Daily Archives: March 8, 2017

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smithsonian.com March 7, 2017 1:42PM

There are many reasons to visit the Bahamasbeautiful beaches, conch fritters, killer snorkeling. But in recent years one of the biggest attractions has been the island nations pigs. The swimming pigs of Exuma to be exact, a group of porkerson a small island called Big Major Cay, who over the years have taken up the hobby of paddling around in the areas crystal blue waters. Recently,however, at least seven members of the now-famous pig colony mysteriously died, their bodies found floating in the sea, reports Ben Guarino at The Washington Post.

Wayde Nixon, one of the farmers that originally brought pigs to the island about 30 years ago, told Sloan Smith at the Nassau Guardianin late February that he initially believed tourists, who interact with the pigs and feed them, may have caused the deaths by giving the pigs alcohol and junk food. Kim Aranha, president of the Bahamas Humane Society, also speculated on the cause. It could just be a horrible accident where they ate something poisonous, she told local news source Tribune 242in late February. "It could be malicious but I dont really see why someone would go out of their way to hurt those lovely animals.

Now, Delaney Chambers at National Geographic reports on March 4 that a preliminary examination shows that the pigs likely died from ingesting too much sand.

The pigs have been on the island so long, they are used to foraging for natural food, Ventoi Bethune, an inspector with the Bahamas Humane Society, tells Chambers. The pigs would occasional prance down onto the beach for a snack from visitors. But increased popularity and big influx of tourists have changed the pigs' habits. In recent years, the pigs have even been featured on the reality show The Bachelor. Now [the pigs] stay on the beach and arent living in the forest.

Instead, the porkers eat small bits of food thrown by tourists, which means they probably get a snoutful of sand each time they take a nibble. An ongoing drought on the island which has dried up the pigs water supply may have also contributed to the deaths.

Despite the die-off, tourists will still be able to visit the remaining pigs, though they may not be able to swim or pet the porkers as they did in the past. Bethune tells Chambersthat a warden will now be stationed at Pig Beach. V. Alfred Gray, the Bahamas'Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources tells Smith that the agency will soon establish rules for interacting with the pigs, including a boundary around the pigs and restricted feeding by the public.

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Jason Daley is a Madison, Wisconsin-based writer specializing in natural history, science, travel, and the environment. His work has appeared in Discover, Popular Science, Outside, Mens Journal, and other magazines.

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What Killed More Than Half a Dozen of the Bahamas' Swimming Pigs? - Smithsonian

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

STABILITY in the countrys economic, education and environmental sectors were hailed as successful examples for Caribbean states by President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana David Granger this weekend during an exit interview with local press.

In an address moments before he boarded his return flight Saturday, concluding a three-day state visit to The Bahamas, the retired Brigadier General commended the Christie administration for sustaining one of the regions premier countries in the wake of one of the worlds most severe economic downturns.

General Granger, in the presence of Prime Minister Perry Christie at the Lynden Pindling International Airports VIP Lounge Saturday, said he viewed the three sectors as important lessons that could be adopted and adapted by every other country in the region, adding that his economic visit to The Bahamas would be viewed as a success in his country despite not returning with any written agreements.

General Granger, who throughout his time in The Bahamas pointed out that the Caribbean stood as a fragmented region that could advance through cooperation, said his belief was emboldened by what he witnessed specifically in Grand Bahama.

He said that the sincere and successful effort to by the government to deal with the economic issues plaguing the communities there showed him that patience, passion and forward-thinking were factors that could aid in his countrys efforts.

General Granger accompanied Mr Christie on a trip to Freeport, Grand Bahama, last Friday.

Of the trip, he said: We liked what we saw. It may just be container terminals, it may be just shipyards; but we saw at the second level, and I like to mention this, the work that is being done in education and for the youth. Because just going to the Hugh Campbell Primary School, you could feel the energy from those young people and I would like to come back 20 years from now.

The Bahamas has set an example to the rest of the Caribbean as to how we can transform smallness and poverty into economic power, he stated.

General Granger said his country would adopt the premise, smallness doesnt necessarily mean weakness, from The Bahamas moving forward.

There is no doubt, the government of The Bahamas has shown the way for small states and is a lesson and example for other states to learn. I have also emphasised that in some areas, particularly in the areas of our economical development, our tourism, we could learn from the tremendous years of experience and the wealth of expertise that we saw in The Bahamas, to develop our tourist product.

He added: I would like to feel that in more business like visits, my ministers would be coming back to work one on one with the responsible minister on the Bahamian side to ensure that these lessons are not just filed away, but that they become the pillars of partnership between what they call, the northern most English speaking Caribbean state and the southern most English speaking Caribbean state. So you have not seen the last of us.

Last weeks visit marked General Grangers first official visit to The Bahamas.

His country, like many other nations in South America, is battling through a massive economic decline.

In addition to that ordeal, the country is reported to be locked into a territorial dispute with neighbouring Venezuela, something that has seen battle ready warships move into Guyanese waters over the course of the last two years.

According to General Granger, his journey to The Bahamas was geared around finding feasible logistical concepts that could be implemented by his country to ease the grip of the continents economic woes.

Grateful

In response to his praise of the Bahamas on Saturday, Mr Christie said the objective praise was something his administration was intrigued to hear, adding that the Bahamian populace could now see and hear from countries in similar conditions and compare and contrast the rate at which The Bahamas is performing.

Mr Christie, noting how grateful he was for the presidents comments, said his administration has from a fiscal point of view done all it could given the demands of our country.

Cautioning the public over the oppositions doom and gloom talk, Mr Christie added: Unlike any other country in the region, and I argue even in the hemisphere, we have an island nation that requires duplication resources - schools, hospitals, clinics, roads, water and it is a work in progress, it costs a lot of money.

Advancing his argument, Mr Christie contended that his government has to manage and promote a total of 28 airports, several of which have to operate international flights.

He said his administration has gauged estimates on how much it would take to move these facilities to international standards - $150m, he noted.

Mr Christie added: You dont earn that, you have to go out and borrow it it adds to the national debt.

The point was supported by General Granger who noted that his country, which is larger than The Bahamas, has only two airports to manage.

Mr Christie noted that most countries in the region are grappling with similar problems and a united effort, in time, could alleviate the pressures faced by all in the region.

To thank The Bahamas for hosting him and members of his delegation, General Granger presented Mr Christie with a painting of a jaguar; the animal is considered noble in Guyana.

Additionally, General Granger pledged to ship several of his nations national tree crops to the Bahamas as a part of Guyanas National Tree Day celebration later this year.

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Guyana president hails Bahamas as example to the Caribbean | The ... - Bahamas Tribune

President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Brigadier David Granger speaks at a luncheon held in his honor at Churchills restaurant in the Grand Lucayan on Friday afternoon. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama Sitting Chairman of the Caribbean Community regional body (CARICOM) and President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Brigadier David Granger said that he and members of his Cabinet were in The Bahamas to learn, and during his visit to Grand Bahama he admitted that in two days they had learned a lot.

Addressing a special luncheon in his honour, hosted by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie and Minister for Grand Bahama the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville at the Grand Lucayan, Brigadier Granger said that The Bahamas has been a good example to the rest of the Caribbean community in terms of outstanding development.

We have been deeply impressed by the development of The Bahamas, particularly in the financial and tourism sectors under Prime Minister Christie, said the Guyanese President. But there can be no doubt about the pre-eminence of the Bahamian economy and I have come with my Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister of Business and Minister of Tourism to look and to learn from The Bahamas.

From what we have seen here in Grand Bahama, there is no doubt a model for industrial development and format from which we can learn a lot.

President Granger said that regional tourism and collaboration between member states must become an emerging trend, especially if Caribbean islands that depend heavily on tourism intend to survive in the face of the opening of the borders of a destination like Cuba.

I am convinced that if we can combine our talents and our resources we can offer a world-class product. The Bahamas is already a world-class destination and we would like to learn how you have been able to accomplish that position.

Grand Bahama has set the stage as a major player in the industrial sector and from the visits we have made to places like the Container Port and the Grand Bahama Shipyard, we can take away so much information to study. We are very happy with what we have seen during our visit here.

He said that The Bahamas is well on the path to prosperity and security, and well on the path to sealing its position with solidarity with the rest of the Caribbean community. Brigadier Granger said be assured that his ministers for Tourism, Business and Finance would be back in The Bahamas at a later date, for a longer period of time, to learn more about how The Bahamas has been able to accomplish what it has in terms of gaining a foothold in tourism, economics and industrial success.

The Caribbean is a unique zone situated in between two giants the North American Continent and the South American Continent. In between we have scores of small and micro-states.

These states and countries are threatened because of economic hardships. But we have to transform our economies. So we have been able to come to Grand Bahama and see how this transformation is taking place.

But Grand Bahama is just one part of the entire Caribbean and during my semester as head of CARICOM, I will take the message of what I have learned here to my colleagues around the Caribbean.

During the luncheon, Sarah St. George, Vice-Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, presented Brigadier Granger with a special gold coin, which represented the 50th anniversary of the Port Authority.

By Andrew Coakley Bahamas Information Services

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Guyana's President Said He Learned a Lot During Visit to The Bahamas - The Eleutheran

NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) The Bahamas government has taken issue with the reports of the United States and Amnesty International on human rights issues in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

The Perry Christie government in separate statements said that it is preparing an official response and intends to issue a formal protest on the matter.

The government said that prior to the release of the US State Departments 2016 report on human rights in The Bahamas, the government spoke with representatives of the United States government prior to the release of the report on human rights in the Bahamas.

During those conversations, it was made clear to the US that the proposed report contained significant inaccurate information with no basis in fact and in some cases incomplete information.

Now that the US report has been publically released, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration is preparing an official response from The Bahamas Government and intends to issue a formal protest in this regard.

In the report, Washington noted that on July 8, last year, a foreign citizen reported he had been beaten by two or more corrections officers at the Bahamas Department of Corrections (BDOC).

He said that following an altercation with an inmate, prison guards placed him in handcuffs, bent him over a cart, beat him with a PVC plumbing pipe wrapped in duct tape, and then took him back to his cell without providing any medical attention.

The report also indicated that a migrant held in the immigration detention centre in Freeport faced alleged unprompted, regular beatings from the guards, as well as inappropriate sexual behaviour toward female detainees.

Prison and detention centre conditions failed to meet international standards in some areas, and conditions at the governments only prison remained harsh due to overcrowding.

Overcrowding, poor sanitation, and inadequate access to medical care remained problems in the mens maximum-security block. In October 2015 the commissioner of corrections reported the maximum-security block of the prison held 625 inmates in spaces designed to hold approximately 375 inmates when constructed in 1953. The minister of national security reported that the BDOC, which was originally built to hold 1,000 prisoners, held 1,727 inmates as of October 2016.

The report noted that inmates reported receiving only two meals per day, and often only one, with a meal sometimes consisting only of bread and tea.

Fresh fruit and vegetables were rare to non-existent. Prisoners also reported infrequent access to drinking water and inability to save potable water due to lack of storage containers for the prisoners. A few cells also lacked running water, and in those cells, inmates removed human waste by bucket.

The report also noted that prison guards complained about the lack of a full-time dentist and a failure to appoint a staff psychiatrist.

There were four inmate deaths through October 2015, reportedly due to HIV infection, natural causes, an apparent suicide, and injuries resulting from fighting. Reports from the coroners court were pending on the latter two deaths.

The government did not provide updated statistics in 2016. In August 2016, upon the conclusion of a Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) hearing that was closed to the public, the Bahamian government cleared five RBDF marines accused of beating five Cuban detainees at the CRDC in 2013, Washington reported.

It also noted that numerous Haitian migrants reported being detained by immigration officials and solicited for bribes of B$1,000 to B$3,000 (One Bahamas dollar =US$1.00), with the CRDC front office functioning as a clearinghouse.

Many claimed that immigration officers targeted their dwellings once their undocumented status was discovered demanding multiple bribes. Haitian migrants and civil society organizations complained of frequent warrantless searches of Haitian homes without probable cause.

Regarding the 2016-17 Amnesty International report, the London-based human rights group criticised Nassau for its discriminatory posture towards lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and for the countrys constitutional referendum on gender equality.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government takes no acts to discriminate against people based on their orientation, race, colour, creed, gender or religion.

The Bahamas Government shows that it is an equal opportunity protector of all citizens and residents of this country. In addition, the Government takes all appropriate steps to ensure that its citizens of whatever description are safe.

It is unfortunate, even in countries which are strong democracies with good human rights records, when there are public views espoused that are discriminatory. Nevertheless, The Bahamas Government is firmly committed to the protection of all its citizens.

On the question of right to privacy of citizens, the Bahamas government said it wanted to reiterate without qualification there is no threat to privacy in the Bahamas.

The reports of any such threat are entirely misplaced, it added.

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Bahamas govt denies US and Amnesty human rights reports - NYCaribNews

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Each year, thousands of spring breakers head to the Bahamas on vacation, many of them via cruise ships. Hoping to help them avoid danger and even time behind bars, the Bahamian Embassy issued an advisory, saying that by following their tips and [exercising] caution and good judgment, travelers would make their own stays both safer and more pleasant.

Avoid Jet Ski Operators

If renting a jet ski while in the Bahamas is on your must-do list, proceed with caution. Jet ski operators, the advisory warns, continue to commit sexual assaults and other crimes against tourists, including U.S. citizens. U.S. Embassy personnel are instructed not to use jet ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Beaches, including Cabbage Beach and Cable Beach. We strongly recommend you also avoid patronizing jet ski rental operations.

Noting that every year, U.S. citizens are killed or very seriously injured in scooter accidents, the Embassys advisory suggests renters inspect the equipment carefully and avoid old or rundown machines. It goes on to suggest tourists do something that few likely do, which is ask to see a copy of the operators business license and inquire about their medical and liability insurance coverage. Given how many folks might be new to riding scooters, they also suggest you ask for training before using the equipment, and offer a reminder that traffic in the Bahamas travels on the left side of the road and can be difficult to navigate. They also say that unlicensed scooter operators and rental services have been linked to assaults, including sexual assaults. Crime & Punishment While some tourists seem to think that people in the Bahamas simply walk around openly toking all day, the Embassy reminds that the possession or use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy, is a criminal offense that can result in jail time. And dont think youll get off easy as a minor, as all persons 16 years of age or older are tried as adults in the Bahamas! Its also worth remembering that entrapment is a frequently used law enforcement technique in the Bahamas and individuals offering drugs for sale may very well be undercover police officers.Finally, the Embassy points out that despite what you may have seen on television, they probably wont be a whole lot of help should you wind up in hot water. Your U.S. citizenship will not help you and will not exempt you from full prosecution under the Bahamas criminal justice system, they warn. U.S. Embassy officials can visit you in jail, provide information about the Bahamas legal system, and give you a list of local attorneys or doctors. [But] we cannot arrange for reduction of charges, your release from jail or payment of medical, hospital or other bills. They do, however, say they should definitely be contacted if you are a victim of crime or your passport has been lost or stolen.

More:

Embassy Issues Warning to Bahamas Visitors - Cruise Radio (blog)