Category Archives: Bahamas

Dr Duane Sands on the campaign trail.

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE COVID-19 crisis has forced The Bahamas to its knees, former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said yesterday, as he recalled his distress at the toll the virus has taken on Bahamian lives.

As a health care worker who is actively involved in the care of COVID patients it distresses me how many people are sick in hospital, how many people are dying and how many more are likely to die, Dr Sands said yesterday of the situation at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

COVID-19 hospital admissions have continued to climb, jumping from 191 on Monday a previous record to a record 193 on Tuesday.

This number is the highest tally of hospital cases since the start of the pandemic.

Sixty of those cases are in Doctors Hospital, nine are at the South Beach Acute Care and Referral Centre, 104 are at PMH and 20 are at Grand Bahama Health Services.

Fifteen patients are in the intensive care unit.

On Monday, the Ministry of Health added seven new COVID related deaths, pushing the death count to 453.

Dr Sands said The Bahamas is facing what much of the world has experienced in prior months.

We have seen this in other countries. Weve seen this in India. Weve seen this in the United States. Weve seen it in Great Britain. Weve seen it in Italy and elsewhere. At a particular point in time many of those places I just named were similarly on their knees.

This is our time, and it is by cooperation, it is by rigid adherence and discipline to public health measures and an adopting of vaccination that were going to get out of this. We cannot flaunt the public health measures and refuse vaccination given the challenges that we are already having with the healthcare system and expect this to turn out well.

I dont believe this is an effective time for finger-pointing. I think what we ought to be doing is collectively working together to solve what is an horrendous problem and if we do that, we may emerge somewhat intact, but right now the situation is grim.

It is bad out there.

He insisted there must be a greater focus on health protocols.

To people who are worried about their safety, public health measures are very effective hand washing, social distancing (and) mask wearing. Its really effective even against the Delta variant and so you can protect yourself by using those methods and I would strongly suggest that people do so.

I also strongly suggest that people get vaccinated although vaccination is not going to provide them with protection in the immediate term. So, if you get vaccinated today it is gonna take you some time before that vaccine confers a level of immunologic protection, but its a critical part of the way forward.

Weve managed to vaccinate some 30,000 people in the last two weeks. I think thats good. We should hopefully get to do some more and lets continue to fight this thing as aggressively as we can.

This ought to be an all of country response and I dont think that any of us from the competent authority down to the smallest child who can make a decision for themselves, can be exempt from participating in the process of keeping The Bahamas safe.

So, we all need to look at our behaviour. We all need to look at the policies being made, Dr Sands said.

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Sands: Country is on its knees - Bahamas Tribune

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) and Ministry of Tourism and Aviation officials are partnering with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and European experts to develop and strengthen certification systems in The Bahamas.

The aim of the project is to increase the resiliency and sustainability of The Bahamas as a tourism destination; enhance the state of the natural environment; improve destination competitiveness; ensure that revenue from tourism reaches a greater proportion of Bahamian communities; and position The Bahamas as a climate-resilient destination by implementing climate risk management policies and implementation frameworks.

IDB Bahamas Country Representative Daniela Carrera-Marquis said:This technical cooperation represents a strong commitment to achieving measurable impact in the tourism industry of The Bahamas.

Tourism is the driving force of the Bahamian economy and has registeredunprecedented challenges in the last several years following Hurricane Dorian andthe global pandemic.

The long-term consequences of these experiences are stillunfolding, but through our Vision 2025 plan, the IDB is committed to supporting ourmember countries during the recovery process.

This project will build capacity in the countrys tourism industry and foster a sustainable and inclusive recovery that maximizes the efforts of the government in The Bahamas and around the region.

The project is being led by IDBs Juliana Bettini, with TDC CEO and Executive Director Janet Johnson as a focal point.

Tourism experts participating in this project include Sea Going Green, a Dutch sustainable marine tourism consultancy; Green Case Consulting, a UK-based sustainable tourism specialist; Oceanic Global, a US-based non-profit and sustainability verification program; and climate change experts JF Clarke Consulting from Barbados.

Bahamian sustainable tourism practitioners Rashema Ingraham, Kendria Ferguson and Dr Jennifer Edwards are also playing a vital role in the projects delivery.

Johnson said certifications are essential in the tourism industry.

Certifications indicate that the business is registered with the TDC and has met the quality assurance standards necessary for the hospitality business, she said.

Obtaining certifications for your business puts you on the cutting edge and encourages larger conglomerates to engage your services such as cruise ships and hotels.

It is the mandate of the TDC to raise the standards of all tourism-related businesses in the Islands of The Bahamas and so, this collaboration with the IDB and all of the other experts involved will act as a springboard for the development of sustainable tourism businesses with implementation of global best practices.

The project, which began in August, is expected to be completed in January 2022. At that time, a recommendation of the most suitable certification schemes will be presented, and a strategic and operational implementation plan will then be developed and validated with Bahamian stakeholders.

Once the Certification Programme is complete, in addition to a webinar campaign, TDC-certified evaluators and executives of the Bahamas Association of Shore Experiences (BASE) will travel throughout The Bahamas to inform all tourism-related enterprises of the new standards.

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SETTING THE STANDARD: New project to strengthen tourism-based business certification systems - EyeWitness News

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ABOUT 3,000 people are expected to vote in the advanced poll in Grand Bahama today.

Those persons are senior citizens, disabled residents, police officers, and government workers. Poll workers and the 33 nominated candidates also will be voting.

The polls will open at 8am and close at 6pm.

Five schools have been identified and designated on Grand Bahama for the advanced poll.

The advanced poll for Central and East Grand Bahama is at St Georges High School gymnasium; Marco City is at Jack Hayward Senior High School; Pineridge is at Jack Hayward Junior High School, and West Grand Bahama is at Eight Mile Rock High School.

Over 800 people are expected to vote early in the East Grand Bahama constituency and about 1,500 in West Grand Bahama.

Police officials will be out at the various polling stations to ensure order and that COVID-19 protocols are being upheld.

Those eligible to vote early include people with disabilities or someone aged 65 or older. Also, a registered voter who is likely to be a patient in any hospital on Election Day; a person who is ill, pregnant, or recently gave birth is also eligible as well as people who live overseas.

Students studying overseas as well as staff at diplomatic missions also qualify.

Canard Bethel, former deputy parliamentary commissioner at the Parliamentary Registration Department, urged people to queue before 6pm when the polls close.

Speaking on a ZNS radio show yesterday, he noted if there is some unforeseen event, such as a rainstorm that might prevent persons from coming to vote in time, then the presiding officer will bring it to the attention of the parliamentary commissioner, who once satisfied can authorise the poll to continue the same day or the next day.

Mr Bethel explained that between 5pm and 6pm the presiding officer will instruct staff to check the line. If it is long, they will make a mark of the line and see if anyone is approaching. And if someone is approaching, they put them on the line, he said.

Mr King stated that there are constituencies that have 1,000 people who will vote.

He believes the pandemic will slow down voting at the polls.

We cannot forget the pandemic is here and there is social distancing. And we ought to obey rules and regulation as it applies to social distancing and that will slow down the taking of the poll and it is quite possible that there will be persons there on the line at 6pm, he said.

He said presiding officers must act in accordance with the rule to establish the last person on the line and put a police officer there to ensure no voter is disenfranchised.

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3000 expected to vote in Grand Bahama today - Bahamas Tribune

All cruise passengers ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 for ships to enter a Bahamas port, effective Sept. 3.

The order includes cruise lines' private islands in the Bahamas. Every major cruise company sailing from the U.S. -- Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings -- calls at a private Bahamas destination.

Bahamas prime minister Hubert Minnis issued the emergency order on Aug. 19. The restriction is valid through Nov. 1.

What is an agency's liability for having sold a cruise to an anti-vaccine client if the line changes its policy after the sale?

Before arriving in port, the ship's captain will be required to submit a manifest disclosing the vaccination status of all people aboard.

Cruise lines immediately began changing their vaccine requirements on sailings from Florida in response to the order.

Royal Caribbean International said that in order to comply, guests 12 and older sailing from Florida ports must provide proof of vaccination in order to cruise, starting Sep. 3. The updated policy matches Royal's requirements for cruises departing other U.S. ports. Guests under 12 must provide a negative test result at boarding.

MSC Cruises said unvaccinated guests whose cruise is scheduled to depart Florida between Sept. 3 and Oct. 31 won't be allowed to sail. They are eligible for a full refund.

Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean International said that the U.S. Virgin Islands would not allow cruise ships to enter unless all eligible passengers onboard were vaccinated.

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Bahamas: Cruise passengers 12 and over must be vaccinated for ...

COVID-19: Reporter details time on cruise ship with positive cases

Morgan Hines, a USA TODAY Travel Reporter, detailed her time aboard a cruise ship with positive COVID-19 cases on board.

Staff video, USA TODAY

Cruise ships will not be allowed to enter ports in the Bahamas if there are unvaccinated passengers on board aged 12 and older without a medical excuse, the country said in an emergency order issued Thursday.

The order posted to the Bahamas Customs & Excise Department website wassigned by Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, takes effect Sept. 3 and is valid through Nov. 1.

The new rule is applicable to private islands such as Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at CocoCay, according to the order.

In order to dock, a cruise ship's captain is required to transmit a "crew and passenger manifest"disclosing every person's vaccination status to the Port Medical Officer before arrival.

Cruising requirement: Norwegian Cruise Line extends 100% COVID vaccination requirement through end of year

'I never felt unsafe': USA TODAY reporter aboard cruise ship with positive COVID cases

All passengers who are aged 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at embarkation. Additionally, the health protocol on board must be that which wasapproved previously by the "Competent Authority" and complied with.

There are exceptions to the new regulation.

The rule does not apply to crew, contractors and any "non-revenue passenger" under the protocol previously agreed upon between the government and cruise lines. The rule is also moot when a cruise ship is attempting to enter port in an emergency and when a passenger has a medical reason as to why they are unvaccinated.

Passengers entering The Bahamas on a cruise ship are also subject to testing requirements mandated by the cruise line and given approval by the "Competent Authority."

On Thursday, Royal Caribbean announced that it would change its vaccine policy for ships sailing from Florida to the Bahamas including its private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay to comply with the emergency order. The cruise line already requirs proof of vaccination from passengers 12 and older sailing from other U.S. ports.

And Sunday, Carnival Cruise Line announced changes to its policy, too.

"Effective Aug. 28 through October, for departures from all Atlantic and Gulf homeports, only children under 12 and adults with a medical condition that prohibits their vaccination are exempt from vaccination requirements to sail," Carnival said in a release, noting that their ships are already sailing with at least 95% of crew and passengers fully vaccinated, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

Carnival passengers who had previously received an exemption outside those two categories have had those exemptions rescinded through October.

Read more:

Bahamas implements vaccine requirement for cruise ships to ...

Cruisers can start off the New Year's in The Bahamas December 29, 2021 via the Tropical New Year's Celebration voyage.

The Bahamas will kick off the multi-season long additions, first with a seven-night voyage, Bound for Paradise, launching November 26, 2021, from New York City to Nassau, calling on San Salvador, Great Exuma and Bimini.

Cruisers can start off the New Year right in The Bahamas on December 29, 2021, via the Tropical New Year's Celebration voyage, which includes a 10-night cruise from Miami, Florida to Bimini, San Salvador, Long Island and Great Exuma, with a final stop with our neighboring Caribbean brothers and sisters in Jamaica.

The Blissful Bahamian Luxury voyage will have several departures starting January 22, 2022, from Miami, including stops in Bimini, Nassau, San Salvador, Great Exuma and Long Island. The series will have two additional sailings on February 12, 2022 and March 5, 2022.

Crystal Cruises has changed the way travelers cruise in The Bahamas, allowing passengers to explore the wonders of the Family Islands beyond the beautiful waters, including wildlife, historical landmarks, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, local shopping and dining.

For more information about the upcoming Crystal Symphony launch, please visit http://www.crystalcruises.com.

ABOUT THE BAHAMASExplore all the islands have to offer atwww.bahamas.comor onFacebook,YouTubeorInstagram.

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

SOURCE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation

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The Bahamas Welcomes New Crystal Cruises Voyages Starting This Fall - PRNewswire

Travel has changed.

Increasingly, travelers dont just want to stay in a destination they want to live there, even if just for a few days.

They want to understand the destination in an authentic way.

Thats turned travelers toward a different kind of luxury.

Since the pandemic, the trend towards so-called residential resorts has only strengthened, as more and more travelers demand the independence and security of residential living at their Caribbean resorts.

That means being able to make dinner one night; to have the space for multiple generations; to have the seclusion of a residence with the quality and amenities of a traditional resort.

And thats exactly what you get at Grand Isle, the residential resort on Great Exuma thats the islands best place to stay.

The resort, set on Emerald Bay, has a mix of 78 villas, ranging from one to four bedrooms.

All of them are wonderfully appointed: think Sub Zero refrigerators, whirlpool spa baths; Wi-Fi and a pervasive tropical vibe.

And while its a residential community, the amenities are vast: that means a pair of pools, including the spectacular, 30,000-square-foot 23 North Beach Club, set right on the sands edge.

Thats along with the excellent poolside Palapa restaurant, with an international menu featuring a focus on fresh Bahamian catches.

And then theres the Seastar Spa, home to Elemis-branded treatments and even mini mani and pedi treatments for younger guests.

The party piece, though, is the Greg Norman-designed Emerald Reef, managed by shared with the adjacent Sandals Emerald Bay all-inclusive resort.

Its the back, which wraps around the villas at Grand Isle, which is the star, a remarkable stretch of windy, cliffside, links-style golf with dramatic ocean views.

Of course, Grand Isle is also a jumping-off point, a place from which to discover the marvels of Great Exuma, whether youre bone fishing in White Bay off the southwestern coast of the island or finding tucked-away beaches like Coco Plum and Jolly Hall.

It all adds up to a rather special place to stay, one that marries the amenities of a traditional resort with the comforts of your temporary Bahamian home.

For more, visit Grand Isle.And see more in the latest CJ Video at the top of the page.

CJ

Continued here:

The Best Resort in Great Exuma, The Bahamas - Caribbean Journal

Since opening in 2017, Baha Mar has become a center of gastronomy in the Bahamian capital of Nassau. With over 40 restaurants and bars, the resort has lured some of the worlds leading chefs, including Katsuya Uechi and Daniel Boulud, to name a few. Now, six-time James Beard Awardwinning chef Marcus Samuelsson joins the resorts collection of culinarians with this summers debut of Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House.

While developing the concept, Samuelsson spent nearly four years learning about Bahamian culture and meeting with local purveyors. The result? A deeply collaborative menu reflective of native ingredients with an innovative take on Caribbean comfort food. Think fried chicken with sour orange hot honey or tuna tartare with cassava chips. Yes, youll find his signature Marcuss Cornbread on the table, but here it comes with a spice-infused rum-spiked butter.

We spoke with Samuelsson to learn more about his new restaurant in the Bahamas and his hopes for creating a more inclusive industry through intention and empathy.

Why the Bahamas?

We get a lot of opportunities in front of us, and before we say yes, we have got to like [the location]. A great location for me means Whats the path towards opportunity? So, looking at farming, looking at fishing, looking at cooking school here, I said, OK, this makes sense! And with a place like Baha Mar, I wanted to make sure that we have something experientialnot just a great restaurant, it has to be an experience.

With restaurants in Newark, Harlem, Overtown, Bermuda, and now the Bahamas, why is it important for you to open in predominantly Black destinations?

Its important to acknowledge your privilege, right? When I left Aquavit, I did a lot of soul searching about my role as a Black chef. I want to figure out how I can open up more doors, specifically in the African diaspora.

Weve been very strategic with Harlem, with Overtown. We feel proud to work with the cultures and the history, but also to provide jobs locally. For a chef of any color, but specifically for chefs of color, you must figure out where in the industry you fit. Our restaurants have become the hub for that.

Tell us about your process of learning about Bahamian culture.

When I say it takes four years [to open a restaurant], one year could just be researching. Islands are not monolithic. We have to be very respectful . . . and we have to learn the culture. We pay homage to that, and it shows up on the menu. We eat at restaurants. We go to markets, and we go with local people. Our goal is to make the menu relatable to locals and unique for visitors, too.

What are some of the Bahamian ingredients youre loving right now?

Sour oranges! It might not be a big thing for locals, but its a big thing for me. So, we marinate in that. Then there is this incredible hydroponic farm [in Nassau] where we get fresh herbs and tomatoes.

Locals take pride because they see themselves in the food. We have a hot sauce that we do with passion fruit that came from them. The pickles on our fish, that came from them. They say, Oh, these pickles are my aunties pickles! Its been really fun.

How do you find balance in blending your cultural experience and culinary expertise with local cultures?

Coming from two backgrounds allows me to have windows into Ethiopia, or Africa, or Scandinavian Sweden. When youve grown up through it, you dont know that eventually that can become an assetits about empathy.

When we do the conch salad, I dont touch a thing. I may present it with dry ice or something like that, but in terms of the flavor, I dont dare go near it because [the locals] are the ones that know. Im not coming with my menu set, and I dont think I would have that sensitivity if I say, Im a Swedish chef. Heres the Swedish food. Im an American now, and Im from African culture. Its about sensibilities and sensitivities.

What do you hope it brings to the Bahamian community to have a celebrated Black chef open a restaurant here?

As a Black chef with a large platform, its about that intersection of inspire and aspire. Having the privileges and the opportunities that I have, it comes down to how I hire. Here, we started with a big open kitchen, because then its very clear who works in the kitchen. When you have someone like chef Garrette [Bowe]shes the chef, and shes a localits not a coincidence.

Pastry chefs, servers, cooks, bartenders: These people dont have to leave the island to have the best opportunities. Someone can learn sushi from chef Katsuya and the best French cooking from chef Daniel, and now you can come down here and work with us.

Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House is now open for dinner at Baha Mar (1 Baha Mar Blvd., Nassau). Reservations are recommended and can be made online.

>> Next:The Bahamas Is Open for Travel, With Restrictions

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Chef Marcus Samuelsson on Cultural Collaboration and His New Restaurant in the Bahamas - AFAR Media

Posted on August 24, 2021

NASSAU The Bahamas government says schools will reopen next month with no face-to-face classes due to the resurgence in the number of coronavirus (COVID019) cases.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education said that decision was made out of an abundance of caution and came after heavy consultation with the Ministry of Health.

While the preferred mode of instruction delivery continues to be face-to-face, the ministry remains guided by the mantra of safety first, education always, the statement said.

As many of our students and educators will be returning from summer travel, the Ministry of Education considers that online instruction will best assist us in reducing the chances of a spike in COVID19 cases throughout the country.

We think that this action is necessary given the state of our nations healthcare system. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, the decision is made to re-open schools via an online format. This decision will be reviewed in a few weeks.

It said that private institutions to adopt the virtual learning model and that any school wishing to open with face-to-face learning will first have to seek permission from the Ministry of Education.

At this time, the Ministry of Education strongly urges all private schools to adopt a similar position by engaging their students using a virtual platform. Nevertheless, those independent schools that wish to proceed with some face-to-face instructional activities must seek approval from the Ministry of Education.

The statement said it will continue to closely monitor the changing situation to determine when it is safe for students to return to campuses.

In-person classes ended in March 2020 due to the pandemic but resumed after the summer break last October in a phased approach.

Latest figures here show that 330 people have died and 16 962 others have tested positive for the virus that was first detected here in March last year.

The President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers, (BUT), Belinda Wilson, said that while she accepts the approach to having schools re-opened virtually, the announcement should have been made earlier.

Im pleased that they have finally listened and adhered to the advice from the medical professionals and prior recommendations from the Bahamas Union of Teachers, Wilson told the Tribune newspaper.

At this time, it is our view that virtual learning is the most safe model of teaching especially based on the increased number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country and more specifically amongst school aged children, she said, even as she said there were concerns that ought to be addressed before schools reopen next week, particularly as it relates to the ministrys virtual learning platform. (CMC)

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Virtual classes next week in The Bahamas NationNews Barbados nationnews.com - Nation News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Red Lobster and Bahama MyFi are the first two companies to launch on the ArawakX crowdfunding platform, with the founders touting the move as a step towards financial inclusion for Bahamians.

DArcy Rahming Jr, chief technology officer of ArawakX, said: We have tried to make it super simple so that companies and investors can onboard. These are assets you are purchasing. Those assets come with certain rights, dividends [and] the ability to borrow money against them.

We have tried to make it [as] easy as easy as possible for people to get onto the systemand lower the barriers. This is meant to be about financial inclusion.

Businessman Christopher Mortimer, chairman of Pinnacle Franchise Brands, which has the Red Lobster franchise rights for the Caribbean, estimates that The Bahamas has a $100 million dining out market.

The company is looking to raise at least $2.7 million to cover the cost of construction, outfitting the restaurant and working capital. The company plans to open the first Red Lobster restaurant in New Providence in 2022, the second in 2023, a third in Jamaica in 2024, a fourth in the Dominican Republic in 2026 and a fifth in Trinidad in 2028.

Marcian Cash, CEO of Bahama MyFi, an augmented reality-based travel ecosystem, noted that the company spent a year and a half doing research on cruise ship and stopover visitors. The companys groove tourism marketplace utilizes augmented reality (AR) to provide an immersive and customizable vacation experience. The company, which also offers Wi-Fi services, is seeking a capital injection of $1.8 million to remain solvent, hire staff, complete ongoing redevelopment of its major applications and acquire necessary assets.

The rest is here:

INVESTOR INITIATIVE LAUNCHED: Red Lobster and Bahama MyFi first out the gate on ArawakX crowdfunding platform - EyeWitness News