Bahamas News

Mrs. Ann Marie Davis donates breadfruit plants, declares the tree’s health and economic benefits

Published

3 months ago

May 15, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

By ROBYN ADDERLEY

Bahamas Information Services

#FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas – In keeping with the country’s 50th anniversary celebration, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, wife of the Prime Minister, on Friday, May 12 donated 50 breadfruit trees to Old Freetown Farm.

The farm was devastated during Hurricane Dorian in September 2019 when they lost one employee and hundreds of animals. Owner Sissel Johnson said two breadfruit trees survived the storm but were destroyed during the cleanup.

While addressing some of the attendees of Forum for Impact (FFI) Americas platform that was opened on

Wednesday at Pelican Bay, Mrs. Davis said the planting of breadfruit trees has profound impact on our environment, society, and our economy.

Listing the benefits, she said the planting of these trees in tropical countries like Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Dominica, Hawaii, Haiti and now Grand Bahama have environmental benefits. They are, Mrs. Davis continued, strong and resilient and can withstand strong hurricane winds, reduce soil erosion, and promote water conservation.

Mentioning health benefits, Mrs. Davis said, “The tree has been named the choice ‘Tree That Feeds’ by the Tree That Feeds Foundation. The fruit is gluten free, rich in nutrients, just about 100 grams of breadfruit, approximately half a cup, provides 25 percent of the required daily allowance for fiber.” And she went on to list the other healthy advantages of breadfruit.

Describing it as “a nutritious goldmine” Mrs. Davis added that the use of breadfruit will be one of the shifts seen in the future.

Regular consumption of boiled breadfruit leaves lowers blood sugar levels, treats kidney damage, and lowers uric acid. Another benefit, the Prime Minister’s wife continued, is curing hepatitis, dental pain, and rashes.

Most importantly, she said, is looking at the need for food and food security. With the expansion of the economy of Grand Bahama and more visitors coming to the island, there will be more people to feed.

While these trees do not get as much attention as other major crops, they do supply an abundance of fruit with each

tree yielding between 100 and 200 fruit annually for 50 years or more. It also provides a variety of foods for local and international communities.

“One tree can sustain a family of four for a decade or more,” said Mrs. Davis.“Recent studies have shown that shift in climates will have little effect on breadfruit cultivation.”

She added, “Many countries combat food insecurity by importing foods like wheat or rice and that comes with a high environmental cost and high carbon footprint. With breadfruit however, these communities can produce food grown locally with a lower carbon footprint and lower environmental cost.”

As the breadfruit tree attracts certain wildlife, continued Mrs. Davis, this will help maintain a natural ecosystem and beautify the area, particularly in Grand Bahama.

“The economic benefits of planting breadfruit trees are wide and they create job opportunities, stimulate local economy through the production of breadfruit-based products, promoting agro-tourism in the region and making vodka,” she said.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Header: Fifty breadfruit plants were donated to the owners of Old Freetown Farm, George and Sissel Johnson, on Friday, May 12 when wife of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis was on island. Shown from left are Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Davis and Melvin Seymour, Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Grand Bahama. 1st insert: With breadfruit being a key to food sustainability, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis donated 50 plants to Old Freetown Farm in Freeport on Friday, May 12. Mrs. Davis is shown planting one of the breadfruit plants assisted by George Johnson, one of the owners.

2nd insert: Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, wife of the Prime Minister, has embarked upon a ‘Trees That Feed’ campaign promoting breadfruit and all its benefits from food to business. While in Freeport on Friday, May 12, Mrs. Davis donated 50 plants to Old Freedom Farm, a farm destroyed during Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

(BIS Photo/Andrew Miller)

Bahamas News

Husband Murder Plot foiled in The Bahamas; Wife and two others arrested

Published

5 days ago

August 5, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – An American woman has been arrested in The Bahamas, accused of conspiring with two men, one of them alleged to be her lover, to murder her estranged husband.

The woman, 36 year old Lindsay Shiver and the two men, 28-year-old Terrance Bethel, the alleged lover and 29 year old Faron Newbold, were taken into custody last week following police investigation of a reported burglary at Grabbers Bar and Grill restaurant on Great Guana Cay.

The police looked into their cell phones and found WhatsApp messages detailing the assassination plot to kill her husband.

The couple, who built a life in South Georgia have three children and are home owners on the island in the Abacos.

News outlets throughout the US have reported on the scandalous story, including that a nasty court battle over the couple’s reported, $5 Million dollar fortune and three children was underway. Shiver, an entrepreneur is a former beauty Alabama queen, her husband a former football player was an insurance executive.

According to US media, the husband, Robert, recently filed for divorce from Shivers after a decade of marriage upon discovering she had an alleged extra-martial affair with Bethel whom she met in The Bahamas.

While the husband claims infidelity on the part of his wife, the wife claims he was abusive.

The suspects Shiver, Bethel and Newbold appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on Friday July 28th. Their next court date is set for October 5th.

Bahamas News

Alarming Sexual Assault cases raising fears in The Bahamas

Published

5 days ago

August 5, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – The Bahamas is now facing an unfortunate reality as sexual assault has become and is a growing issue since 2023. Women and girls are said to be living in fear for their safety from these perpetrators.

The Royal Bahamas Police force has reported on instances of assault in press releases found on their Facebook page.

One report spoke of a 50 year old they were searching for after he burglarized a home and sexually assaulted an elderly woman, 82 years old. She was reported to be asleep when he woke and assaulted her.

This took place on Tuesday July 11th, 2023 at the home in the Centreville area of Nassau.

There is another incident that took place on July 17th, 2023 which the police are seeking in catching the suspect as they investigate. It involves a man believed to the perpetrator in for an armed robbery and sexual assault.

According to preliminary data, he approached the victim, a female, with a firearm, robbed her and sexually assaulted her. He proceeded to enter the house and robbed a male and escaped. This happened in the Cowpen Road area; also in Nassau.

The assaults continue to grow in number as the police reported that they were investigating two other incidents that took place on July 24th.

The first had to do with a female, 30 years old who reported she was driving on West on Marshall Road when two men approached her after she slowed down near Faith Avenue. One of the males with a firearm, forced her from her vehicle and took her to nearby bushes where they sexually assaulted her after which they escaped.

The second incident involved à 32 year old woman who was sexually assaulted by a male known to her. It is reported that she was walking in the Fleming Street area when she accepted transportation from the suspect, who drove her to a dirt road off Gladstone Road where he presented a firearm and proceeded to rape her.

Furthermore, another assault, this time involving a 9 year old girl, was reported. As revealed by preliminary information, the victim was playing with friends outside where she lives on Saturday July 29th, 2023 when the suspect, a 42 year old male of Summerset Estate, driving a white Nissan Skyline, arrived and gestured to her to enter the car.

She entered the car after which he took her to an unknown location, threatened her and sexually assaulted her. She was later found somewhere in Spikenard Road; this also happened in Nassau.

Fortunately, he was caught and arrested for abduction and sexual assault on Sunday July 30th by officers affiliated with the Drug Enforcement Unit.

There are other reports of sexual assault throughout The Bahamas as well as rape and attempted rape during the earlier parts of the year, dating back to as early as February.

CAPTION: Women Leaders, including Ann Marie Davis, wife of the Prime Minister filled the gallery of The Bahamas Senate this week as members of the upper chamber debated the Protection Against Violence Bill 2023. The debate came just as the country experiences a spike in sexual assaults against women and girls. Photo by Patrick Hanna, BIS.

Bahamas News

Premier Misick received a courtesy call from the Bahamas Leader of the Opposition

Published

5 days ago

August 5, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2023 – On August 3rd, 2023, Premier Misick met with the Leader of the Opposition of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the Honorable Michael Pintard. The discussion was highly productive, and they delved into matters of mutual concern between their neighboring nations. Hon. Pintard was accompanied by other opposition members, including Senator the Honorable Darren Handfield and Mr. Joshua Sears.

Group photo caption:

From Left to Right: Mr. Joshua Sears, Senator Hon. Darren Hendfield, Premier Hon. Charles Washington Misick, Bahamas Leader of the Bahamas Hon. Michael Pintard and Deputy Premier Hon. Erwin J. Saunders.