Category Archives: Bahamas

Tracking the tropics: Sam falls apart as another system emerges near the Bahamas

FOX 35 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist Jayme King has the forecast.

ORLANDO, Fla. - There are less than 2 months left in the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season and forecasters are keeping an eye on some activity in the tropics.

What was once very powerful Hurricane Sam has fallen apart over the far north Atlantic between Newfoundland and Iceland.

TRACK THE TROPICS: Visit the FOX 35 Storm Team Hurricane Center for the latest tropical weather outlook and more

Post-Tropical Cyclone Sam will gradually weaken during the next few days and is expected to remain a powerful post-tropical cyclone over the north Atlantic today.

Meanwhile, a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms continues over the southeastern Bahamas and adjacent southwestern Atlantic waters in association with a surface trough. The National Hurricane Center says so far, forecasters say no tropical development is expected. Chances remain low at 10% over the next 5 days.

WEATHER ALERTS: Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for live radar, severe weather alerts, and daily forecast reports on your phone

"It looks like it's moving away from Florida," says FOX 35 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist Jayme King, but it might help to enhance the rain chances locally in the coming days.

The next name on the storm list is Wanda, finishing off the list of 2021 Atlantic tropical system names. At this point, forecasters will need to use the alternate list of names. In the past, the Greek alphabet was used but this was changed this year.

There have been 20 named storms during the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. NOAA previously predicted 15 to 21 named storms are possible this season, with seven to ten becoming hurricanes and three to five of those becoming major hurricanes, meaning Category 3 or higher.

Watch FOX 35 News for the latest updates throughout hurricane season.

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Tracking the tropics: Sam falls apart as system emerges near the Bahamas - FOX 35 Orlando

Forecasters tracking area of development near the Bahamas

Updated: 5:51 AM EDT Oct 6, 2021

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SUMMER: TONY, IT FELT HOT ENOUGH TO GO TO THE BEACH. TONY: IT DID. I GOT TWO OF THE NUMBERS. M:JI I DIDNT DO IT. SUMMER: I DIDNT HAVE ANY OF THE NUMBERS. TONY: I THOUGHT YOU HAD MORE NUMBERS, THEAY W YOU WERE TALKING UP THE STORY. HERE IS COCOA BEH.AC 82. FEELS LIKE 87. SATELLITE AND RADAR SHOWING A LOT OF MOISTURE IN THE GULOFF MEXICO. IT IS GOING TO TAKE IT SWEET TIME PUSHING TOWARDS THE EAST. SOME SHORSWE TOWARDS LAKE, VOLUSIA, AND MARION COUY.NT UP NORTH, MODERATE TO HEAVY DOWNPOURS MOVING INTO SALT SPRINGSND A THE FIRST LIGHTNING STRIKES OF THE DAY IN MARION COUNTY AND LIFTING NORTH. SOME SHOWERS TOWDSAR KISSIMMEE. CELEBRIOAT GETN, READY. ITS COMING AT YOU. MODELS ARE A LITTLE QUICK WITH THE MOISTURE .WE MAY HAVE A FEW SPRINKLES UP AND DOWN INTERSTATE 75. THROUGH DAYBREAK, WE SHOULD BE IN GOOD SHAPE IN THE MORNING. 70 TO .75 A GORGEOUS START. A LILETT WARM. LOOK AT ALL OF THESE ARROWS. THE TROPALIC DISTURBANCE IS STAYING WELL TO ETH EAST. AS THE FRONT MOVES EASTWARD, LATER INHE T WEEK, WE WILL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN. A COUPLE SHOWERS TOMORROW AFTERNOON, BUT DO NOT CANCEL YOUR PLANS. MELBOURNE, MID TO UPPER 80S BY MIDAFTERNOON. PLENTY OF CLOUDS. NORMAL HIGH IS 87. WE WILL BE ABOVE THAT IN MANY LOCALES TOMORROW. THURSDAY, THE FRONT IS PRESSING IN GRADUALLY GOING INTO FRIDAY. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTOR.MS THE TROPICAL FEATURE WILL GET LIFTED TO THE NORTH AND EAST BECAUSE OFHE T FRONT TO THE WEST. IN OCTOBER, DEVELOPMENT AASRE INCLUDE THE CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, FLORIDA STRAITS, AND ALL THE WAY EAST TOWARDS BERMUDA. A FRIENDLY REMINDER, WE CAN GET MAJOR HURRICANES IN OCTOBER, LIKE THESE. NOTHING ON THE HORIZON RIGHT NOW, BUT BE FOREWARNED. THIS WEEKEND, RNAI CHANCES WILL BE HIGHER FR

Forecasters tracking area of development near the Bahamas

Updated: 5:51 AM EDT Oct 6, 2021

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center are currently tracking one area of development off the east coast of the United States.Disorganized showers and thunderstorms continue in association with a surface trough centered about 100 miles northeast of the northwestern Bahamas, according to the NHC.Forecasters say upper-level winds are expected to remain unfavorable for significant tropical development of this system while it moves slowly northwestward or northward over the next few days.Although upper-level winds could become a little less hostile by the weekend, the system is forecast to interact with a front near the coast of the southeastern United States around that time, and tropical development still appears unlikely. The chance of formation is 10% over the next five days.

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center are currently tracking one area of development off the east coast of the United States.

Disorganized showers and thunderstorms continue in association with a surface trough centered about 100 miles northeast of the northwestern Bahamas, according to the NHC.

Forecasters say upper-level winds are expected to remain unfavorable for significant tropical development of this system while it moves slowly northwestward or northward over the next few days.

Although upper-level winds could become a little less hostile by the weekend, the system is forecast to interact with a front near the coast of the southeastern United States around that time, and tropical development still appears unlikely. The chance of formation is 10% over the next five days.

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Forecasters tracking area of development near the Bahamas - WESH 2 Orlando

HAVANA, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Bahamian and Cuban authorities have intercepted hundreds of Haitians at sea seeking to reach the United States, and will repatriate them to Haiti, they said.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force said it had deployed patrol vessels to the southeast Bahamas to defend against a "migrant surge" from Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, which is grappling with a deepening humanitarian and political crisis.

Those vessels had intercepted more than 1,000 Haitians over the past ten days, said the Defence Force, posting photos this week on its Facebook page of small, crowded sailboats.

"The Royal Bahamas Defence Force is once again urging individuals to refrain from making long treacherous voyages on hazardous vessels, and in the process, risking the lives of many individuals," it said.

Cuba's foreign ministry said on Tuesday an unspecified number of Haitian migrants had also arrived via boat on the coasts of its eastern and central provinces in recent weeks in a bid to reach Florida.

Both Cuba and the Bahamas said they would be repatriating the migrants to Haiti. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force said that repatriation was expected to commence on Thursday.

Earlier this month, President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic, which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti, told the United Nations General Assembly that Haiti was "already becoming a regional problem."

Around 30,000 Haitians arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent weeks, seeking to claim asylum in the United States. U.S. authorities have expelled around 5,000 back to Haiti.

The nation of around 11 million was already facing soaring gang crime and hunger and a political crisis before the assassination of the president and a major earthquake hit over the summer.

Former U.S. special envoy to Haiti Daniel Foote said the "collapsed state" was unable to support the infusion of returning migrants and resigned last week.

Communist-run Cuba's foreign ministry said on Tuesday there was a "need to work for a secure, orderly and regular migration" and said the root cause - "an unjust international order and prevailing inequality" - must first be dealt with.

Reporting by Sarah Marsh in Havana; Additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York and Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Bahamas and Cuba intercept hundreds of Haitians at sea who were headed for U.S. - Reuters

Governor-General Sir Cornelius A Smith read the Speech from the Throne on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at Baha Mars convention centre.

Here is the full speech:

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

Just twenty days ago, my Government was elected with a mandate to bring about a New Day in our Bahamas. It is clear from the results of the election that Bahamians demand transformational change.

My Government comes into governance with our country in the midst of mismanaged health and economic crises.

My Government is committed to work in partnership with other nations, with our local communities and, most importantly, with the Bahamian people to address the challenges that these crises pose.

Today My Government proposes our Blue Print for Change.

My Government will consult and be inclusive in our decision-making.

As a first priority, my Government will, therefore, introduce legislation and policies to fully address future major health risks to avoid the need for Emergency Orders.

My Government is committed to executing good governance, established on the principles of Transparency, Integrity & Accountability.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government fully understands that we cannot resolve our countrys economic crisis until we have resolved the health crisis. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed many of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of our healthcare system.

My Government will make investments in healthcare infrastructure throughout The Bahamas and ensure that Family Island clinics are properly equipped, inclusive of the capacity for telemedicine.

My Government will build new hospitals in New Providence and Grand Bahama through public-private partnerships.

My Government will prioritize public health and wellness initiatives and will move aggressively to introduce catastrophic healthcare insurance to make healthcare more affordable, and to address the mental health issues in our country.

My Government also recognizes, applauds, and expresses its gratitude to the doctors, nurses, other frontline workers and volunteers for their meritorious and selfless service during this pandemic.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

The present economic crisis has left a trail of unprecedented misery among the Bahamian people and our public finances in a dismal state.

Despite this bleak outlook, my Government will introduce measures that will bring immediate relief to the Bahamian people and to businesses.

My Government will amend the VAT Act to lower the rate of VAT across the board to 10 percent.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government will focus on issues that will rescue, restore, and strengthen the economy.

My Government will pursue strategies to address the infrastructural needs of the country.

My Government will pursue measures to stabilize public finances and increase public revenue.

My Government will implement a Debt Management Plan to address the historic debt burden and deficit.

My Government will amend The Procurement Act to strengthen provisions for Bahamian participation in Government Procurement at all levels.

My Government will amend The Fiscal Responsibility Act to strengthen the independence of the Fiscal Responsibility Council.

My Government will amend The Public Financial Management Act to ensure full compliance with all existing legislation.

My Government will amend the Commercial Entreprises Act to ensure that when jobs are being filled, Bahamians receive the highest priority.

My Government will also introduce measures to encourage renewable energy industries in solar, wind, wave and ocean thermal energy.

My Government recommits The Bahamas to a minimum reliance on renewable energy by thirty percent by 2030.

My Government will introduce a Merchant Shipping Bill to bring our jurisdiction in line with its international obligations, contemporary practices, and to enhance our competitive edge in the global maritime industry.

My Government will promote Grand Bahama to harness the power of the maritime industry.

My Government strongly commits to introducing a number of initiatives to support the growth and development of the Cultural and Creative economy.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government will introduce measures to employ Junkanoo Culture and the visual performing arts to drive exports in music, costumes and art.

My Government will re-launch and formalize the Sports in Paradise programme to encourage major international sports federations and leagues to use The Bahamas as a base.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government is committed to achieving greater food security and reducing our reliance on imports as a matter of priority.

My Government will introduce a regulatory framework for the Cannabis Industry.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government will introduce legislation to facilitate a comprehensive programme of digitization for the country.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government will restructure the Bahamas Investment Authority to streamline application processes and develop a new marketing strategy.

My Government consult with key stakeholders and appropriately amend legislation to provide increased tax incentives and concessions for domestic investors.

My Government will transform approval processes and launch BahamasInvest to retain competitiveness and mobilise local and international investors to grow the economy.

My Government will return tourism to pre-Covid levels by harnessing existing markets.

My Government will develop an investment portfolio for the Family Islands to promote an investor-friendly environment with a focus on an investment portfolio for specialised industries.

My Government will undertake infrastructural upgrades throughout all of the Islands of The Bahamas in an effort to create investment portfolios.

My Government will expand the provision of potable water and implement a national strategy for the management of water as a natural resource.

The Government will introduce a new and progressive Building Code to increase resilience in the face of Climate Change.

The Government will expedite the development of the airports in Exuma, Grand Bahama, and North Eleuthera and will advance the development of all major airports across The Bahamas through Public Private Partnerships.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly

Even as we vigorously pursue avenues of progress throughout our country, my Government is mindful that we will not leave behind the most vulnerable or discouraged people in our society.

My Government will enhance social assistance programmes.

My Government in collaboration with the private sector and nongovernmental organisations will implement immediate relief measures for Abaco, Grand Bahama and Ragged Island.

Through partnerships with Social Services, Urban Renewal and Civil Society, including the churches, my Government will work to ensure that every Bahamian has life skills, food to eat, clean water and a roof over their heads.

My Government will increase the pension for Senior Citizens.

My Government will introduce legislation for the protection of consumers.

My Government will increase the minimum wage and phase in a liveable wage.

My Government will increase the benefits for persons with disabilities and ensure that the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act are fully implemented and enforced.

My Government will re-introduce the RISE programme which provided substantial benefits to many families.

My Government will work with all stakeholders to bring relief to mortgage and rent payers to prevent an increase in and reduce homelessness.

My Government will introduce legislation to provide for the establishment of an Urban Renewal Authority to improve the quality of life of residents throughout The Bahamas.

My Government will create a national Second-Chance jobs programme that allows those who have served prison time to enter the job market.

As a part of the Second Chance Programme, my Government will expunge the records of those young people convicted of minor offences related to the use of marijuana, so that they may more easily re-join the formal, productive economy.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government is fully committed to ensuring that the citizens of The Bahamas feel safe and secure and will address Crime and its associated social ills by adopting a holistic and multifaceted approach.

My Government will continue to strengthen the Royal Bahamas Police Force to battle crime and preserve the peace; and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to better defend our territorial sovereignty.

My Government will transform The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services into a rehabilitative institution in alignment with its mandate.

My Government, after the broadest consultation with stakeholders, will seek to reform the electoral process in The Bahamas.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government is fully committed to ensuring that our economy works for all Bahamians.

My Government will amend the Hotels Encouragement Act to provide better incentives for Bahamian-owned and joint venture boutique hotels and related tourism offerings.

My Government will introduce legislation to create tax incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises owned by Bahamians.

My Government will re-establish harmonious tripartite relations between Labour, Employers, and the Government.

My Government will ensure that all labour issues are addressed as a matter of priority.

My Government will advance the overall effectiveness of the Public Service through the expansion of training programs to assist in proper skill set placement customer service and revenue enhancement, also by implementing digitization to provide efficiency in clearing backlogs within the Ministry and Public Service Commission.

In handling the accumulation of pending matters, my Government will create room for new matters to be addressed immediately and consistently.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government considers housing to be a basic right. Through programmes and policies it will increase access to affordable homes.

New subdivisions will be developed using public-private partnerships. My Government will return to building houses for Bahamians.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government will work to ensure that the natural resources of The Bahamas benefit our people.

My Government will strengthen legislation that established a Sovereign Wealth Fund.

My Government proposes that all of its non-financial assets will be held in this fund for the benefit of generations of Bahamians.

My Government will provide the legal, fiscal and regulatory framework with the creation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.

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READ: The full Speech from the Throne Eye Witness News - EyeWitness News

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) Five years ago, many of us woke up (or quite possibly never went to sleep) in the early morning hours of Oct. 8 to whipping wind, flooding and destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew.

Over the course of one week, Matthew went from a catastrophic Category 5 major hurricane to a Category 1 as it made landfall in South Carolina. The impact and damage caused by Matthew still live in our memory.

Matthew began as a tropical wave in late September before moving over water waters and rapidly intensifying into a Category 5 hurricane by the first of October. It moved through the Caribbean and then began to parallel the East Coast by Oct. 5. The Coastal Empire and Lowcountry began to brace for impacts and began evacuating. From late Oct. 7 into the morning hours of Oct. 8, we felt the full force of the hurricane.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28: A tropical wave continues developing over warm ocean waters and strengthens into tropical storm Matthew near Barbados.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 29: Matthew reaches hurricane status as a Category 1 hurricane in the central Caribbean Sea.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 30 SATURDAY, OCT. 1: Hurricane Matthew rapidly intensifies in the Caribbean Sea. In just 24 hours, the hurricane goes from a Category 1 hurricane to a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane with max winds of 165 mph and gusts up to 190 mph. Matthews peak intensity doesnt last too long. By late Oct. 1, Matthews max winds drop to 140 mph.

**The rapid intensification from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane goes down in history as one of the fastest transitions on record.**

MONDAY, OCT. 3: Immediate coastal communities of Coastal Empire and Lowcountry get put in the cone. By late Monday night, the cone shifts even more west.

TUESDAY, OCT. 4: As a powerful Category 4 hurricane, Matthew begins to turn northward and makes its first landfall over western Haiti and then eastern Cuba.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5: Our location in the cone remains the same. Matthew begins to move northward into the Atlantic Ocean towards the Bahamas retaining its strength. Due to increasing chances of impacts, Tybee Island gets put under a mandatory evacuation with the rest of Chatham County under a voluntary evacuation.

THURSDAY, OCT. 6: Matthew passes over the Bahamas islands as a powerful Category 4 storm with max winds of 145 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds begin to spread north into the southeast. Hurricane watches are issued for Coastal Empire and Lowcountry. By this time, mandatory evacuations are issued for communities east of I-95. Beaufort and Jasper County also get put under mandatory evacuations. Later in the evening, Matthew begins to slow down and weaken to a Category 3 hurricane.

FRIDAY, OCT. 7: Matthew continues to crawl up the east coast of Florida, now as a Category 2 hurricane about 50 miles off the Jacksonville coast. Increasing onshore wind continues to push water onshore along our coast, breaking the record for highest storm tide on record at Fort Pulaski. Throughout the day, wind and rain quickly increase. The worst would move in that night.

**OVERNIGHT: Flooding and heavy rain continue to pummel the area as the center of Matthew passes just 50 miles off the Georgia coast. Water levels continue to rise as category 2 winds push water onshore. Matthews wind field continues to expand, spreading hurricane-force wind gusts and impacts farther inland. Wind gusts as highs as 96 mph are reported on Tybee Island.

SATURDAY, OCT. 8: Just before lunchtime, Matthew makes landfall north of Charleston as a Category 1 hurricane. Matthew continues to hover along the east coast as it tracks towards North Carolina. Conditions begin to improve slowly throughout the day.

SUNDAY, OCT. 9: Matthew is now a post-tropical cyclone and moves away from the United States. Heavy rain continues to fall along the east coast. Mandatory evacuation orders begin to be lifted.

DAYS AFTER MATTHEW: Communities in Haiti, Bahamas, and the East Coast of the United States pick up the pieces as floodwaters finally begin to recede and winds relax.

Hurricane Matthew brought significant storm surge, rainfall, flooding and hurricane-force winds. It destroyed trees, houses and businesses as it ripped through the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry. With more than 12 inches of rain quickly piling up, communities were left under almost 4 feet of water at times. Unfortunately, three people lost their lives in the Coastal Empire as trees fell on houses and roads.

As Matthew paralleled our coastline, destruction followed it. McIntosh County was the first to feel Matthews wrath. On Sapelo Island, several thousand trees were knocked down by Category 1 wind gusts. Following up the coast, Liberty County saw destruction to docks on St. Catherines Island caused by storm surge. A devastating 11% of sea turtle nesting habit was destroyed due to beach erosion. Exits between 58-67 on I-95 were closed due to flooding.

Chatham County was one of our hardest-hit counties. Fort Pulaskis tide gauge recorded the highest storm tide on record on-site at 12.56 feet. Fort Pulaski itself was completely flooded. Matthew ruined and ripped up centuries-old wooden flooring, destroyed entryways and washed away drawbridges, allowing for the only way to get across the moat into the fort to be by boat. A month after Matthew lashed at the fort, it reopened.

On Tybee Island, dune escarpment of 7-10 feet high was recorded on 19th street. This was also near the area of our highest recorded wind gust of 96 mph. Tybee Pier had minor erosion. NWS survey crew noted a water mark of 3 feet on a damaged home located in the central part of the island. Debris leftover from flooded waters showed Highway 80 had been underwater.

Downtown Savannah was underwater. The Hyatt Regency parking lot flooded and a foot and a half of water flooded the ballroom. The Savannah River, overflowing onto River Street, flooded restaurants and businesses on River Street. Hulls of boats tied were seen reaching as high as the railings. Strong wind gusts knocked down century-old oak trees.

Presidents Street, from under the Harry Truman Parkway and just past the railroad tracks towards Broad Street, was completely flooded. Storm surge pushed into river inlets caused damage to Savannah Wildlife Refuge. NWS survey team noted 3 to 3.75 feet of inundation was measured along Delegal Creek in Chatham County.

Beaufort County was also trampled by Hurricane Matthews strong winds. About 3 to 3.75 feet of inundation was also measured in southern Beaufort County. Significant storm surge brought eight boats aground on the north side of Highway 21. Four boats were pushed onto the Beaufort County Airport runway. Extensive tree damage was found all throughout the county. Hunting State Park on Hunting Island was inaccessible due to the number of trees knocked down.

The northbound lane of Harbor Island Bridge was washed out. Barrier Islands in Beaufort County faced a combination of strong winds and storm surge: damaging homes, destroying boats and bringing down an endless number of trees. Hunting Island pier suffered damage. Roads on Fripp Island were covered in sand and rocks with many houses faced major structural damage.

Over 1,000 feet away from the coastline, storm surge debris was found at the Harbor Town Golf Course in the Sea Pines Plantation. Matthews powerful winds and surge washed up 15 civil war cannonballs after 155 years.

Originally posted here:

Hurricane Matthew 5 year anniversary: Looking back at the storm & our impacts - WSAV-TV

NASSAU, BAHAMAS More than 1,700 supporters, dignitaries, civil society stakeholders, religious leaders, parliamentarians, and other government officials attended yesterdays Opening of Parliament at Baha Mar, as the Davis administration laid out its agenda for The Bahamas over the next five years, including plans to tackle the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the economy, and the social safety net.

Attendees were socially distanced and seated, with 1,350 people in the Grand Ballroom and around 350 in the Andros Ballroom.

Among the 94 legislative and policy pledges made by the Davis administration in its Speech from the Throne delivered by Governor-General CA Smith, were plans to reduce the nations value-added tax from 12 percent to 10 percent; stabilize public finances and increase public revenue with a debt management plan; amend both the Procurement Act and Fiscal Responsibility Act; as well as plans to increase the minimum wage, pension for senior citizens, benefits for persons with disabilities; and tax incentives and concessions for domestic investors.

The government also pledged to amend the rules of the House of Assembly to enable fixed sessions of Parliament.

These are the policies and plans upon which my Government will legislate in orderto bring about a New Day in The Bahamas, read Smith.

We look forward to working in partnership with the Bahamian people to bring about a healthier, wealthier, and wiser society.

Parliament, including the Senate and House of Assembly, was held in Baha Mars convention center via a proclamation from the governor-general.

There were criticisms in some quarters as to the constitutionality of Parliament being held outside the city of Nassau.

Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis accused the government of conducting an unconstitutional excursion to Baha Mar for the Throne proceedings, a claim Davis called typical of a man who lacks prudence and due diligence, which is synonymous with the way he led the country.

Addressing this during a press conference following the Speech from the Throne, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said: It is typical of the manner in which the leader of the opposition, and as prime minister, how he conducted himself in the management of our affairs.

Obviously, he knew a proclamation had to be issued.

Now, if he knew that, dont you think he ought to check to see whether one was issued before he made the claims that he made.

Isnt that the prudent thing to do.

Well, he didnt and again it speaks to the character and the motives of a man who still wishes to lead this country.

Cost

In an interview with Eyewitness News, Baha Mar Senior Executive Vice President Robert Sandy Sands said while he could not disclose the contractual agreement between the government and the resort, the arrangement was not a profit-making exercise.

I am not going to discuss the contractual arrangements between ourselves and the government of The Bahamas, but I can assure you this was not a profit-making venture for Baha Mar, he said.

Sands said Baha Mar was gratified to be chosen for the historical event.

The venue outside of Nassau was selected as the House of Assembly undergoes renovations.

Eyewitness News understands that those renovations could be completed by the end of the week.

When asked whether there was an arrangement to have future sessions of Parliament at Baha Mar with the infrastructure already in place, Sands said: I cannot answer that question.

The next session of Parliament is slated for next Wednesday.

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SWORN IN: Over 1700 attendees at historical Speech from the Throne - EyeWitness News

Steam locomotive 45596 Bahamas will be back in steam on the mainline and will visit Peterborough on its way from London to York this Sunday, 3rd October 2021.

The Jubilee class locomotive is on a rail tour from Ealing Broadway to York.

The train will depart Ealing Broadway with 45596 Bahamas at 08:36 and will then pass through Willesden Junction (08:47), West Hampstead (09:15), Finsbury Park (09:37), Potters Bar (09:55), Stevenage (10:17), Ste Neots (10:46), Peterborough (11:26), Newark North Gate (12:35), Doncaster (13:56), Church Fenton (14:30) and York at 14:46.

The return trip will be diesel hauled, whilst Bahamas remains in the North. The diesels will depart York at 17:20 and will return south via Doncaster (17:49), Peterborough (19:27), St Neots (20:33), Stevenage (21:10), Potters Bar (21:36), Finsbury Park (21:52), West Hampstead (22:21), and Ealing Broadway at 22:53

These above timings in brackets are approximate; please click the links below, which track the train throughout the day to keep you up to date on when it will pass through your local station.

For timings on these movements, please click the links below:

If you do go out and see 45596 Bahamas on the tour, why not share your pictures to LocoStop, our railway community. Click here for more details.

As always, please respect the dangers of the railway. Please do not trespass on the railway to see this iconic locomotive stay to public access spots!

RailAdvent PlusGet image downloads, Prints and Streaming VideoRailAdvent NewsThe latest railway newsRailAdvent ShopRailway Prints, DVDs / Blu-Rays and moreLocoStop CommunityCome and share your railway picturesMainline UK Steam InfoUpcoming mainline steam tours/loco movements

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Bahamas steam locomotive to pass through Peterborough this Sunday on its way from London to York - RailAdvent - Railway News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Governor-General Sir Cornelius A Smith today presented the Governments Blue Print for Change as he read the Speech from The Throne marking the opening of a new session of Parliament.

Sir Cornelius revealed planned policies and initiatives aimed at bolstering capacity across health, economic, investment, social, cultural and environmental sectors, adding it was clear from the results of the election that Bahamians demand transformational change.

He said the Government is committed to executing good governance, established on the principles of Transparency, Integrity & Accountability.

Key policy initiatives outlined include:

Health

Economy

Sports and Culture

Agriculture

Investment

Social Services

National Security

Labour

Environment

Education

Local Government

Anti-Corruption

Foreign Policy

The full speech can be found here.

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SPEECH FROM THE THRONE: Governor-General Sir Cornelius A Smith outlines the Government's Blue Print for Change - EyeWitness News

100,000 individuals fully vaccinated in The Bahamas

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Health officials confirmed 24 additional COVID-19 related deaths and added some 33 deaths under investigation over the past three days.

The number of COVID-19 fatalities currently stands at 557, with another 66 under investigation, since the start of the pandemic in March 2021.

The Ministry of Health has advised that four deaths that occurred between September 15 and September 16 were reclassified as COVID-19 deaths on Thursday and another two that occurred on September 16 were reclassified on Saturday.

Additionally, 18 of those newly confirmed deaths occurred between March 30 and September 30th, with one death taking place on Abaco on October 14, 2020.

Officials indicated that this death, although it occurred last year, was just reported to the Ministry of Health, and now is being reported to the general public.

As those cases recorded as deaths under investigation become confirmed, only then will they be documented in the COVID-19 report.

The increase in the number of confirmed deaths comes as new infections continue to move at a steady rate, with a slight increase being seen in the daily number.

There was expected to be a significant influx of cases in the aftermath of the September 2021 snap General Election.

As of Saturday, The Bahamas had recorded 21,312 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 1,398 active.

The capacity of the healthcare system continues to be a challenge with hospitalizations see a decline. There were 127 people in the hospital 111 of whom are moderately ill patients and 19 in the intensive care unit (ICU).

As of October 2, there were 104, 380 fully vaccinated individuals, which included Bahamians and residents who were vaccinated abroad and registered with the ministry.

Some 124, 433 people have received one dose of the vaccine to date, excluding the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville yesterday expressed gratitude to all persons who contributed to the significant milestone of over 100,000 persons being fully vaccinated in The Bahamas.

While we still have quite a way to go, Darville said.

This is a tremendous accomplishment. As the numbers of vaccinated persons increase in our country, the volume of persons hospitalized due to COVID-19 is expected to decrease, thus, relieving the high demand for hospital beds at our healthcare institutions.

Darville further expressed his gratitude to the many dedicated volunteers, staff, and support personnel who facilitated the process, and to the countries that supported The Bahamas in accessing the supply of vaccines.

The Bahamas National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee launched the vaccination exercise in March 2021.

The minister advised that the government is committed to ensuring that resources are available to sustain and enhance the campaign, with vaccinations expected to commence on at the Bahamas Department of Corrections on October 7.

Currently, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson are available at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs Gym, Loyola Hall, St. Anselms Church, and Church of God of Prophesy in New Providence, and at the Susan J. Wallace Centre in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

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COVID-19 related deaths jump by 24, another 66 under investigation - EyeWitness News

Mark Catesby (1683-1749), the English naturalist, artist and horticulturalist, published his lifes work, The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, in parts between 1729 and 1747. Visually magnificent, with full-size, hand-coloured plates, it was a pioneering work on North Americas flora and fauna. Despite being produced according to a pre-Linnaean system of classification (Catesbys career did not quite coincide with the Swedish-born father of modern taxonomy Carl Linnaeus), it was nonetheless internationally admired. In 1748, a year before Catesbys death, Linnaeuss student Pehr Kalm declared that Catesby had with unbelievably lifelike colouring, presented the rarest trees, plants, animals, birds, fishes it is difficult to believe that it is not the real thing that stands in its natural colour on the paper.

Henrietta McBurneys publicationin turn beautifully produced, with ample space to showcase her subjects artistic skillis, in the words of the author, a case study of the material culture out of which Catesby created his book. She is unapologetic in her focus on the primary sources that collectively tell us about the man and the early modern world in which he operated: a period that blurred the distinctions between amateur and professional, and between art and science. Concentrating on the surviving 300 original watercolours in the Royal Collection, his herbarium sheets, sketches and written descriptions, the result is a rich and deeply researched account of Catesbys journey from amateur naturalist in East Anglia, self-taught master of drawing, painting and etching, to intrepid observer and collector in the New World.

The book is not an examination of Catesbys career within the theorised contexts of colonialisation and empire. Indeed McBurney argues that theoretical claims about empireand botanists as agents of empireneed to be grounded in evidence. That said, the context is not ignored. It is impossible to divorce Catesby from the history of Englands, later Great Britains, colonial ambition in America given that he first travelled to Virginia in 1712 with his sister, whose husband, William Cocke, was a physician in Williamsburg. While there, Catesby resided with wealthy plantation owners on the James River and, on his second trip, one of his sponsors was Francis Nicholson, the Governor of South Carolina. McBurney is particularly interested in the private objectives that drove Catesbyhis genuine passion for discovery, truth and beauty, and ultimately the creation of his book. This, especially on his return trip to South Carolina and the Bahamas in 1722-26, was at odds with the demands and economic interests of his private sponsors for whom he trafficked specimens. Eventually the constant sending of consignments to Englandseeds, dried and pressed plants, or live ones in tubs of soilproved onerous.

Catesbys The Blew Jay and the Bay-leaved Smilax (1722-25), which conveys the birds gestures in its natural environment Royal Collection Trust Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021

Catesby as an artist is where art and science most obviously intersect, and this provides one of the books most absorbing chapters. Catesby sketched in the field while on his collecting trips to the coastal areas of the Tidewater, up the Ashley, Cooper and Savannah rivers, to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, in difficult swampy terrain, and in uninhabited areas accompanied by Native American guides. Pehr Kalms admiration of Catesbys unbelievably lifelike colouring was no accident. He was stimulated by the colours he encountered, trying to mimic them exactly and always sketching his specimens either freshly gathered, if a plant, or alive if an animal. When in the Bahamas, where he became fascinated by marine life, he observed that fish lost their vibrancy when out of water. I painted them at different times, having a succession of them procurd while the former lost their colour, he said, a startling insight into the practicalities involved in reproducing their correct shimmer and iridescence. To convey size he sometimes zoomed in on his specimens, such as the giant hogfish, shown by just the head: one wary eye, jaws agape. Catesby was also unusual in showing birds and animals in their natural environments. Rather than single specimens on a page, his birds perch in the very trees or bushes that they would have fed on or nested in. He tried to convey the natural gestures of his subjects: the blue jay sitting on a branch of green briar, where Catesby had watched it eating the berries of the plant, is shown screeching.

Catesby stated that he deliberately aimed at a flat style of illustration to better communicate his subjects to the service of science. McBurney suggests that this may indicate an amateurs defensiveness, unable to match the superior skill of professionals such as his younger contemporary, Georg Dionysius Ehret. Ehrets brilliant plate illustrating Magnolia grandiflora, a plant observed by Catesby in the wild, is included in the latters Natural History, perhaps hinting at collaboration between the two. Ehret, however, sketched the magnolia in Sir Charles Wagers garden in Parsons Green, then just west of London. Catesby was certainly influenced by such professional illustrators, sometimes borrowing their designs and compositions. But it is Catesbys idiosyncrasies, his energy and boldness, that continue to delight audiences.

Sadly, thanks to human activity over the subsequent 300 years, many of Catesbys species are now either extinct or, like the ivory-billed woodpecker, on the critically endangered list. Even in Catesbys day, the now extinct Carolina parakeet was hunted, both as a pest and for its colourful plumage, while the last of the passenger pigeons, which once migrated in vast flocks, died in captivity in Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. This beautiful book acts as both a record of Catesbys profound joy in and devotion to nature, and as a warning.

Henrietta McBurney, Illuminating Natural History: the Art and Science of Mark Catesby, Paul Mellon Centre/Yale, 384pp, 250 colour + b/w illus., 40 (hb), pub. 22 June 2021

Tabitha Barber is curator of British Art 1500-1750 at the Tate and was the lead curator and catalogue editor/contributor of British Baroque: Power and Illusion (Tate Britain, 2020)

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An exquisite study of the man who documented North America's wildlife in the 18th century - Art Newspaper