#NASSAU, The Bahamas – May 13, 2020 — The Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development, has launched an online survey entitled: ‘Family Safety Survey – COVID-19 Bahamas,’ in line with the department’s objectives of “keeping our families safe.”
The availability of the survey is also a part of the
technological reform underway at the Ministry of Social Services and Urban
Development.
Dr. Jacinta Higgs, the Director of the Department of Gender
and Family Affairs, said the survey (available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PZDXGP9)
examines how interactions in Bahamian homes may have changed since the arrival
of the COVID-19 Pandemic in The Bahamas.
To reduce the instances of COVID-19 community spread in countries
worldwide, global governments have implemented social/physical distancing
policies, curfews and mandatory lockdowns as key mechanisms in that fight. This
has resulted in persons having to spend more and more time together in confined
spaces at home.
Dr. Higgs said the survey – which will take just five
minutes to complete – will allow officials to garner as much information as
possible on what is actually happening in homes during the curfew and/or mandatory
lockdown periods in order to be better able to respond, and to be better able to bring about improvement: “once we know, and if persons reach out to us.”
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The survey, which has been designed to elicit responses from
males and females 18 years of age and above, has multiple objectives.
“The objectives of the survey are to ascertain, via an
online platform which is accessible across the length and breadth of The
Bahamas, responses from persons – men and women – ages 18 and above, the level
of safety and/or violence in their homes pre-COVID-19 curfew, or lockdown or
Emergency Order. And during this experience to find out, in the first
instance, what is the prevalence or lack thereof of violence within our homes
and, secondly, would the experiences have been exacerbated as a result of
persons living now confined, and living very closely to one another over longer
periods of time,” Dr. Higgs said.
“Also to find out what are the concerns of Bahamians from
every island and every cay; and then finally to provide persons who may be
experiencing violence in their homes with yet another safe space contact (safespace242@gmail.com).
A private cell number has also been provided for those persons to have contact
with the Department.”
Dr. Higgs said anyone who has access to a cell phone anywhere
in The Bahamas can participate in the survey.
“This is the first time in the history of the Department
that we have conducted such a survey. This is the first time in the history of
the Department that we have such reach to those persons.”
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The Department has undertaken the steps necessary to ensure
the security and confidentially of all answers to the survey. Officials say the
answers provided will remain completely “anonymous and confidential.”
The ‘surveymonkey’ web platform is international, universal and used by
universities and research organizations and/or centres, in addition to
departments within government, to allow those organizations to reach the
greatest number of persons electronically.
“It is a platform that is safe,” Dr. Higgs assured. “We are
working with one of the major universities, and the information will go directly
to the research person assigned to the survey. Once the survey is submitted the
responses are immediately gathered by the individual.”
Dr. Higgs said the online survey provides added benefits.
“The online survey is fully electronic which allows for the
automatic calculation of the various responses. It further affords us the
capability for the survey responses to be disaggregated (divided into detailed
sub-categories) outlining for example, how many men have responded, how many
women have responded.
“The advantage of using surveymonkey is not only to allow us access to every Bahamian in every Family Island and Cay, but it also allows us to gather that information, collate the information, then analyze the information and provide a report in a very quick turnaround time, as opposed to the sometimes years of turnaround time a survey of this magnitude may yield in terms of analyzing [the data] and then producing a report,” Dr. Higgs added.
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#TheBahamas, May 26, 2022 – Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Hon. Clay Sweeting said The Bahamas has made great strides to work with CARICOM countries to enhance The Bahamas’ poultry industry.
Minister Sweeting traveled with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Hon I. Chester Cooper, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Leonardo Lightbourne, Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) Ambassador H.E. Winston Pinnock and other top tourism officials to the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo held in Guyana from May 18-20.
The event was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Center under the theme ‘Investing in Vision 25 by 2025’.
During the conference, Minister Sweeting met with several CARICOM leaders in Agriculture. He said he felt encouraged that the region would work together to reduce its food import bill and increase food security.
“In coming to Guyana, we wanted to explore opportunities and options, meet with other countries where we can work with other CARICOM leaders who also share the same focus as The Bahamas in developing their agricultural sector. We are trying to get to the point where we reduce imports by 25 percent by 2025. The Bahamas is a part of CARICOM and so we are committed to that and we’re looking for sectors to do that. We feel that poultry is one of the sectors that we can do that very quickly and microgreens through vertical farming,” he said.
Minister Sweeting added that many countries are merging their poultry sectors with other food items that they can export.
“As we look around, countries have done very well in the sector. We understand that Guyana is one of the countries that has done well in Agriculture especially in poultry and coconut production. So, it seems that many countries are merging the two industries,” he said. “That’s what seems to be happening across CARICOM. For persons that are interested in investing in Agriculture, other countries are finding ways to work together to fight food insecurity together and as a unit.
“We feel both are bankable products and we are exploring opportunities to garner attraction in both of those. We were able to visit the poultry farm here in Guyana – Bounty Farms – that has done a wonderful job and produce around 25,000 chickens per day, and we are looking to do something of that sort in The Bahamas as well. Once we create this poultry industry in The Bahamas, it would create opportunities for Bahamians, for farmers and persons who want to get involved in producing feed. So, it is a full circle industry where thousands of Bahamians could benefit.”
Minister Sweeting noted that countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana are eager to assist The Bahamas.
“What is very interesting and exciting is that the Ministers from Guyana and Jamaica have expressed their assistance to us as a country. If we are looking at the poultry sector, they are looking to help us in any way that they can. The comradery that we have had here over the last few days speaks to what we want to do as a CARICOM country and how our deficiencies could assist them and where they have deficiencies, we can work together. The minister of tourism met with other ministers of tourism and offered them some advice on how they can work with their tourism product and where we lack in agriculture they can assist in that manner as well,” he said.
Minister Sweeting said the government will work towards changing policies to encourage chicken production.
“Chicken is something that we can produce very quickly once we have the right policy in place to protect the farmers, the producers and processors and create an industry. A chicken from egg to adult is very minimal time. We want to be very aggressive with this and as soon as we can create a proper policy in this sector, we want to make it happen,” he said.
Release: Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture & Marine Resources
#TheBahamas, May 26, 2022 – The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has released its Official List of Shelters for the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season which commences June 1 and ends November 30, 2022.
Weather forecasters at The Bahamas Department of Meteorology are predicting another above-average season with 19 named storms, including 9 hurricanes, four of which are expected to become major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher with maximum sustained winds of 111mph or higher) on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale.
There are two main drivers for this Season’s forecast: An El Nino weather event is not expected in the Pacific during the 2022 Hurricane Season, and water temperatures in the Atlantic are hotter than normal. When an El Nino forms in the Pacific, it produces strong wind-shear in the upper levels of the atmosphere across the Atlantic Ocean which limits the formation of hurricanes. Warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic, on the other hand, fuels the formation of hurricanes. With the absence of an El Nino, the 2022 Season is expected to be active.
The names of the 2022 Atlantic storm are as follows: Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Ian, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Martin, Nicole, Owen, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tobias, Virginie, and Walter.
The National Emergency Management Agency urges all Bahamians and residents, who have not already done so, to finalize their individual, family and business plans ahead of the start of the Season. Those plans should include an Emergency Supplies/Preparedness Kit that should include a small First Aid Kit and needed medications, non-perishable food items, battery powered radios, flashlights, extra batteries, hygiene products, masks, whistles (for alerting others if necessary), copies of important documents such as insurance papers and identification (sealed), a list of emergency numbers, cash in small bills, rope, tools, and clothing.
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ISLANDS OF THE BAHAMAS 2022 OFFICIAL HURRICANE SHELTERS
(UPDATED AS AT 13 MAY, 2022)
ABACO, CENTRAL DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Central Abaco Primary School
Dundas Town
2.
Friendship Tabernacle
Dundas Town
3.
Guana Cay Primary School
Guana Cay
4.
Man-O-War Primary School
Man-O-War Cay
5.
Hope Town Primary School
Hope Town
ABACO, NORTH DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Amy Roberts Primary Pre-School
Green Turtle Cay
2.
Faithwalk Church of God, Community Centre
Cooper’s Town
3.
Grand Cay All Age School Pre-school Block
Grand Cay
ABACO, SOUTH DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Crossing Rocks Primary School
Crossing Rocks
2.
Moore’s Island School
Moore’s Island
3.
Sandy Point Community Centre
Earnest Dean Highway
4.
Soul Seeking Ministry
Moore’s Island
ACKLINS
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Acklins Community Centre
Spring Point
ANDROS, CENTRAL DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Bowen Sound Pentecostal Church
Bowen Sound
2.
Church of God
Cargill Creek
3.
Highway Church of God
Blanket Sound
4.
Miracle Revival International
Calabash Bay
5.
Mt. Ethel Baptist
Love Hill
6.
Mt. Siani Baptist Church
Calabash Bay
7.
St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church
Behring Point
8.
Stafford Creek Primary School
Stafford Creek
ANDROS, MANGROVE CAY DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Burnt Rock Primary
Burnt Rock
2.
Mangrove Cay High School
Swains, Mangrove Cay
3.
St. Peters Baptist Church
Little Harbour, Mangrove Cay
ANDROS, NORTH DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
B. A. Newton Primary School
Red Bays
2.
BARTAD Building
BARC Community
3.
Clara Evans Primary School
Nicholls Town
4.
Ebenezer Baptist Church
South Mastic Point
5.
First Baptist Church
San Andros
ANDROS, SOUTH DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Deep Creek Primary School
Deep Creek
2.
Friendship Baptist Church
The Bluff
3.
Long Bays Cay Preschool
Long Bay
4.
Mount Olive Baptist Church
Smith’s Hill
5.
St. Paul’s Baptist Church
Black Point
6.
The Doctor’s Residence (Special Needs Clinic)
The Bluff
BERRY ISLANDS, GREAT HARBOUR CAY
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Church of God of Prophecy
Great Harbour Cay
2.
Community Centre
Bullocks Harbour
BIMINI
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Gateway Gymnasium
Bailey Town
2.
Louise McDonald High School
Alice Town
3.
Urban Renewal (Special Needs Shelter)
Alice Town
CAT ISLAND
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Lovely Zion Baptist Church
The Bluff
2.
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church
Douds
3.
Seaview Seventh Day Adventist Church
Wilson Bay
4.
St. Andrew’s Anglican Church
Arthur’s Town
5.
St. Mark’s Anglican Church
Port Howe
6.
Zion Baptist Church
McQueen’s
CROOKED ISLAND & LONG CAY
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
All Saints Anglican Church, Priest Residence
(Colonel Hill and Church Grove Residents)
Church Grove, Crooked Island
2.
Church of God of Prophecy
(Landrail Point, Richmond, Moss Town and Cripple Hill Residents)
Cripple Hill, Crooked Island
3.
Command Centre
Administrator’s Residence/Local Government Building
Colonel Hill, Crooked Island
4.
Kenneth Farquharson’s Residence
(Long Cay Residents)
Albert Town, Long Cay
ELEUTHERA, CENTRAL DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Camp Symonette
James Cistern, Gregory Town
2.
Church of The Nazarene
Palmetto Point
3.
Emily G. Petty Primary School
Governor’s Harbour
4.
George E. Johnson
Hatchet Bay
5.
The Salvation Army
Palmetto Point
6.
Wesley Methodist Church Hall
Palmetto Point
ELEUTHERA, NORTH DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Charles Wesley Methodist Church
Lower Bogue
2.
Mission Church of God
Upper Bogue
3.
New Jerusalem Church
Blackwood
4.
The Current Community Centre
The Current
5.
The Haitian Baptist People Church
The Bluff
6.
Zion Methodist Church
Current Island
ELEUTHERA, SOUTH DISTRICT
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Church of God of Prophecy
Tarpum Bay
2.
Deep Creek Primary School
Deep Creek
3.
Green Castle Primary School
Green Castle
4.
Rock Sound Primary School
Rock Sound
5.
Wemyss Bight Primary School
Wemyss Bight
EXUMA
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Bethel Union Baptist Church
Ramsey
2.
Calvary Mission Baptist Church
Rolleville
3.
Ebenezer Union Baptist Church
Farmer’s Hill
4.
Ebenezer Union Baptist Church
Barraterre
5.
Exuma Resource Centre
Hoopers’ Bay
6.
Gethsemane Baptist Church
Black Point
7.
Mt. Herman Union Baptist Church
Mt. Thompson
8.
Mt. Sinai Union Baptist Church
Stuart Manor
9.
Palestine Union Baptist Church
The Forest
10.
St. Andrew’s Community Centre
George Town
11.
St. Luke’s Baptist Church and/or Airport Terminal
Black Point
12.
St. Margaret’s Anglican Church
Harts/Steventon
13.
St. Mary’s Magdalene Anglican Church
Williams Town
14.
St. Matthew’s Union Baptist Church
The Ferry
15.
St. Theresa’s Catholic Church
George Town
GRAND BAHAMA
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Bethany Baptist Church
Hanna Hill, Eight Mile Rock
2.
Bethel Baptist Church
Pinedale
3.
Bethel Deliverance Centre
Jones Town, Eight Mile Rock
4.
Bishop Michael Eldon School/Auditorium
East Beachway Drive, Freeport
5.
Calvary Temple Small Chapel
Clive Avenue, Freeport
6.
Central Zion Baptist Church
Eight Mile Rock
7.
Church of God of Prophecy
Pinedale
8.
Church of the Ascension
Arden Forest Road, Freeport
9.
Community Holiness Church
Martin Town
10.
Eight Mile Rock Gymnasium
Eight Mile Rock
11.
Eight Mile Rock High School
Eight Mile Rock
12.
First Baptist Church
Columbus Drive, Freeport
13.
Foster B. Pestina Hall (Christ the King) (Special Needs Shelter)
East Atlantic Drive, Freeport
14.
Maurice Moore Primary School
Sandcombe Drive, Arden Forest, Freeport
15.
Mount Calvary Baptist Educational Building
Seagrape
16.
New Olivet Baptist Church
Holmes Rock
17.
St. George’s Gymnasium
Sunset Highway, Freeport
18.
Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church
Sandcombe Drive, Freeport
HARBOUR ISLAND
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Harbour Island Public Library
Harbour Island
2.
Lighthouse Church of God
Harbour Island
3.
New Alliance Church of God
Harbour Island
INAGUA
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
New Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Matthew Town
2.
St. Phillips Anglican Community Centre
Matthew Town
3.
Zion Baptist Church
Matthew Town
LONG ISLAND
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Assemblies of God
Salt Pond
2.
Community Centre
Clarence Town
3.
Highway Church of God
Doctors Creek
4.
Holy Cross Anglican Church
Hamiltons
5.
Holy Family Anglican Church
Mortimers
6.
Salem Baptist Church
Millers
7.
St. John’s Anglican Church
Buckleys
8.
Seymour’s Gospel Chapel
Seymour’s
MAYAGUANA
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
St. James Native Baptist Church
Abraham’s Bay
2.
Betsy Bay Community Centre
Betsy Bay
3.
Mayaguana Comprehensive K- School
Pirate’s Well
NEW PROVIDENCE
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Agape Full Gospel Baptist Church
Kennedy Subdivision
2.
Berea Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Baillou Hill Road South
3.
Canon Neil E. Roach Hall, Holy Cross Anglican Church
Highbury Park
4.
Church of God Convention Centre (for use by SRC)
Joe Farrington Road
5.
Ebenezer Mission Baptist Evangelistic Church
St. Charles Vincent Street
6.
Epworth Hall, Ebenezer Methodist Church
(for use by Homeless and People with Physical Disabilities)
Shirley Street
7.
Grants Town Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Wellington Street
8.
Hillview Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Tonique Williams Darling Highway
9.
Maranatha Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Prince Charles Drive
10.
New Bethlehem Baptist Church
Independence Drive
11.
New Dimensions Ministries
Joe Farrington Road
12.
New Providence Community Centre
Blake Road
13.
Pilgrim Baptist Temple
St. James Road
14.
St. Barnabas Anglican Church
Wulff Road and Baillou Road
15.
Rev. Dr. O. A. Pratt Educational Building,
St. John’s Native Baptist Church
Augusta and Meeting Streets
16.
Samuel and Cornella Williams Community Centre,
The Salvation Army
Meadow Street
17.
Southwest Cathedral Church of God
Carmichael Road
18.
The Anglican Church of the Epiphany
Prince Charles Drive
19.
The Salvation Army
Mackey Street
RAGGED ISLAND
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Holy Innocents Anglican Church
Duncan Town
SAN SALVADOR AND RUM CAY
NO.
NAME OF SHELTER
ADDRESS
1.
Fellowship in Christ Kingdom Ministry
Cockburn Town
2.
Grace Research Center
United Estates Settlement
3.
Idell Jones Community Hall, St. Augustine Church Hall
Cockburn Town
4.
St. Christopher Anglican Church
Port Nelson, Rum Cay
5.
St. James Native Baptist Church
North Victoria Hill
6.
St. John’s Native Baptist Church
United Estates
@ 9 May, 2022 DOSS, Disaster Management Unit
PLEASE NOT THAT THIS LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE; IF NECESSARY
#TheBahamas, May 26, 2022 – Minister of Health & Wellness, the Honourable Dr. Michael R. Darville confirmed that there has been an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases in particular in New Providence over the past three (3) weeks. The Minister added that samples to test for the Omicron BA.2. Variant were collected and sent for genome mapping.
The Disease Surveillance Unit he said has turned specific focus on schools in the country as cases continue to rise. “This Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Education & Technical & Vocational Training as well as with the unions”, Minister Darville said, “…on ways to mitigate the potential spread in our schools so that we do not disadvantage our children from getting access to education.”
He noted the increase in hospital cases was not directly related to COVID-19 but associated with complications from Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCD’s). The Health Minister described it as a “common occurrence in countries battling CNCD’s because the pandemic pushed these comorbidities to the back burner as it relates to usual care”. Hospital officials are working assiduously he said, to address bed spaces to accommodate a surplus in admission cases.
Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Managing Director Aubynette Rolle added that the number of positive cases are being recorded at the hospital because testing for the virus is a prerequisite for admission. Much of it, MD Rolle said, falls into the category of a secondary diagnosis. She echoed a previous statement by Health Minister Darville who confirmed that there is no cause for alarm when it comes to adequate supplies of medicine.
Bahamians and residents are urged to continue to follow the COVID-19 safety protocols which help to limit the spread of the virus. Persons can also guard themselves from severe COVID-19 infection by getting the COVID-19 vaccine, 1st and 2nd boosters and extended series doses for persons who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. Appointments can be made online at vax.gov.bs or walk-ins are welcomed at vaccination sites. Persons with mobility challenges may request a home visit by emailing vax242.mobile@gmail.com.
The public is encouraged to access community clinics for primary and urgent care and the Princess Margaret Hospital Emergency Department for emergency care only. The hours of operation for the New Providence Polyclinics are:
Elizabeth Estates Clinic: 9:00a.m. – 9:00p.m., Mondays – Fridays