Bahamas News

Bahamas Tourism cuts staff, Minister says to save $1M

Published

7 years ago

August 11, 2017

#Bahamas, August 11, 2017 – Nassau – Tourism and Aviation Minister, Dionisio D’Aguilar says he is trying to save $1m a year at the ministry with the layoff of mainly recently recruited staff. The Minister said 22 people were hired within weeks leading up to the General Elections and that the new hires would cost the country some $750,000 in salaries.

Speaking to media about the layoffs, Minister #D’Aguilar explained, “… we are mindful of the fact that people need jobs but we also must be mindful of the fact that the core mission of the Ministry of Tourism is to grow the overall visitor count or the total number of stopover visitors to our country and therefore they bring significant spend to the country and create economic opportunities. You don’t grow employment by the government hiring more people, you want the private sector to grow and thereby hire more people, that’s the route you need to take.”

It was reported that last week 11 people in Grand Bahama were made redundant and that in July 12 people were recalled to Nassau as Tourism combined its Washington, DC and Los Angeles offices with New York and Houston. The minister accused the Christie Administration of gross spending just before the election and shared, that there were 260 employees when former Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe assumed office in 2012, five years later the staff ballooned by 155% to 403 people.

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Bahamas News

Bahamas Agriculture Advancements-Reduces Food Import Reliance

Published

15 hours ago

May 11, 2024

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Rashaed Esson

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The Bahamas is on its way to greater national food security and being less dependent on food imports with the Ministry of Agriculture’s container farms, two of them, provided by Eeden Farms.

On its Facebook, the ministry informs that the farms, both 40 feet, are able to produce the equivalent of 5 acres of high quality produce annually, resistant to hurricanes and pesticide free.

A container farm is a 21st century farming method that involves growing plants inside customized storage or shipping containers.

Bahamas News

The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Philip Davis reiterated climate change concerns for his nation.

Published

16 hours ago

May 11, 2024

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Philip Davis reiterated the threats of climate change to The Bahamas, speaking at a Global Citizen Conference in New York on May 2. He spoke of The Bahamas’ vulnerability as an ocean state, highlighting that more than 85 percent of the landmass is less than 3 meters above sea level and is porous limestone; a huge issue as water is able to seep into the land due to rising sea-levels. He expressed that Bahamians are “Doomed” to become climate refugees.

Bahamas News

U.S. Bird Flu outbreak to drive Poultry prices up says Super Value owner

Published

2 days ago

May 10, 2024

Shanieka

Rashsed Esson

Staff Writer

Bird Flu has been detected in domesticated birds in the US and now reports are saying in the next few months, chicken and turkey will more than likely be off the shelves as a result.

Bahamas supermarket mogul, Rupert Roberts, as owner of Super Value and Quality Supermarkets, is featured in a report by Guardian Business giving a frightening forecast. He fears poultry products will be wiped out.

This he says is scary.

He adds that suppliers are not saying much if anything at all, but are expecting this outcome worldwide.

The bird flu was found in chickens in Texas and Michigan, said media reports which also said one person was infected, as well as other livestock.

In response to the outbreak, the largest egg producer in the US, CalMaine Foods, temporarily stopped egg production in Texas and started executing over 1 million hens and 337 thousand chicks.

Despite this, Roberts reportedly said chicken and turkey supplies are safe for now. The Bahamas imports its turkey from Brazil, which Roberts hopes will grow to become the country’s main supplier.

However, the unfortunate outcome is that poultry prices are set to go up according to Roberts, as the small island nation competes with giant economies like China for poultry products.