Monthly Archives: August 2021

All cruise passengers ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 for ships to enter a Bahamas port, effective Sept. 3.

The order includes cruise lines' private islands in the Bahamas. Every major cruise company sailing from the U.S. -- Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings -- calls at a private Bahamas destination.

Bahamas prime minister Hubert Minnis issued the emergency order on Aug. 19. The restriction is valid through Nov. 1.

What is an agency's liability for having sold a cruise to an anti-vaccine client if the line changes its policy after the sale?

Before arriving in port, the ship's captain will be required to submit a manifest disclosing the vaccination status of all people aboard.

Cruise lines immediately began changing their vaccine requirements on sailings from Florida in response to the order.

Royal Caribbean International said that in order to comply, guests 12 and older sailing from Florida ports must provide proof of vaccination in order to cruise, starting Sep. 3. The updated policy matches Royal's requirements for cruises departing other U.S. ports. Guests under 12 must provide a negative test result at boarding.

MSC Cruises said unvaccinated guests whose cruise is scheduled to depart Florida between Sept. 3 and Oct. 31 won't be allowed to sail. They are eligible for a full refund.

Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean International said that the U.S. Virgin Islands would not allow cruise ships to enter unless all eligible passengers onboard were vaccinated.

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Bahamas: Cruise passengers 12 and over must be vaccinated for ...

COVID-19: Reporter details time on cruise ship with positive cases

Morgan Hines, a USA TODAY Travel Reporter, detailed her time aboard a cruise ship with positive COVID-19 cases on board.

Staff video, USA TODAY

Cruise ships will not be allowed to enter ports in the Bahamas if there are unvaccinated passengers on board aged 12 and older without a medical excuse, the country said in an emergency order issued Thursday.

The order posted to the Bahamas Customs & Excise Department website wassigned by Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, takes effect Sept. 3 and is valid through Nov. 1.

The new rule is applicable to private islands such as Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at CocoCay, according to the order.

In order to dock, a cruise ship's captain is required to transmit a "crew and passenger manifest"disclosing every person's vaccination status to the Port Medical Officer before arrival.

Cruising requirement: Norwegian Cruise Line extends 100% COVID vaccination requirement through end of year

'I never felt unsafe': USA TODAY reporter aboard cruise ship with positive COVID cases

All passengers who are aged 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at embarkation. Additionally, the health protocol on board must be that which wasapproved previously by the "Competent Authority" and complied with.

There are exceptions to the new regulation.

The rule does not apply to crew, contractors and any "non-revenue passenger" under the protocol previously agreed upon between the government and cruise lines. The rule is also moot when a cruise ship is attempting to enter port in an emergency and when a passenger has a medical reason as to why they are unvaccinated.

Passengers entering The Bahamas on a cruise ship are also subject to testing requirements mandated by the cruise line and given approval by the "Competent Authority."

On Thursday, Royal Caribbean announced that it would change its vaccine policy for ships sailing from Florida to the Bahamas including its private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay to comply with the emergency order. The cruise line already requirs proof of vaccination from passengers 12 and older sailing from other U.S. ports.

And Sunday, Carnival Cruise Line announced changes to its policy, too.

"Effective Aug. 28 through October, for departures from all Atlantic and Gulf homeports, only children under 12 and adults with a medical condition that prohibits their vaccination are exempt from vaccination requirements to sail," Carnival said in a release, noting that their ships are already sailing with at least 95% of crew and passengers fully vaccinated, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

Carnival passengers who had previously received an exemption outside those two categories have had those exemptions rescinded through October.

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Bahamas implements vaccine requirement for cruise ships to ...

Cruisers can start off the New Year's in The Bahamas December 29, 2021 via the Tropical New Year's Celebration voyage.

The Bahamas will kick off the multi-season long additions, first with a seven-night voyage, Bound for Paradise, launching November 26, 2021, from New York City to Nassau, calling on San Salvador, Great Exuma and Bimini.

Cruisers can start off the New Year right in The Bahamas on December 29, 2021, via the Tropical New Year's Celebration voyage, which includes a 10-night cruise from Miami, Florida to Bimini, San Salvador, Long Island and Great Exuma, with a final stop with our neighboring Caribbean brothers and sisters in Jamaica.

The Blissful Bahamian Luxury voyage will have several departures starting January 22, 2022, from Miami, including stops in Bimini, Nassau, San Salvador, Great Exuma and Long Island. The series will have two additional sailings on February 12, 2022 and March 5, 2022.

Crystal Cruises has changed the way travelers cruise in The Bahamas, allowing passengers to explore the wonders of the Family Islands beyond the beautiful waters, including wildlife, historical landmarks, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, local shopping and dining.

For more information about the upcoming Crystal Symphony launch, please visit http://www.crystalcruises.com.

ABOUT THE BAHAMASExplore all the islands have to offer atwww.bahamas.comor onFacebook,YouTubeorInstagram.

PRESS INQUIRIESAnita Johnson-PattyBahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation[emailprotected]

SOURCE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation

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The Bahamas Welcomes New Crystal Cruises Voyages Starting This Fall - PRNewswire

Travel has changed.

Increasingly, travelers dont just want to stay in a destination they want to live there, even if just for a few days.

They want to understand the destination in an authentic way.

Thats turned travelers toward a different kind of luxury.

Since the pandemic, the trend towards so-called residential resorts has only strengthened, as more and more travelers demand the independence and security of residential living at their Caribbean resorts.

That means being able to make dinner one night; to have the space for multiple generations; to have the seclusion of a residence with the quality and amenities of a traditional resort.

And thats exactly what you get at Grand Isle, the residential resort on Great Exuma thats the islands best place to stay.

The resort, set on Emerald Bay, has a mix of 78 villas, ranging from one to four bedrooms.

All of them are wonderfully appointed: think Sub Zero refrigerators, whirlpool spa baths; Wi-Fi and a pervasive tropical vibe.

And while its a residential community, the amenities are vast: that means a pair of pools, including the spectacular, 30,000-square-foot 23 North Beach Club, set right on the sands edge.

Thats along with the excellent poolside Palapa restaurant, with an international menu featuring a focus on fresh Bahamian catches.

And then theres the Seastar Spa, home to Elemis-branded treatments and even mini mani and pedi treatments for younger guests.

The party piece, though, is the Greg Norman-designed Emerald Reef, managed by shared with the adjacent Sandals Emerald Bay all-inclusive resort.

Its the back, which wraps around the villas at Grand Isle, which is the star, a remarkable stretch of windy, cliffside, links-style golf with dramatic ocean views.

Of course, Grand Isle is also a jumping-off point, a place from which to discover the marvels of Great Exuma, whether youre bone fishing in White Bay off the southwestern coast of the island or finding tucked-away beaches like Coco Plum and Jolly Hall.

It all adds up to a rather special place to stay, one that marries the amenities of a traditional resort with the comforts of your temporary Bahamian home.

For more, visit Grand Isle.And see more in the latest CJ Video at the top of the page.

CJ

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The Best Resort in Great Exuma, The Bahamas - Caribbean Journal

Posted on August 24, 2021

NASSAU The Bahamas government says schools will reopen next month with no face-to-face classes due to the resurgence in the number of coronavirus (COVID019) cases.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education said that decision was made out of an abundance of caution and came after heavy consultation with the Ministry of Health.

While the preferred mode of instruction delivery continues to be face-to-face, the ministry remains guided by the mantra of safety first, education always, the statement said.

As many of our students and educators will be returning from summer travel, the Ministry of Education considers that online instruction will best assist us in reducing the chances of a spike in COVID19 cases throughout the country.

We think that this action is necessary given the state of our nations healthcare system. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, the decision is made to re-open schools via an online format. This decision will be reviewed in a few weeks.

It said that private institutions to adopt the virtual learning model and that any school wishing to open with face-to-face learning will first have to seek permission from the Ministry of Education.

At this time, the Ministry of Education strongly urges all private schools to adopt a similar position by engaging their students using a virtual platform. Nevertheless, those independent schools that wish to proceed with some face-to-face instructional activities must seek approval from the Ministry of Education.

The statement said it will continue to closely monitor the changing situation to determine when it is safe for students to return to campuses.

In-person classes ended in March 2020 due to the pandemic but resumed after the summer break last October in a phased approach.

Latest figures here show that 330 people have died and 16 962 others have tested positive for the virus that was first detected here in March last year.

The President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers, (BUT), Belinda Wilson, said that while she accepts the approach to having schools re-opened virtually, the announcement should have been made earlier.

Im pleased that they have finally listened and adhered to the advice from the medical professionals and prior recommendations from the Bahamas Union of Teachers, Wilson told the Tribune newspaper.

At this time, it is our view that virtual learning is the most safe model of teaching especially based on the increased number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country and more specifically amongst school aged children, she said, even as she said there were concerns that ought to be addressed before schools reopen next week, particularly as it relates to the ministrys virtual learning platform. (CMC)

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Virtual classes next week in The Bahamas NationNews Barbados nationnews.com - Nation News

Since opening in 2017, Baha Mar has become a center of gastronomy in the Bahamian capital of Nassau. With over 40 restaurants and bars, the resort has lured some of the worlds leading chefs, including Katsuya Uechi and Daniel Boulud, to name a few. Now, six-time James Beard Awardwinning chef Marcus Samuelsson joins the resorts collection of culinarians with this summers debut of Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House.

While developing the concept, Samuelsson spent nearly four years learning about Bahamian culture and meeting with local purveyors. The result? A deeply collaborative menu reflective of native ingredients with an innovative take on Caribbean comfort food. Think fried chicken with sour orange hot honey or tuna tartare with cassava chips. Yes, youll find his signature Marcuss Cornbread on the table, but here it comes with a spice-infused rum-spiked butter.

We spoke with Samuelsson to learn more about his new restaurant in the Bahamas and his hopes for creating a more inclusive industry through intention and empathy.

Why the Bahamas?

We get a lot of opportunities in front of us, and before we say yes, we have got to like [the location]. A great location for me means Whats the path towards opportunity? So, looking at farming, looking at fishing, looking at cooking school here, I said, OK, this makes sense! And with a place like Baha Mar, I wanted to make sure that we have something experientialnot just a great restaurant, it has to be an experience.

With restaurants in Newark, Harlem, Overtown, Bermuda, and now the Bahamas, why is it important for you to open in predominantly Black destinations?

Its important to acknowledge your privilege, right? When I left Aquavit, I did a lot of soul searching about my role as a Black chef. I want to figure out how I can open up more doors, specifically in the African diaspora.

Weve been very strategic with Harlem, with Overtown. We feel proud to work with the cultures and the history, but also to provide jobs locally. For a chef of any color, but specifically for chefs of color, you must figure out where in the industry you fit. Our restaurants have become the hub for that.

Tell us about your process of learning about Bahamian culture.

When I say it takes four years [to open a restaurant], one year could just be researching. Islands are not monolithic. We have to be very respectful . . . and we have to learn the culture. We pay homage to that, and it shows up on the menu. We eat at restaurants. We go to markets, and we go with local people. Our goal is to make the menu relatable to locals and unique for visitors, too.

What are some of the Bahamian ingredients youre loving right now?

Sour oranges! It might not be a big thing for locals, but its a big thing for me. So, we marinate in that. Then there is this incredible hydroponic farm [in Nassau] where we get fresh herbs and tomatoes.

Locals take pride because they see themselves in the food. We have a hot sauce that we do with passion fruit that came from them. The pickles on our fish, that came from them. They say, Oh, these pickles are my aunties pickles! Its been really fun.

How do you find balance in blending your cultural experience and culinary expertise with local cultures?

Coming from two backgrounds allows me to have windows into Ethiopia, or Africa, or Scandinavian Sweden. When youve grown up through it, you dont know that eventually that can become an assetits about empathy.

When we do the conch salad, I dont touch a thing. I may present it with dry ice or something like that, but in terms of the flavor, I dont dare go near it because [the locals] are the ones that know. Im not coming with my menu set, and I dont think I would have that sensitivity if I say, Im a Swedish chef. Heres the Swedish food. Im an American now, and Im from African culture. Its about sensibilities and sensitivities.

What do you hope it brings to the Bahamian community to have a celebrated Black chef open a restaurant here?

As a Black chef with a large platform, its about that intersection of inspire and aspire. Having the privileges and the opportunities that I have, it comes down to how I hire. Here, we started with a big open kitchen, because then its very clear who works in the kitchen. When you have someone like chef Garrette [Bowe]shes the chef, and shes a localits not a coincidence.

Pastry chefs, servers, cooks, bartenders: These people dont have to leave the island to have the best opportunities. Someone can learn sushi from chef Katsuya and the best French cooking from chef Daniel, and now you can come down here and work with us.

Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House is now open for dinner at Baha Mar (1 Baha Mar Blvd., Nassau). Reservations are recommended and can be made online.

>> Next:The Bahamas Is Open for Travel, With Restrictions

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Chef Marcus Samuelsson on Cultural Collaboration and His New Restaurant in the Bahamas - AFAR Media

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Red Lobster and Bahama MyFi are the first two companies to launch on the ArawakX crowdfunding platform, with the founders touting the move as a step towards financial inclusion for Bahamians.

DArcy Rahming Jr, chief technology officer of ArawakX, said: We have tried to make it super simple so that companies and investors can onboard. These are assets you are purchasing. Those assets come with certain rights, dividends [and] the ability to borrow money against them.

We have tried to make it [as] easy as easy as possible for people to get onto the systemand lower the barriers. This is meant to be about financial inclusion.

Businessman Christopher Mortimer, chairman of Pinnacle Franchise Brands, which has the Red Lobster franchise rights for the Caribbean, estimates that The Bahamas has a $100 million dining out market.

The company is looking to raise at least $2.7 million to cover the cost of construction, outfitting the restaurant and working capital. The company plans to open the first Red Lobster restaurant in New Providence in 2022, the second in 2023, a third in Jamaica in 2024, a fourth in the Dominican Republic in 2026 and a fifth in Trinidad in 2028.

Marcian Cash, CEO of Bahama MyFi, an augmented reality-based travel ecosystem, noted that the company spent a year and a half doing research on cruise ship and stopover visitors. The companys groove tourism marketplace utilizes augmented reality (AR) to provide an immersive and customizable vacation experience. The company, which also offers Wi-Fi services, is seeking a capital injection of $1.8 million to remain solvent, hire staff, complete ongoing redevelopment of its major applications and acquire necessary assets.

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INVESTOR INITIATIVE LAUNCHED: Red Lobster and Bahama MyFi first out the gate on ArawakX crowdfunding platform - EyeWitness News

Kristal Ambrose is the founder of the Bahamas Plastic Movement and is often credited as the person who convinced The Bahamas to do away with single use plastics, after years of advocacy, in a ban that came into effect in January 2020.

She is a 2020 Goldman Environmental Foundation Prize winner for her advocacy work. She is currently based in Sweden, where she is studying towarda PhD focused on marine debris threats and solutions for the Caribbean region.

Here, she writes about why she decided to work to protectThe Bahamas oceans through her work.

You can read more from the In My Own Words serieshere.

Im Kristal Ambrose aka Krista Ocean a kind, fun-loving, easy-going, jovialisland gal who happens to love nature and the ocean and has dedicated my life to protecting it, namely from plastic pollution.

Im very optimistic.I love to laugh and see others happy. This is why my health and wellness, the state and health of the environment, and the well-being of my family and friends matter to me.

Growing up in the Bahamas was fun.I had everything I needed food, love, shelter. I spent a lot of time with my family and I went to the beach often. Education was a priority in my household so I had to study hard. I had great friends throughout elementary through high school, grew up with both parents, and spent the weekends at my grandparents home. I would describe it as a typical Caribbean upbringing grounded in manners and respect,a village of family and friends raising you withaccess to natureand giving youa wealth of memories.

I didnt set out to become an environmental activist, but I just loved the ocean and loved nature, and that love and passion translated to activism. So the activist was perhaps just lying dormant within, and through conversation and connection with others to share messages of protecting the earth, it arose.

The Bahamas Plastic Movement, which I founded, believes that through research, education, citizen science, andpolicy change, we can create a healthy marine and terrestrial environment free of plastic pollution. Our mission is to build a community of education and activism around plastic pollution and we do this by engaging youth and communities of The Bahamas and globally.

By empowering Bahamians to contribute to hands-on citizen science and environmental leadership, we aim to evolve mindsets and spark cultural practices that will be pivotal in executing changes at the policy level and envision a Bahamas where an engaged public has created a nation free of plastic debris.

Image: Courtesy of Kristal Ambrose

Last year, The Bahamas became the latest region to begin phasing out single-use plastics and styrofoam food packaging. It sounds so simple when written down, but this was a culmination of years of research, education, youth activism, and citizen science around plastic pollution that was administered through Bahamas Plastic Movements Plastic Pollution Education and Ocean Conservation Summer Camp (#plasticcamp), which started in 2014.

It wasnt until summer 2017 that we decided to take on a plastic bag ban for The Bahamas. During this time, studentscreated a call to action video for the nations leaders, pleading for their help to ban plastic bags in the country. The video was great, but I knew it wasnt enough. That fall, in December 2017, I decided to host a youth activism workshop to equip both the students and myself with the tools needed to approach policy measures for a single-use plastic (SUP) ban. We convened for three days, where we studied plastic pollution reduction policies from different countries, and worked with a social scientist who taught us how to make surveys to measure the attitudes and perceptions of locals as it related to a SUP ban.

We also worked with a local lawyer who taught us all about how legislation worked in The Bahamas and what we should consider when trying to draft a bill. With her guidance and based on the data gathered from our surveys and studies, we drafted a bill for what a plastic bag tax could look like for The Bahamas.We started with this low-hanging fruit to entice our minister of environment. Once we got confirmation of a meeting with the minister, we flew from Rock Sound, Eleuthera, to the countrys capital, Nassau, New Providence, for a scheduled meeting with the minister to present our bill and the urgent need for The Bahamas to act now against SUPs.

Our students, known as #plasticwarriors, were between the ages of 10 and 14 years old and confidently, eloquently, and passionately spoke truth to power during the meeting, calling for a change, and even singing to the minister: We are the change, were the solution, we can fix this plastic pollution.

The minister revealed that he and his team were working on a ban but seeing the students passionately petitioning for their future set the fire under his feet to push the ban forward faster. This policy intervention is important because as a small island developing state, The Bahamas is susceptible to receiving streams of waste to our shorelines thats disproportionate to our consumption and production level of plastic. And the waste that we do generate within the country lacks adequate waste management systems, so policies such as the SUP are a step in the right direction toward reform.

The ban went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, and was fully implemented on July 1, 2020, to forbidsingle-use plastic bags, straws, food utensils, and styrofoam cups and food containers from being "imported, distributed, or sold anywhere in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas."

Now that the ban has been enacted, Id also like to see less reliance on fossil fuels and more adoption and reliance on solar and wind energy to fuel our country, which has a surplus of sunshine for most of the year. As climate change continues to intensify as weve already seen during Hurricane Dorian in 2019, the strongest, deadliest storm to hit our nation, we have to start considering a climate adaptable Bahamas that addresses and implements mitigative measures for climate change.

And we can start with small actions, such asassessingyour footprint first to figure out whatsingle-use itemsyou are using a lot of and begin there. Refusing plastic bags and water bottles and swapping them for reusables is anothergreat place to start. What you do doesnt need to be anything fancy or super expensive meet yourself where you are and use what you have. Take a metal utensil from home and keep it in your bag to avoid SUP ones, keep your glass pasta jar and turn it into a cup or food storage container. Say, No plastic straw, please when you dine out and take a reusable one with you.

The possibilities are endless;you just have to start.

Image: Courtesy of Kristal Ambrose

If you're a writer, activist, or just have something to say, you can make submissions to Global Citizen's Contributing Writers Program by reaching out to contributors@globalcitizen.org.

You can join the Global Citizen Live campaign to defeat poverty and defend the planet bytaking action here, and become part of a movement powered by citizens around the world who are taking action together with governments, corporations, and philanthropists to make change.

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How I and Other Young Activists Convinced The Bahamas to Do Away With Single-Use Plastics - Global Citizen

The Bahamas declared elections eight months before the due date. The country will go into general elections on September 16, 2021. Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said that whoever wins must make important decisions in the fight against the pandemic.

Governor-General Cornelius Smith released a proclamation ordering the dissolve of the parliament.

Discussing the snap elections, Prime Minister Minnis said it is the right time for the public to choose who will lead the upcoming Bahamian government.

The current term does not end constitutionally until May 2022, five years after the Minnis Free National Movement (FNM) won over the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) in the previous election and won 35 of the 39 seats in parliament.

The prime minister stated the election comes between the worst public health crisis in our modern history, referring to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even though the Bahamas is an independent country, the British Monarch acting as the head of state still appoints the governor-general representative in the archipelago. While the executive power is handled under the leadership of a Prime minister, and the overall legislature is exercised by a two-chamber parliament.

He said his administration has so far secured more than 550,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines. Our goal is to make the Bahamas one of the most vaccinated small islands of the developing world in the world, he said.

It is time for the people to choose who they want to lead if we vaccinate in the direction of all Bahamians, he stressed.

Prime Minister Minnis said the next government would have to make essential decisions on implementing post-pandemic public health and economic growth. A new mandate is needed to ensure that there is a government to do this difficult long-term work because we are reaching a critical inflation point in the pandemic, he stressed.

With the election date now set, Minnis called on the Bahamians to ensure that the country continues its long and proud tradition of peaceful elections.

We must discuss issues strictly and peacefully, contrasting our different visions for the country. In our democratic tradition, the people rule. Their collective wisdom will decide our way forward; their collective wisdom will decide our common future, he said.

Prime Minister Minnis further urged political parties to conduct their campaigns in accordance with public health guidelines to ensure that there is no increase in the prevalence of Covid-19 cases.

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Bahamas announces general election eight months before the due date - WIC News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Several independents and third parties are reportedly finalizing details for a new coalition to increase their chances at the polls come September 16.

Eyewitness News understands that former FNM MPs were courted alongside established third parties like the Bahamas Constitution Party, and the Bahamas Democratic Movement.

The group met over the weekend, and the results of a vote taken yesterday determined BDM Leader Cassius Stuart would helm the organization, with Bain coming in second.

Eyewitness News understands Bain was offered an agreement to co-lead, and the position of prime minister if they won but he and his financial backers pulled out.

The group is expected to reconvene again today to finalize a list of candidates, after which a formal announcement will be made.

Eyewitness News understands that the Democratic National Alliance was also involved in initial discussions but did not return to the table.

COI Leader Lincoln Bain insisted today the decision not to join the collective was not motivated by ego but after a full analysis.

We already have a full slate of candidates, no one else does, Bain said.

I participated in talks now for several months, this is the final hour and we have already ratified a full slate of candidates so we will move forward and if there is anything possibility of coming together after we win our seats then we can talk.

He continued: I was the one reaching out to try and get everyone to come together. I have no ego as it relates to this.There is no ego issue. I have an organization and Im very transparent and whatever decision my executives make, thats the decision I go with.

Bain added: At a certain point (party executives) they realized that they didnt want to go forward. I didnt make the decision, my executives made that decision.

Originally posted here:

STRONGER TOGETHER?: Independents, third parties forming coalition to challenge general election - EyeWitness News