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Tuesday, sepTember 22, 2026
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Mortgage Corp woes slash low-cost home own to 23% BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE BAHAMAS Mortgage Corporation’s deficiencies have forced a $50m affordable homes initiative targeted at helping low and middle income Bahamian families to double the number of rentals to 77 percent of all planned new units. Assessments by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which have been analysed by Tribune Business, reveal that the Government-owned mortgage financier’s existing financial weaknesses mean it simply cannot provide enough loans to increase the number of units available for purchase/ownership beyond 23 percent. The ‘Sustainable housing opportunities for urban transformation’ project had targeted two-thirds, or 65 percent, of new homes constructed or made available being put up for sale to Bahamian affordable home buyers. However, the situation at the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation has forced it to trim and revise its ambitions. An IDB report, revealing that the $50m project is to be implemented over a six-year period, said: “The programme is being prepared by the Government of The Bahamas with financing from IDB to improve
$50m housing project forced to raise rentals from 35% to 77%
Aiming to develop 105 buildings and up to 485 affordable units
access to adequate housing for low to middle income households in The Bahamas, guided by three specific objectives.” These were identified as “strengthening institutional capacity and the regulatory framework for adequate housing; increasing the supply of adequate housing; and expanding access to housing improvement solutions for the existing stock”. The second of these three goals involves increasing the housing supply “via serviced lots for private investment, direct construction and rehabilitation of underused or abandoned units”. However, confirming the shift from home ownership to rentals, or rentto-own, the IDB paper disclosed: “The rental share of new solutions was raised from 35 percent to 77 percent since the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation currently can't
BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
FIFTEEN of the 17 merchants charged with violating price control laws and regulations over the past year have pleaded guilty, it was revealed yesterday, as officials prepare to launch the second phase of a price comparison app aiming to giving consumers better value for money. Rex Adderley, the Department of Consumer Affairs head, said 15 of the 17 cases taken to the Magistrate’s Court over Price Control Act breaches have been completed, with all store owners involved pleading guilty, while two cases remain pending. “Out of 17 stores that we took to Magistrate’s Court, 15 of those store owners pleaded guilty,” Mr Adderley said. “And we have two cases still pending.” He added that the Department has also been receiving complaints involving retailers displaying one price on an item or shelf yet charging another at the cash register. These merchants are then allegedly refusing to honour the lower price, and selling goods at prices deemed excessive. Mr Adderley said the Department has seen the greatest number of complaints involving smaller “mom and pop” stores, while noting a growing presence of foreign nationals operating grocery businesses. “We find that the ‘mom and pops’, we find that they generate most of the complaints,” Mr Adderley said. “And what we have also noticed is that we have a lot of foreigners now who are getting into the grocery selling business.” Mr Adderley stressed, however, that nationality does not affect enforcement. “The law is the law,” he said. “And we approach it the same way whether you’re a foreigner or Bahamian.” Mr Adderley added that many of the newer operators are selling food, snacks and other grocery items, while some traditional Bahamian-owned stores have been sold or their owners have stepped away from the sector. The Department estimates it has received roughly 20 to 25 consumer complaints over
A GRAND Bahama aggregate supplier is pledging to invest a further $9m to expand production and fill the void created by Bahama Rock’s temporary shutdown through servicing contractors and “all of the local needs in The Bahamas”. Gregory Moss, attorney for Freeport Aggregates, revealed in a September 16, 2026, letter to Jobeth Coleby-Davis,
minister of energy, utilities and aviation, that it is targeting the 2027 third quarter for completion of its planned capacity expansion which will create 20 new jobs in positions such as dragline operations, quality control technicians, maintenance technicians and fixed equipment technicians. He added that the project, if it proceeds, will take Freeport Aggregates’ post-Hurricane Dorian investment to $19m - including $10m spent by the company on rebuilding its plant. However, Mr
Gov’t needs $124m June surplus to hit goal; $91m end-May deficit MP sceptical NIF’s $311m outlay included in capital expenditures BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE OPPOSITION yesterday charged that the $29.2m monthly Budget surplus shown for May 2026 is “fiscal engineering at its finest” and “not even worth the paper they are printed on” given the ongoing National Investment Fund (NIF) controversy. Dr Duane Sands, the Free National Movement (FNM) chairman, told
THE GOVERNMENT is preparing to introduce new technology and strengthen education and enforcement measures to help tourists identify legitimate watersports operators after an American visitor was allegedly assaulted by a man purporting to be a licensed jet ski operator. Leon Lundy, minister of transport, said the man accused of punching Ohio resident, Briana Bazel, in the face was not an authorised jet ski operator and did not possess an authentic Port Department identification badge. “Well, let me just say firstly about the allegation, I actually do feel sorry for the lady with the event, and I want anybody in that type of event to go ahead and report it to police first,” Mr
Tribune Business that the Government “can take that surplus… and file it some place where the sun doesn’t shine” after the Ministry of Finance revealed figures showing that total government revenues, including tax income, exceeded all public spending for May. This helped narrow the deficit for the first 11 months of the now-closed 2025-2026 fiscal year to $91.4m - a sum that leaves it needing to achieve a
FINANCIALS - See Page B4
BAHAMA ROCK EXPANSION Moss’s letter signalled that the company needs to acquire additional land to facilitate its expansion, and meet The Bahamas’ domestic aggregate supply needs as well as export orders.
Tourist-punch accused ‘not authentic’ operator BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net
KWASI THOMPSON
Opposition asserts ‘fiscal engineering at finest’ given NIF battles
LIVEABLE - See Page B4
BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net
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May’s $29m surplus ‘not worth the paper it’s been printed on’
mortgage finance more for-sale units than that.” The IDB, in an earlier study, cited the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation’s “inefficiencies and under-capitalisation” as a particular impediment to improving home ownership access for families since its mandate is to provide mortgage financing for the very income groups struggling to purchase housing. The study said it is only capable or originating $2m-$3m in new mortgages per month - between one-sixth to one-third of the $12m required by already-qualified borrowers. However, given what the IDB described as the risk aversion of commercial banks and other private lenders to financing mortgages for low and lower middle income Bahamians, it warned the project has little choice
Rival pledges $9m outlay to fill Bahama Rock void
COSTS - See Page B5
DR DUANE SANDS
Reforms seek to create two new public sector housing agencies
Price controls: 15 stores plead guilty
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Lundy said. “For the Port LEON LUNDY Department, the alleged gentleman that is involved, he didn’t have an authentic badge. He isn’t an official jet ski operator, and the police are doing their investigations now.” Ms Bazel reported that she and a friend encountered the man at Goodman’s Bay after an online jet ski excursion they had booked was cancelled. She said the man presented himself as a legitimate jet ski operator and tour guide, showed what appeared to be an identification badge and offered the women a package including sightseeing and jet ski rides. Ms Bazel alleged that later that night, after she rejected his
SAFETY - See Page B5
The document, which has been seen by Tribune Business, did not identify the property Freeport Aggregates is seeking to purchase but referenced previous correspondence with
SUPPLY - See Page B5
PAGE 2, Tuesday, September 22, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Aviation chief hails Mexico airlift expansion ‘landmark’ THE Government’s aviation chief yesterday hailed Aeroméxico’s decision to launch direct non-stop service to Nassau as a “landmark airlift expansion” that will use Mexico City as a gateway to the 670 million-strong Latin American market. Dr Kenneth Romer, the director of aviation and deputy tourism director-general, in response to Tribune Business inquiries said it had taken “years of negotiations” to create the first-ever non-stop link between Mexico and The Bahamas. Aeromexico will launch the route on March 19, 2027, with three flights per week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “The service marks the first scheduled connection between Mexico and The Bahamas, and perhaps one of the most significant expansions of
The Bahamas' airlift network into Latin America to-date,” Dr Romer told this newspaper. “This new route gives The Bahamas direct access to one of the hemisphere's most important aviation gateways and Mexico - the second-largest economy in Latin America, and one of the region's most important outbound travel markets with nominal gross domestic product (GDP) for 2025-2026 estimated at almost $2trn. “This first scheduled nonstop service strengthens our international connectivity, improves access from Mexico and the wider region, and supports a broader tourism and aviation strategy to diversify source markets, broaden economic opportunities for Bahamians and drive sustainable long-term tourism growth.”
Dr Romer said the route will be operated by Aeroméxico’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which has a 166seat capacity. He added that it will provide connections via Mexico City to more than 45 destinations across Mexico, Central and South America, and Asia. “This milestone is the result of the collaborative partnership between the Nassau Airport Development Company, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas, Nassau Flight Services, the Airport Authority and other supporting tourism, aviation and inter-agency stakeholders,” he added. Aeroméxico, in a statement, said the flights to Nassau will depart Mexico City at 9.10am and arrive at 3pm, with departure from Lynden Pindling
GBPA investment chief: Capture more activity around cargo ports A senior Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) executive says Bahamian and Caribbean ports should look beyond simply increasing cargo volumes to instead capture more of the economic activity surrounding this trade. Derek Newbold, chief investment officer in the GBPA’s business development department, told a panel discussion at the recent tenth Caribbean Infrastructure Forum (CARIF): “We shouldn't so much be focusing on how much more cargo we can get into our ports. The focus is how can we now capture some of that economic value when the cargo and the commerce
is actually moving through our region.” That opportunity, Mr Newbold said, includes investment in cold-chain storage, warehousing, distribution and assembly facilities, maritime services and resilient energy infrastructure. He added that attractive infrastructure projects should strengthen at least one of three areas - connectivity, resilience or competitiveness. Mr Newbold also said the distinction between infrastructure that is desirable and infrastructure that is genuinely bankable remains critical. Revenue certainty, predictable cash flows, regulatory certainty and effective public-private
sector engagement can all help move projects from ambition to execution. “Governments don't necessarily need to fund all of these investment projects, but the public sector plays a very important role in creating the right environment,” he added, pointing to policy clarity, transparent processes and functional regulatory systems as important components. Panellists said Caribbean ports have an opportunity to capture significantly more economic value from the trade, tourism and shipping activity already moving through the region. But doing so will require greater investment in
International Airport (LPIA) set for 4.15pm. The return flight will land at 6.30pm in Mexico. Both services are subject to government approval. "The addition of Jamaica and the Bahamas to our Caribbean route network reflects the commitment we maintain to offering our customers more travel options to world class destinations. These new routes will give passengers direct access to an outstanding tourism, culinary and cultural offering, while strengthening our connectivity from Mexico City,” said Giancarlo Mulinelli, senior vice-president of global sales at Aeroméxico. “We are very excited to further advance our international expansion strategy in the Caribbean. With the addition of The Bahamas to our network, we will provide corporate passengers
DR KENNETH ROMER
GLENYS HANNA-MARTIN
with new opportunities to strengthen commercial ties between both nations, while also expanding our portfolio of beach destinations and offering Mexican travellers more efficient connections to world class leisure destinations,” The Ministry of Tourism reiterates that the new route gives The Bahamas access to one of the hemisphere's most important aviation gateways, the second-largest Latin America economy and a key travel market. Travellers will no longer need to connect to The Bahamas through a third country, improving accessibility between two
vitakl tourism and business markets, while creating new opportunities for tourism, trade and investment. “Aeroméxico's decision to connect Mexico City and Nassau is a landmark step in expanding The Bahamas' reach across Latin America,” said Glenys Hanna Martin, minister of tourism. “This first scheduled nonstop service strengthens our international connectivity, improves access from Mexico and the wider region, and supports our strategy to diversify source markets, broaden economic opportunities for
modern infrastructure, energy systems and regional connectivity. The discussion on ‘The Port opportunity: Trade, tourism and energy hubs’, brought together port and infrastructure executives from across the region and internationally to examine how Caribbean facilities can evolve beyond their traditional roles into strategic hubs supporting trade, tourism, energy security and economic resilience. Moderated by Jeffrey Newton, CIBC Caribbean’s senior director of credit underwriting and portfolio management, the panel featured Mr Newbold; Mehmet Ali Deniz, Global Investment Holdings group chief strategy officer; Donna Marie Howe, Jamaica Bauxite Mining’s managing director; and Darwin Telemaque, Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority chief executive and Port Management Association of the Caribbean chairman. Mr Telemaque said modernisation has become particularly urgent as much of the Caribbean's port infrastructure dates back decades, while the demands being placed on those facilities continue to evolve. “Time to pay attention to the most critical assets you have on your islands. Put in the right investments and empower your industries,” he said. The Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority chief also pointed to the global maritime industry's energy
transition as a major economic opportunity for the Caribbean. With the region hosting a substantial share of the global cruise business, he said Caribbean ports should begin positioning themselves to provide the infrastructure and services vessels will increasingly require, including shore power, alternative fuel bunkering and improved waste management systems. “We have sun, we have wind, we have geothermal. We ought to start finding the investments to create fuels, to create bunkering hubs, to create the shore power we need,” Mr Telemaque said. Rather than every Caribbean destination attempting to provide every service, he suggested greater regional co-ordination could allow ports to develop specialised capabilities and complementary energy hubs. Ms Howe similarly stressed that modernisation cannot take place in isolation. With port upgrades requiring significant capital and long-term planning, she said governments, port operators, technical specialists, financiers and other stakeholders will need to work together on infrastructure that can respond to future trade and energy requirements. “We need to think about what that trading hub in the Caribbean is going to look like in 20 to 30 years, and it has to be done progressively,” Ms Howe said.
She also emphasised the wider role ports play in Caribbean societies, pointing to their importance not only for commerce but disaster response and recovery. Mr Deniz, meanwhile, highlighted the relationship between infrastructure investment and tourism growth, arguing that successful cruise port development requires attention to both physical capacity and the experience passengers have once they arrive. “You cannot create a great destination just by making great infrastructure. You also need to bring in activities to people,” he said. The discussion also highlighted opportunities to extract greater value from the cruise industry beyond passenger arrivals. These include locally supplying ships with food and other provisions, expanding waste management services, developing energy and bunkering capabilities, and creating pathways for more Caribbean people to work aboard cruise vessels in technical, engineering and leadership positions. Panellists agreed that the Caribbean's ports are more than gateways for ships and goods. With strategic investment and stronger regional co-ordination, they can increasingly become platforms for energy, logistics, tourism, trade and wider economic development. The conference was sponsored by sponsored by CIBC alongside KPMG.
FLYING - See Page B3
Bahamas must continually progress on aviation safety Dear Editor, I welcome Prime Minister Philip Davis’s recent public comments expressing confidence in aviation safety oversight in The Bahamas. Aviation safety deserves attention at the highest level of government, and political support for a strong regulatory and safety oversight system is important. My own concerns about aviation safety oversight are not new, nor are they directed at any particular government, minister or individual. For many years I have raised questions about accidents and serious incidents, illegal commercial operations, regulatory surveillance, implementation of safety recommendations and our continuing obligations under international aviation standards. The issue, therefore, should not simply be whether we have confidence in the system. The more useful question is: What does the evidence tell us about how effectively the system is working, and where can it be strengthened? The Bahamas, as a contracting state of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), has responsibilities under applicable international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
THE LETTER TO
EDITOR
CAPTAIN RANDY L. BUTLER ICAO’s safety oversight framework recognises that effective oversight requires more than legislation and regulations. It requires qualified technical personnel, appropriate resources, surveillance, resolution of safety concerns and the effective implementation of the state’s safety responsibilities. The Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAAB) has an important and difficult responsibility in this system. So does the independent Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA).
When the AAIA investigates an accident or serious incident, and identifies a safety deficiency, the purpose is not simply to determine what happened. The larger purpose is to help prevent recurrence. That distinction is important. A safety recommendation can be accepted, action can be taken and a recommendation can properly be closed. But aviation safety does not end with administrative closure. If similar hazards or circumstances subsequently appear, the appropriate safety question is whether the corrective action remained effective, whether the risk was adequately controlled, and whether additional measures are required. This is why accident and serious incident information should be viewed collectively, not merely as a series of unrelated events. Patterns matter. Recurring hazards matter. And follow-up matters. This principle is not unique to The Bahamas. It is fundamental to modern aviation safety management. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has similarly emphasised that accident investigations achieve their preventative purpose
SAFE - See Page B6
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, PAGE 3
Corporate income taxpayers triple Gov’ts initial projection BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net THE BAHAMAS has more than triple the number of corporate income taxpayers it initially forecast, a Cabinet minister revealed yesterday, as the Government moves to attract more wealthy individuals to domicile in this nation. Jerome Fitzgerald, minister of economic affairs, said the planned tax residency certificate is designed to generate extra business and revenues by attracting high net investors and their families to make The Bahamas their primary residence. This, in turn, will draw the family offices that manage their affairs to relocate here, with the hope they may establish or invest in other Bahamas-based businesses. The minister said the Government does not yet know how much additional business the Bahamas Tax Residency Certificate could generate, but believes the
potential is significant as wealthy individuals increasingly have greater flexibility over where they pay taxes. “We know there’s added potential. We don’t know exactly what is,” Mr Fitzgerald said, pointing to the experience with the Bahamas’ domestic minimum top-up tax regime (DMTT), where the Government discovered it had more than three times’ as many taxpayers as initially anticipated. “We thought we had maybe 10. We came to find out we had, you know, well over 30,” he said of the 15 percent corporate income tax that will be levied on these companies’ profits. The proposed tax residency regime would verify that holders who spend at least 90 days in The Bahamas annually use this nation as their primary tax residence and are paying taxes here. Mr Fitzgerald said some permanent residents have already approached the Government about the
possibility, citing their desire to contribute to the Bahamian economy rather than pay taxes in another jurisdiction where they may also reside during the year. “We find that residents and persons who have business in The Bahamas have a real connection with The Bahamas, and they prefer to pay taxes here to help to benefit the people of The Bahamas,” he added. The initiative is being developed against the backdrop of increasingly mobile global wealth, with Mr Fitzgerald saying high net worth individuals are now considering where they should pay taxes as international tax rules evolve. The Government’s objective, he said, is to capture additional revenue without increasing the tax burden on Bahamians. “So, again, we’re just trying to do as much as we can to get as much revenue as we can, so we don’t have to raise taxes on the Bahamian people,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “For five, six years now,
we have not raised taxes on the Bahamian people, and we don’t intend to.” The legislation required to establish the Tax Residency Certificate has already been drafted and is now undergoing consultation. Mr Fitzgerald said the Government expects to bring it to Parliament before the end of the year. A key legislative requirement will be the ability to track when individuals leave The Bahamas, since departures are not currently recorded through passport stamping in the same manner as arrivals. The tax residency initiative is being paired with the development of the Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit, a dedicated office intended to provide a more streamlined service to wealthy investors and family offices relocating their wealth and operations to The Bahamas. Mr Fitzgerald said the Government is seeking an individual to head the unit, with the service expected to be operational by year-end.
Bahamas moves over cyber threats to ports BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net THE BAHAMAS is moving to strengthen the cyber security resilience of its ports amid fears that attacks on maritime systems could disrupt trade, tourism, supply chains and national security. Leon Lundy, minister of transport, yesterday said cyber security must now be treated as a national resilience issue rather than solely an information technology (IT) concern, as the country’s ports increasingly depend on digital systems to move goods and connect The Bahamas to international markets. “The security of our ports is the security of our nation,” Mr Lundy said, stressing that The Bahamas’ maritime infrastructure connects its islands, economy and the wider world. “Our ports move the goods that our people depend on. They support our businesses, they facilitate tourism and trade, and they form an important part of our national security infrastructure.” Speaking at a cyber security training programme for ports, supported by the European Union (EU) and organised with the Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4), the Bahamas’ Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT) and other partners, he said the increasing use of technology in port operations has also created new vulnerabilities. “And when critical systems are affected, the consequences can reach our economy, our communities and our national security,” Mr Lundy said. The minister said the three-day workshop is intended to strengthen the capacity of government agencies and maritime stakeholders
CYBERSECURITY IN PORTS WORKSHOP AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS to identify, manage and respond to cyber threats before they become major disruptions. He added that national security agencies, the Port Department, Customs authorities, cyber security professionals, law enforcement and maritime partners must have established communication and response protocols before a crisis occurs. “When a crisis comes, that is not the time to be exchanging telephone numbers,” Mr Lundy said. “We must already know who is responsible, who must be contacted, which information must be shared, and what action must be taken.” The training will address emerging maritime cyber threats, protection of critical systems, supply chain security, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, incident response and the human element of cyber security. Mr Lundy said practical exercises will also allow participants to test their ability to respond to situations in which the integrity of port systems is compromised. “We cannot wait for the next cyber incident to tell us what we should have done efficiently,” he said. “We must prepare before the crisis. We must strengthen before the threat, and we
Bahamians, and drive sustainable long-term tourism growth throughout The Bahamas.” The Ministry of Tourism said the new service supports The Bahamas’ strategy to diversify visitor arrivals beyond its traditional source markets, while building awareness among a growing segment of Latin American travellers seeking premium sun-and-sea destinations. It added that research indicates beach vacations remain the preferred holiday choice for Mexican travellers, aligning closely with The Bahamas’ tourism offering and creating strong potential for growth across leisure travel, destination
weddings, honeymoons, meetings and incentives and high-end tourism. The Ministry of Tourism said its airlift department worked closely with Aeroméxico throughout the route evaluation and development process, supporting market analysis, stakeholder engagement and destination readiness initiatives ahead of the launch. The effort also involved collaboration among the Ministry’s airlift, sales and marketing, and communications teams, together with public and private sector tourism partners. The new service will offer connectivity between Nassau, Mexico City, other major Mexican cities such as Guadalajara, Monterrey, Mérida, Cancún,
must build resilience before it is tested.” Leonardo Daniel Ortega Prudencio, LAC4 programme manager, said the organisation serves as a regional cyber security education and training hub for Latin America and the Caribbean under the EU, connecting European cyber security expertise with the specific needs of countries across the region. He said the organisation’s work extends beyond technical training to include doctrine development, advanced capacity building and lessons learned, while facilitating co-operation between institutions. “Today, cyber security is no longer a matter of engineers or IT specialists,” Mr Ortega Prudencio said. “It has become a critical factor for national development and economic resilience.” He added that the issue is particularly important for The Bahamas because seaports and maritime trade routes are fundamental to the country’s economy. “Every container that moves through these hubs, every vessel that docks, every logistic chain that connects The Bahamas to the world, depends on interconnected digital systems,” Mr Ortega Prudencio added. He warned that compromising those systems
Querétaro and Tijuana, as well as key markets throughout Central and South America. The Ministry of Tourism said the launch of non-stop service between Mexico City and Nassau establishes a strategic platform for continued expansion into Latin America. Mexico City International Airport, Aeroméxico’s principal hub, handles more than 44 million passengers annually and offers connections to more than 100 destinations across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It added that, by linking The Bahamas to Aeroméxico’s network, the new route strengthens regional connectivity and enhances access to a market of more than 670 million people and a large, fast-growing consumer base, creating opportunities for tourism, commerce and investment that will benefit The Bahamas.
could significantly disrupt port operations, national security and, by extension, the economy, society and environment. Mr Ortega Prudencio said the threat landscape is becoming increasingly sophisticated while some information technology systems were not originally designed to withstand modern cyber threats. “That is why it’s important that we are not to underestimate threats, and that resilience must be built by design, not by accident, by collaboration, not isolation,” he said. Mr Ortega Prudencio said the diversity of participants is essential because protecting ports from cyber threats cannot be addressed by technical personnel or policymakers acting independently. “It requires the executive, the operator, the regulator, the port department, the CIRT, and international collaborators to speak the same language and act as one resilient system,” he said. Mr Lundy said the initiative is important to protecting the country’s ports because it brings multiple agencies together to help mitigate cyber threats.
JEROME FITZGERALD family in,” he said. “They’re bringing all the people who support their business and so forth.” The Government therefore wants to ensure that investors entering The Bahamas to domicile receive a level of service comparable to the hospitality extended to international visitors through the tourism industry. Mr Fitzgerald said the initiatives form part of a broader effort to strengthen The Bahamas’ financial services sector and create opportunities for Bahamian professionals. “The Bahamas has, within the region, the top service providers, professionals in this country, and that’s recognised in Brazil and in other jurisdictions as well,” he said.
Minister confirms tenant and rent control overhaul BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net
Mexico City route boosts connectivity FLYING - from page B2
The concierge service is intended to extend the ‘red carpet’ approach associated with Bahamian tourism into the financial services sector, particularly for high net worth individuals establishing a presence in the country. “What we call the Bahamas Invest Concierge is looking to kind of have an office where we can process quickly high net worth individuals who come and invest in the country,” Mr Fitzgerald said. He added that the Government is also seeing increased interest from family offices, which are private structures used by wealthy families to manage their investments and wealth, with those operations potentially bringing not only capital but family members and employees to The Bahamas. “A lot of family offices, which means people are bringing and managing their family wealth from The Bahamas, and with that, they’re bringing their
A CABINET minister yesterday confirmed the Government plans to overhaul tenant and rent control laws, with the latter oversight form requiring more staff. Jerome Fitzgerald, minister of economic affairs, said the Government also intends to address the condition and maintenance of long-term rental properties as it responds to concerns over high rental rates and the quality of accommodation available to tenants. “That comes under the Rent Control unit,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “I spoke with the officer who is responsible for that. We have to expand that unit. They communicated to me that we need more people in that unit. I’ve spoken with minister [Keith] Bell concerning the legislation, and he and I will work together to bring new legislation for rent within the country.” Mr Fitzgerald said the proposed changes would require extensive consultation, but acknowledged the pressure high costs are placing on tenants. “And there’s going to be a lot of consultation that has to happen,” he said. “But we all agree that rent is extremely high in the country.” The minister also pointed to concerns about whether tenants are receiving value for the money they pay. “Apart from that, the
upkeep and maintenance of facilities that are rented is also a major concern for the Government,” he said. Mr Fitzgerald said landlords will be expected to maintain rental properties to an appropriate standard. “That people are getting value for what they’re paying, and landowners and landlords are required to keep their rental units at a certain standard,” he said. “So we’ll be looking at all of that as we look at the rent situation in the country.” The proposed legislative changes build on concerns previously raised by Mr Bell, the housing and land reform minister, who said the Davis administration intended to move quickly on rent control legislation when Parliament reopened. Mr Bell previously said the reforms will seek to balance tenant protections and rental affordability with the financial obligations of landlords, including mortgage payments. He also raised concerns about tenants living in properties he described as unfit for occupation, alleging that some landlords had disconnected electricity and water. Mr Fitzgerald did not provide a timeline for when the new legislation will be introduced or specify the measures that will be included, but said he and Mr Bell would work together on the reforms.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, September 22, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Bahamians are ‘still on hook’ to repay borrowings spent by NIF FINANCIALS - from page B1 nine-figure surplus in June to meet its full-year Budget surplus ambitions. To hit the initial $75.5m target would require a $166.9m surplus for June, a month when spending is typically at its peak, or $124.1m to meet the revised surplus of $32.7m that was unveiled at the fiscal year’s end Publication of the May figures, though, comes amid the ongoing questions surrounding the Government’s use of the National Investment Fund for some $310.9m worth of spending since June 2025. Kwasi Thompson, the Opposition’s finance spokesman, yesterday challenged whether this outlay is included in the $316.2m of capital expenditure shown in yesterday Ministry of Finance’s report for the 11 months to endMay 2026. Voicing doubt that it is, the east Grand Bahama MP in a statement to Tribune Business asserted that this “creates a much bigger question” of where this $310.9m is recorded in the Government’s financial accounts given that - by its own admission the National Investment Fund was not legally set-up and operational when this spending occurred. As a result, Mr Thompson questioned what The Bahamas’ “true fiscal position” is and argued that the
$91.4m deficit shown in the Ministry of Finance’s report for the 11 months to May 2026 “cannot be accepted as a complete picture of the Government’s fiscal position”. Dr Sands, though, was more blunt. Asked how much confidence he has in the latest fiscal numbers amid the National Investment Fund concerns, and multiple unanswered questions, he replied to this newspaper: “Not a drop.” Given that the Fund’s Board, which is the only entity that can open bank accounts on its behalf, had yet to convene, the Opposition chair argued that it had been used to disguise “off-the-books” capital expenditure. “This is fiscal engineering at its finest,” he said. “I don’t think any reasonable person believes the numbers. Given that there was no legal establishment of a National Investment Fund, and the funds in it not reconciled, you can only say that this ought to be an ‘on balance sheet’ issue. “If it’s an on balance sheet [spending], we can quibble over the extent of then additional deficit as opposed to the so-called surplus. These numbers are not even worth the piece of paper they are written on…. Anyone who understands even basic accounting or basic fiscal management will realise these numbers are absolutely contrived.”
Dr Sands urged the private sector fiscal watchdog, the Fiscal Responsibility Council (FRC), to join the Public Accounts Committee and Auditor General in investigating the National Investment Fund situation before the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and credit rating agencies Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and Fitch - “get a hold of this”. “It will take the international credit rating agencies to demonstrate to them this is not a reasonable approach,” he added of the Government. “It will have far-reaching consequences well beyond what they can possibly imagine when you look at credit ratings for banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, for the airport, risk assessments. “It’s going to have massive implications. The adjudication of risk, access to capital, local ratings and on and on and on. You are only as good as your credit, and they have shot a massive hole in the credit of the sovereign entity of the Government of The Bahamas.” The Opposition chairman added that the $310.9m spending attributed to the Fund, and any monies that may remain in accounts labelled ‘National Investment Fund’ in name only, represent at present a “black hole” until a full accounting reconciliation is provided by the Ministry of Finance, and an
IDB: Changes to ‘strike better balance’ with rent control and tenant protections LIVEABLE - from page B1 to rely on the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation. The state-owned lender, which had $110m in bonds coming due for repayment in the four years up until 2026, is “characterised by legacy balance sheet issues - mortgage default rates in excess of 25 percent, a high
cost-to-income ratio above 70 percent, and severe under-capitalisation”. “Yet it remains the primary source of mortgages for lower income households who qualify for long-term finance, providing mortgages for 70 percent of housing solutions that were completed by the Ministry of Housing and
Land Reform in the last five years,” the IDB said. The dependence on the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation spotlights the likely ‘Achilles’ heel’ of the $50m affordable housing drive - access to mortgage financing. Observers have long argued that The Bahamas’ housing woes require a comprehensive, holistic
independent audit, to end the speculation and show what the funds were used for. And Dr Sands, warning that monies spent by the Fund still represent proceeds from government borrowing, voiced concern over the extent of the build-up in debt liabilities that will have to be repaid by current and future generations of Bahamians. “We haven’t the foggiest idea of the fiscal risks this administration has put on the backs of the Bahamian people,” Dr Sands said, also referring to the numerous public-private partnerships (PPPs) that the Opposition charges are off-the-books loans. “They have been doing off-balance sheet spending purely to make the books look good, and I say that without fear of contradiction. “The truth is that we are still on the hook for the money that has been spent. I don’t think it’s going to turn out well.” Mr Thompson, meanwhile, said the Ministry of Finance’s May fiscal report “raises a serious question that must be answered” in light of the National Investment Fund situation. “The report says that total capital expenditure through May was $316.2m, and that the Government recorded an overall deficit of $91.4m,” he told Tribune Business.
“But the Minister of Finance has now told Parliament that $310.9m from the so-called National Investment Fund was used for capital works, including buildings, roads and aviation projects. “We do not believe, based on the information provided so far, that the $310.9m is included in the $316.2m of capital expenditure reported through May. The Government has not shown that it is. And that creates a much bigger question: Where is the $310.9m reflected in the Government’s fiscal accounts?” he challenged. “The Government must explain where the $310.9m was recorded and what effect that spending has on the country’s true fiscal position. We do not believe the $91.4m figure can be accepted as a complete picture of the Government’s fiscal position. “This is especially important because the minister has said that, before the NIF’s governance arrangements were fully operational, these public resources were administered through the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury under the Public Finance Management Act. If that is the Government’s position, then the public deserves a straightforward answer. This should not be complicated.” Mr Thompson continued: “The Government
says it spent the money. The Government knows what projects it paid for. The Government keeps the financial records. It should therefore be able to show Parliament and the Bahamian people exactly where those expenditures appear in the fiscal accounts and whether they are included in the reported deficit. “Until that happens, there is a serious unanswered question about whether the Government’s published fiscal reports give the Bahamian people the complete picture.” The Government’s May 2026 surplus was exactly the same as that recorded for the same month in the prior 2024-2025 fiscal year. Despite this year’s May featuring the tail-end of an election campaign, when government spending is normally higher, both total revenues and spending were flat with the year before. Total revenues increased by just $2.5m to $271.7m, while spending was also slightly higher at $242.5m as opposed to $238.8m in May 2025. Capital spending, which would normally have been allocated to the aviation, roads, water systems and court projects outlined by Michael Halkitis, minister of finance, as where the Fund’s $311m was spent, fell year-over-year from $13.1m to just $9.3m in May 2026.
solution involving all stakeholders, but the banks and other private lenders to offer the necessary financing do not appear to be part of the IDB-led project. The initiative is targeting the development of 30 new homes at the Clifford Darling Estates subdivision just south of Pinecrest Drive in southern New Providence, as well as housing projects in Freeport and for Central Pines, in Abaco. “The project is located on the southern side of Pinecrest Drive, approximately 800 feet east of East Street South,” an IDB report disclosed. “The project consists of the construction of 30 one-storey single family homes with supporting infrastructure within the existing Clifford Darling Estates Subdivision in New Providence. “The proposed development site comprises an undeveloped parcel of land located immediately south of established residential neighbourhoods. The project will be developed on a 30.25-acre parcel of land conveyed to the Ministry of Housing and Land Reform by the Accountant-General [Treasurer] of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. “The project includes construction the residential buildings, together with associated site infrastructure, including internal access roads and parking areas, pedestrian walkways, stormwater drainage, potable water supply, wastewater infrastructure, electrical, landscaping, outdoor lighting and other ancillary facilities required to support the residential community.” The necessary permits and approvals, though, have yet to be obtained. In Freeport, the focus is on Garden Villas with the goal of improving “housing conditions through the redevelopment of aging residential properties and the provision of safe, affordable and climate-resilient housing”. The Government is said to be in the process of acquiring the necessary land for the initiative, with three parcels in particular being targeted. These are the Garden Villas site, “which contains occupied residential structures in advanced states of deterioration”, plus the Bain buildings that feature “unoccupied deteriorated
apartment buildings” and, finally, the Drake Apartments site on which sits “partially occupied apartment buildings in a deteriorated condition”. “Following their rehabilitation, the site will serve as the permanent location for residents displaced during the redevelopment,” the IDB report pledged. “The project area is situated within an established urban neighbourhood characterised primarily by residential land uses, together with local commercial establishments, public roadways, community facilities and places of worship. “Existing municipal infrastructure, including road access and utility services, is available throughout the surrounding area. The Government of The Bahamas is in the process of acquiring the parcels required for redevelopment. “Following property acquisition and the relocation of affected residents, the project will involve demolition of unsafe structures, site clearance and remediation, construction of new climate-resilient housing, installation or upgrading of supporting infrastructure and utilities, landscaping and other associated site improvements.” The third and final targeted project, Central Pines in Abaco, will feature the construction of 35 single family homes plus the necessary utilities and supporting infrastructure. “The project is situated in Central Abaco, in the Marsh Harbour area, near shopping, dinin, and local recreation areas,” the IDB noted. “The project will include the construction of 35 new single-family homes together with the supporting infrastructure required for their operation. This will include an internal access road, connections to the electrical distribution network and potable water supply, and individual on-site septic systems for wastewater treatment and disposal. “The focus of the currently-planned interventions is on existing land subdivisions in Abaco’s Central Pines community in the Marsh Harbour area. These interventions will increase the housing supply in the Family Islands, supporting regional development and contributing to the ongoing
recovery and reconstruction efforts following the impacts of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.” When combined, the 30 Clifford Darling Estates single family homes, plus the 35 eyed for Central Pines, join the 35 buildings and 420 units planned for Freeport’s Garden Villas as totalling some 105 new, renovated affordable properties and as many as 485 individual units. The IDB said 50 percent, or some $25m, out of the total $50m financing package will be allocated to new home construction. Of the balance, some $10m will be used to upgrade and refit existing properties, with $13m earmarked for reforming the existing housing regulatory regime. The $10m housing improvement component will “finance urgent repairs, maintenance and capacity expansion of public housing rental buildings”, plus offer “concessional micro-loans to existing home owners to make urgent repairs and maintenance of their homes; add auxiliary or longterm rental units to their plots; and make resilience retrofits”. As for regulatory reform, besides overhauling the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation, the multilateral lender also foreshadowed the creation of two new government agencies - a Public Housing Authority and a Housing Development Agency. The former would manage and maintain public housing, while the latter will develop it including through public-private partnerships (PPPs) with developers and contractors. The $13m will be invested in “reforming the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation, including change management, staff training and modernisation upgrades” that involve “credit scoring systems, banking software and customer interface”. Alongside this will come the “creation of a Public Housing Authority (PHA) to programme, manage and maintain public housing developments, and a Housing Development Agency (HDA) to undertake the construction and sale/rent of new housing solutions, alongside associated investments in management systems and training”. The final element of this section will include “regulatory reforms to incentivise private housing investment and PPPs through mixed use, higher density and multi-family zoning, construction permitting reform and rent control reform to strike a better balance between tenant protections and incentivising investment in rental creation and maintenance”.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, PAGE 5
Freeport Aggregates promises to fill ‘all local needs’ by Q3 ‘27 SUPPLY - from page B1 Mrs Coleby-Davis that is now being “reviewed” by the minister “in consultation with the Prime Minister Philip Davis KC”. The letter, titled ‘Proposed purchase of land by Freeport Aggregates’, refers to correspondence submitted to the Government on August 24, 2026, and September 3, 2026, which was acknowledged by Mrs Coleby-Davis’s secretary on September 10, 2026. Mr Moss yesterday confirmed that the letters are authentic, but declined to comment further when contacted by Tribune Business. However, Freeport Aggregates’ proposed expansion may provide some reassurance to Bahamian contractors who have previously voiced concern that Bahama Rock’s production halt - set to last an initial 60 days as it waits for government agencies to issue the necessary approvals for it to mine the 515-acre Bahamas Cement Company site - could result in shortages of aggregate and other building materials, thus driving construction costs even higher. Mr Moss, signalling that his client is prepared to step into the breach, and ensure supply continuity, said it would initially relocate mobile “assets” from the US to increase existing output on Grand Bahama before replacing this with a “fully equipped” fixed plant set to be installed within the next 12 months. Freeport Aggregates, though, needs the “co-operation” of Bahamas Customs and Immigration on imports and work permits to make this happen. “Further to our aforesaid letters, and pending your ministry’s further response,
we wish to elaborate on our client’s ability and current initiatives to increase production in order to continue supplying limestone aggregates within The Bahamas,” Mr Moss wrote. “Since 2022, after the destruction of our clients’ plant by Hurricane Dorian and the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, our client has completed a $10m capital rebuilding project. It has completely rebuilt its plant and has successfully supplied aggregates orders from its customers within Grand Bahama and throughout the Family Islands….. “Our client has approved an additional $9m capital investment within The Bahamas to further enhance its production capacity, including a strategic relocation of portable assets from its US locations to The Bahamas in order to temporarily augment its immediate local production capacity, and the acquisition of additional fixed assets to fully increase and sustain the same during the course of 2027.” Mr Moss signalled that this will enable Freeport Aggregates to meet all construction and development-related demand for aggregate throughout the entire Bahamas. “As a result of these ongoing investments, our client has positioned itself to satisfy the limestone aggregate demand in the short-term through the use of… temporary portable assets and, during the course of 2027, to fully augment the same with fixed assets to better supply such needs.” This may ease fears that the loss of Bahama Rock’s production will cause supply shortages and price hikes, as suggested by that company itself, which asserted its closure would
likely “double” aggregate costs in The Bahamas for the Government, businesses and citizens. Bahama Rock, in a presentation made during the July 29, 2026, town hall meeting on its project, disclosed that The Bahamas requires more than 350,000 tons of aggregate per year while warning that the loss of its supply source would double the cost of such materials for the Bahamian construction industry and result in delivery costs per ton being “up to 150 percent higher” due to extra import-related expenses. However, Mr Moss suggested that Freeport Aggregates will be able to meet all Bahamian domestic demand if it is able to expand production, thus alleviating any negative fallout from Bahama Rock’s predicament. “Upon completion of its capital project - targeted for the third quarter of 2027 - it is anticipated that our client will have established its fully-equipped plant with sufficient fixed capacity to service all of the local needs within The Bahamas, together with its present export capacity,” he wrote. “As a part of this expansion, our client is now in the process of advertising with the Ministry of Labour in Grand Bahama to engage approximately 20 additional employees.” Freeport Aggregates’ vacancy notice to the Department of Labour’s public employment services manager, Simone Thurston, was attached to the letter to Mrs Coleby-Davis. Tribune Business was yesterday able to confirm that 18 of the 69 hourly-paid Bahama Rock employees, who were placed on temporary 60-day furlough with effect from yesterday after Friday’s production
Minister pledges new technology, enforcement after new complaint SAFETY - from page B1 sexual advances, he grabbed her arm and punched her in the face outside of a nightclub. Police confirmed she filed a complaint and subsequently issued a wanted poster for the man. Mr Lundy said the Port Department will assist police with their investigation and urged anyone experiencing threats or violence to report the matter. He acknowledged the potential impact such incidents can have on The Bahamas’ tourism product anbd reputation, particularly given long-standing concerns about effective regulation and enforcement within the water sports sector. “At the end of the day, there’s always a concern when anything threatens
the lifeline of The Bahamas, especially tourism, our number one industry,” Mr Lundy said. “But, at the end of the day, we’re not sitting back and just allowing it to happen, even though there are allegations. We’re doing what we must do as a ministry, and you’ll see in short order that we’ll have some technology rolled out that’ll help assist and mitigate these situations from happening.” Mr Lundy said the alleged operator was operating outside the regulated jet ski system, and added that the Government also intends to place greater emphasis on helping visitors recognise authentic operator identification. “No one can come and render any kind of soliciting unless they have that badge
that’s there that shows that they have been through all of the training,” Mr Lundy said. The Port Department is also partnering with the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s sex crime unit to incorporate additional material into operator training, he said. Mr Lundy said the Government will also educate Bahamians and visitors on what an authentic operator badge looks like. “That’ll come in education, and that’s what we’re about to do: Enforcement, education, and a lot of training,” he added. The Government’s response comes amid renewed scrutiny of the jet ski and personal watercraft industry, following previous allegations from tourists and other operators, and
Minister: Don’t let connections compromise price inspections COSTS - from page B1 the past month, although Mr Adderley said he did not have the exact year-todate figure available. Jerome Fitzgerald, minister of economic affairs, said the Government intends to expand its force of price control inspectors as it intensifies its response to cost-of-living pressures. “The issue is always mark-up on goods,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “A lot of the goods are under price control, and we continue to see issues there.” He also pointed to concerns about the quality of imported goods, and said additional inspectors would be needed to strengthen enforcement. Speaking as the Consumer Affairs Unit opened its fourth annual inspector training exercise, Mr Fitzgerald said the event is intended to ensure inspectors understand both the law and their responsibilities to consumers. He warned businesses that enforcement will not be determined by their size,
connections or length of operation. “Protecting the Bahamian customer is a non-negotiable standard, and it is not up for discussion,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “When a family is counting every dollar, every dollar taken from them unfairly is an injustice. The Government will not look the other way. There will be zero tolerance for any business that takes advantage of the Bahamian consumer.” Mr Fitzgerald said the Government’s removal of VAT from unprepared food was intended to provide relief to consumers, rather than create an opportunity for retailers to widen their margins. He acknowledged that businesses face higher freight, energy and other operating costs, but drew a distinction between legitimate cost increases and what he described as taking advantage of consumers. “There’s a difference between passing on a cost and taking advantage of a customer,” he said. The Government is also moving towards
modernised competition legislation that Mr Fitzgerald said will address price fixing and abuse of market dominance, while introducing clearer requirements for price displays, including tax-inclusive pricing. “The price you see should be the price you pay,” he added. The enforcement push is being accompanied by a digital overhaul of the inspectorate and the Price Control Unit. Mr Fitzgerald said the Price Pal app will allow consumers to compare prices and eventually update pricing information through the platform, giving shoppers another tool to identify price differences. Valdez Williams, chief managing partner of Novio Group, which developed the Price Pal app, said the system is being moved into a more fully integrated phase after the initial launch. He added that the objective is not simply to digitise the consumer-facing application, but to create the technological infrastructure needed to move the Government’s price-control
halt, have approached the Department of Labour to begin the process of applying for unemployment benefits. And, while the 20 positions with Freeport Aggregates are available, it is understood that most impacted Bahama Rock staff are taking a “wait and see” approach to see what happens with the company, whether it restarts operations and production in some form, and if it is able to obtain the necessary permits to begin mining afresh at its chosen new site. “We trust that this letter will prove helpful in confirming our client’s commitment to doing all that is required to satisfy the aggregates needs of The Bahamas as a responsible corporate citizen, and trust that we will receive the co-operation of the Customs Department and Immigration Department in the timely processing of the various applications, which will have to be made expeditiously to bring into the country the equipment and short-term personnel who will be required to achieve the aforesaid,” Mr Moss concluded. The letter to Mrs Coleby-Davis was also copied to Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama. It is unclear why it was addressed to the former, given that land - especially government and Crown Land - is not in her ministerial portfolio, and nor are the mentioned agencies such as Customs and Immigration. Still, it is possible that a ministry or agency under Mrs Coleby-Davis does have ownership or control of Freeport Aggregates’ targeted site. Freeport Aggregates, which has been mining and crushing limestone since 1969, supplies crushed
stones, gravel, sand and boulders from its present Pineridge location. Its proposed expansion, if it comes to fruition, could at least partially undermine some of Bahama Rock’s leverage which, apart from the potential loss of 80 jobs and $25m in annual economic impact, is the effect of supply shortages and price hikes on local construction costs. Fred Mitchell, minister of foreign affairs, in a statement issued in early August said the Government was opposed to Bahama Rock mining the 515-acre former Bahamas Cement Company site. Dr Rhiana Neely-Murphy, the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection’s (DEPP) director, in the most recent update on the regulatory process said Bahama Rock has been asked to update parts of its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Bahama Rock has asserted that approving its project will facilitate the near-270 acre expansion of Freeport Harbour - an outcome that will likely take years, if not decades, to achieve. However, Dillon Knowles, an ex-Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president, says debate on Bahama Rock’s future is pushing “a false narrative” that us causing all residents and parties involved to “lose sight” of the “location” issues at the controversy’s core. He previously told Tribune Business that the needs of all sides could be met if the aggregate miner simply opted for an alternative site for a new materials source rather than focus on its chosen 515-acre Bahamas Cement Company property. Asserting that Grand Bahama has “oodles of land” on its northern shore where limestone/aggregate
is plentiful, he added that Bahama Rock had likely selected the former Bahamas Cement Company location because of “convenience” - being next to the current site it has nearly exhausted from mining and so it can minimise costs by avoiding having to truck product from an alternative site to its processing plant. However, Mr Knowles told this newspaper that Bahama Rock’s preferred location - if approved would move the company and its activities even close to Eight Mile Rock and Hepburn Town. And he acknowledged that residents and businesses in these communities have legitimate concerns over this given past mining impacts - especially the use of blasting to dislodge rock, flooding and other environmental impacts. Elsewhere, questions are also being asked over timing, and how Bahama Rock could have expected to receive all necessary approvals for a go-ahead at the Bahamas Cement Company property before September 18 - the date it temporarily halted production - in just 51 days given that the public hearing on its EIA took place as recently as July 2029. However, Bahama Rock and its parent, Martin Marietta, the US headquartered building materials conglomerate, confirmed to Tribune Business they had completed the acquisition of the ex-Bahamas Cement Company property last year. It is unlikely they would have done this without getting some signal their mining plans would receive the necessary approval.
warnings from US authorities about risks associated with the sector. Astra Charlton, director of business development at My Own Water Sports, said the focus should remain on the alleged victim and the effectiveness of the regulatory system rather than solely on the industry’s reputation. “My first concern remains the young woman’s well-being and the proper investigation of her complaint,” Ms Charlton said. “An allegation of violence must be treated as a matter of personal safety and justice, not simply as bad publicity for an industry. Protecting the reputation of The Bahamas begins with protecting people.” She encouraged visitors and residents to book excursions in advance through recognised, established businesses using official websites or valid booking platforms. Ms Charlton said booking platforms can provide an additional layer of accountability because
they may require supplier identity verification, Business Licence information and liability insurance confirmation. She also pointed to provisions in the Commercial Recreational Watercraft Act that disqualify a person convicted of a criminal offence from obtaining an operator’s licence. “The Port Authority is best placed to explain precisely how those requirements are checked, how renewals are assessed, and how criminal charges or convictions are communicated to licensing officials,” Ms Charlton said. “For us, enforcement remains the central concern.” She added that My Own Water Sports had previously called for a visible certification system that would allow tourists to distinguish legitimate operators from unauthorised individuals. She said the company requested further engagement following Mr Lundy’s discussions with the US ambassador in June,
but had not received this yet. “There is fatigue in repeatedly being placed in a defensive position when we have been asking to participate in prevention,” Ms Charlton said. She added that her company has not been consulted on the technology Mr Lundy indicated will soon be introduced. “My Own Water Sports has not been consulted on the proposed technology or asked to contribute our experience of how such measures would work in day-to-day operations,” Ms Charlton said. “We have not seen the system, so we cannot yet comment on its capabilities, its limitations or what its introduction will require of businesses and customers. “Our commitment is to a watersport industry in which visitors can identify who is accountable, complaints receive a timely response, and responsible businesses can operate with confidence.”
operations away from manual processes. “We will commit to digital transformation of this unit, and to help to make that the template for how governments should transform and change in the correct manner,” Mr Williams said. He added that retailer engagement has also improved, with the rollout strategy moving from smaller businesses towards larger merchants. “We shift our strategy from top to bottom,” he said. “Now we’re going from small to big.” Mr Adderley said the price control inspectorate itself is undergoing a similar transition, with inspectors moving from manual processes to digital record-keeping. Mr Fitzgerald said this is particularly important when violations result in enforcement action. “When we act against a business, the evidence must be sound, and the record must stand up to scrutiny,” he said. The minister also urged inspectors to maintain their independence, particularly in smaller communities where officers may know the business owners they are required to inspect. “You will inspect people who you know,” Mr
Fitzgerald said. “You will inspect people who know your family. Do not allow familiarity to affect your judgment. Do not allow pressure to influence how you apply the law.” The minister said the same level of consumer protection must apply throughout The Bahamas, including islands where consumers may have only one or two stores from which to choose. He said inspectors must therefore
be “thorough”, “consistent” and “confident” in exercising their legal authority. Mr Fitzgerald said the Government’s efforts to lower the cost of living will ultimately be judged not by policy announcements but by what consumers encounter at the check-out. “Those commitments will not be measured by speeches; they will be measured by what Bahamians experience when they reach the cash register,” he said.
PAGE 6, Tuesday, September 22, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
All aviation incidents a learning exercise SAFE - from page B2 when the resulting recommendations are actually implemented. That is an important principle for every aviation system. None of this means that every accident demonstrates regulatory failure. It does not. Nor should anyone outside an official investigation speculate about the probable cause of an accident before the evidence has been examined.
Determining cause is the responsibility of the appropriate accident investigation authority. But we can - and should - ask broader safety questions without prejudging an investigation. Are previously identified hazards recurring? Are corrective actions producing the intended results? Is regulatory surveillance appropriately targeted? Are operators receiving adequate oversight? Does the regulator have sufficient
qualified technical personnel and resources? And, when deficiencies are identified, is there a system for verifying not simply that corrective action was taken, but that it remains effective? Those are not accusations. They are the questions a functioning safety oversight system should continually ask of itself. The Bahamas has made important progress in aviation. That should be acknowledged. Our current standing under the Federal
Aviation Administration’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme is relevant evidence of that progress. But international recognition should never become a reason to stop examining our own system. Aviation safety is not a destination that a country reaches and then declares complete. It is a continuous process of identifying hazards, managing risk, measuring results and correcting weaknesses before those weaknesses
contribute to another tragedy. I therefore welcome the Prime Minister’s confidence in the aviation system. I would encourage us to build upon that confidence with transparency, measurable implementation, adequate resources, continuing surveillance and careful follow-up of the lessons contained in our own accident and serious-incident record. This should not be political. It should not be
personal. It should be about protecting passengers, pilots, aviation professionals and the communities that depend upon air transportation throughout our archipelago. As I have said before, flying is not safe because nothing goes wrong. It is safe because the system is designed to anticipate, detect and manage things when they do go wrong. My focus remains prevention. Respectfully Captain Randy L. Butler Aviation safety professional
Wall Street rallies within 0.4% of its record after oil prices and bond yields ease By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer WALL Street climbed to the edge of its all-time high on Monday, and stocks rallied worldwide after oil prices and yields in the bond market surrendered their market-rattling gains from last week. The S&P 500 jumped 1.5% and pulled within 0.4% of its record set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 366 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite leaped 2.3% to its own all-time high as chip stocks and other companies in the artificial-intelligence industry led the way. Stocks got help from the price for a barrel of Brent oil falling 3.4% to $100.34. While that’s still much higher than its roughly $72 price from earlier this summer, it’s down from the nearly $110 it touched last week. Oil prices have been swinging up and down as some crude from the Middle East is able to sail through the Strait of Hormuz to get to customers, though nowhere near as much as the industry would like because of the war with Iran. With big U.S. companies continuing to deliver strong growth in profits that support their stock prices,
Morgan Stanley’s Michael Wilson says another leg higher in prices for oil, gasoline and other refined products is the main nearterm risk he sees that could keep the U.S. stock market from rising to his forecasted target for the year’s end. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline across the United States has already climbed to nearly $4.48, according to AAA. That’s up from less than $4.32 just a week earlier and from $3.18 a year ago. Monday’s pullback in oil prices helped lower the pressure coming from the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.95% from 5.01% late Friday after crossing above the 5% threshold last week for the first time since 2023. Yields have been on the rise because of worries about inflation, big debt loads for governments worldwide and other factors. That hurts the economy because high yields make it more expensive not only for the U.S. government to borrow money to pay its bills but also for households and businesses. Worries remain about how much oil is available for customers worldwide. But ING commodities strategists Ewa Manthey and Warren Patterson wrote in a commentary on Monday that profit-taking by
investors after the recent jump in oil prices, together with hopes for discussions at this week’s U.N. General Assembly and at a meeting between China’s and the United States’ leaders, helped improve optimism. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters following talks Sunday with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York that the U.S. had “a very successful engagement” with the Chinese side. In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday confirmed that Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States between Sept. 23 and 25. Experts and policymakers believe trade, tariffs and AI safety are likely among the topics to be on the agenda. On Wall Street, AI stocks continued to strengthen following their worldwide slide at the start of last week. Leaders of the industry have recently warned a slowdown is needed in the industry’s development for the safety of humanity. Even if the industry leans into more measures for safety, some analysts say it will still be hungry for chips to power it all. Advanced Micro Devices rallied 9.9% and saw its total market value hit $1 trillion, while Nvidia added 2.3%. Stocks enmeshed in the cryptocurrency industry,
TRADERS work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. Photo:Seth Wenig/AP meanwhile, rallied after bitcoin’s price rose above $86,000 and returned to where it was in January. Coinbase Global climbed 3.5%, and Robinhood Markets rose 2.9%. Warner Bros. Discovery leaped 10.8% after 12 states and Hollywood writers challenging its buyout by Paramount agreed to settle their lawsuits. Paramount Skydance fell 2.9%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 114.20 points to 7,764.70. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 366.19 to 52,048.83, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 599.55 to 27,122.09. Stock indexes around the world also climbed thanks to the easing of oil prices and bond yields. Indexes gained 0.9% in France, 1.2% in Hong Kong and 1.6% in South Korea.
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I JODEAN MCKENZIE of Gladstone Road, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 22nd day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that JULIANA LAURESMA of Podeleo Street, Nassau, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 22nd day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I ANDRE WENTWORTH HILL of Marlin Drive, Highland, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 15th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that I RODNEY LAFRANCE of #19 Key West Street, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 15th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that I JULIAN CARLOS YSAGUIRRE of #7 Kadds Close, Cool Avenue, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 22ndday of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I ENEL LOUIS of Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 15th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that I KEVINS LOUIS of Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 15th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that I ANDWELLI ANTONIO BROWN of Humbero Carmicheal Road, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 15th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
PUBLIC NOTICE INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The public is hereby advised that I, NICOLE DAMES of #83 Robinson Road, New Providence, Bahamas intend to change my name to NICOLE SHARLENE LARISA HEASTIE. If there are any objections to challenge the name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, PAGE 7
What to know about What is the White House pool? Paramount’s settlement These days, it’s a battleground and its impact on movies between Trump and free press rights By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer
By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press THE White House press pool, a rotating cast of news outlets that covers the president, is now a battleground over free speech rights between President Donald Trump and the media. On Monday, the issue headed for the courts as CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued the administration over being barred from the White House and, they contend, denied their First Amendment rights. CNN was banned from its scheduled pool duty for the day — and the pool announced that it was canceling its coverage of Trump. “Effective today, there would be no network pool coverage of the president’s events,” the television pool of five broadcasters wrote in an email to its subscribers. “This follows the White House’s position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties. There will be no replacement pool put in place.” But the pool is a proxy for the wider fight over whether the president, or anyone, can control the content of news reports — a type of free speech, pillar of American democracy. The developments marked an extraordinary escalation in Trump’s ongoing efforts — from the courts to the Pentagon to the White House — to restrict news reporters and outlets that he finds insufficiently supportive. Again and again during Trump’s second presidential term, his irritation has focused on the rotating group of reporters who cover the president as representatives of the larger press corps. The practice ensures coverage can be disseminated broadly since not all journalists can be with the president at any given time due to space constraints. But the pool also is an institution steeped in tradition and anchored in the Constitution’s guarantee of a free press. The relationship between elected American leaders and the journalists who hold them accountable is designed to be adversarial. That’s essential for knowing what the
VAUGHN HILLYARD, White House correspondent for MS NOW, does a report from near the White House, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, in Washington. Photo:Mark Schiefelbein/AP the president to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, but a scheduling email from the White House did not name the network. A responding email from the pool said there would be no replacement for CNN — pushback to any notion that the White House can decide who is in the pool and who is out.
The pool was in President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade in Dallas when he was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963. That allowed for firsthand accounts of the event as conspiracy theories spread, an example of why independent reporting is critical to understanding what is happening around the president.
The pool follows the president
Presidents and reporters have an inherently adversarial relationship
The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights states that the government “shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” The Trump administration has long insisted that nobody has the right to ask the president questions, especially in the White House — and that goes for members of the pool, whom the president routinely insults in personal terms. The White House press pool is group of news outlets that ideally are almost everywhere the president goes: in the Oval Office, at state dinners, on Air Force One, in the motorcade, and when the president goes golfing or biking. It is also always on standby in case something happens in the world about which the president needs to speak to the nation.
“Effective today, there would be no network pool coverage of the president’s events. This follows the White House’s position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties. There will be no replacement pool put in place.” Broadcaster pool president and his administration are — or are not — doing in the United States’ name, with taxpayer money. Here’s a look at various aspects of the White House pool. There may be constitutional issues at play CNN is one of the major news networks, including ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC, that are part of a TV pool managed by the networks’ editorial leaders. The networks rotate coverage of presidential events. On Friday, Trump said he was barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House due to what he called unfavorable coverage and “fake news,” and threatened that more such media bans could be coming. Reporters from all three were denied entrance to the White House grounds the next day. On Monday, the three outlets said they’ve notified the administration that they will file a lawsuit saying their First Amendment rights had been violated. The complaint also contends that the abrupt confiscation of access violated the networks’ Fifth Amendment right to due process. Also Monday, CNN was scheduled to travel with
Last year, the Trump White House upended a decades-long tradition of an independent association of journalists selecting members of the pool. The White House now picks and chooses which members of the media make up the pool, and they almost always select journalists who are outwardly favorable to Trump as part of the mix. The pool distributes in-person reports and imagery to the broader corps covering the president. When a “pooled” event is over, the print, television and radio poolers share written notes, video and audio with everyone else who is interested. Traditionally, the White House press pool represents every media format and daily includes The Associated Press and other wire-service writers, the AP and other outlets’ photographers, a television crew, a radio correspondent and writers for print and online publications.
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Trump is famous for courting reporters even as he publicly criticizes them. And he’s not the first to try to go around traditional outlets. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had his fireside chats over the radio as some of
the nation’s biggest newspapers took issue with government expansion under the New Deal. More recently, television and social media have provided similar workarounds. In 1798, John Adams signed the Sedition Act, which made it a crime for citizens to “print, utter, or publish ... any false, scandalous, and malicious writing” about the government and used it to jail journalists, according to the National Archives. In 1913, Woodrow Wilson threatened to end presidential briefings with reporters, resulting in the creation of what became the White House Correspondents’ Association that exists today.
MOVIE studio Paramount on Monday agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit filed by 12 states, the last big obstacle blocking the company’s $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal that would transform the movie industry landscape. In the settlement, which still needs to be approved by a judge, Paramount agreed to terms including a five-year movie production plan and to invest $1.5 billion in domestic movies. State attorneys general say the settlement guarantees investment in domestic movie production and provides worker protection. But analysts say the deal is still likely to lead to less competition in the industry — and higher prices for consumers. “Where I’m looking at this is through the consumer’s point of view and resoundingly consumers are concerned about price hikes and they are preparing for price hikes,” said Forrester research director Mike Proulx. “They care less about the theatrical releases and some of the other industry terms. What they care about is how this is going to hit their wallets.” Here’s a closer look at the biggest terms Paramount agreed to in the settlement: Paramount says it will invest in domestic films and independent films Paramount said it will spend $1.5 billion over five years, or $300 million a year — on top of what it spent in 2025 on filming domestically. According to the state attorneys general, currently only about 5% of
Paramount’s production is in the U.S. Paramount also said it would create a five-year, $25 million fund for buying independent films. The settlement lays out a five-year film production schedule The movie studio agreed to make 30 films a year in the first two years and 32 films a year in the following three years. It also said it will release at least four independent films each year. That dovetails with plans Paramount chairman and CEO David Ellison has previously laid out to grow the combined company’s movie slate to more than 30 movies a year. But the agreement includes penalties: If Paramount doesn’t produce the required amount, the company will be forced to sell Miramax Studios and pay $30 million to health care and retirement trust funds associated with worker unions. The agreement includes a fund for laid-off workers Paramount has said it would look for ways to save some $6 billion through job cuts in “duplicative operations” when the deal goes through. Under the settlement, Paramount will create a $47.5 million workforce fund for training and career development for laid-off workers. It also agreed to honor previously established collective bargaining agreements and bargain in good faith with unions. Cablechannels will be negotiated for separately and an independent board will be named
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, PAGE 9
Raising awareness: Understanding childhood cancer and its impact on young lives By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net DESPITE being rare, childhood cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children and adolescents from birth to age 19, according to statistics. Between 2020 and 2022, Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) recorded 20 paediatric cancer cases in its cancer registry, representing 2.3 per cent of all cases recorded. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and during the Cancer Society of The Bahamas’ monthly general meeting, guest speaker Dr Shervette Stevens, a paediatric haematologist and oncologist, raised awareness of childhood cancer, focusing on its symptoms and the various ways to treat and support children diagnosed with the disease. According to Dr Stevens, childhood cancers can be divided into three main groups: leukaemias and lymphomas, brain and spinal cord tumours, and solid tumours. Leukaemias and lymphomas, two types of blood cancer, affect the
production and function of blood cells. Leukaemia, which starts in the bone marrow, is the most common type of childhood cancer. Lymphoma is the third most prevalent childhood cancer and starts in infection-fighting white blood cells (lymphocytes) in the lymphatic system. The main types of leukaemia are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, the most common childhood cancer diagnosis, and acute myeloid leukaemia. The most common childhood lymphomas are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Brain and spinal cord tumours, the second most prevalent type of childhood cancer, form when cells in a child’s central nervous system grow abnormally and divide rapidly, forming a mass of tissue. While leukaemia is more common, brain and spinal cord tumours are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among children worldwide. The most common brain and spinal cord tumours in children are gliomas, embryonal tumours, ependymomas, and glioneuronal and neuronal tumours. As abnormal cells divide in a child’s organs, soft
tissue and bones, they can form masses called solid tumours. Accounting for 30 per cent of all childhood cancers, solid tumours can develop throughout a child’s body, with the most common being neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma and Wilms tumour. Childhood cancer symptoms are similar to those of common childhood illnesses, Dr Stevens said. However, if symptoms persist or worsen, she strongly recommends contacting a doctor for further evaluation. According to Dr Stevens, some of the most prevalent symptoms of childhood cancer are unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite; persistent pain in the bones, joints, back or legs; lumps or swelling in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis or armpits; extreme fatigue or noticeable paleness; frequent bruising, bleeding or a rash of small red spots; recurring fevers that last longer than a week or have no clear cause; frequent headaches, often accompanied by early-morning vomiting; and sudden vision changes or a whitish colour behind the pupil.
Since childhood cancer is rare and has many types, it is difficult for researchers to study and understand its causes, though they have identified factors that may increase a child’s risk. Certain medical conditions, such as Down’s syndrome, can increase the risk of specific cancers, such as leukaemia. About eight to ten per cent of childhood cancers are linked to inherited or other germline genetic variants, such as changes in the RB1 gene linked to retinoblastoma. Chronic infections such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), HIV and malaria are linked to specific childhood lymphomas and other malignancies. Exposure to radiation from an industrial accident, radiotherapy or frequent medical imaging can also increase the risk of cancer. Children treated with certain chemotherapy drugs or radiation for a first cancer have a higher risk of developing a second cancer later. Since early symptoms of childhood cancer are similar to those of common childhood illnesses, specific medical tests are required to make a diagnosis. These include blood tests to check for abnormal blood cell counts and
imaging scans, such as X-rays, CT scans or MRIs, to view internal organs and locate tumours. A biopsy involves removing a small tissue or fluid sample to confirm the presence of cancer cells under a microscope, while bone marrow aspiration tests marrow from inside the bone, often for blood cancers such as leukaemia. A lumbar puncture, or spinal tap, checks the fluid around the brain and spine for cancer cells, while genetic tests check for mutations associated with specific childhood cancers. Dr Stevens explained that when considering a treatment plan for childhood cancer, doctors take into account the child’s age, overall health and the specific type of cancer. Treatment is often successful in countries where it is accessible and typically combines several options, including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, stem cell transplants, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Chemotherapy, the most common treatment for childhood cancer, uses medicines given through a vein, by mouth or via injection to destroy fast-growing cancer cells.
New study reveals widespread menopause symptoms among Bahamian women: A call for improved care and research By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net A NEW study of menopause experiences in The Bahamas found that 91 per cent of the 115 women surveyed reported at least five symptoms, with 61 per cent experiencing ten or more. The study was conducted by Patrice Lockhart, a menopause health and wellness coach, educator and founder of Menopause Survival Care. Ms Lockhart surveyed 115 women living in The Bahamas to gain locally generated insight into the range and frequency of menopause-related symptoms reported by Bahamian women. Her report was titled “Menopause in The Bahamas: A Foundational Analysis of Menopause Experiences Among 115 Women Living in The Bahamas”. The analysis examined 21 menopause-related symptoms documented among women represented in a practice-based dataset. The women ranged in age from
37 to 71, with an average age of approximately 54 years. The findings demonstrate that menopause was rarely experienced as a single symptom. Instead, the women reported experiencing a collection of symptoms. The most frequently reported symptoms were hot flashes and night sweats (71.3 per cent), mood swings and irritability (70.4 per cent), fatigue (68.7 per cent), brain fog and memory lapses (62.6 per cent), weight gain (60.9 per cent), sleep disturbances (57.4 per cent), joint pain (56.5 per cent) and anxiety (51.3 per cent). The findings also show that menopause-related experiences extend across emotional, cognitive, sleep, musculoskeletal, sexual and genitourinary dimensions. Ms Lockhart noted that the report is not intended to provide national prevalence estimates and does not claim that the 115 participants represent all Bahamian women. Instead, she said it is a
practice-based, observational analysis intended to provide a foundation for further research. “This analysis gives us an opportunity to begin looking at menopause through
a Bahamian lens,” she said. “Women are experiencing much more than hot flashes. Their experiences can involve sleep, energy, mood, cognition, physical comfort, sexual health and urinary
health. We need more Caribbean evidence so that our education, healthcare systems, workplaces and policies can respond to the realities women are experiencing.”
Surgery removes solid tumours or abnormal tissue. When possible, surgeons use minimally invasive methods to help children recover faster, while radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to shrink or destroy tumours. Stem cell transplants replace damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells after highdose chemotherapy. This treatment is often used for blood cancers such as leukaemia or lymphoma. Immunotherapy boosts a child’s immune system to fight cancer, while targeted therapy attacks specific cancer cell genes or proteins. In addition to treatment, Dr Stevens said children with cancer need specialised care that supports physical growth and development, cognitive and educational development, and nutritional health and well-being. Another important aspect of childhood cancer care is psychosocial support, which, she noted, includes financial guidance for parents, school and social reintegration programmes, family and sibling support, and age-appropriate therapy.
Ms Lockhart hopes the work will encourage collaboration among Bahamian and Caribbean researchers, universities, healthcare organisations, policymakers and women's health professionals. Future research priorities identified by the analysis include larger multi-island studies, standardised symptom measurement, menopause and workplace experiences, quality of life, access to care, psychosocial factors and culturally relevant menopause interventions.
PAGE 10, Tuesday, September 22, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Hannah Foster-Middleton
What proprioception really is — and why most people don’t train it
Your body’s hidden sixth sense We all know about the five familiar senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. But there is another sensory system quietly working away every second of the day — and it is one most of us rarely think about. It is called proprioception, and it is essentially your body’s ability to sense where its parts are and how they are moving without having to look. Close your eyes and lift your arm. You probably know exactly where your hand is. Bend your knee without looking at it, and you still know where your foot is. That remarkable ability comes from sensory receptors in your muscles, tendons, joints and skin. They constantly send information to your nervous system about movement, position and tension. Your brain combines this information with what your eyes and inner ear are telling it, allowing you to make rapid adjustments to keep yourself coordinated and upright. In other words, your body has its own built-in GPS. Why do we need it? Proprioception is involved in almost everything we do. Walking across uneven pavement, climbing stairs, reaching for something on a high shelf, getting out of a chair or simply standing upright all require your nervous system to know where your body is and how it is moving. It is particularly important for movement control, coordination and joint stability. When proprioception is working well, much of our movement feels automatic. You don't consciously
think, “Now I need to bend my knee 17 degrees while shifting my weight onto my left foot.” Your nervous system simply gets on with it. But proprioception can change. It gets rusty. Like many things in the body, our sensory and movement systems respond to how we use them. An injury can disrupt normal sensory
information. Swelling around a joint can alter the signals reaching the nervous system. Surgery, prolonged immobilisation and pain can all change the way we move and the way we perceive movement. And then there is modern life. We spend hours sitting, walk mostly on predictable surfaces and rely heavily on our vision to navigate the world. Our environments are
wonderfully convenient — but they don't necessarily challenge our movement systems very much. Think about walking barefoot on sand compared with walking across a smooth tiled floor. The sand is constantly shifting underneath you, forcing your feet, ankles, knees and hips to make hundreds of tiny adjustments. Your nervous system has to keep recalculating.
Why standing on one leg isn't the whole story When people hear the word proprioception, they often think of balance exercises — usually standing on one leg while looking slightly alarmed. Balance work certainly challenges proprioception, but proprioception is much broader than simply being able to stand on one leg. You can challenge your sensory and movement systems by changing the surface, speed, direction, visual information or position of the body. Try standing on one leg while brushing your teeth. Then, if you are somewhere safe and have something sturdy nearby, try briefly closing your eyes. You can also practise controlled movements such as slow lunges, stepdowns, heel raises, squats and reaching exercises. The goal isn't simply to make an exercise difficult. It is to make your nervous system pay attention. Your brain needs a reason to improve. This is the really interesting part. Proprioception isn't simply about strengthening muscles. It is about improving the communication between your body and your nervous system. A physiotherapist might deliberately change the surface you are standing on, alter your foot position, reduce visual input or ask you to perform a familiar movement slowly. These changes give your nervous system different sensory information to process and require it to coordinate an appropriate response. With practice, movement can become more efficient and automatic. It's rather like updating the body's internal map. And it matters as we get older
Good sensory awareness and movement control become increasingly valuable as we age. Muscle strength may decline, reactions can become slower and our vision and other sensory systems may change. If balance and movement control deteriorate at the same time, the risk of trips and falls can increase. The good news is that these systems are trainable. You don't need expensive equipment or a complicated gym programme. Walking on different safe surfaces, practising controlled single-leg movements, doing balance exercises and simply incorporating more varied movement into your day can all provide useful challenges. The important thing is to challenge yourself without putting yourself at unnecessary risk. Don't wait until you fall Perhaps the biggest misconception is that balance and proprioceptive exercises are something you do after an injury or only when you're elderly. Actually, they're useful long before that. Your nervous system is constantly receiving information about where your body is, how it is moving and what it needs to do next. The better you maintain that system, the more confidently and efficiently you can move through the world. So next time you find yourself wobbling on one leg, don't automatically blame your balance. Your brain may simply be saying: “Hang on — I'm updating the GPS.” And that's a system worth keeping switched on.
Cleveland Clinic first-in-human trial of Crispr gene-editing therapy shown to safely and continuously lower cholesterol and triglycerides after one year One-time infusion of investigational CRISPR-Cas9 therapy found to safely reduce LDL cholesterol by 52.5% and triglycerides by 47.8% 12 months after initial treatment A Cleveland Clinic Phase 1, first-in-human clinical trial has shown that a one-time infusion of a gene-editing therapy using CRISPR-Cas9 was effective and safe in reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides in people with medication-resistant lipid disorders through one-year of follow-up with all doses.
The trial, which included 15 patients, aimed to see if the reductions in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides previously reported after two months would persist for 12 months. After 12 months, patients who were treated with the highest dose saw a 52.5% lowering from baseline in LDL cholesterol, and a 47.8%
reduction in triglycerides. There were no serious adverse events related to the therapy during the oneyear follow-up. The trial results were presented at the 2026 European Society of Cardiology annual meeting and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
“Building upon the initial data presented in November 2025, the durability of the lipid-lowering effect was impressive,” said Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Luke Laffin, M.D., first author of the study.“It is encouraging that there were no serious safety events related to CTX310 in the trial and in the year following treatment. We look forward to continuing to investigate this therapy in a larger number of patients.” CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing technology that can be used to modify or correct specific regions of a person’s DNA to treat serious diseases.
This trial tested CTX310, an experimental CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing treatment that is delivered as a one-time infusion. CTX310 carries the CRISPR editing mechanism into the liver, where it switches off a gene called ANGPTL3. Turning off this gene can lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which are both linked to heart disease. During the trial, CTX310 was administered at doses from 0.1 to 0.8 mg/kg during the single infusion, after pre-treatment with corticosteroids and antihistamines. Participants were monitored for safety of the treatment, and the effects of this gene therapy on
ANGPTL3, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. CTX310 reduced both LDL cholesterol and triglycerides by approximately 50% on average at the highest dose 12 months after the treatment. The study participants were monitored for one year following the trial, with additional long-term safety follow-up planned for the next 15 years, as recommended by the FDA for all gene-editing therapies. The study was funded by CRISPR Therapeutics AG; Zug, Switzerland. Dr. Laffin’s institution has received research funding from Crispr Therapeutics.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, PAGE 11
Sea Breeze community focuses on mental health, suicide prevention and safe spaces KNOWING when someone is in crisis, having the courage to ask about suicide, creating safe spaces for children and understanding how to respond before it is too late were at the heart of a mental health conversation in Sea Breeze earlier this month. Held just two days before World Suicide Prevention Day 2026, “Mental Health Matters: A Conversation That Matters” brought residents together at New Dimension Ministries for an evening focused not simply on awareness, but on giving ordinary people practical tools to recognise distress, respond compassionately and help connect someone in crisis with professional support. The community initiative was hosted by Sea Breeze Member of Parliament Leslia Miller-Brice and Team LB under the message, “Together, We Can Save Lives.” Mrs Miller-Brice said the evening was intended to help break the silence and stigma that still surround mental health. “Tonight wasn’t about giving you every answer. It was about opening a door — a door to information, to resources, and hopefully, to a little more understanding, whether for yourself or for someone you love,” she told Sea Breeze constituents. She encouraged residents not to allow the conversation to end with the seminar, urging them to check in on friends and neighbours, be honest about their own well-being, seek support when needed and walk alongside others who may be struggling. “The more we talk about it openly, the less power silence and stigma have over us,” she said. Knastachia Cooper-Saunders, president of the Bahamas Social Workers Association and a social worker with the Ministry of Social Services, led a presentation on “Supporting Young People: Creating Safe Spaces for Children and Teens.” Ms Cooper-Saunders challenged adults to look beyond what may appear to be anger, defiance, disrespect or withdrawal in a young person and consider what may be happening beneath the behaviour. Hurt, grief, fear, trauma, rejection and loneliness can manifest themselves through behaviour when a child does not yet have the words or sense of safety needed to communicate what is wrong. Her central message was that protecting a child involves more than keeping that child physically safe. Young people also need to feel seen, heard,
supported, connected and able to speak the truth. Adults were encouraged to listen without dismissing their concerns, give young people a voice, act when protection is required and remain consistent in their lives. Sandra M Payne, therapist and counsellor with the Bahamas Crisis Centre, tackled the critical subject of “Mental Health First Aid: How to Support Someone in Crisis.” She outlined warning signs that could signal a mental health crisis, including withdrawal, hopelessness, agitation or distress, difficulty coping, concerns about personal safety and significant changes in a person’s usual behaviour. Importantly, participants were encouraged not to shy away from difficult conversations. Where suicide or selfharm is a concern, Ms Payne explained that it is appropriate to ask the person directly whether they are thinking about hurting themselves or suicide. The presentation reinforced that asking directly about suicide does not create suicidal thoughts and that any indication of self-harm or suicide should be taken seriously. Her presentation also emphasised that a friend, relative, neighbour or colleague does not have to become a counsellor to help someone in crisis. A supporter can make a difference by noticing changes, approaching the person, listening without judgement, recognising when professional help is needed and assisting the individual in reaching that help. Therapist Harrison
Thompson addressed “Healthy Coping Strategies for Stress and Difficult Emotions,” providing participants with practical approaches to managing stress and navigating difficult emotional experiences in healthier ways. The evening expanded into a panel discussion with mental health professionals Antonique Bannister, registered psychiatric mental health nurse; Tandra Longley, registered mental health nurse; and Dr Gar-
reth Curry, all of Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre. Residents were able to engage directly with the professionals, ask questions and learn more about mental health, intervention and available support. Despite the seriousness of the subject, organisers intentionally created an engaging community atmosphere. Pass the Gift, Mental Health Bingo and Pass the Positivity were incorporated into the programme,
along with prize giveaways, helping to make conversations around mental health more approachable. Participants were also provided with information on mental health and crisis resources available in New Providence, including the Bahamas Crisis Centre, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, the Department of Social Services, the Community Counselling and Assessment Centre and other support organisations.
As The Bahamas joined countries around the world in observing World Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday, September 10, the message coming out of Sea Breeze was simple but consequential: saving a life may begin with noticing that something has changed, asking the difficult question, listening to the answer — and refusing to leave someone to face a crisis alone.
SECTION D
Girls take to the
SKIES at Bahamas Aviation Day
TuESDay, SEpTEmbEr 22, 2026
YOUNG Bahamians got a close-up look at careers in aviation on Saturday as Women in Aviation International’s Bahamas Chapter hosted Girls in Aviation Day, complete with speakers, exhibitions and flight simulator demonstrations. The event, led by chapter president Monique Knowles, brought together local and international aviation professionals. Inspector Kevin Deveaux of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Real Time Crime Centre headed the force’s drone section, giving children a look at how unmanned aircraft support public safety. Mr Gibson, CEO of Bahamas EVAC Services, also took part. Visiting members of the US National Guard included Lt Col Alisa D’Agostino of the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, and Shannon Coolidge, a loadmaster with the 143rd Airlift Wing of the Rhode Island Air National Guard. The day mixed inspiration with hands-on learning, showing girls pathways into flying, emergency aviation, drones and related fields.