Bahamas News

Thousands without power in TCI

Published

7 years ago

September 11, 2017

#TurksandCaicos, September 11, 2017 – There is no electricity across the Turks and Caicos Islands and that means the 36,000 plus residents and our guests have been out of city power for four days now since the battering in catastrophic hurricane Irma. #FortisTCI, the nation’s power supplier was mobilized since the day after the storm and by Saturday, work had begun along Leeward Highway.

FortisTCI has informed that the priority areas are Five Cays, Blue Hills, Down Town, Kew Town, South Dock, Grace Bay and the Airport. It was reported by the company that some 500 poles were either damaged or downed by the category five hurricane which slammed into the island on Thursday September 7 and remained, with hurricane force winds until early morning Friday.

Cell phone communication is sporadic at best, both Flow and #Digicel are now assessing so that residents can regain communication within the islands and with the outside world. Provo Water Company was giving periodic water access but some communities like Blue Hills, Wheeland and the far end of Chalk Sound were left out due to extensive damages which caused bursts in the pipeline.

Help is on the way as the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister, Rt Hon Lord Ahmad has already pledged Britian’s support in the recovery of its overseas territories in the Caribbean which suffered so much devastation in Hurricane Irma. British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos were named to Bahamas PM, Hubert Minnis in a telephone call over the weekend.

#CARICOM also held an emergency meeting on Saturday to determine how and what kind of support could be lent to member countries and other regional nations severly impacted by hurricane Irma.

#MagneticMediaNews

Related Topics:#magneticmedianews digicel FORTIStci

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Bahamas News

Bahamas Agriculture Advancements-Reduces Food Import Reliance

Published

14 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

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

15 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Shanieka

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.