Category Archives: Bahamas

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNMENT tabled an amendment to the value added tax legislation in the House of Assembly yesterday, outlining the planned rate change to 10 percent from the current 12 percent.

The amendment outlines the removal of the zero-rated application from several items. These include the local sale of butter, bread, mayonnaise, grits, cheese, corned beef, evaporated milk, condensed milk, margarine, rice, flour, tomato paste, cooking oil, baby formula and baby food, powder detergent, fresh milk, canned fish, soaps, soups and broths.

The list also includes mustard, sanitary napkins and tampons, napkins and napkin liners for infants.

The local sale of medicines and medicinal drugs will also now have VAT applied at the point of sale.

Further, the amendment says the zero-rating will be removed from the importation of replaced or repaired goods and services related to the use of terminal or bathing facilities by commercial vessels in respect of goods that have not been entered for home consumption under the Customs Management Act where the origin and port of destination are not within The Bahamas.

The same applies to commission earned as a result of the supply of the Central Bank of The Bahamas digital service.

The Bill also adds financial services to the list of zero-rated professional services when the benefit or advantage of those services are outside of The Bahamas.

According to the Bill the amendment additionally seeks to limit the scope of the zero-rated application by excluding international transport services attributed to privately owned and operated chartered vessels and carriers that leave port in ballast form from international commercial service.

There is also a provision to limit the zero-rating by providing that ancillary services are only included in the definition of international transport service where such services are supplied by the supplier of international transport services for or on behalf of such supplier as part of the same journey to which the supply of international transport services relates.

The reduction of VAT to 10 percent was a Progressive Liberal Party campaign promise.

However, its decision to place VAT on items that were made VAT-free under the former Minnis administration was met with mixed reviews.

Former State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson is among the critics.

Last month he said the Davis administration will be hurting the most vulnerable people in society when it reintroduces value added tax on breadbasket items.

Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis announced in the House of Assembly last month that while his administration will reduce VAT to ten percent across the board, it will also increase the VAT rate to ten percent on a variety of items that had been zero-rated under the Minnis administration. Exceptions to this policy include VAT exemption for electricity bills and special economic zones.

However, the policy shift means VAT will return to such items as baby food, bread, butter, grits, rice, soap, corned beef and various medications.

Mr Davis noted that experts have long said the government should strive to keep the VAT rate as broad as possible and exempt few, if any, items from the tax. This, experts say, would help the government keep the overall rate as low as possible while maximising returns.

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Amendment to VAT legislation tabled in House - Bahamas Tribune

Stephen Warren Forrester, age 45, resident of Somerville, Tennessee and husband of Rebecca Ellis Forrester, departed this life Wednesday morning, October 20, 2021, in Nassau, Bahamas.

Stephen was born August 20, 1976 in Memphis, Tennessee to the late Lawrence Warren Forrester and late Sandra Kay Jordan Forrester. He was an Eagle Scout and a 1994 graduate of Fayette Academy. Stephen was a 1998 Union University graduate with a degree in Economics and Finance. On May 31, 2003, Stephen married the love of his life, Rebecca Ellis. They created a life full of special memories together. If you knew Stephen, you know that life with him was all about laughs and good times. He had a smile that radiated happiness and a laugh that was contagious. He was tender-hearted, quick-witted, and always had the right words to characterize any given situation. He was sincerely interested in others and wanted to see his friends achieve their goals. He was the best friend everyone wanted in their lives.

Stephen and Rebecca moved to Somerville, Tennessee in June of 2003 and he began his career with his parents at Forrester Appraisal Service. Stephen loved to travel and as their family grew, it was important to Stephen for their girls to experience the fun times that come with family trips. While Stephen maintained meaningful relationships, nothing was more important to him than his family. He loved a good meal at any restaurant, a night out with Rebecca and friends, and special dates with his daughters. Stephen loved nothing more than family trips, watching the girls play basketball or time together at home. He taught his children compassion for others and instilled in them high standards. Those family times were the parts of his life that made him the happiest. Stephen and his family attended Somerville First Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and an active member who served where needed. Throughout the years, he was a vital part of the church leadership team, even serving as the interim youth minister on multiple occasions. The youth of the church were near and dear to his heart. He poured into their lives and made church a desirable place to come and build relationships. Stephen was also a coach and referee for the Upward Basketball league at church. He had a passion for serving on mission teams and took several trips to Haiti with Hickory Withe Baptist Church. He loved the people of Haiti, their culture, and the Haitian Creole language. Stephen had a gift of learning languages and enjoyed speaking Spanish and would do so any chance he had. It could be ordering food at a Mexican restaurant or communicating with the Spanish speaking community at church. He enjoyed interacting with different cultures and wanted his children to see the importance of sharing that same love for others. He enjoyed hunting and even took his girls on hunting excursions. Tennessee Football was another favorite pastime. Stephen was a member of the National Association of Appraisers and most recently began teaching Qualifying and Continuing Education with Reynolds and Associates. He was active in the appraisal industry and continued to give back and contribute what he could to make that industry a better career path for others.

Stephen is survived by his wife, Rebecca Ellis Forrester; his two daughters, Mary Agnes Forrester and Phoebe Ellis Forrester; his uncle, Jimmy Jordan (Brenda) and his In-Laws, Stanley and Pat Ellis, all of Somerville, TN. Stephen was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence Warren Forrester and Sandra Kay Jordan Forrester.

Services for Mr. Forrester will be at 2 P.M. Monday, November 15, 2021 at First Baptist Church in Somerville with Bro. Stan Smith, pastor of the church, officiating. Remarks will be given by Daniel Jerkins, Blake Neill and Javier Garcia. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery at Williston. The officiant at the graveside will be Justin Wainscott. A visitation for Mr. Forrester will be from 5 to 8 P.M. Sunday, November 14, 2021 at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland.

Consistent with Stephen's love for the youth of our community, the family has requested memorial contributions be directed to: Fayette Academy, 15090 US Highway 64, Somerville, TN 38068 or First Baptist Church Somerville, attention: youth or missions, 12685 South Main Street, Somerville, TN 38068 or SMI Haiti, 8327 Haggard Court, Martinsville, IN 46151, http://www.smihaiti.org.

Condolences may be left on our online guestbook at http://www.PeeblesFuneralHome.com.

Published by The Daily Memphian on Nov. 12, 2021.

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Stephan Forrester Obituary (1976 - 2021) - Somerville, TN - The Daily Memphian - Legacy.com

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Please, a little space, in your powerful media, in a concise way.

The Bahamas, has a day in honour of Christopher Columbus October 12th, who landed in The Bahamas during that time.

Christopher Columbus, was born in Italy, the former Roman Empire, ruled by the Caesars, whom they accepted as their gods. Jesus was put on the cross, also St Peter. St Paul was beheaded and a christian. Christians were persecuted for 300 years, by the Roman Empire.

The son of a christian mother and a non-christian father, saw a cross in the sky, and led by him, the christians defeated the powerful Roman Empire, and Rome became a christian nation, over 1700 years ago. This is the christian nation that Columbus came from.

His support came from the Spanish Queen. He sailed and landed in The Bahamas, hence, the first christian prayer was said.

Columbus' trip was not in vain, it became a New World, with millions and millions of christians saying prayers and replacing the false gods.

Two important statues, were given to the New World the Statue of Liberty in the United States of America, given by the people of France and a Columbus statue, given by the black people of Portugal. In the world present or past, there always will be good and bad. Jesus the Son of God will separate.

During World War II, from the New World they went to Europe to help. Many, many ships were lost. With Columbus it was only one, a president, from his wheel chair, waiting for the outcome and for freedom of the world, soldiers, had to die.

The inventions from the New World, Columbus, did not enjoy. A man landed on the moon, telephones, cars, trains, medical technology, cruising from Miami to Nassau, or a jet plane, taking him to the Spanish Queen.

From outer space, it is said that The Bahamas is a beautiful place, and in 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in This Place.

Thanking you, Editor, for your valuable space.

PATRICK BETHELL,

Nassau,

October 28, 2021.

Original post:

Landed in The Bahamas - Bahamas Tribune

New luxury expedition vessel Crystal Endeavor rendevoused with Crystal Serenity in a historic meet-up of Crystal ships off the coast of The Bahamas.

The new yacht encircled Crystal Serenity with guests of both vessels waving enthusiastically during the meet-up as the captains saluted each other via blasts of the ships horns, while the companys signature song What a Wonderful World serenaded guests.

Crystal Endeavor was on its inaugural two-day preview sailing from Miami for travel partners and members of the press, while Crystal Serenity was on the last leg of a week-long Luxury Bahamas Escape cruise that departed Miami on October 18.

Crystal Endeavor departed Miami on Monday (October 25) on a nine-day cruise to San Juan and will then spend the winter season in Antarctica where it will offer a series of 11- to 19-night Remote Expedition voyages. Crystal Serenity continued its seven-night cruises in The Bahamas until November 8.

With a staff to guest ratio of one-to-one, the 200-guest Crystal Endeavor is the only expedition yacht to feature a Japanese restaurant, a casino and a two-storey glass-enclosed solarium for nature viewing. It also claims to have the largest lead-in suites in the industry.

Link:

Crystal Endeavor and Crystal Serenity meet in The Bahamas - Cruise Adviser

Photo credit: U.S. Embassy Nassau

On October 28, General Glen D. VanHerck, the Commander of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), officially delivered a $2.4 million-dollar radar system to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and the Government of The Bahamas, during an official handover ceremony at the Coral Harbour base on New Providence.

The new radar system is part of a commitment of over $10 million by the U.S. government to support maritime security in The Bahamas. The new radar (also known as a Maritime Surveillance System or MSS) in Coral Harbour empowers the Government of The Bahamas to better ensure the safety and security of the vast maritime domain of the Bahamian archipelago. It is the second MSS installed with funding from NORTHCOM, the first having become operational on the island of Great Inagua in 2019. The third and fourth systems have been proposed for Ragged Island and Great Exuma.

This maritime domain awareness capability will dramatically expand the Royal Bahamas Defence Forces ability to detect, localize, and track vessels in the waters surrounding their nation, said VanHerck. This radar and the capability it provides will greatly enhance domain awareness for The Bahamas.

General VanHerck was accompanied by a high-level delegation of U.S. Officials for his first official visit to The Bahamas, including Rear Admiral Dan Cheever of USNORTHCOM, and U.S. Charg dAffaires Usha E. Pitts. VanHerck was received at Coral Harbour Base by Prime Minister, the Honourable Philip E. Davis; Minister of National Security, the Honourable Wayne Monroe, and Comodore Defence Force, Dr. Raymond King.

Upon delivering the radar system, General VanHerck emphasized the unique U.S.-Bahamas relationship, noting In an environment where strategic competitors seek opportunities to gain a foothold in the Caribbean, this radar is a visible reminder of the United States commitment to our Bahamian neighbors, who are valued and willing partners in the defense of the Western Hemisphere.

Prime Minister Davis also remarked that When we make the waters of The Bahamas safer, the U.S. border is safer as well In my government you [the United States] will find an ally and a partner in securing our waters and borders.

Earlier in the day, before the donation, the General and his delegation also had the honor of meeting with Prime Minister Davis, Minister of National Security Monroe, and Commodore King for in-depth discussions on the many areas of common interest and shared values between the United States and The Bahamas, and opportunities to continue strengthening the U.S.-Bahamas relationship.

By U.S. Embassy Nassau | 29 October, 2021 | Topics: Press Releases

Continue reading here:

NORTHCOM Commander VanHerck Delivers Radar System to RBDF - US Embassy in The Bahamas

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell said yesterday that an investigation has been launched into the most recent interdiction of dozens of undocumented migrants from Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Ecuador, Romania and Turkey on one boat.

Bells comments follow weeks of apprehensions and the detention of more than 1,000 undocumented Haitian migrants in Bahamian waters as Haiti continues to face challenges ranging from the ongoing pandemic, consecutive natural disasters including a recent earthquake and political unrest.

Speaking to Eyewitness News on the matter outside Cabinet, Bell advised that there were two recent interdictions: one vessel with 28 Cuban migrants on board and one yacht with 44 people on board, not including minors.

Bell noted that the latter apprehension was particularly of note given that there were multiple nationalities on board, along with one Bahamian man who is believed to be the suspected smuggler.

Among those migrants detained were 10 Colombian men, two Colombian women, three Ecuadorian men and a minor, five Ecuadorian women, five Jamaican men, six Romanian men, one Romanian woman, one Turkish man, five Haitian men, and six Haitian women two with minor children and one currently pregnant.

We are pursuing an investigation to determine where these migrants came from, where they were housed, Bell said.

Its obviously a major concern, so all of our law enforcement agencies are working together to investigate the matter thoroughly and to also ensure there is an effective and quick prosecution.

The immigration minister noted that the apprehension has raised concerns of illegal harboring in the country that warrants a deeper investigation.

He advised that the Bahamian man found aboard the yacht is in police custody and the group is expected to be charged this week.

See the article here:

MIGRANTS CAUGHT ON YACHT: Police investigate smuggling of mixed bag of nationals into The Bahamas - EyeWitness News

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration has appointed 19 Bahamians to various public board positions and is expected to meet today to finalise the remaining government appointments.

Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Clint Watson announced the first list of board appointments during a press briefing yesterday.

Notable appointments include North Eleuthera MP Sylvanus Petty, who was named chairman of Water and Sewerage Corporation; Mount Moriah MP McKell Bonaby as executive chairman of Public Beaches and Parks Authority; Senator James Turner-Rolle, chairman of the Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas and Senator Quinton Lightbourne as chairman of the Bahamas Development Bank.

Other appointees include Barbara Cartwright, chairman of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation; Pedro Rolle, chairman of Bahamas Power and Light; Anthony Kikivarakis, chairman of Bahamasair, Wendy Craig, chairperson of Bahamasair Navigation Services; Devard Francis, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority and Daniel Johnson, chairman of the Gaming Board.

Roderick Colebrooke has been appointed chairman of the Hotel Licensing Board; Senator Ronald Duncombe as chairman of Nassau Flight Services; Phillip McKenzie as chairman of the National Insurance Board; Tavares Laroda, chairman of the Port Authority; Andrew Edwards, chairman of Public Hospitals Authority; and Southern Shores MP Leroy Major, executive chairman of Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation.

The Airport Authority is being chaired by Paul Bevans, while Lucayan Holdings Ltd is being chaired by Julian Russel.

Terrel Young is the chairman for BAMSI.

As for the remaining appointments, Mr Watson said the government hopes to wrap up the matter today, adding that those chosen for board positions will be well-rounded and skilled from various backgrounds.

Cabinet is still working on that, he said. Cabinet is expected to meet again tomorrow (Friday) afternoon to deal with board appointments and theyre expected to wrap up the board so you could imagine its a very, very detailed process 140 boards and so theyre hoping to wrap up.

If you noticed, Cabinet has been meeting a lot and thats because theyre trying to wrap up boards. What theyre trying to do is get the critical boards that need to have the chairman or chairpersons in office. Theyve been trying to do that quickly and we can make some of those announcements for you. Again, it reflects the deepening of what the Davis administration is about, a well-rounded list of people of all ages, sectors, capabilities and skills.

See the rest here:

First round of board appointments revealed - Bahamas Tribune

There's nothing frightening in our Treasure Coast Halloween forecast

Weather is projected to be great for trick or treaters of all ages Oct. 31, 2018. CHERYL MCCLOUD/TCPALM

Wochit

I love a good ghost story.

So much so that, as a young reporter, I spent a night in the Bell Witch Cave in search of a talethat would be fitting for the holiday we're celebrating this weekend.

The Bell Witch is kind of like Tennessee's version of the Loch Ness Monster. If you Google her, you'll find plenty of interesting reading.

Now that I'm back in Florida, I wanted to find a local equivalent.

Our intrepid entertainment reporter Laurie Blandford produced a pieceearlierthis month about the most haunted places on the Treasure Coast. I want to check some of those places out.

However, it's going to be hard for a few unexplained creaks and groans in some old buildings to top the story involving the demise of the notorious Ashley Gang.

The gang's exploits are well documented. Its members were accused of a variety of crimes in South Florida and the Bahamas during the late 1910s and early 1920s, ranging from bank robbery to moonshine running to generalized murder and mayhem.

Treasure Coast terrors: Ashley Gang struck fear into the hearts of Stuart residents

A gruesome trophy: Guess who took outlaw John Ashley's glass eye as a key fob memento? | Historical Vignettes

Silver screen adaptation: Ashley Gang movie filmed in Stuart

Some of the historical accounts of those crimes are quite colorful, such as the time gang member Handford Mobley allegedly robbed a Stuart bank while disguised as a woman. Or the time the gang left a suitcase on the side of Dixie Highway near Miami as bait to attract robbery victims.

Some accounts describe the gang as havingRobin Hood-like qualities that endeared them to the local populace, although I've also heard those parts of the story may have been based more on romantic revisionism than fact.

All of which is interesting, but there are paranormal elements to the gang's legend as well.

For example, "Ghosts of the Treasure Coast," an excellent book by Patrick S. Mesmer and Patricia A. Mesmer, describes how gang leader John Ashley once had a dream while he was in jail about two of his brothers being lost at sea during a liquor smuggling run to the Bahamas.

In his dream, Ashley reportedly saw three rival smugglers approaching his brothers' boat during a storm.

When he awoke, Ashley learned his brothers had, in fact, gone missing at sea and were never seen or heard from again.

A few months later, a similarfate befell the three rival smugglers from Ashley's dream, which could have been coincidence ... or payback if Ashley believed his dream was prophetic.

Ashley's life, along with the lives of three of his lieutenants, ended the night of Nov. 1, 1924, in theatrical fashion.

According to an account published in The (Fort Pierce) Tribune in 1997, Ashley and the other three gang members were headed north toward Jacksonville, possibly with plans to relocate out of state, when law enforcement agents got wind of where they were going.

Police and sheriffs'deputies from several jurisdictions set up a roadblock at the Sebastian Inlet Bridge,located on the border of Indian River and Brevard counties, and took the outlaws into custody.

Eyewitnesses said the gang members were captured and handcuffed at the scene, but later their bullet-riddled corpses were taken to a funeral home in Fort Pierce.

Were the gang members, who had been feuding with law enforcement officers for years, executed in cold blood? Or were they shot while attempting to escape?

The Tribune took excerpts from Ada Coats Williams' book, "Florida's Ashley Gang," which included an interview with Ed Merritt, a descendant of one of the law officerspresent that night.

Merritt said the gunplay might have been triggered by a sudden moment by one of the captured men.

"My grandfather said John Ashley had dropped his arms," Merritt recounted. "He'd been known to carry a sleeve gun. That's when the shooting started."

Merritt said the gang members were well-knownescape artists, which may have also played a factor in the violence that night.

"There was no way they were going to put those guys in jail," Merritt said. "It just wasn't going to happen."

The Nov. 6, 1924 edition of The Stuart Messenger described the shooting's aftermath in a relatively short front-page story with a Fort Pierce dateline:

"Sunday, from early morning until the bodies had been removed, there was a crowd congregated in front of the undertaking parlors. People from every section of the county and many from Palm Beach county (sic) came here hoping to get a glimpse of the dead men."

The Messenger story went on to say about 300 people attended the dead men's funeral later in the week in Fruita, a small hamlet in what is now Martin County.

The "Ghosts of the Treasure Coast" version of the story had a chilling footnote, from the years following the men's death:

"In the early morning hours of the first day of November, people would find four puddles of blood in the very spots where the outlaws were shot. No one saw anything during the night, but the puddles would always be there. According to locals, this continued for many years after the shootings. Was this a paranormal occurrence or a ritual perpetrated by someone to remember the bloody truth of what happened that night?"

The younger version of me would be on that bridge Halloween night, keeping vigil to see if the grisly ritual would be repeated this year.

The oldbridge where the shootings happened is long gone, though.So I guess I'll get to stay home and eat all our leftover Halloween candy instead.

Like I said, I love a good ghost story.I love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups even more.

This column reflects the opinion of Blake Fontenay.Contact him via email at blake.fontenay@tcpalm.comor at 772-232-5424.

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Who needs the Headless Horseman Bridge? We've got the Ashley Gang's final stop | Opinion - TCPalm

Barbados: The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) has appointed Jens Thraenhart as the next chief executive of the tourist board. He will assume charge from November 1.

Thraenhart has worked in the tourism industry for more than 26 years.

Chairman Roseanne Myers cited that, We undertook the challenge to find the best candidate for the chief executive position to assist in shaping the way forward, & we are exceptionally glad to have done so, after a thorough & a transparent process.

He worked for the Canadian Tourism Commission, which is now known as Destination Canada, and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which is part of Accor. Currently, he serves on industry boards, including the Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) and the International Federation of IT and Travel & Tourism (IFITT).

While on appointing the new chief executive, BTMI cited that, This appointment will usher in a new era for the organisation as it becomes a more commercial marketing enterprise and reshapes operations to better compete in the new covid-19 pandemic era of global tourism.

On the other hand, Chairman Myers noted that the team of BTMI has done a great job of reopening markets by utilising their knowledge, experience and establishing trade relationships.

The Chairman further asserted, We have a firm belief that coupled with Jens international tourism experience, proven track record in strategy execution and entrepreneurial perspectives, the BTMI will emerge from this period of the COVID-19 pandemic, a much stronger, high-performing destination marketing company that brings increased benefit to our industry and the wider economy.

The functions of BTMI

BTMI functions include to promote, assist and facilitating the efficient development of tourism; to designing as well as implementing suitable marketing strategies for the productive promotion of the tourism industry.

BTMI make provision for adequate and suitable air and sea passenger transport services to and from Barbados, encourages the establishment of amenities & the facilities essential for the proper enjoyment of Barbados as a tourist destination, to carry out market intelligence in order to inform the requirements of the tourism industry.

Related

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Jens Thraenhart will assume charge as new chief executive of the Bahamas tourist board - writeups24

Railway Children Return star, LMS 45596 Bahamas, is hauling trains at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway this weekend.

The trains on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st October will be the last time this year that the locomotive will be in action.

On Saturday, a green timetable will be in operation, and on Sunday a blue timetable will be in operation.

A buffet car will feature on both days.

Once the trains are completed on Sunday, the locomotive will head into the sheds at Haworth to undergo winter maintenance.

The locomotive has spent the summer hauling railtours across Southern England as well as visiting other heritage railways.

Today (Wednesday 27th), Thursday 28th and Friday 29th October will see LMS Black 5 45212 in charge of services, this locomotive has only recently returned to Keighley after spending the Summer in Scotland hauling The Jacobite trains.

You can pre-book tickets for a ride behind Bahamas or 45212 by visiting the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway website.

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Last chance to ride behind steam locomotive 45596 Bahamas this year - RailAdvent - Railway News