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PROPOSED EXPANSION OF MANDEVILLE REGIONAL HOSPITAL

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KINGSTON, Dec. 29 (JIS):(BY: DOUGLAS McINTOSH) The management of Mandeville Regional Hospital, in Manchester, has secured an additional four acres of land, which will form part of its strategic plan to further develop and expand the institution’s facilities and services.

The property, which is adjacent to the hospital on Caledonia Road in Mandeville, was acquired from the previous owner, the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, Alwyn Miller, tells JIS News that consideration is being given to relocating the outpatient department, which is earmarked for expansion.

He informs that the department, which provides pharmaceutical and laboratory services, has “outgrown” the area it currently occupies, resulting in the staff being “overwhelmed (by) the volume of persons using these facilities.”

This situation, he points out, makes it “more challenging for them to manage (the significant number of clients seen) within that space.”

Mr. Miller says the proposed upgraded laboratory is highly anticipated in light of the fact that “there are some services required in the Manchester and wider Southern Health Region that we have to get done as far (away) as Cornwall Regional Hospital (in Montego Bay)”, which incur significant costs.

He notes that the entire Southern Region (residents and other medical institutions) will benefit from having a regional laboratory at the hospital.

Additionally, the CEO says that for “security reasons,” the management also wants to separate outpatient from inpatient services, “to be better able to monitor and manage all visitors to the hospital.”

Mr. Miller tells JIS News that acquisition of the property will also provide the hospital’s management with the opportunity to explore development and installation of several additional cost effective features, capable of enhancing the institution’s operations.

These, he informs, include installation of additional water storage tanks and rainwater harvesting facilities to assist in maintaining consistent supplies at the institution, particularly during periods of restriction or disruption.

“One of the concerns we have always had is that while we do have our storage facility here, the hospital’s consumption rate has grown since the facility was established, and it can no longer store sufficient water for us beyond, maybe, a few days,” Mr. Miller points out.

“Additionally, it is always a bit disconcerting in times of severe weather, for example, when the National Water Commission (NWC) may be affected by flooding…and damage to its pumps, and we have no water in Mandeville. So, we want additional storage space to harvest water from rainfall,” the CEO adds.

Mr. Miller says the management is also hopeful that these projects will be complemented by the installation of eco-friendly renewable energy facilities, such as solar or wind, “to support the energy needs of the hospital.”

“We are hoping that in the 2015/16 budget year, we will be able to get the funding to secure the necessary technical services to help us in the developmental stage,” he tells JIS News.

Built in 1877, the Mandeville Regional Hospital is a Type B institution, which caters to just over 1,000 clients daily.

The institution, which is administered by the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), was initially called the Mandeville Public Hospital. It was renamed in 2001. The facility has undergone significant infrastructural upgrading and service expansion over the years, totaling in excess of $700 million.

The most recent was the completion of five major projects during 2013/14 at a cost of approximately $105 million, with financing from the National Health Fund (NHF).

These included: renovation and other supporting infrastructure works on four operating theatres; installation of new chillers and supporting air conditioning systems; procurement of food trolleys and meal wares; procurement, installation and commissioning of an X-ray machine; and renovation of Block H, which houses the internal medicine, paediatric and postnatal wards.

They were symbolically handed over to the hospital’s management by Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, during a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, and according to Mr. Miller, are expected to expand the hospital’s bed complement to approximately 230.

Implementation of the projects and the development being proposed for the hospital are consistent with the Government’s Human Capital Development priority, focusing on development and strengthening of health care.
Emphasising that the Mandeville Regional Hospital “must” be transformed into a Centre of Excellence, Dr. Ferguson assured that “the Ministry will continue to allocate resources to improve the quality (of the) infrastructure, even as we improve the manpower needs for the institution.”

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Bahamas News

Royal Bahamas Police Force – ARRAIGNMENT NOTICE

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The Bahamas, August 27, 2026 – The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to inform members of the public that several individuals are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 27th August 2026, at 12:00 noon.

The individuals and charges are as follows:

An 18-year-old female is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:

Three (3) counts of Murder
Three (3) counts of Attempted Murder
Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life
Three (3) counts of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm
Two (2) counts of Possession of Ammunition
Armed Robbery
Abetment to Armed Robbery
Stealing
Receiving

The charges stem from three separate shooting incidents and an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, 21st August 2026, and Saturday, 22nd August 2026.

The first shooting occurred in the area of Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road, resulting in the death of a 51-year-old male.

The second shooting occurred in the area of Joe Farrington Road, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old male.

The third shooting occurred in the area of Gladstone Road, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old male.

The armed robbery occurred at a business establishment in the area of Carmichael Road and Baillou Hill Road.

A 21-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of:

  • Murder

The charge stems from a shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, in the area of Samson Street, Nassau Village, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old male.

A 32-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:

  • Murder
  • Attempted Murder

These charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, in the area of Graham Drive, Yellow Elder, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old male.

 

RBPF, PACD

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Saunders Tells Caribbean Media: Be Seen, Be Heard – But What About TCI

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by Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

 

PROVIDENCIALES, TCI — In a country where government press conferences are virtually non-existent, ministers are often difficult for journalists to access and regular broadcast television news has disappeared, TCI Innovation, Technology and Energy Minister E. Jay Saunders has challenged Caribbean media to become “impossible to ignore.”

Speaking at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union gathering, Saunders argued that the Caribbean does not have a relevance problem but a “discoverability and positioning problem.”

Discoverability is precisely the issue in Saunders’ home country. Even Government’s own attempts at video news broadcasting have struggled against the realities of consistently producing a daily, weekly or even monthly newscast.

The difficulties confronting TCI media extend well beyond algorithms: limited advertising revenue, underfunding, shortages of trained professionals and insufficient human capacity leave newsrooms struggling for both staff and stamina.

Then there is the reality of operating in one of the region’s smallest societies. Politicians, journalists, advertisers, businesses and the subjects of stories often exist within the same tight economic and social circles. A controversial report that might create a ripple elsewhere can produce a tsunami in TCI, intensifying concerns among journalists about commercial and professional victimisation.

Saunders believes AI can help.

He urged Caribbean media to use the technology to transform one original story into television, radio, web, podcast, social and translated content without multiplying newsroom workload.

He also wants regional journalism structured so AI systems can find, understand and trust Caribbean sources, moving media beyond traditional SEO into Answer Engine Optimisation.

His ultimate message was emphatic: “Use AI not to make Caribbean media more artificial — but to make Caribbean voices more visible.”

For Turks and Caicos media, however, becoming visible may require more than technology. It requires an environment in which journalism can survive.

That last sentence is where I think we land the plane. It acknowledges that EJ actually has some us

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Bahamas News

Bahama Brass Band Invitation Sparks Heritage Debate Ahead of TCI Constitutional Holiday

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Turks and Caicos, August 20, 2026 – The planned participation of the Bahama Brass Band in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ inaugural Constitutional Holiday celebrations on August 30 has sparked public debate over culture, heritage and the historical contributions of Turks and Caicos Islanders abroad.

Organizers defended the invitation, saying the band’s inclusion is intended to highlight the deep historical ties between the two countries and honor Turks and Caicos men who helped establish and develop the institution in Grand Bahama.

According to the organizers, the Bahama Brass Band began in 1955 in Pine Ridge, Freeport, with Turks and Caicos Islanders, including the late Deacon Reuben Hall Sr. of Middle Caicos and Jenkins Williams and Mervin Hendfield of North Caicos, among those who helped build its foundation. The band eventually grew to more than 50 men.

The organizers also pointed to the participation of Turks and Caicos men in The Bahamas’ Independence celebrations on July 10, 1973, arguing that their contributions became part of Bahamian history while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.

Supporters say bringing the band home represents an opportunity to honor those pioneers, showcase their regional influence and expose younger generations to an important part of Turks and Caicos history.

However, concerns raised publicly described the invitation as potentially disrespectful to local culture and heritage. Organizers acknowledged those concerns, apologizing to anyone who felt overlooked or offended, while maintaining that no disrespect was intended.

The committee said the event should ultimately unite rather than divide, presenting the band’s history as evidence of the reach and resilience of Turks and Caicos heritage.

PHOTO CREDIT: Bahamas Brass Band

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