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BAHAMAS: First Female Warrant Officer Retires

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Coral Harbour Base, 12 FEB. ‘19 (RBDF) –The Royal Bahamas Defence Force said farewell to Force Chief Petty Officer (FCPO) Idamae Ferguson after 33 years of committed service. FCPO Ferguson was the first female in the Defence Force to attain the rate of Warrant Officer after being promoted in 2017; a Warrant Officer is the highest rate within the enlisted corps.

FCPO Ferguson gave her final farewell on Parade immediately following Morning Colours (a military flag raising ceremony held every morning at Coral Harbour Base). She left Parade attendees with wise words of encouragement to carry on throughout their careers. Members of the Defence Force, along with retired veterans joined the momentous occasion.

Following the ceremony, FCPO Ferguson met with Commander Defence Force, Commodore Tellis Bethel, and his team at Defence Headquarters. Commodore Bethel spoke highly of FCPO Ferguson’s service over the years. 

“Your contributions to the success of the Defence Force have been remarkable. You were always able to grow wherever you were planted, and you bore good fruit, and that’s how you effect change. You have been an inspiration, and we value and appreciate your service,” said Commodore Bethel.

FCPO Ferguson reminded those in attendance that officers and marines don’t merely work for the organization, but make up the organization. She also emphasized the importance of remaining united towards a common goal, and that only then, can the organization achieve great success.

FCPO Ferguson was a member of the first female entry (Woman Entry 1) to join the RBDF as a Marine Recruit on October 28, 1985. Departments in which she has served over the course of her career have included Training, Communications Centre, Head Quarters Registry, Accounts, Squadron with the Supply Department being her final assignment.

The Defence Force wishes Force Chief Petty Officer Idamae Ferguson a successful transition into civilian life.

Photo 1: Force Chief Petty Officer Idamae Ferguson giving words of encouragement to those in attendance during her farewell ceremony at the Defence Force Base.

Photo 2 shows: From left: Captain Adrian Chriswell, Captain Coral Harbour (Acting); Force Chief Petty Officer Idamae Ferguson; and Commander Michael Sweeting, Base Executive Officer.

Photo 3: The RBDF Warrant Officers showing their support for their comrade, Force Chief Petty Officer Idamae Ferguson who retired after 33 years of committed service at the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Photo 4 shows: Commander Defence Force Commodore Tellis Bethel and his Command Team along with Officers and Senior Enlisted at the Defence Force Headquarters. They all had encouraging words for Force Chief Petty Officer Idamae Ferguson

Photo 5 shows: Force Chief Petty Officer Idamae Ferguson and some of her squadmates of Woman Entry 1 during an Awards and Medal presentation ceremony at Government House in 2005.

(Photos courtesy RBDF Public Relations Section)

(For further information please contact the RBDF Public Relations Department or visit our website: www.rbdf.gov.bs, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and view our Youtube channel)

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Bahamas News

Soca Warriors crush  Bahamas at home

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By Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

 

 

#TheBahamas, March 27, 2023 – Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors dominated the Bahamas at home, at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau, for the 2022/2023 Concacaf Nations League on Friday, with a 3-0 victory.

The Soca Warriors struck their first blow within the first 5 minutes of the game, with Kareem Moses making the first shot in the top left corner of the net giving T&T one to the Bahamas’ zero (1-0).

Soon after, in about 26 minutes, they made another shot giving them 2-0 away from home; the scorer Joevin Jones. By the 34th minute mark, the winning goal was made by Ryan Telfer, T&T now at three.

Neither team scored any additional goals as the match progressed despite attempts made by various players.

Trinidad’s win gives them 12 points through five matches.  Next match for the Soca Warriors is against  Nicaragua; that clash is set for Monday March 27 (at home in Tobago at the Dwight Yorke Stadium), in a tussle of winner-take-all on the final match day.  The victor takes home a promotion to League A and a spot in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Angus Eve, T&T’s head coach expressed that the job is only half done, keeping aware that more challenges are coming their way, one of which is the nearing match against Nicaragua who is one point ahead of the Warriors.

Meanwhile, The Bahamas will journey to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with hopes of emerging victorious there.

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Bahamas News

7 million lives at risk because of salt 

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Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

 

 

March 24, 2023 – Without immediate and widespread efforts at curbing salt intake, 7 million lives will be lost by 2030 according to the World Health Organization.  The warning follows the first-ever Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction, which revealed that the world would not meet its sodium intake reduction target of 30 percent by 2025 on its current path.

With only 5% of WHO Member States protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies, the rest of the world must immediately implement ‘highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies to protect against some of the most common non-communicable diseases.

No Caribbean country was mentioned in the group of nine countries with comprehensive salt laws, but Barbados is currently set to make effective stringent regulations to govern food consumption and food quality. 

Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General said: 

“Most countries are yet to adopt any mandatory sodium reduction policies, leaving their people at risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health problems. The WHO calls on all countries to implement the ‘Best Buys’ for sodium reduction, and on manufacturers to implement the WHO benchmarks for sodium content in food.” 

North America and the Caribbean have the highest child diabetes statistics in the world, with the second highest prevalence in adults as well. In Turks and Caicos in particular, over 300 hundred residents have failing kidneys, a number described as ‘alarming’ by experts. Kidney disease is fueled in most cases by diabetes and hypertension. 

The WHO is then advising Governments to do four things:

  • Reformulating foods to contain less salt, and setting targets for the amount of sodium in foods and meals. 
  • Establishing public food procurement policies to limit salt or sodium-rich foods in public institutions such as hospitals, schools, workplaces, and nursing homes.
  • Front-of-package labelling that helps consumers select products lower in sodium.
  • Behaviour change communication and mass media campaigns to reduce salt/sodium consumption.

With these measures in place, the salt reduction target can still be achieved, according to the WHO. 

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Bahamas News

FBI and Bahamas looking into woman’s death  

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Dana Malcolm  

Staff Writer  

 

 

#TheBahamas, March 17, 2023 – The FBI is investigating a woman’s ‘suspicious’ death on a Carnival Cruise ship in February.  The unnamed woman and her husband boarded the Carnival Sunshine on February 27th, for a trip to the Bahamas, but she was dead before they arrived in the port in The Bahamas.

The FBI said Carnival’s team had administered life saving measures when the woman was reported unresponsive, but they were unsuccessful.  The body and the woman’s husband were released to the Bahamian authorities when the cruise arrived in the country.  

In a statement shared with US media houses, Carnival Cruises claimed the death has been a natural one.  The Nassau Guardian said a source told them the police findings had concurred with that assessment saying it was a “normal sudden death of a tourist who wasn’t feeling well.” 

The FBI was waiting for the cruise and when it got back to South Carolina on March 4th, they immediately boarded and began to investigate the room based on ‘evidence of a crime.’  The FBI also searched the couple’s car.   

No updates have been shared to contradict the currently established cause of death.   

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