Bahamas News
Bahamas: Salina Point Primary Project aims to preserve environment, while assisting student who ‘loves to help others’
#SALINA POINT, Acklins – Februray 13, 2020 — School officials and students at the Salina Point Primary School in Salina Point, Acklins, have become great examples of how schools can effect positive change within their communities while also helping to preserve the environment with the launch of a Tyre Recycling/Refurbishment Project.
Taking note of the number of old tyres strewn about the community and within the vicinity of the school’s campus, they decided to do something about it and launched an Art Project aimed at recycling/refurbishing the tyres into decorative pieces of art, while also taking special measures to ensure the tyres would not become homes for mosquitoes.
Students began collecting the old tyres in the community at the beginning of the 2019 school year and have been using paint and varnish, among other measures, to refurbish them into decorative art. So far, the tyres have been used as flowerpots and vegetable gardens among other uses.
The Art Project was also the result of students, administrators, and the staff’s eagerness to assist 11-year old Jada Tatiana Forbes-Lockhart, a sixth-grader and a “budding artist” who was chosen as the school’s Student of the Year nominee in obtaining a scholarship. It has since mushroomed into something much larger – an “all out effort” to help preserve the environment while also combating the environmental and public health issues associated with old tyres becoming habitats for mosquitoes.
“Jada has worked hard to help with beach clean-up and our school beautification,” School Principal Ms. Nicola Williams said. “She is a very hardworking, disciplined student who works independently and is intrinsically motivated. Jada is also a great athlete and loves to explore her artistic talent and read. She has done well academically and has maintained a grade point average of three point and above for her primary years. She has won numerous trophies and certificates at the school and island level. She is an excellent reader and is always willing to help others. She serves as class monitor, lunchroom assistant, and reading buddy.”
It is mainly because of the last three qualities and Jada’s constant willingness to help others that school officials and students decided to pitch in and help with the project.
“The idea of doing a tyre project came as a result of seeing the number of old tyres in the community,” said Jada, a key participant in the project along with her mother, Ms. Mannessa Forbes. “Mrs. (Dawn) Singh, our lower primary school teacher and an artist, showed me a series of beautiful tyre decorations on Facebook and we decided to undertake the Project.”
Principal Williams said the Project has further strengthened the bond between the school and the community. The Project has become so successful that school officials hope to expand the work.
“It is our hope to continue the project to beautify our compound while protecting our environment,” Principal Williams said. “We could even use this as a method to raise funds as community members are interested in purchasing the remodeled tyres and decorate their gates.”
Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell, along with Minister for the Public Service and National Insurance, the Hon. Brensil A. Rolle, applauded young Jada, school officials and students, and the community of Salina Point for their support of the project.
The two Ministers visited Salina Point Primary – one of six schools in the Acklins and Crooked Island District they visited during a recent Official Trip to the District. Minister Campbell used the opportunity to address school students about his ministry’s initiatives with regards to its child protection efforts, while Minister Rolle challenged the students to be steadfast and focused on education.
“I was fascinated by the quality of the work and pleased to know that it involves an item that would otherwise become not only an eyesore within the community and the school campus, but also an environmental and possible public health threat because of the water the tyres can collect,” Minister Campbell said.
“But because of some inspiration, some sense of innovation coming from a child, that very same item can now positively impact the environment, the aesthetics of the environment, and possibly impact the pocketbook because I am advised that persons in the community have submitted requests to purchase them.”
Minister Campbell also applauded Forbes-Lockhart for her commitment to being the best student possible. Forbes-Lockhart boasts a 3.75 GPA.
“It is not often that you find children of that age knowing exactly what it is they want to do, or working towards what they ultimately want to be,” he said. “Jada is fortunate to have made such a decision and to be receiving the kind of support to make it a worthwhile one and one that offers great hope and potential.
“The entire school is excited about her and she is also fortunate to be benefiting from the support of the administration all the way up to the Principal who is personally involved. I believe that can become contagious and infectious if the story is shared throughout other communities,” Minister Campbell added.
Lead photo caption: Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell (far right standing) and Minister for the Public Service and National Insurance, the Hon. Brensil A. Rolle (far left standing) with students of the Salina Point Primary School who represented their school at the MICAL District Spelling Bee Competition. Pictured (from left) are: Jada Tatiana Forbes- Lockhart; Edlesea Gabrielle Rose and Anna Rebekah Kerr. Also pictured (at back) is Mrs. Miriam Emmanuel, Representative for the MICAL District. (BIS Photo/Matt Maura)
BIS story by Matt Maura
DEAR EDITOR,
Sometimes the best ideas come from experiences far away from home.
It was while I was living in Europe that I saw how excited people were about England’s iconic double-decker buses. It was a symbol of culture – and visitors looked forward to the ride as an experience in itself rather than just a method of transportation.
That sparked a thought: What if we brought that same excitement to The Bahamas, but made it uniquely Bahamian?
In November 2024, that thought became 2 Storeys Tours. I wanted visitors to see Nassau in a way they had not been able to before. That meant they could come straight off a cruise ship and onto a double-decker to see what makes our country what it is – to see our beautiful waters and to discover what makes us Bahamian.
We wanted to create something memorable, something visitors would associate with their Bahamian vacation, just as people associate double-decker buses with England.
The bus may catch your attention, but The Bahamas is what makes the experience unforgettable.
We also believe tourism should create opportunities for Bahamians.
We started less than five years ago with one very used double decker bus.
Now thanks to cruise ship business, we have quadrupled the size of our little fleet. We now have four shiny new red and blue buses, so we can say Welcome Ashore in style.
Depending on the season, between 70 and 80 percent of our business is cruise-passenger driven. Even during the slower season for hotels, the cruise ships arrive filled with people looking to explore historic Nassau and we are giving them the closest to a bird’s eye view as they can get. And they love it.
Turning an idea into a functioning business has been an exciting journey, but certainly not without challenges. From planning and preparation to finally seeing our buses on the road, the experience has taught us patience, perseverance, and the importance of believing in a vision.
We are proud of how far we’ve come, and even more excited about what lies ahead.
Building partnerships helped us to get to where we are today – building them further will take us to where we can reach tomorrow.
Our ambition is to make 2 Storeys Tours a recognised and trusted name in Bahamian tourism. We want to continue improving our tours, developing new experiences, embracing environmentally responsible tourism, and building meaningful relationships – and eventually take the 2 Storeys Tours experience beyond Nassau to other islands.
Above all, we want to build something that lasts.
Looking back, it’s incredible to think that an observation while living in Europe could lead to a business right here at home.
What began as an idea became a business with a purpose, and we’re only getting started.
Our inspiration came from abroad. Our passion comes from home. And our future is proudly Bahamian.
By: KEEVON MAYNARD
President, 2 Storeys Tours
Bahamas News
Federal Investigation into Florida Turnpike Tragedy that Killed Three Children of Bahamian Mother
NTSB examining roadside assistance driver’s actions, SUV speed and seat belt use after six people perish in fiery collision
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — October 29, 2026 — Federal investigators have joined the investigation into a horrific Florida Turnpike collision that claimed six lives, including all three children of a Bahamian mother, as questions intensify over what caused the deadly crash.
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed that it is opening an investigation into the October 23 accident, which occurred around 9:31 p.m. near mile marker 252 in Orange County.
The agency’s involvement brings federal scrutiny to a tragedy that has devastated several families and prompted an extraordinary
outpouring of sympathy and disbelief.
Among those killed were siblings Charles Milton, Jakara Milton and Dalvena Green, the three adult children of Marshall Clarke-Milton and her husband, Charles Milton Sr.
The siblings were traveling with three others to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, reportedly on their first trip together.
They never arrived.
FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE WHAT WENT WRONG
The NTSB confirmed to FOX 35 Orlando that its investigation will examine the training and performance of the roadside assistance driver, the actions of the SUV driver, including speed, and whether the occupants were wearing seat belts.
The agency investigates serious transportation accidents to identify safety failures and recommend measures that could prevent similar tragedies.
Its involvement does not establish wrongdoing by either driver.
The Florida Highway Patrol is conducting a separate investigation into the collision.
According to the preliminary police account, a Road Ranger roadside assistance truck had been parked in the highway median before its driver received instructions to assist a disabled box truck on the opposite shoulder.
As the Road Ranger moved across the northbound lanes, it collided with a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse carrying six adults.
Both vehicles left the roadway and caught fire.
All six occupants of the SUV died at the scene. The Road Ranger driver survived with minor injuries.
MOTHER CHALLENGES EARLY ACCOUNT
Witnesses reportedly told investigators that the SUV was traveling at high speed without its headlights illuminated.
However, those observations have not been established as the definitive cause of the collision.
Clarke-Milton has challenged suggestions that her children or their companions were responsible, urging investigators to examine the evidence before reaching conclusions.
She wants investigators to establish the SUV’s actual speed and determine whether its headlights were operating.
The family’s concerns underscore the importance of the continuing investigations, particularly given the movement of the roadside assistance vehicle across active highway lanes.
ALL THREE CHILDREN LOST
For Clarke-Milton, the investigation unfolds against an almost incomprehensible personal tragedy.
She lost all three of her children simultaneously.
In an emotional interview with FOX 35 Orlando, the grieving mother described the terrible feeling that overcame her when she could not reach them.
“My heart sank,” she said, recalling the moment she feared her children were involved.
The siblings were among six people whose lives ended during what should have been an enjoyable evening together.
The other victims included Timothy Williams and Shawn Palmer. A sixth person’s identity had not been publicly confirmed in the latest reports reviewed.
The family’s heartbreak has resonated across The Bahamas and beyond, with expressions of sympathy accompanying calls for answers.
SEARCH FOR ANSWERS CONTINUES
The Florida Highway Patrol has indicated that a crash report is expected within approximately ten days of the accident.
The NTSB’s investigation will examine broader transportation safety concerns, including the operation of roadside assistance vehicles and the circumstances surrounding the collision.
For the grieving families, the findings cannot reverse the tragedy.
But they may establish what happened on that stretch of Florida’s Turnpike and whether anything could have prevented six people from losing their lives.
For one Bahamian mother, the loss is especially devastating.
Three children left for an evening of entertainment. Not one came home.
Nassau, The Bahamas, October 22, 2026 — The National Computer Incident Response Team of The Bahamas (CIRT-BS) has issued a cybersecurity advisory warning businesses, government institutions and other organisations about the growing threat posed by Akira ransomware, a cybercriminal operation capable of stealing sensitive information, disrupting networks and demanding ransom payments.
Active since March 2023, Akira operates through a Ransomware-as-a-Service model, with affiliates exploiting weaknesses in computer networks to gain unauthorised access.
Once inside, attackers can steal confidential data, disable recovery systems and encrypt files, preventing organisations from accessing critical information.
Particularly concerning is Akira’s use of double extortion, threatening to publish stolen information unless victims pay. Some attacks involve data theft without encryption.
The October 22 advisory identifies vulnerabilities involving Cisco and SonicWall firewalls, VPN services, Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol, Veeam backup systems and outdated Windows and Linux operating systems. VMware ESXi and Nutanix AHV environments are also potential targets.
Attackers may exploit unpatched software, stolen login credentials and inadequately secured remote-access applications, including AnyDesk and RustDesk.
Warning signs include unexpected administrator accounts, unusual remote logins, unauthorised software installations, suspicious backup activity, mass file changes and ransom notes.
CIRT-BS recommends immediate security updates, multifactor authentication, restricted remote access, stronger network monitoring and secure backups maintained separately from operational systems.
Organisations should also remove unnecessary internet exposure of remote desktop services, limit administrative privileges and regularly test backup restoration.
The advisory does not identify any confirmed Akira attack against a Bahamian organisation but highlights vulnerabilities that could expose institutions to serious financial and operational disruption.
Cybersecurity incidents can be reported to CIRT-BS at soc@cirt.bs or through its official website.
