for their products.
“If just one of those pieces is missing, growth stalls,” Ms Cargill said. “The farmer can’t scale, the lender cannot justify the risk… and the opportunity remains unrealised.”
She said the same principle applies across every industry.
“A lodge does not create an ecotourism industry,” she added. “A solar feld is not the same as an energy economy, and a dock is not the same as a blue economy.
Endangered iguana can be Andros tourism pillar
BY ANNELIA NIXON
A CONSERVATION scientist believes the endangered Andros rock iguana could become a new pillar of the island’s tourism economy, helping to diversify visitor experiences, lengthen stays and generate additional spending while protecting one of its most unique natural assets.
Speaking at the Andros Business Outlook yesterday, Chuck Knapp, vice-president of conservation research at Shedd Aquarium, argued that Andros has an untapped opportunity to build a sustainable land-based tourism product around the iguana, complementing the island’s
marine attractions such as fats fshing, scuba diving and blue holes. Mr Knapp said the timing is favourable as tourism continues to spread beyond New Providence and Grand Bahama. He added that The Bahamas enjoyed a record year for visitor arrivals in 2025, with stopover tourism growing 11 percent yearover-year and nearly 30 percent of visitors now travelling to the Family Islands. “The time is right to have this conversation,” Mr Knapp added. He argued that while Andros is already marketed for its world-renowned marine environment, its terrestrial ecosystems remain largely overlooked despite ofering experiences found nowhere else in the world.
“Currently, most people are coming for the water-related activities like scuba diving and bone fshing,” he said. “But what I suggest here is that more attention could be paid to the relatively overlooked and under-valued terrestrial habitats and animals.”
Expanding those oferings, Mr Knapp said, would provide alternatives for visitors unable or unwilling to spend entire days on the water while also creating tourism opportunities when weather conditions prevent boating.
Central to his vision, he said, is the Andros rock iguana, an endangered species found nowhere else in the world. Unlike traditional fagship tourism species such as elephants or whales, Mr Knapp said
the iguana could serve as a uniquely Bahamian attraction alongside birds such as the Bahama oriole. He also highlighted the reptile’s ecological importance. The herbivorous iguanas consume fruits, fowers and leaves before dispersing seeds throughout forests, coppice and mangrove ecosystems, efectively acting as “environmental engineers” that help sustain habitats for numerous other species.
Mr Knapp said visitors could even be ofered carefully-managed opportunities to observe the iguanas’ rare nesting behaviour, during which females dig burrows before pushing eggs into termite mounds using their forelegs and snouts.
“Very few people have ever seen that behaviour,” he said. “It is absolutely unbelievable to see.” Mr Knapp linked the concept to a wildlife safari experience rather than a traditional attraction.
Mr Knapp also presented fndings from visitor surveys he conducted during his doctoral research in the early 2000s that suggest strong market demand for such experiences.
According to the survey, 95 percent of tourists expressed interest in observing iguanas, while 75 percent said they would be willing to pay for guided tours. Respondents indicated they would pay roughly $36 to $140 for the experience. Although the research is two decades old, Mr
What creates growth is the system that connects them.”
Ms Cargill revealed that signifcant investment interest already exists for Andros. “I’m aware of almost $300m in projects, investments and development concepts that include an Androsian component,” she said.
She added that the BDB currently has roughly $22m in fnancing available after recent fnancing activity, and is actively seeking projects aligned with national development priorities, including opportunities in Andros.
“The key will be for us to connect these projects into ecosystems, to align private and public investment, and to ensure that Androsians are positioned not simply to observe development but to participate and beneft from it,” she said.
Ms Cargill said the BDB is also promoting co-operative fnancing models and community-based tourism initiatives to ensure economic benefts remain within local communities.
She invited entrepreneurs and investors to bring forward new ideas, saying sustainable development will depend on partnerships rather than isolated projects.“The future of Andros isn’t going to be built by any individual institution or project,” Ms Cargill said. “It’s going to be built through partnership, co-ordination and a shared commitment.”
Knapp said the results still point to commercial potential worthy of further investigation. He pointed to international examples where destinations have successfully built tourism industries around less conventional wildlife, including crocodile tours in Costa Rica and Indonesia’s famous Komodo dragons. “I think these are the most incredible lizards in the world,” Mr Knapp said. “Combined with the other wildlife and plant species, as well as the incredible landscape features of Andros, it really makes for a compelling, one-of-akind land-based nature excursion.”
He suggested guided itineraries could combine iguana viewing with birdwatching, orchid trails and visits to Andros’ blue holes. However, Mr Knapp
NATURE - See Page B5
Hotel losing ‘major portion’ of guests due to airlift’s timing
“I”ve opened fve. We are right now constructing 11,” Dr Romer said of the Davis administration’s progress.
“By the end of 2027 you’ll see an airport in Mangrove Cay. Your member of Parliament [Leon Lundy] already spoke to that. Great Harbour Cay model.”
He spoke out after resort and airline operators, as well as Mangrove Cay residents, detailed multiple aviation and transportation-related challenges said to be holding back the area’s economic and social progress as well as deterring foreign direct investment (FDI).
Besides the airport’s “leaky roof”, lack of maintenance and rundown appearance, as well as the presence of stray dogs and crabs leaving a poor frst and last impression for tourists as well as Bahamians, other concerns included difculties in ensuring the presence of Customs and Immigration to clear incoming fights; high airline ticket prices; and poor scheduling connectivity that forces visitors to overnight in Nassau or Florida before they can reach Mangrove Cay the following day.
One Mangrove Cay resident pointed to prohibitive private charter costs, up to
$1,400 to $1,500 per person one-way, as well as the struggle for direct fights as “not everybody” wants to take a boat from Driggs Hill.
“Flamingo Air has a tendency to cancel fights well in advance. They don’t give us an opportunity to book those fights,” the female resident complained. “LeAir combines their fights with Fresh Creek, which makes it difcult to get in. Not everybody wants to fy in through Driggs Hill and come in on a boat. Not everyone can aford to do a private charter from Fort Lauderdale. Not everyone can aford to do a hop over from Nassau to Mangrove Cay.
“The cost of a private charter one-way is $1,400 to $1,500 whether it’s fve passengers or just one. It makes it extremely difcult, not just for visitors but Mangrovians who live here, because it’s difcult to go back and forth. We are almost now being forced to go back in time and travel by boat [from and to Nassau]. Seven hours in a boat when it takes 15 minutes, not to mention that the air price does not match the service.
“They are charging large airline fees and prices, and it does not match. There are delays and cancellations with no explanation, no cancellation. There’s a
lot happening there.” Ms Bain, meanwhile, said Mangrove Cay Club has had to develop a “work around” the airlift connectivity difculties by fying guests into Driggs Hill and then transporting them by boat to the resort’s marina.
Revealing that the resort has had to “build a bubble” around it to insulate itself from the area’s utility challenges, Ms Bain added that it has challenges in “simply explaining to a potential guest how to get here, telling them you have Le-Air one week, Flamingo Air the next, and you may have to come in with one, go out with the other, and so on and so forth”.
“There’s been a lot of talk about creating the demand. There’s been a lot of talk about what the entrepreneurs and hoteliers need to do to create that demand. Mangrove Cay Club has been in business for 26 years. We have created a solid business,” Ms Bain said.
“We are still facing challenges with our airport, with our airlift, getting people from Nassau to Mangrove Cay, getting people from Fort Lauderdale to Mangrove Cay. I was diving into some metrics in the last couple of days, and calculated how many arrivals and departures we had last season. It was 110 groups x
Bahamas ‘doomed to failure’ if tourism develops in a silo
STRATEGY - from page B1
and viability, Dr Romer told attendees: “I think our greatest product is really our people. So we need rethink the way we think about traditional tourism and put our people ahead of product.”
He added that Andros’ proximity to the US and Nassau, being just a 15-20 minute fight away from the Bahamian capital, together with its well-known fats fshing grounds, national parks and other natural attractions had left it wellplaced “to be the capital when it comes to sustainable tourism”.
“Andros, more than any other island.. please forgive my bias, is poised again to be the leader when it comes to sustainable eco-tourism,” Dr Romer said, “but we have a responsibility
because sometimes we think of sustainable tourism as the preservation of our natural environment or assets.
“When we look at the United Nations (UN) sustainability goals, there are two things that concern me. The development of natural tourism assets but, at the same time, the preservation of our culture has to be important. So, when we speak about sustainable tourism, it’s not only the protection or promotion of our natural ecosystems; it has to be done in such a way that it also has to preserve our cultural, our heritage assets.”
Dr Romer asserted that the future of Andros tourism lies in attracting a discerning, wealthy client base that spends heavily to impact all sectors of the economy rather than a model based on high visitor
volumes and low per capita spending yields.
“So, when we look at sustainable tourism, Andros has the ability more than other island, OK, so all of our focus, love and attention has to give Andros not volume of passengers or clients but value,” the Ministry of Tourism’s director-general said. “Those are the ones that are going to come and spend money.
“You are not going to get 10,000 a month in Andros, but you may get 100 who are really going to change the economy of Andros, and that ought to be our focus - to develop Andros as a sustainable, but also the heritage, capital for The Bahamas.”
Dr Romer had earlier asserted that The Bahamas’ most important priority must be the creation of “a national strategy for the development of
‘Wage bill growth and headcount’ drive Govt’s rising personnel costs
EXPENSE - from page B1
Interest payments and subsidies are projected to account for 19.1 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively, of the Government’s total recurrent expenditure for the upcoming fscal year. Together, they will account for one-third or $1 out of every $3 spent by the Davis administration to cover its fxed costs. And, when combined with civil service compensation, these three categories will consume 60.2 percent, or more than $6 out of every $10 spent by the Government to meet its fxed costs. They will collectively combine for $2.248bn out of the Government’s total recurrent spending Budget of $3.724bn. While the Davis administration has been able to contain its total spending, civil service compensation
has continued to increase due to a combination of increased wages and benefts from recent industrial agreement signings; promotions; and new hirings. If the 2026-2027 Budget forecast of $868.187m holds true, wages and salaries alone will have jumped by more than $113m in two years, marking a 15 percent rise on the $754.858m paid out in 2024-2025.
The Fiscal Strategy Report 2026, speaking to the outcome of the 20242025 fscal year, said: “Total expenditure rose by $222.2m (6.8 percent) to $3.485bn, with a shift toward increased recurrent expenditure and restrained capital execution. This outcome was $127.8m below the projected $3.613bn and primarily attributed to the under execution of capital spending and lower-than-anticipated
2. Two hundred and twenty arrivals and departures.
“A signifcant number of those were Makers Air, and because we do not have Customs here in Mangrove Cay we have had to develop a work around,” Ms Bain explained. “We transport those people from Driggs Hill to Mangrove Cay by boat. It’s like I say: We have built a bubble around ourselves. We have invested in back-up generation, our own water system. We created our own drinking water.
“We have had to do so to just compensate for the lack of reliable infrastructure here in Mangrove Cay. That requires a considerable amount of investment, and anyone who develops a business plan that does not factor that in is going to be overlooking a considerable portion of their required investment.”
They were far from alone in her concerns. Dr Romer had earlier asserted that the island of Andros, as a whole, “is leading the way in terms of year-over-year growth in foreign air arrivals; Andros is on the leader board” with “64 percent growth” compared to pre-COVID fgures in 2019.
However, Bryan Baeumler, co-owner of south Andros’ Caerula Mar Club Resort, and who has been featured extensively in
tourism” and similar plans for each of the Family Islands. He added that, since the turn of the century, many Bahamians have been conditioned to think in short-term fve year cycles due to the regular changes in government until May 2026.
Noting that this had created expectation that national planning alters every fve years, the tourism and aviation chief added that his time in government had exposed the “competing agendas” of diferent ministries and agencies and the vacuums, or silos, that leave them operating in isolation - tendencies that have undermined The Bahamas’ development progress.
Dr Romer warned that tourism “is doomed to failure” if isolated from other sectors as he responded to panel moderator, Kerry Fountain, asking him to identify “the single most important issue” that must be tackled within the next fve years if Andros is to achieve long-term prosperity.
by $75.2m (3.2 percent) to $2.438bn (70.7 of Budget appropriations),” the Fiscal Strategy Report said.
the long-running HGTV series on his Bahamian investment, cited the lack of same-day airlift connectivity for inbound and departing guests as a major barrier for his business.
“Access and awareness is a big one,” he told the Business Outlook conference. “Airlift, it’s not only the amount of airlift, it’s the time. We lose a signifcant portion of our travellers and tourists because fying from the northern US or Canada into Nassau, you need to stay overnight to catch a connection into Andros. Those same people fying into Fort Lauderdale need to stay overnight to catch a connection into Andros, whether it’s Makers Air or Western Air, which the majority of our travellers go on.
“Timing is a big one. We lose a signifcant portion when we give up barriers to access by having to stay somewhere.” Mr Baeumler also described fxing the Mangrove Cay airport as the number one priority, pointing to the presence of uncollected garbage and leaky roofs.
expenditures on social assistance and pensions.
“Recurrent expenditure increased by $238.1m (8 percent) to $3.2bn in fscal year 2024-2025. As a share of nominal GDP, this equates to approximately 19.3 percent compared with the statutory 21 percent ceiling.”
However, the report added: “Compensation of employees expanded by $35.5m, incorporating higher wages, salaries and allowances, and a $7.5m rise in NIB contributions.” A similar trend was reported for the frst nine months of the current 2025-2026 fscal year.
“Total expenditure reached $2.709bn, representing 70.9 percent of the Budget and an increase of $70.9m compared to the same period in the previous year. Disaggregated by economic classifcation, recurrent expenditure rose
“Compensation of employees, the largest single recurrent line item, increased by $35.5m (5.5 percent) to $684.4m, refecting both wage bill growth and headcount additions, and positioned at 72.8 percent of the Budget.” The Government will likely argue that the increased compensation is critical to boosting civil service morale and productivity, and prevent defections to better-paying jobs in the private sector.
However, some observers will likely contend that the Government is becoming increasingly bloated and challenge whether the public is receiving value for money from this increased compensation package. The ever-increasing costs, which have to be fnanced by taxes paid by Bahamian citizens and businesses, will also impose a growing burden on taxpayers to fund this expansion.
“That means if there is a scheduled fight coming, we would not be able to fy the scheduled fight or a private charter for that matter, which we’d have to clear somewhere else and which we’ve worked around. We have the ability to work within this very dynamic community of Mangrove Cay and lodge operators to add scheduled fights as soon as the Customs and Immigration issue is solved.”
And, calling for “quick processing”, Ms Swainson added: “If our planes are not in the air we are not making money. The quicker we can be out and processed is important. I cannot stress enough that if we are delayed in Customs by an hour-and-a-half then the rest of the day is thrown of.”
Meanwhile, Sarah Swainson, director of business development for Makers Air, told the same panel discussion that “the number one thing we need is Customs. Customs and Immigration” and a regular presence in Mangrove Cay and south Andros to clear and process incoming fights. While Customs ofcers do an “amazing” job currently, she explained: “The issue comes in that there is a cost that is involved in that. That is not even the biggest prohibitive measure. It’s that if they are shortstafed, they cannot leave San Andros airport.
Describing his reply as “non-traditional”, he added:
“Usually I would speak about sustainable tourism, infrastructure development, those sorts of things - heads in beds, airlift, interconnectivity. They are academic answers we have been trained to speak to in response to the question you asked, but Kerry, we have to begin with the end in mind. Nothing succeeds without a strategy.
“So the frst thing you asked about a fve-year plan, fortunately or unfortunately, in our country we have been trained to think in fve-year cycles. A new minister comes in, a government transitions and we have a strategy that does not survive a fve-year lifespan.” Dr Romer said there has to be a “synergised strategy” for Andros’ own development as well as one for the entire Bahamas.
Speaking to his experience in government, and dealing with various ministries and agencies, he added:
“What I have discovered, Kerry, is there are sometimes competing agendas
The growing civil service bill comes as the Government moves to revive long-awaited public sector pension reform in a bid to halt growth in unfunded liabilities that now stand at $3bn. It plans to do this through the creation of a scheme where civil servants will help fnance their own retirement.
A so-called ‘white paper’ outlining the latest reform proposals calls for qualifying civil servants to contribute a mandatory 3 percent of their monthly salary to a new defned contribution scheme with the Government injecting a sum equal to 5 percent of their earnings.
The move will ultimately phase-out the existing ‘pay as you go’ civil service pension where public ofcials pay nothing towards their retirement which, instead, is fnanced 100 percent by Bahamian taxpayers from the annual Budget. Pension payments to public ofcials were pegged at $154.434m for the current 2025-2026 fscal year, with some $113.917 of this amount paid out during the frst nine months, and this is forecast to steadily increase over the next three years to hit $166.75m by 2028-2029.
siloed in their approaches that do not lend to success in terms of national development. The frst and most important thing for us to do is come together and actually develop a national strategic plan that speaks to tourism development.
“It cannot be done in isolation. Tourism independent of other industries and stakeholders is doomed to failure. Tourism cannot exist in a siloed approach.” Dr Romer said a tourism development strategy needs to extend beyond a fveyear time horizon and focus on the next 10 to 20 years, and answer questions such as the level of support that Andros requires to be “the leader of eco-tourism”.
“Unless we get answers to those types of questions, we are living in a make-up world. It’s aspirational as opposed to objectives that can be seen, measured and easily achieved,” Dr Rollins said. “The number one element we have got to have is a national strategy for the development of tourism and the development of each island in our country.”
And, with unfunded civil service pension liabilities forecast to increase by another $1.1bn over the next six years to hit $4.1bn by 2032, change is becoming ever-more critical to resolve what Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s fnancial secretary, told Tribune Business in an April 5, 2024, interview is “the top risk” to the stability of the Government’s fnances and need to be “dealt with as soon as possible”.
“The continued growth in pension liabilities and cash outfows is fscally unsustainable,” the Government’s ‘white paper’ asserts.
“With annual cash outfows of $184m and accrued liabilities for pension benefts estimated at $3bn, and projected to grow to $4.1bn by 2032, the Government’s fnancial capacity is increasingly strained
“Also, signifcant defcits within the Government-owned corporations - many of which carry implicit government guarantees - further compound the liability burden with net pension liabilities estimated at $396m.” The latter fgure was calculated in 2020-2021, and is likely to have grown signifcantly since then.
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Aviation chief admits ‘not doing good enough job’ for Bahamian airlines
GROW - from page B1
they come we need things for people to do and more infrastructure. We need more people to pay for it. We’re in these very early stages where we all need to get together in Andros, decide what the end goal is and co-operate to get there.”
Expanding on the land title ownership concerns, Mr Baeumler added that they were “making it difcult for people to come in who want to purchase property or make investments. There’s a lot of challenges in the south that have to be worked through”. He also called for “streamlined” Customs clearance procedures and ease of doing business improvements, pointing to the costs associated with importing goods.
Meanwhile Dr Kenneth Romer, the Government’s director of aviation and deputy director-general for the Ministry of Tourism, conceded at the same conference that The Bahamas
US embassy accused of going ‘to extreme’ over few incidents
should avoid the activity altogether.
“In the last three years, they’re talking about six accidents that led to hospitalisations and one fatality,” he said. “The fatality wasn’t even the jet ski operator’s fault. It was caused by an illegal boat operator who wasn’t licensed.”
Mr Rosen argued that those fgures should be viewed in the context of the industry’s overall size.
“It’s estimated there were between a quarter-million and a half-million rentals over that same period,” said Mr Rosen. “You’re talking about less than 0.0001
percent of rentals resulting in a serious incident.
“The numbers speak for themselves. They don’t have an accident problem here. They really don’t.” Mr Rosen acknowledged that jet skis can be dangerous if improperly operated but said the activity is being unfairly portrayed.
“Yes, it can be a high-risk activity because you’re dealing with a powerful engine, but it’s really the opposite of what they’re making it out to be,” he said.
“You’re not talking about 1 percent. You’re talking about one out of every 10,000, 20,000 or 50,000 rentals. Someone is going to do something stupid, but I think the numbers look really good, to be honest.”
FDA panel backs rstof-its-kind u vaccine using mRNA technology
By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press
A NEW kind of fu vaccine moved a step closer to the U.S. market Thursday as federal health advisers recommended approval of the frst made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the COVID19 pandemic.
The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating Moderna’s new shot, dubbed mFlusiva, for older Americans ahead of the winter fu season. Moderna is seeking full approval for the vaccine’s use in people ages 50 to 64 — along with authorization for use in those 65 and older while it conducts additional testing.
The FDA’s independent advisory committee evaluated Moderna’s studies of the vaccine and voted unanimously that its benefts appear to outweigh any risks for both age groups. The FDA will consider that recommendation in making a fnal decision by early August.
Tens of thousands of Americans die from infuenza every year, and older adults are among the most vulnerable. There are various types of fu vaccines already available in the U.S., including three specifcally recommended for people 65 and older. But vaccines made with the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology are
faster to manufacture than other types — something experts say might help if the shape-shifting fu virus mutates in a way that requires suddenly brewing new doses to match.
“Having this technology available puts us in a better position to be prepared for emerging strains in the future,” said Dr. Flor Munoz-Rivas of Texas Children’s Hospital, one of FDA’s advisers.
In a study of 40,000 people age 50 and older, Moderna’s mRNA vaccine reduced fu cases by about 27% compared with those given another routinely used vaccine brand. In a smaller study of people 65 and older, Moderna’s shot also generated a strong protective immune response compared with a high-dose fu vaccine already recommended for that age group.
Data showing strong immune reactions “were very compelling,” said FDA adviser Dr. Anna Durbin of Johns Hopkins University, adding that “the vaccine looks very promising.”
Moderna’s Dr. Rituparna Das told panelists that the company’s ability to quickly manufacture mRNA vaccines that closely match the latest fu strains could prevent thousands of hospitalizations in older Americans.
Severe fu cases in the U.S. generally rise in years when the fu shot doesn’t closely match the circulating virus.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Public is hereby advised that I, Christopher Cameron Livingstone Leonard of P.O. Box AP59223, Royal Palm Cay, Sandyport, New Providence, Bahamas parent of ELIANA DALILA FREEMAN LEONARD intend to change my child’s name to ELIANA DALILA LEONARD. If there are any objections to this change of name by deed poll, you may write such objection to the Chief Passport Offcer, P. O. Box N-3746, Nassau, The Bahamas or at deedpoll@ bahamas.gov.bs no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice. INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I, STHERLINE JOSEPH of Shirley 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 19th day of June, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
Mr Rosen also addressed the US Embassy’s concerns regarding sexual assaults allegedly committed by jet ski operators. “I don’t like to see that. Those incidents are a problem,” he said. “But bad people exist everywhere in the world. These things can happen anywhere.”
He added that the Bahamian government has recently introduced measures designed to reduce risks to visitors.
“The Government made adjustments last month to prevent operators from being on the same jet ski as renters, so they’ve been proactive about addressing those concerns,” said Mr Rosen.
is “not doing a good enough job” of assisting local airlines and integrating them with legacy international carriers via inter-line agreements that will facilitate partnerships to move 1.8m annual visitors around the country.
“Never matter how good a job we do talking about our destination, if persons
Drawing comparisons with Florida, where he operates one of the state’s largest jet ski rental businesses, Mr Rosen said jet ski accidents occur more frequently despite stricter regulations.
“Where I live in Florida, there are far more jet ski accidents and fatalities than there have been in The Bahamas over the last three years,” he said. “If they wanted to go in a stricter direction, they could look at something similar to Florida, where people are required to take a boating exam before operating a jet ski.”
Mr Rosen said he believes the US Embassy’s warning could negatively afect tourism operators, particularly because it has received widespread media attention in the US.
“I think it could have a signifcant efect on the industry,” he said. “I can’t
Moderna ofcials noted that fu strains for each fall’s vaccines now are chosen several months earlier than the yearly recipe update for COVID-19 shots that mostly are mRNAbased — and there can be a mismatch if the fu virus mutates after the recipe is made.
At the meeting, FDA vaccine reviewer Dr. Timothy Brennan suggested the agency was open to approving the vaccine for older adults ahead of the coming fu season, despite the need for more information about its use in frail seniors or people with weak immune systems.
If it’s approved, Moderna is planning its required next-step study to include 400,000 people 65 and older, half given the
mRNA vaccine and the rest given one of today’s special-for-seniors shots. It’s supposed to repeat that study for two fu seasons. Moderna’s data showed no major safety issues although the shot did cause some temporary reactions including injection-site pain, fever, headache, tiredness and aches. The latter reactions are common in a variety of vaccines, but occurred somewhat more often than with today’s fu shots. The FDA said that’s typical of mRNA vaccines.
Those temporary reactions can be a signal that “your immune system is responding,” said Dr. Hayley Gans, a Stanford Medicine pediatrician and FDA adviser who stressed it will be important to explain that to vaccine recipients.
PUBLIC NOTICE
e owner/s of Lot #20 on the Eastern Side of (Rupert Dean Lane) O Meadow Street, BLOCK NO#184
Please contact MR MICHEAL MOSS within 14 days at 421-1782
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I SUZE NAÎLIE METRETS of East Street, off Wulff Road, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 12th day of June, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
cannot get to see it, all of our marketing dollars are going down the drain,” he warned. “So accessibility and afordability are critical. We have to speak about the development of new routes but, more importantly, sustaining existing routes.
“Sometimes we want to run after the new girl in the pageant when the one who has been loyal all these years, we are not showing them the TLC. We have to fx how we are going to [use] our existing carriers, and it’s not just foreign carriers but our domestic
say exactly how much business could be lost, but the warning has received a lot of traction in major US news outlets.”
Still, Mr Rosen predicted many visitors will continue to participate in the activity. “This is one of the best places in the world to ride a jet ski,” he said. “Even with the bad press, the water is still beautiful and people want to have fun on their vacation. I’m sure some people will decide not to rent, but I don’t agree with the storyline. I think the narrative is false.”
The comments came after the US Embassy in Nassau issued a security alert and public service announcement warning American citizens about what it described as serious and ongoing dangers associated with jet ski rentals in The Bahamas. The Embassy reported that six US citizens have
air operators. How are we going to support Le-Air Charters and Flamingo Air. How are we going to grow demand for Western Air?
“Bahamians deserve a seat at the table. When we speak about development, we are not doing a good enough job because the legacy carriers that bring in the 1.8m air arrivals, we want to speak about how we can support our domestic carriers, our local ones, through inter-line partnerships with legacy carriers coming into Nassau.”
been hospitalised following jet ski accidents since August 2024, including three who required emergency medical evacuation to the US. It also said two American women reported being sexually assaulted by jet ski operators in 2025, while two additional sexual assault allegations have been reported so far this year.
In a video message accompanying the alert, US Ambassador Herschel Walker urged Americans to avoid renting jet skis, citing unsafe watercraft, unlicensed operators and insufcient industry oversight. The Embassy also noted that US government employees assigned to The Bahamas are prohibited from renting or operating jet skis on New Providence and Paradise Island.
Iguana potential must avoid swimming pigs scenario
NATURE - from page B3
stressed that any tourism product must be built around conservation rather than entertainment. He warned against replicating practices seen elsewhere in The Bahamas, particularly in the Exumas, where tourists often feed or handle endangered iguanas.
Research conducted by his team has found that feeding inappropriate foods can harm the reptiles’ health, while discarded wooden skewers have been swallowed by iguanas. Feeding also alters the animals’ natural behaviour, reducing their role as seed dispersers because they congregate on beaches instead of moving throughout their natural habitat.
Mr Knapp also cautioned that frequent handling for photographs desensitises iguanas to humans, making them more vulnerable to hunting and illegal wildlife trafcking. Instead, he advocated for a safari-style eco-tourism model where sightings remain natural and guides educate visitors about conservation.
“Wildlife tourism is transactional, and it does little to promote sustainability and stewardship
for the environment,” he said. “I would love to see Andros not engage in that type of tourism, but make it more of a safari-based experience.”
Mr Knapp said trained local guides will be critical to the initiative’s success, suggesting institutions such as BAMSI could potentially play a role in developing guide-training programmes.
Mr Knapp said knowledgeable guides can transform a simple wildlife sighting into an educational experience that builds appreciation for conservation while supporting local livelihoods.
Positioning the Andros rock iguana as the island’s terrestrial symbol could create a new tourism niche that complements existing marine activities, extends visitor stays and increases visitor spending. “It could develop Andros as the Caribbean’s premier nature adventure destination,” he said, “and demonstrate that protecting biodiversity can also create economic opportunities.”
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ILDET SAINT PIERRE of Allen Road Drive, Firetrail Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 12th day of June, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I, DASHINIQUE CLAUDISHA MICHEL of Baillou Hill Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 19th day of June, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
A SIGN marks an entrance to a Moderna building in Cambridge, Mass., May 18, 2020.
Photo:Bill Sikes/AP
Stocks rise on Wall Street, erasing much of their loss from a day earlier
By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer
STOCKS rose on Wall Street Thursday and erased most of their losses from a day earlier to notch weekly gains.
The market’s reversal was powered by sharp gains for big technology companies. The decline on Wednesday was driven by anticipation that the Federal Reserve will likely raise interest rates this year in an efort to fght infation.
On Thursday, stocks faced less pressure as bond yields eased and oil prices spent most of the day falling.
The S&P 500 rose 80.48 points, or 1.1%, to 7,500.58. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 72.15 points, or 0.1%, to 51,564.70. The Nasdaq composite surged 496.28 points, or 1.9%, to 26,517.93. Every major index notched weekly gains. U.S. markets will be closed Friday for Juneteenth. Technology stocks had some of the biggest gains and the most infuence on the broader market’s rise.
Intel surged 10.6% after President Donald Trump announced that the semiconductor giant will make chips for Apple in the U.S. Other big semiconductor companies gained ground. Nvidia rose 3% and Micron Technology jumped 8.7%. On the losing end, SpaceX fell for the second straight day since its ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market last week.
The Elon Musk-led rocket maker and AI company was down 3.6% following a 4.9% loss Wednesday. Oil prices wavered after the United States and Iran signed an agreement to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil tanker trafc. Brent crude, the international standard, spent most of the day lower before settling 0.4% higher at $79.85 per barrel. U.S. benchmark crude fell 0.2% to $75.85 per barrel. Airlines had some of the bigger gains. American Airlines rose 3.7% and United Airlines rose 2.1%. Cruise line company Carnival jumped 3.2%.
Energy companies lost ground. Exxon Mobil fell 2.1% and Chevron fell 2.2%.
Prices for crude oil are still above roughly $70 per barrel from before the war, but are well below the $100plus price from a few weeks ago.
Higher oil prices have been weighing on markets throughout the U.S. war
with Iran. The current deal between the nations waives sanctions against Iran and allows it to sell its oil freely. It also opens up the Strait of Hormuz, where a ffth of the world’s oil supply is shipped.
“While investors are welcoming the agreement as a constructive step for geopolitical risk, uncertainty remains elevated around
Supreme Court sides with a Texas man who says it’s not a crime for marijuana users to have guns
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press
THE Supreme Court ruled Thursday against a broad federal ban on gun ownership by marijuana users, the latest in a line of frearm cases from a court that has expanded gun rights.
The justices decided unanimously in favor of Ali Danial Hemani, a Texas man who argued that a law barring guns from anyone who regularly uses illegal drugs violates the Second Amendment.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that his opinion narrowly limits the government’s power to take guns away from drug users who
are not considered dangerous. Hemani, who was not charged with any other crimes or accused of using the weapon under the infuence, is thankful he “fnally has closure,” lawyer Zachary Newland said. The decision is a loss for President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, which had defended the 1968 law despite arguing
against other gun restrictions. Its core argument “fails under every measure,” Gorsuch wrote.
The law was originally meant to keep guns away from dangerous people, but the millions of people who now use marijuana can’t all be characterized that way, Gorsuch wrote. While recreational use is illegal under federal law, about half of
potential fare-ups, the pace of shipping normalization, control of the waterway, the cost of access, and the path forward for Iran’s nuclear program.” said Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial, in a research note.
Rising energy costs have been putting more pressure on already hot infation. The average price of gasoline in the U.S. has dipped below $4 a gallon, but is still 25% higher from a year ago. Prices have been rising for a wide range of goods because of higher shipping costs.
Hotter infation prompted the Federal Reserve to shift course from cutting its benchmark interest rate to likely raising rates by the end of the year. Lower interest rates can boost the economy by making borrowing easier for businesses and households, but it also tends to stoke infation.
The Fed has been trying to balance its job of curbing infation while supporting employment growth. The jobs market has remained
states allow it and cannabis use for health purposes is widespread.
“Whatever one thinks of these developments, the federal government has not just tolerated them; it helped fuel them,” Gorsuch wrote. “All of which leaves it awkwardly positioned to suggest that the millions of Americans who now regularly use marijuana are categorically and unusually dangerous.”
The law was also used in a case against Hunter Biden, who was convicted in Wilmington, Delaware, of buying a gun while addicted to cocaine in 2018. He was later pardoned by his father, Democratic President Joe Biden.
Someone addicted to an illegal drug could potentially still be prosecuted after Thursday’s decision.
“We do not address eforts to ban addicts, or those presently intoxicated, from possessing a frearm,” Gorsuch wrote. Prosecutors could charge a marijuana user if they had evidence the person was dangerous, he said.
Recreational use remains illegal on a federal level even after the Trump administration reclassifed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in April.
Gun rights and procannabis groups join forces
The case made for some unusual political alliances.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rife Association supported Hemani’s case, as did cannabis legalization groups such as NORML. On the other side were gun safety groups including Everytown that usually oppose the administration on Second Amendment issues.
The ACLU applauded the ruling, saying that nearly half of Americans have reported using marijuana at some point in their lives.
relatively strong amid rising infation, with low unemployment and solid job growth.
The central bank closed its two-day meeting on Wednesday by maintaining its benchmark interest rate at its current level. But it signaled that it might raise the rate at least once by December.
“This shift in the risk distribution helps explain why around half of the committee thought that an interest-rate hike this year might be needed,” said James McCann, senior economist at Edward Jones, in a research note. The Fed’s stronger signal for an eventual rate hike prompted a jump in bond yields on Wednesday, but they eased on Thursday.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.45% from 4.49% late Wednesday. The yield on 2-year Treasury, which more closely tracks action by the Fed, fell to 4.18% from 4.20% late Wednesday. Markets were mixed in Europe after closing lower Asia.
“The court has sent a strong message that the government cannot criminalize the conduct of large numbers of people by making categorical and unfounded assumptions about whether they are dangerous,” said Cecillia Wang, legal director at the ACLU.
NORML applauded the decision as a “vindication of personal freedom” and the Second Amendment Foundation called it a “major victory for gun owners.”
The group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which opposes legalization of the drug, condemned it.
“While the justices in this case appear to be most concerned with historical battles over Second Amendment rights, public health and safety are the collateral damage in this decision,” said CEO Kevin Sabet. Gun control groups were more measured, with Everytown saying the decision still recognizes that “drugs and guns can make for a dangerous mix.”
It is rare to see standalone criminal charges fled against people accused solely of owning guns and using drugs, though they are more often fled against people also accused of other crimes.
The opinion is the latest in a series of frearm cases to reach the Supreme Court since its landmark ruling expanding gun rights in 2022 led to a wave of challenges around the country.
Since then, the high court has upheld a law aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence and strict regulations on ghost gun kits but has struck down a ban on bump stocks, an accessory that enables rapid fre. The justices are also considering a second frearm case this term over strict regulations on carrying guns in Hawaii.
TRADER MATTHEW CHESLOCK, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Photo:Richard Drew/AP
MARIJUANA clones are shown for sale at Tropicanna Dispensary and Weed Delivery in Santa Ana, Calif., April 23, 2026. Photo:Jae
