Category Archives: Bahamas

Researchers say the oldest archaeological sites in the southernmost Bahamian archipelago from the Turks and Caicos Islands indicate human arrival likely by 700 A.D.

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Humans were present in Florida by 14,000 years ago, and until recently, it was believed the Bahamas located only a few miles away were not colonized until about 1,000 years ago. But new findings from a team including a Texas A&M University at Galveston researcher prove that the area was colonized earlier, and the new settlers dramatically changed the landscape.

Peter van Hengstum, associate professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Environment Science at Texas A&M-Galveston, and colleagues have had their findings published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

Researchers generated a new environmental record from the Blackwood Sinkhole, which is flooded with 120 feet of groundwater without dissolved oxygen. This is important because it has pristinely preserved organic material for the last 3,000 years. Using core samples and radiocarbon dating, the team examined charcoal deposits from human fires thousands of years ago, indicating that the first settlers arrived in the Bahamas sooner than previously thought.

The Bahamas were the last place colonized by people in the Caribbean region, and previous physical evidence indicated that it may have taken hundreds of years for indigenous people of the Bahamas called the Lucayans to move through the Bahamian archipelago that spans about 500 miles, van Hengstum said.

While people were present in Florida more than 14,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, he said, these people never crossed the Florida Straits to nearby Bahamian islands, only 50 to 65 miles away. Meanwhile, the Caribbean islands were populated by people migrating from South American northward. Van Hengstum said the oldest archaeological sites in the southernmost Bahamian archipelago from the Turks and Caicos Islands indicate human arrival likely by 700 A.D.

But in the northern Bahamian Great Abaco Island, the earliest physical evidence of human occupation are skeletons preserved in sinkholes and blueholes, he said. These two skeletons from Abaco date from 1200 to 1300 A.D. Our new record of landscape disturbance from people indicates that slash-and-burn agriculture likely began around 830 A.D., meaning the Lucayans rapidly migrated through the Bahamian archipelago in likely a century, or spanning just a few human generations.

The teams other findings show how the Lucayans changed the new land.

When the Lucayans arrived, Great Abaco Island was mostly covered with pine and palm forests, and had a unique reptile-dominated ecosystem of giant tortoises and crocodiles. Increased deforestation and burning allowed pine trees to colonize and out-compete native palms and hardwoods.

Large land reptiles began to disappear after 1000 A.D. A significant increase in intense regional hurricane activity around 1500 AD is thought to have caused considerable damage to the new pine tree forests, as indicated by a decrease in pine pollen in the sediment core.

The pollen record indicates that the pre-contact forest was not significantly impacted earlier in the record during known times when intense hurricane strike events were more frequent, van Hengstum said. In our current world where the intensity of the largest hurricanes is expected to increase over the coming decades, the current pine trees in the northern Bahamas may not be as resilient to environmental impacts of these changes in hurricane activity.

The study was funded by the National Science Foundation.

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Study: Bahamas Were Settled Earlier Than Believed - Texas A&M Today - Texas A&M University Today

Humans were present in Florida by 14,000 years ago, and until recently, it was believed The Bahamas located only a few km away were not colonized until about 1,000 years ago. New evidence indicates that Lucayans an Arawakan-speaking Tano people, whose name translates as island men in the native Arawakan language arrived in the northern Bahamas by about 830 CE after expanding rapidly throughout The Bahamas in less than 100 years.

Human arrival in the northern Bahamas: (A) Blackwood Sinkhole and key localities for inferring Lucayan migration patterns through The Bahamas; Churchs Bluehole provides pollen and charcoal evidence of late Holocene vegetation change; archaeological evidence from the Coralie Site (Grand Turk) and Three Dog Site (San Salvador) documents human arrival in the southern Bahamas by about 750 CE; red arrows highlight Lucayan migration in less than 100 years; (B) Blackwood Sinkhole and key sites providing evidence for Lucayan occupation on Great Abaco Island; (C) aerial photo of Blackwood Sinkhole showing proximity to the nearby wetlands and the Atlantic Ocean. Image credit: Fall et al., doi: 10.1073/pnas.2015764118.

The first explorers and settlers in the Caribbean islands were Amerindians from South America, who migrated north through the Lesser Antilles and eventually into the Bahamian archipelago.

At European contact, the inhabitants of The Bahamas were the Lucayans. It has been debated whether they originated from Cuba or Hispaniola, but a recent study suggests they migrated into the Bahamian archipelago from Hispaniola and Jamaica by 800 CE.

The earliest known Lucayan settlements in The Bahamas are the Three Dog Site on San Salvador, which was occupied from 600 to 900 CE, and the Coralie Site on Grand Turk, occupied 650 to 885 CE.

The Bahamas were the last place colonized by people in the Caribbean region, and previous physical evidence indicated that it may have taken hundreds of years for the Lucayans to move through the Bahamian archipelago that spans about 805 km (500 miles), said Dr. Peter van Hengstum, a researcher in the Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science and the Department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University.

While people were present in Florida more than 14,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, these people never crossed the Florida Straits to nearby Bahamian islands, only 80 to 105 km (50-65 miles) away.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean islands were populated by people migrating from South American northward.

The oldest archaeological sites in the southernmost Bahamian archipelago from the Turks and Caicos Islands indicate human arrival likely by 700 CE, he added.

But in the northern Bahamian Great Abaco Island, the earliest physical evidence of human occupation are skeletons preserved in sinkholes and blueholes.

These two skeletons from Abaco date from 1200 to 1300 CE. Our new record of landscape disturbance from people indicates that slash-and-burn agriculture likely began around 830 CE, meaning the Lucayans rapidly migrated through the Bahamian archipelago in likely a century, or spanning just a few human generations.

In the study, the researchers generated a new environmental record from the Blackwood Sinkhole, which is flooded with 36.5 m (120 feet) of groundwater without dissolved oxygen. This is important because it has pristinely preserved organic material for the last 3,000 years.

Using core samples and radiocarbon dating, they examined charcoal deposits from human fires thousands of years ago.

According to the team, the arrival of Lucayans by about 830 CE is demarcated by increased burning and followed by landscape disturbance and a shift from hardwoods and palms to the modern pine forest.

Considering that Lucayan settlements in the southern Bahamian archipelago are dated to about 750 CE, these results demonstrate that Lucayans spread rapidly through the archipelago in less than 100 years.

Although precontact landscapes would have been influenced by storms and climatic trends, the most pronounced changes follow more directly from landscape burning and ecosystem shifts after Lucayan arrival.

The pine forests of Abaco declined substantially between 1500 and 1670 CE, a period of increased regional hurricane activity, coupled with fires on an already human-impacted landscape.

The pollen record indicates that the pre-contact forest was not significantly impacted earlier in the record during known times when intense hurricane strike events were more frequent, Dr. van Hengstum said.

In our current world where the intensity of the largest hurricanes is expected to increase over the coming decades, the current pine trees in the northern Bahamas may not be as resilient to environmental impacts of these changes in hurricane activity.

The research is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

_____

Patricia L. Fall et al. 2021. Human arrival and landscape dynamics in the northern Bahamas. PNAS 118 (10): e2015764118; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2015764118

Excerpt from:

Humans Arrived in Northern Bahamas Earlier than Thought | Archaeology - Sci-News.com

Were not in Nashville anymore. Gin-clear turquoise water lapping on sugar-white sandy beaches. Palm trees gently swaying in the breeze. Clocks firmly set to island time. Only the sound of squawking parrots disturbs the tranquility.

When country music power couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw went looking for a slice of paradise to chill on in 2003, they found it in the heart of the Exuma island chain in the Bahamas.

At the time, Lle dAngesor Angelss Island was a 20-acre chunk of uninhabited and undeveloped rock. Nine long years later, they had transformed it into a laid-back, easy-going family escape.

The best place in the world is how the duo describes the island. Every time we land the plane and walk on to the beach up to the house, we turn to each other and say This is the best place in the world, McGraw told Architectural Digest for a 2017 cover story.

What youll see from the sea plane as you fly in.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

Now, 17 years after snapping up Lle dAnges, the two have decided to sell, listing it with international brokers Knight Frank with a $35 million asking. Potential buyers should take flip-flops for viewings.

It really is heaven on earth, listing broker Edward de Mallet Morgan tells Robb Report. Flying in by seaplane, seeing the color of the water and then having your toes in the sand is just the start of the tropical-living lifestyle that Lle dAnges offers.

The front entrance and lookout tower.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

While there are a number of islands in the Bahamas for sale, its rare to have one totally turn key. The owners have kept it as their own five-star resort, ready at the drop of a hat for them to arrive.

The 6,500-square-foot main house sits high in the center of the island, just steps from sandy beaches on either side. Architecturally, it comprises eight separate pavilions, each connected by a series of breezy, open-air tiled walkways.

Designed by Tennessee-based architects Bobby McAlpine and partner Greg Tankersleythey worked on the Hill-McGraws homes in Nashville and Franklin, Tenn.the pair created a home designed for indoor-outdoor living.

The pool terrace.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

As Hill told AD: We wanted to feel connected to the outside. When the breeze comes through the room, its just life changing. It really is! Its something for the soul.

That means full, side-to-side-opening glass windows in each of the four bedrooms and a massive full-width, glass-paneled, roll-up door in the main living area, with jaw-dropping views across the pool to the sea.

The tucked-away primary suite opens to the elements on two sides and features soaring ceilings with dramatic cross-hatched beams. A huge private patio comes with its own outdoor soaking tub.

The kitchen opens to the dining area.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

One especially cool feature of the home is its overflow accommodations. During the long, difficult build process, two large, yurt-style tents were erected on a beachside teak deck. The couple stayed here during site visits and decided to keep them.

Kids love them, as do the adults. Water is literally lapping at the front door, explains Knight Franks Morgan. And theyre pretty serious structures having gone through a couple of hurricanes.

The spacious chefs kitchen is meant for entertaining.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

For outdoor fun, the island features 1.3 miles of ocean frontageperfect for kayak or snorkeling adventureswhile a private dock accommodates a few fishing boats and jetskis. Want to look for pirates of the Caribbean? The homes Moroccan-style observation bell tower provides 360-degree views.

Because Lle dAnges has to be totally self-sufficient, the northern end the island is dedicated to generators and water desalination facilities. Theyre serviced by a small staff who live on the island full time in three stylish cottages. Fuel and provisions come in by barge.

The living room.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

Of course, if you run out of Dom Perignon on any given visit, you could try calling your neighbor, magician David Copperfield, who owns Musha Cay, a quick speedboat ride away.

As for getting to Lle dAngesalso known less glamorously as Goat Cayits a 90-minute flight from Miami to Exuma International or a 60-minute seaplane ride from Nassau.

The beauty of Lle dAnges is that its available today and livable today, says Morgan. Many people dream of an island but dont want to spend the next 10 years developing it. Take a video tour of the island here.

The cozy family room.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

The primary bedroom suite.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

The primary suite has its own private patio with soaking tub.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

The compound consists of eight living pavilions.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

It doesnt get more private than this.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

Inside one of the guest yurts.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

The yurts sit right at the waters edge.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

Another of the estates pavilions.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

The perfect place to toast the sunset.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

The home surrounds the outdoor space.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

Angels Island.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

Your jet skis await.Photo: Brett Davis/Knight Frank

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Home of the Week: Faith Hill and Tim McGraws Private Island in the Bahamas Lists for $35 Million - Robb Report

TORONTO When it comes to love, where theres a will theres a way and The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation has proven just that with its first-ever virtual expo.

The two-day From The Bahamas With Love event kicked off yesterday, March 3, with over 1,000 travel agents tuning in for an afternoon of breakout sessions that further solidified The Bahamas reputation for being a leading romance and wedding destination. The events second day, set for March 10, will be open to consumers including future brides and grooms.

Though the global pandemic has forced the Ministry to go virtual with this years expo, the decision to go ahead with the event reflects the destinations ability to adapt to current times, says the Hon. Dionisio DAguilar, Minister of Tourism & Aviation for The Bahamas.

Dionisio DAguilar, Minister of Tourism & Aviation for the Bahamas

Change is inevitable, life dictates it, therefore we must anticipate it and position ourselves to embrace it, he says in his opening address. In adapting to the new regime brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Bahamas Ministry for Tourism & Aviation quickly took action and made the necessary adjustments and re-strategized to ensure a smooth and seamless transition from the old to the new.

Health and safety protocols that have been put in place since The Bahamas fully reopened to tourists last October include negative PCR testing prior to arrival on the island, a mandatory Bahamas Travel Health Visa that includes COVID Health Insurance, and a rapid COVID-19 antigen test if staying in The Bahamas longer than four nights. Plus, Bahamian hotels must now adhere to the islands new Clean & Pristine Certification Program and verify at check-in that all guests have a negative PCR or antigen test and agree to comply with physical distancing measures and face mask requirements.

When asked whether romantic escapes are still possible with all these safety protocols in place, Ellison Tommy Thompson, Deputy Director General, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation tells Travelweek that they absolutely are.

Ellison Tommy Thompson, Deputy Director General, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation

Masks are only required when in larger social situations, like going through the airport for example. If a couple is strolling hand in hand down the beach, masks arent necessary, he says. The romance and wedding sector is a very important component to The Bahamas. Our many islands and cays make it an ideal destination for a romantic vacation, destination wedding or honeymoon.

With the rollout of global vaccines, Thompson adds that the Ministry of Tourism is feeling optimistic about the future. Prior to the pandemic, The Bahamas was seeing strong arrivals from all markets, including Canada; the destination finished the year with a respectable 44,000 Canadian visitors, despite momentarily closing its borders and Canadas stringent travel restrictions.

Once travel picks up again, we believe that The Bahamas is perfectly situated to welcome back visitors to our shores who are seeking a warm-weather destination thats not too far from home, says Thompson. We are definitely open for tourists and look forward to welcoming Canadians back The Islands of the Bahamas when Canadians are able to travel again.

Here are some key insights from yesterdays panel session titled A New Take On Romantic Travel, hosted by Alan Berg of Wedding Business Solutions and featuring Lisa Sheldon, Co-Founder of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Specialists Association (DWHSA), David Woods, President and Founder of Association of Bridal Consultants, and Danielle Andrews, Co-Founder and President or Wedding Planners Institute of Canada:

SHIFTING TRENDS

When asked how she anticipates the romance and weddings market to change as a result of the pandemic, Andrews said shes seeing more and more couples who were previously considering homebound weddings now opting for a destination wedding instead.

It used to be among millennials, wed have 35% of them doing destination weddings. That numbers way higher now because couples want to spend that time with family and friends now, and so were seeing more people shift to destination weddings, she said.

Andrews also noted that wedding couples are staying longer in destination, from 3-4 days to 7-10 days, because its such a big deal to travel right now and theyre going to make it worth their while.

One other notable outcome of the pandemic is the fact that many hotels and resorts arent as heavily staffed now as they adhere to strict safety and distancing protocols. But the upside to this, said Andrews, is more personalization for individual weddings since properties are no longer able to accommodate multiple ceremonies at once.

Clockwise from top left-Alan Berg, Lisa Sheldon, David Woods and Danielle Andrews

GET ON SOCIAL

All speakers were in agreement: its imperative for wedding planners and destination wedding specialists to be active on social media, now more than ever. Said Andrews: People just arent utilizing social media enough but thats where the wedding couples are and they are utilizing it.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest are not only useful for sharing relevant information about destinations, resorts and wedding processes, but they also give planners the opportunity to share their own personalities with clients.

Couples really want to connect with you, they want to see you and are really checking you out. They want to see that the process is going to be fun and are looking for people who give them good vibes and have all the knowledge that they need during this time because its more stressful than its ever been to plan a wedding in another country, said Andrews.

DWHSAs Sheldon shared how during a trip to Costa Rica in November, she made sure to share the experience of going through airport security, checking into a resort, getting her temperature taken and dining at local restaurants on her social media.

Its so important to let our clients know that it is okay to travel and that there are destinations that are very proactive, said Sheldon, adding that she felt more comfortable at her resort in Costa Rica than she does at a local store in her hometown. They need to know were still there for them when they are ready to travel.

STAY INFORMED

When describing how the role of a wedding planner has changed from pre-pandemic to now, Woods stressed the importance of education.

It used to be just grab your swimsuit and sunscreen but now its grab your swimsuit, sunscreen and a hard copy of your clean COVID test, he said. What a planner can do is start as early as they can and educate the client. Make sure you also get your professional credentials and keep learning and earning. Its a little bit of a different environment but its still fabulous.

Sheldon added that due to travel restrictions and requirements changing almost daily from one destination to another, planners need to do everything they can to stay up to date with all relevant information by reading news briefs from the travel trade and attending virtual conferences as often as they can. The last thing you want to do is provide wrong information or no information at all to clients, she said.

For the most up-to-date information on travel to The Bahamas go to https://www.bahamas.com/tourism-reopening.

Continued here:

The Bahamas kicks off first-ever virtual romance expo with over 1,000 travel agents - Travelweek

The Bahamas will bring its signature romance and one-of-a-kind destination experiences to the virtual world.

With the engagement of the travel trade and consumer segments, through the introduction of a newly improved Bahamas Specialist Program, Webinar Series, Virtual Familiarization Trips and Bahamas Virtual Expos, attendees can best share the beauty and story of the islands with ease.

In an effort to close the sales gaps in a mobile friendly and intuitive digital learning environment, TIOTB have entered a multi-year partnership with TravPRO Mobile.

"With the onset of the pandemic last year, we had to quickly pivot and adapt to a virtual environment in order to promote and fuel travel desire of The Bahamas to our trade and consumer audiences. Our global sales team collaborated and created a series of exciting virtual events and training initiatives, and we're seeing phenomenal results," said Bridgette King, Executive Director-Global Sales and Marketing, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation.

Deputy Director General, Ellison "Tommy" Thompson, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation, added that "We quickly realized that despite the pandemic, we had to remain relevant and top-of-mind in the global travel space, so that when the appropriate protocols were in place and it was safe to travel, The Bahamas would be included in consumers' vacation plans. Our virtual events and training modules which are executed on TravPRO and other virtual platforms allow us to accomplish this."

While The Bahamas has previously hosted a virtual Dive Expo with the company, the upcoming Virtual Romance Expo will be the first to include networking booths, live experiences, workshops, speakers and breakout panel sessions with local and international experts in the industry.

The event will not only supply information about the destination, but also transport any attendee to TIOTB in more ways than imaginable.

Travel trade professionals and consumers seeking expert advice or ideas on planning romance themed events or getaways, can now register for The Bahamas' very first Virtual Romance Expo scheduled for March 3 and 10, 2021.

Travel Trade (March 3): https://www.bahamas.com/from-the-bahamas-with-love-tradeConsumer (March 10): https://www.bahamas.com/from-the-bahamas-with-love-consumer

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

PRESS INQUIRIESChivvaun SmithBahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation[emailprotected]

SOURCE The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation

http://www.bahamas.com

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The Bahamas Goes Virtual - Sharing Island Romance in a Modern World - PRNewswire

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New research finds that people settled the Bahamas earlier than scientists thought.

Humans were present in Florida by 14,000 years ago, and until recently, it was believed the Bahamaslocated only a few miles awaywere not colonized until about 1,000 years ago. The new findings, however, prove that the area was colonized earlier, and the new settlers dramatically changed the landscape.

As reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers generated a new environmental record from the Blackwood Sinkhole, which is flooded with 120 feet of groundwater without dissolved oxygen.

This is important because it has pristinely preserved organic material for the last 3,000 years. Using core samples and radiocarbon dating, the team examined charcoal deposits from human fires thousands of years ago, indicating that the first settlers arrived in the Bahamas sooner than previously thought.

The Bahamas were the last place colonized by people in the Caribbean region, and previous physical evidence indicated that it may have taken hundreds of years for indigenous people of the Bahamascalled the Lucayansto move through the Bahamian archipelago that spans about 500 miles, says Peter van Hengstum, associate professor in the marine and coastal environment science department at Texas A&M-Galveston.

While people were present in Florida more than 14,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, van Hengstum says, these people never crossed the Florida Straits to nearby Bahamian islands, only 50 to 65 miles away.

Meanwhile, people migrating from South American northward populated the Caribbean islands. Van Hengstum says the oldest archaeological sites in the southernmost Bahamian archipelago from the Turks and Caicos Islands indicate human arrival likely by 700 CE.

But in the northern Bahamian Great Abaco Island, the earliest physical evidence of human occupation are skeletons preserved in sinkholes and blueholes, he says. These two skeletons from Abaco date from 1200 to 1300 CE.

Our new record of landscape disturbance from people indicates that slash-and-burn agriculture likely began around 830 CE, meaning the Lucayans rapidly migrated through the Bahamian archipelago in likely a century, or spanning just a few human generations.

The teams other findings show how the Lucayans changed the new land.

When the Lucayans arrived, Great Abaco Island was mostly covered with pine and palm forests, and had a unique reptile-dominated ecosystem of giant tortoises and crocodiles. Increased deforestation and burning allowed pine trees to colonize and out-compete native palms and hardwoods.

Large land reptiles began to disappear after 1000 CE. Researchers believe a significant increase in intense regional hurricane activity around 1500 CE caused considerable damage to the new pine tree forests, as indicated by a decrease in pine pollen in the sediment core.

The pollen record indicates that the pre-contact forest was not significantly impacted earlier in the record during known times when intense hurricane strike events were more frequent, van Hengstum says.

In our current world where the intensity of the largest hurricanes is expected to increase over the coming decades, the current pine trees in the northern Bahamas may not be as resilient to environmental impacts of these changes in hurricane activity.

The National Science Foundation funded the work.

Source: Texas A&M University

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Humans settled the Bahamas earlier than we thought - Futurity: Research News

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest guidance before travelling. Our writer visited these hotels prior to the pandemic.

With world-class, powder-soft sandy strands, the 700-island archipelago of the Bahamas is a magical fly-and-flop holiday destination. But the islands offer much else besides beaches, including outstanding deep-sea fishing, diving and bird-watching. Our pick of the best all-inclusive hotels in the Bahamas come in all sizes and styles, from vast resorts with every facility to a chic private island retreat and a small-scale, diving-oriented property. Their locations are very varied too from right in the thick of things on developed Paradise Island, to remote spots on Andros, San Salvador and Great Exuma, all in the Out Islands.

You wont find a better Bahamas all-inclusive location than the Riu Palace's, halfway along Cabbage Beach nearAtlantis a spot for which guests at neighbouring resorts pay upwards of four times as much. Dcor is typical of the Spanish chains Caribbean beach resorts: a bold combination of competing colours and eclectic styles.Five restaurants and two bars keep hunger at bay, and theres a gym, beach volleyball court and a beauty salon. But the action predictably revolves around two pools (the smaller of the two, an oceanfront infinity pool with a swim-up bar, is a guest magnet) and the superb beach a wide, mile-long strand with pillowy ivory sands and turquoise Atlantic waters.

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The best all-inclusive hotels in the Bahamas, from value-packed resorts to boutique diving properties - The Telegraph

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas is trailblazing, and "setting the pace for the Caribbean" in workplace relations, by moving to the next stage in the International Labour Organisations (ILO) decent work initiative.

Robert Farquharson, chairman of the National Tripartite Council, which deals with all labour and workplace-related matters, told a Zoom meeting: The decent work country programme (DWCP) is a tool used by the ILO to regulate the relationship between the Government of The Bahamas and the ILO.

"The first decent work country programme was established here in The Bahamas in April 2009, and it set the stage for the relationship between the Government of The Bahamas and the ILO, and how the ILO helps the working people of The Bahamas.

The DWCP is what the ILO uses as the main vehicle for delivering support to countries. It promotes decent work as a key component of national development strategies, while helping to facilitate dialogue between trade unions and the Government.

Mr Farquharson added: The Bahamas has again become trailblazers in this, and we are at a point to set the pace for the rest of the Caribbean region.

The National Tripartite Council last year teamed with the Ministry of Labour for an analysis that took a comprehensive look at the world of work in The Bahamas". Mr Farquharson added: We identified a number of priorities. The four principles of decent work are creation of employment and jobs, social dialogue, social protection, and fundamental rights of work.

Peter Goudie, the National Tripartite Council's deputy chairman, said: The purpose of the country diagnostic is to provide an objective assessment of the current situation pertaining to decent work in The Bahamas.

One of the key focuses of the diagnostic was to look at the wider national development context in The Bahamas This is especially important as the DCWP aims to fit within and contribute to the national development objectives.

We first looked at jobs in the labour market, which is a key area of focus. We looked at jobs and skills. We especially looked at unemployment and, even more importantly, youth unemployment.

Mr Goudie said the analysis also looked at skills mismatches and shortages, and the ease of getting jobs. He added: These affect job creation, productivity, enterprise development, diversity of the economy, and support of sustainable economic growth.

"We also focused especially on small and medium-sized enterprises. We then looked at rights at work in social dialogue, and we have a very strong legal framework.There's a strong commitment to social dialogue, especially with the NTC, because we have roots from both the workers, the employers and government. However, there's always opportunity for further strengthening.

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Bahamas a 'trailblazer' for workplace relations - Bahamas Tribune

Dear Prime Minister Minnis,

As ecotourism operators and organizations whose businesses rely on healthy oceans and wildlife, we are concerned about the news that The Bahamas is considering offshore drilling on nearly four million acres of ocean wilderness near sensitive habitats. We respectfully urge you to ban offshore drilling, cancel existing licenses and move The Bahamas economy to one based on protecting nature instead of exploiting it. We know from BP Deep Horizon, when you drill, you spill.

The oil industry is in decline globally as renewable energy grows. This drilling would be a big risk both to the economy of the country as well as its environment. An oil spill would be disastrous for the tourism industry in the country, which is already reeling from the pandemic and generates 50 percent of the countrys GDP. Drilling would risk Bahamas extraordinary ocean wildlife, including dolphins, sea turtles and others. The Cay Sal Marine Managed Area and Andros West Side National Park are critical protected areas that would be put at risk of an accident. We stand with Sea Turtle Conservancy and Our Islands, Our Future in their effort to encourage a more sustainable and healthy Bahamas, for its residents and visitors who come to enjoy the beautiful country.

Signed:

SEE Turtles

KarmaQuest Ecotourism and Adventure Travel LLC

Altruvistas

EcoTeach

Natural Habitat Adventures

Bougainville Experience Tours

Adventure Smith

Greenspot Travel

Tourism Cares

Smart Dive Travel

Hidden Treasures Tours

Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance

Animal Experiences International

Purposeful Nomad

Evolved Traveler

Oceanic Society

Pelagic Dive Travel

Walking the World

Tribes Tailormade Travel

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Letter to the PM: Tour operators letter on Bahamas oil exploration - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Bahamas has the highest on-time filing rates for value-added tax (VAT) in the region, a new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) study laying out key fiscal and financial reforms has revealed.

In the book entitled Economic Institutions for a Resilient Caribbean, it was noted that in order to build resilience against external shocks and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Caribbean countries must advance key fiscal and financial reforms.

The IDB study revealed that on-time filing rates across Caribbean countries vary, with The Bahamas having the highest on-time filing rate of 75 percent, while Guyana has the lowest at 43 percent.

It was noted that Jamaica has a relatively steady percentage of on-time filing across tax types of between 65 and 67 percent. Trinidad and Tobago also has a high percentage of on-time filing rates for the VAT with 73 percent. The average in the Caribbean is 60 percent.

It was noted that the IT system DataTorque has contributed to the successful implementation of VAT in The Bahamas.

The system allows users to register for a free user account for various tax types, communicate with the tax office by sending and receiving messages, manage tax accounts, submit tax filings, make payments, amend filings and request changes to taxpayer information, it was noted.

It was also noted, however, that Guyana, The Bahamas and Suriname should consider establishing a special organizational unit devoted to preparing economic studies like the ones in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

In general, these units should include a specialized analytical team focused on tax collection trends, monitoring the hidden economy, revenue yields from audits, understanding taxpayer behavior and providing input to government budgeting processes of tax revenue forecasting and estimation, it was noted.

For these matters, strong inter-institutional coordination is needed along with the use of tools made available through digitization.

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Bahamas has highest on-time VAT filing rates in the region, IDB study reveals - EyeWitness News