Category Archives: Bahamas

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Grand Bahama's first-ever neurosurgery was performed at Rand Memorial Hospital on Saturday.

Professor Dr Magnus Ekedede, a chief neurosurgeon at Princess Margaret Hospital who traveled from New Providence, led the three-hour operation to remove a cancerous brain tumor of a 70-year-old female patient.

It is the first step for future partnerships, particularly in specialty areas like neurology, between the two sister public institutions.

This is a major step for the Rand Memorial Hospital and Grand Bahama, Dr Freeman Lockhart, medical chief of staff at Grand Bahama Health Services, said an hour before the operation.

He indicated that a surgery of this kind had never been done at RMH or in Grand Bahama.

Professor Dr Magnus Ekedede, a chief neurosurgeon in The Bahamas for 25 years, is down on the invitation from GBHS, Dr Lockhart said. It is a programme that has been in the making for some time now. The things that have been happening recently as a result of the pandemic pretty much brought this programme forward.

There have always been challenges trying to get patients into our sister hospital at PMH for patients of such nature that Dr Magnus was brought down here for.

The main reason the surgery was done in Freeport, said Dr Lockhart, is because of the limited availability of ICU beds at PMH.

That has been a major challenge and it is one thing the pandemic has brought to the forefront. Since we have ICU beds available in Grand Bahama but we dont have the technical skills, one way to get around this (challenge) is to bring the technical skills to Grand Bahama, and that is exactly what is happening here this afternoon.

What he is going to do is pretty much a major neurosurgery case, and this will be the first of its kind here in Grand Bahama, Dr Lockhart said.

So, hopefully, we are setting the stage for procedures of this nature, some of which will be neurosurgery and some other disciplines. For the months and years ahead, hopefully, this is a partnership we can establish with PMH.

Dr Ekedede performed the surgery in RMHs newly refurbished state-of-the-art operating room with a medical team of about 10. He said a lot of effort and mobilisation had to happen to get it done.

It has not been easy, I know what I had to do to mobilise the instruments here, he said.

This surgery is the first of its kind here. It does not matter how it goes because we never abandoned the mother. Not because she is 70 (years old) she has to die.

The patients son is very glad that we have not abandoned the mother. It has been really a severe problem. It is a cancer, and we wantto give additional quality life for her, the surgeon said.

When I was asked to do this a lot had to be done to move me here, and a lot of effort. But Minister Darville and the prime minister too, they wanted to make it happen becausewhatever Nassau people enjoy, Freeport people should enjoy also, and it is the same for Abaco, and the other Family Islands, he said.

Because of COVID and the situation, we dont have many ICU beds disposable for any patient. And this is giving us a lot of problems in terms of service. I know we have been trying to get this kind of an approach down for 25 years, but for one reason or the other it has not fallen in place. And because of COVID, it has to happen because people are drying right, left, and center, and we cant allow that to happen.

Dr Ekedede said the Rand still needs a lot of medical instruments for those kinds of operations.

One thing I am going to do is a fact-finding mission. After the surgery, I am going to write a couple of things they will need to put in place for future cases.

I am happy to be here. I have been seeing patients from Grand Bahama for 25 years, he said.

This is the second city with the second-highest population. It is a beautiful place, and over the years a lot of cases have come from Grand Bahama, and I have the statistics. I believe that if we can have something like this, not all cases - no separation of Siamese twins, major aneurysm cases, but this is a major tumor case. If we can do it once in a while, and get more instrumentation and bring it here, I definitely think it is possible.

There are some people here who are not able to travel either because of their age, income, or resources and we can bring the technology here. And there is no better way to start than now.

Dr Lockhart said although renovations are completed at the Rand, the hospital is still not yet fully occupied.

The Rand is back in operation. We are well aware of where the Rand has come from and where we are now, he said. Even though we have not 100 percent occupied the renovated facility yet, a lot of clinical areas and spaces have been re-occupied.

The OR was damaged and devastated and has been refurbished since Dorian with a lot of state-of-the-art equipment. But it is not just the equipment that makes it possible, it is the personnel working - the nurses and technicians who assist the surgeon, he said.

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Grand Bahama's first neurosurgery performed at Rand Memorial Hospital - Bahamas Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS at the Pan American Health Organization are happy about the uptick in COVID-19 inoculations in The Bahamas but have advised that a decision on a third booster shot would have to be made on logistics and after the vulnerable of society are vaccinated.

Dr Jarbas Barbosa, PAHOs assistant director, spoke at the organisations weekly webinar, updating the region on the fight to eradicate COVID-19.

He expressed delight in the fact that The Bahamas has recently had hundreds of Bahamians flock to vaccination centres to be inoculated and views this as a sign that vaccine hesitancy in this country is dwindling.

This is good news that the vaccine hesitancy is reducing, Dr Barbosa said. I think that more people are now aware about the benefits of vaccines. We have plenty (of) data from many countries in the world, showing that the risk to develop a severe case of COVID-19, to be hospitalised and then to die is much more with the unvaccinated.

The PAHO official said the United States Centres for Disease Control released data that shows the risk of being hospitalised by COVID is 12 times higher among unvaccinated people when compared to vaccinated people. He said it is very important that Bahamians are now pressing forward in good numbers to get their shots.

Asked if The Bahamas was ready to start giving out the much discussed booster shots, he said its the countrys decision, but the priority should be making sure the elderly and those with chronic illness get their initial shots.

The priority is still to get all the vulnerable groups vaccinated, Dr Barbosa said. Its very important to go with the national plan that each country has developed following the recommendations from PAHO and WHO vaccinating the healthcare workers, the elderly people with chronic diseases. This is in order not only to get these groups protected but achieving a high immune coverage that can control transmission.

About boosters and third doses SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) the strategic advisory group of experts on vaccines from the region, released new recommendations two weeks ago. The recommendation is that it is important to get everyone vaccinated. So the priority is still to increase vaccinations and the access to vaccines.

Second, the countries needed to adapt these recommendations to their reality, that their access they have to vaccines. Thirdly, its clear now that for people that have some conditions that can reduce the ability of the immune system to produce antibodies, they need to receive a third dose. This is part of the recommendation so these people can get protected.

Dr Barbosa was careful to point out who would be categorised as vulnerable and priority to be fully vaccinated before any booster shots are considered for scheduling. He also explained that the third shot does not have to be the same vaccine brand as the first and second shot.

This is around two to three percent of the population, he continued. People that have HIV/AIDS, for instance, or people that have chronic diseases and need to take medicine that reduces the immune system activity. This is for every vaccine that has EUA authorisation from WHO like AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.

SAGE is recommending a third dose for people 60 years and (older). This third dose can be the same vaccination that was used for the first and second doses or if the country has more availability of other vaccines, they can be used.

It is very well established now that you can have this vaccination combined with other vaccines. This is safe and this can be adapted to the situation that each country is facing.

Over the last week, there were nearly 817,000 new COVID infections and over 18,000 COVID-related deaths reported in the Americas. This indicates a clear drop in cases and deaths as compared to the week before which PAHO reported some 1.1 million new cases and just over 24,000 COVID-related deaths.

Although the overall region is enjoying a drop in cases, there are still some countries that are experiencing increases in COVID infections. PAHOs director, Dr Carissa Etienne provided more information on those Caribbean nations.

The Dominican Republic and Barbados are reporting over 40 percent jumps in new cases over the last week, in fact half of Barbadoss cumulative COVID infections since the pandemic began have been reported in the last month, Dr Etienne said. Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Martinique are also seeing a jump in new infections.

Cases remain high in Saint Martin, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, and the Cayman Islands. So, we continue to urge countries especially those in the Caribbean to maintain and prioritise public health measures to control the spread of COVID. These measures, along with widespread vaccinations, are the best option to control outbreaks.

She said the good news is that 41 percent of people across Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Another 4.6 million COVAX facility vaccine doses will reach our region by the end of this week so more people can be protected.

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PAHO pleased at increase in vaccinations - Bahamas Tribune

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis, one of the seven Free National Movement members who captured seats in the House of Assembly in the general election, announced yesterday that he will vie for leadership of the party at its convention next month.

The announcement came as the FNM celebrates 50 years since its inception on October 20, 1971.

While commending Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, Kendal GL Isaacs, Hubert Ingraham, Tommy Turnquest, Dr Hubert Minnis, and John Henry Bostwick, whom he said stood firm in the face of victimization and persecution, today there is a new cadre of freedom fighters who believe in our foundational philosophy.

He said despite the private the former administrations productivity sent a clear and powerful message to the FNM, and it is time for a change.

From his involvement in civic organizations, sporting activities taking him as far as the Olympics, church and family,

Mr Lewis has always been looked at as the leader.

When deciding to get into frontline politics he felt it was an opportunity to provide service to the Bahamian people, specifically Central Grand Bahama constituents.

As his political career grows, so is the opportunity to help more people.

As one of seven elected to the House of Assembly for the Free National Movement, Mr Lewis feels he is the best option for leader with his style of being a servant leader, willingness to listen and including dissenting opinions.

Lewis committed that under his leadership the various arms of the FNM council members, Torchbearers Youth Association and the Womens Association will have a seat at the table as their voices are valued and important.

He pointed out there is a need to rebuild the FNM, reconnect with its base, and recognize the valuable contributions of its foot soldiers.

He believes he is the right person for the job and encourages all supporters to join his team as he view to get the FNM back on track.

When contacted, FNM Chairman Carl Culmer declined to speak specifically to Lewis leadership bid.

But he said he expects the convention and vote to be fair.

As it relates to the November 27 one-day convention, the chairman also noted that it will be a mixture of in-person and virtual attendance in light of the ongoing pandemic and health concerns.

In an FNM memorandum dated October 19, the Central Council decided that a one-day convention will be held on November 27 at Holy Trinity Activities Centre to determine the leader of the party.

Former East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest will remain on as deputy leader, though he will not be among the FNMs parliamentary caucus.

Turnquest did not vie for an FNM nomination, pulling out from running for the constituency amid an ongoing legal battle that saw him resign as a Cabinet minister so as not to distract the work of the government, though the former MP expects to be vindicated.

Nominations will take place on November 18.

According to the internal document, two members of the party must nominate a candidate for leader before 5pm.

It remains to be seen if former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will follow through on his commitment to step aside and allow for new leadership, a contingent of him remaining on as leader of the party and leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition following the FNMs defeat at the polls on September 16.

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ENTERING THE RACE: Iram Lewis announces run for FNM leader as party turns 50 - EyeWitness News

Oct. 6, 2021 at Gateway City Arts, Holyoke

Astghik Dion / Daily Collegian

The crisp, fall air accompanied the mellow fairy lights strung across the ceiling of Gateway City Arts to envelope Holyokes concertgoers in a cozy and pleasant atmosphere on Wednesday night. College students and millennials alike floated in and out of the open venue throughout the two hour and a half show, most gravitating towards either the bar or the stage. The sea of jean jackets and arms holding cups of beer fell into a gentle lull at precisely 8 p.m. when Sam Weber and his band opened the show.

The group walked up meekly, entering a stage piled with a multitude of amps stacked on top of one another like building blocks, a glittery golden drum cover and tens of eager faces turned their way. After sharing comforting smiles between one another they launched into a captivating indie-folk set that had the crowd swaying from start to finish. Mostly playing songs from his 2019 album, Everything Comes True, the love and respect the Canadian singer-songwriter and his band had for one another was evident, as the entire show was filled with kind laughs and subtle soothing gestures between the members. They closed their set with Blackout, the ninth track from Everything Comes True. With a warm goodbye and genuine gratitude the band walked off, and began preparing the stage for Bahamas.

At 9 p.m., there was a change in atmosphere. The seemingly crowded and colorful stage was stripped down and isolated from the four-strong group that once preoccupied it. Afie Jurvanen waltzed on with nothing but a guitar in tow. Dressed in all black and without his usual band next to him, Bahamas presented a stark contrast between his set and that of Webers. Opening with his 2012 hit, Lost in the Light, the 40-year-old musician seemed more like an old friend rather than an artist that the audience had paid to see. Cracking jokes and interacting with the crowd between each song, Jurvanen made sure that the third date of his Still Sad Tour would be memorable, and enjoyable for all those in attendance.

Towards the beginning of his set, Jurvanen laughed about the fact that hes constantly referred to as an alternative adult musician as music publications and listeners alike seem to be puzzled on what genre to pin him.

I just end up in this corner with the castaways, the island of misfit toys, Jurvanen said. Im happy here, I dont consider myself much of an alternative adult I shop at Costco and everything.

The bulk of the show was encapsulated in his 2020 album, Sad Hunk, as he never had the opportunity to perform it when it was initially released. The tape was received positively by the audience, with songs such as Half Your Love, being sung straight back to the artist by the audience.

Im always trying to write a better love song, always trying to impress my wife with a better love song, Jurvanen said about the track. I thought I did pretty good with this one.

Per the name of the tour, Still Sad as well as his most recent record, Sad Hunk, it is no question as to what tribulations have been haunting the songwriter. Most of Jurvanens music is swaddled in upbeat chords and seemingly happy instrumentals, yet the lyrics tell a different story. The artist speaks about depression, and how it can permeate every aspect and relationship in your life.

Using music to turn your bad feelings into good music, Jurvanen said to the crowd. I use music to cheer myself up, you can change how you feel, you dont have to wait for permission. The way I change how I feel is through music.

Jurvanen then launched into No Depression, the 10th track of his 2018 album, Earthtones. Midway through the song a smile spread across his face as he scanned the crowd, see, Im feeling good now, just humming a little tune.

The audience was fully engaged for the entirety of the nearly one hour and 20 minute set, whether that be through clapping to the song in place of the missing percussion, or jesting with Jurvanen from the crowd.

What could easily have felt like a very lonely, and cold show with only one man and one guitar on stage turned into an experience reminiscent of a very large family gathering. All singing, laughing and drinking together. Bahamas ended his show with All the Time, a hypnotizing love or anti/love depending on how you receive it ballad to growing apart and growing up.

Astghik Dion can be reached at [emailprotected]

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The Alternative Adult: Bahamas Massachusetts Daily Collegian - The Massachusetts Daily Collegian

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The United Kingdom government has announced changes to its travel restrictions that would recognize those with fully-vaccinated status from 37 new countries and territories including The Bahamas, treating them the same as UK fully vaccinated passengers.

The Bahamas will be added to that list as of October 11.

According to the United Kingdom Department for Transport, visitors going to England before that day will be required to follow protocols for people who are not fully vaccinated. A vaccine certificate to prove vaccination status will then be required for entry.

Visitors must be vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival in the country withOxford/AstraZeneca,Pfizer BioNTech,Moderna, or Janssen which are all available in The Bahamas.

Individuals with two-dose vaccines or a combination of them must have had both doses to be considered fully vaccinated.

Formulations of these vaccines, such as AstraZeneca Covishield, AstraZeneca Vaxzevria and Moderna Takeda, also qualify as approved vaccines.

As of the weekend, 104,380 people had been fully vaccinated more than 30 percent of the eligible population.

Vaccines are available for anyone aged 12 and over.

The government continues to encourage vaccination uptake.

As it relates to vaccine supply in The Bahamas, PAHO Assistant Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa has said PAHO continues to make every effort to increase access to vaccines of all its member states.

PAHO has recently commended the vaccine rollout in The Bahamas but said it is important for residents to continue to utilize public health and social measures, including testing as cases and deaths remain high in the region.

COVID deaths in The Bahamas stand at 586.

While The Bahamas case positivity rate stood at 13 percent on Wednesday, nearly three times the recommended rate, the figure has fluctuated to as high as 30 percent in recent days.

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ACCESS APPROVED: Bahamas vaccinations to be reconized by UK as of October 11 - EyeWitness News

MSC Cruises has revealed its latest flagship, MSC Seashore, will be officially named at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas on November 18th.

The event will become the first naming ceremony for a cruise ship to be held at a private island.

It will be attended by travel advisors and media as well as other key company stakeholders.

Departing Miami on November 17th, invitees will be able to get a first look at the new ship before she starts her inaugural seven-night cruise and United States season on November 20th.

As with every new MSC Cruises ship, Hollywood royalty Sophia Loren will perform the important role of Godmother as she officially names her 16th MSC Cruises ship.

The festivities will take place both on board and on the island as the ship will remain docked throughout the night, with a gala dinner, live entertainment and more.

The naming of MSC Seashore will see the formal inauguration of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, which opened in late 2019 and closed shortly thereafter due to the pandemic.

The island has since gone through further work and significant improvements, and this is an opportunity for MSC Cruises to showcase the island to the invitees on this occasion.

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MSC Seashore to make debut in Bahamas next month - Breaking Travel News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS As The Bahamas continued to experience quadruple the recommend coronavirus case positivity rate, the Pan American Health Organization said the rate of case positives can be attributed in part to the population becoming more relaxed as vaccinations increase and individuals do not present for testing after being exposed.

PAHO commended the vaccine rollout in The Bahamas, but said it is important for residents to continue to utilize public health and social measures, including testing as cases and deaths remain high in the region.

COVID deaths in The Bahamas stand at 586.

While The Bahamas case positivity rate stood at 13 percent on Wednesday, nearly three times the recommend rate, the figure has fluctuated to as high as 30 percent in recent days.

When asked for PAHOs assessment and recommendations, PAHOs Incident Manager for COVID-19 Dr Sylvain Aldighieri said it could be that more people contracting the virus are not presenting for testing; and as vaccinations increase more of the population become relaxed and are less likely to present for testing when they have been exposed.

Even though the vaccine rollout is going well people should continue to use the public health and social measures that we know work to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including all its variants, Aldighieri said.

The government continues to encourage vaccination uptake.

As of the weekend, 104,380 people had been fully vaccinated more than 30 percent of the eligible population.

Vaccines are available for anyone aged 12 and over.

As it relates to vaccine supply in The Bahamas, PAHO Assistant Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa said PAHO continues to make every effort to increase access to vaccines of all its member states.

In the case of The Bahamas, we are working an expedited process with COVAX, so The Bahamas will receive another 57,300 doses in the first week of November, he said.

Second, we are working with the US government is CARTHA to expedite the donation of four million doses that the US government is donating to the Caribbean countries and The Bahamas will receive vaccines also through this initiative.

We are also offering to all the countries in the region to complement their vaccines through the direct purchasing process using PAHOs Revolving Fund.

PAHO has three agreements with three EAU producers via WHO offering vaccines to be delivered in the last quarter of this year.

It is crucial that every country in our region needs to have more access, he noted.

The latest samples sequenced in Panama and Brazil showed delta and the alpha variants were the predominant variants in The Bahamas.

The Ministry of Health reported yesterday that four women died from the coronavirus between September 22 and October 3.

The women, ages 42, 61, 67 and 88, were all from Grand Bahama and died. One death was previous under investigation.

According to the ministry, another three deaths were being investigated.

Meanwhile, another 60 coronavirus cases were confirmed on Wednesday.

Of the new infections, 48 were recorded on New Providence, six on Eleuthera, three on Grand Bahama, and one each on Exuma, Andros and Mayaguana.

Region

PAHO Director Dr Carissa Etienne said over the last month, COVID infections have declined throughout the region, but cases and deaths still remain high.

But she said national data doesnt tell us the whole story, and governments throughout the region need to keep a close eye on local trends as infections dynamics vary widely.

Across the Caribbean infections are going down overall, although Cuba and Bermuda continue to report high rates of new infections, and Barbados saw infections increase by nearly 75 percent over the last week.

Approximately 37 percent of Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated.

Seven countries have vaccinated 70 percent of the populations, the same number has yet to reach 20 percent, including Jamaica and Haiti The Bahamas neighbors to the south.

PAHO said it is seeking to close this gap, including increasing vaccine production in the region.

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PAHO: Population becoming more relaxed as vaccination increases, some infected not testing - EyeWitness News

Could Bahamians be pioneers of a new world economy?

When the Bahamas got hit by hurricane Dorian in 2019, a string of islands named Abaco, on the north of the country-archipelago, got especially battered before the storm moved on to strike the better-known island of Grand Bahama to the east. Hundreds lost power and communications for days and almost 13,000 families lost their homes. Total damage was assessed at about US$3.4 billion, or more than 25% of the countrys annual pre-pandemic GDP of US$13.579 billion per International Monetary Fund (IMF) figures.

People were desperate for help, yet government aid trickled out slowly, and people couldnt get cash or rely on the physical or electronic banking infrastructure. This led to several looting events, especially in the Abaco chain, as well as a major flow of displaced people to the capital city of Nassau, which was largely spared.

The trauma caused by Dorian is often touted by officials from the Central Bank of the Bahamas as one of the biggest advantages to the countrys pioneer launch of the worlds first officially issued and central bank-backed digital currency (a CBDC)the Sand Dollar. Beyond serving as a means of digitally storing money directly at central banks and using it anywhere, digital currencies and wallets need not rely on Internet connections for payment transfers, which can be authenticated on-device via token technology, making it very convenient as a payment and storage method even when banks are not accessibleas in the days and weeks after Dorian in Abaco and the Grand Bahama.

The Sand dollar is for all intents and purposes Bahamian dollars by a different name only. The program launched in October 2020 but is only now starting to be implemented in earnest, with several commercial banking systems and payment providers connecting to mobile Sand Dollar wallets, and a renewed push to enroll individuals on the various platforms.

Because it is an extension of the countrys fiat currency, the Sand dollar carries the same guarantees as the regular Bahamian dollar, which is pegged at a one-to-one ratio to the US dollar. A CBDC is as trustworthy as the regular currency issued by the specific central bank backing it, says Henri Arslanian, Global Crypto Leader and Partner at PwC. What is special about CBDC is that it is central bank money. CBDC is de facto equivalent to a bank note, but in digital format. For the first time in our generation, we are seeing the emergence of a new form of central bank money, he explains.

While the launch of the first CBDC is headline-grabbing, the move doesnt come without some controversy. A high-ranking Western diplomat based on the islands and following the implementation of the Sand Dollar, who was not authorized to speak to the press, tells of local bankers wary of the lax enforcement of ID requirements to open digital Sand Dollar wallets. There is a growing perception that because ID enforcement is lax, the digital currency could, with time, become a possible tax evasion mechanism for individuals who open wallets under forged IDs. Another preoccupation is related to how acquisition of Sand Dollars may become a path to Bahamian fiscal domicile, and, again, a path to home-country tax evasion, says the diplomat.

Tomer Ravid, crypto entrepreneur and CEO at BloxTax, a cryptocurrency tax and anti-money laundering (AML) platform and auditing firm, is skeptical of that. Blockchain technology is very, very safe, and works based on consensus. Everything is transparent, some would argue too transparent. If I know your wallet, I can see every transaction and amount you have. By design, CBDCs will be permission-based blockchains, which means the central bank has even more control of what is happening, he says.

For now, the Bahamas has two levels of enrolment available to individuals: tier one users are not required to present any form of ID or link a bank account to open their Sand Dollar digital wallet, but they are only allowed to hold up to $500 at any given time in their e-wallet and are limited to a monthly transaction volume of $1,500. Tier two users are required to produce a government-issued ID and can link a bank account to their wallets. In exchange for the added layer of scrutiny, they can hold up to $8,000 in e-money with a monthly transaction limit of $10,000.

According to the diplomat, there is mounting evidence that the government ID requirement often means showing a regular utility bill in the country without any further checks to see if the user is the person named therein.

Even if that is the case, says Ravid, the amount you can hold as an individual is so low and available only domestically and in local currency that it hardly seems to be relevant in terms of trans-national illegal activities at this point, especially given the amount of Bahamian dollars in circulation..

Arslanian concurs. If you are a criminal, you are much better off using old-fashioned cash, he says. Even with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, it is still possible to trace and track movements across the blockchain over a time frame if you know what you are looking for.

PwCs Global CBDC Index report from April 2021 puts the Central Bank of the Bahamas and the Sand Dollar at the number one spot in the maturity of their CBDC-project development. According to the study, the islands lead the rank by a margin of more than 10% over the second most mature projectin Cambodiawith 92 points versus 83 points on a scale that peaks at 100.

However advanced the Sand Dollar, both Arslanian and Ravid caution that the Bahamas is too small an economy and in a peculiar geographical situation to serve as a major model for the implementation of other CBDCs.

The impact of the Sand Dollar is very limited, which doesnt mean its irrelevant, says Ravid. According to both crypto specialists the player to watch for is China. China may not have launched officially yet, but theyve been experimenting and planning the e-renminbi since 2014 [] They have already piloted the project with millions of users, and its sheer scale may change the landscape for CBDC, Arslanian says.

China has been quietly working on this for years and they have done everything right. They understand the power of having their own currency as a cheap alternative to other reserve currencies, and a digital currency could allow them to expand the use of the yuan internationally in a much simpler, cheaper, and faster way than moving cash or relying on international clearing houses, Ravid argues.

There may be other motives connected to the launch of CBDCs: more precise control of the economy and economic planning.

CBDCs will be huge. Picture the amount of economic planning itll give to central bankers. Suddenly youll be able to know exactly how much people are spending on things like coffee. More than that, depending on the implementation, you could know which type of coffee people are buying. That will allow governments to plan their economy in really specific terms, says Ravid.

CBDCs will give new tools for governments to manage the economy. In a situation like Covid-19, with a slumping economy, for example, you could disburse stimulus money that has a use by date. Either you spend that money helping quick start the economy, or it disappears from your digital wallet. You can even program the money to be usable on only certain types of goods or merchants, Arslanian explains.

As everything else, the new tools made available by the introduction of CBDCs could also be twisted to further tighten the grip of non-democratic and oppressive regimes over their populations, the Bahamas-based diplomat points out, however, the level of detail and control [introduced by CBDCs] could truly be a boon for central-bankers and other economy-planning stakeholders.

E-money also has an enormous disruption potential: transactions are carried out directly at the central bank level and can bypass retail banks for simple everyday transactions.

Ravid believes we are witnessing the early days of a new world in economics. The Bahamas is very, very small, but its the first project to launch. Its almost like a guinea pig for the rest of the world. And everybody is watching.

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The Sand Dollar: Digital Currency Of The Bahamas - Global Finance

EDITOR, The Tribune.

There will be a lot of powerful people such as politicians and the likes taking a collective sigh of relief on the death of Ivan Johnson.

The Bahamas is riddled with corruption and hypocrisy in equal measures and an intellectual such as Ivan took great pleasure in exposing both. He was utterly unfazed about the subsequent outcome.

He received death threats for his honesty in exposing some of the skullduggery which is to a degree the norm here. The Bahamas was founded by pirates and we have plenty still here alive and well.

He found via his vast network of contacts mountains of dirt on the rich and famous and various politicians.

Traditionally the PLP is a breeding ground for corrupt politicians so they got his full attention. In fairness, however, he would be equally virulent in his condemnation of any FNM who stepped out of line.

A classic cartoon in the Punch summed up Ivan. It shows a fuming Bahamian vexed by a bikini clad girl on P3 whilst non plussed by rape, child molestation, crime, ignorance and incest and the likes. Perfectly exposing the undercurrent hypocrisy of The Bahamas.

He will be greatly missed, investigative reporting and his type of journalism may well disappear from the Bahamas and as a society we will be the worse for it. Who now will keep the rich and powerful in check?

RIP Ivan.

THE REALIST

Nassau,

October 7, 2021.

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The legacy of Ivan and The Punch - Bahamas Tribune

The Bahamas, known officially as the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is a country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelagos land area and is home to 88% of the archipelagos population.

The archipelagic state consists of more than 700 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, and is located north of Cuba and Hispaniola Island (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeast of the US state of Florida, and east of the Florida Keys.

The capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force describes The Bahamas territory as encompassing 470,000 km2 (180,000 sq mi) of ocean space. The country gained governmental independence in 1973 led by Sir Lynden O. Pindling, with Elizabeth II as its queen.

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FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried on decision to move company to Bahamas - The Global Herald - The Global Herald