By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE reports of low attendance at some events associated with the Commonwealth Youth Games being hosted in the capital this week, federation representatives for the games yesterday applauded the Local Organising Committee for enduring gracefully.

Commonwealth Games Federation CEO David Grevemberg, in an interview with The Tribune, said the success of this years games should be qualified by the quality of the events put on and not tickets sold or given away.

On Thursday, the opening ceremony Tuesday night at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium was sparse, and the stadium appeared to be a quarter filled.

The beach soccer games were poorly attended on Wednesday, however, officials said there were larger crowd at indoor events like judo.

In response to the report Thursday, Mr Grevemberg said the challenges endured by the Bahamas in the lead up to and during the games have been nothing short of horrendous.

Mr Grevemberg stated: We gave this country 18 months. During that time frame the country endured a massive storm and changed governments. With all of that, facilities have been prepared and are up to competition standards, infrastructure is in place and most of all, the athletes are here, comfortable and happy.

Again, it must be noted, this was all done in an 18-month window.

In 2011, St Lucia was awarded the 2017 CYG, but backed out of the commitment in September 2015 due to concerns with fundraising and its ability to create suitable venues to stage the overall event.

The Bahamas officially submitted a bid to host the games in January 2016.

Once the bid was awarded, the Bahamas was pressed to assemble the necessary physical and immaterial infrastructure in place to host the games.

In 2015, Louise Bell was appointed as chef de mission for Samoa 2015 in April of that year, roughly four and half months prior to those games.

Derron Donaldson was named chef de mission for the Bahamas 2017 in early June, roughly a month to go before the start of this years games.

Now while the position doesnt cover the day-to-day developments or the status of the games, the appointment of someone in this role normally signifies that organisers have shifted their focus to the promotional aspects of the games.

Two weeks after this appointment, local officials erected billboards and disseminated other promotional material across the country.

On the coverage and promotion of this years games locally, Mr Grevemberg stated: There has been tremendous work to get the word out there to the audience and persuade them to come out and support, those attempts are evident.

With that noted, we recognised the Bahamas is a small island state. A large percentage of the population is at work during the week, as in the case in other countries these have been held in.

He added: But, both local and global coverage has been absolutely brilliant and we are satisfied. We expect as we head into the weekend, I think the Bahamians will come out in droves for the athletic competitions, which the country is known for, and with all the other events.

There is no need to panic over this, these are tremendous games thus far and as the days go on, you can see it on the faces of the locals and the visitors, these games are something special.

On Wednesday, Romell Knowles, managing director of the games, told The Tribune that outdoor events were not as crowded as indoor ones, something he chalked up to the intense summer heat.

Given a chance to reflect on these comments yesterday, Mr Knowles maintained outdoor events were having issues, but added indoor events like judo on the initial two days of competition and boxing as of yesterday, have made up for the low numbers for the outdoor events.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the judo events were sold out. As a matter of fact, on Wednesday we had to add more seats to Kendall Isaacs Gym. We had 300 to 500 people there throughout those two days, and we are expecting similar numbers (Thursday) and (Friday) for boxing, stated Mr Knowles.

We meet with team leaders every day, their individual reports, like our overall reports show that people are turning up at these events. Are they world-record numbers? I am not saying that, but for a country the size of the Bahamas, for events through the day, scattered across five sites, we are getting quality turnouts, he added.

The CYG is the latest international sporting event hosted here, flowing from the former Christie administrations efforts to boost sports tourism. The event was agreed to by the former government.

According to Minister of Youth Sports and Culture Michael Pintard, the event will cost the Bahamas about $7m to host.

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Fans Missing Out On Great Games As Bahamas Lands Two Silvers - Bahamas Tribune

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Nassau, Bahamas July 21, 2017 Of 164 countries, The Bahamas ranks 129th on the most recent Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and Deputy Prime Minister Peter K Turnquest has said the country continues to fall too far behind in this area of safety.

Turnquest also said the low ranking could negatively affect the financial sector and curb the expansion of the local IT industry.

The Index assesses 25 indicators and ranks countries based on commitment to and effectiveness in fighting cyber crime. The Bahamas received high scores on only two of 25 indicators. Turnquest said that the Bahamas ranked too low overall on International reports and that even though these studies can be subjective, they influence perception. He added that it was critical that the Government put protocols in place for dealing with cyber crime and that these matters would be addressed soon.

#MagneticMediaNews

#GlobalCybersecurityIndex

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Bahamas ranks on low on Cybersecurity Index - Magnetic Media (press release)

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday conceded that the Bahamas "continues to fall too far down the scale", after this nation was ranked 129th out of 164 countries for its commitment and effectiveness in fighting cyber crime.

K P Turnquest acknowledged that the Bahamas' ranking in the bottom third of the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), could "undermine" the financial services industry and this nation's desire to expand its information technology (IT) capabilities.

Of the 25 indicators on which countries were rated, the Bahamas scored highly on just two - cybercriminal legislation and its participation in efforts to combat the problem globally.

This resulted in the GCI placing the Bahamas among 96 nations said to be in the "initiating stage", meaning that they have just "started to make commitments in cybersecurity".

The GCI placed the Bahamas below 'economic powerhouses' such as Gabon, Nauru, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Niger when it came to the commitment, strength and effectiveness of cybersecurity systems, agencies and supporting legislation.

The Bahamas' 129th ranking is also lower than the 121st spot it currently occupies in the World Bank's 'ease of doing' business rankings. On a regional basis, this nation was placed below Jamaica, the leader, who came in at 85th spot, and the likes of Barbados, St Vincent and the Dominican Republic. It did, though, finish ahead of Trinidad & Tobago.

"How did we get there," Mr Turnquest asked, when Tribune Business disclosed the Bahamas' GCI ranking. The survey was conducted by an international regulatory body, the ITU, whose members just held their annual conference in the Bahamas.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government needed to better understand the basis for the Bahamas' ranking by the ITU's GCI, but admitted: "In all these rankings we continue to fall too far down the scale.

"There's some things we have to do, not only to be more secure, but put in place the required protocols to give actual and perceived security, as well as improve the overall ease of doing business.

"We have to address them as priority to recover our standing, but this particular issue comes as a bit of a surprise as I'm not sure what the basis of it is. As we look at it, we'll see what we have to do to respond."

Mr Turnquest said that while the Bahamas' rankings in international indices were often "subjective", the Government was aware that international investor perceptions of this nation could be easily influenced by them.

And, given the Bahamas' reliance on financial services and other data-based industries, plus its hopes for further economic diversification via IT, the GCI index ranking could be particularly damaging.

"It's absolutely critical that we have very effective and proactive cyber security measures," Mr Turnquest told Tribune Business. "If we are perceived to be weak in the area of data protection and transaction protection, it does have the potential to undermine our financial services industry."

The Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the Bahamas' GCI ranking was likely based "more in theory than in fact", but acknowledged that perception was everything.

"We'll need to address it," he told Tribune Business. "We have to get facts. Certainly, to the extent there are perceived weaknesses, we'll have to do what is necessary to ensure we negate it."

With IT now an essential part of commerce, Brahima Sanou, the ITU's telecommunications bureau director, emphasised why the growing cyber criminal threat meant awareness and security measures were essential.

"In 2016, nearly 1 per cent of all e-mails sent were essentially malicious attacks, the highest rate in recent years," he wrote in the GCI report. "Ransomware attacks increasingly affected businesses and consumers, with indiscriminate campaigns pushing out massive volumes of malicious e-mails.

"Attackers are demanding more and more from victims, with the average ransom demand rising to over $1,000 in 2016, up from approximately $300 a year earlier. In May 2017, a massive cyber attack caused major disruptions to companies and hospitals in over 150 countries, prompting a call for greater co-operation around the world."

Bahamians, and local businesses, have also become increasingly familiar with hackers and the senders of malware, adware, spyware and various forms of computer viruses. The Clearing Banks Association (CBA) has recently taken out a series of advertisements to warn Bahamians about the threats from 'phishing' e-mails and other tactics designed to obtain their bank account details.

Stephen Bereaux, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority's (URCA) chief executive, yesterday said the regulator was not responsible for cybersecurity in the Bahamas, and did not provide any data in response to the survey the ITU issued for the GCI index rankings.

He added, though, that based on talks at last week's ITU conference in the Bahamas he was "confident a number of things are going on" to protect the Bahamas against cyber criminals.

"There were a number of discussions last week on cybersecurity and the impact on the financial services sector in the Bahamas," Mr Bereaux told Tribune Business.

"Clearly, cybersecurity is an issue for any country, but that said, based on the discussions at the conference, a lot of effort is going on in the country to ensure the issue is addressed."

Mr Bereaux said care had to be taken in interpreting indices such as the GCI, because they sometimes did not reflect what was taking place in a particular country."

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Bahamas 'falls too far': 129th on cyber security | The Tribune - Bahamas Tribune

The newlywed husband of a mother who vanished while the couple was sailing in the Bahamas had asked the Coast Guard for a letter of presumed death a day after the agency called off their search, and within four days of their boat overturning, according to court documents.

Isabella Hellmann's sister has accused her husband Lewis Bennett of killing her, according to a police report issued after her disappearance. Bennett has not been formally named as a suspect in her disappearance.

Authorities have also never said that they suspect the disappearance of the 41-year-old mother was the result of foul play, and the investigation into her disappearance is still being treated as a missing persons case by the Coast Guard and the FBI.

A May 19 letter from the Coast Guard to Lewis Bennett, Hellmann's husband of just three months and father of their 9-month-old daughter, informed him that it isn't authorized to issue a letter of presumed death. The letter is included in documents related to an action Hellmanns sister, Adriana Difeo, filed in the Palm Beach County court in June in an effort to take over Hellmanns finances.

The Delray Beach, Florida couple was celebrating their marriage by sailing the Caribbean. The boat was reported capsized on May 15 near the Bahamas, and the search for Hellmann was called off on May 18.

Bennett told the Coast Guard that Hellmann had agreed to take watch above deck. He awoke to the sensation of something hitting the boat, he told the Coast Guard, and the feeling that the vessel was starting to sink.

Bennett also told the Coast Guard that when he couldnt find Hellmann he jumped onto a life raft and sent out a distress call. He was found on the life raft on May 15, according to the Coast Guard.

Florida law states that a person can't be declared legally dead until he or she has been missing for at least five years.

Areva Martin, a legal analyst, told ABC News that Bennett's request from the Coast Guard doesn't add up, given the details spelled out by Florida's missing person law.

"There's not a clear indication as to why he would want this letter, particularly in light of Florida law, which says a person is not presumed dead that goes missing until after 5 years has elapsed," Martin said.

The letter from the Coast Guard notes that "a combined 137.77 hours spanning 4,980 square nautical miles with four types of aircrafts and three CG cutters" was dedicated to their search for Bennett, but they were unable to find her.

Friends of Hellmann have told ABC News that the couple had gotten into a fight about the possibility of moving to Bennett's native Australia.

"She was set on, 'no, I'm not moving,' and he was upset [about] her not wanting to go with him," Sarah Cortes, a friend of Hellmann's, told ABC News. "The family is destroyed, the family is extremely hurt."

ABC News Ben Stein contributed to this report.

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Missing mom's husband sought 'presumed death' letter days after ... - ABC News

PHOTO: Breezes Bahamas Resort & Spa. (photo courtesy of Breezes Resorts & Spas)

Todays couples know that when it comes to preparing for a baby, theres more to it than selecting a nursery theme and having a car seat and crib at the ready. In fact, savvy parents-to-be realize that once baby arrivesespecially if its Baby No. 2 or No. 3being alone together will soon be but a distant memory.

Enter the babymoon:a time to relax and reconnect before that sweet bundle of joy makes an appearance and sleep deprivation and diapers settle in for a spell.

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Most couples head for the beach when it comes time to plan a babymoon, and with so many things to do and see its no wonder that the Bahamas are a popular destination.

For couples wondering where to stay, Breezes Bahamas Resort & Spa, the only super-inclusive resort in the Bahamas, is offering a babymoon add-on package for just $200 (minimum three-night stay). The package offers such extras as a room upgrade based on availability (first-floor rooms available upon request), extra pillows to ensure that the mom-to-be can rest comfortably, breakfast in bed one morning and more.

Looking for ideas on how to enjoy your stay? Here are seven of our favorites:

Pamper yourself

Expectant parents should take advantage of every opportunity to pamper themselves before the focus shifts to the baby. Guests of Breezes Bahamas who opt for the Babymoon Add-on Package can enjoy complimentary his and her facials at the resorts full-service Blue Mahoe Seaside Spa. The spa offers a full range of a la carte services, all carried out just steps from the ocean.

Enjoy a romantic oceanside dinner

Carpe dinner!Seize the chance to have a special dinner for two (and a half). What could be more romantic than an oceanside table, personalized service and twinkly stars overhead?

Explore the water

Whether its floating in a freshwater pool (Breezes Bahamas has three) or bobbing in the gentle waves off the white-sand Cable Beach, mamas-to-be know that cool water is the great equalizer. More adventurous couples can try their hand at kayaking or even sailing with their doctors permission, of course.

WATCH Dream Weddings by Breezes Resorts & Spas

Lounge in a private cabana

Want to feel special? Then rent a beachside cabana for the day. Better yet, Breezes Bahamas offers daily beachfront cabana and waiter service (a value of $50 a day) as part of their babymoon add-on package.

Take in a show

Once thebaby arrives, heading out for the night will mean a late-night run to the store for diapers. Couples should make the most of the chance to catch a live show, perhaps one featuring a local steel drum band, or relax at an intimate spot.

Shop till you drop

Pick up a few souvenirs or even something for the babys room. Nassau offers a host of shopping opportunities from high-end boutiques to markets showcasing the work of local artisans.

See the sights

Theres a lot more to do in the Bahamas than sun and swim. Couples shouldnt miss the chance to visit Ardastra Gardens & Zoo, Fort Charlotte, the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, Clifton Heritage National Park and the Graycliff Chocolatier where moms-to-be can learn to make their own chocolate treats while reveling in the knowledge that theyre eating for two.

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A Bahamas Babymoon: Seven Things to Do Before the Baby - TravelPulse

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Bahamas, July 13th 2017: The erasure of physical banks from some islands in The Bahamas was just one of the many points raised at the 17th International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-17). Bahamasplayed host to the conference when it officially opened at Atlantis, Paradise Island, on Wednesday to the theme, Living in a World of Digital Opportunities.

ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, expanding the benefits of modern communication technologies to communities in an efficient, safe, affordable manner, and further enabling the inter-connectivity that defines modern life.

The matter of physical banks was raised as an IT best practice that could have an impact on the development of The Bahamas, when ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, and, Chairman of URCA, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas Randol Dorsett, collectively raised the matter as a vital point, referring to the closure of bank branches on the Family Islands. The men also remarked on the importance of cyber safety in light of the positioning of The Bahamas for inter-Caribbean reach, and the overall social and financial fabric of the country.

The conference aims at increasing cyber-connectivity world-wide done safely and efficiently while enhancing economic and social development, as well as to properly navigate and manage artificial intelligence.

Brahima Sanou, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau Director declared Bahamas as the centre of the world for three days, as discussions centred around the critical importance of telecommunications capability in todays world. The Bahamas was hailed to be one of the main countries other than the United States responsible for boosting ITU.

#MagneticMediaNews

#ClosureOfBanksConcernForIT

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Bahamas plays host to IT conference - Magnetic Media (press release)

The Bahamas in action against Mexico. Photo: 10thYearSeniors

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit but their rally fell short, ultimately undone by a turnover problem that plagued them all game yesterday in the FIBA Centrobasket.

Leashja Grant led the Bahamas with a game-high 29 points and seven rebounds but the team lost the tournament opener 61-56 to Mexico at the UVI Arena in St Thomas, in United States Virgin Islands. Phylicia Kelly and Shalonda Neely each finished with six points while Valarie Nesbitt added six. Daniela Prado led Mexico with 14 points, Maria Orozco, Jacqueline Luna and Alexis Castro each finished with 10 and Brisa Silva scored eight.

The Bahamas entered the fourth trailing by seven, but Mexico would open with consecutive field goals to take a 52-41 lead. Pardos wing three maintained the 12-point lead 55-43 before the Bahamas went on a run. Grant sparked the run with a pair of free throws followed by layups from Neely and Kelly.

Grant would convert a three-point play on the next possession to cap a 9-0 run and trim the deficit 55-52 with 2:30 left to play. After the teams traded scores, the Bahamas had an opportunity to pull within one, or tie with a three, but turned the ball over with just over one minute left to play.

Mexico would seal the game at the free throw line and on the offensive boards down the stretch.

Outside of Grants scoring, the Bahamas struggled to find points and shot just 34 per cent from the field without making a single field goal from three-point range.

Nesbitt got the scoring started for the Bahamas with a floater, but Mexico scored nine unanswered, including one play where they stole an inbounds pass and finished with a three-pointer. Mexico went ahead by double digits on a Prado layup for a 14-3 lead with just under five minutes left to play in the quarter. They took a 23-10 lead after the first.

They were definitely nervous, had jitters and, because of it, we dug ourselves in a deep hole, said head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. We still have to find ways to rely on our defence. We lost our identity and tried to be an offensive team, but we just dont have those types of players right now so we have to play better defence and grow up. We have not been together long so as I figure them out and figure out how to get the best out of them, Ill do so but the attitude and effort, they have to bring it.

After trailing by as much as 17, the Bahamas trimmed the deficit to just 10 headed into the half. Mexico struggled through a drought which lasted nearly five minutes, and Neelys hook shot trimmed the deficit to six (30-24).

Castro finally broke the drought with a jumper at the top of the key to give Mexico a 32-24 lead at the half. Fourteen of Mexicos made baskets in the first half came off 12 assists. They finished with 21.

Like the first half, Nesbitt opened the second with a driving layup to again cut the lead to six. On one possession the Bahamas had six second-chance opportunities from steals and offensive rebounds and Grant was finally able to corral a loose ball and finish with a layup to bring the team within five (41-36).

Coach Yo picked us up at halftime. All of our heads were down, which they shouldnt have been. She was able to pick us up and give us a boost, Grant said, Yes we fell short, but we cant take that into the next game. Jamaica will be a brand new day, brand new team, we just have to execute and play Bahamas basketball.

Round robin group play continues today as the Bahamas faces Jamaica at 3 pm local time.

The tournament features the national teams from the Bahamas, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and will be broadcasted live on FIBAs official YouTube channel.

After the 5-day tournament, the top three teams will qualify to the FIBA Womens AmeriCup 2017, to be played in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from August 6-13.

The last edition of the Womens Centrobasket Championship was played in Monterrey, Mexico, where Cuba captured the title with a perfect 5-0 record.

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Bahamas suffers 61-56 loss to Mexico in opener | The Tribune - Bahamas Tribune

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Bahamas, July 13th 2017: Not unexpected, but ready to address the fiscal situation, the attitude in which the Ministry of Finance is treating Moodys review of the economy. In a statement, the ministry says it is moving expeditiously to address the fiscal situation. The ministry outlined plans that include fiscal responsibility legislation, procurement regulations, and public expenditure review as some policies it intends to roll out.

Describing the review as an unfortunate development, the ministry says Governments efforts to strengthen revenue administration are receiving renewed focus, especially in the areas of real property taxes, customs, VAT and Business License administration and enforcement. However, it adds this is dependent on Governments plan to introduce a Revenue Administration Bill, as a way of dealing with tax delinquencies.

Other solutions to tackling the downgrade include moving quickly to improve the ease of doing business in The Bahamas, addressing structural impediments to growth and attracting foreign direct investment.

Moodys review was prompted after governments budget statement, and a further increase in debt through planned borrowing. The credit rating agency has called for more policies to be put in place if The Bahamas is to prevent the further downgrade.

#MagneticMediaNews

#MinistryofFinanceRespondsToMoodys

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Bahamas Ministry of Finance responds to Moody's review - Magnetic Media (press release)

The Bahamas is celebrating 44 years of independence from the UK. Here are a few quirky facts about these fascinating islands.

Many people talk about The Ukraine, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Maldives and The Netherlands. These are all wrong. Only two nations officially start with The. The Bahamas is one (the name means shallow water, FYI). Do you know the other?

Big Major Cay or Pig Beach is renowned for its porcine residents, who spend their time wallowing in the shallows. The porkers are victims of their own cuteness, however. Earlier this year several were found dead, with tourists blamed for overfeeding them.

Telegraph Travel spoke to the astronaut Chris Hadfield, best known for his Bowie rendition on the ISS, in January, and asked him which Earthly place looked most beautiful from his lofty orbit. The Bahamas are gorgeous, he replied. The deep trench in the ocean floor called the Tongue of the Ocean, which comes between the islands, is the most beautiful deep indigo colour.

The Bahamas has a weight problem even more so than the US. Almost 35 per cent of the adult population are considered obese, according to the CIA's World Factbook. For the US the figure is 33 per cent (in Britain its 27 per cent). Only 12 places are fatter, with American Samoa taking the biscuit (so to speak) on a whopping 74.6 per cent.

Thanks to sprinters like Pauline Davis-Thompson, Tonique Williams-Darling and Shaunae Miller, The Bahamas has won 14 Olympic medals. That works out at 33.9 per million residents only Finland, Sweden and Hungary have a better per capita strike rate.

OK, so The Bahamas might only have around 10 branches. But with a population of 390,000, that works out at more than 26 per million residents. Only three countries, the US, Canada and Monaco, have more Starbucks per capita.

The aquarium at the garish Atlantis Paradise Island resort encompasses 14 lagoons, eight million gallons of water and more than 50,000 aquatic animals from 250 species. Theres even a water slide that runs through the middle of it.

The Bahamas needs you. Almost 20 per cent of its GDP comes from tourism, a higher percentage than all but six places (Macau, Maldives, British Virgin Islands, Aruba, Seychelles and Anguilla). In fact, the country attracts 3.7 overseas visitors each year for every resident, making it one of 51 nations where tourists outnumber locals.

And its named, rather unimaginatively, Pink Sands. Noelle Nicolls, our expert on The Bahamas, says: Some visitors suffer disappointment when they realise the beach is not entirely pink as some doctored photos suggest. A unique mix of coral, broken shells, miniature rocks and calcium carbonate speckles the sand with pink fragments.

Dean's Blue Hole, off Long Island, is the second deepest salt water sinkhole on Earth, plunging 202 metres. Only Dragon Hole, in the South China Sea, with a depth of 300.89 metres, can top it.

The Bahamas is the third most expensive country in the world to live, according to Numbeo's annual cost of living survey, which takes into account the price of around 50 items, including a wide variety of accommodation, food and drink from both supermarkets and restaurants, clothing, taxi fares, leisure activities, utility, internet and mobile phone bills. Only Bermuda and Switzerland are costlier.

Its not just piggies. Noelle Nicolls explains: Sandy Cay (also known as White Cay) is an uninhabited island at the southern tip of the Exuma chain. Easily accessible from Long Island, it's a beautiful sanctuary for critically endangered White Cay Rock Iguanas. When you arrive, the iguanas come crawling out of the native bush to greet you on the beach or along the rocky part of the shoreline. They are harmless and will run away if you step towards them too suddenly.

Pirates, privateers and buccaneers infested the area from the early 1600s to the 1700s, wrote Ben Fogle for The Telegraph in 2015. The shallow waters provided the perfect place for experienced pirates to lure heavily laden merchant ships and Spanish galleons on to the reefs, where they were wrecked and relieved of their cargos.

The most famous pirate was Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, who was appointed magistrate of the self-declared Pirates Republic, a stronghold in Nassau which brought 11 years of havoc to the region.

Learn more at the Pirates of Nassau Museum or on an Islandz Rum Tour.

Thunderball Grotto is an accessible underwater cave that sits in the middle of a little island (probably better categorised as a big rock) in The Exumas, says Noelle Nicolls. It gets its name from the James Bond film Thunderball, which used the cave for underwater battle scenes. When you drop anchor, the entrance to the cave is not readily visible as most of it is underwater. Getting in is intimidating, but once you do, you can swim and breathe on the surface of the water as you snorkel around the hollowed-out chamber.

You cant drive on the Bimini Road, as its underwater and is actually a rock formation. Some believe it to be part of the legendary lost city of Atlantis. They are wrong. It is just a rock formation.

A sombre note to finish on. The Bahamas is one of 58 countries that still have the death penalty. It is, however, considered abolitionist in practice, with the last execution taking place in 2000 (unlike Iran, for example, where more than 977 took place in 2015).

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16 things you didn't know about The Bahamas, a land of sinkholes and swimming pigs - Telegraph.co.uk

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Bahamas National Children's Choir performs for Toronto police ... insideTORONTO.com The Bahamas National Children's Choir put on a performance at Toronto police headquarters Thursday morning. The choir, consisting of 33 children ages seven ... Bahamas children's choir brings sunshine, culture to Toronto ...Toronto Star all 2 news articles »

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Bahamas National Children's Choir performs for Toronto police ... - insideTORONTO.com

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

CIBC's Caribbean corporate and investment banking chief is eyeing "a lot of opportunities" for growth in the Bahamas, having helped place over $100 million in financing over the past year.

Pim Van Der Burg told Tribune Business in a recent interview that the Bahamas was "a very important business" for CIBC FirstCaribbean, ranking alongside Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago as its top three regional markets.

He added that the institution, which has already been "very active" in financing key industries in the Bahamas, aimed to become the top bank in this nation for corporate clients.

"The Bahamas, given the size of the group, is a very important business for us," Mr Van Der Burg said. "We certainly have high expectations of the business.

"What I can tell you is that the Bahamas is in the top three countries in the region. It's a very substantial part, and very important market for us at CIBC for sure.

"My experience from visiting the last week is that there's a lot of opportunity, a lot of development, I think, if we as a bank can deliver good service. We are working hard to make sure we're the best bank in the Bahamas for corporate clients."

CIBC FirstCaribbean has become noticeably more active in the Bahamian capital markets, and in structuring and funding major debt transactions. Desmond Bannister, minister of works, recently confirmed it was working with another investment bank to raise $135 million for cash-strapped utility, Bahamas Power & Light (BPL).

While declining to name specific transactions, Mr Van Der Burg told Tribune Business that the financing raised by CIBC FirstCaribbean's corporate and investment banking team in the Bahamas over the past year would be "above $100 million for sure".

"We have been very active in the Bahamas in the utility space, in the oil and gas sector, and the airline industry," he said. "Without mentioning names, there are several large clients we've been involved with within the last 12 months.

"We have had substantial growth, and also have a line of transactions we're working on. We have a substantial pipeline of transactions we are working on."

CIBC FirstCaribbean's corporate and investment banking clients number 10,000, serviced across the region by a 200-strong team - of whom around 30 are based in the Bahamas.

Mr Van Der Burg praised the local team, headed by managing director, Marie Rodland-Allen, and Raymond Donaldson, and emphasised that the bank was focused on client satisfaction as opposed to specific growth targets.

Explaining that the growth would come if CIBC FirstCaribbean met client needs and expectations, he added: "We are strongly convinced that the growth rate will be determined by client satisfaction.

"Instead of focusing on growth rates, we're really focusing on our clients and making sure we take care of them. That's where we put our energies; making sure we get it right for our customers and, based on that, we believe we will get the growth the clients will allow us to have."

Mr Van Der Burg said corporate banking was typically focused on medium-sized Caribbean businesses, dealing with issues such as investment planning, succession management and financing. Investment banking is targeted at larger clients, with capital markets, initial public offering (IPO) and structured debt transactions among the products offered. Internet and electronic banking services cross both spectrums.

The CIBC corporate and investment banking chief added that while the bank was Caribbean-focused, it is also able to draw on the strength of its Toronto-based parent. All this has helped it to generate $1 billion in financings across the region over the past 12 months.

"Next to Jamaica and Trinidad, the Bahamas is the largest market," Mr Van Der Burg told Tribune Business. "We believe there's substantial opportunities on corporate banking as well as the retail banking side.

"We are really working hard to grow that business. We are investing in premises, IT, information technology and mobile banking."

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Top Cibc Chief Targeting Bahamas Growth Inroads - Bahamas Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Transparency International's Bahamian representative yesterday said economic abuses "by corrupt officials" had helped bring this nation to the precipice of its second 'junk' creditworthiness downgrade.

Lemarque Campbell, Citizens for a Better Bahamas' chairman, told Tribune Business that the scourge of corruption was a major factor behind "all of the societal ills in the Bahamas".

He confirmed that Citizens for a Better Bahamas, together with Transparency International, had written to the newly-elected Minnis administration backing its anti-corruption pronouncements, and urging that it tackle freedom of information and public procurement as priorities.

"Corruption has proven to be a major contributor to all of the societal ills in the Bahamas," Mr Campbell told Tribune Business, adding that its eradication would help to reduce this nation's current $300 million-plus annual deficits.

"Now that the new government has settled in, we decided to write to them to offer international expertise in fighting corruption. We don't live in a vacuum; we are a part of a global community and the world is watching."

He tied corruption to the Bahamas' continued economic slide, and its low GDP growth, high unemployment and fiscal crises.

"As we can see, Moody's is already giving us a downgrade review," Mr Campbell wrote to this newspaper. "We have essentially had an abuse of our economy by corrupt officials for many years, through reckless spending and a lack of accountability.

"The Government now has a responsibility to guard against such abuse by implementing the necessary anti-corruption reforms. We can decrease the deficit once we tackle corruption. Additionally, as we rely so heavily on foreign direct investment (FDI), we have to remember that no credible investor would want to deal with any corrupt government.

"We ought to have a strategic action plan in place if we are serious about tackling corruption in the Bahamas. The Government needs to go after the low hanging fruit. For instance, we need to hear more about advancements being made on strengthening and implementing the Freedom of Information Act."

K P Turnquest, the minister of finance, last week told Tribune Business that anti-corruption laws, together with a Fiscal Responsibility Act, are the new government's top legislative priorities once the House of Assembly returns in September.

While the Minnis administration has talked all the right things, it now has to execute amid signs that Bahamian patience is already starting to 'wear thin' over its blaming of the former Christie government for a variety of woes.

Backing the Government's rhetoric, Transparency International and Citizens for a Better Bahamas jointly outlined "five areas for priority consideration".

They said these were "the full enactment and implementation of a strong Freedom of Information Act"; enactment of legal protections for 'whistleblowers'; the Public Disclosure Act's enforcement; political campaign finance reform; and "a fair and open public procurement system".

The letter, signed jointly by Mr Campbell and Alejandro Salas, Transparency International's regional director for the Americas, pledged their organisations' full support if the Government "heralds in an auspicious new era of transparency, accountability and integrity in governance in the Bahamas".

They wrote: "We recognise and applaud your government's commitment to deliver on your campaign promises of transparency, accountability and good governance reforms, as outlined in your recent pronouncements to introduce various anti-corruption legislation, along with an autonomous anti-corruption agency.

"We look forward to your government's prompt and ongoing development of modern and robust anti-corruption policies. To that end, we wish to extend our support to your government through our global network of research, expertise and advice on international best practices in the areas of open, transparent and accountable governance.

"We expect that your government will adopt a national action plan for good governance, which includes increased levels of citizen participation in the decision-making process."

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Corruption Abuses Bring Bahamas To 'Junk' Brink - Bahamas Tribune

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Harmony of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Nassau, Bahamas Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) Our first full day on Harmony of the Seas is also our first port day. It is a bit unusual to have your second day be a port day on a 7-night sailing, but we were looking forward to getting into the swing of the cruise experience. Harmony of the Seas ...

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Harmony of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Nassau, Bahamas - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Barracuda Club swimmer Taichi Vakasama seems to be chasing down every splash and clocking the fastest time in the 200 meters open event at the Damodar Aquatic Center on June 2nd, 2017. Photo:Jone Luvenitoga

National rep Taichi Vakasama is using the Fiji Swimming Age Group National Championship as a preparation platform for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) in the Bahamas on July 19-23.

Coming fourth in the 2015 CYG in Apia, Samoa, Vakasama is aiming for a medal on July 19-23.

The national champs has been a challenge for me because the water is really cold and muscles get numb easily, Vakasama said.

But I think that has really pushed me to give my best and also I always remember how much my family is doing for me bringing me here, so I want to live up to their expectations.

With the CYG, I am thankful for this nationals because it has tested me and helped me in my preparations.

I am using this as a training ground for me and getting more experience and having other countries like Tonga and Samoa really lifts the standard as well.

In the last CYG I came fourth and I know as a swimmer that I can do better than that which is why I have been working extra hard.

This time I want to get a medal, whether it is bronze or silver or gold, I just want a medal at least.

I am confident that I can do it and I just need to keep training and doing my best and I am thankful that competitions like the Age Group Nationals provide a platform for me to improve as a swimmer.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

Feedback: justine.mannan@fijisun.com.fj

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Vakasama Eyes Medal In Bahamas - Fiji Sun Online

The man who was the main organizer of the failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas earlier this year has been arrested by authorities and charged with wire fraud for allegedly bilking investors in his company, Fyre Media, which promoted the event.

Billy McFarland was arrested by federal agents at his Manhattan home on Friday.

The New York Times writes:

"A criminal complaint unsealed on Friday detailed the case, which relies heavily on misrepresentations of financial information to people who invested in Fyre Media whose main business was a website that let people book celebrities for special events and a subsidiary, Fyre Festival LLC.

"According to the complaint, sworn to by Brandon Racz, a special agent with the F.B.I., at least two people invested about $1.2 million in the two companies, and in communications with these investors in 2016 and 2017, Mr. McFarland repeatedly overstated Fyre Media's revenue from bookings and his own wealth."

In a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon Kim said: "As alleged, William McFarland promised a 'life changing' music festival but in actuality delivered a disaster. McFarland allegedly presented fake documents to induce investors to put over a million dollars into his company and the fiasco called the Fyre Festival. Thanks to the investigative efforts of the FBI, McFarland will now have to answer for his crimes."

NPR's Laurel Wamsley wrote in April: "In a promo video posted in January full of frolicking models, the Fyre Festival promised (in seemingly random order) 'the best in food, art, music and adventure / once owned by Pablo Escobar / on the boundaries of the impossible / Fyre is an experience and festival / A quest / to push beyond those boundaries.'"

Soon after, the festival co-organizers, McFarland and rapper Ja Rule, were hit with a $100 million suit filed by a disgruntled festival-goer.

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Organizer Of Failed Bahamas Musical Festival Arrested, Charged With Fraud - NPR

Dancehall artiste Baby Tash, is gearing up to make her debut performance in Abaco Islands, Bahamas, where she is booked for a live concert today.

The artiste who has been working with several top Jamaican producers, told THE STAR that her fans can expect her usual energetic performance.

"I'm always excited to touch the stage in a new region. This will not be my first time performing in Bahamas but it's my first time in Abaco. I will definitely be bringing what I am known and loved for, my crazy energy, style, and sexiness. Abaco can expect a wild, fun-filled night with me" she said.

The Big Man Me Want singer also revealed that the successful Loodi rhythm compilation produced by So Unique Records has exposed her brand to new markets.

Baby Tash released a song on the rhythm titled 'Party Time'.

The entire rhythm has been creating an impact and I am riding high on its success. 'Party Time' was released unexpectedly, since I had recorded it a while back. However it is always a feeling of gratitude when as an artiste your music is working for you. The fans dem say party time suh promoters a say Baby Tash and I'm about to bring the heat like Miami," she said.

The entertainer is also working with Kirkledove Records and Hitmaker Muzik Production. She has so far released songs like Love You Mama and 'Gimi' for the respective labels.

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Baby Tash rides Loodi rhythm to Bahamas - Jamaica Star Online

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Bahamas, June 30,2017 Nassau On Tuesday, June 27, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released the 2017 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report. The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the U.S. Governments principal diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking and The Bahamas has managed to maintain the highest possible ranking for work done to discourage and stop human trafficking.

The TIP Report is described as the worlds most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-human trafficking efforts and reflects the U.S. Governments commitment to global leadership on this key human rights and law enforcement issue. It represents an updated, global look at the nature and scope of trafficking in persons and the broad range of government actions to confront and eliminate it.

In response to the release of the 2017 TIP Report, U.S. Charg dAffaires Lisa Johnson offers congratulations to the Government of The Bahamas on receiving a Tier 1 ranking for its efforts to combat Trafficking in Persons for the third consecutive year.

The ranking reflects the Governments serious and sustained efforts through strong collaboration across multiple government agencies, facilitating the prosecution of traffickers and protection of victims. The U.S. Embassy looks forward to continuing to work with the TIP Committee and Task Force in the year ahead.

The U.S. Government also uses the TIP Report to engage foreign governments in dialogues to advance anti-trafficking reforms and to combat trafficking and to target resources on prevention, protection and prosecution programs.

#magnetcmedianews

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Bahamas Maintains a Tier 1 Ranking in the 2017 Trafficking In Persons Report - Magnetic Media (press release)

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Bahamas, June 29, 2017 Nassau The Bahamas was presented the 2016 Caribbean Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Award for Outstanding Country Promotion, the first award of its kind for the region.

The Sapphire Pegasus Award is a symbol of gratitude for the superb performance in an industry segment where mediocrity is unacceptable. The award was introduced to the region during the Caribbean Aviation Meetup in St Maarten June 13-15.

Based on expert advice and the long record of outstanding performance, we decided thatThe Bahamas should be awarded for the excellent promotion of the Caribbean over a longer period of time in the business aviation industry, said Antonia Lukacinova, founder of the Sapphire Pegasus Awards.

It is not just about the presence and presentations at international conferences and exhibitions, but also about the available online information and hardcopy documentation. The explanations are so well done and comprehensive that they hardly leave an opening for questions. We believe that this needs to find international recognition and honoring.

Director General in the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation Joy Jibrilu was presented with the award on Tuesday, June 13 during the Caribbean Aviation Meetup in St. Maarten. She also delivered the keynote address at the aviation conference.

I am excited and thrilled by the announcement that The Bahamas has won the award for our outstanding promotion in business aviation. We at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation work tirelessly to create new strategic partners in key markets across the world to increase airlift and new routes to the country. That is our goal. We also go above and beyond to promote our destination and position ourselves as the best in the region. As a team, we have accomplished many mammoth tasks and this award is vindication of that hard work. Thank you, Mrs. Jibrilu said.

The Sapphire Pegasus Awards are a unique series of international business aviation awards and are given for the outstanding performance by companies or individuals in the business aviation sector.

The finalists are nominated by companies and individuals in the business aviation sector. The Sapphire Pegasus Awards started out by recognizing the outstanding performance of companies, teams and business individuals from the EMEA region and Russia. This is the first year that four awards are being given out for excellence in the Caribbean.

Press Release: BIS

#Bahamaswinsaviationaward

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Bahamas wins new business aviation award - Magnetic Media (press release)

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Bahamas, June 29, 2017 Nassau THIS IS A PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THURSDAY 29THJUNE 2017 ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AT 12PM

GENERAL SITUATION:A SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE WEST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY DISSIPATES NEAR CENTRAL FLORIDA. MEANWHILE LARGE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BRISK WINDS OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.

SPECIAL WARNINGS: MARINERS AND BEACHGOERS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SE BAHAMAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AND DANGEROUS SURF ALONG EASTERN SHORELINES.

NORTHWEST BAHAMAS

WEATHER:VARIABLE CLOUDS, HOT AND HUMID WITH WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS OR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TODAY, SOME LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES. PARTLY CLOUDY AND WARM TONIGHT WITH THE CHANCE OF A PASSING SHOWER OR TWO.

ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.

WINDS:EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS, FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.

SEAS:2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.

CENTRAL ANDSOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.

WEATHER:PARTLY SUNNY, HOT AND BREEZY WITH PASSING SHOWERS OR A POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORM LIKELY TODAY. FEW CLOUDS AND BREEZY TONIGHT WITH THE CHANCE OF ONE OR TWO PASSING SHOWERS.

ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION CONTINUES FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.

WINDS:EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.

SEAS:4 TO 7 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.

DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE91 F33 C

OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE77 F25 C

SUNSET: 8:03 PMTHUSUNRISE: 8:04 AMFRI

MOONRISE: 12:03 PM THU MOONSET: 1:18 AM FRI

HIGH TIDE: 1:10 PM THU 1:27 AMFRI

LOW TIDE: 7:19 PMTHU7:56 AMFRI

WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR FRIDAY: PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY, HOT AND HUMID WITH FEW PASSING SHOWERS OR POSSIBLE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS.

FORECASTER: G. GREENE /C.G

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Bahamas Public Forecast - Magnetic Media (press release)

NASSAU, Bahamas: Seventy-five public relations professionals and their guests visited Nassau during this years Public Relations Society of Americas (PRSA) Sunshine District Conference held on June 23 26.

Every year the PRSA holds a conference in different districts, this year it was organized by North Florida. The organizers of this years conference wanted to plan something more exciting and took the conference onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise that stopped at Coco Cay and Nassau.

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism hosted the group for a full day of activities in Nassau and the guests were treated to an authentic taste of The Bahamas. Jeanie Gibson, General Manager of Global Communications, said the goal is to encourage the cruise visitors to come back and experience even more of the destination.

We felt this would be a great opportunity to show these public relations executives, a taste of The Bahamas so that we can convert them from cruisers into stopover visitors. PRSA has a number of chapters with over 200,000 professionals. Their annual conference is normally in the United States but perhaps we can bring one of their other conferences down here such as the travel and tourism conference which hosts some 300 public relations and tourism professionals, she said.

Bryan Campbell, Chairman of the 2017 PRSA Sunshine District Conference, said the relationship between The Bahamas and South Florida made it an easy decision to visit.

The great relationships that South Florida districts and Miami have with The Bahamas just made it kind of a natural idea for us to come to The Bahamas, enjoy some time on the cruise and enjoy some time out here in beautiful Nassau. Being able to hear more of the history and understand more about the country, is allowing our people to have a better time while theyre here and working with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism on being able to gibe this information to our members is great, Campbell said.

The PR professionals were treated to a mini-tour of Nassau stopping at Parliament Square, Paradise Island and Smugglers Restaurant where they watched a conch salad demonstration while getting to try the delicious delicacy, conch fritters and uniquely Bahamian beverages.

Bonnie Upright, Co-Chair of the conference said the feedback on the visit to Nassau has been incredible.

Public Relations Society of Americas (PRSA) Sunshine District Conference members enjoying a trip to The Bahamas

Weve had a number of people that have never been on a cruise before, weve got a number of people with us who have never been to The Bahamas before and so as a co-chair its exciting to not only offer professional development opportunities within the public relations profession but also talk about tourism, public relations industry and show people things they have never seen before.

A number of folks said they would like to come back and spend more time in The Bahamas. There was a relatively short tour of the island where we were able to get a taste of the island, get a taste of conch and try traditional beverages. I cant say enough about how fantastic everyone has been and the feedback has been phenomenal, Upright said while sipping a Goombay Punch.

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Bahamas hosts Public Relations Society of America Conference - South Florida Caribbean News