Bahamas News
Aviation Minister says Bahamasair’s new office in Freeport is sign of commitment to revitalizing GB
By ANDREW COAKLEY, BIS
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas — Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Chester Cooper believes that the opening of Bahamasair ticket office in downtown Freeport is a testament of the national airline’s commitment to the growth of tourism, and its commitment to the revitalization of Grand Bahama.
More significantly, he added that the opening of the new office is indicative of the renaissance beginning to take
hold on Grand Bahama: an island of people renowned for their resilience, and one which embarks on a bright, new beginning.
“As the Minister responsible for Bahamasair and as a friend of Grand Bahama, I really wanted to be here in Grand Bahama for this opening, because I see it as a signal of resilient hope and reconstruction,” said Minister Cooper.
“When we look at what you’ve experienced over the course of time and you see new buildings coming out of the ground and ribbon cuttings taking place, it’s a positive sign for Grand Bahama. There will be many more ribbons to cut in the near term and I hope that I will be here to celebrate those occasions with you.”
The Minister for Tourism, Investments and Aviation was the keynote speaker at the opening of Bahamasair’s new ticket office in Freeport, Grand Bahama, on Friday, June 9, 2023. The new office, located in Tropical Plaza, represents a critical move for the national airline in Freeport, cutting away three years of the airline’s not having a presence in the heart of the second city.
Following Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Bahamasair was forced to shutter the doors to its ticket office and move that process to the airport base. The new offices will provide the customers with a more convenient access to the airline. Minister Cooper said the move is indicative of what Bahamasair holds important – its customers.
“Bahamasair [has had its] share of turbulence, but as its reputation for flights indicate, we have an outstanding safety record,” said Minister Cooper.
“We’re living in an era when we are seeing a reduction of companies in brick-and-mortar operations globally. We’re in a digital era, where the preferred mode of making transactions is online. But, today, we’re bucking that trend, because we care about our customers and we wanted to send a signal that Freeport is back and Freeport is poised for a rebound, as are the fortunes of Bahamasair.
“Bahamasair realizes that the tourism industry needs a boost and therefore they have established a Freeport to Raleigh (North Carolina) route for the people of Grand Bahama and for the tourism industry.”
The tourism minister noted that over the past 50 years, Bahamasair has been a major stakeholder in The Bahamas’ number one industry, driving the growth of tourism in the country’s numerous destinations.
Throughout the islands of The Bahamas, to countries like Cuba, the United States, Haiti and the Turks and Caicos
, Minister Cooper said Bahamasair is critical and it is reliable. He pointed out that the tourism business has achieved a spectacular rebound post COVID-19, recording visitor arrival numbers in 2022 just shy of the 7.2 million of the country’s standout year in tourism in 2019.
“I salute team tourism for this growth,” added Mr. Cooper.
“As indicated by future bookings, prospects for record breaking arrivals for 2023 and beyond are also looking great. Bahamasair will be called upon to play an even greater role in the expansion of our tourism business. The Ministry of tourism will continue to collaborate with the board and management of Bahamasair to ensure that we consistently see new routes for Freeport.”
Minister Cooper said: “The future of Bahamasair is aspirational. We will not stop until we see Bahamasair playing a more critical role on the international scene. That is my vision for Bahamasair. That is what we aspire to do. Through our partnerships, we anticipate continued growth, continued investment, and a continued reduction of the subvention that the taxpayer pays to Bahamasair. But I pledge the government’s backing to continue to provide support to Bahamasair, to the management and to the board.”
Photo Captions:
Header – Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper, along with two of Bahamasair’s retirees, cuts the ribbon to signify the official opening of Bahamasair’s new ticket office in downtown Freeport on Friday, June 9, 2023. The new city ticket office is located in Tropical Plaza, Freeport.
1st insert – Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper was the keynote speaker during ceremonies for the opening of Bahamasair’s new ticket office in downtown Freeport, on Friday, June 9, 2023.
2nd insert – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Toursm, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper greeted employees in the new Bahamasair ticket office, during a tour of the facilities following an official opening on Friday, June 9, 2023
(BIS Photos/Andrew Miller)
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.
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.
#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.
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