Bahamas News

Education Minister Tells GB Teachers: ‘We Must Go Back to the Foundation and Start Over’

Published

9 years ago

September 1, 2017

#Bahamas, September 1, 2017 – Grand Bahama – “What we have to do is go back to the foundation and start over.” That was the suggestion of Minister of Education, the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd to teachers in Grand Bahama, during a session of Teacher Enrichment Day at Jack Hayward High School Gymnasium, August 30, 2017.

The Education Minister told teachers that in order to revamp the Bahamian educational system, there is a need to “start over.” Quoting the theme of education for the year, Minister Lloyd noted “understanding the whole picture and imagining the finished product” requires that one does not think his way into a new way of living, but instead live into a new way of thinking.

“Let’s go back to the beginning which, in our community, means going back to the children so we will start to fix our educational system by going back to pre-school,” said Minister Lloyd.

“Last year, the Inter-American Bank produced a book called The Early Years and, in it, they identified that in the Caribbean-Latin American Region, on average our zero to five-year-olds know fewer words and have less cognitive ability, compared to their peers in developed societies.

“It showed that we invest about $3,500 in primary school education, and by comparison we invest only $500 in pre-school education. We are failing our society.

“As a result, under my watch, we are going to go back to the basics. This year, we are going to place greater emphasis on children who are two-and-a-half and three-years-old. Hopefully, when resources permit, we are going to mandate that all children between the ages of two-and-a-half and three-years-old must be in a Ministry of Education-Approved School.”

He noted that every nation of the world is taking a closer look at its educational system, in an effort to see if there is a way to tweak it, reform it, upgrade it and make it better. Nations are doing that, he said, because they understand life is moving at a much faster speed and the information age continues to expand rapidly.

“That means no one can rest on their laurels, including us here in The Bahamas. Let me tell you why: over the past 10 years our BGCSE results have shown not one centimeter of improvement. Not one,” said Minister Lloyd. “We started out at a D and we are still at a D. Something is wrong. There is no way to spin it or to try and camouflage it or to try and excuse it… we must admit that something is wrong and we must fix it.”

The Education Minister offered up a number of suggestions he felt could help improve the Bahamian education system. In addition to the suggestion of returning to the foundation of education, he advocated the revamp of the school curriculum.

“In our primary schools now, we have students who are doing up to 13 subjects,” the Minister pointed out. “When do they have time to really learn by playing? Children do not learn by sitting for hours looking up at a black board and listening to teacher after teacher; they learn by playing. “We should focus more on teaching our children about Math, English, interacting with people, engaging with one’s peers and talking and listening. Our present curriculum does not allow for that. We have taken art, music and drama out of our educational process and they are [said] to be essential to children’s development.”

Another suggestion is the proper use of technology in the local system. That includes using laptops, tablets and internet more efficiently.

He also suggested professional development for teachers in the system. “You must be willing to constantly upgrade yourself,” said Minister Lloyd. “Life keeps going and so must you. I want to assure my brothers and sisters in the unions that we are going to make monies available so that teachers can upgrade themselves. We will provide scholarships and grants so that teachers can have the opportunity to pursue their Masters and PhD degrees.

The Education Minister admitted that teaching, next to parenting, is perhaps one of the hardest jobs there is on earth. “If you are here for the money, your faith is great, because you will not make what you think you should make,” Minister Lloyd noted.

“But what gives you satisfaction is when you see students make something of themselves and affect change in their community. That’s the power of teachers.”

Story by: Andrew Coakley (BIS)

ADDRESSING TEACHERS – Minister of Education, the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd was the keynote speaker at Grand Bahama’s Teacher Enrichment Day, which was held at Jack Hayward High School, August 30, 2017.

(BIS Photo/Andrew Coakley)

Bahamas News

Royal Bahamas Police Force – ARRAIGNMENT NOTICE

Published

1 week ago

August 27, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

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

Bahamas News

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

Published

2 weeks ago

August 20, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

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

Bahamas News

CBC Supports Opportunities for Young Bahamian Basketball Players

Published

2 weeks ago

August 20, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Dasani products, proudly sponsored the fifth annual, Caribbean Hoopfest.

The tournament brings together Bahamian high school basketball teams and visiting teams from the United States for a competitive showcase at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gymnasium. Following its inaugural year at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs gym and last year’s event at Loyola Hall, the tournament returned to the Kendal G. L. Isaacs gym this year.

During the weekend tournament, CBC kept athletes well hydrated with in-kind donations of Dasani Water, Powerade and Minute Maid Juices.

During the tournament’s final day, CBC provided additional support by offering Sprite No Sugar samples and inviting attendees to participate in its Spin the Wheel for a chance to win exciting prizes.

CBC was proud to support this incredible event, which provides young Bahamian athletes with valuable exposure to U.S. basketball scouts and coaches. This opportunity gives them the chance to earn scholarships, continue their education, and pursue their basketball careers in the United States.

Event organizer, Donald Francois shared his appreciation for CBC’s support.

“I want to express our sincere appreciation for Caribbean Bottling Company, who has been a tremendous supporter and an important part of the success of our program. Without CBC’s support, Caribbean Hoop Fest would not be able to function at the level it does today. And without Caribbean Hoop Fest, we would not have been able to provide the opportunities that have helped young Bahamian athletes gain exposure and pursue educational opportunities in the United States,” he expressed.

Since the program’s inception, several Bahamian student-athletes have been selected for scholarship opportunities, highlighting the tournament’s growing impact on the development and advancement of young basketball talent in The Bahamas.

They are: Kelvin McDowells – Guard, Wodson Antoine – Power Forward, Justin Lafleur – Guard and Sean John – Guard.

After another successful edition of the tournament, Francois shared what he hopes he and Caribbean Bottling Company can achieve in the future.

“Our vision is bigger than basketball. We want to use the platform of Caribbean Hoop Fest to educate, develop, and create opportunities for young people and their families throughout the Bahamas. With individuals and organizations committed to our mission, we believe we can continue to grow the program and make an even greater impact,” Francois said.

For more details on community support, events and new products visit Caribbean Bottling Company at www.cbcbahamas.com today.