Category Archives: Bahamas

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) hosted its twenty-third Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 30th, 2021.

The Chairman of BFSB, Mr. Kevin Moree noted that:

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that we had to adapt our strategies to ensure we continued to achieve our mandate of creating a greater awareness of The Bahamas as a premier international financial centre.

With the support of our members and through collaboration with the government during the past year BFSB has been able to provide input on The Bahamas; respond to international initiatives; maintaining a marketing and promotion presence, and developing strategies to reposition the financial services sector. The sector remains resilient.

The newly appointed Minister of Economic Affairs, with responsibility for financial services, gave the keynote address. He updated attendees on the priority action items of his portfolio and emphasized his firm commitment to collaborating with financial services stakeholders to grow and sustain this important contributor to the Bahamian economy. Minister Halkitis stated:

Within the Financial Services sector itself, now is the time for industry partners to progressively harness profitable niches. Widespread access to emerging opportunities within these growing sectors will be essential to moving this country forward along a path of exponential growth and progress.

The government will do its part in spurring innovation through our own digitization and ease of doing business efforts, which my Ministry will lead the charge on. We will roll out the technologies that will allow government services to be as efficient and effective as possible while introducing policies that will empower entrepreneurs rather than impeding them with bureaucracy and red tape. For too long we have sat at the bottom half of global ease of doing business rankings, it is time for us to level up by setting the stage for our business owners to be successful and then stepping out of the way so they can do what they do best.

BFSBS CEO and Executive Director Tanya McCartney in her report to members highlighted the key action areas for the board which included tracking international initiatives impacting the sector and continued promotion and marketing of the jurisdiction despite the COVID 19 pandemic.

She advised attendees that BFSB has remained true to its mandate of promoting greater awareness of The Bahamas strengths as an international financial centre. This, coupled with advocacy for the industry on policy matters has dominated its agenda which focuses on three broad areas of Promotion and Marketing; Response to International Initiatives, Policy & Legislation, and Stakeholder Engagement.

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BFSB announces new executive committee and Board of Directors - EyeWitness News

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

IRINA Creaser, affectionately known as Irie the Cat Woman, has dedicated her life to taking care of felines.

She not only takes care of stray cats but is also a volunteer groomer for the Bahamas Humane Society.

Having taken in about 60 cats over a two-year period, Ms Creaser is the founder of Catatonic Cat Lovers which has attracted some 900 members thus far. The journey for her has a span of some 40 years that started when she was a mere child.

It all came about me being an actual cat breeder and a cat lover for the past 40 years, the Cat Woman said. I had my first cat when I was 11 years old and Ive always been a cat lover.

I started breeding Persian cats in The Bahamas since 1995 under the mentorship of Dr Basil Sands. He has been my closest friend and mentor. He taught me a lot about medicine and how to help cats and steer them in the right direction.

Ms Creaser is a native of Germany. She moved to the United States at the age of 17. While living there she met and married her late husband who was an American. She came to The Bahamas in 1993 and is now a permanent resident.

Because of my own cats, eventually I have donated my services starting at least ten years ago to Bahamas Humane Society as a professional groomer.

So whenever they need cats or dogs to be washed or anything to do with grooming, I donate my services to help them. My name is listed so any adoption cat that comes from the Humane Society can come straight to me for a free bath, she said. I make sure that people enjoy kitties without fleas or anything. I weigh the cats, I take care of them and give people advice on pet care.

Its all about the cats for Ms Creaser who not only rescues and grooms them, but makes sure they are spayed and neutered.

I rescue cats as well, she said. I do everything from taking in fosters from BHS and BAARK (Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness) that just dont have space when they are going on flights to Canada or America. I take them in until they are ready to go. My name has kind of spread around to a lot of people who basically do not know what to do with their cats. They just show up at my doorstep.

Any cat that shows up at my doorstep finds a home. Over the last two years Ive picked up

and rehomed at least 60 cats on my own. Dr Solomon on Carmichael does spay and neuter. He gives me a special there. I am a strong supporter of spay and neuter, trying to help to decrease the stray population in general.

I often have people who are kind and leave me a small donation which I save up for people who cannot afford spay and neutering and I will actually pay for it.

It takes a special kind of person to give their hearts totally to the care of fur babies and Ms Creaser is definitely one of those special people. Even though she cares for so many cats who eventually will be re-homed to other people, she has cats of her own.

I have 15 Persian cats of my own, Irie said. Cats are my life. I live and breathe cats. The more people come and need me, the happier I am. The phone rings all day long. I have been trained enough to give some good advice. They ask me questions and I tell them what to look out for. I teach a lot of pet care. Lots of people are lacking the education on what cats really need.

Cats are not just needing food and water. This is not a country that is very kind to animals in general and even less to cats. So its really important that we understand what cats need and how to read the mannerism of cats to find out what the cat needs to live a happy and long life.

Ms Creaser gave The Tribune a first-hand account of her passion.

A cat can live comfortably for up to 17 years, but thats if they live mostly indoors, she said. If they are outdoors, it shortens their lives tremendously up to five years. I breed Persian cats, but I am not your everyday kind of breeder because I dont believe in breeding for income. My cats are truly a passion, not an income.

I believe with different breeds come different personalities and just like some people love a rambunctious short-haired kitty that is very energetic, there are also some people that like a more passive cat. There are certain cats who are just laid back which would be ideal for easy going people.

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Irie the Cat Woman tells of her passion for caring - Bahamas Tribune

PAHO Assistant Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa.

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH officials who recently sounded the alarm on the low supplies of vaccines left in the country can breathe a sigh of relief as authorities in the Pan American Health Organization are promising the arrival of 57,300 doses in the first week of November.

Recently Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, chairwoman of the National Vaccine Consultative Committee, said The Bahamas faced rapidly diminishing COVID-19 vaccine supplies due to increased demand. She also said vaccine hesitancy remains among a portion of the population.

There are 104,380 people in The Bahamas who are now fully vaccinated.

Yesterday, PAHO Assistant Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa gave an update on how the organisation will help The Bahamas get more vaccines, with the United States assisting indirectly as well.

PAHO is doing everything thats possible to increase the access of its member states to vaccines, Dr Barbosa said during PAHOs weekly press conference. In the case of The Bahamas we are working to expedite the process with COVAX. So The Bahamas will receive another 57,300 doses in the first week of November.

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

We are offering the regional countries to complement their vaccines through our direct purchasing process using PAHOs revolving fund.

The COVID-19 Delta variant has been identified as the dominant strain in The Bahamas recently leading to skyrocketing COVID numbers, as well as increased deaths rates and hospital cases over the summer. However in recent weeks, the number of COVID-19 infections as well as the hospital rate has lowered. Local officials say it is too early to say if we are out of the third wave, as less recorded infections could be the result of lower testing.

Dr Sylvain Aldhigieri, COVID-19 incident manager, spoke to the dangerous Delta variant now identified as the cause of the recent infections in The Bahamas by labs in South America.

The most recent samples sequenced at the institute in Panama and Brazil demonstrated 50 percent Delta, 45 percent unfound and 1.3 percent of Gamma, Dr Aldhigieri said of Delta in The Bahamas.

Although Delta is becoming predominant in most of the countries of the Caribbean in this context it is important to remember that this process of display and replacement of strains of variants is an expected phenomenon which has been happening early in the pandemic.

The Delta variant better adapts to the human host as part of their evolution process. In The Bahamas it could be that less people are presenting for testing. Perhaps as vaccination is increasing, people are becoming more relaxed and are less likely to present for testing when they have been exposed.

Dr Aldhigieri said even though the vaccine roll out is going well, people should continue to use the public health and social measures that are known to work and prevent the spread of COVID-19 including all its variants.

PAHO reports that for the last month, there has been a drop in COVID infections throughout the region, even if cases remain high. Over the last week, nearly 1.2 million COVID-19 cases and 24,000 COVID-related deaths were reported in the region.

Currently, 37 percent of the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Haiti have yet to reach even 10 percent coverage.

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Another 57000 doses of vaccine by early November - Bahamas Tribune

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Speech from the Throne fails to address the seriousness of the countrys fiscal situation and is light on details and specifics, according to the Official Opposition.

The Opposition Free National Movement (FNM) in a statement said that Wednesdays Speech from the Throne does not provide the necessary plans and policies that will maintain the significant economic recovery started by the Minnis administration.

It stated: The PLP has again promised to reduce VAT without providing any clear plans on how the reduced revenue will be replaced. It failed to provide a timeline on when this will be done. The PLP has promised to increase old-age pension benefits but has not said how the same will be funded. Do they intend to increase NIB rates? Why didnt they say so? The PLP has promised to introduce a catastrophic health insurance plan. Do they intend to have all Bahamians pay a monthly insurance premium to cover this insurance? Why didnt they say so?

The Opposition also asserted that the speech also provides for exponential increases in expenditure without a clear plan or even mention on how they are going to pay for such a dramatic increase in expenditure.

The PLP government has put together plans to add hundreds of millions of dollars in spending during its term while seeking to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue at the same time. It is an impossible calculus that speaks to their irresponsible approach to governance. The Government appears to be making promises it cannot or has no intention of keeping.

According to the Opposition, the speech suggests a dramatic shift from the fiscally responsible policies that are required for a robust recovery. It noted that the Fiscal Responsibility Act was introduced to prevent arbitrary shifts in economic policy. It further noted that the reduction in VAT will result in an estimated $160 million annual revenue or $800 million over five years at a time when the countries resources are strained.

The Opposition also noted that the speech said little on the difficult but necessary decisions about tax enforcement or tax reform which is still required to make our tax system more equitable.

There was little discussion on the critical reforms necessary to our State-Owned Enterprises which continue to be a drain on the public purse. How will they enhance revenue and what programs will be cut to sustain the additional spending proposed? There was also no commitment not to raise taxes which is telling given the plans for significant increases in spending. The country is already experiencing the dropping of the price of the Bahamian sovereign debt bonds following irresponsible public pronouncements by the PLP Government.

It continued: While we heard about tax concessions for small businesses, there was no mention on what these were and who would qualify and how they would be any different from the massive amount of concessions left in place by the FNM. It is noteworthy that we heard no mention of the Small Business Development Center and its continued commitment to funding small businesses. The public is anxious to know will grants and loans still be available.

The Opposition also expressed concern that the PLP plans to revert to past practices which it said led to great abuse and corruption in housing construction and the sale of over-priced poor-quality homes.

The statement added: Moreover, they were silent on bringing economic empowerment to young professionals through land or homeownership.

There were also the supposedly clever changes in the naming of initiatives. By example, the 52-week programme is now a revised one-year First-Job programme. The plans underway for a major restructuring of the Bahamas Investment Authority is no longer to be called Invest Bahamas but Bahamas Invest. It is a shoddy attempt at rebranding an exercise that the FNM administration had already begun in earnest.

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OPPOSITION: Speech from the Throne ignores seriousness of fiscal situation - EyeWitness News

IVAN Johnson receiving his Pioneer award from Press Club president Anthony Capron in 2018. Photo: Press Club

IF you read the final issue of The Punch yesterday, published three days after the death of its editor, publisher, creator and defender Ivan Johnson, you had this sinking feeling in your gut that an important chapter in the history of The Bahamas had closed. In tribute after tribute contributed by many who expressed it far better than I ever could, the message that flew from dozens of prominent keyboards across the world from The Bahamas to Australia was emotional, painful and delivered with a dose of disbelief.

Ivan Johnson, you packed a helluva punch and now you are gone, dead of a massive heart attack at age 68 and we do not want it to be true because we all felt like you belonged to us. It was hard to digest that you could have had time for another life beside uncovering the story and blasting it across Page 1 in 60-point sans serif font, bold.

Long before we got close to having a Freedom of Information Act, Page 1 of The Punch was our unofficial freedom of information. Ivans were the eyes behind the scenes that always seemed to know what was going on, not the official version, the real one. He was afraid of no one. The only thing he ever feared was missing a lie that needed to be revealed.

It is too bad he is not here to read the accolades.

Ivan Johnson, the man who came back home after a career working for Rupert Murdoch, one of the most powerful and influential publishers in the world, showed us the power of one. And how ironic it was that his voice fell silent on the same day that another burst through.

Only a day before, almost no one outside Silicon Valley and probably few inside the California tech hub knew the name Frances Haugen. On Sunday night, October 3, on one of the most watched shows on television, Haugen told millions tuned in to 60 Minutes that she was the whistleblower in possession of thousands of documents that showed Facebook put profits above people. Driven by its bottom line, the algorithms of Facebook and its social media platforms harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy, Haugen alleged.

Her interview on 60 Minutes hit the newswires and social media news feeds even before it ended. The following day, she repeated her accusations before a Senate hearing, urging Congress to act. Facebook creator the ever-youthful Mark Zuckerberg, one of the worlds richest men who still looks like he could live a month on a single razor blade, defended the company arguing that it listens to its viewers and users who repeatedly say they do not want to see divisive and violent content, but many analysts say this congressional hearing will be tougher than any before on the man whose fortune is pegged at $135 billion (though hearts go out to him for a single day loss of $7 billion when Facebook and its apps, including Instagram and whatsapp crashed on Monday).

Ivan Johnson, Frances Haugen. A month from now, few if any of us in The Bahamas will remember the name of the 37-year-old product manager who blew the whistle on Facebook. Years from now, we will all remember the man who founded The Punch and for nearly 31 years strived to bring us the real story of politics and life in The Bahamas.

A short note about paths that crossed

Ivan and I both worked for a while for the same publisher in a roundabout way. I, too, came to The Bahamas from a world of daily journalism followed by a fascinating career in tabloids, far more demanding than anyone who hasnt been inside the operating room of one knows.

Broadsheets, like The Tribune have news rooms. I grew up in one and earned my reporter and editing badge amidst the dead Styrofoam coffee cups, ashtrays filled with yesterdays butts, crackling police radio that never stopped.

Tabloids, like The Punch, the National Enquirer, Star, Midnight Sun and others take their style from Fleet Street where the style of writing is tight and the concept of get in, tell the story, get out was born and thrives to this day.

No long monologues repeating a history, todays news delivered hot and whenever possible saucy or edgy.

Every word counts. And Ivan, you kept up that Fleet Street pace all these years, combining it with a behind the scenes look that an investigative reporter that would take to a broadsheet. You were a one-man show in a competitive world.

I just wonder how different our history would have been had you been here in the early 80s and published The Punch then during the height of the drug-running, Normans Cay flying a foreign flag and forbidding Bahamians to land days. We will never know.

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DIANE PHILLIPS: The Punch and the power of one - Bahamas Tribune

Religion in the Bahamas (2010)[1]

Other Christian (1.3%)

Unaffiliated (3.1%)

Other religion (1.1%)

Religion in the Bahamas is dominated by various Christian denominations and reflects the country's diversity.[2] Since the English colonization, most Bahamians adhere to diverse Protestant denominations with Baptist churches/Evangelicals, Pentecostalism, Adventism and Methodism being at the forefront.[2] There is no state religion in the Bahamas, and there is generally free practice of religious beliefs.

Statistically speaking, major Protestant denominations include Baptists/Evangelicals (30 percent), Pentecostals (23 percent) Anglicans (10 percent), Seventh-day Adventists (5 percent), and Methodists (4 percent).[2] Although many unaffiliated Protestant congregations are almost exclusively black, most mainstream churches are integrated racially.[2] There are significant Roman Catholic (14 percent) and Greek Orthodox populations.[2] Smaller Jewish, Bah, Jehovah's Witness and Muslim communities also are active.[2] A small number of Bahamians and Haitians, particularly those living in the Family Islands, practice Obeah, a form of African shamanism.[2] A small number of citizens identify themselves as Rastafarians.[2] Some members of the small resident Guyanese and Indian populations practice Hinduism and other South Asian religions.[2]

More than 91 percent of the population of the Bahamas professes a religion, and anecdotal evidence suggests that most attend services regularly.[2]

The constitution of the Bahamas provides for the freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on belief. The country has no state religion, although the preamble to its constitution mentions "Christian values".[3]

Obeah is illegal in the Bahamas, punishable by a jail sentence. This law, however, is traditionally unenforced. Similarly, laws prohibiting the publication of blasphemy (with exceptions for opinions "expressed in good faith and in decent language") are also unenforced.[3]

As of 2017, there have been no reports of significant societal breaches or abuses of the freedom of religion in the Bahamas according to the United States Department of State.[3]

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Religion in The Bahamas - Wikipedia

Hot Fall Deals, all-inclusive style at http://www.bahamas.com/deals-packages.

Bahamas Shines Bright with World-Renowned Recognition The Islands took home several huge wins across various categories in Travel + Leisure's highly anticipated annual "World's Best Awards" and received 20 nominations in the 2021 Caribbean Travelers' Choice Awards. Online voting for the Caribbean Travelers' Choice Awards closes October 31, 2021.

Taste of SLS Baha Mar Grammy award-winning musician John Legend will perform at Taste of SLS Baha Maron November 5, 2021. Tickets include exquisite cuisine, bespoke cocktails and a glass of LVE Ros. Attendees must be age 18 and older.

United Airlines Announces Bookable Flights to Nassau United Airlinesintroduced new nonstop Saturday service to Nassau from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport beginning December 18, 2021. Flights are available to book as of early September.

PROMOTIONS AND OFFERS

For a complete listing of deals and packages for The Bahamas, visitwww.bahamas.com/deals-packages.

Hot Fall Deals, All-Inclusive Style Escape to Grand Bahama Island and save up to 40% when staying at Lighthouse Pointe at Grand Lucayan Resort. Travel window is now through October 31, 2021.

Hold onto Summer with Tropic Packages Fall is here, but you can still keep the summertime vibes going when booking a two or three-night stay at Hilton at Resorts World Bimini. Tropic Packages starting at $508 per person include roundtrip travel on Tropic Ocean Airways from Fort Lauderdale. Booking window is now through December 31, 2021.

Stay a Little Longer at Baha Mar Resort guests at Baha Marreceive the fourth night free when booking a stay across the hotel portfolio including Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood, plus a $100 resort credit, unlimited access to Baha Bay and a complimentary "Return Home" Rapid Antigen Test.

Hideaway an Extra Day The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamasis offering guests a complimentary fourth night with every three consecutive paid nights, along with private airport transportation. Travel window is now through December 31, 2022.

PRESS INQUIRIESAnita Johnson-PattyBahamas Ministry of Tourism Investments & Aviation[emailprotected]

Weber ShandwickPublic Relations[emailprotected]

SOURCE The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation

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What's New In The Bahamas In October - PRNewswire

Relative to much of the world, The Bahamas is doing fine. Located just 50 miles off Floridas shore, this archipelago nation is not at risk of descending into violence or being taken over by China. In fact, it continues to quietly host an important U.S. submarine facility, and just held elections that went so smoothly no one in Washington even noticed.

Indeed, by the conventions of foreign policy punditry, there is no need for an alarmed article on The Bahamas right now. Which is exactly why Washington should take this opportunity to deepen its cooperation with Nassau and make sure we never have to read one in the future.

On Sept. 16, The Bahamas had a general election that saw the opposition party make sweeping gains. The timing was a surprise, as the incumbent prime minister called a snap election amid rampant COVID-19 cases months before the constitutionally mandated date of May 2022. His strategy failed. Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip Brave Davis won the election and 32 of 39 seats in Parliament. Within hours of polls closing, the outgoing prime minister conceded defeat to Davis, paving the way for a peaceful transfer of power in this stable democracy.

Nonetheless, the new Bahamian government faces a number of challenges, including the pandemic, a faltering economy, and a persistent hurricane threat. Washington can help by providing pandemic and hurricane relief, greater investment, tailored security cooperation, and high-level diplomatic engagement. Rather than taking The Bahamas for granted, the Biden administration should instead help take this successful relationship to the next level.

Strategically Situated

Most Americans probably associate The Bahamas with idyllic tropical vacations, Beach Boys lyrics, or perhaps college footballs annual Bahamas bowl game. Some may even know about its famous swimming pigs.

But what many Americans dont realize is that the same factors that make The Bahamas a tourist paradise also give it a unique strategic importance. With over 700 islands and a location on the western edge of the Caribbean, The Bahamas is an easy hop for vacationing Americans. And it is also a key drug corridor through which smugglers move their products to U.S. markets. Both of these are factors in the countrys enduring and multifaceted relationship with America.

Tourism provides a vital source of government revenue to The Bahamas, comprising over half the countrys GDP. A number of U.S. citizens also live in The Bahamas, some drawn to its lower tax liability. These ties have created close cultural connections that are bonded by a common English language. Even the National Basketball Association, whose ranks include several Bahamian players, reportedly considered resuming its suspended season in The Bahamas after its COVID-19-induced hiatus in 2020..

The Bahamas, whose 400,000-strong population is smaller than Wyomings, is also a close U.S. political and security partner. Since the 1980s, the U.S. Coast Guard has worked with The Bahamas and neighboring Turks and Caicos on a counterdrug partnership aptly called Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos. The Bahamas also quietly hosts a U.S. Navy submarine testing center on Andros Island. The testing area spans a deep water basin known as the Tongue of the Ocean, which makes it ideal for submarine testing. The outgoing administration of Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, who was elected in 2017, was a strong U.S. political ally and supported U.S. positions on Venezuela and Nicaragua in the United Nations and Organization of American States, respectively.

Chinese Interest

China too has recognized the geographic significance of The Bahamas and has aggressively sought to deepen its influence in the archipelago. Around 2009, the Progressive Liberal Party-led government that left office in 2017 attracted Chinese investment, which today is most visible in several marquee construction projects in the tourism sector. One of these projects is a $2.4 billion megaresort in Nassau, dubbed the Baha Mar a reference to the origin of the countrys name in the Spanish for shallow waters. The project was mired in controversy and faced several delays until it finally opened in 2017. In the 1990s, a Hong Kong-based company opened a deep water container port in Freeport, an important hub in the northern Bahamas. In 2014, the Chinese Harbor Engineering Company built a port in Abaco, which languished for several years because dredging went unfinished. Then, in 2016, China donated $1.2 million to help the Bahamian military buy equipment, a move likely aimed to currying favor with the security sector. In 2020, China extended its mask diplomacy to The Bahamas to aid its COVID-19 response. It has subsequently delivered six shipments of medical supplies, which mirrors the support it provided after a hurricane in 2019. Most recently, in July 2021, China and The Bahamas signed a $12 million grant for infrastructure upgrades.

Chinas goals underpinning this litany of investments are probably economic and political, and not in pursuit of a naval base to project power. And The Bahamas has still not signed on to Chinas ambitious foreign policy infrastructure project known as the Belt and Road Initiative. However, the long-term risk of Chinas soft power campaign is that it will slowly erode U.S.-Bahamian ties in favor of Beijing. Chinas success in establishing partnerships in other Caribbean nations, such as Jamaica, provides some indication of where this could lead.

Dont Take the Bahamas for Granted

Washington cannot take for granted that the strong U.S.-Bahamian partnership will automatically endure with the change in government in Nassau. The United States needs to swiftly support the new government to help it uphold The Bahamas stability and deny China opportunities to deepen the influence it has built over the past decade. China may see opportunity from the Progressive Liberal Partys election win because the party has historically been more open to Chinese engagement.

The new government takes power in the shadow of twin crises over the last two years that pummeled The Bahamas and probably lingered on voters minds as they filled in their ballots. In late 2019, the Category 5 Hurricane Dorian tore through two populated northern islands and left $3.4 billion of damage in its wake. When COVID-19 arrived in March 2020 it hit a country still struggling with storm recovery. The government moved quickly to stamp out the virus but could not halt its spread from island to island. During the height of the outbreak, Minnis, a physician, even offered to treat patients on the front lines.

Countering Chinas influence should inform Washingtons approach, but should not be the sole lens through which it engages. This post-election partnership does not require radical policy changes, but simply deepens existing programs. There are a number of potential avenues for engagement.

The Bahamas sits in what has been called hurricane alley. It will always be vulnerable to seasonal storms whose devastation will likely require serious help from foreign partners. U.S. assistance after Hurricane Dorian was laudable, involving mobilization from USAID, Department of Defense, and the Coast Guard, which rescued over 400 people. Private citizens and businesses in Florida also responded with donations and fundraising events, uniting under the hashtag #Bahamasstrong. In addition to being ready with disaster relief, Washington should also seek ways to boost The Bahamas resiliency for example, by supporting badly needed investment in the countrys dated power sector or storm-proof solar power farms.

The Bahamas geography did not spare it from the pandemic, which revealed the countrys public health deficiencies. The Global Health Security Index, which ranks countries health capabilities, placed The Bahamas as among the least prepared countries in its most recent report. The pandemic validated this ranking, as the countrys aging health infrastructure was pushed to its limits. The United States has provided much-needed vaccines to The Bahamas and should look for ways to help The Bahamas upgrade its health infrastructure, including on the lesser populated islands.

In addition to the economic wreckage from Hurricane Dorian, the pandemic is projected to cost The Bahamas as much as $1 billion. The pandemic left hotel rooms empty for months and forced cruise ships to cease port calls in Nassau. In September, Moodys downgraded The Bahamas credit rating, citing the economic erosion caused by the pandemic. U.S. investment and the return of American tourists will be critical to The Bahamas recovery, particularly as China is eying new economic opportunities.

The Royal Bahamas Defense Force has also been a stalwart U.S. partner that will benefit from additional, tailored security cooperation. U.S. assistance, including a recent $5.9 million equipment delivery, has helped the small, largely maritime force grow its capabilities. Humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, logistics, education exchanges, and domain awareness represent promising areas for future cooperation.

Lastly, The Bahamas needs more love from senior U.S. officials, who should do more to acknowledge the islands importance to U.S. national security. The USAID Administrators September 2019 visit to The Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian showed valuable solidarity from a senior U.S. official. The Secretary of State should do a similar visit to demonstrate that the U.S.-Bahamian partnership transcends hurricanes. Ideally, it would come on the heels of the confirmation of a U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas, a posting that has been vacant for years. The president should be prepared to invite his Bahamian counterpart to Washington for a bilateral meeting to scope the partnership for the next few years.

Renewed instability in Cuba and Haiti this year underscores the importance of a stable U.S. partner in the Caribbean, which some have called the United States third border. The Bahamas sits astride this border and will forever be linked to the United States by cultural, political, and historical ties. The United States should do more to embrace this close but often overlooked Caribbean neighbor.

John Mohr is a former Air Force officer and a 17-year veteran of the Intelligence Community who previously served a tour as a director on the NSC staff. He currently serves in the Defense Intelligence Agency where his portfolio includes The Bahamas.

The views in this article do not reflect any official position or opinions of the Defense Department or the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Image: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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The Bahamas: A Close but Unfamiliar US Partner - War on the Rocks

Corcoran CA Christie Bahamas is the third affiliate to launch in the Caribbean and the 14th firm to join Corcorans affiliate network since its launch.

The Corcoran Groups latest affiliate has launched in the Caribbean with Corcoran CA Christie Bahamas. The addition marks the third affiliate in the Caribbean and the first in the Bahamas for New York-based Corcoran.

I am thrilled to continue such an exciting global trajectory into the Bahamas, Pamela Liebman, the president and CEO of The Corcoran Group, said in a statement. Not only are we expanding our network in a stunning part of the world, but were welcoming a group of incredibly talented real estate professionals in yet another key second-home market, creating even more opportunity for all of our affiliated agents and clients.

Last year, The Corcoran Group started the Corcoran Affiliate Network. The first affiliate, Corcoran Global Living, launched in February 2020 and merged Zephyr Real Estate in San Francisco and Oliver Luxury Real Estate, which serves the Lake Tahoe and Reno markets.

Since then, 14 others have launched in markets including Phoenix, Chicago, Denver, Northern Florida, Hawaii, New Yorks Westchester, Charlotte and now, the Bahamas.

Founded in 1973, Corcoran CA Christie Bahamas is located in Nassau and serves popular markets including Albany, Old Fort Bay, Lyford Cay, and Harbour Island. The firm works with high-end home sales, property development, vacation and beachfront properties and private islands, according to an announcement.

As a member of the affiliates network, the firm will have access to the Corcoran brand, resources including training and marketing tools, and a wider network within the industry and among consumers.

Corcorans newest area code is in the Bahamas, and I couldnt be happier that weve joined such a successful, established brand, Gavin Christie, operations lead of Corcoran CA Christie Bahamas, said in a statement. We have lofty goals to increase our agent productivity and expand our footprint in the Bahamas, and we cannot wait to get started on bringing our business and name to the next level.

Email Libertina Brandt

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Corcoran expands into the Bahamas with latest affiliate - Inman

MSC Cruises has revealed that its latest flagship, the MSC Seashore, will be officially named at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas on Nov. 18, making this the first naming ceremony for a cruise ship to be held at a private island.

According to a press release, the event will be attended by travel advisors and media as well as other key company stakeholders.

Departing Miami on Nov. 17, invitees will be able to get a first look at the new ship before she starts her inaugural seven-night cruise and U.S. season on Nov. 20 and make the most of the onboard entertainment, different activities as well as various bars and restaurants.

As with every new MSC Cruises ship, Hollywood royalty Sophia Loren will perform the role of Godmother as she officially names her 16th MSC Cruises ship. The festivities will take place both onboard and on the island as the ship will remain docked throughout the night, with a gala dinner, live entertainment and more.

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

MSC said that 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.

The MSC Seashore will become the third MSC Cruises ship based in the U.S and the company is offering a range of different length cruises from mini cruises, regular seven-night sailings through to longer cruises of eight nights and 11 nights.

New for this season is Port Canaveral where the MSC Divina began operating in September. This new homeport is convenient and easily accessible and is close to popular attractions and major cities like Orlando, Tampa and South Florida for those wishing to make the most out of their holiday either before or after the cruise, MSC said.

When the MSC Seashore arrives, the MSC Meraviglia will move to Port Canaveral for the rest of the season and the MSC Divina will move to PortMiami.

The MSC Seashore will remain for summer 2022 in Miami offering cruises with the MSC Divina out of Port Canaveral.

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MSC Seashore to Be Named at Ocean Cay in The Bahamas on Nov. 18 - Cruise Industry News