Bahamas News
Road to Recovery Begins with ‘Serious Determination’
#Bahamas, September 12, 2017 – Southern Bahamas – The road to recovery for residents of those Bahamian islands negatively impacted by Hurricane Irma began with “serious determination,” Monday (September 11, 2017).
Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert A. Minnis and a team of senior Administration officials took the first, critical steps on the road to recovery from Hurricane Irma Monday, visiting the three islands in the Southern Bahamas that were most impacted by the very dangerous Category 4 storm, September 8, 2017.
They were there to get on-the-ground briefings from Damage Assessment Teams that traveled as part of the Prime Minister’s delegation, and to speak with residents – some of whom decided to “ride out” the dangerous storm.
Dr. Minnis was also briefed by Initial Damage Assessment Teams – particularly officers of the Royal Bahamas Police and Defence Forces and Local Government officials — who would have gone into the affected areas in the immediate aftermath of the storm.
The work of the Initial Damage Assessment Teams and the Damage Assessment Teams is critical in Disaster Management, as their assessments will be used to help provide Government planners with a road map towards determining the appropriate course of action to be taken on the path to recovery.
Prime Minister Minnis was scheduled to visit the islands on Sunday (September 10, 2017) after the ‘All Clear’ was given for the Southern Bahamas, but severe headwinds in New Providence forced aviators to push back Dr. Minnis’ visit to Monday.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister of Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister; Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Hon. Renward Wells; Minister of Education, the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd; Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Duane Sands; Minister of Transport and Local Government, the Hon. Frankie Campbell; Minister of Tourism and Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar; Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Darren Henfield; Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Lanisha Rolle, and Minister of Labour, Senator, the Hon. Dion Foulkes.
The delegation also comprised Opposition Leader, the Hon. Philip Davis, and administrative, technical and logistics experts from the Office of the Prime Minister; the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); Ministry of Works (including those from the Water and Sewerage Corporation and Bahamas Power and Light); and the Ministry of Transport and Local Government; Tourism and Aviation and Agriculture and Fisheries, among others.
The delegation’s first stop was Salina Point, which bore the brunt of Irma’s wrath in Acklins. Homes and small businesses were either destroyed or received some form of damage, while storm surge created by Hurricane Irma brought seawater from the surrounding beach onshore for an estimated several hundred feet in some areas. The Homecoming site also received damage, as did the cemetery. While there were downed power lines, there was no major damage to poles.
Mr. Mario Virgil, Chief Councilor for Acklins, said the majority of the 234 residents of Salina Point, either evacuated the area or sought shelter elsewhere on the island. Five persons were said to have remained behind to “ride out the storm.” All five have been accounted for and are safe and sound.
Chief Councilor Virgil said the island’s much valued cascarilla bark farming industry was not impacted by the storm, as the majority of the trees are grown in Central Acklins. Cascarilla bark farming and the fishing industry are the two major revenue generators for Acklins.
The island’s crop farming industry– watermelons, peas, honeydews, potatoes, sour limes – also fared well according to Chief Councilor Virgil. High winds did impact the corn crop, however. The delegation’s next stop was Crooked Island, which sustained little damage to infrastructure. Administrator Leonard Dames said cell and land phone service, electricity and water were “fully functional.”
Early reports indicate that the Clinic and Dock at Landrail Point also sustained some damage. The school in Colonel Hill was “slightly damaged.” A number of seawalls that were under construction were also impacted by the storm.
The final leg of the journey took the delegation to Ragged Island. It was clear to see from the air upon approach, that the island-community, had been ravaged by Hurricane Irma. Downed power lines and poles snapped in half by hurricane-force winds still littered the community Monday as the Prime Minister and his delegation toured the island to assess and evaluate the damage brought on by Hurricane Irma.
Government buildings (school, police station, clinic, post office), homes and businesses were either flattened by the storm or severely damaged. Many of those that were left standing were only a shell, having had doors and concrete walls torn out; roofs torn off, and windows blown out.
Communications are also out due to the extensive damage caused to the island’s infrastructure.
Navigating the community on foot and in the few vehicles that survived Irma’s wrath, proved a bit tricky as assessment teams and members of the delegation had to manoeuvre around large electricity poles and wires that blocked pathways. The stench from the rotting carcasses of dead animals was also evident.
Prime Minister Minnis told residents that he was ordering a second round of evacuation for the 17 persons who “rode out the storm,” in their best interest. evacuations are set to begin Wednesday, September 13, 2017, for those willing to evacuate.
Story by: Matt Maura (BIS)
PHOTO CAPTION
Southern Island devastation in the wake of Hurricane Irma early September 2017.
(Photos/Yontalay Bowe, OPM Media Services)
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Next U.S. Ambassador? Walker Pledges Business-Driven Approach as U.S. Looks to Counter China in The Bahamas
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
The Bahamas, September 16, 2025 – For the first time since 2011, the United States is on the cusp of sending an ambassador to The Bahamas — and the nominee, former football star turned entrepreneur Herschel Walker, is promising to bring his business instincts to the diplomatic table.
Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Walker underscored that his background in food-service companies and small business leadership has prepared him to think practically about investment. “I know how to run a business, how to create jobs, how to make payroll. Those lessons translate into building relationships and building trust,” Walker said.
Walker, who was nominated by President Trump in December 2024, faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 11. As of now, he has not yet been confirmed; his nomination remains under review, pending a committee vote before it can move to the full Senate. If approved, he would become the first U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas since 2011.
For years, U.S. officials have stressed security and counternarcotics cooperation with The Bahamas, including through “Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.” But in areas like infrastructure, medical care, and long-term investment, Washington has often been absent.
Hospitals and clinics remain under-resourced, and hurricane recovery has been slow in many islands. Chinese state-backed firms, by contrast, have shown up with financing packages and construction deals — a presence that has raised alarms on Capitol Hill.
“Only 50 miles off our shore, The Bahamas is too important for us to ignore,” warned Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders during Walker’s hearing. They called China’s inroads “strategic, not charitable,” suggesting Beijing’s long game is about ports, proximity, and political leverage.
Walker positioned himself as a nontraditional but pragmatic envoy. He argued that his business career, rooted in private sector success, equips him to champion American investment in The Bahamas.
He pledged to:
- Promote U.S. companies interested in medical and infrastructure projects.
- Support an environment that encourages American investors to see The Bahamas as more than just a beach destination.
- Highlight opportunities for partnerships that improve public services, healthcare, and resilience against hurricanes.
“I’ve built businesses. I know what it takes to attract investors and create opportunity. That is exactly what I intend to bring to our relationship with The Bahamas,” Walker said.
The Bahamas is not just a tourist paradise. It’s a frontline state in migration, drug interdiction, and hurricane response. More than six
million U.S. visitors travel there annually, making stability and safety a U.S. domestic concern as much as a foreign policy one.
And yet, with the ambassador post vacant for 14 years, the U.S. has often looked detached — opening space for China’s ambitious Belt and Road agenda. The fear is that infrastructure deals signed today could give Beijing leverage in the region tomorrow. Walker’s confirmation would symbolize a course correction, signaling Washington’s intent to re-engage not only in security but in the economic future of The Bahamas. Not everyone is convinced Herschel Walker is the right man for the job. His nomination revived controversies from his 2022 Senate run, including past allegations, public gaffes, and doubts about whether he has the diplomatic polish the post demands. Some senators and analysts questioned whether celebrity and business experience were enough for a role requiring nuance in foreign policy and geopolitics.
Critics argued that The Bahamas, sitting just 50 miles from Florida and facing intense Chinese interest, deserves a seasoned diplomat rather than a political ally.
Walker confronted those doubts head-on. “People have underestimated me all my life — in academics, athletics, and business,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I have always proven them wrong, through discipline, determination, and by outworking everyone.”
He admitted he had never served as an ambassador but countered that his career prepared him in other ways: building businesses, managing payrolls, and connecting with people from all walks of life. He framed his business background as a strength, promising to use it to encourage U.S. investment in healthcare, infrastructure, and hurricane resilience projects in The Bahamas.
Rather than sparring with critics, Walker leaned on confidence and persistence: “I know how to build trust and find common ground. That’s what this relationship needs.”
If confirmed, Walker would have to balance his role as diplomat with expectations of being a commercial cheerleader for U.S. firms. His emphasis on entrepreneurship suggests a willingness to push U.S. businesses toward opportunities in healthcare, ports, and post-storm reconstruction — areas where Bahamians say they need the most support.
For Bahamian officials, the question will be whether Washington is prepared to back words with financing. U.S. private sector dollars, paired with aid and development partnerships, could help shift the tide against Chinese influence.
For Walker, the test will be whether his business acumen can translate into diplomatic wins — giving Bahamians alternatives to Beijing, while deepening the U.S. role in the Caribbean.
Analysis: If Walker delivers, this appointment could mark a turning point: a U.S. strategy that recognizes that in the Caribbean, investment is diplomacy.
