Bahamas News

Deputy PM urges the public to turn in Billy MacFarland if seen in The Bahamas

Published

5 months ago

November 16, 2022

Deandrea Hamilton

By Sherrica Thompson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, November 16, 2022 – Billy McFarland, organizer of the troubling and disastrous Fyre Festival is a wanted man in The Bahamas, and anyone spotting the American is asked to report his whereabouts to the Royal Bahamas Police.

The Minister of Tourism for the Bahamas, Chester Cooper, has advised the Bahamian public that no application has been made to the government for consideration of any event promoted by Billy McFarland or any entity or parties known to be associated with him.

McFarland was one of the organizers of the infamous Fyre Festival of 2017 that left hundreds of attendees stranded on a private island in the Bahamas with minimal food and housing. McFarland was convicted and sent to prison in the USA for six years. However, he was released earlier this year after serving four years of his sentence.

In a statement Monday, November 14, Cooper made it clear that the government will not allow any event to be held in The Bahamas by McFarland, and urged the public to report him to the police if they are aware of his whereabouts.

“The Government of The Bahamas will not endorse or approve any event in The Bahamas associated with him. He is considered to be a fugitive, with several pending complaints made against him with the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).

“Anyone knowing of his whereabouts should report same to the RBPF,” Cooper said.

Copper’s statement comes after US news and McFarland have been making waves with the launch of a new venture, a treasure hunt to be held in The Bahamas.

According to Deadline, the new venture, PYRT, will be the subject of an upcoming documentary titled, “After the Fyre.”

The event will see McFarland leading a treasure hunt which begins with participants tracking down one of 99 bottles with a message contained inside.

Related Topics:#afterthefyre #BillyMcFarland #BillyMcfarlandjailsentence #chestercooper #FyreFestival #magneticmedianews #PYRT #RBPF

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Bahamas News

Earth Day celebrations

Published

1 day ago

March 31, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, March 31, 2023 – Earth Day is coming up on April 22, 2023, and the Department of Environment and Coastal resources is hosting a poetry competition for TCI youth to mark the event.

Students of all ages are encouraged to write a sonnet to celebrate the TCI’s natural beauty; the winning poem will be published in the Times of the Island Magazine.

The deadline for poems to be submitted is April 30, 2023, and students should submit their poem via email to aavenant@gov.tv or in person to any DECR office. Entries must include the student’s name, age and school.

The department promises that there are prizes to be won for the top poets.

April 22 marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement 53 years ago and helps demonstrate support for environmental protection. The theme for this year is “Invest In Our Planet.”

This year‘s theme follows years of missed climate action goals by governments globally, including poor climate financing. The Turks and Caicos and other small island developing states are particularly at risk environmentally because of the growing threat of climate change.

Currently the country is working through the Environmental Health Department DECR, Fisheries Department, and more to create sustainable fishing, farming, and marine practices that will benefit the country economically, but also protect its natural flora and fauna.

Projects include sargassum research, coral nurseries to rebuild the country’s coral reef, farming in schools, marine spatial planning to create an effective plan for the use of marine resources, participation in the UK Blue Belt program to protect local marine life, and much more.

Bahamas News

Work of NAECOB critical in ensuring high standards in education, says Minister Hanna-Martin

Published

4 days ago

March 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

By KATHRYN CAMPBELLBahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas, March 29, 2023 – Over 100 schools in New Providence, public and private, and some 30 plus schools in Freeport have been inspected by The National Accreditation and Equivalency Council (NAECOB) to ensure high quality standards for the delivery of education.

“We will cover every island, every cay in this country to make certain that the facilities that we send our children to are adequate, conducive for learning, safe and sound for education,” said Thelma Grimes, chairperson, NAECOB.

“We are going to head to Cat Island and all the others before June.This is our announced visit. They [schools] have a chance to get things fixed that are not finished and [afterwards] we will have the unannounced.”

The Council informed the media of its progress during a briefing Monday, March 20, 2023 at its headquarters, Tonique Williams-Darling Highway.

Howard Newbold, Inspector and Council Member explained that the council’s seven inspectors are tasked with visiting every site or virtual space operating the following: primary/secondary schools, private/secondary, post-secondary, recognized, training, allied health and business institutions among others.

Mr. Newbold said inspections include an examination of:

-Safety and security standards-Human security which begins at the entrance to the property’-Physical security: safety mechanisms including smoke detectors, fire alarms and extinguishers (service date verification, and evacuation plan)-Primary grounds, playground equipment, swing sets and slides-Curriculum-Information management system (student records, staff schedules, registration certificate with NAECOB, business license, photos of the national leaders etc.)

The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Institute thanked NAECOB for their efforts. She described their work as “critical” and a part of an overall national thrust to ensure that the quality of education in the country is at a high standard.

“We’re the Ministry of Education and they’re our schools. We are accountable to NAECOB. They ensure that what is happening on the campuses throughout the nation meets the physical standards and the qualitative standards of education. You would have heard classroom size and teacher/student ratio. We may have challenges, and we do at the Ministry of Education but when these issues are brought to our attention we are obliged and compelled to seek resolution to ensure that the standards are met.

“This is a quality assurance measure for the Ministry itself and our schools to ensure that public and private and public schools meet these standards. We value that. Because the objective of the Ministry is to ensure that we meet the standards so that our young people who enter these institutions are afforded the best opportunity possible.

“Education is a cultural value; a norm. We submit ourselves to the work of NAECOB to ensuring what happens is done at least to make the acceptable standards of the delivery of education in our schools,” she said.

Cassia Minnis, registration officer, said “registration” certifies that a local educational institution/provider has met

the criteria to offer an educational service in The Bahamas as outlined in the Education Act. She said it is mandatory that all educational institutions/provider offering/proposing to offer an educational service in the Bahamas must be registered according to the NAECOB Act and the Education Act.

She said NAECOB is aware of “small” schools operating within residential homes and warned that this is in contravention of the law.

She encouraged the public to view listings of all registered institutions on the website at naecob.org

NAECOB is responsible for registering and accrediting primary schools, secondary schools, post-secondary schools, and any institution that offers training in The Bahamas.

-30-

PHOTO CAPTIONS

BIS Photos/Mark Ford

Header: Seated at the table, from left: – Lorraine Armbrister, Permanent Secretary; Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin; Dominique McCartney Russell, Acting Director; Cassia Minnis, Registration Officer; Thelma Grimes, Council Chairperson; Howard Newbold, Inspector, Council Member; Shena Williams, Council and Inspector; Dorothy Anderson, Inspector; T. Nicola McKay, Deputy Chairperson; (seated behind) Willard Barr, Council and Inspector.

1st insert: Thelma Grimes, Council Chairperson

2nd insert: Howard Newbold, Inspector and Council Member

3rd insert: The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training

4th insert: Cassia Minnis, Registration Officer

Bahamas News

Bahamas Golden Jubilee Events Announced, Celebrations Across 33 Islands & Cays

Published

4 days ago

March 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

#TheBahamas, March 27, 2023 – As the 50th anniversary of our nation’s independence approaches, Bahamians everywhere are teeming with excitement and expectancy around the year-long celebrations set by The National Independence Secretariat.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister joined H.E Leslia Miller Brice, Chair of The National Independence Secretariat to unveil the Calendar of Events for the 50th Independence celebrations.

The calendar comprises a host of events, initiatives and recommendations for celebrations throughout all 33 islands of The Bahamas.

At this jubilant occasion the PM stated, “Celebrating independence is about acknowledging the greatness around us, the greatness within us, and the greatness ahead of us.

We are Bahamians. That identity is special.”

View the newly released calendar of events here:

https://celebrate-bahamas.com/calendar-of-events/…