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US ends testing requirement & Millions in earnings for testing centers

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By Deandrea Hamilton & Dana Malcolm

Editorial Staff

 

#USA, June 15, 2022 – The United States has officially removed the requirement for a negative COVID-19  test to enter the country by air. The Centres for Disease Control instituted the rule for all passengers over 2 years old in January 2021.

The announcement was made on Friday June 10th and will go into effect for US-bound air travelers at 12 am on Sunday.

It is the happy ending the US travel industry had been for months driving toward, now the COVID travel entry requirement is retired.

Ninety three billion trips abroad each year for Americans; and imagine what those Americans spent on Covid-19 tests in order to return home.

The tally is staggering but since Sunday June 12, that fountain of fortune is all but dried up for the testing centers in the countries where these US bound travellers were leaving.

In Turks and Caicos Islands for example, we’re talking an estimated $70 million dollars in tests over the past 18 months.

Travelers used to have to show their negative covid tests before boarding a flight for the US. That is no longer the case, however foreign nationals must be vaccinated to take advantage of the loosened restrictions.

The Biden administration made the decision amid pressure from airlines anxious to recoup losses from covid in the 2022 summer travel season. The decision has been met with joy from travelers and airlines alike.

The CDC says they will reassess their decision in three months and if need be it will be reinstated.

This should only happen in the case of a major surge or new variant of concern.

The UK ended their similar rules in January and Canada did so in March.

Bahamas News

Don Jr. Bahamas Wedding to Proceed Without President Trump

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USA, May 22, 2026 – Donald Trump Jr. is expected to marry Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson this weekend in The Bahamas, but despite speculation surrounding the high-profile ceremony, the exact location remains tightly guarded.

Multiple U.S. media outlets report the couple selected a private island in The Bahamas for what is being described as a small, intimate Memorial Day weekend wedding with roughly 50 close friends and family members in attendance. So far, no publication has publicly confirmed which Bahamian island or cay will host the ceremony, though reports consistently describe it as a secluded and heavily private setting.

The secrecy has only fueled curiosity in a country made up of more than 700 islands and cays, many of which are favored by wealthy international visitors for destination weddings and luxury retreats.

On Friday, President Donald Trump confirmed he will not attend the ceremony, citing international tensions and responsibilities at the White House.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so.”

Earlier in the week, Trump had indicated he would “try and make it,” but acknowledged the timing was “not good” because of ongoing tensions involving Iran.

Donald Trump Jr., 48, became engaged to Anderson, 39, in December 2025 at Camp David after about a year of dating. This will be his second marriage.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Bahamas News

Over a Week Later, Bahamians Still Waiting on Full Election Numbers

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The Bahamas, May 22, 2026 – More than a week after Bahamians voted in the country’s 2026 General Election, complete official constituency voting figures still have not been publicly released by the Parliamentary Registration Department.

While winners have been declared across the country’s expanded 41-seat Parliament, no centralized official breakdown showing constituency vote totals, turnout percentages, rejected ballots or margins of victory appears to have been published publicly.

The Progressive Liberal Party is widely reported to have secured 33 seats, while the Free National Movement won eight seats, according to tallies carried by several media houses, including the Nassau Guardian’s election tracker and other regional reports.

Still missing, however, are the underlying numbers which would allow the public to independently assess voter participation levels across the country’s 41 constituencies.

That absence is drawing increasing attention following an election already marked by concerns over long lines, advanced polling confusion, voter register complaints and questions about election administration.

Unofficial turnout estimates circulating in local media place national voter participation near 58 percent. If confirmed, that would represent the lowest voter turnout in modern Bahamian general election history.

Historically, The Bahamas has recorded strong election participation rates, with turnout often exceeding 80 percent in previous decades. But participation declined sharply in 2021, when official turnout fell to roughly 65 percent — at the time considered historically low.

Now, the Coalition of Independents says it plans to challenge aspects of the election process in Election Court and is escalating its criticism of the handling of the vote.

In a sharply worded statement issued to media, Coalition Leader Lincoln Bain announced the party will boycott the opening of Parliament, insisting the election was “flawed from start to finish.”

The Coalition claims the country cannot “celebrate ceremony while justice is ignored,” arguing that unresolved election concerns continue to hang over the legitimacy of the process.

Among the concerns raised by the COI are:

  • allegations of voter register irregularities;
  • claims that the voters register remained open after Parliament was dissolved;
  • accusations of vote buying;
  • concerns tied to the Pinewood constituency race;
  • alleged constitutional breaches involving undeclared government contracts;
  • and alleged conflicts of interest involving gaming operators serving in Cabinet.

The Coalition also referenced allegations surrounding criminal influence and drug-related claims connected to political operations, while calling for what it describes as a “serious local investigation.”

In its statement, the COI said there has been “no proper public accounting, no local investigation announced, and no Commission of Inquiry launched into these matters.”

The group is now demanding a formal Commission of Inquiry into the conduct of the election and related allegations.

Bain said the boycott of Parliament is “not a boycott of democracy” but instead “a stand in defence of democracy.”

The statement further argues that Parliament itself must be protected from “corruption, conflicts of interest, criminal influence, and electoral fraud.”

So far, election authorities have not publicly indicated when complete certified constituency voting figures will be formally released.

And that delay is becoming increasingly significant because the missing data includes the very numbers needed to understand whether Bahamians truly disengaged from the electoral process in record numbers.

If unofficial turnout estimates are accurate, it would mean voter participation in 2026 either matched or fell below the historically low 2021 election turnout — despite The Bahamas recording one of its largest voter registration totals ever, with more than 209,000 people listed to vote.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Holness Hails Jamaican Police Impact in TCI

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Turks and Caicos, May 19, 2026 – Jamaica’s Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness used his weekend visit to Turks and Caicos to spotlight a security partnership now being credited with helping to drive down murders and major crime across the islands.

Holness was in Providenciales for the official opening celebrations of Sandals Resorts International’s US$150 million Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos, where he joined regional dignitaries, including Her Excellency the Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Premier Hon. Charles Washington Misick.

But beyond the tourism headlines, Holness also met with the Jamaica Constabulary Force contingent currently deployed in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“I am in Turks and Caicos Islands, where I am meeting with a contingent from the Jamaica Constabulary Force,” Holness posted. “These officers have been instrumental in helping to reduce crime here in the islands.”

The Jamaican Prime Minister said the officers’ work reflected the strength of their training and added that the TCI Government was pleased with their service under Commissioner Fitz Bailey.

The deployment began formally on May 20, 2025, when the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force welcomed 30 JCF officers, who took oaths of office during a swearing-in ceremony. Police said at the time the deployment was part of a strategic move to strengthen operational and tactical capacity.

Current reporting from The Gleaner describes the Jamaican team as a 28-member contingent now stationed in TCI. Premier Misick told the newspaper the officers have had a “tremendous and positive” impact. He said murders fell from 47 in 2024 to 27 in 2025, with no murders recorded from September to mid-May, while major crimes declined by roughly 50 to 60 percent.

Local media in the Turks and Caicos Islands have reported similar historical context, listing TCI murders at 48 in 2024 and 27 in 2025, after years of fluctuating but worsening violent crime.

Governor Daniel-Selvaratnam described the partnership as one that is “building capability, delivering tangible results and helping to keep our communities safe.” Her office said Holness, the Governor and Premier Misick met the Jamaican tactical officers to thank them for their service and discuss transnational threats, social drivers of crime and sustainable growth.

The partnership has also expanded into training. In March, officers from the JCF, RTCIPF and TCI Regiment completed joint Level Two tactical training in Jamaica, with 31 law enforcement officers participating, including 20 from TCI and 11 from Jamaica.

Holness praised the officers as ambassadors for Jamaica, saying their work showed the JCF’s ability to operate regionally and internationally.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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