Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: Minister Ferreira Announces Initiative to Ban Single-Use Plastics By 2020
#Bahamas, April 25, 2018 – Nassau – In an effort to simultaneously address marine pollution and waste management, Minister of the Environment and Housing the Hon. Romauld S. Ferreira officially announced, on April 23, 2018, his Ministry’s initiative to ban single-use plastics – such as shopping bags, food utensils, straws and styrofoam food containers – by 2020.
“My Ministry will work to develop a phase-out plan for single-use plastics such as plastic bags collected at point-of-sale, straws, styrofoam food 
containers and plastic utensils,” Minister Ferreira said, at a press conference held at the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) Head Office.
Among those present were representatives of a number of environmental groups and stakeholders, pledging their support. Among them were Ardastra Gardens, Atlantis Resort, the Bahamas National Trust, the Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF), Cans for Kids, Cat Island United, Creative Nassau, Friends of the Environment (Abaco), the University of The Bahamas
“We will also move to make the release of balloons into the air illegal, as they end up in our oceans, releasing toxins and injuring marine life,” he added. “Additionally, we will become a signatory to the Clean Seas Campaign, which was launched in January 2017 by the United Nations Environment. It aims to increase global awareness of the need to reduce marine litter by engaging governments, the private sector, and the general public.”
Minister Ferreira noted that, with the assistance of a diverse group of environmental professionals, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and the business community at large, relevant governmental agencies and educational institutions, his Ministry will embark on a nation-wide public consultation and educational outreach campaign.
“We will visit communities and schools, hold town hall meetings and meet with businesses to gather valuable data that will assist us in developing a fair and reasonable phase-out plan by 2020 and associated legislation,” he said.
“In the coming weeks we will be reaching out to businesses that have already incorporated sustainable food products within their daily operations,” he added. “As the Minister of the Environment and Housing, I must commend your efforts to take responsibility for how your business impacts our environment. Thank you.”
According to the Ministry, the Plastic Task Force includes members such as the Ministries of the Environment and Housing, Tourism, Finance, and Health; the Customs Department; the Attorney General’s Office; the Bahamas Plastic Movement; The Nature Conservancy; Atlantis and Baha Mar Resorts; and the University of The Bahamas.
Minister Ferreira pointed out that, with the assistance of the BCCEC, his Ministry would also start meeting with restaurants, suppliers, importers and various food vendors. The Ministry and the BCCEC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the initiative, during the press conference that day.
“To engage students, I’m pleased to announce our logo competition for students ages 13 to 18,” Minister Ferreira said. “Logos that represent our plastic and styrofoam ban initiative are to be submitted via email by June 4th, at 4 pm. The competition flyer will be shared through the media and on our Facebook page.”
Minister Ferreira noted that The Bahamas is a “delicate”country with an extensive marine environment that is fundamental to its health and economy.
“For decades, human activities have negatively impacted the marine environment resulting in the death of coral reefs, collapse of fish populations and marine pollution,” Minister Ferreira said. “Coupled with this, we have the prevailing challenge of finding waste management solutions that must be tailored to our small size, but meets our needs within a modern economy.”
Minister Ferreira said that, like many other countries, The Bahamas has an “exacerbating” plastic problem that held significant economic and environmental costs.
He cited a study conducted by the Ellen MacArthur foundation found that at least eight million tons of plastic waste ends up in the world’s oceans 
each year and will remain there for at least a century. He added that, according to the study, by 2025, it is projected that there will be one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish, with plastic trash eventually outweighing fish in the oceans.
“Like other small island developing states, our marine environment is an integral part of our island lifestyle,” Minister Ferreira said. “Due to our location, it is also expected that we will inherit unwanted marine debris as a result of ocean currents and wave patterns, adding a compounding impact to our tourism and fishing industries.
“If you didn’t know, plastic and styrofoam do not decompose,” he added. “They break down into much smaller micro-pieces which are often mistaken for food by birds, turtles, and fish. Injuring or even causing death, various marine species have been impacted by marine debris through entanglement, ingestion, chemical bio-accumulation, smothering and the altering of habitats.”
Causing adverse effects on their health, Minister Ferreira said, plastic contamination is passed up through the food chain, accumulating from prey to predator and ultimately culminating in humans.
“Now, we have come full cycle and find ourselves eating our own plastic waste,” he pointed out.
Minister Ferreira noted that, likewise, styrofoam usage is similarly disastrous. Manufactured with greenhouse gases that affects the ozone layer and petroleum, styrofoam is non-sustainable and a highly polluting product, he added.
“When used in microwaves styrofoam releases fluorocarbons into the air and several other poisonous gases are absorbed into whatever food item it contains,” Minister Ferreira stated.
“Many places have already banned the use of styrofoam, particularly in warming foods in schools and restaurants,” he added. “Additionally, ordinary heat from the food or drink releases these toxins into the contents of the styrofoam containers.
Chemical leaching from styrofoam, Minister Ferreira said, had been linked to acute health effects such as the irritation of the skin, eyes and upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal system.
“Research has also connected the long-term exposure to styrofoam to minor effects on kidney function and menstrual cycles of women,” he noted.
Minister Ferreira also addressed the impact of plastic pollution on the Bahamian tourism sector.
“A survey done by the Ministry of Tourism found that 70% of visitors come to The Bahamas for its beaches,” Minister Ferreira noted. “However, the Bahamas Plastic Movement estimates that if the rate of plastic pollution on beaches increases, it could cause up to BSD $8.5 million in tourism losses annually for the country. Thus, the country urgently needs laws and swift action to protect its people, environment, and economy.”
Noting the negative impacts plastic and styrofoam have on health, the marine environment, and the tourism sector, the initiative mentioned earlier is part of a much bigger picture, Minister Ferreira said.
“As my Ministry works diligently to develop effective solutions for landfills and scattered dumpsites throughout The Bahamas, we must also address the type of waste we dispose of – on a daily basis,” he said. “By reducing or even eliminating harmful waste streams, we will move this country one step closer to have an efficient and sustainable waste management plan.”
Minster Ferreira stated that, along with reducing health and environmental impacts, the ban was a “great opportunity” for the creation of jobs.
“To all the artists, straw vendors and creatives amongst us, we need you to get creative,” he said. “Let’s redesign the traditional crocus-sack bags and add some Androsia and a dash of our native straw.”
Minister Ferreira appealed to the general public by stating that the country cannot achieve its goal by 2020 without their support and cooperation.
“We value your input and look forward to engaging you throughout this process,” he said.
“In an effort to lead by example, my ministry has officially banned the purchase and supply of styrofoam cups in our offices,” he added. “Instead, we encourage all employees to bring their own mug and reusable water bottles to work. we are working to expand our office sustainability plan so that it may be echoed throughout the public sector.”
Minister Ferreira said, to every Bahamian, he encouraged them to start making lifestyle changes and “live differently”.
“Perhaps, Jane Goodall – arguably the most famous anthropologist – said it best when she opined, ‘You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make’,” he said.
“Therefore, reduce your plastic and styrofoam usage by refusing straws, invest in smart plastic and styrofoam alternatives, and carry reusable bags to the grocery store and start bringing a reusable bottle and mug to work,” he added. “Studies have shown that these small lifestyle changes has resulted in a reduction of more than 60% of plastic and styrofoam entering our environment.
“This is one of those great fights of our generation and, as Ernest Hemingway aptly said, ‘The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for’.”
By: Eric Rose (BIS)
Photo Captions:
Header: Minister of the Environment and Housing the Hon. Romauld S. Ferreira (left) speaks at the Single-Use Plastics and Styrofoam Ban Press Conference, held at the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) Head Office, on April 23, 2018. Also pictured are BCCEC Chief Executive Officer Edison Sumner and Chairman of BCCEC’s Energy and Environment Committee Debbie Deal.
First insert: Minister of the Environment and Housing the Hon. Romauld S. Ferreira (standing centre) pictured with signatories and stakeholders of the Memorandum of Understanding between his Ministry and the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC), during the Single-Use Plastics and Styrofoam Ban Press Conference, held at the BCCEC Head Office, on April 23, 2018. Pictured, seated (from left) are the document’s signees Acting Permanent Secretary Janice Miller and BCCEC Vice-Chairman Khrystal Ferguson. Pictured standing with Minister Ferreira are BCCEC Chief Executive Officer Edison Sumner and Chairman of BCCEC’s Energy and Environment Committee Debbie Deal.
Second insert: A number of bags and containers made of sustainable materials, as they were displayed at the Single-Use Plastics and Styrofoam Ban Press Conference, held at the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) Head Office, on April 23, 2018.
(BIS Photos/Eric Rose)
Bahamas News
Next U.S. Ambassador? Walker Pledges Business-Driven Approach as U.S. Looks to Counter China in The Bahamas
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
The Bahamas, September 16, 2025 – For the first time since 2011, the United States is on the cusp of sending an ambassador to The Bahamas — and the nominee, former football star turned entrepreneur Herschel Walker, is promising to bring his business instincts to the diplomatic table.
Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Walker underscored that his background in food-service companies and small business leadership has prepared him to think practically about investment. “I know how to run a business, how to create jobs, how to make payroll. Those lessons translate into building relationships and building trust,” Walker said.
Walker, who was nominated by President Trump in December 2024, faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 11. As of now, he has not yet been confirmed; his nomination remains under review, pending a committee vote before it can move to the full Senate. If approved, he would become the first U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas since 2011.
For years, U.S. officials have stressed security and counternarcotics cooperation with The Bahamas, including through “Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.” But in areas like infrastructure, medical care, and long-term investment, Washington has often been absent.
Hospitals and clinics remain under-resourced, and hurricane recovery has been slow in many islands. Chinese state-backed firms, by contrast, have shown up with financing packages and construction deals — a presence that has raised alarms on Capitol Hill.
“Only 50 miles off our shore, The Bahamas is too important for us to ignore,” warned Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders during Walker’s hearing. They called China’s inroads “strategic, not charitable,” suggesting Beijing’s long game is about ports, proximity, and political leverage.
Walker positioned himself as a nontraditional but pragmatic envoy. He argued that his business career, rooted in private sector success, equips him to champion American investment in The Bahamas.
He pledged to:
- Promote U.S. companies interested in medical and infrastructure projects.
- Support an environment that encourages American investors to see The Bahamas as more than just a beach destination.
- Highlight opportunities for partnerships that improve public services, healthcare, and resilience against hurricanes.
“I’ve built businesses. I know what it takes to attract investors and create opportunity. That is exactly what I intend to bring to our relationship with The Bahamas,” Walker said.
The Bahamas is not just a tourist paradise. It’s a frontline state in migration, drug interdiction, and hurricane response. More than six
million U.S. visitors travel there annually, making stability and safety a U.S. domestic concern as much as a foreign policy one.
And yet, with the ambassador post vacant for 14 years, the U.S. has often looked detached — opening space for China’s ambitious Belt and Road agenda. The fear is that infrastructure deals signed today could give Beijing leverage in the region tomorrow. Walker’s confirmation would symbolize a course correction, signaling Washington’s intent to re-engage not only in security but in the economic future of The Bahamas. Not everyone is convinced Herschel Walker is the right man for the job. His nomination revived controversies from his 2022 Senate run, including past allegations, public gaffes, and doubts about whether he has the diplomatic polish the post demands. Some senators and analysts questioned whether celebrity and business experience were enough for a role requiring nuance in foreign policy and geopolitics.
Critics argued that The Bahamas, sitting just 50 miles from Florida and facing intense Chinese interest, deserves a seasoned diplomat rather than a political ally.
Walker confronted those doubts head-on. “People have underestimated me all my life — in academics, athletics, and business,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I have always proven them wrong, through discipline, determination, and by outworking everyone.”
He admitted he had never served as an ambassador but countered that his career prepared him in other ways: building businesses, managing payrolls, and connecting with people from all walks of life. He framed his business background as a strength, promising to use it to encourage U.S. investment in healthcare, infrastructure, and hurricane resilience projects in The Bahamas.
Rather than sparring with critics, Walker leaned on confidence and persistence: “I know how to build trust and find common ground. That’s what this relationship needs.”
If confirmed, Walker would have to balance his role as diplomat with expectations of being a commercial cheerleader for U.S. firms. His emphasis on entrepreneurship suggests a willingness to push U.S. businesses toward opportunities in healthcare, ports, and post-storm reconstruction — areas where Bahamians say they need the most support.
For Bahamian officials, the question will be whether Washington is prepared to back words with financing. U.S. private sector dollars, paired with aid and development partnerships, could help shift the tide against Chinese influence.
For Walker, the test will be whether his business acumen can translate into diplomatic wins — giving Bahamians alternatives to Beijing, while deepening the U.S. role in the Caribbean.
Analysis: If Walker delivers, this appointment could mark a turning point: a U.S. strategy that recognizes that in the Caribbean, investment is diplomacy.
The Bahamas, September 10, 2025 – Rescue swimmers from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Aviation Training Center in
Mobile, Alabama visited Nassau to train Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) and Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) members in water survival skills as part of Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) earlier this week.
“Training alongside our USCG partners ensures our personnel are best prepared for the unique challenges of joint operations” said Superintendent Wendy Pearson, Commander Drug Enforcement Unit.
The multi-day exercise, centered on the USCG’s Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET), enhanced the safety and preparedness of Bahamian partners who routinely operate aboard USCG helicopters during OPBAT missions. The exercise provided hands-on instruction for 31 participants and strengthened interoperability between U.S. and Bahamian agencies engaged in counter-drug, search and rescue, and maritime security operations throughout the region.
“We were excited and proud to have the opportunity to share our expertise with our Bahamian partners. Not only did RBDF and RBPF
perform exceptionally well, they exceeded the standards we set for the event,” said Petty Officer Second Class Cole Johnson, USCG.
OPBAT is a cooperative multi-agency international operation supporting The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands to stop illicit drug smuggling through the region. U.S. Embassy Nassau Chargé d’affaires Kimberly Furnish stated, “Since 1982, OPBAT has worked to stop the flow of illicit narcotics through the Caribbean, destined for the United States or other jurisdictions. This is international cooperation at its best.”
