Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: Education Minister in GB to assess readiness of public schools
#Freeport, September 23, 2019 – Bahamas – Minister of Education, the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd flew into Grand Bahama on Thursday, September 19, 2019 to inspect the condition of public schools, most of which were devastated by Hurricane Dorian.
Initially, government schools were set to re-open on Monday, September 23, 2019, but that can change once all of the assessments have been made.
“We would like to get school started as soon as possible, but we’re very concerned about the safety of our children,” said Minister Lloyd. “We want to ensure that the water system is stable and that electricity is available for the teachers and the students. We also have to ensure that our teachers, administrators and support staff are in the frame of mind to educate our children.
“This has been devastation for everyone involved. Some people have lost everything and they have been debilitated as a result.”
The Minister said that he has had the opportunity to speak with Mrs. Lewis, the Principal at East End Primary school, who confirmed that she has a number of students from her school missing, as well as parents and grandparents still not accounted for.
He added that the students from East End will have to be accommodated in the Freeport area or in Nassau, if necessary.
“But we are here to not just assess the situation, but to be sensitive and to offer our support,” said Minister Lloyd.
Accompanied by the District Superintendent of Education in Grand Bahama, Ivan Butler and Ministry of Education officials from Nassau, Minister Lloyd visited a number of primary, junior and senior schools in Grand Bahama.
The Minister acknowledged that from his tour, the Hugh Campbell Primary school was (at that point) the worse he had seen. The school was flooded with at least nine feet of water, with windows and doors blown out. Upon the Minister’s visit, workers were still busy cleaning out classrooms, dumping school desks, chairs, and books; pulling up soaked and mildewed carpets and tearing out wet sheet rock and throwing them into piles within the school yard.
“That school is in very, very bad shape,” noted Minister Lloyd. “It is much worse than we had anticipated. So, that is going to cause our budget to have to be adjusted. But some of the schools appear as if they can be opened once proper cleanup has taken place.”
At Jack Hayward High School, Minister Lloyd was given a short tour of some of the damage at the senior school. Although the teachers and staff members had cleaned up much of the debris that had been caused by the storm, evidence of some damage was visible at the entrance of the building, where flooding had taken place.
Minister Lloyd said that once he and his team of Education officials have assessed all of the government schools on the island, a meeting will be held and a decision will be made as to when schools will be opened. He admitted that because of the level of destruction at some of the schools, there is a possibility that those schools would take much longer to reopen.
The Education Minister said that there are some possible locations that have been identified that could be used temporarily for students and teachers until some schools have been repaired.
“Mr. Ivan Butler our District Superintendent is giving us a heads-up on that aspect of things,” said Minister Lloyd. “In the event that we find that the repairs will take longer than we anticipate, he’s looking into places we can use in the interim.
“We may have to do some creative things to get the kids back into school and going again. We all know that from a psychological standpoint that as quickly as we can get kids back to some sense of normalcy, it would help with sense of getting back the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to.”
Asked how smoothly the process of assimilating students from Abaco into Nassau will run, Minister Lloyd noted that getting the children into Nassau was not a problem. However, trying to register children into various schools proved to be a challenge, although he added, the Ministry has tackled that problem effectively.
“We’ve already registered over 1,200 students and over 250 teachers and administrators; and this weekend we are going to start placing them in respective schools. As a matter of fact, some students have already begun to be placed in respective public schools.
“I do know that we had initially invited the private schools to offer spaces if any was available and many of them did. So, we have students already in the private schools. We’re making progress, but we have to do it right, that’s why it’s taking a little longer.
“We want to make sure that everyone is immunized properly, that they are properly identified and that they have the amenities that they need. And then we have to identify which schools have the space to [accommodate] them.”
All things considered, Minister Lloyd said that he’s looking forward to the schools getting to the point where things are considered normal again. In the meantime, the Minister said while they would like to move quickly to get schools up and running again, they want to do so with a level of sensitivity.
By Andrew Coakley
Release: BIS
BIS Photos/Andrew Coakley
DISCUSSING DAMAGE – Minister of Education, Jeffrey Lloyd (with cap on) speaks Thursday with some of the teachers and maintenance workers at Freeport Primary School about the damage caused to the school as a result of Hurricane Dorian.
WHAT ABOUT WATER ISSUES? – Minister of Education the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd visited Grand Bahama public schools, September 19, 2019 to assess damage to those structures during Hurricane Dorian. Joining, Minister Lloyd on the tour of GB schools was District Superintendent for Grand Bahama, Ivan Butler, along with Education officials. During his visit to Jack Hayward High School, Minister Lloyd got to speak with Geron Turnquest (left), General Manager of Grand Bahama Utilities, concerning water issues.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? – During his assessment tour of Jack Hayward School, Minister of Education, Jeffrey Lloyd sees injured hand of one of the security officers at the school.
The Bahamas, August 27, 2026 – The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to inform members of the public that several individuals are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 27th August 2026, at 12:00 noon.
The individuals and charges are as follows:
An 18-year-old female is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
Three (3) counts of Murder
Three (3) counts of Attempted Murder
Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life
Three (3) counts of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm
Two (2) counts of Possession of Ammunition
Armed Robbery
Abetment to Armed Robbery
Stealing
Receiving
The charges stem from three separate shooting incidents and an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, 21st August 2026, and Saturday, 22nd August 2026.
The first shooting occurred in the area of Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road, resulting in the death of a 51-year-old male.
The second shooting occurred in the area of Joe Farrington Road, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old male.
The third shooting occurred in the area of Gladstone Road, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old male.
The armed robbery occurred at a business establishment in the area of Carmichael Road and Baillou Hill Road.
A 21-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of:
- Murder
The charge stems from a shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, in the area of Samson Street, Nassau Village, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old male.
A 32-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
- Murder
- Attempted Murder
These charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, in the area of Graham Drive, Yellow Elder, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old male.
RBPF, PACD
Bahamas News
Bahama Brass Band Invitation Sparks Heritage Debate Ahead of TCI Constitutional Holiday
Turks and Caicos, August 20, 2026 – The planned participation of the Bahama Brass Band in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ inaugural Constitutional Holiday celebrations on August 30 has sparked public debate over culture, heritage and the historical contributions of Turks and Caicos Islanders abroad.
Organizers defended the invitation, saying the band’s inclusion is intended to highlight the deep historical ties between the two countries
and honor Turks and Caicos men who helped establish and develop the institution in Grand Bahama.
According to the organizers, the Bahama Brass Band began in 1955 in Pine Ridge, Freeport, with Turks and Caicos Islanders, including the late Deacon Reuben Hall Sr. of Middle Caicos and Jenkins Williams and Mervin Hendfield of North Caicos, among those who helped build its foundation. The band eventually grew to more than 50 men.
The organizers also pointed to the participation of Turks and Caicos men in The Bahamas’ Independence celebrations on July 10, 1973, arguing that their contributions became part of Bahamian history while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.
Supporters say bringing the band home represents an opportunity to honor those pioneers, showcase their regional influence and expose younger generations to an important part of Turks and Caicos history.
However, concerns raised publicly described the invitation as potentially disrespectful to local culture and heritage. Organizers acknowledged those concerns, apologizing to anyone who felt overlooked or offended, while maintaining that no disrespect was intended.
The committee said the event should ultimately unite rather than divide, presenting the band’s history as evidence of the reach and resilience of Turks and Caicos heritage.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bahamas Brass Band
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Dasani products, proudly sponsored the fifth annual, Caribbean Hoopfest.
The tournament brings together Bahamian high school basketball teams and visiting teams from the United States for a competitive
showcase at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gymnasium. Following its inaugural year at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs gym and last year’s event at Loyola Hall, the tournament returned to the Kendal G. L. Isaacs gym this year.
During the weekend tournament, CBC kept athletes well hydrated with in-kind donations of Dasani Water, Powerade and Minute Maid Juices.
During the tournament’s final day, CBC provided additional support by offering Sprite No Sugar samples and inviting attendees to participate in its Spin the Wheel for a chance to win exciting prizes.
CBC was proud to support this incredible event, which provides young Bahamian athletes with valuable exposure to U.S. basketball scouts and coaches. This opportunity gives them the chance to earn scholarships, continue their education, and pursue their basketball careers in the United States.
Event organizer, Donald Francois shared his appreciation for CBC’s support.
“I want to express our sincere appreciation for Caribbean Bottling Company, who has been a tremendous supporter and an important part of the success of our program. Without CBC’s support, Caribbean Hoop Fest would not be able to function at the level it does today. And without Caribbean Hoop Fest, we would not have been able to provide the opportunities that have helped young Bahamian athletes gain exposure and pursue educational opportunities in the United States,” he expressed.
Since the program’s inception, several Bahamian student-athletes have been selected for scholarship opportunities, highlighting the
tournament’s growing impact on the development and advancement of young basketball talent in The Bahamas.
They are: Kelvin McDowells – Guard, Wodson Antoine – Power Forward, Justin Lafleur – Guard and Sean John – Guard.
After another successful edition of the tournament, Francois shared what he hopes he and Caribbean Bottling Company can achieve in the future.
“Our vision is bigger than basketball. We want to use the platform of Caribbean Hoop Fest to educate, develop, and create opportunities for young people and their families throughout the Bahamas. With individuals and organizations committed to our mission, we believe we can continue to grow the program and make an even greater impact,” Francois said.
For more details on community support, events and new products visit Caribbean Bottling Company at www.cbcbahamas.com today.
