Bahamas News
Israeli Government Partners with NEMA to Provide Portable Drinking Water for Grand Bahama
#Freeport, GB, October 9, 2019 – Bahamas – The Israeli Government, in partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has donated water purification equipment to the island of Grand Bahama, which will provide residents with potable drinking water, following the passing of Hurricane Dorian.
During an official handing over ceremony at the C. A. Smith Complex on Sunday, October 6, 2019, Senate President and Coordinator of NEMA in Grand Bahama, Senator Kay Forbes-Smith thanked the State of Israel and the Israeli National Water Authority for their generous gift to the people of Grand Bahama.
“On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Government and the people of The Bahamas, we are grateful for the generosity of the Government of the State of Israel and of MASHAV, Israel’s Aid Agency (Government body) of international development and cooperation,” said Senator Smith.
“We are also thankful for the efforts of IsraAID for their tireless work in Grand Bahama to set up this unique water storage and distribution system. Today, we are opening the first system to go on line at the Pineridge Urban Renewal Center, which will serve the Pineridge neighbourhood and the surrounding areas.”
Senator Smith noted that by next week, IsraAID, Israel’s implementing partner for the project will work with NEMA to launch two other water stations on Grand Bahama, specifically at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Pinder’s Point and at the Central Zion Baptist Church in Eight Mile Rock.
Experts from the Israeli Water Authority are also providing detailed training for NEMA staff, to ensure that the three systems will provide clean drinking water to thousands of Grand Bahama residents now and if needed, for any future water outage or emergencies.
“Let me just say that this is such a wonderful effort from the Israeli Government, because not only are they installing the water systems for now, they plan to leave the equipment here for us,” added Senator Smith.
“That is an important aspect of all of this. What it means is that we have to take care of it. We have to store it properly and continue to train people on how to use it. We should not vandalize it and we should really accept it as a gift and a blessing.
“We are also very appreciative of the support that will be provided by the experts from Israeli’s National Water Authority, who have arrived on Grand Bahama to assist with the immediate needs. Soon, other experts from Israel will arrive on the island to assist with the long-term processes.”
Political Counsellor at the Embassy of Israel, Nadav Goren says the Government of the State of Israel, through its Agency for International Development Cooperation, MASHAV, aims to carry its humanitarian responsibilities wherever and whenever disaster strikes.
“When Hurricane Dorian hit The Bahamas in unprecedented strength, we felt obliged to take action for the well-being of its citizens,” Mr. Goren told those gathered for the handing over ceremony.
“As you all know, the hurricane led to the contamination of existing water reservoirs with salt water, which has caused severe water shortages throughout the country. The assistance program which we are inaugurating today is aimed at bridging that gap and providing potable water to Grand Bahama for those in need, up until the relevant authorities can restore the necessary water services.”
The Israeli Political Counsellor explained that their humanitarian assistance model is based upon the National Emergency plan of the Israeli Water Authority and draws upon Israel’s accumulated experience in dealing with emergency situations.
“Therefore, we are setting up an emergency water distribution operation that will reach a maximum amount of people in minimal time,” Mr. Goren added.
“In order to achieve this goal, we have shipped special Israeli designed equipment, which includes: water containment tanks, mobile distribution tanks and approximately 20,000 reusable personal water containers.
“This project is based on a true partnership. Hand in hand with NEMA, we will promote skill building, which in turn will ensure sustainability. This emergency relief operation would not be effective without the close cooperation of the Government of The Bahamas, in particular, the National Emergency Management Agency, under the leadership of Senator Kay Forbes-Smith.
“This is just another manifestation of the close friendship between our two nations. I would like to express the commitment of the State of Israel to the people of the Bahamas – we empathize with your suffering and commend your resilience. We will strive to improve your current water shortages through immediate relief efforts and hope this will also be used for contingency planning if, God forbid, disaster should ever strike again.”
Senator Smith thanked IsraAID for its tireless work in installing the systems and ensuring that local volunteers were trained to operate the water system. She said it was invaluable to have the additional expertise on the ground to help expedite the recovery of the island’s water system.
“Let me personally thank you Mr. Goren for coming to our island and please extend my gratitude to the State of Israel on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Government of The Bahamas and certainly the people of The Bahamas, for the kindness and generosity shown to the people of Grand Bahama and to all our residents and citizens of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas,” concluded Senator Smith.
By: Andrew Coakley
Release: BIS
Photo Captions:
Header: National Emergency Management Agency Coordinator in Grand Bahama, Senator Kay Forbes-Smith (left) accepts one of the containers of drinking water from Nadav Goren, Political Counsellor at the Embassy of Israel at the handover ceremony of the Israeli Water Assistance Mission to The Bahamas’ project at the C.A. Smith headquarters in Freeport Grand Bahama, Sunday, October 6, 2019. The Israeli Government, in partnership with NEMA, is donating water purification equipment to be setup in Grand Bahama providing residents with potable drinking water after the passing of Hurricane Dorian which contaminated the island’s water table.
Insert: Senator Kay Forbes-Smith, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Grand Bahama coordinator, speaks at the handover ceremony of the Israeli Water Assistance Mission to The Bahamas’ project at the C.A. Smith headquarters in Freeport Grand Bahama, Sunday, October 6, 2019. The Israeli Government, in partnership with NEMA, is donating water purification equipment to be setup in Grand Bahama providing residents with potable drinking water after the passing of Hurricane Dorian which contaminated the island’s water table.
(Photos by Tim Aylen)
Bahamas News
Dredging Is Not Just About Size — It Is About What Is Being Destroyed, Warns Save Exuma Alliance Regarding Yntegra’s Proposed Rosewood Resort
Save Exuma Alliance (SEA) — a coalition of Central Exuma business owners, tour operators and residents — has warned that the issue of dredging in the North Bay of Sampson Cay, Exuma, is not just about the number of acres being dredged – but what exists within the proposed dredge area. SEA describes the site as an ecological treasure trove filled with seagrass, coral, turtles and abundant marine life.
This comes after foreign developer Yntegra agreed to reduce the scope of its dredging following government warnings that it would impact
The Bahamas carbon credit status, which shows the importance of the marine habitat.
“It is easy to point to other developments and say they are dredging more, but that is not comparing like with like,” SEA said in response to comparisons made by Yntegra. “If one area is largely sand with little marine life, that is very different from what we have in North Bay. Anyone who has spent time there can tell you it is filled with turtles, fish, and — critically — the seagrass and coral that provide essential habitat.”
Miami-based investment group Yntegra is seeking to construct a large-scale Rosewood-branded resort on Sampson Cay. Since its announcement, the project has generated environmental, social and economic concerns among residents and business operators in Central Exuma.
The proposed development includes dredging in North Bay, construction of a substantial seawall that would alter natural water flow, more than 100 structures, two mega yacht marinas, and an industrial dock serviced by fuel and supply ships in an area currently used by swimmers. Opponents argue that the scale and design of Yntegra’s Rosewood Exuma project are incompatible with the fragile ecosystem and cultural character of the Central Exumas.
SEA noted that the government’s Climate Change Unit has also raised concerns about the environmental cost of dredging associated with Yntegra’s Rosewood Exuma project.
“The government has acknowledged that this is an area of significant importance,” SEA said. “While the financial implications are serious, for us here in Exuma this is about more than money. It underscores how valuable this marine ecosystem is — the seagrass, coral and marine life that make Exuma exceptional. This is what attracts visitors from around the world. We should not minimize the concern by comparing this bay to areas that do not have the same remarkable underwater ecosystem. It is simply not the same.”
Experienced boat captain Tito Baldwin also questioned the feasibility of the marine infrastructure proposed as part of this plan. He warned
that the dredging currently outlined would not be sufficient to accommodate the vessels required to service the project.
“It’s going to have to be at least four times larger than what has been proposed,” Baldwin said. “As designed, it is beyond possibility.”
He explained that vessels supplying fuel, construction materials and provisions for a projected 300-person workforce would require significantly greater depth and maneuvering space.
“For supply vessels delivering hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel, you’re looking at ships with a 10-foot draft,” Baldwin said. “To operate safely, you would need at least 13 feet of depth. That means dredging far deeper than what has been proposed. With currents running east and west in that area, you would also need a much wider turning basin to maneuver safely. As it stands, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible.”
SEA is urging individuals concerned about the environmental impact of dredging connected to Yntegra’s Rosewood Exuma project to visit www.saveexumaalliance.org for more information. A petition calling for a halt to approvals is also available on the site, with more than 7,100 signatures collected to date.
PM: Project delivers on promise and invests in youth, sports and national development
GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — Calling it the fulfillment of a major commitment to the island, Prime Minister Philip Davis led the official groundbreaking for the Grand Bahama Aquatic Centre, a facility the government says will transform sports development and create new opportunities for young athletes.
Speaking at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on February 12, the Prime Minister said the project represents more than bricks and mortar
— it is an investment in people, national pride and long-term economic activity. The planned complex will feature a modern 50-metre competition pool, designed to meet international standards for training and regional and global swim meets. Davis said the facility will give Bahamian swimmers a home capable of producing world-class performance while also providing a space for community recreation, learn-to-swim programmes and water safety training.
He noted that Grand Bahama has long produced outstanding athletes despite limited infrastructure and said the new centre is intended to correct that imbalance, positioning the island as a hub for aquatic sports and sports tourism.
The Prime Minister also linked the development to the broader national recovery and revitalisation of Grand Bahama, describing the project as part of a strategy to expand opportunities for young people, create jobs during construction and stimulate activity for small businesses once operational.
The Aquatic Centre, he said, stands as proof that promises made to Grand Bahama are being delivered.
The project is expected to support athlete development, attract competitions, and provide a safe, modern environment for residents to access swimming and water-based programmes for generations to come.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
The Bahamas, February 15, 2026 – For the better part of three years, Bahamians have been told that major Afreximbank financing would help transform access to capital, rebuild infrastructure and unlock economic growth across the islands. The headline figures are large. The signing ceremonies are high profile. The language is ambitious. What remains far harder to see is the measurable impact in the daily lives of the people those announcements are meant to serve.
The Government’s push to secure up to $100 million from Afreximbank for roughly 200 miles of Family Island roads dates back to 2025. In
its February 11 disclosure, the bank outlined a receivables-discounting facility — a structure that allows a contractor to be paid early once work is completed, certified and invoiced, with the Government settling the bill later. It is not cash placed into the economy upfront. It does not, by itself, build a single mile of road. Every dollar depends on work first being delivered and approved.
The wider framework has been described as support for “climate-resilient and trade-enhancing infrastructure,” a phrase that, in practical terms, should mean projects that lower the cost of doing business, move people and goods faster, and keep the economy functioning. But for communities, that promise becomes real only when the projects are named, the standards are defined and a clear timeline is given for when work will begin — and when it will be finished.
Bahamians have seen this moment before.
In 2023, a $30 million Afreximbank facility for the Bahamas Development Bank was hailed as a breakthrough that would expand access to financing for local enterprise. It worked in one immediate and measurable way: it encouraged businesses to apply. Established, revenue-generating Bahamian companies responded to the call, prepared plans, and entered a process they believed had been capitalised to support growth. The unanswered question is how much of that capital has reached the private sector in a form that allowed those businesses to expand, hire and generate new economic activity.
Because development is not measured in the size of announcements.
It is measured in loans disbursed, projects completed and businesses expanded.
The pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. In June 2024, when Afreximbank held its inaugural Caribbean Annual Meetings in Nassau,
Grand Bahama was presented as the future home of an Afro-Caribbean marketplace said to carry tens of millions of dollars in investment. What was confirmed at that stage was a $1.86 million project-preparation facility — funding for studies and planning to make the development bankable, not construction financing. The larger build-out remains dependent on additional approvals, land acquisition and further capital.
This distinction — between financing announced and financing that produces visible, measurable outcomes — is now at the centre of the national conversation.
Because while the numbers grow larger on paper, entrepreneurs still describe access to capital as out of reach, and communities across the Family Islands are still waiting to see where the work will start.
And in an economy where stalled growth translates into lost opportunity, rising frustration and real social consequences, the gap between promise and delivery is no longer a communications issue.
It is an inability to convert announcements into outcomes.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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