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GOVT DROPS MIGRANT IMMUNITY CLAUSE

MOM: MAN BROKE IN TWICE AND RAPED MY DAUGHTER

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

A MOTHER testified yesterday that a man broke into her house in Andros twice in 2022 and raped her daughter during the second intrusion. The victim’s mother, whose name is being withheld to protect the complainant, testified in the rape and burglary trial of 27-year-old Garnet Thompson Jr before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns. Prosecutors allege Thompson broke into the complainant’s Cargill Creek, Andros home on the night of November 18, 2022 and raped her. The victim

NATIONAL SECURITY Minister Wayne Munroe speaks yesterday in the House of Assembly during debate on the Smuggling of Migrants Bill.

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Section blocking charges for illegal landing from smuggling is removed

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party has removed a controversial clause from the Smuggling of Migrants Bill that would have protected smuggled migrants from certain types of prosecution. The clause would have protected them from prosecution for illegal entry, illegal stay or possessing fraudulent documents if those actions were directly caused by being smuggled.

The bill passed the House of Assembly after the governing party retreated from this provision, which critics said would have weakened immigration enforcement.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, who led debate on the bill, acknowledged concerns about the clause and spent much of his contribution outlining the bill’s structure while responding to opposition criticism. The proposal became

IMMUNITY - SEE PAGE THREE

ALIV blames ‘unprecedented surge’ as ticket app crashes again

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

JUNKANOO fans were left frustrated yesterday after the ALIV Events app crashed just minutes into ticket sales, with officials attributing the disruption to an unprecedented surge of online traffic.

Eager customers hoping to secure seats for the

SUICIDAL FEELINGS RISING AMONG YOUNGER PEOPLE, SAYS DOCTOR

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

SUICIDAL behaviour among young Bahamians has continued to increase this year, with Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre seeing most cases among people in their late teens through their mid-thirties, according to Chief of Staff Dr Srinivas Bodha.

He said the trend had become increasingly evident across school-aged and young adult populations.

“We see a lot in the younger generation, especially those starting in the late teens and going into the mid-thirties,” he said. “It is very rare in the older population. We may see one or two cases, but the

upcoming parades flooded the system shortly after sales opened at 10am.

The app quickly became inaccessible, triggering confusion and complaints across social media. In a Facebook statement, ALIV acknowledged the outage, noting that the platform experienced an unusual volume of simultaneous purchases and that technicians were working urgently to resolve the issue. Online reaction was swift, with many people complaining that recurrent technical failures had become an annual hallmark of Junkanoo ticketing.

“Every year it's the same BS,” one person said. “Y'all add 3k more tickets, so y'all didn't think 3k more customers will be on your

GOVERNOR GENERAL Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt (centre) is taken on a tour of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre yesterday by Hospital Administrator Leotha Coleby (right) and other staff.

Photo: Shawn Hanna

ALIV - SEE PAGE THREE

Bahamas International Film Festival opening night

CAPTAIN AMERICA star Anthony Mackie (above), actor Sawyer Spielberg, son of director Steven Spielberg and actress Kate Capshaw, and others were among those joining Bahamas International Film Festival founder Leslie Vanderpool on the opening night of this year’s festival at John Watling’s Distillery in Nassau. Also in attendance were philanthropist Heather Kosoy and multi award-winning TV host, filmmaker and photographer Charlie Bahama.

SAWYER SPIELBERG with BIFF founder Leslie Vanderpool

SAWYER SPIELBERG speaks with Bahamian filmmaker and photographer Charlie Bahama.

Munroe says government listened to public outcry

a flashpoint in recent days, with the Coalition of Independents staging a demonstration last week and accusing the government of introducing what they described as an “asylum” or “security” bill.

any ambiguity. He stressed that the bill had never intended to create a new legal pathway for undocumented migrants to remain in The Bahamas. He framed the legislation as one targeting smugglers, not migrants, and noted that current laws address migrants separately.

“The issue with the migrant and the smuggler is that if you charge both of them under the Act, could you tell me how we could get a conviction if they’re both charged under the Act,” he said. “You need them to be your witness to establish your case.”

Addressing non-refoulement, Mr Davis said it ensures migrants are not deported to places where they face serious harm.

“This is nothing new –this is a moral and legal obligation that our law enforcement officials already follow – by deporting Haitians, for example, to locations outside of Port au Prince,” he said.

movement, or to lend a boat for a weekend trip that you know, in your heart, is illegal, I say this is a turning point,” Mr Davis said.

“What might have felt like a side income will now carry consequences that can change your life. To migrants themselves, I say: do not place your lives, or the lives of your children, in the hands of criminals,” he said.

Mr Davis said his administration is tackling immigration challenges from multiple fronts, pointing to “record-high” repatriations, record lows in landfalls and detention centre occupancy, and unprecedented action on shantytowns.

FNM leader Michael Pintard called the government’s reversal on the immunity clause “interesting,” expressing doubt that it was an oversight. He urged the government to “kill the bill.”

again, circumvent the laws of this country, and you too are subject to punishment,” he said.

“I ask you a question just in terms of simple math: which is the majority? The smuggler who’s organising it, or those that come on the vessel. Which one is the majority.”

He said the legislation is open to multiple interpretations and argued it would have been more effective had the government conducted an audit of existing immigration laws first.

Concerns also emerged regarding the treatment of smuggled migrants. The bill ensures they receive basic amenities, including food, clothing, shelter, documentation and urgent medical care. Critics say facilities are already overstretched.

“One thing we cannot legislate is generosity and we cannot legislate generosity that we cannot afford,” Iram Lewis told Parliament.

Mr Munroe emphasised that the clause did not seek to override existing laws and would only have blocked prosecutions under this specific Act.

Yesterday morning, a small group of Free National Movement supporters also gathered outside Parliament to protest before learning the section would be removed.

“We’ve heard the outcry, this is a responsive government,” he said.

20,000 USERS CRASH SYSTEM MINUTES AFTER SALES BEGIN

significant improvements to deliver a more reliable experience.

ticket system?”

Another described the app as a “yearly joke”. Others worried that prime seating areas, including Rawson Square, would sell out before the system recovered.

Dwayne Davis, chief information officer for the Cable Bahamas Group of Companies, told The Tribune that the app had been stabilised after officials took the system offline, reoptimised it, and relaunched it. He said roughly 20,000 users attempted to log in simultaneously at 10am, far exceeding projections.

More than 3,000 additional Junkanoo tickets are available this year as the National Junkanoo Committee and ALIV expanded seating and upgraded the ALIV Events platform following persistent complaints about crashes, login failures, and tickets selling out within minutes. ALIV officials have said the platform has undergone

Mr Davis said the ticketing surge may reflect this expanded inventory, but added that it was too early to determine how many tickets had already been sold.

As in previous years, tickets will feature unique QR codes. Buyers receive the QR code by email or through the app, and parade officials will scan the codes at entrances to verify entry. Mr Davis recalled that in 2022, officials encountered fraud involving screenshots of digital tickets being shared or resold.

“There are no paper tickets. There are no tickets via WhatsApp,” Mr Davis stressed. “Once you purchase a ticket on behalf of somebody else, you can only forward that ticket once.”

He added that while Rawson Square remains the most sought-after location, there are strong seating options across several sections of the route.

He said concerns stemmed from a belief migrants were being granted rights they should not have, but argued that comparable protections already exist under current law.

Prime Minister Philip Davis, during his contribution, said the amendment was being made to remove

He said asylum procedures remain unchanged, calling claims to the contrary scare tactics. He argued that the bill pursues multiple aims: targeting organised smuggling networks, imposing long prison terms and heavy fines, and expanding enforcement tools.

“To any Bahamian who believes it is harmless to rent out rooms to people not here legally, to provide vehicles for their

“So, having been caught as they normally are caught, Madame Speaker, then they make adjustments, dry eye and not again, with any full-throated apology and repentance,” he said.

Mr Pintard said the opposition’s issue is not with criminalising smugglers but with the bill’s failure to address the actions of those who pay or facilitate smuggling.

“We say when you pay the smuggler who is to be criminalised, you are seeking to

“We cannot place a burden on the Bahamian taxpayers to solve an international crisis when our own social safety net have holes.”

Mr Munroe concluded by noting the bill was tabled months ago and the opposition had full access to it, yet their first formal communication came just yesterday morning.

He said it was unfortunate that their approach seemed like “testing which way the wind is blowing.”

Bell says Clear-Hold-Build initiative ‘accelerating’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HOUSING Minister

Keith Bell said the government is pushing ahead with its Clear-Hold-Build initiative, with the first homes under the programme nearing the construction phase.

The initiative converts derelict or abandoned properties—many of which have been deteriorating for decades—into new, resilient and affordable homes.

Mr Bell said the programme has drawn regional interest, noting that several Caribbean nations have inquired about adopting similar approaches to address land scarcity and

as new scheme advances

decaying housing stock. He said the reforms, including land regularisation and wider housing expansion, have positioned The Bahamas as a regional leader in practical community development.

Outlining the government’s broader housing achievements since taking

office, Mr Bell said 40 homes have been delivered in Pine Crest, eight in Dignity Gardens, 15 in Sir Lynden Pindling Estates and more than 65 in Renaissance. He also cited developments in Ocean Hole on Eleuthera; Central Pines and Spring City on Abaco; Fire Trail on New Providence; and Bahamia in Grand Bahama.

“Even as families are settling into these communities, dozens more homes are rising across our country: 35 more homes are now under construction in Renaissance, a further 28 advancing through the next phase there; and active home construction are underway in Pride Estates, San Salvador, Vinspen

Road, Malcolm Lane, Monique Avenue, Ridgeland Park, Yellow Elder, Podoleo Street, Irish Spring Court off East Street, and Yellow Elder Gardens,” he said.

Mr Bell said many of these homes will be occupied between this month and January, with others scheduled for completion in the months ahead. At Renaissance’s Carmichael Village, two new 24-unit condominium buildings remain on target for delivery by next June. He said these developments demonstrate that the national housing programme “is not slowing down, but accelerating community by community.”

NATIONAL SECURITY Minister Wayne Munroe speaks on the Smuggling of Migrants Bill in House of Assembly yesterday.

Photo: Chappell Wjhyms Jr

IMMUNITY from page one

HOUSING Minister Keith Bell

AlIV Events app

‘Eight out of ten’ hide suicidal feelings due to fear of stigma

predominant increase is in younger people.”

Dr Bodha identified social and behavioural pressures that are contributing to the rise.

“A lot of the school students are dealing with copycat behaviour and with taunting and bullying,” he said. “In the late twenties and early thirties, we see a lot of substance abuse and intoxication. For young ladies, there are broken relationships and broken homes and high rates of divorce.

Those things drive them to that issue of ending their lives or attempting to do so.”

Despite increasing demand, he said mental health services remain underutilized.

“Very few people actually call in and take advantage of the suicide hotlines,” he said.

“Our clinics are open all the time, and the emergency room is staffed with psychiatrists twenty-four seven. People can walk in, and there is no charge, but the public is not taking advantage of these resources.”

He said stigma remains a major barrier to timely intervention.

“A lot of people are scared to say they are depressed or that their life is not worth it,” he said.

“Eight out of ten are not honest when you ask them if they feel suicidal because they are afraid someone will laugh at them or that it will be recorded somewhere.

More needs to be done, but stigma is still a problem.”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has also raised concern about the toll suicide is taking among men. During an installation banquet of the Pride of Grand Bahama Lodge No. 7 in Grand Bahama on Saturday, he said: “Then there is the area that is often whispered about, but seldom addressed head on. Suicide. Most of those

deaths are males. Our men are leaving this world by their own hand far more often than our women. That tells me that many men are carrying pain, shame and confusion in silence. This is what I mean when I speak of a male crisis.”

Police data underscored the concern. The Royal Bahamas Police Force’s mid-year report, released in July, recorded eight suicides between January and June, up from five during the same period in 2024, with attempted suicides rising from 23 to 32. Six of the eight deaths involved men. The two female victims were between 18 and 30 years old. Police reported no suicides among minors.

Five of the suicides occurred in New Providence, two in Grand Bahama, and one in the Family Islands. Attempted suicides were similarly concentrated in the major islands. Most suicide cases remained concentrated among younger adults, but police recently investigated the suspected suicide of a 61-year-old man in Westridge, a case officials noted

was uncommon among older Bahamians. Relatives found the man, identified as Arnoldi Simms, hanging inside his T Rose Circle home earlier this month.

Superintendent Sheria King said officers met an adult male in his early sixties at the scene.

According to The Tribune’s records, it was the fourteenth suicide reported this year.

Older adult suicides remain uncommon, Dr Bodha said, noting that Sandilands had seen only a handful of such cases this year.

“We may see one or two cases, but the predominant increase is in younger people,” he said.

He said families and friends should closely monitor people who abruptly withdraw from others or show sudden changes in behaviour.

“Sometimes when we do not see someone for a week or so, it is best we check on them,” he said. “If given a second chance or an extra moment to think, many of the victims would not have ended up that way.”

‘It hit me like a ton of bricks’GG recalls husband’s dimentia

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNOR General

Dame Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville spoke candidly yesterday about the emotional toll of caring for loved ones with dementia, as they joined staff and patients for the annual Governor General’s Visit to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

The ceremony, held in Adrella’s Dream Garden, centred on the theme “Gifting Love, Compassion and Healing.”

Dame Cynthia shared the moment she first realised something was wrong with her late husband, recalling how the condition revealed itself suddenly one morning. She said he sat at the edge of their bed, calling out to deceased relatives while staring into a mirror.

“I am lying on the bed behind him, and all of a sudden he started saying, mother, mother,” she said. “Well, his mother is dead, but he was seeing his mother in the mirror.”

She described panicking as he continued calling for her late sister, Paula and did not respond to her voice.

“He could not hear me, but he was seeing people who were passed,” she said.

A doctor later confirmed

the diagnosis.

“The doctor said, Mother, unfortunately, he is suffering from dementia, and it is a one-way street,” she recalled. “I never forgot that. It hit me like a ton of bricks.”

Dame Cynthia said dementia remains poorly understood by many families and praised Sandilands staff for their commitment to elderly patients facing complex cognitive decline.

“Dementia was a strange word,” she said. “Many Bahamians did not know what it meant.”

She commended the centre for showing “deep love” to dementia patients and said her attendance stemmed from her own care for those living with the condition.

Dr Darville spoke of the strain families endure, recalling his experience caring for his mother when her dementia progressed.

“I can remember my mother, a beautiful woman, someone full of life, who I respected for many years, and in our latter days, we began to see signs of dementia,” he said. “These signs gradually progress where I and many members of my family took care of my mother not knowing who she was in the last days of her life.”

He said the government plans to expand geriatric

services on the Sandilands campus to support families struggling to manage latestage dementia at home.

“In the latter stages of dementia, as the brain begins to shrink, the complications to take care of these individuals become greater and greater and more costly,” Dr Darville said. Beyond dementia care, he also spoke about infrastructure upgrades underway at the facility.

Sandilands administrator Leotha Coleby welcomed guests and praised staff, saying their care ensures patients do not feel isolated during the holiday season. She said patients remain at the centre of the institution’s mission, and staff aim to replace isolation with inclusion.

Acting Managing Director of the Public Hospitals Authority Dr Keva Thompson said the Governor General’s visit helped reduce stigma surrounding mental illness and reinforced national compassion for people receiving treatment.

PHA Chairman Andrew Edwards recognised six staff members for outstanding service, calling them unsung heroes as they were awarded during the ceremony.

Dame Cynthia closed by telling staff she hoped the compassion they showed would return to them over the season.

Crowding intensifies at Sandilands as COVID limits affect bed space

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

CROWDING in the emergency wards at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre has intensified as bed shortages and lingering COVID-era spacing restrictions continue limiting how quickly patients can be admitted, Sandilands Chief of Staff Dr Srinivas Bodha said yesterday.

He said the institution has yet to fully restore its pre-pandemic capacity, resulting in the loss of available beds.

“That leads to a lot of crowding in the emergency room,” he said. “Some of our wards had been closed during the COVID time, and we are in the process of increasing our bed space, but we do not have the bed space, and patients are waiting longer hours in the ER.”

He said the pressure to move patients through quickly risks premature discharges. “There is a pressure to treat and quickly, get the patients out and patients are not completely well to be going home,” he said. “Eventually, everybody comes here, but the pressure is real.”

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville, speaking at a separate engagement at Sandilands, acknowledged the strain on the psychiatric facility. He highlighted the age of the buildings and of the wider public-hospital network, commending the Public Hospitals Authority for maintaining operations despite the old infrastructure.

“We take a lot of beating because of the aging infrastructure that exists with our tertiary healthcare facilities, but the Public Hospitals Authority is doing some excellent work,” Dr Darville said.

He said staff have kept

the institution functioning despite longstanding constraints. “Every time I come to this facility, I am always amazed on how everyone at this institution take pride in this particular facility to ensure that despite its age it is well kept and worthy for employment and to take care of our patients that we are privileged to serve,” he said.

Dr Darville said geriatric services will be expanded to meet the growing needs of families caring for latestage dementia patients at home.

“It is a small, compact unit,” he said. “We have plans to expand this unit because many of you who are sitting here either have loved ones or know of loved ones, elderly patients who have contributed tremendously to the growth and development of our country suffering from illnesses like dementia.”

He also confirmed broader infrastructure work across the campus, noting renovations on the male ward are complete, while upgrades to the Lignum Vitae unit remain in progress. Despite the age of its facilities, he described Sandilands as vital to national mental-health care, calling it “a sanctuary for healing of the mind, body and spirit”.

Manpower remains a major challenge, Dr Bodha said.

“Definitely we need a lot of psychologists, but we're always in the process of training the existing manpower and most staff in the SRC — nurses, doctors, psychologists, social workers,” he said. “They're all trained in managing suicide, suicidal patients or even para suicidal patients, so they're quite adept at that.”

He said renovation and restoration works remain essential to stabilise capacity.

“We are in the process of increasing our bed space,” he said, noting that several units remain in need of repairs.

Renovations were recently completed on the long-term rehabilitation programme housed in the Lignum Vitae unit, and refurbishment of the detox unit is expected to follow.

“Some of the wards in the back also have to be renovated,” Dr Bodha said.

Dr Bodha said Sandilands could not shoulder the growing demand alone and called for strengthened community-based support.

“That's what is needed,” he said. “Sandilands just can't deliver things just by itself. It's an institution where we see the worst of the worst cases by definition, but we are out there in the community as much as we can.”

He added that first-responder training would fortify national mental-health preparedness. “In a lot of Western countries, you see policemen, firemen, you know, paramedics, they all train in art of dealing with suicidal patients and para suicides and patients expressing these ideations,” he said. “You know, perhaps we have to change our model or how we approach this disease on the whole may help.”

He said churches and social agencies also have a role, pointing to the churches’ “phenomenal” work and counselling support provided by social services.

Dr Bodha stressed that early intervention is critical. “It all boils down to the person approaching the right person at the right time, and that can make a huge difference between losing somebody or having somebody with us and having a wonderful Christmas next year,” he said.

CHIEF OF STAFF Dr Srinivas Bodha.

Photo: Shawn Hanna

GOVERNOR GENERAL Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt speaks during a visit to the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna

Police investigate suspected homicide after body found with injuries to head

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A MAN in his early 20s was found dead on a dirt road off Gladstone Road yesterday morning, his head bearing visible injuries as police probe what they suspect is a homicide.

Superintendent Sheria King said police were alerted shortly before 7am by a motorist travelling through the area who reported seeing a body on the roadside. Officers arrived and discovered the deceased male with apparent head injuries.

When The Tribune visited the scene, the body remained on a rough, unpaved roadway flanked

by bush. A worker in the area said motorists frequently use the route as a shortcut to avoid heavy traffic along Gladstone Road. He added that a resident reported hearing cars pass through early yesterday, though darkness made it impossible to identify anyone.

Supt King said investigators cannot yet say how the injuries occurred but believe foul play is involved. She said she could not confirm whether the deceased was known to police or how long the body had been in the location.

Asked whether any recent missing person reports were under review, Supt King said: “Not at this time.” She added: “We will

be checking to make certain that none of the missing persons that we previously were alerted to or we send out flyers that they do not match this individual. However, at this present time, it does not appear so.”

Police said any nearby CCTV footage will be examined as part of the investigation.

Supt King urged anyone with a relative who has not returned home, or anyone with information, to come forward. “Every homicide is concerning to us,” she said. “We cannot say when the body was left here. We cannot say how it got in this area. We cannot say any of that. We are still in our preliminary stages, and so let us do our investigation.”

Witness says accused was ‘like family’ for 20 years before attack

RAPE from page one

was 27 at the time. The complainant’s mother told the court that around 9pm on November 16 2022 she arrived home from work and saw the defendant, whom she called “GJ”, sitting in her chair.

When she asked why he was there, she said he told her he was trying to take a nap. She said she told him to leave and locked the door after he exited. She testified that when she asked her daughter if she knew the defendant had been inside, her daughter said she didn’t.

At about 1.45am on November 18 2022, her distraught daughter came into her room and said

“‘mommy mommy GJ raped me”. After comforting her daughter, she said she saw the defendant standing in the hallway wearing a yellow shirt. She recalled telling him to leave the house or she would call police. She said he told her not to call police before leaving. After calling police, she said she and her daughter gave statements at about 11am later that morning. The next day, she identified the defendant in a photo lineup. She told the court the defendant was like family prior to the incident and that she had known him for 20 years. She said he did not have permission to be in her home on either occasion.

When questioned by defence attorney Nathan Smith, the complainant’s mother said the defendant would sometimes be in her yard for events and would help with grilling.

She told Mr Smith there were no signs of forced entry. While she said her daughter and grandchildren were at home during the first incident, she could not say how long they had been there.

She denied Mr Smith’s suggestion that she was being untruthful in her testimony. She said she did not report the first intrusion at the time because she had no reason to believe the defendant would return.

Kristin Butler-Beneby and Betty Wilson are prosecuting.

Davis meets with King Charles

POLICE at the scene where a man in his early 20s was found dead on a dirt road off Gladstone Road yesterday morning, his head bearing visible injuries.

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Smuggling reality needs real fixes

SMUGGLING is a daily reality in The Bahamas – but exactly what to do about it is a matter of much debate.

First of all, there are the conspiracy theories surrounding smuggling – that one party or the other is planning to hand out so many passports and citizenships that it will ensure they win victory after victory at the polls.

Over the years, both parties have been accused of courting the Haitian community with the promise of citizenship in return for votes – but the flip-flop nature of our election cycle shows that even if there was any truth in the claims, they haven’t kept anyone in power.

Xenophobia has often been the lowest common denominator in populist politics around the world. If in doubt, blame the foreigners for coming in and taking your jobs. It’s not a tactic that often comes with proof of the claims, but it doesn’t stop people blaming the other guy for all your ills. In The Bahamas, that particularly revolves around the Haitian community, with some people cursing people from Haiti sometimes even in the same breath as hiring them for jobs they don’t want to do themselves.

There is an air of that in some of the objections to the Smuggling of Migrants Bill before the House. Politicians seldom lose ground by being tough on migration – even if we need it.

After all, it was only two months ago that the Minister of Social Services was encouraging Bahamians to have more children to secure the sustainability of the National Insurance Board. Not enough workers to contribute to future pensioners means a need for more young workers to broaden the pool –whether that be by birth or, whisper it, by migration.

Come what may of those arguments, however, it is universally acknowledged that there is plenty of illegal migration –and if it is illegal, simple respect for the rule of law means you have to do something about it.

The Smuggling of Migrants Bill was an attempt to do just that – and then one clause led people to suggest it might become a bill that would give freedom from prosecution for migrants who thoroughly intended to break the law in how they came here.

The bill would have protected smuggled migrants from prosecution for illegal entry, stay or possessing fraudulent documents if those actions were caused directly by being smuggled.

The bill would have led to the smugglers being charged, and the smuggled walking away. At least, that was the concern.

Prime Minister Philip Davis pointed up the difficulty with the arrangement.

“The issue with the migrant and the smuggler is that if you charge both of them under the Act, could you tell me how we could get a conviction if they’re both charged under the Act. You need them to be your witness to establish your case.”

Such an approach seldom seems to be taken when four people are in a car with one gun, mind you, where all of them have on occasion been charged until one confesses to spare the rest.

That clause is now being removed, so the campaign of opposition has been successful. Whether that means Mr Davis’ legal quandary will now play out in courts or whether it means we will not get the evidence now, leading to a bill that fails to deliver convictions, we shall see in the courts.

But the reality is that smuggling has long been rife in The Bahamas. We know that. We have seen the ships, the arrests, the deportations.

With the state of collapse taking place in Haiti, that is only likely to get worse. We also know that many migrants have paid – or promised to pay – significant sums to the criminals who smuggle them. There is a crime network that is thriving – and that should not be the case.

So the bill seeks to tackle that. It has run into the kind of fevered response that always seems to surround the immigration debate in our country. If the bill is effective in curtailing illegal migration, great. If it is not, the problem is not going to go away. For those who criticise, we hope they are willing to put forward their own solutions. On a broader level, we do need to address questions about migration, and how much we are willing to allow.

One thing is clear – whenever we do have that debate, it will not be a quiet one.

Avoid Band-Aid solutions for roads

EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Inter-American Development Bank recently approved a US$80 million loan to improve the road infrastructure and drainage systems across The Bahamas. While this is indeed a necessary investment, we may be overlooking a critical question: Where is all that redirected flood water actually going? In channeling floodwater underground without sufficient geological study, we may be unknowingly creating a silent, but deadly threat beneath our feet: sinkholes. Sinkholes are not foreign to our islands. In fact, many of our world-renowned blue holes and caves are, in fact, ancient sinkholes that formed when water eroded the limestone base that supports our land. As water continues to erode this limestone, the foundation eventually becomes weakened and the surface suddenly collapses.

As our country, especially New Providence, becomes increasingly urbanized with new roadworks, construction of multi-story buildings, and expanding drainage systems, our limestone foundation is being stressed in ways it never was before. We only need to look to Florida, a region with similar geology, where sinkholes have swallowed roads and homes, causing billions in damage, and even claiming lives. In fact, we have already had a warning. In 2020, a sinkhole spontaneously opened on Prince Charles Drive across from Popeyes, a sinkhole spontaneously formed swallowing part of the street and a vehicle driving above it. Thankfully, there were no fatalities. But what happens when the next collapse happens under a busy intersection? A school? A hospital or clinic?

PICTURE OF THE DAY

‘Deep state’ blocks progress

EDITOR, The Tribune.

AS this year rapidly rolls out, one thing has become abundantly clear to me is the overt and salient fact that what has been referred to as ‘the Deep State’ over in the USA, mostly by one of the greatest Presidents of that country, the Hon Donald J Trump, is very much alive here in The Bahamas. What, in fact, is the Deep State?

This may seem like a trivial, hypothetical concern, but I want to stress that it is indeed an increasingly growing possibility, and the risk is not far-fetched. If a major sinkhole were to open in an urban the consequences would be undoubtedly catastrophic. As we continue to develop our country, I urge the Ministry of Works and relevant authorities to ensure that proper geological surveying is conducted and seek to implement proactive sinkhole monitoring systems. We cannot afford to treat major infrastructure like a Band-Aid over a potentially collapsing foundation. Protecting Bahamian lives means planning for the roads we drive on, and the ground they stand on.

A CONCERNED BAHAMIAN Nassau, December 8, 2025.

The Deep State is an active cabal or grouping of senior civil servants, from the upper levels of Permanent Secretaries right down, almost, to the janitorial ranks. Our traditional politicians, especially those elected to the House of Assembly or appointed to the Senate, come and go like clockwork. Many of them after their parliamentary tenure exit the political stage and fade into the sunset. The memories of the bulk of them, die when they transition. Gone and rapidly forgotten only to be replaced with another bunch of seemingly ‘useless’ characters. In the main time, the Deep State is always with us and right up in our critical business. Civil Servants, once appointed or selected, are in place for ‘life’ or until at least 60 years of age. If an administration changes, very seldom do you actually witness a demotion or firing of senior individuals. In fact, the majority of Permanent Secretaries and their ‘favorites’ seem to retain office for decades and when they do retire or are obliged to step aside for health issues, they receive huge gratuities and lifelong generous pensions. Even when some of them have passed the age of retirement, they are brought back in either as a substantive Permanent Secretary or a grossly paid Consultant.

Often times, especially where the Black and unwashed Bahamians are concerned, these same Permanent Secretaries, who actively ‘run’ their respective ministries are stumbling blocks bigger

than those made by the concrete block makers.

If they or their sycophants are not in favor of a submitted application or proposal, one would never ever hear or see about that application or proposal any more in this life time. They are placed in what has been vividly described to me by a former Under Permanent Secretary, who was retired several years ago, with a Big but unknown Package almost Five (5) years ago, has been returned to the Deep State as a full Permanent Secretary in a vital ministry.

While I understand the ‘politics of some of these ‘unretired; Deep State Civil Servants being called out of retirement, some of these same individuals are on their own agenda.

Bahamians , over the years would have applied for a simple and what should be routine Crown Grant or permission to purchase the same outright. Thousands of such applications, via paper submitted applications, get lost in the system or maybe even tossed into the garbage. On a regular basis, your application is ‘acknowledged but Never heard from again.

Do you believe, dear reader, for a minute that the proliferation of liquor stores; pops up so called ‘churches’ and the ever-mushrooming web stores, accidental? I say no but rather complicity between the Deep State and individuals with money. I love everyone in God’s existence but travel along Balfour Avenue and Robinson Road straight up to Yamacraw Road, there are at least Forty (40) retail liquor stores. In other areas, like Yellow Elder Gardens, there are at least Fifteen (15) or more unlicensed ‘stores’ selling Everything from Beers; Guinness Stouts; assorted half pints; cigarettes; alleged marijuana and cocaine; grocery

items and the list go on, with impunity. In fact, one of the major outlets in Yellow Elder Gardens, is known personally to me, to be operated by a police officer and his close relatives.

Our critical infrastructure, like governmental owned or leased buildings, is literally falling apart due to neglect and a total lack of maintenance The former Parliamentary Building (the old NIB Building) on Farrington Road has been ‘abandoned’ and left to fall into a disgraceful eyesore. The Parliamentary Registration Department moved into the former Bank of The Bahamas Building on Harold Road a few months ago. Lo and behold, I took some persons to be registered on Friday, 5th instant. The offices were closed because the bathrooms and toilets were out of service!!and had been so for weeks and months at a time!!

A second consecutive term is critical for the PLP and the incumbent Prime Minister. Many of the things which they have proposed or sought to bring about are caught up in the web of hinderance which permeate the Deep State. Some of you may recall a few months ago when the PM went down to a Link Up PLP rally in Golden Gates. He was almost crying while bemoaning the very Real fact, that civil servants are too often ‘the problem’ as to being a part of the solution. In an anticipated second consecutive term, the Davis administration will have to reduce; stream line and rationalise the bloated ‘Gussiemae’ Deep State. I submit that the existence of this Deep State is a serious and debilitating hinderance to the development of individuals and, indeed, the development of the nation at large. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, December 6, 2025

Have a cool, fun, interesting, amazing photo? Have it featured here in The Tribune’s picture of the day!

image

WEST Grand Bahama shoreline.

Photo: JoyAnne Pennerman

Union protests at OPM over plan to keep outgoing BTVI president

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

MEMBERS of the Bahamas Union of Auxiliary Professionals in Education (BUAPE) protested outside the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday after learning that outgoing Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) president Dr Linda Davis is expected to remain with the institution in a different capacity next year.

Union members said they are outraged by this, insisting that Dr Davis’ leadership has contributed to bullying, intimidation, strained morale, and a lack of transparency. They said retaining her in any role would worsen conditions, particularly as BTVI prepares to welcome a new president.

Dozens of BTVI faculty and staff sat in chairs along the lawn of the Office of the Prime Minister holding signs that read: Honourable Prime Minister please intervene, Resolve the 174 outstanding matters from 2023, and Do not pollute our incoming president.

BUAPE President Ernesto Williams said the decision to protest was driven by months of unresolved disputes, internal tension, and a pattern of behaviour by the institution’s leadership that workers believe has undermined their professional well-being and the stability of BTVI.

“We have gotten confirmation or received word of the institutions, one, their intent to retain the outgoing president in a different capacity at the institution, and two, their lack of addressing the concerns of faculty and staff at the institution as well,” he said yesterday.

Mr Williams said the union believes BTVI’s board and senior administrators have continued ignoring staff complaints and have made decisions in isolation, despite workers repeatedly requesting dialogue, documentation, and clarity. He said the institution has not

addressed serious concerns relating to governance, transparency, compensation, and workplace culture, and instead appears to be expanding the influence of the very leadership workers say has caused the problems.

He said faculty and staff were deeply concerned about what they view as the continued extension of Dr Davis’ authority, even after her term as president ends.

“We have noticed that instead of coming to speak, to work with and engage faculty and staff to resolve their concerns so that the institution can progress holistically, the board of directors and the outgoing presidents have engaged in their own practices, ignoring the voices of faculty and staff, as well as making efforts to retain the outgoing president in a different capacity from January 2026,” he said.

Mr Williams said the union has followed every formal step outlined by Prime Minister Philip Davis earlier this year, when he encouraged workers to raise disputes through their union first, then the Department of Labour, and ultimately his office if the matter remains unresolved. Mr Williams said the union has done all of this without success, leaving the Prime Minister’s intervention as their last resort.

“We’ve done all that we can. Our last stop is now to our Prime Minister’s Office. It is to the point of our desperation where we reach out and we say, Prime Minister, we need your intervention,” he said. He added that the union wants the government to issue an immediate stop to any contract or consultancy arrangement for Dr Davis and to appoint an external representative who can meet with staff and help negotiate a settlement for the long list of longstanding disputes.

The ongoing industrial action has led faculty to continue withholding their services, disrupting end-ofterm exams and campus operations. Mr Williams said students are aware of the stance and have expressed understanding

UB takes ‘major step’ toward full international accreditation

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE University of The Bahamas has been approved as a candidate for accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), marking what it calls a major step in its pursuit of full international academic recognition.

UB said the announcement was made by Dr Stephen Pruitt, President of SACSCOC, during his address at the organisation’s annual general meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.

Allyson Maynard-Gibson, KC, Chair of UB’s Board of Trustees, said the achievement reflects the institution’s collective commitment to high academic and operational standards.

“From inception, this institution was envisioned to rise to its fullest potential and, in doing so, expand the horizons of The Bahamas and elevate the capacity of Bahamians to excel,” she said. “Today, the international academic community, our peers, has validated that we are delivering quality and are committed to continuous assessment and growth. This is, without question, an historic achievement and proud moment for the nation.”

UB President Dr Robert Blaine III and his executive leadership team were present for the announcement. He said the milestone ranks among the most significant in the institution’s history.

“The attainment of accreditation candidacy is

and encouragement as faculty press forward with the protest.

This latest protest follows several months of industrial unrest and multiple demonstrations by BUAPE.

BUAPE says its goal is not to disrupt education but to protect the integrity of BTVI and ensure staff are respected and included in decisions that affect them.

Mr Williams said union members want nothing more than to return to work, but only once their concerns are taken seriously and a clear, fair path forward is agreed upon. He said the union remains hopeful that the Prime Minister will intervene swiftly and that BTVI can finally begin addressing the long list of disputes that have lingered for years.

“We are committed to the holistic development of the institution. All we say is, meet us at the table so we can do that together

and the institution's leadership, along with its board and its outgoing president hasn't done that, and so hopefully, following in the footsteps that the Prime Minister started his administration year with, that will

a defining milestone for UB and The Bahamas,” Dr Blaine said. “It reinforces the foundation laid 51 years ago by a nation determined to create a university that would elevate its people and expand their realm of excellence. UB was established with purpose and we are advancing to deliver on the promise of transformational higher education.

“We recognise that there are still many rivers to cross to achieve the ultimate validation of quality and rigour; however, candidacy affirms that we are on the right path. The urgency of fulfilling our mission of supporting and driving national development is that much stronger. Our resolve to place student success-focused excellence at the centre of all we do, is equally as strong.”

Candidacy confirms that UB has met the standards outlined in its initial application, following a visit from the SACSCOC Candidacy Committee in November. The university will now move into the next phase of the process, preparing its Compliance Certificate and seeking approval for a follow-up accreditation visit.

UB’s status will be updated on the SACSCOC website to reflect its candidacy in category III, for institutions authorised to award up to master’s degrees.

The university said it is also pursuing national accreditation with the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas.

continue here at the Office of the Prime Minister for us,” he said yesterday.

Teachers from BTVI along with their Bahamas Union of Auxiliary Professionals in Education (BUAPE) president stage their protest at the Office of The Prime Minister yesterday over govt plans to retain Dr Linda Davis at the vocational school.

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Teachers: it's time to confront your role (and responsibility) in the country's civic health

IN ACKNOWLEDGING the teaching profession, one mustgraciouslyrecognizethat many educatorsapproach their calling withgenuine devotion, intellectual curiosity, anda heartfeltdesire toelevate their students.These individuals deserve not only our encouragement, but also our most profoundrespect, for their sincerity strengthens the very foundations of learning. Yet, with equal clarity and without diminishing courtesy, it snecessary toaddressa moretroubling reality:some enter theclassroom without authentic commitment, motivated primarily by financial stability rather thanadedication to growth or service. While it s understandable that everyprofession requires fair compensation,sincerity cannotbe purchased,norcan authentic engagement be feigned. Teaching demands integrity, patience, and purpose. When these qualities are absent,no levelofpoliteness can excuse theresulting indifference. It stherefore essential while maintaining respect for the many who exemplifyexcellence tofirmlyinsist that education deserves practitioners whoseintentions

Ivoine Ingraham facing Reality

alignwith theprofoundresponsibility they hold. There is atruthlong avoidedin publicdiscourse, buried underlayers ofpolite euphemisms, politicalsensitivities, andprofessional selfcongratulation. And so, let us dispense with diplomacy and movedirectly tothe point: Teacherswho leavethe classroom unattended cannot expectthere tobe orderin their absence. They have abandoned their posts, and the

nation is paying for it. Theconsequences ofthesilencesurrounding thisissue have become too costly to ignore. This isneither anattack on the noble idealof education, nor a dismissal of those who genuinely serve with integrity. Instead, it sa necessaryconfrontationwith aprofession that hasdrifted dangerously awayfrom itspurpose,while insisting that it remains blameless.The goalhereis academicclarityandmoralurgency, not flattery. While therhetoric surrounding education has grown increasingly sentimental, the reality hasgrown increasingly stark: our societyis weakening at its foundations, and the teaching profession must confrontits roleinthat erosion.

The classroom as dereliction, not sanctuary “Education” is traditionally defined as the intentional transmission of knowledge, values, and norms necessary for civic participation. However, what wenow observe in toomanyclassrooms is not transmission but vacancy intellectual, moral,

Funeral Service For

KATHERINA ELIZABETH “Ms. Liz” MURPHY, 80

a resident of Lily of the Valley Corner & formerly of Betsy Bay, Mayaguana, will be held at St. Paul’s Baptist Church Blue Hill Road & Bias Street, on Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Officiating will be Rev. Tonia Colebrook, assisted by Rev. Kenneth Bain. Interment follows in Lakeview Memorial Gardens, John F. Kennedy Drive.

Left to cherish her memory are, Son: Marc William Patrick (Sophia) Ingraham. Adopted Sons: James and Calvin Ingraham. Adopted Daughters: Abagail Ingraham and Vinincia (Paul) Strachan. Grandchildren: Latisha Murphy and Demetrius Thompson. Adopted Grandchildren: Tregg and Traci Strachan, J’Jitana Holbert, Marcia, Michael, Calvin Jr., Caltrezio, Marc Jr., Maya, Jamino, Javardo, Ingraham, Dominique and Ahmad Smith. Brother: Jacob “Brother” Murphy; Sister: Henrietta Murphy. Nieces: Shirlane, Maedawn (Clifford), Nicole, Christine, Caren, Elizabeth, Sonija, Florince Murphy, Myrtle (Patrick) David, Ethel, Tanya McKenzie, Marsha Strachan, Linda, Aldesha, Lenair Andrews, Bridgette, Sandra Bain, Carol, Karen, Claudell, Dorry, Virginia (Rodney) Johnson, Carnetta, Crystal Gibson, Vernessa Forbes, Lubertha (Len) Rolle, Sheneka McPhee, Doralea (Ranald) Taylor, Claudell Evans, Dr. Linda (Arnold) Brown, Vanda (Edison) Capron, Cleolamae Hamilton, Lubertha (Randy) Moncur, Dora (Rosten) Swain, Florince, Deborah Wallace, Adelie Hanna, Ethel, Nicole, Marsha Strachan, Hettiemae (Alvin) Flowers, Frankiemae (Isaac) Moss, Florence (Paul) Roberts, Rev. Alice (Apostle Kevin) Collie, Doreen (Rev. Alexander) Thompson, Diana (Rev. Saniford) Rolle, Bathsheba, Sueellen, Clothilda Adderley, Vanessa, Crystal, Shaneka (Talbert) McPhee, Jennifer Murry. Nephews: Philip, Stephen, Rodrick, Audie, Renaldo, Oscar, Jarvis, Ron, Curtis, Leroy, Jacob Jr. Murphy; Luther, Perry Johnson; Sterling Adderley; Shawn Rolle; Henry Sears; Luther, Eric (Judy), Sheldon (Patrice), Brandon, Patrick (Sylvia) Sleven, Shawn, LewisCollie, Philip, Sterling, Perry, Henry, Nolan Knowles. Grand‑Nieces: Criseta, Shamonia, Bernadette Tenaj, Shakanta, Omega, Tinger Murphy, Kenmara, Kenrea, Solange Jones, Monesha Burnside, Edwardneka Darville, Margaret Missick, Kesa Fisher, Paris Stubbs, McQuessa (Ulan) Dawkins, Dr. Shakira Thompson, Cpl. Shaniqua Thompson, Raquelle Major, Brooke Evans, Danielle Mackey, Guuyar, Reagen Taylor, Shadi, Norell Smith, Nevia Williams, Magdelene Ingraham. Grand‑Nephews: Kenmario, Travis, Caesar Lightbourn, Cobby Delaney, Kelsey Fisher, Pedro Knowles, Correction Officer Alexis Thompson, Don (Nevia) Stuart, Darren Seymour, Brayden Evans, Meshack, Jawara Murphy, Chamaco (Paulette) Godet. Great‑Grand Nephew: Jamari Price, Ji’Ten Holbert, Jeremiah, Caleb Ingraham. Cousins: Minister Deloris, Beulah, David, Simeon Covena, Melony Raymond Charles; Gentle Murphy; Vanwright Jennifer Murphy; Elcie Mackey; Beverly McCoy; Vanda Forbes; Doretha, Phscella, Miriam Gretal (Basil) Collie; Alma, Ella, Bernestine Adderley, Francis (Clement) Russell; Jacquelyn (Philip) Romer, Dion Brown, Lincoln, Barbara, Prenetha, Pamela, Maxine, Dudley, France Gibson; Jeffrey Murphy & Family; Laura McPhee; Pastor Kirklyn (Sheena) Collie; Hon. Sidney Collie; Minerva Higgs; Mavis Rahming; Iris Albury; Joy Johnson; Eulamae Storr; Arthur, Joanna Brown; Anniemae, Icon Charlton; James, John McPhee; Hilbert, Elwood, Derick, Malfreet Collie; Christine McClean; Minister Villade Rolle; Rose Mary Missick; Marion Brown; Charles, Prince Higgins, Apostle David (Dorothy) McPhee, Lilymae Duncombe; Laurette Brown & Family, The Charlton’s, Etlin Williamson, The Browns; The Missick. Other Relatives and Friends, including: The New St. Paul’s Baptist Church Family, The Lily of the Valley Corner Community, Kendle (Christian) Munroe, Rochelle Riley, Heaster Ingraham, Fleming Street Clinic Staff, Staff of Sandilands Primary School; Margret, Majorie Murphy, Lynn Sands, Dr. Keith Rivers, Deborah Wallace, Rev. Lester Bain, Robert Black, Dominique Jean, Sharan Flowers, Olando Fisher, Jennifer Munnings and the Quality Care Nursing Service Team with special thanks to Anita Sunders. If we fail to mention any of our loved ones, please note that it’s not intentional.

Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 11 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday and on Thursday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until service time.

and sometimes literal. When teachersroutinely leave classrooms unattended, whatexactly arechildren meant tolearn? Certainlynot discipline.Certainly notcuriosity. Certainly notrespect for structure, authority, or communal responsibility. What they learn instead is that adults entrusted with over sight simply disappear.Theob ligation isnegotiable, as thesystems designedto guide them are unreliable at best, andindifferent at worst. From asociological perspective,this abdicationof responsibility by teachers and schools communicates a devastating cultural message: stabilityisoptional.Andthechildreninternalize itwithprecision.

tionalneedsofteneclipsechildren’s academic needs.

The pedagogy of chaos

The destabilizationoccurring withineducational institutions isnot merely ideological. It s functional. Students in many districts roam the hallsfreely when left unattended.

Behavioural expectations vary wildly. Discipline isinconsistent or nonexistent. Authorityfigures aretreated asequal participants in thechaos,rather than stabilisingforces. These behaviours happenwhen studentssee teachers"skipping classes."Yet teachersthemselves seldomacknowledge their contribution to this disorder.

Modelling the wrong lessons

Researchers indevelopmental psychologyhave long established thatchildren learn more from modelled behaviour than from verbalinstruction. Yetmany teachers behave publicly both online and offline in waysthat directlycontradict thevalues they claim to impart.

Children see teachers engaging in hostile public discourse, berating administrators, displaying performative outrage, embracing bullyingtacticsagainstdissenting voices, and treating professional disagreements as platformsforemotionalspectacle. And then these same teachers demandrespectfromtheirstudents.

The contradiction would be comicalif itsconsequences were not so severe.

Teachers whocannot demonstrate theability to “agree to disagree” civilly are effectively teachingchildren that conflictresolution isantiquated and optional. Teachers who weaponizeindignation are silentlyinstructing students thatemotional volatility is a legitimate substitute for reasoned dialogue.

Even when such teachers remainphysically present,the moral andintellectual example they provideisoften profoundly destabilizing.

The decline of professional identity

Historically, teaching was considereda vocation an intellectual stewardship rooted in service. Today,the dominant framing within the profession has shiftedtothemes ofpersonal grievance,performative exhaustion, and self-centred victimhood.

The question mustbe asked academically andwithout apology:Atwhatpointdidthe professionbecome morefocused on itsown perceived suffering than on the welfare of its students?

Thereisnodenyingtheprofession faceschallenges. But difficultconditions donotexcusetheabandonmentofduty. Other professions medicine, emergency services, social work operate underequal or greaterstrain withoutnormalizing disengagementas anacceptable response.

The differenceis simple: those professions still recognize thegravity oftheir mission.

Too many teachers appear to haveforgotten theirs.The resultis aneducationalecosystem in whichadults emo-

Anunruly childin classis interpreted asa systemic failure. Classrooms lacking structure areblamed onbad policy. Alack of respectis attributed to today s generation.” Rarely isthe possibility consideredthat someteachers themselves are failing to providestructure,consistency, or credible authority.

Ineducationaltheory,thisis knownas the displacement of responsibility”—the tendency toattribute internalfailures to external forces. It’s academically recognized, predictable,and deeplycorrosive. And it s happening everywhere--mostly in the public system--whenever a teacher withdraws from her responsibility.

The invisible consequence: a nation at risk Teachers oftenspeak about preparing childrenfor the “real world.” Yet what real world is being modelled when adults walk out of classrooms, wheneducators publiclydemean one another,when academic rigour is dilutedfor convenience, when standards areabandoned forpopularity, and when chaosis normalised under the guise of flexibility?

Children watchas teachers disrespect theirprinciples and administration. Such environments do not prepare childrenfor adulthood. Theyprepare themfor dysfunction. The long-term consequences are profoundly measurable inlevels ofdecreasedcivic engagement,increased socialfragmentation, diminished respectfor institutions, reducedproblemsolving ability, anda generation allergic to accountability. Societiesdo notcollapse overnight. Theyerode graduallyas eachgenerationloses morestructure thanthelast. Teachers--intentionallyornot-have played a significant role in this erosion.

Moral authority in retreat

Perhaps the most academically troublingaspect ofthe teaching profession’s decline is itsretreat frommoral clarity. Teachers once believedin somethinglarger than themselves, something worth defending. Today, moralleadership hasbeenreplacedby moralrelativism, fear of backlash,and a desire for approval. Teachers who once stood firm now stand silent. Silent whencolleagues abandon students. Silent whenprofessionalism deteriorates. Silentwhen childrenfall through the cracks.

Like all silence in the presence of wrongdoing,thissilence becomes complicity.

Educatorsare meanttobe thecustodiansofnationalcontinuity.When custodianslose courage, the structure decays.

The academic framework of failure Educational scholars identify three essentialconditions for institutional integrity:

1. Role Fidelity – adherence to the duties inherent in one’s position.

2. Modelling Behaviour –embodying the valuesoneis tasked with teaching.

3. Intergenerational Responsibility – recognizing that one’s actionsshape society yet to come. On all ofthese metrics,our teaching profession is faltering:

¸Bothphysical andmoral absenteeismweaken rolefidelity.

¸Public displays of hostility andemotional volatilityundermine modelling behaviour.

¸Intergenerational responsibility is eclipsed by self-preservation.

These are notpoliticalcritiques. They are academic evaluations supportedby observablepatterns. Thedatais not flattering.

A profession at a crossroads

Noneofthis ismeanttodiminishthe workofexceptionalteachers, whoremain committed totheir students. Indeed, theexistence ofsuch individualsonlyhighlightsthe contrast withthose whohave drifted from their purpose. But a professioncannot be defined by itsexceptions. Its norms must judgeit. And the norms are unsettling. Teachers mustdecide whetherthey wanttoreclaim thedignity oftheirvocation, or continue down the path of decline. Thechoice istheirs, butthe consequencesbelong to the country.

Because when teachers falter,children falter.And when childrenfalter, nations falter.

The urgent call to recover purpose

Teachers: if youwish to restore credibility if youwant to be seen again as intellectual leaders,moral anchors,and societal stewards you must reclaim the responsibilities you have allowed to erode.

This meansshowing up physically, emotionally, intellectually--demonstrating civilityin disagreement;modelling stability ina culture addicted to outrage; prioritizing students overpersonal grievances; placing duty above convenience; andspeaking out when colleagues betray the mission.

Silencehas protectedthe profession’s weaknesseslong enough. Accountabilityis not an attack. It s an academic necessity.

The weight of what has been lost

Teachers:youaremorethan employees. You are the custodians of thenation’s future. But too manyhavestepped awayfromthegate.Toomany lack courage andpermit disorderto flourish.Toomany haveforgotten themagnitude of their influence. Meanwhile, ourchildren driftwithout anchors.Our communities fracture.Our social fabric thins. And our nation trembles at its foundation. This isnot onlyyour problem, but it spartly your responsibility. And reclaiming thatresponsibility isnotoptional, it s essential.

Asocietycannot riseifits educators refuse to stand.

CARPHA launches mission to boost tourism health safety

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has launched a wide-ranging technical mission in The Bahamas to advance tourism-related health surveillance, food-safety standards, and early-warning systems that protect the public and the country’s tourism economy.

Officials detailed the mission yesterday during a press conference attended by CARPHA’s Executive Director, Dr Lisa Indar; Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville; and representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Ministry of Health’s surveillance and environmental health teams.

Dr Indar said CARPHA’s work is guided by regional mandates to protect and promote public health, noting that the agency operates 15 technical programmes ranging from communicable disease surveillance to laboratory testing, non-communicable disease monitoring, drug

regulation, vector-borne disease control, and field epidemiology training. The Bahamas, she said, has been an early adopter of CARPHA’s Tourism and Health Programme, first launched locally in 2016.

She said the current mission focuses on strengthening the Tourism and Health Information System, cruise ship surveillance, and early-warning tools that allow officials to identify and contain potential threats quickly.

“The Bahamas is tourism dependent, and this particular programme is very much of benefit,” she said, adding that real-time electronic alerts for cruise ships and tourism establishments are now being expanded.

CARPHA is also conducting an advanced three-day food-safety training session, which began yesterday. Dr Indar said the certification will allow participants — including food and beverage managers and Ministry of Health officers — to become certified foodsafety managers and train others.

“It’s a very routine training from, you know, how foods become infected, and

why they become infected, and then how to prevent,” she said. She added that the certification is recognised internationally for five years.

Dr Darville praised CARPHA’s longstanding support, recalling its guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic and its role in alerting Bahamian officials to infectious disease risks aboard cruise ships. He noted that the country prepares thousands of meals each day for residents and visitors, and food safety remains a priority.

“Our responsibility is not only for us to be successful, but for us to make sure the local population and our guests are well taken care of,” he said.

Felicia Balfour-Greenslade, officer-in-charge of the national Communicable Disease Surveillance Unit, outlined improvements in mass-gathering surveillance ahead of the Junkanoo season. She said stakeholders across

ministries — health, tourism, police, emergency services, and environmental agencies — have been working together to address risks ranging from infection control to crowd movement, evacuation routes, medical readiness, and climate-sensitive illnesses.

“The whole point of an early warning system is to get that alert so that you can put whatever preventive or mitigative measures in place to ensure that your public is protected,” she said.

CARPHA also delivered a bio-PCR testing kit and supplies valued at approximately $300,000 to strengthen the country’s laboratory capability. Dr Indar said the equipment will allow The Bahamas to test for threats within two hours, significantly reducing response times.

Dr Darville welcomed the new equipment and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with

CARPHA. He also noted that equipement signifance at the national reference lab — responsible for gene sequencing for HIV, COVID-19 and other pathogens — works closely with CARPHA and will put the new resources to immediate use.

“The gift that CARPHA has brought to us will be utilised in a very effective way. to ensure that public health safety measures are not only paramount, but accessible and easily delivered in a short period of time,” he said.

CARPHA officials said they have trained more than 1,000 people in The Bahamas across various programmes, including food safety, infectious disease prevention, cruise ship surveillance, and mass-gathering response.

US VISITOR PAYS $400 FINE FOR

POSSESSION OF DRUGS

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN American tourist was fined yesterday after admitting to possessing marijuana-infused pills and vape pens over the weekend.

Halford was ordered to pay a $400 fine or risk one month in prison.

Sergeant 2257 Wilkinson prosecuted the case.

John Halford, 49, of Nevada City, California, was found with 18 pills and four vape pens infused with marijuana on December 6. He pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs before Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms.

MURDER ACCUSED FINED $500 FOR BREACHING BAIL CURFEW

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN awaiting trial for murder was fined yesterday after admitting he breached his court-ordered curfew last week.

Alcot Fox, 31, failed to comply with his residential curfew at 8.54pm on December 5.

He is awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in the murder of Malik Fernander in Exuma in November 2022. Fernander was on bail for a separate pending

murder charge at the time of his death. Fox had a previous bail violation in August, when he failed to obey his residential curfew for 37 days between July 2 and August 7. He was sentenced to three months in prison for that offence.

He pleaded guilty to the latest violation before Senior Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux. Fox was ordered to pay a $500 fine or risk three months in prison.

Inspector K Wilkinson prosecuted the case.

MAN ACCUSED OF DAMAGING CAR AND INJURING OWNER GETS BAIL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail yesterday after being accused of injuring another man and damaging his car last week.

Prosecutors allege that Anwar Wyles struck Dremeko Knowles on the back of the head and injured him during a physical altercation on December 5 in New Providence.

Wyles is also accused of damaging the rear glass of

Knowles’s white Toyota XZ10 during the incident. He pleaded not guilty to charges of causing harm and damage before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly-Burrows. Wyles was granted $2,500 bail with one or two sureties. Under his bail conditions, he must sign in at the Carmichael Road Police Station on the first Monday of each month.

His trial is set to begin on March 18, 2026. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom prosecuted the case.

DR LISA INDAR Executive Director of CARPHA and Minister of Health and Wellness Michael Darville speaks on the pratnership with the Ministry of Health and CARPHA at a press conference at the Courtyard Marriot on December 8, 2025.

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Girls and boys solve math problems differently, with similar short-term, but different long-term outcomes

By Sarah Lubienski, Indiana University; Colleen Ganley, Florida State University, and Martha Makowski, University of Alabama

(THE CONVERSATION)

Among highschool students and adults, girlsand women aremuchmore likelytouse traditional, step-by-step algorithmsto solvebasicmath problems – suchas lining up numbers to add,starting with theones place,and"carrying over"a numberwhenneeded. Boys and menare more likely to usealternative shortcuts, such as rounding both numbers,adding theroundedfigures, and thenadjusting to remove the rounding.

But those who usetraditionalmethods onbasicproblemsareless likelytosolve morecomplex mathproblems correctly. Theseare themain findings of twostudies our research team published in November 2025.

Thisnew evidencemay helpexplain anapparentcontradictionin theexistingresearch–girlsdobetteratmath in school, butboys do better onhigh-stakes mathtestsand aremore likelytopursue math-intensive careers.Our research focuses notjust on gettingcorrectanswers,buton

themethods studentsuseto arrive at them. We find that boys andgirls approachmath problems differently, in ways that persist into adulthood.

A possible paradox Ina 2016studyof U.S.elementary students, boys outnumbered girls 4to 1 among thetop1%of scorersonanational mathtest. Andover manydecades,boyshavebeen abouttwiceaslikelyasgirlsto beamong thetop scorerson the SAT and AP math exams. However, girls tendto be morediligent inelementary school and get better grades in math classthroughout their schooling. And girlsand boys across the grades tend to score similarly onstate mathtests, which tend to be more aligned with theschool curriculum and have morefamiliar problemsthantheSATorothernational tests. Beyond gradesand test scores, theskills andconfidence acquired in school carry far beyond, intothe workforce. Inlucrative STEMoccupations, such as computer science andengineering, men outnumber women 3to 1. Researchers have considered severalexplanations forthis disparity, includingdifferences inmath confidenceand occupational values,such as prioritizinghelping othersor

making money.Our study suggestsan additionalfactor toconsider: genderdifferences inapproaches tomath problems.

When older adultsthink of math, they mayrecall memorizing times tables or doing the tedious, long-division algorithm. Memorizationand rule-following can payoff on mathtests focusedonprocedures taught in school. But rule-following hasits limits and seemsto providemore payoff among low-achieving than high-achievingstudents in classrooms.

More advancedmath involves solving new, perplexing problems rather than following rules.

Differing strategies

In looking at earlier studies of young children,our research teamwas struckby findings that youngboys use more inventive strategies on computation problems, whereas girlsmore oftenuse standard algorithms or counting. Wewondered whether these differences disappear after elementary school,orwhethertheypersist andrelatetogenderdisparities in more advanced math outcomes. In an earlier study, we surveyedstudents fromtwohigh schoolswith differentdemo-

graphiccharacteristics tosee whetherthey werewhatwe called boldproblem-solvers. We askedthem torate how much they agreedor disagreedwith specificstatements,such as"Ilike tothink outsidethe boxwhen Isolve math problems."Boys reported bolder problemsolving tendencies than girls did.Importantly,studentswho reported bolder problemsolving tendenciesscored higher on amath problemsolving test we administered. Our newerstudies echo those earlier resultsbut reveal more specificsabout how boys and girls, and men and women, approach basic math problems.

Algorithms and teacherpleasing In the first study, we gave three questions to more than 200high schoolstudents:"25 x9=___,""600–498=___," and "19+ 47+ 31= ___."

Eachquestioncouldbesolved with a traditional algorithm or with a mental shortcut, such as solving25 x 9 byfirst multiplying 25 x 8to get 200 and then adding the final 25 to get 225.

Regardless oftheir gender, studentswereequallylikelyto solve these basic computation items correctly. Butthere was a striking gender difference in howthey arrivedat thatanswer. Girls were almost three times as likely as boys – 52% versus18%–touseastandard algorithmon allthreeitems. Boyswere farmorelikely thangirls–51%versus15%–toneveruse analgorithmon the questions. We suspected that girls' tendency touse algorithms mightstem fromgreatersocial pressure toward compliance, including complying with traditional teacher expectations.

So, we alsoasked all the students eightquestions to

probe how much they try to please theirteachers. Wealso wantedto seewhetheralgorithm use mightrelateto genderdifferences inmore advanced problem-solving, so wegavestudentsseveralcomplex math problems from national tests, including the SAT.

As we suspected,we found that girls were more likely to reporta desiretoplease teachers,such asbycompleting work as directed. Those who said they did have that desire used the standard algorithm more often.

Also, theboys inour samplescored higherthanthe girls onthe complexmath problems. Importantly, even though studentswho usedalgorithmson thebasiccomputationitemswerejustaslikely to compute these items correctly, algorithmusers did worse on themore complex math problems.

Continuing into adulthood In oursecond study,we gave810 adultsjustone problem: "125+ 238= ___." Weaskedthem toaddmentally, which we expected would discourage them from using an algorithm. Again, there was nogender difference in answering correctly. But69% ofwomen,comparedto46%ofmen,reported using the standardalgorithm for their mental calculation, rather than using another strategy entirely.

We also gavethe adults a more advancedproblemsolvingtest, thistimefocused on probability-relatedreasoning, such asthe chances that rolling a seven-sided die would result inan even number. Similar toour first study, women and those who usedthe standardalgorithm on thecomputation problem performed worse onthe reasoning test.

The importance of inventiveness

We identifiedsome factors that mayplay arole inthese gender differences, including spatial-thinking skills, which may helppeople developalternate calculationapproaches. Anxiety about taking testsand perfectionism,both moreprevalent amongwomen,may alsobea factor.

Wearealsointerestedinthe power of gender-specific social pressureson girls.National datahas shownthat younggirls exhibitmorestudious behaviourthan doboys. And thehigh schoolgirls we studiedwere morelikelythan boys to report they made a specific effort to meet teachers' expectations.

More research definitely is needed to better understand thisdynamic, butwehypothesize that the expectation some girlsfeel tobe compliantand pleaseothersmay driveteacher-pleasingtendencies that result in girls using algorithms morefrequently than boys,who aremore socialized to be risk-takers.

While compliant behaviour and standard math methods oftenlead tocorrectanswers and good grades in school, we believeschools shouldprepare all students – regardless ofgender–forwhentheyface unfamiliar problems that require inventive problemsolving skills, whether in daily life, on high-stakes tests or inmath-intensive professions.

This article is republished from TheConversation under a CreativeCommons license. The Conversation isan independent and nonprofitsource ofnews, analysisandcommentaryfrom academicexperts.

U of Bahamas Charter Day: honouring the promise

Celebration marks learning institution's progress and bright future

DEEPreflection, prideand celebrationmarked the2025 University of The Bahamas (UB) CharterDay, theninth anniversaryoftheinstitution’s establishment,as itcontinues to serveas a catalystfor nationaldevelopment andexcellence.

Fromits beginningsasThe Collegeof TheBahamas (COB),bornout oftheambitions of anewly independent nation,toits evolutionintoa university of growing distinction, UB srole inshaping national identityand progress hasnever beenmoresignificant. On November 10, 2016, the nation watched with pride as theinstitution adopted a newcharter, mission and vision fornational transformation.Today,thatmission endures, grounded in purposeful growth, strengthened capacity and the pursuit of excellence.

DrNicolette Bethel,Chair of UB’s AcademicSenateand Professor of Anthropology, describesCharter Dayasa moment of reflection and recommitment.

“CharterDay allowsthe countryto celebrateitscommitment to higher education and research, which drive the developmentof thenation, says Dr Bethel, a UB alumna.

Italso providestheUniversityan opportunitytoreflect and celebrate its achievementssince2016,aswellasin the last year. Itis evident that the University s graduates and research are making significant contributionsto the country a trend which will only accelerate as the University offersmore graduatelevel programmes.”

Thevisionofanationaluniversity has deep roots. When thenPrimeMinisterLyndenO Pindlingspoke atCOB s officialopening in1977, heforeshadowed that it would one day becomea university.That dreamtook nearly40 yearsto be realised, but its impact has been far-reaching.UB’s facultyhaveeducatednewgenerations ofcompetent professionals in critical areasof nationalneed, manyofwhom nowserveacrosstheglobe.Its research has informed policy, strengthened governance and supported socio-economic development.

Now,as theUniversityprepares forits nextdefining milestone attaining nationaland internationalaccreditation itcontinues to embrace aculture ofcontinuous improvement centred on student success.This next phasewill notonlyvalidate UB’s academic standards and rigour,butalso deepenitsimpact as aglobally recognised institution of higher learning.

Forstudents, CharterDay embodies national purpose and potential.

UB sCharter Daystands as asacred chapter inour na-

tion’s story,” says Edwin Waldron Jr, Presidentof the Student Government Association. “Itis theday TheBahamas declared that knowledge would beits greatest inheritance and education its most powerfulact ofnationbuilding. It is a living testament to thevisionaries who believed thata Bahamian mind,whennurtured,couldilluminate the world.As we honourthislegacy,wealsoaffirm our destiny Waldron isone ofmore than5,200studentsenrolledat UB thelargeststudentpopulation in its history.Nearly 500 of them study at UB NorthinGrand Bahama,are-

Eleuthera school prefect sparks dental health initiative

QUINAECAREY withheraunt, DrFranshon Francis-Adderley.

ASIMPLE ACTof careby6th gradeprefect Quinae Carey has inspired a schoolwide focusondental healthatTarpumBay Primary School, bringing screenings, education, and fresh confidenceto studentsfrom grades two through six.

Quinae, whointeracts dailywith students from K4 tograde 6, realised manyof her classmateshadnever hadadentalscreening. Knowingthe importanceofregular oralcare fromherownroutinebi-annualvisits,shedecided to take the lead. She reached out to her aunt, Dr Franshon Francis-Albury, a Nassaubaseddentist,and invitedhertovisit Eleuthera to provide free screenings for the school. DrFrancis-Albury examinedeverystudent,offeringpersonalised dentalplansthat

recommended cleanings,fillings, extractions, orbraces where needed.She also taught studentsproper brushingand flossing techniques, along with daily habits to protect their oral health.

Thiswas achance toserve Eleutheraone small mouthat atime,” Dr Francis-Albury said.

I am proud of Quinaefor seeing a need and taking the lead to help her school.”

Afterthescreenings, eachchildreceiveda dental care package donated by Quinae herself. Thekits includedmouthwash, toothpaste,flossers, andatoothbrush practical tools to encourage good habits at home.

Teachers and staffapplauded both Quinae andDr Francis-Alburyfor theirleadership, generosity, andcommitment tostudent wellbeing.

silient communitythat has emerged strongerafter challenges including Hurricane Dorian andthe COVID-19 pandemic. With its new campusin Freeportand anaspirationtobecome acentreof excellence in science, technology, engineeringand mathematics, UB North reflects the institution s enduring spirit of progress.

This Charter Daymarks a defining momentas we journey towardaccreditation, a testamentto ourunwavering commitmentto excellencein Bahamian academia, says Denise Barnes,Vice President of UBNorth. “Unitedin purpose and drivenby the legacy

of ourforebears, westand proud asa universityand asa people. The University of The Bahamasis notjustgrowing; this is nation-building.

From modestbeginnings with a small student body and limited offeringsin associate degrees, certificates and diplomas, UBhas evolvedintoa vibrant academic community. It nowoffers morethan 70 baccalaureate programmes andan expandingsuiteof graduatedegrees inbusiness, education, counsellingand nursing. Itsalumni network exceeds 23,000,many of whom are leadersin public andprivatesectors,whilenew partnershipsandexchangeop-

portunitiesare positioningUB withinaglobalacademiclandscape. These achievements made the2025 CharterDayanniversary especiallymeaningful a celebrationofpossibility, and anaffirmation of the University's potential and progress.

Gain An Edge is a collaboration of Lyford Cay Foundations, theBahamas Technical andVocational Institute and the Universityof The Bahamas aimed at promotinganationaldialogueon issues surrounding education. Toshare yourthoughts,email gainanedge@tribunemedia.net.

PM urges mentorship in schools, as boys fall behind in classroom

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Digital Editor

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PRIME MinisterPhilip

“Brave” Davis is calling on community groups,lodges andindividualmentostepdirectly intoschools asmentors, saying consistentmale guidance couldhelp reversethe growing number ofboys disengaging from education.

MrDavisraisedurgentconcerns about the widening gender gapin education, warning that boys are drifting away from the schools and institutions meant to prepare them for adulthood.

Hestressed thecountry cannotignore thelong-term implications ofthe growing disparity in achievement between boy and girls during remarks atthe installation banquetof thePride ofGrand BahamaLodgeNo. 7onSaturday.

“Fewer than half of our highschool studentsleave school with a diploma, Mr Davis said.

“Only about46 percent meet the minimum requirements.The restleaveschool withoutthe qualificationsthat opendoors. Ourboysare heavilyrepresented inthat half that slips away.

He noted that girls continue

to outperformboys atevery major academicmilestone, saying: Girlsare racing ahead in theclassroom.They receive most of the top grades in the BGCSEs. At the University of The Bahamas, women fill about three quarters of the seats.”

Mr Davis said the trends reflect deeperissues affecting boys readiness forschool, their sense ofbelonging in the classroom,andtheavailability of positivemale rolemodels to support them. He urged the public to consider the young men whoare avoidingschool, falling behindor disengaging early.

See the boy who is hanging aroundthe corner every evening, because he does notwant to go hometo a house full of shouting. See the boywho hasstoppedcoming toschoolregularly,becausehe hasalready decidedthat heis afailure ,andnoonehastold him otherwise.

“Seethe boywhoseems angryall thetime,because anger isthe onlyemotion he has ever beenallowed to show.Seetheboywhoisquiet andwithdrawn, becausehe has already started to give up on himself.

MrDavissaidthatwhilethe government isexpanding technical andvocational path-

ways and reinforcing schoolbased supports including breakfast programmes and youth developmentinitiatives community investmentis also needed.

These steps matter. They help.But theyare notenough on their own,” he said.

No policy paper can love a boy.

Mr Daviscontinued: “What would it look like if this lodge adopted a school, notfor a ceremony,butforarelationship? Menintheclassrooms,menin the assemblies,men sitting undera treetalking toboys about work, respect,love, responsibility,” he said. The prime ministersaid reversing the educationalgapis essentialto thenation’s future economy and stability, with consequences already visible in youth unemployment and crime.

Somewhere along the way, they lost their footing, and too often, we werenot there to catch them, he said. He called the issue a shared responsibility, emphasising that academicsuccess must not become agendered advantage.

“I want a Bahamas where oursons walkbesideour daughtersas equalsineducation, in workand in leadership, he said.

TARPUM BAY PrimarySchool students with their dental care packages.

MEMBERS of the University of The Bahamas community march during the university s Charter Day observance in 2016.

GB kicks off Cultural Heritage Month with downtown Freeport showcase

THE Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (MOYSC) has officially launched National Cultural Heritage Month in Grand Bahama, bringing residents to the downtown city centre for a celebration of the island’s “orange economy”.

The launch event featured a vibrant showcase of local cuisine and Bahamian delicacies alongside performances by artisans, musicians, playwrights and other creatives.

The month-long observance is designed to engage the wider cultural community while educating young people about Bahamian history, heritage and national pride.

Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg and Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey attended the opening celebration on November 30.

Mr Bowleg emphasised the importance of preserving traditions, describing Bahamian culture as “the heartbeat of our islands, the story of our people and the legacy we pass on”.

He noted Grand Bahama’s long-standing role in shaping national cultural identity and called on residents to honour their history and support the arts.

“May this month ignite unity, joy and renewed appreciation for all that

makes The Bahamas one of the most culturally rich nations in the world,” Mr Bowleg said.

Ms Moxey praised Grand Bahama’s creative community for their contributions and commended the ministry team for curating the series of events.

“Because of each of you, our rich cultural legacy will continue to thrive and be passed on to future generations,” she said, encouraging families, schools and community groups to participate fully in the month’s activities.

The launch marks the first in a series of events scheduled for National Cultural Heritage Month.

RESIDENTS enjoy Bahamian cuisine, cultural displays and live performances during the National Cultural Heritage Month launch held in the downtown Freeport parking lot on November 30, 2025.  Notable attendees included Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture (MOYSC) Mario Bowleg; Minister Ginger Moxey; deputy director of MOYSC Norris Bain; cultural officer for Grand Bahama Lashae Charles-Dorsett; and representatives of the Ministry for Grand Bahama and MOYSC. Photos: Danielle Rollon/BIS