information on the bahamas
Bahama Islands News, Articles and Information
BHCAWU elections
The Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union should not be left to languish for too much longer without a person being in charge, who can definitively lay claim to the presidency. If that state of affairs were allowed to continue, it could eventually lead to chaos and a breakdown in the orderliness of the union's business.The general election for the officers three weeks ago ended in a tie vote for the leadership and up to now new date has been set for a runoff to determine conclusively who the president should be.
The incumbent president, Pat Bain, is in a tenuous position having lost his executive slate, except for the general secretary, and the other elected officials have categorically stated that they want him gone.
Technically, Mr Bain is still the president as he did not lose the position, but he will forever be between the proverbial rock and hard place when it comes to getting his programmes moving.
Drug culture still Very Much Alive
Many who visit the isles of The Bahamas see the crystal clear waters and miles of sandy white beaches, but deep in its underbelly lies a culture riddled with drug smuggling that has spanned decades.Drug running in the country was placed under an intense media spotlight in the early eighties and according to many experts, the illegal practice is still flourishing. Today, they claim that the country's close proximity to the United States has made it a major drop-off point and "hub" for drugs that are headed into the U.S.
But what is believed to be the biggest deterrent to drug smuggling, came just two years later.
Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos was started in 1982 as a joint US, Bahamian and British effort to interdict the flow of illegal drugs into and through the 100,000-square-mile area, while at the same time assisting the islands' police and military forces in drug-control operations.
Lovers of living on the edge
Widespread Panic percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz says one of the requirements for being in the band is to enjoy a big element of musical unpredictability."We like living on the edge," Ortiz said in a recent phone interview.
"I think that was one of the requirements of joining the band, that you wanted to live on the edge. And it's still a barrel of fun for all of us."
Ortiz has certainly seen that outlook play out night after night on stage, where the band changes sets nightly and is known for jams that take songs to new and unexpected places on a regular basis.
With the band's new CD, "Earth To America," Widespread Panic more than ever also took the notion of living on the edge into the studio.
For the first time after eight previous studio albums, the band left its home base of Athens, Ga., for recording and went to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record "Earth To America."
The group also took a break from working with longtime producer John Keane to work with Terry Manning on the CD.
Minister Nottage wants more doctors to practice medicine in Family ...
NASSAU Health and National Insurance Minister Senator Dr. Bernard J. Nottage made a special call earlier this week for specialist family practitioners and trained public health physicians to practice in the Family Islands.The Minister's appeal came during the induction and awards ceremony for the graduating class of 2006 of the University of the West Indies School for Clinical, Medicine and Research, Bahamas Campus, at Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Spa.
The Minister noted there are only two Bahamian physicians at the 90 public health clinics in operation in the Family Islands.
"As these islands experience economic growth due to substantial investments, there will be an influx of people, goods and animals through the many ports of entry.
Koopmann and Kuhl Present Piano/Vocal Concert
The Rev. Robert Koopmann, OSB, pianist and professor of music at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint Johns University, and Brian Kuhl, tenor, will present a program of solo piano music and music for tenor and piano at 7 p.m., Sunday, July 2, in the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater at SJU.The music will include piano solos by Bach, Mozart, Koopmann and Ginastera, and songs of Robert Schumann and Mendelssohn, as well as arrangements of several African American spirituals. The concert is sponsored by the Saint John's School of Theology∙Seminary and the CSB/SJU music department. It is free and open to the public.
Koopmann has performed frequently as pianist and organist around the country, in Europe, Africa and the Bahamas. This year he performed in Minnesota, Wisconsin, California and Tanzania, East Africa.
Kuhl, a native of Sartell and a graduate of SJU and The St.
I-Group gets 20-year break
The government has given the I-Group 20 years of concessions and exemptions, which could be extended upon the request of the company.Minister of Financial Ser-vices and Investments Vin-cent Peet on Wednesday revealed the details of the Heads of Agreement signed on March 7 between the government and the Massachuse-tts-based company.
The group is planning to build a $1.8 billion resort and condominium project in May-aguana, and fund the development of much needed infrastructure on that remote sout-heastern island.
The project is being made possible through a 50/50 joint venture agreement with The Bahamas government, the first of its kind.
"Recognising the considerable benefits that will accrue from the development of The Bahamas, the government has agreed to grant to the Mayag-uana Island Developers Ltd and its licensees, in respect of the development, the concessions and exemptions for a period of 20 years," said Mr Peet, during his contribution to the government's 2006/07 Budget debate in the House of Assembly.
The 'phenomenal' growth of Freeport 1955 – 1975
A recent editorial in The Freeport News suggested that Freeport has enjoyed 'phenomenal' growth over the past several decades and certainly when Hutchison arrived, the harbour and the hospitality industry received a boost but how does this compare with Freeport's early years?Everything is relative, of course, but I wonder if 'phenomenal' is the right word for the development of the last few decades? For instance, let us compare the recent development to the first two decades of the Freeport venture. From 1955 to 1975, an interlude of a mere 20 years, Freeport grew out of a virgin pine forest to become the undisputed second city of The Bahamas.
A check list of the milestones of these early years is illuminating:
* A major deepwater harbour the most commodious in The Bahamas was constructed by Daniel K.
Toronto: Exciting Picnic by MAC on June 24
Toronto, 19 June 2006: The Mangalorean Association of Canada invites the young, the seniors, families and friends to participate in their 5th Annual Picnic on June 24, 2006 at the Meadowvale Conservation Park, Area B & C. The fun starts at 11.00 am and ends at 6.00 pm when you are ready to drop from exhaustion.The perfect picnic requires sunny weather with a touch of cool breeze, enthusiastic people, food and drink, exciting games and prizes and Tim Horton Tea. Add a Water Balloon game and heave ho with the Tug O War and you have the perfect picnic.
Two generous benefactors with a desire to assist the community have agreed to sponsor the entrance fee for the picnic. The sponsors are: Flavian Pinto, an investments and insurance solutions advisor with Clarica (www.clarica.com/flavian.pinto) and Raymond DAlmeida of Raitech Automation & Electric Inc.