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NATIONAL HONOURS 2022

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4 years ago

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#TheBahamas, July 11, 2022 – In accordance with the provisions of the National Honours Act, His Excellency, the Governor-General, The Most Honourable Sir Cornelius Smith, O.N., G.C.M.G., Chancellor of the Societies of Honour, is pleased to announce the 2022 conferral of awards under the National Honours Act to Citizens of The Bahamas.

In making the announcements, His Excellency stated “that these Citizens, some of whom are being awarded posthumously, are being recognized for their outstanding service in various areas of our National Development, and I extend congratulations to them”.

His Excellency continued, “Further, as Chancellor, I also extend sincere congratulations to the Families of those Honourees who have died, and whose dedicated service and memories will ever be with us”.

Order of The Bahamas

  • Philip Bethel, Companion
  • Gail Saunders. Companion
  • Dr. Michael Symonette, Officer
  • Rupert Roberts Jr., Officer
  • George Myers, Member
  • Judge Joseph Strachan, Member
  • Henry Bowen, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Cadwell Armbrister, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Sir Clement Maynard, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Carlton Francis, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Anthony Roberts, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Sir Kendal Isaacs, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Norman Solomon, Companion (Posthumously)
  • J. Oswald Ingraham, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Robert Hanlon Symonette, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Sir Durward Knowles,Companion (Posthumously)
  • Emmanuel Osadebay, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Judge Neville Smith, Member (Posthumously)

Order of Distinction

  • Conville Brown, Companion
  • George Weech, Companion
  • Neko Grant, Companion
  • Raleigh Butler II, Companion
  • Obie Ferguson Jr., Companion
  • Vylma Thompson Curling, Companion
  • Paul A. O. Rolle, Companion
  • Ellison Greenslade, Companion ❖ Anthony Ferguson, Companion ❖ Paul Farquharson, Companion
  • Reginald Ferguson, Companion
  • Michael Major, Officer
  • Ishmael Lightbourne, Officer
  • Gene Sands, Officer
  • Dorcena Nixon Rolle, Officer
  • Nelson Clarke, Officer
  • Sybil Curtis, Officer
  • Celeste Lockhart, Officer
  • Barbara Cartwright, Officer
  • Kenrick O. Murray, Officer
  • Senior Commander Amos Rolle, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Captain Simpson Penn, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Persis Rodgers, Officer (Posthumously)

Order of Merit

  • Pastor David Burrows, Companion
  • Warren Rolle, Companion
  • Cecil Thompson, Companion
  • Frankie Hinzey, Companion
  • Bishop Ellis Farrington, Companion
  • Ansel Saunders, Companion
  • Romeo Farrington, Companion
  • Gregory Burrows, Companion
  • Austin Knowles Sr., Companion
  • Paul Smith, Companion
  • Bishop Lawrence Rolle, Companion
  • Wellington Miller, Companion
  • Pastor Jeremiah Duncombe, Companion
  • Anthony Robinson, Companion
  • Maurice Tynes, Companion
  • Mario Donato, Companion
  • Louis Hanchell, Officer
  • Khandi Gibson, Officer
  • Alpheus “Hawk” Finlayson, Officer
  • Philip Burrows, Officer
  • Sonia Cox Hamilton, Officer
  • Denise Mortimer, Officer
  • Pearlene Cartwright, Officer
  • Elder Cora McPhee, Officer
  • Francina Horton, Officer
  • Gloria Ferguson, Officer
  • Nathe Russell, Officer
  • Andrea Gibson, Officer
  • Godfrey Eneas, Officer
  • Lawrence Burnside, Officer
  • Mark Knowles, Officer
  • Della Thomas, Officer
  • Mychal Thompson, Officer
  • Norman Gay, Officer
  • Winfred Russell, Officer
  • Oswald Moore, Officer
  • Churchhill Tener-Knowles, Officer
  • Leo Rolle, Officer
  • Ali Culmer, Officer
  • Winton “Tappy” Davis, Officer
  • Andy Knowles, Officer
  • Rex Burnside, Officer
  • Allan Ingraham, Officer
  • Ed Smith, Officer
  • Phil Antonio, Officer
  • Florence “Flo” Rolle, Officer
  • Captain Ekron Pratt, Officer
  • Rev. Dr. Alonzo Hinsey, Officer
  • Frances Le’de’e, Officer
  • Yonell Justilien, Officer
  • Marie Ferguson, Officer
  • Sonja Knowles, Officer
  • Pericles Maillis, Officer
  • Vernal Sands, Officer
  • Cynthia Wells, Officer
  • Mario Simms, Officer
  • Bobby “Baylor” Fernander, Officer
  • Shelton Beneby, Officer
  • William Munnings, Officer
  • Dr. Charles Rolle, Officer
  • Angela Pratt Rolle, Officer
  • Tammy Ferguson Culmer, Officer
  • Edward Penn, Member
  • Anita Doherty, Member (Posthumously)
  • Gilbert Rolle, Officer
  • Jason Albury, Member
  • Randy Ferguson, Member
  • Richard Manning, Member
  • Jenson Burrows, Member ❖ Sean Smith, Member
  • Brad Thompson, Member
  • Ricky Martin, Member
  • Bishop B. Wenith Davis, Companion (Posthumously)
  • Edison Armbrister, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Bertram “Cowboy” Musgrove, Officer (Posthumously)
  • William “Yahama Bahama” Brennan, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Elisha Obed, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Carl Minns, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Leon “Apache” Knowles, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Leonard “Boston Blackie” Miller, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Natasha Newbold, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Sloan Farrington, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Cecil Cooke, Officer Posthumously)
  • Rolle Gray, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Billy Lowe, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Sir Durward Knowles, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Osborne “Ank” Rahming, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Hezron Moxey, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Willard Cunningham, Officer (Posthumously)
  • Bishop Albert Hepburn, Member (Posthumously)
  • Rev. Fr.  Addison Turnquest, Member (Posthumously)
  • Billy Rolle,  Member (Posthumously)
  • Andre Rodgers,Companion(Posthumously)

Order of Lignum Vitae

  • Marine Seaman Edward Williams (Posthumously)
  • Marine Seaman Austin Smith (Posthumously)
  • Marine Seaman David Tucker (Posthumously)
  • Able Seaman Fenrick Sturrup (Posthumously)

Medals for Acts of Bravery

  • Able Seaman Trevor Sands
  • Michelet Meronard
  • Captain Anthony Allens
  • Force Chief Petty Officer Denzil Clarke
  • Captain Whitfield Neely
  • Chief Petty Officer Anthony Russell
  • Chief Petty Officer Eugene Thompson
  • John Wallace
  • Leading Seaman Willard Saunders
  • Force Chief Petty Officer Peterson James
  • Samuel Mackey
  • Able Seaman Cladwell Farrington Sr.
  • Force Chief Petty Officer Gregory Curry
  • Petty Officer Leo Kirby (Posthumously)
  • Marine Seaman Edward Williams (Posthumously)
  • Marine Seaman Austin Smith (Posthumously)
  • Marine Seaman David Tucker (Posthumously)
  • Able Seaman Fenrick Sturrup (Posthumously)
  • Chief Petty Officer Oscar Miller (Posthumously)
  • Sub Lieutenant Wilfred Sands (Posthumously)

Distinguished Service Medal

  • Deslene Cumberbatch-Lowe
  • Melford Clarke
  • Aldeka Thompson
  • Beverly Thomas Taylor
  • Winifred Murphy
  • Patricia Bethel
  • Vanderson Ferguson
  • Yvonne Moncur
  • Sharon Rose-Hutchinson
  • Alice Inniss
  • William Saunders
  • Olive Minnis
  • Debra Strachan
  • Jeffery Forbes ❖ William Swain
  • Christine Lightbourne
  • Mirley Conyers
  • Wellington “Butch” Johnson
  • Nizamuddin Bacchus
  • Helen Stubbs
  • Diana Thompson
  • Joshua Culmer, Sr., JP
  • Cheryl Lloyd-Pinder
  • Fredrick Bonaby
  • Margarette Thompson Bain
  • Claudine Virgil
  • Francina Thurston
  • Christine Newbold Saunders
  • James Pinder
  • Inez Spence
  • Daphne Sawyer
  • Nurse Linda Stuart
  • Ashley Saunders
  • Fabian Stuart
  • Barbara Checkley
  • Mark Scott
  • Henry Bain
  • Luden Gibson
  • Francita Neely
  • Charlene Curry
  • Irene Rolle (Posthumously)

Badge of Honour

  • Nyoschi Brown
  • Kennard Mackey
  • Letita Campbell Parker
  • Father Don Haynes
  • Lofton Neely
  • Levada Ingraham
  • Diane Smith
  • Stephen Hanna
  • Valdamae Rahming
  • Maryanne Colebrooke Marshall
  • Robertha Edgecombe
  • Pandora Evans
  • Vyreen Bain
  • Sheila Blatch
  • Maxwell Roberts
  • Mable Stubbs
  • Veronica Saunders(Posthumously) ❖ Patrick Roberts Sr.
  • Vera Chase(Posthumously)
  • Jacqueline Estevez

Further, His Excellency, the Governor-General, acting in accordance with Section 4: 5(a) of the National Honours (Amendment) Act, 2022 is pleased to recognize the following persons for long and exceptional service to the Governor-General:

  • Evardo Cox
  • Albertha Nairn
  • Sheila Andrews
  • Sandra Curry-Gibson
  • Michelle Ferguson
  • Steve Pennerman
  • Beverley Wallace-Whitfield
  • Bernice Bowe
  • Jacklyn Murray (Posthumously)
  • June Maura (Posthumously)
  • Juliette Barnwell (Posthumously)

 

     July 10th,2022

       Nassau,N.P.,

       Bahamas

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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

Published

7 days ago

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March 5, 2026

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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.

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Groundbreaking for Grand Bahama Aquatic Centre

Published

3 weeks ago

on

February 16, 2026

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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.

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Bahamas News

Tens of Millions Announced – Where is the Development?

Published

3 weeks ago

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February 15, 2026

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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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