Bahamas News
Sailing to become the NEW National Sport of The Bahamas, Resolution gets Bi-Partisan nod
By Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, April 17, 2023 – At the House of Assembly on April 12th, 2023, the Honourable Clay Sweeting, Member of Parliament for South Eleuthera and Minister with Responsibility for Agriculture, Marine Resources, Cooperatives and Local Government, ahead of the Exuma Regatta, announced a resolution for making Sailing the National Sport of The Bahamas; It is supported by the Opposition and the Government.
A section of the Resolution spoke to approving Sailing as a National Sport of The Bahamas, ‘where the people of The Bahamas are known for their unique wooden vessels known as Sloops,’ used for decades throughout The Bahamian cultural and sporting events known as Regattas and whereas the participation of The Bahamas in the sport of sailing is recognized by the winning of bronze and gold medals in the Olympic competitions in 1956 and 1964 respectively.’
It would mean that the sport of Cricket would no longer hold the title.
Making Sailing the National Sport has been desired by Bahamians as stated by Sweeting. He said, “sailing has been a long awaited announcement by Bahamians. Sailing has been and always will be a part of who we are as Bahamians.”
Considering this, Sweeting spoke to the long history of sailing in the Bahamas, highlighting that Bahamians have been referred to as “masters of the sea” for hundreds of years dating back to the Lucayans and Arawaks.
He further mentioned that sailing has evolved to play an integral part of Bahamian culture, evident in the Regatta competitions first held in Exuma in 1943 which later became more organized, comprehensive and technical in the late 1950s.
He referred to Regatta as a “formidable economic driver for the family islands.”
As expressed by Sweeting, Regattas are crucial to the Social, Economic and Cultural development of The Bahamas. They encourage sustainable domestic tourism.
Evidently, each island where Regattas are held, benefit from significant economic boost.
Regattas has also made a name for itself in the international community hence the once creation of a yachting community formed fund called [Out Island Squadron] for Regattas.
The involvement of the late Duke of Edinburgh as not only a patron, but also a participant in a Regatta in 1959 in George Town, also contributed to the popularity of the sports today.
The Honourable Micheal Pintard, Member of Parliament for Marco City, who is the opposition’s leader and former minister with responsibility for marine resources, expressed support for the resolution in a detailed speech following Sweeting’s address. 
He said making Sailing the National Sport has been a long aspiration of both the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement.
He highlighted that the resolution is an opportunity to aid on the homogenization of the ministries, making sure that the right departments fit within the context of the appropriate ministry the way Sailing does. This is under the issue of disconnection in the public eye when it comes to the relationship between departments and their ministries.
He further spoke to the fact that discussions have been had off the record to make Sailing the National Sport of The Bahamas under previous Government’s, indicating that the desire to make the sport official has existed.
In reference to this, he spoke to Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper who stated in an article in 2020 in the Nassau Guardian, that he would second a bill to make Sailing as National Sport.
Another reference that he spoke to was V. Alfred Gray, former Minister, in a letter, congratulated the advancement and said that when he was in office they attempted to make it the National Sport but wasn’t given the opportunity before they were out of office.
Sweeting expressed hope that Sailing is approved as the National Sport of The Bahamas.
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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