By BETTY VEDRINE
Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas —  At a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, September 6, Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon. Fred Mitchell announced Africa-CARICOM Day which is celebrated September 7, and honours the third anniversary of the Africa-CARICOM Summit that established the foundation for a new and enhanced partnership between Africa and the Caribbean and between the African Union and the Caribbean Community.  Present were ambassadors, senior officials and stakeholders representing a cross-section of agencies.

In  attendance: Jamahl Strachan, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Ambassador Philip Smith, High Commissioner of Social & Reparatory Justice; H.E. William Wong, Non-Resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco; Dr. Niambi Hall-Campbell Dean, Chairman of the Bahamas Reparations Committee; Gaynel Curry, Member of the UN 10-member Permanent Forum on People of African Descent; and Melvin Seymour, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Mitchell said that historically, the relationship between The Bahamas and the countries of Africa, has been a strong one demonstrated by the strong stand  the ‘Father of the Nation,’ Sir Lynden Pindling took in l985 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Nassau to free the iconic African leader, Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for over 27 years.

“The Bahamas was proud and honoured when Mandela visited in 1993,” he said. “In more recent times, The Bahamas has strengthened its relationship with countries of the African continent with a view to strengthening cultural, political and economic ties.  Expanding diplomatic relations and collaborating with Africa in the areas of tourism, finance, education, people-to-people exchanges, culture and exchange programs, strengthens economic activity and provides the opportunity for growth and development as we tap into the opportunities provided by new markets.”

He said that the government has appointed a non-resident Bahamian Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Andrew Wilson and a non-resident Bahamian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, H.E. William Wong.

“We have made several official and state visits to the continent including one to Ghana and two to Botswana. The last state visit to Botswana was in July 2023 by our Governor General, H.E. Dame Cynthia Pratt.”

The Minister said that  a ‘Sister City Agreement’ between Nassau and Princess Town, Ahanta West Ghana will form direct connections between Africa and the people of its diaspora born in The Bahamas and in so doing, strengthen cultural, social and economic ties between both countries.

He also noted that a delegation from the University of The Bahamas Northern Campus, engaged in discussions with several universities in Ghana, which centered on enhancing relationships, developing MOUs and fostering faculty and student exchanges and joint research initiatives.

In addition, he said that The Bahamas played host to the Afreximbank Conference earlier this year — a first for the region.

“An MOU between The Bahamas Development Bank and the African Export-Import Bank, provides up to $700 million in investment for sustainable development projects throughout the Caribbean.

The Minister said that this year also marked the inaugural flight of Ethiopian Airlines to The Bahamas, which marks an ‘important’ step towards encouraging AfroCaribbean tourism and deepening both nations’ shared cultural legacy.

An exhibit featuring African art and artifacts followed the press conference.

PHOTO CAPTION

Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Fred Mitchell is pictured taking a tour of African art and artifacts following a press conference announcing the observance of Africa-CARICOM Day, September 7.

(BIS Photos/Patrick Hanna).

Wilkie Arthur and Deandrea Hamilton

Turks and Caicos, September 13, 2024 – A barking dog is what drew attention to the baby left abandoned on a couple’s front porch in Kew Town, Providenciales on the morning of Tuesday September 3.

Discovered by a husband and wife, they reported to Eagle Legal News Media that they emerged from their residence to see what was going on, and were stunned to discover a most unexpected cause for the fuss; a baby boy, clad only in diapers, sitting outside on their porch.

“…it left me wondering and baffled as to how or what could have gotten into a mother and/or possibly a father to just abandon their baby on a total stranger’s porch…” said Wilkie Arthur, who picked up on the story and spoke to those involved in the sensitive case.

The Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit of the Royal TCI Police Force was immediately called in to investigate the peculiar matter.  It was described as emotional by an officer who opted to speak off the record, but candidly about the rare situation.

“Speaking to a female officer, whom we can’t name, due to the sensitivity and confidentiality of this case, she stated this was the most painful incident she’s ever heard of in all her years serving as an officer.”

It broke her down to tears informed the news blast which went out early on the morning of Wednesday September 4.

Communication with the TCI Police revealed that: “On Tuesday, 3rd September, the police responded to a report from a resident in the Dock Yard area of Providenciales that a child was found alone on their porch.

Officers responded to the address where a male child, approximately one-year-old, was found in the resident’s custody. Officers transported the child to the police station, and the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit of the RT&CIPF and the Department of Social Development were informed.

Enquiries commenced, and investigations revealed that the child had been left in the care of an elderly relative who had fallen asleep. The child managed to unlock a door and wandered off.

Given the circumstances, the relative was given a stern warning by officers.”

Residents of Dock Yard in Kew Town were in a state of shock over the situation.  Initially no one had claimed the child.  As stated by police, the child has since been reunited with his family.

Wilkie Arthur

Eagle Legal News Media

Turks and Caicos, September 13, 2024 – In case one, allegations of a brother, of Dominican descent, raping his own sister and then hanging himself. In case two, allegations of another and known Dominican man after being deported or repatriated returns to the Turks and Caicos as a stow away and allegedly drowns.

Eagle Legal Court Correspondent was in the Coroner’s Court for the past two weeks when various different coronial matters were called.

The learned Coroner delivered her final decision on the two coronial matters mentioned above.

We will report on case number #1, “Allegations of brother raping sister, then killing himself.”

GABRIEL ESMIL DURAN, lived in Dock Yard, Kew Town, Providenciales. He was born in 1976 and allegedly hung himself in November 2021.  His sister, whose initials are A V D, gave police a statement of her brother raping her about 12 hours before being found hanging with a rope around his neck.

The Hon Coroner relied on that statement to help aid her in her decision.

The sister said, her brother was drinking earlier that day, and after the sexual assault she ran out of the house and hid herself in the bushes until the morning.  It was said that she told someone about the sexual assault.  She said around 9pm she checked the door, it was locked, but in the morning the door was unlocked. The Coroner said there was no evidence of anyone entering the property, but one of her concerns was how the door got unlocked.

There was also information or evidence about his partner catching Covid-19 in the Dominican Republic, and that possibly weighed heavily on him.

Due to insufficient evidence surrounding the “police provisional suicide death” of Gabriel Esmil Duran, the learned Coroner did not reach the conclusion that this was a suicide death and her decision in the coronial matter was an “OPEN CONCLUSION”, which means if any further evidence was to ever come forward in this particular case, the coroner could reopen it.