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STATEMENT BY DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER HON. PHILIP BRAVE DAVIS ON BAHAMASAIR

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Nassau, 28 Dec 2014 – The recent unprovoked and unwarranted industrial action taken by the Pilots of the national flag carrier Bahamasair is of great concern to the government of the Bahamas in that the cost and inconvenience to the traveling public calls for immediate action to be taken to avoid further occurrences. I am deeply troubled that Pilots took this unlawful and unwarranted industrial action less than six hours after being informed that the Minister of Labour would take their proposal to Cabinet the following day – nothing was refused, nothing was denied. The fact that they took this action anyway – without even filing a trade dispute clearly indicates it was always their intent to disrupt the airline’s ability to operate.

Over the past two years the government has given considerable effort to securing a strategic partner for Bahamasair, but this gross act of corporate sabotage brings cause for acceleration of the government’s efforts to relieve the Bahamian taxpayer of this heavy financial burden. Moreover, irresponsible and selfish acts of this nature do not provide the shareholder with an incentive to pursue any form of service or route expansion. In fact this behavior demonstrates the need to fully consider the merits of retrenchment as a more realistic course of action. Over its 41 years of existence, Bahamasair received $541 million dollars through June 2013 in subsidies which could have been utilized to build new schools or hospitals, improve infrastructure like roads or harbours, additional personnel and equipment to combat crime or even a new correctional facility. Quite frankly, all concerned must come to grips with the reality that Bahamasair is no longer an essential service.

Major foreign carriers provide for the bulk of tourist traffic into the country and over the past 8 years, 31 local carriers have been licensed to provide scheduled services throughout the archipelago; the domestic landscape has changed dramatically. It is no secret that Bahamasair pilots are paid salaries well in excess of their regional counterparts and utilized (flying hours) considerably less. The facts are, a Senior Jet Captain with Bahamasair makes up to $132,000 annually before overtime. By comparison a Bahamasair Senior Dash 8 Captain makes up to $91,000 which is staggering when considering that his regional equivalent with LIAT airways makes $36,000 annually after 15% income tax. Additionally, Pilots make up only ten percent (10%) of the entire staff at Bahamasair but account for thirty percent (30%) of the payroll; there is something wrong with this picture.

Any right and reasonable thinking person will agree that under these conditions it is unconscionable that the Pilots would take such drastic action at a time when Bahamians with very small incomes are seeking to shop abroad, students are returning home and our main industry tourism is at its peak. The actions of these individuals will be reviewed within the context of the company’s policies and procedures.

I have directed that management provide me with the full costing of the past week’s events. In full view of the costs and embarrassment to the company and the pilots’ insensitivity to the Bahamian people, their recent action may have consumed the limited resources necessary to facilitate our last proposal and may necessitate that we withdraw that proposal. Moreover, the financial impact of recent events is nowhere as damaging as will be the negative publicity received from local and international travelers, which is immeasurable. This may take years to recover from, especially when hearing locals say they will never fly Bahamasair again balanced against the comments of tourists who say “they will never return to the Bahamas”, all as a result of this terrible experience brought on by the actions of a group of selfish individuals.

Nevertheless, the Government, the Board of Directors and the Management of Bahamasair takes this opportunity to extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to our front line staff of Bahamasair who in the face of extreme pressure continued to give 100% as they serviced the needs of our passengers. I would also like to thank the local carriers that provided assistance during our time of need. Taking into consideration that they are always our competitors, however, in this instance they were patriots and joined us as partners in service to our nation.

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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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