Category Archives: Bahamas

Nassau, The Bahamas | December 7, 2020

Starting on December 9, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance operations at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) in Nassau will introduce Simplified Arrival.

Simplified Arrival uses facial comparison technology to make inspection easier and faster for travelers, and more secure and efficient for CBP officers and everyone involved in the process. Simplified Arrival also has public health benefits; by reducing the need to capture fingerprints or handle documents, the new technology helps limit the spread of disease and infection:

Security and Privacy

CBP is committed to privacy and has taken steps to safeguard the privacy of all travelers. CBP has employed leading industry technical security safeguards and has limited the amount of personally identifiable information used in the facial biometric process.

Moreover, CBP uses facial comparison technology simply to automate the document checks that are already required at all U.S. ports of entry, and only at specific times and locations where travelers are already required to present proof of identity. New photos of U.S. citizens will be deleted within 12 hours, and photos of foreign nationals will be stored in a secure DHS system.

Facial comparison technology enhances CBPs ability to facilitate lawful travel and secure the border and expand on the benefits of CBP preclearance through LPIA. This process provides travelers with a touchless process that further secures and streamlines international arrivals while providing CBP officers time to focus on travelers intent instead of administrative tasks.

Preclearance Requirements for Travelers Have Not Changed

Preclearance travelers must still fulfill the requirements listed at https://bs.usembassy.gov/preclearance at the discretion of the individual CBP officer reviewing their application for admission to the United States. We kindly remind all passengers that CBP officers evaluate every application for admission to the United States on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with existing laws and regulations. In other words, each persons travel situation is unique, and is evaluated as such.

Get the Facts, Spread the Facts

We also encourage all travelers to get the facts only from trusted, verified sources, and spread the facts to their friends and family. Ignore unsubstantiated rumors of unexpected changes to the preclearance process on social media or unverified news reports.

By durazoda | 7 December, 2020 | Topics: Events, News, Press Releases

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New Facial Biometric Technology Will Make CBP Preclearance at LPIA more Efficient and Secure - US Embassy in The Bahamas

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Central Bank's governor has echoed warnings that Bahamians should brace for new and/or increased taxes as he dismissed suggestions the Government may soon default on its debt.

John Rolle, in guarded, technical language, said The Bahamas has "significant space for public finance reform and taxation" as he rejected assertions by Marla Dukharan, the former Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) chief economist for the Caribbean, that a sovereign debt default by The Bahamas could occur as early as 2021.

However, in negating comments that Ms Dukharan offered no empirical evidence to support, the Central Bank governor effectively warned Bahamian households and businesses that they will likely soon have to pay for the debt and deficit blow-outs caused by the combination of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian.

Calling for the Bahamian people to better understand and recognise the fiscal and economic difficulties facing the country, as it grapples with a $1.327bn fiscal deficit, national debt forecast to hit $10bn by mid-2022 and a gross domestic product (GDP) that may shrink by up to 20 percent this year, Mr Rolle warned the country had little choice but to adopt austerity measures in the "medium term".

"We must accept that The Bahamas has the resources and capacity to repair the Governments balance sheet," Mr Rolle said in a statement rejecting Ms Dukharan's assertions. "The Bahamas is not at the level of debt distress, nor is the burden of public debt such that it would make a sovereign default a credible likelihood in the near-term.

"The Bahamas has significant space for public finance reform and taxation should it become more urgent than is already apparent. The Bahamas is far off from having exhausted its fiscal options, and sophisticated creditors of the sovereign are conscious of this.

"Moving forward, though, there is a need for greater recognition and embrace by domestic stakeholders of the credible, non-default, range of options that are available to the sovereign. These options would impact the taxpayer well before creditors are harmed."

Translated, Mr Rolle is warning that new and/or increased taxes, as well as greater enforcement and compliance, will be required to boost the Government's annual revenues, lower the deficit and bring the fiscal ratios back in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act to avoid any possibility that current debt levels will create the problems Ms Dukharan referred to.

"As there continues to be support for fiscal stabilisation, based on deficit financing, over the recovery path from the pandemic, I encourage stakeholders to balance their discourse with the recognition that the Government will indeed require more means to repay the extra debt taken on," Mr Rolle continued, :"and to recognise that as taxpayers we are all expected to help repay these obligations in one form or the other that does not involve default.....

"The Bahamas will have to do more to reduce the public debt burden in the medium-term. The debt burden leaves The Bahamas exposed to increased hardships from severe hurricanes and other shocks, as the sovereign will continue to need more flexibility and space to repair infrastructure, give relief to private businesses and provide social safety net assistance, after such setbacks.

"National consensus must continue to be developed around both taxation and expenditure management that pay down the debt burden within the medium-term fiscal consolidation plan."

Mr Rolle's position echoes that set out in the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Article IV report on The Bahamas just last week, which warned that the Government must impose harsher austerity measures on the Bahamian people to hit its 50 percent debt-to-GDP target by 2030.

The Fund argued that the Government's medium-term fiscal framework was inadequate to bring its finances back in line with the goals set out by the Fiscal Responsibility Act. That law requires the Government to bring the debt-to-GDP ratio, which measures the amount it owes as a percentage of the Bahamian economy's size, to a maximum of 50 percent and maintain it there.

However, the combined fall-out from COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian has sent this ratio racing off in the opposite direction, with the IMF forecasting it will exceed 85 percent this fiscal year. The Fund - using heavily coded language - said the Government needed to go further with austerity plans once The Bahamas has rebounded from the pandemic to bring order to its own finances.

"Achieving the Fiscal Responsibility Act targets over the medium term will require additional fiscal effort," the IMF said.

"Given the significant increase in public debt, postponing the achievement of the debt target by another two years in response to the pandemic would be appropriate. However, achieving the debt target of 50 percent of GDP by the beginning of the next decade will require significant additional fiscal effort compared to what is planned in the medium-term budget framework."

The IMF, whose "significant additional fiscal effort" phrase effectively means greater austerity than that planned by the Government, also urged that a road map be developed and released publicly so that Bahamian businesses and households can prepare themselves for what could be especially harsh measures.

"It is advisable to start preparing measures now, and communicate a timetable to implement them as soon as the pandemic-related uncertainty subsides," the Fund added, as it urged the Ministry of Finance to immediately activate its planned debt management office given the sudden increase in the Government's liabilities.

"The Bahamas would benefit from a robust financing strategy," the IMF said. "Central government debt is projected to increase to over 85 percent of GDP this fiscal year. Financing needs will decline only gradually over the medium-term, resulting in elevated risks of debt distress.

"A robust, multi-year government financing strategy should also aim to support the overall foreign exchange position. The new debt management office within the Ministry of Finance should be fully operationalised without delay."

The timing of any new and/or increased taxes is uncertain, with the Government likely to delay until it is certain the economy has recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and with a general election approaching.

Dr Hubert Minnis, in his national address last night, admitted that the Bahamian economy was in "terrible shape" due to COVID-19 with the Government's tax revenues off by as much as 50 percent compared to pre-pandemic.

He added that the soon-to-be-tabled Fiscal Strategy Report would "highlight some of the immediate fiscal adjustments and accelerated reform efforts that are necessary and critical to remain on a stable economic and financial footing over the near and long-term".

Continued here:

Governor warns on future tax increases - Bahamas Tribune

IRELAND: DUBLIN 3

This four-bedroom semi-detached house (below) at 21 Victoria Road in Clontarf, for sale through Karen Mulvaney Property, occupies the largest site on the road. Currently extending to 102sq m (1,097sq ft), there is scope to develop the 100-year-old house into a spectacular family home subject to planning.Price: 750,000Agent: kmproperty.ie

This two-bedroom condominium is in a gated complex with a pool and manicured gardens, and features a dock for mooring boats. Dating from 1970, and extending to 223sq m (2,400sq ft), the bedrooms have uninterrupted views of the water and the property is accessed by a private entrance through a walkway lined with fruit trees.Price: 741,166 ($890,000)Agent: christiesrealestate.com

This three-bedroom wooden house is on a 1.27-acre site at 190 Town Lane East Hampton. The Hamptons, a series of beach towns dotted along easternLong Island, New York, are known for being a summer retreat for the wealthy and famous of New York and represent some of the most expensive property in the Unites States. There is huge scope to extend and room for a pool on the site which is hidden by surrounding trees.Price: 755,170 ($900,000)Agent: sothebysrealty.com

A new development of apartments that overlook the Thames and Linear Park is a joint venture by Ballymore and Eco World. The 160 units, made up of one- and two-bedroom apartments, with three-bedroom penthouses, were designed by Benningen Lloyd and feature a sky deck, orangery, rooftop bar, private cinema and meeting rooms. In addition, new residents have access to two swimming pools, one of which is transparent and floats between the two buildings at a height of 35m.Prices: From 773,000 (695,000)Agent: savills.com

This newly-built three-bedroom villa is located in Denia, Costa Blanca North, an area characterised by fertile land and hilly terrain, making it a perfect spot for walkers. Costa Blanca North is less developed than other areas in Costa Blanca, and the 207sq m property lies close to many local beaches and offers great sea views.Price: 730,000Agent: bullmannproperties.com

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What will 750,000 buy in the Hamptons, Spain, Clontarf, London and the Bahamas? - The Irish Times

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Small and medium-sized businesses will now have even greater access to business support services and finance with the launch of the Accelerate Bahamas initiative, which aims to improve the countrys entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The project will complement the Inter-American Development Banks (IDB) credit enhancement facility that provides US$25 million in partial loan guarantees to financial institutions for loans to SMEs that are unable to meet collateral requirements and that were advised and vetted by the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC).

Geoff Andrews, chairman of the SBDC board, stated, To develop the small businesses, we have to take a holistic approach to the services that we offer. Through this, we will be able to strengthen the training and advisory services provided to our clients while making access to funding easier for Bahamians.

Acting Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson noted technical support and hand-holding are just as critical as capital for small businesses to survive their initial years.

The government is convinced that with all of the talent in The Bahamas and with all the wherewithal, with the right combination of capital and support, that a lot [of] our small businesses can become large businesses and eventually international businesses. There is [no] reason why over time we cannot expect to see a Bahamian company one day listed on the international exchange, said Johnson.

The Accelerate Bahamas project aims to improve the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem in The Bahamas through the provision of high-quality business support servicesand increasing access to finance and advisory services to SMEs through the establishment of a multi-bank fintech platform.

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Initiative launched to improve entrepreneurial ecosystem and finance access - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, Bahamas, Nov. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas have taken note of the travel advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State, 23 November 2020. The Bahamas is among a large number of countries, including several Caribbean destinations, for which the CDC has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice specific to COVID-19 risk.

Travellers should be aware that The Bahamas joins the United States and countries around the world in aggressive efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. The wellbeing of all persons who live in or visit The Bahamas is of paramount importance, and a number of public health measures, such as mask wearing, physical distancing and hand sanitization, are strictly enforced to protect citizens, residents and visitors alike.

The Bahamas remains open and ready to welcome visitors who comply with travel and entry protocols, and abide by the health and safety regulations that protect the common good. A negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test and a Bahamas Travel Health Visa must be secured prior to travel, and upon entry all persons are required to undergo mandatory monitoring and testing where necessary.

Of note, The Bahamas is not one individual island, but an archipelago with 16 islands available to welcome visitors. This means conditions and instances of the virus, as well as public health measures and restrictions, can vary by island.

Travellers are encouraged to check the status of their island destination, as well as the latest updates, protocols and regulations, by visiting Bahamas.com/travelupdates.

PRESS INQUIRIES Anita Johnson-Patty Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation [emailprotected]

Weber Shandwick Public Relations [emailprotected]

SOURCE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation

https://www.bahamas.com

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Government Of The Bahamas Statement On US Travel Advisory - PRNewswire

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I have operated a travel agency in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for over 45 years. We have consistently and with enthusiasm sent clients regularly to both Nassau and the Family Islands during all this time. Our family have regularly visited and my wifes family now own a vacation property. It was always easy to book people on the flights from our area with the easy connection through Toronto. The Bahamas was the prime destination for our clients. especially in the winter.

Now everything has changed not only because of the COVID-19 pandemic but your Government making it so difficult to enter that our clients are being forced to go to other southern destinations. Today I have read about the United States travel warnings in your edition. Some of our clients are wary about travel but most of them are willing to travel taking precautions as necessary. However they simply do not have the time to go through all the hassles required for your Health Visa and the unworkable five-day requirement to get to Nassau after the test.

I have discussed these problems with other local agencies. The Bahamas has lost nearly all interest from prospective visitors. People do not have the time to complete the new rules is the main comment. It takes hours to get the test, pick the results up from the health centres, scan them to Nassau and await confirmation about travel. The Health Visa has created so much uncertainty. It is so detrimental for The Bahamas to discourage the regular yearly visitors with the red tape. If they are forced to travel elsewhere they may never return.

The only viable solution to getting tourists back, if they are able to get tests, is to end the uncertainty by dropping the Health Visa and allowing visitors to bring a test result no older than seven days with them. If they do not have a proper test result they cannot board the airplane. If the Government stubbornly adheres to the current rules I feel certain that I will not have any bookings for The Bahamas. From our premier destination it now has the lowest interest. I can only hope that the Government will take these problems seriously or it will be a longterm catastrophe for the important Bahamian tourism sector. I am very concerned about the current developments.

PETER R JACOBSEN

Canada,

November 25, 2020.

Excerpt from:

Too hard to get to The Bahamas - Bahamas Tribune

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Notwithstanding his impassioned pleas for Bahamians and residents to avoid unessential travel to other jurisdictions, including the United States, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis acknowledged yesterday that many will travel.

He has appealed to residents to opt for Family Island travel, and avoid traveling to jurisdictions such as the United States unless for emergencies.

The prime minister has also encouraged residents to avoid social gatherings during the Thanksgiving and Christmas period.

Responding to questions from the media of whether he believes residents will heed his advice, Minnis said: I think the mere fact that were seeing a decline in the number of infections, I think Bahamians are cooperating.

Many will travel, but I only urge that while they travel, they will continue to follow the mitigation protocol: continue to wear masks and social distancing, etc. even if it is not a law in that particular country that theyre visiting.

Remember, the virus does not discriminate and therefore the mask will definitely offer them protection and offer the protection of Bahamians and The Bahamas as they return; and offer protection for our hotels and our employment.

The Bahamas recorded 14 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday six on New Providence, four on Grand Bahama, three on Exuma and one with an unknown location.

There have been 7,496 cases in total, of which 1,448 remain active.

Another 5,830 cases have recovered just shy of 78 percent.

The Bahamas positivity rate was just over five percent on Tuesday, in line with internationally recommended standards for reopening.

Restrictions were increased on Exuma and Eleuthera earlier this month amid a surge of cases on both islands.

However, both islands have seen a steady decline in new infections.

While on Exuma yesterday, Minnis thanked Exumians for following the COVID-19 health protocols and increased restrictions.

A health team visited the island yesterday to make an assessment.

The prime minister said following that assessment an announcement would be made as to the way forward.

I know it is very difficult for individuals here within the island of Exuma, Minnis said.

In fact, it is very difficult throughout The Bahamas.

But when you look at where we are to compare with the other nations of the world, I would say The Bahamas has done a remarkable, outstanding job and I thank the Exumians as well as the Ministry of Health and the health professionals.

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PM: Many will travel, but residents must protect The Bahamas - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS There has been no clinical evidence to support a reinfection of COVID-19 in The Bahamas, according to Dr Nikkiah Forbes, director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme.

In an interview with Eyewitness News, Forbes was asked to confirm the number of local reinfection cases.

What I want to say is that reinfections are not a common phenomenon based upon what has been reported globally by experts

And there is stringent criteria about how you determine if someone is reinfected, including phylogenetic studies and that needs to be done.

That is the gold standard.

There are many centers of excellence that are looking at this and looking at their populations.

The standard that is applied is phylogenetic studies to determine that someone with COVID symptoms, who has tested positive, does in fact have a reinfection, and a certain period of time has to go by. And I dont believe that was met.

So, I think we should use caution and there are standards for these things that havent been applied in these cases.

In October, former Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands said there were at least two patients reinfected with the virus, noting the patients were tested after recovering with negative results, and following an intervening period of being asymptomatic, the patients subsequently tested positive.

Asked whether that meant there has yet to be a confirmed case of reinfection in The Bahamas, Forbes said: Yes. I think when I read the article that it was clinically determined, but it cannot be clinically determined. Thats not how it is determined.

But Forbes cautioned recovered cases from having a false sense of security.

Reinfection is possible, she said.

There are a few cases that have been described in the international literature and reported on internationally.

One must still be careful after getting COVID-19 because were determining and were still learning things with immunity with COVID-19.

Although rare, cases of reinfections have been reported in other jurisdictions, as pointed out by Forbes.

Explaining what constitutes a reinfection, Andhra Medical College (AMC) Principal Dr PV Sudhakar said a case can be termed a reinfection only if the COVID-19 presence occurs a second time at least 90 to 120 days post-recovery from the first instance of contraction of the virus.

Further, the RT-PCR genome sequencing for the subsequent infection should be different from the first, according to Sudhakar.

While there have been several cases in India of patients complaining of the same COVID-19 symptoms a few weeks after an apparent recovery and requiring treatment, these cases were not declared reinfections as the patients had comorbidities and metabolic disorders, making it possible for the cases to have traces of the previous infection.

The Lancet Infectious Diseases medical journal also reported on a case in Reno, Nevada, that tested positive in April after showing mild symptoms, and got sick again in May with more severe symptoms.

Other isolated cases of reinfection have been reported in Asia and Europe.

A recent study of 20,000 patients of the Mount Sinai Health System found stable levels of antibodies in those with a mild case of the virus, and reinfection was unlikely for at least three months.

It remains unclear whether people who have been reinfected but remain asymptomatic can spread the virus to others.

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No clinical evidence of COVID reinfections in The Bahamas - EyeWitness News

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Phoenix family's vacation to Bahamas cheaper than expected - AZFamily

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) recently donated six custom-made internal partitions for mobile shelters being used to screen COVID-19 patients, said the US Embassy in Nassau in a statement released yesterday.

According to the embassy, the equipment is valued at approximately $20,000 and will allow the Ministry of Health (MOH) to better isolate patients and prevent the spread of the virus, in addition to giving health officials the flexibility to meet current and future needs.

US Embassy Senior Defense Official Commander Kevin Self delivered the donation to Commander Sonia Miller of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Captain Stephen Russell, director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the South Beach Clinic on New Providence.

In September of 2020, the US Embassy donated ten mobile shelters to NEMA to aid in disaster relief, and the Ministry of Health expressed interest in using some of the shelters in the fight against COVID-19, the statement read.

Within weeks, the MOH had begun using two of the shelters at the South Beach Clinic to screen patients and conduct testing. However, Minister of Health Renward Wells asked whether it would be possible to create partitions inside the shelters that could help more effectively isolate patients and prevent infection.

Exemplifying the ongoing partnership between the United States and The Bahamas, Self took Wells request to NORTHCOM, who then worked with Regulus Global (the company that originally manufactured the shelters) to create custom-made partitions for the shelters. When installed, the partitions create three smaller rooms within the larger shelter, keeping patients isolated from one another and preventing the spread of infection.

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US donates additional equipment towards COVID fight in The Bahamas - EyeWitness News