Category Archives: Bahamas

Baseball greats, cruise passengers and local Bahamian youth league players competed head-to-head in an All-Stars at Seas softball game in Freeport, arranged by Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line during a sailing on Saturday March 5th.

Hall-of-Famer Andre Dawson along with a handful of other baseball greats were in attendance for the game and onboard for Q&A sessions.

We are honored to have hosted such a great group of all-stars onboard and to have provided our passengers many of whom are passionate about baseball with this unique cruising experience, said Francis Riley, chief commercial officer.

Upon arriving to Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line transported its guests and team of players to a local softball field where a friendly match took place. Two teams competed head-to-head until a tied game was called, ceremoniously.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line prepares to rebrand in April. Its flagship vessel, Grand Classica, will enter dry dock on April 17, reemerging as Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, the flagship of the all-new vacation brand,Margaritavilleat Sea, on April 30.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line announced its rebranding to Margaritaville at Sea at the end of last year.

Photo:BPCL Team (Credit: Scott Shapiro at South Florida Insider)

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Guests, MLB Greats and Bahamians Step Up to the Plate in Freeport - Cruise Industry News

There are 13 countries, 17 dependent territories, and more than 7,000 islands in the Caribbean. Choosing where to spend your travel dollars can be daunting to say the leastso why not let the accommodations lead? The best Airbnbs in the region go head to head with the finest resorts, offering private pools, designer furnishings, phenomenal views, and friendly staff to cater to your every whim. There are sprawling villas for large families and friend groups, romantic bungalows for couples, and cheap but cheerful rentals for budget travelers. Many are mere steps from a pristine beach; others are tucked deep into the jungle greenery; and all are run by an Airbnb Superhost with a 4.8 rating or higher. Scroll down to see which island escape best suits your vacation style.

While we have not stayed in every Airbnb featured, unless otherwise stated, these listings are vetted based on Superhost status, amenities, location, previous guest reviews, and decor.

All products featured on Cond Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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21 Best Airbnbs in Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Across the Caribbean - Cond Nast Traveler

About 140 migrants came ashore Monday.

SUMMERLAND KEY, Fla. Haitian migrants are reaching Florida's shores in large numbers as human smuggling operations ramp up, outpacing last year's migration waves.

Some 140 Haitian migrants came ashore Monday on Summerland Key, about 20 miles up the highway from Key West, and Monroe County Sheriff's deputies joined federal agents in processing them.

Earlier this month, a wooden boat carrying hundreds of migrants grounded in shallow water off Key Largo, and 163 people swam ashore near the Ocean Reef Club. Many needed medical treatment, federal officials said.

Another boat carrying 176 Haitians was stopped in January just off the Florida Keys, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is taking the lead in all three investigations.

The Coast Guard has stopped other Haitian boats navigating near the Bahamas with dozens of migrants. On Sunday, the agency transferred 127 Haitians and three Cuban nationals to Bahamian authorities after picking them up in two incidents near Anguilla Cay, Bahamas.

On Feb. 28, crews spotted a Haitian sailboat with 179 people aboard 30 miles off Andros Island, Bahamas. Last Friday, the Coast Guard stopped another Haitian sail vessel with 123 people, including 39 minors about 10 miles from Anguilla Cay, Bahamas.

The Coast Guard maintains a persistent presence patrolling the waters around Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, to help prevent loss of life, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Salomee Briggs said in a news release. Taking to the sea is very dangerous, we urge you not to risk you and your loved-ones lives.

So far this fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, Coast Guard crews have rescued 1,193 Haitians. That compares to 1,527 Haitian migrants who were rescued in all of fiscal year 2021, 418 in 2020 and 932 in 2019, the agency said.

See more here:

Haitian migrants are coming ashore in the Florida Keys at a faster pace than last year - WTSP.com

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis today doubled down on his assertion that several initiatives under the former administration had little to no checks and balances, adding that these were in violation of a number of laws, regulations and sensible good practice.

Dozens of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters gathered outside Parliament in response to a clarion call by PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell.

Tensions heightened when former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis arrived with a small FNM delegation of his own, which then led to an exchange of words between the two groups after Minnis went into the House of Assembly.

Davis, who opened the debate on the mid-year budget, noted that there are several ongoing investigations into those initiatives and programs, adding, We intend to make those answers public, whatever they may reveal.

Pointing to the food assistance program, the Parks and Beaches Authority, and the Travel Health Visa, Davis said that in each case, the decision was made to set up a structure outside of the public service or outside of this system of accountability.

Worse still, these structures were staffed by people who had no particular competence to run those structures, and there were little to no checks and balances, Davis said.

These were in violation of a number of laws, regulations and sensible good practice. Vast sums of public money were run through these structures, together totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

He added: And each of these structures had abysmally poor record-keeping concerning what monies were taken in, and how that money was spent.

The prime minister stated: I noted that the administration had handed over some of the basic functions of government to their wealthy friends and asked why?

Why did they pay a private company to handle National Insurance funds, when we have a public service whose job it is to do just that?

Why was the government paying a private company to receive customs payments, when we have a public service whose job it is to do just that?

Time and again, public officials in critical positions were replaced by individuals with no real administrative experience.

Davis further noted that there are also examples where political appointees on Boards replaced a number of executives or were put in leadership positions without the necessary qualifications.

Speaking to the food assistance program, Davis noted that former Chairperson of the National Food Security Task Force Susan Holowesko Larson was paid $1,750 per week.

Davis said that Larson was given some $53 million for the task force to spend but it appears that she was not required to report to anyone on how that money was spent.

According to Davis, Larson had indicated that $4.7 million was spent to cover administrative fees.

Davis doubled down on his comments that the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority operated as a slush fund under the Minnis administration.

He told parliament that the finance officer appointed by the former administration came without any previous experience, and was made the sole signatory on bank accounts.

He also noted that the managing director had no history of senior management experience.

Large-value contracts issued by the Authority contain three distinct signatures, all purporting to be that of the Chairman. Simple logic dictates that at least two of them must be fraudulent, the prime minister said.

Davis also noted that the question remains as to what the connection was between digital payments provider Kanoo and the Ministry of Tourism that made them the beneficiaries of such a large contract.

The prime minister also stated that since the change of government, many of the individuals and entities involved in these inquiries have sought to delay or frustrate our investigations. He added, There are many, many questions that need to be answered.

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WE NEED ANSWERS: PM slams former administration for little to no checks and balances - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS BTC has bragging rights for a third consecutive year as its Junior Achievement company, BTC Vibe, has once againcaptured first place at the annual Product of the Year Competition.

The competition is an opportunity for Junior Achievement companies to design an interesting and marketable commodity to be sold to the public.

BTC Vibe won first place with an overall score of 97.5 points for the design of its Monopoly-inspired board game, dubbed, Island Tycoon.

DeAndre Forbes, BTC Vibe President and an eleventh-grade student at St. Augustines College, said that this third win reflects the hard work done by everyone involved with the company.

Winning product of the year for a third year consecutively validates theefforts of all associated with the BTC JA Company, not just achievers but advisors and even our generous sponsors who have continued to allow young people to be developed into their best selves through the program, he said.

Our product, Island Tycoon, is one that took a lot of time and effort to be created so receiving such an honorable award has really inspired the company as a whole to continue in our great achievements and work within the Junior Achievement community.

BTC Vibes Finance Advisor Kenton Thompson said that Island Tycoon was created to keep the trend going of creating Bahamian-inspired products.

BTC Vibe was able to capture previous wins from its Bahamian Heroes playing cards and Bahamian-themed coloring books.

Riding on the success and high demand for our last product, the Bahamian playing cards, we wanted to produce another product that was fun and family friendly, Thompson said.

After the team agreed on the idea the company was spilt into groups to create the different board tiles, cards and game pieces. Our Marketing Advisor then took those blueprints and created the final masterpiece known as Island Tycoon.

Thompson said staying consistent with the Bahamian-inspired theme has led to the success of their products.

Bahamians can easily relate to the Island Tycoon game through local landmarks, Bahamian colloquialisms or even our unique game pieces likethe flamingo, blue marlin, the lignum vitae or the conch shell, he said.

BTC Vibes Executive Advisor Keva Turnquest said the group wanted to ensure that the Island Tycoon product fully represented The Bahamas and the Bahamian financial mindset of growing the next Bahamian millionaire or billionaire.

Turnquest said moving forward, it is the desire for the JA company at BTC to have their products promoted locally.

Even though the companies have to be liquidated, we would still love to have the partnerships with the Kellys or AID or Quality Home Center, anyone even the grocery stores if they would have our product or want to continue to partner with us in purchasing the product itself, Turnquest said.

This would also lend to the next generation of BTCs Junior Achievement company as it would have funds in its account to start the next year and products that we know can be generated and pushed throughout the Bahamian society.

Meanwhile, as for next years competition, BTC Vibe is already looking to capture a 4-peat.

I think we should just make winning it an annual tradition, Thompson added.

Excerpt from:

THREE-PEAT: BTC's JA Company wins product of the year competition with Island Tycoon game - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Labor Director Robert Farquharson said yesterday that the National Tripartite Council is looking into a number of factors to formulate a recommendation on an increase in the countrys minimum wage.

Farquharson told Eyewitness News: The process of formulating the recommendation is underway right now. We have to look at a number of factors such as; the cost of living in The Bahamas, inflation and government policy.

There are also some other issues. There of course has to be consultation with the private sector.

Farquharson could not give a timeline on when a minimum wage recommendation could be forwarded to the government.

Last week, Obie Ferguson, the Trade Union Congress president reiterated calls for a living wage in the country.

Ferguson told Eyewitness News that Bahamians must be able to have a living wage as the cost of food and fuel continue to rise.

We need a living wage in this country and Ive been calling for it for years. We need it now more than ever. If the cost of most things has gone up and your wages remain stagnant, youre going to find it hard to survive.

He continued: It is the governments intention to have the minimum wage of $210 per week replaced by a higher wage that could be around $250 per week. The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) promised to revise the wage before winning the September general election.

University of The Bahamas (UB) researchers, in a study produced last year, pegged Nassaus monthly living wage at $2,625, while the equivalent for Grand Bahama was $3,550 per month.

Excerpt from:

LABOR: Recommendation being formulated for minimum wage increase - EyeWitness News

By Shanieka Smith & Deandrea Hamilton

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, March 12, 2022 Her life demonstrated that you begin in the pit, but you dont have to end in the pit.

Cynthia Mother Pratt, most popularly known as Mother Pratt, a Bahamian born, who grew up in an inner-city called Coconut Grove, came from extreme poverty but modestly walked her way up to becoming the second in command as the Deputy Prime Minister and the first female Minister of Defense for The Bahamas.

Her target with this inaugural book is young people, and her message is that their start does not determine their end.

A gated community, money, or privilege were not Mother Pratts easy climb out of the pit. It was her internal desires, hard work, discipline, humility, and determination. It was not until age 34 that Mother Pratt went to university; she sat, learnt, and graduated with 17 and 18-year-olds.

Nonetheless, I wanted to achieve my goal, she said.

At the time Mother Pratt went to school, students had to leave at age 14 if their parents could not afford the fees. She said she grew up in the lower class; that then and now is a major discouragement for people in similar situations. This was where the inspiration for one of her three literary contributions, From the Pit to the Palace, originated.

I want the masses to know, the world to know, that there is a woman who God brought from the pit, the gutter, so to speak and who emerged to the very top. If it happened for me, it can happen for them, she said passionately.

From the Pit to the Palace, an autobiography of Mother Pratt was published in January 2022. According to Mother Pratt, the book is for everyone young and old.

You have many adults who tend to give up on life because things didnt work out for them. They believe that they are a failure, and that is why the book will explain, and encourage, and enhance, edify, to tell them that there is hope, she expressed.

To reinforce Mother Pratts humble nature and soul message from her autobiography: she still resides in an inner-city after all she has accomplished.

And Dr Cynthia Mother Pratt has accomplished a lot. While her first term in service to people was in the teaching profession and as a sports coach, Mother Pratt and her escalating popularity attracted leaders in the political arena.

They had to almost pry me into first of all getting involved in politics, period, I never was interested; never been to a meeting. But what had happened at the time, I was at the college in Bahamas, I was assisting the director and there with student activities part-time lecturer, and I got a message there from the sitting Prime Minister that he would like to meet with me, she expressed.

There was an invitation extended and suffice it to say, there was a big fat no at the onset, but the Progressive Liberal Party and Perry Gladstone Christie, would not take no for an answer. Persistence paid off for Christie and an attempt, bound to fail from Mother Pratts perspective, turned into a 10-year career in politics, starting in 2002 until she retired in 2012.

A deputy party leader, the first for a woman in The Bahamas; a deputy prime minister who would go on to hold the prime ministers post during a time of illness for Mr Christie and numerous other ceiling shattering accolades. Yet none seemed to change her heart, which was first and foremost for God, then for family.

Mother Pratt has six children: three boys, an adopted son, who is now deceased and one biological daughter. She also has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pratts husband, Joseph Benjamin is also deceased.

They [my children] reminded me the other day, they said, mommy, we have never really had you for ourselves as our mom because you were always looking after somebody else. And at one time, I had six children in my house until at one point and my husband got to the point where he says Cynthia, dont bring another one in here, she chuckles as she reminisces.

Global prizes were also not unusual for Mother Pratt, but one presented to her in 2019 is truly cherished as it bears the name of one of historys most valiant freedom fighters. At a ceremony at her church, Prayer and Praise Assembly in Coconut Grove, the little girl from the Grove was awarded the Nelson Mandela Award for her long-standing commitment to community building, and it cemented that a book to chronicle this achievement must be penned. And so it was.

The thing about my growing up is that I was never satisfied with where I was. I always wanted to belong and when I say belong: belong to those who are trying to get to another level. I was not satisfied with one thing; when I got that I was never satisfied because I knew there was something better. And so I knew then there was something pushing me to say you can achieve it, you can do it, says Mother Pratt. She added that she was never afraid to fail.

On her porch is where she shared these fascinating nuggets and cherished memories with us; her front porch in the Grove. An area which she served and represented in parliament, and an area though often considered a shady side of Nassau town, is treasured as her launch pad, a stepping stone and the birthplace of her desire to be more.

The inner city is where we live, but we have to make it what it is. The community does not build us; we build the community, she said.

Dr. Pratt, who is admittedly social media shy adds that if you really want to make something of your life, you need to dig deep, pull your bootstraps up and know that if Mother Pratt could make it, then I can as well.

This former sports coach, who earned the name because she became such a positive force to young people, made it clear that little opportunities present themselves, and it is only fitting that young people grab on to them. The first step, she said, is to believe in yourself.

[Opportunities] are there, but you have to go out and get it. And in other words, God would have given them manna from heaven, but they had to go and get the manna. And that is how youre going to achieve because you must want to change.

I cant make you do it, but you must want it from within and then grab a hold of opportunities when they present themselves because it may not be there tomorrow.

From the Pit to the Palace is now available on Amazon at a cost of $20 dollars. It can also be found in Bahamas-based bookstores.

Undoubtedly, expectedly, the book authored by Mother Pratt will be a raw, real, humourous and inspiring account of a life that continues to be well-lived.

Read the rest here:

Expect an Excellent Read from Mother Pratts NEW BOOK, From the Pit to the Palace - Magnetic Media

By Shanieka Smith & Deandrea Hamilton

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, March 12, 2022 Her life demonstrated that you begin in the pit, but you dont have to end in the pit.

Cynthia Mother Pratt, most popularly known as Mother Pratt, a Bahamian born, who grew up in an inner-city called Coconut Grove, came from extreme poverty but modestly walked her way up to becoming the second in command as the Deputy Prime Minister and the first female Minister of Defense for The Bahamas.

Her target with this inaugural book is young people, and her message is that their start does not determine their end.

A gated community, money, or privilege were not Mother Pratts easy climb out of the pit. It was her internal desires, hard work, discipline, humility, and determination. It was not until age 34 that Mother Pratt went to university; she sat, learnt, and graduated with 17 and 18-year-olds.

Nonetheless, I wanted to achieve my goal, she said.

At the time Mother Pratt went to school, students had to leave at age 14 if their parents could not afford the fees. She said she grew up in the lower class; that then and now is a major discouragement for people in similar situations. This was where the inspiration for one of her three literary contributions, From the Pit to the Palace, originated.

I want the masses to know, the world to know, that there is a woman who God brought from the pit, the gutter, so to speak and who emerged to the very top. If it happened for me, it can happen for them, she said passionately.

From the Pit to the Palace, an autobiography of Mother Pratt was published in January 2022. According to Mother Pratt, the book is for everyone young and old.

You have many adults who tend to give up on life because things didnt work out for them. They believe that they are a failure, and that is why the book will explain, and encourage, and enhance, edify, to tell them that there is hope, she expressed.

To reinforce Mother Pratts humble nature and soul message from her autobiography: she still resides in an inner-city after all she has accomplished.

And Dr Cynthia Mother Pratt has accomplished a lot. While her first term in service to people was in the teaching profession and as a sports coach, Mother Pratt and her escalating popularity attracted leaders in the political arena.

They had to almost pry me into first of all getting involved in politics, period, I never was interested; never been to a meeting. But what had happened at the time, I was at the college in Bahamas, I was assisting the director and there with student activities part-time lecturer, and I got a message there from the sitting Prime Minister that he would like to meet with me, she expressed.

There was an invitation extended and suffice it to say, there was a big fat no at the onset, but the Progressive Liberal Party and Perry Gladstone Christie, would not take no for an answer. Persistence paid off for Christie and an attempt, bound to fail from Mother Pratts perspective, turned into a 10-year career in politics, starting in 2002 until she retired in 2012.

A deputy party leader, the first for a woman in The Bahamas; a deputy prime minister who would go on to hold the prime ministers post during a time of illness for Mr Christie and numerous other ceiling shattering accolades. Yet none seemed to change her heart, which was first and foremost for God, then for family.

Mother Pratt has six children: three boys, an adopted son, who is now deceased and one biological daughter. She also has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pratts husband, Joseph Benjamin is also deceased.

They [my children] reminded me the other day, they said, mommy, we have never really had you for ourselves as our mom because you were always looking after somebody else. And at one time, I had six children in my house until at one point and my husband got to the point where he says Cynthia, dont bring another one in here, she chuckles as she reminisces.

Global prizes were also not unusual for Mother Pratt, but one presented to her in 2019 is truly cherished as it bears the name of one of historys most valiant freedom fighters. At a ceremony at her church, Prayer and Praise Assembly in Coconut Grove, the little girl from the Grove was awarded the Nelson Mandela Award for her long-standing commitment to community building, and it cemented that a book to chronicle this achievement must be penned. And so it was.

The thing about my growing up is that I was never satisfied with where I was. I always wanted to belong and when I say belong: belong to those who are trying to get to another level. I was not satisfied with one thing; when I got that I was never satisfied because I knew there was something better. And so I knew then there was something pushing me to say you can achieve it, you can do it, says Mother Pratt. She added that she was never afraid to fail.

On her porch is where she shared these fascinating nuggets and cherished memories with us; her front porch in the Grove. An area which she served and represented in parliament, and an area though often considered a shady side of Nassau town, is treasured as her launch pad, a stepping stone and the birthplace of her desire to be more.

The inner city is where we live, but we have to make it what it is. The community does not build us; we build the community, she said.

Dr. Pratt, who is admittedly social media shy adds that if you really want to make something of your life, you need to dig deep, pull your bootstraps up and know that if Mother Pratt could make it, then I can as well.

This former sports coach, who earned the name because she became such a positive force to young people, made it clear that little opportunities present themselves, and it is only fitting that young people grab on to them. The first step, she said, is to believe in yourself.

[Opportunities] are there, but you have to go out and get it. And in other words, God would have given them manna from heaven, but they had to go and get the manna. And that is how youre going to achieve because you must want to change.

I cant make you do it, but you must want it from within and then grab a hold of opportunities when they present themselves because it may not be there tomorrow.

From the Pit to the Palace is now available on Amazon at a cost of $20 dollars. It can also be found in Bahamas-based bookstores.

Undoubtedly, expectedly, the book authored by Mother Pratt will be a raw, real, humourous and inspiring account of a life that continues to be well-lived.

Read the rest here:

Statement For The Recommencement of Regattas and Homecomings - Magnetic Media

Dear Editor,

I know that last week I should have been celebrating International Womens Day (March 8th), but I just did not feel that inspired at all. Sadly, the last few months have been quite brutal for women in The Bahamas. We still do not have Marital Rape Laws, equality in citizenship, equality in pay and opportunity or fair, proportional representation in our government.

I would have loved to have been thrilled about the day. I would have loved to celebrate with my daughter and reassure her that all would be well, that her life as a Bahamian woman would not be one exhausting battle after another. That she wouldnt have to fight too hard to be seen as equal to her male counterparts. That she would never have to explain why her no means NO, or why she should get paid the same as a man doing the same work she will do. But, sadly we are still not there.

While I should have been happy to see women smiling and posing with the break the bias stance, which was featured all over our local newspapers and on social media I wasnt. Im proud of the message break the bias held up by so many women (and some men). As women, we know the cost of that bias and inequality. It should have felt empowering, but it didnt. Against the backdrop of the many stories of violence perpetrated against women locally, the gap between where we are and where we need to be is more glaring than ever. It feels superficial when our most fundamental rights, protection and access to opportunity remain so unequal and, simply, just wrong.

I dont think I can blame this failure entirely on successive Governments. Members of government on both sides of the political divide have promised us and promised international bodies that they would make womens rights a priority. They have regaled us with stories of how much they respect women, how they value the contributions of women, and how they want a fair and safe world for their own daughtersand yet NOTHING. In fact, these last few weeks have seen our elected officials back-peddle so far in this regard that theyve now deemed the word rape TOO HARSH to assign to men who rape their wives. No matter how often they tell us that the rights of women are important, their actions tell us differently. We are still not where we need to be.

Even more distressing is how many women are also party to their continued oppression. The now-viral video of a woman speaking at a recent PLP mens meeting .. you know youre not sexy, youre not easily arousedthen stay single!. Her contribution made me angry but I was equally devastated for the countless women in this country who suffer silently in their homes, those women dealing with such horrific family situations, women who I am sure dont feel ready or sexy when enduring abuse at the hands of their spouses. I dont know the woman in the video but her comments were unbelievable. Unfortunately, as women, many of us dont feel we should have the same rights, opportunities and protection men do. At first, I wanted an apology, not just for myself but to all womenbut why single her out, after all, she is just one of the countless reasons why we are still in the same situation as we have been for decades.

This letter is not about garnering pity. I dont want anyone to feel sorry for womankind. Instead, I want to remind my fellow women, mothers, sisters, work colleagues, friends on all political sides, neighbours, and daughters that the battle is not over. Remember, one day will never give us equality. While we celebrate the wins of women everywhere, we must never become complacent because we are still not there.

Please, friends, consider your fellow woman. You know the one who wears too much make-up because shes been beaten and shes hiding a bruise. Or the girlfriend who agrees to go back to the violent boyfriend who promises he will be better. Or to our daughters who we have to remind to watch their drink so it does not get spiked, or to never walk home alone, and to put your keys in your hand, or carry mace to be safe.

If we are going to be equal, then we have to stand together, no matter what. And together say ENOUGH is ENOUGH. And when our laws change and we are treated as equals, in a country where there are more women than men then I think we, as Bahamian women, can truly celebrate along with our sisters (and brothers) around the world.

Sarah Kirkby

Continue reading here:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Not Feeling this year's International Women's Day we are still not there! - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Patrick J. Bethel High School on Abaco is expected to receive several supply teachers to address the ongoing teacher shortage and will return to face-to-face learning in a phased manner by this week, according to Minister of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin.

This comes after several teachers and parents of Patrick J Bethel High School and JA Pinder Primary School demonstrated and staged a sick-out last week to protest the shortages on the island.

Education officials have said the challenge stems from the housing crisis in Abaco in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

Speaking to the matter at Cabinet, Hanna-Martin said: The engagement of teachers is underway through the public service system but in the interim, we have recruited supply teachers who are trained experienced teachers, some of who have already retired, whove agreed to come back.

With this new injection of teachers, that would reduce pressures on teachers. We are actively tackling this issue of teacher shortage.

She said there was a staff meeting with those teachers who were briefed and it is expected that classes will resume face-to-face on a phased basis, starting with Grade 12 this week and building on the other grades.

This is a great breakthrough for the children and teachers of the community that surrounds that school, she said.

The education minister also addressed concerns surrounding the J A Pinder All-Age School in Sandy Point, Abaco.

She noted that the ministry has identified a principal who will be deployed to the school.

She said she met with parent and community stakeholders recently and a strategy was devised that would allow for that school to go face-to-face very soon.

She noted that the government has been trying to address challenges on the island on all fronts, including housing concerns, severe damage and housing concerns in the aftermath of the deadly 2019 storm, and perennial teacher shortages.

Hanna-Martin explained that the education system is short in key teaching areas, specifically generalists or primary school teachers and English and Mathematics teachers.

The dilemma is not so many physical bodies the dilemma is finding teachers in key areas where there is scarcity, she said.

So we have to consider how when we move forward how we can cause for the training of teachers in specific areas to meet the demand of what is required in the nation.

She added: We will seek to ensure that children are not compromised by this concern.

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Abaco schools to receive new teachers, some students return to face-to-face this week - EyeWitness News