Bahamas News
Bahamas urged to Abolish the Death Penalty – Brussels Conference
#Brussels, March 5, 2019 – Belgium – Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) Executive Director Raphael Chenuil-Hazan urged the Bahamian government abolish the death penalty and break away from what he calls the “fake solidarity” that seems to be preventing The Bahamas and other English-speaking Caribbean countries from becoming abolitionist states.
Chenuil-Hazan made this plea to the government during an interview with The Bahama Journal at the 7th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Brussels, Belgium where he expressed concerns over The Bahamas keeping the death penalty as law and not using it.
Other English-speaking Caribbean countries do the same and Chenuil-Hazan considers this practice as a bad example.
“It’s kind of shaming and I don’t like shaming,” he said. “But it’s a reality of original solidarity. I think that some countries in the Caribbean should stop this fake regional solidarity.”
ECPM is a French nongovernmental organization with a mission to abolish the death penalty worldwide.
Although The Bahamas is identified by Amnesty International as one of the 52 retentionist states around the world where the death penalty is implemented, The Bahamas has a de facto moratorium on the death penalty.
The last execution took place in The Bahamas in 2000 when Bahamian national David Mitchell was hanged after being convicted for the murders of two German tourists. Mitchell had an appeal pending before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights at the time of his execution.
However, the imposition of the death penalty in The Bahamas is no longer mandatory following a Judicial Committee of the Privy Council’s decision in a case, which ruled that judges can exercise discretion and should sentence only “the worst of the worst” and the “rarest of the rare” to death.
According to Chenuil-Hazan, breaking away from the “fake solidarity” would lead The Bahamas to a formal moratorium on the death penalty. He suggested that The Bahamas embrace the United Nations General Assembly Moratorium Resolution and not continuously follow other Caribbean countries by voting against it.
“The Bahamas should vote,” Chenuil-Hazan said. “It’s normal. It’s logical. Dominica should vote in favour, but they don’t just because of this strange solidarity. You should go beyond and have your own identity based on your own situation.”
In a report released by the Advocates for Human Rights, The Greater Caribbean for Life, and The World Coalition against the Death Penalty, The Bahamas has voted against every United Nations General Assembly Moratorium Resolution and up until 2012, The Bahamas also signed the Note Verbale of Dissociation from the resolution each year.
If The Bahamas receives a formal moratorium on the death penalty, the country would be globally recognized as a state with a moratorium on executions.
Amnesty International identifies countries with formal moratoriums as states or territories where the death penalty is implemented, but no executions have been carried out for at least 10 years and which did not oppose the latest United Nations Resolution for a universal moratorium on executions.
In addition, Chenuil-Hazan also suggested that the government should begin to shape the public’s opinion so that Bahamians who are in favour of the death penalty would understand that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime.
Using China as an example, Chenuil-Hazan explained that thousands of Chinese are executed each year, but there is no decrease in China’s crime rate.
“So when you execute hundreds and thousands of people every year, you take the risk of becoming a dictatorship and break the rule of law,” he explained. “Do you want to be in a democracy with rule of law or in a dictatorship with hundreds and hundreds of killings?”
The ECPM director added that the government should have a strong willingness to educate Bahamians so that public opinion would change and Bahamians would understand that ending the death penalty is a part of entering a new world that has been embraced by countries in South America, Europe and Africa.
While abolishing the death penalty may be complicated for some to understand, applying it increases crime, according to Chenuil-Hazan.
“Applying the death penalty would bring violence, state violence,” Chenuil-Hazan said. “The death penalty is a violence, when you kill someone. It is a violence and it is a symbolic state violence.”
By: Deandre Williamson
Journal Staff Writer
For further information contact: Secretary Lindsay Thompson at (242) 434-5643. Email:thebahamaspressclub@gmail.com.
Website: www.bahamaspressclub.org
Photo Caption: Bahamas Press Club Member, broadcast journalist Deandrè Williamson attended the 7th World Conference Against Death Penalty, in Brussels from February 26 to March 1st, 2019. She is pictured at the European Parliament interviewing ECPM Executive Director, Raphael Chenuil-Hazan.
Press Release: The Bahamas Press Club
Bahamas News
Public Hospitals Authority Foundation Donates Dialysis Machines to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH)
The Bahamas, September 21, 2026 – The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Foundation, a philanthropic organization launched in January 2024 to support public hospitals and healthcare clinics, donated eight additional dialysis machines for the PMH Renal Services unit.
Director of Foundations, Corporate and Community Relations for the Public Hospitals Authority and Executive Director of the foundation,
Alana Major, said this initiative is a part of the foundation’s “Sun, Sea and Second Chances” campaign. PHA Foundation aims to secure 30 machines for Princess Margaret Hospital.
“As of today, with this donation, we are now up to 15 machines, so we are very excited about that,” Ms. Major said.
Other members of the foundation were present, including PHA Foundation Chairman Mr. Selvin Basden, who said the foundation is committed to doing its part in fulfilling the mandate of the Government of the Bahamas.
“One of the tenets of the Government is to ensure that access to healthcare is a human right. We are committed to ensuring that, at least from our part, we can deliver on that principle,” Mr. Basden said.
The PMH Renal Services Unit dialyzes about 150 to 170 patients annually. The unit provides care for patients who have been diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease and now need renal support. Patients who receive dialysis typically come to the unit three times a week, either on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule or a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule.
Head of Department for Renal Services, Dr. Thurston Carroll, said she and the unit are excited to receive the donation, as it will replace
machines that are not operating optimally.
“We are particularly excited about today’s donation because, although we have 20 stations within the dialysis unit, we have an aging fleet. These new machines and new water-treatment equipment will allow us to replace some of our aging equipment so that we can continue providing services to our patients.”
Foundation representatives noted that one or two organizations are already considering making bulk donations and if it happens, the foundation may be able to secure another 10 machines or another five machines in the very near future.
PMH Deputy Hospital Administrator Angelica Lockhart-Bastian and Hospital Administrator Mr. Tevard Bastian thanked the PHA Foundation for its donation to Princess Margaret Hospital.
Also in attendance were PHA Foundation Deputy Chairman Dr. Erecia Hepburn; Foundation guest Dr. Maria Oriakhi; Chief Biomedical Engineer Mr. Theodore Nottage; Administrative Officer Ms. Appapisa Neely; and Senior Assistant Hospital Administrator Mr. Valdez Bowe.
By Christina Williams
Bahamas Information Services
BIS Photos/Mark Ford
PHOTO CAPTION:
Group Photo, from left:
– Dr. Rhea Thurston Carroll, Director, Renal Services, PMH
– Nurse Kim Harris, Dialysis Nurse, Dialysis Unit, PMH
– Sister Darnell Roker, Nurse Manager, Dialysis Unit, PMH
– Mrs. Angelica Lockhart-Bastian, Deputy Hospital Administrator PMH
– Mr. Tevard Bastian, Hospital Administrator PMH
– Mrs. Alana Major, Director, Foundations, Community and Corporate Relations, PHA
– Mr. Selvin Basden, Chairman, PHA Foundation
– Dr. Erecia Hepburn, PHA Foundation Board
– Ms. Donette Danvers, Executive Assistant, Foundations, Community and Corporate Relations, PHA
Miami, Florida – Director of Aviation and Deputy Director General of Tourism, Dr. Kenneth Romer was presented with The 2025-2026 Infrastructure Leadership MVP Award, during the 10th Annual Caribbean Infrastructure Forum (CARIF) held in Miami September 15-16, 2026.
According to event organizers, New Energy Events, the MVP Leadership Award is the highest individual honor in the industry and is
presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional, strategic and visionary leadership in advancing infrastructure in the Caribbean. Chosen by an independent jury of regional industry leaders, “The recipient is recognized for their sustained impact, influence across sectors, and dedication to driving meaningful progress in policy, investment, or project delivery”, said Event Organizers.
Romer becomes only the third person from the Region, and the first from The Bahamas to receive the Leadership MVP Award, joining last year’s winner The Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.
Represented among the Conference Speakers and present at the Award Ceremony was Minister of Energy, Utilities and Aviation, The Honourable JoBeth Coleby-Davis, who said that, “This award amplifies The Bahamas Government’s commitment to executing a vision that sets the benchmark for infrastructural investments opportunities across our archipelago while supporting exemplary Bahamian leaders like Dr. Romer, who are steering the Caribbean toward more resilient, investable, and innovative infrastructure”.
“While this award is deemed an individual honor, it is a recognition of the Bahamas’ position as a respected regional leader and more so, a
reflection of the incredible talent that resides within our small, but indomitable nation that continues to punch above its weight class as the world marks the manner of our bearing”, said Dr. Romer.
Dr. Romer has been instrumental in driving post-pandemic tourism recovery alongside the transformation of airports across the Family Islands through the Government’s landmark Family Islands Renaissance initiative. Under his leadership as Director of Aviation and Deputy Director General of Tourism, the sector has embraced a strategic, forward-looking approach focused on modernizing over 19 runways and terminals, strengthening safety and resilience, expanding international and regional connectivity, and leveraging public-private partnerships to deliver world-class facilities.
Dr. Romer’s work has helped translate the National Aviation Strategic Plan into tangible infrastructure projects that are creating new opportunities for tourism, investment, entrepreneurship and economic growth across the archipelago.
In 2025, he became the first person from the Caribbean and LATAM Region to be appointed to the Board of the International Association of Airports Executives.
NASSAU, Bahamas –— This back-to-school season Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), the local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is offering huge wins for parents and guardians in their Level Up and Win Lunchtime giveaway.
The promotion encourages consumers to share their best lunch bag creations featuring the following products, Honest Kids juice box, Minute Maid 12oz Fruit Cooler and Dasani 12oz. water. Now until September 30th, the public can post or privately share a photo or video of
one of the listed products in their lunch bag.
At the end of the promotion, the top five lunch bags will be shared on social media, and consumers will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite lunchtime creations. Prizes include a $200 Kelly’s gift card, $150 John Bull gift card and six-months’ worth of each product.
Lauryn Clarke, Marketing Coordinator of Caribbean Bottling Company, shared what inspired this promotion.
” The back-to-school season is all about getting kids excited for the year ahead, and lunch boxes are a big part of that fun. We wanted to remind parents and guardians that hydration should be just as important as what is being learned in the classroom. This promotion is about encouraging families to pack a refreshing beverage their kids will enjoy and make hydration part of their everyday school routine,” Clarke said.
With a variety of brands and new flavors featured in this promotion, particularly Honest Kids’ newest flavor, Strawberry Peach Keen, and the new 12 oz. Minute Maid Fruit Coolers, CBC hopes this lunchtime giveaway will appeal to new consumers.
For more details on the Level Up and Win Lunchtime promotion, new products and events visit caribbean_bottling on social media.
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