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It was announced today that John Pagano has been appointed to President of the Baha Mar Development Company Ltd. The company is a subsidiary of Baha Mar Resorts Ltd. In his role as President, Pagano will focus on all Baha Mar development related issues, and will be directly repotting to the President of Baha Mar Resorts Ltd, Don Robinson and CEO of the company, Sarkis Izerman.

CARICOM foreign Ministers will be meeting in the Nations capital next week
and in attendance will be U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. The
Secretary will be in the capital for two days , March 21-22, she will also
be meeting with Bahamian Prime Minister Christie to discuss U.S.-Bahamian
relations.

A formal contract for repairs to the runway of Marsh harbour International Airport in Abaco was signed yesterday . The construction will be at a cost of $3 million dollars and will include a parallel taxiway. Bahamas Hot Mix was selected to execute the construction. Other construction plans have been discussed for future improvements at the Airport.

At the present time it is unclear if or when the Bahamas Government will sign onto the Petrocaribe deal. This summer, an initial agreement was signed by Minister of Trade Leslie Miller with Venezuela and other Caribbean States, however, the government has held off signing the final agreement. Under the plan Venezuela has promised that the sale of fuel and fuel-related products to Caribbean Governments will be under special payment
arrangements.

Next month, Minister of Trade and Industry, Leslie Miller plans to travel to Venezuela to explore possibilities of setting up a multi-billion dollar oil refinery in Grand Bahama. This could have significant benefits to Bahamians. The Grand Bahama Port Authority is pushing the plan which involves a U.S. company as well as PVDA, Venezuela's state-owned oil company.

Andrew A. McKinney was appointed Chief Protocol Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. Mr. Mckinney has spent more than 30 years in government protocol duties.

The Bahamas should see an increase in visitors from China. In february the Bahamas gained the approval from the Chinese Government allowing travellers to visit the Country. Bahamas tourism officials have launched a chinese language website in order to provide Chinese travel agencies and officials overall tourism consultation information.

Michael Symonette, CEO of The Bahamas Telecommunications Company has been removed from his post. It is alleged that his removal follows his failure to comply with a direct order from Works and Utilities Minister, Bradley Roberts.

The developers of the Bakers Bay Golf and Ocean Club will possibly layoff up to 33 Bahamians that are employed on the project, The layoffs will likely happen by the end of this month and are the result of the undertaking it gave the Court of Appeal in November to halt essential work on the Guana Cay development. There are currently 151 Bahamians employed at the site.

Eddie Llambias, General Manager of the Isle of Capri Casino reported earlier this year that the company may have to pull out of Grand Bahama should the government not agree to some concessions by the end of this year. The company has been facing financial challenges throughout the year. Minister of Tourism, Obie Wilchcomb has recently said that the government is doing all
that is possible to prevent the casino from going under. Mr Wilchcomb also said that should that happen, there are investors willing to step in.

Grand Bahamas radio station Cool 96 FM has expanded into the nations capital. The station received its licence to broadcast nationally in January, and after months of preparation will broadcast for the first time today from Nassau. The Nassau station will be run by its own managers and have its own operating schedule.

The Jack Hayward Road Race was held on Saturday in Grand Bahama. The overall winner this year was Kevin Morris, who dethroned long time champion Delroy Boothe.

Civil Servants will today receive the $700 lump sum payment that they were promised as part of their new contract with the government. A press conference was held yesterday at the Department of Public Service to clarify what Government negotiators are referring to as misconceptions about the new contract.

A $1.6 million dollar asphalt making machine has been secured by the government for it's plant at Arawak Cay. The announcement was made yesterday in The House of assembly by The Minister of Works and Utilities, Bradley Roberts. The plant is expected to arrive in the next thirty days, and has a particular mechanism intended to eliminate any atmospheric contamination. Under ideal conditions it will be capable of producing between 90-200 tons of asphalt per hour, at a higher grade that the existing plant. The accusation of the new plant is timely for the resumption and completion of the New Providence Road improvement project slated to begin in January of 2006.

The Gaming Board will be considering casino licences proposed for PNK Exuma and Baha Mar Enterprises Ltd. next week. PNK intends to make an investment near $5 million dollars in the operation of a casino at the Four Seasons Emerald Bay Resort in Exuma, while the Baha Mar group is seeking to take over the enterprise currently in operation at the Wyndham Nassau Resort on Cable Beach. A sitting of the board is slated for next Friday at which time these applications will be formally considered.

For the first time in history, the Bank of Bahamas assets have almost reached the half billion dollar mark. This is according to the newly released first quarter results. The report for the three months ending on September 30th of this year has the total assets listed at $497 million dollars. This is an increase of 27% over the same period of the previous year.

The Mall at Marathon is home to the new Oceans Digital TV store, owned and operated by Cable Bahamas. The new store showcases new digital cable services now being offered by the company. It also features two 52in high definition televisions as well as 17 flat panel televisions.

First Caribbean International Bank has set its sights on acquiring ABN AMRO in Curacao. This would be another move to further solidify First Caribbean as the largest regionally listed financial services institution in the region. Although the Central Banks of Curacao must first approve the transaction, plans were announced this week by officials explaining that they intend to take control of the ABN AMRO,s international banking and asset management.

The Bahamas Union of Teachers has rejected the latest offer for a salary increase put forth by the government. Vice president for Grand Bahama, Rudy sands stated that this offer was not exclusive to the to the union. It is the same offer received by the Bahamas Public Services Union.

Marketing and planning for the Bakers Cay Golf and Ocean Club on Guana Cay will continue despite work being halted on the controversial project. This comes on the heels of a decision by the Court of Appeal allowing the Save Guana Cay association to proceed with the legal challenge to the project based on environmental concerns.

Yesterday an industrial agreement was signed with the government and Bahamas Public Services Union to improve conditions for workers at the Gaming Board.This is following months of negotiations The new industrial agreement is for a duration of five years and is valued at more than $400,000. There will be salary increases for the first four years of the contract and the last year will again focus on the performance clause.

Former attorney general Paul Adderly will serve as Acting Governor General of The Bahamas effective December 1st. Mr. Adderly will replace Governor General Dame Ivy who will demit office on Wednesday November 30th. Dame Ivy had been appointed to this position in July of 2002, making her the first female governor general in the country.

Prime Minister Christie announced yesterday that the Bahamas has received a commitment from the United Kingdom to aid in the strengthening of national security strategies in the Country. This is to include cross-border crimes. Mr. Tony Blair indicated that his government is prepared to assist in which ever way that they are needed, and will include a review of cross-border initiatives that impact the Caribbean.

The Progressive Liberals Party Convention was held last week, and a pension increase was announced. The increase will see a rise in pension by $50 per month. This news was not well received as it is being considered an insult as it does not reflect the rise in the cost of living. The increase will be retroactive to July 1, 2005.

Trophies and cheques were handed out at a ceremony this past friday to top civil servants. Sixteen nominations were received this year, and Jason Saunders, senior controller for the Ministry of Transportation and Aviation was announced Public Service Officer of the year.

Yesterday it was announced that a sale of agreement was signed between Shell and Freeport Oil Holdings Limited. It is in relation to the divestment of its oil product business in the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos. The agreement is also in relation to Shells retail, commercial fuels, lubricants and liquefied petroleum gas business, and includes approximately sixty retail service stations and distribution depots across the region.The details of the agreement have been sealed with the sale expecting to be completed by the end of this year.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Leslie Miller announced on Thursday that the Bahamas government has approved an oil exploration licence for Bahamas Offshore Petroleum Limited. The company is a subsidiary of an Australian Oil Exploration Company, with operations worldwide. Minister Miller gave the assurance that every precaution will be taken to ensure that the environment will be protected.

The Bahamas Public Services Union president and the Public Service minister shook hands after signing an historic industrial agreement for some 24,000 civil servants. The signing brings to a close several months of tedious negoations. The new agreement will stand for a five year period with civil servants seeing yearly increases in pay thgroughout the contract period.

At a ceremony at the Gerald Bartlett Police Headquarters, 20 new helmets were presented to the newly formed Highway Patrol Division. The presentation of the helmets was made by Christian Council President Bishop Ricardo Grant. The new division was opened in September to specifically deal with traffic offenders, and is headed by Corporal Jeremy Henfield.

Effective October 19th 2005, Mr. Alfred Smith will be the Director of Engineering at Our Lucaya resort. Smith will be responsiblefor the management of all engineering matters relative to Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and chillers, boilers, water and building systems. Mr. Smith as been employed with the resort since October 23 of 2000.

On Wednesday evening, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Neville Wisdom announced that the next Bahamas Gomes will be held in Nassau, for three weeks in July of 2006. It was also confirmed by Minister Nevill that construction will begin in May of 2006 on the new $30 million dollar National Stadium.

On Tuesday, unionized workers of the Water ans Sewerage Corporation, protested in front of the corporations Thompson Boulevard headquarters. Disgruntled workers blocked the entrances to the building by using a truck and a tractor. The protest by workers was held because they claim that there are unresolved issues with management.

A deal has been sealed with U.S. based Lucent Technologies and The Bahamas Telecommunications Company, to enhance cellular telephone and internet services on several Islands, including New Providence and Grand Bahama. Lucent will be installing a piece of technology to enhance voice roaming and mobile high-speed data services. This will benefit residents and tourists will now have the same high quality services that they are accustomed to in there own homes.

In New Providence, resorts are reporting high occupancy levels during a time that is known as a "softer period". Part of this is being attributed to Hurricane Wilma's devastating impact on other popular tourist destinations.

Business owners on Robinson Road are worried that the November start date for the construction that is to be done in the area as part of The New Providence Road Reconstruction Project could hurt their business. Director of Public Works, Melanie Roach said that the ministry is considering the request, but is unsure as to whether or not the start date will be changed. The construction calls for the existing two lane roadway to be expanded to four, with a central median running from Robinson road to the Tonique Williams Darling Highway/Independence Drive and Baillou Hill Road roundabout. A new roundabout will be constructed at the Robinson Hill Road intersection, Construction of sidewalks on both sides of Baillou Hill Road, streetlights as well as the installation of a drainage system.

Esso service stations have slashed the price of gas at the pumps by $1.06. This comes with the recent reduction made by Texaco service stations. Although Shell stations have yet to reduce the price of gas at their pumps, it is expected that they will follow suit. This reduction brings great relief to Bahamians who have been paying close to $5 at the pumps.

The College of The Bahamas has signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with St. Mary's University in Canada.The two colleges have had a long standing relationship, and this is another move on part of the COB in attaining University status. The new agreement will allow collaborative initiatives and other projects jointly between the institutions.

Spirit Airlines' inaugural flight from New York to Nassau International Airport will be landing today at 12:50. Fares for the flight begin at $94.00 each way, excluding taxes, and it is a non-stop , 3 hour flight. This inaugural flight will house passengers as well as company executives that are expected to be met by Ministry of Tourism Officials.

This years winner of the annual Conchman Triathlon is Abaco native Dale Hill. Last year Hill competed in the event, but had to settle for a second place finish.

More Family Island residents will benefit from high speed internet and ASM cellular service within a few months. Minister of Works and Utilities, Bradly Roberts attributes this to The Bahamas Domestic Submarine Cable Network International. The Bahamas Telecommunications Company will partner with the U.S. based company Tico Telecommunications to link fourteen family islands through a fiber optic cable system with capacity to carry 1.92 trillion bits per second of transmission capacity.

Texaco Service stations have lowered their price of fuel effective today. It was estimated that the new price would be in the area of $3.82 per gallon as opposed to the recent $4.95 per gallon. It is not yet know whether or not Esso and Shell service stations would follow this example. On the family Islands soaring fuel prices have residents filling at the pumps where prices are exceeding $5.00.

Kerzner International has acquired seven and a half additional acres of beach front property at the eastern edge of Cabbage Beach adjoining Ocean Club Estates for $15 million dollars. The announcement was made yesterday but the arrangement was made earlier this month. In addition to this the company has also acquired the Hurricane hole Marina which is in close proximity to the Marina Village and includes frontage of Nassau Harbour some additional buildings and facilities for close to $28 million dollars.

The Ministry of Agriculture has acquired three 21ft Sea Chaser boats equipped with 200hp Evinrude e-tech engines, location devices, depth finders, strobe lights, sirens, and microphone systems. This is in an effort to help put a stop to the poaching that continues in the waters of The bahamas. There will be increased patrols to include both nighttime and daytime patrols to help the effort as well, and the boats will be operated by employees of the Department of Fisheries. There is a further need of two boat captains, so any qualified interested individuals may apply for the two available captain positions at the Department of Fisheries.

The Hon. justice Anita Allen has been appointed to Senior Justice of The Supreme Court of The Bahamas. The appointment came on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission by Deputy to the Governal General, Hon. Paul L. Adderly. the announcement was made recently however, the appointment took effect on October 1st.

Phase one of The Marina at Emerald Bay opened on Friday. It is complete with 47 slips ready and able to receive 35' to 175' vessels and up to 225' transient Berth at the fuel dock with a controlling depth of 14'. It is located close to the Georgetown International Airport being only 10 miles from it, and is a 24 hour port of entry with notification for customs and immigration. The restaurant is open to the public and completion is slated for 2007.

Third quarter results for Kerzner International Ltd. were announced on Monday with the company reporting a net loss of $4.9 million dollars, or 14 cents per share. This is compared to the same quarter results of 2004 where the company reported a net loss of $11.2 million dollars or 33 cents a share. These figures represent all properties belonging to Kerzner International Ltd.

An announcement made by the Water and Sewerage Corporation regarding the disruption of water supplies this weekend was not received well by residents and business owners. This is in part due to delays in shipping and the disruption may last into next week. Consumers are being urged to conserve water at all times and not only during a water shortage.

Lamine Diack, president of the IAAF will be a guest at the Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations Banquet on December 30th at Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. Officials were pleased that the invitation was accepted and Diack is expected to be in New Providence from December 28th to January 3rd.

Following weeks of intensive negotiations that produced no results, the ongoing dispute between the Bahamas Electrical Workers union and Executives of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation is now in the hands of the Industrial Tribunal. This referral means that the Industrial Tribunal will reach a decision in a timely fashion and neither parties involved in the dispute can further comment on the issues.

The Baha Mar development group has secured a deal with partners in an effort to begin it's billion dollar Cable Beach Development. The Official announcement will be on Monday in New York City, at the St. Regis Hotel. CEO of Baha Mar, Sarkis Izmirlian will be attending the announcement as well as Obie Wilchcomb, Minister of Tourism for the Bahamas.

As of November 2nd, the new Chairman of The Board for Colina Holdings will be newly appointed, Terry Hilts who has been on the Board since 2004. Mr. Hilts will be succeeding Emanuel Alexiou.

The National Basketball Association has announced the signing of their exclusive distribution agreement for the Bahamas. The NBA LEAGUE PASS is currently available at Cable Bahamas and fans are being treated to free week long preview from November 1st to November 7th. An early bird discount is also available for those early and eager subscribers.

On Monday, Kerzner International announced plans to invest in excess of $5 million dollars over the next five years to support (KMF), Kerzner Marine Foundation. KMF is a newly established non-profit organization that fosters the enhancement and preservation of global marine ecosystems through scientific research, community outreach, and education.

At a special ceremony Monday at Government House, deputy Chief Justice Cheryl Albury was sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice. With this new appointment, Mrs. Albury is one of eight Supreme Court Justices in New Providence and two in Grand Bahama. She brings an extensive background in the legal profession to her new appointment.

The Bahamas Hotel Association has been awarded a grant in the amount of $1.3 Million dollars. The announcement of the grant came from The Multilateral Investment Fund on Friday. The Purpose of the grant is so that the Bahamas Hotel Association can carry out a program to improve the competitiveness of the tourism sector and promote sustainable activities as well as diversify products and packages.

The Minister of Finance has announced that Bahamians affected by Hurricane Wilma will be allowed to bring duty-free items into the country beginning on October 27 and continuing until January 31. This includes residents of Bimini, the Berry Islands, Grand Bahama Island as well as Abaco. Qualifying goods are building materials, electrical and plumbing supplies, appliances, clothing, household furniture, and motor vehicles. Motor vehicles must be approved by application to the Ministry of Finance. Any abuse of the exemption will result in both seizure and disposal of the goods.

A vacation dispute with staff members of the BEC has resulted in a work stoppage by employees in Abaco. Originally the labour dispute began in Nassau and has now spread to Abaco, leaving company officials scrambling to fill vacated posts by linesman. In the end this was not accomplished therefore the company was unable to continue the flow of power. This will affect everyone, and the cost could be severe to fisherman who stand the chance of their fish spoiling.

In the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Prime Minister Christie announced that the Grand Bahama Port Authority will be donating almost nine thousand gallons of potable water to Mack Town and Pinders Point residents that are in need after the wrath of Hurricane Wilma.

Also in the Houssse of Assembly, words were exchanged between Fred Mitchell, Public Service Minister and John Pinder, President of the Bahamas Public Services Union over negations for a new industrial agreement for civil servants. Minister Mitchell openly accused Mr. Pinder of being dishonest in his dealings and the union leadership of being insentive and irresponsible. This came after a demonstration was held lead by Pinder in Rawson Square where he accused the government negotiators of being deceitful.

A 17.5 Million dollar contract has been signed for the construction of 234 new homes in New Providence, in three separate areas. 31 homes are to be built in Golden Isles two, and a further 129 homes will be constructed in Carmichael Village 1, and the remaining 74 homes are to be built in Fire Trail Gardens 1. Construction will start as early as Monday and officials say that the homes will reach completion in three months, while providing 82 Bahamian Building Contractors with work. The two and three bedroom homes will range in price from $75.000-$95,000.

The Bahamas Telecommunications Companys' request for rate increases has been granted by The Public Utilities The Bahamas Telecommunications Companys' request for rate increases has been granted by The Public Utilities Commission. Residential lines will see an
increase from $9.50 to $15.00 per month while business lines will see an increase from $20.00 to $36.00 per month. The Public Utilities Commission is also requiring the telephone company to produce a Senior Citizen Package to
those who qualify for a %20 discount from the new residential rates.ommission. Residential lines will see an increase from $9.50 to $15.00 per month while business lines will see an increase from $20.00 to $36.00 per month. The Public Utilities Commission is also requiring the telephone company to produce a Senior Citizen Package to those who qualify for a %20 discount from the new residential rates.

All civil servants are being asked to gather in Rawson Square today with Executives of the BPCU. The Union received a draft industrial agreement yesterday from the Government and Union Executives are viewing it as an insult. An $1,800 wage increase for Public Servants over the next five years was the proposal, however, the Union has been asking for a $1,800 or $150.00 per month increase for the first year of the contract. The Government has made it known that the increase requested by the Union is not feasible at this time.

If the weather permits today, a draft-industrial agreement will be handed to The Bahamas Public Services Union by the government in hopes of bringing an end to a long dispute with the union regarding increased salaries for members. The union previously rejected a $1,300 lump sum payment and countered the proposal with a request for a $150 per month raise for it's members. In a press conference held yesterday, Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Service said that he hopes the new proposal being put forth will be accepted by the union and the members.

The Government is being urged to raise the current minimum wage from $150-$250 or $325 by TUC President Obie Ferguson. The Trade Union Congress President has said that the increase will aid low-paid Bahamian workers escape the poverty trap.

The historic, International Bazaar shopping center is in jeopardy as only 35 of the 82 shops in the shopping center remain open. Traffic through the center has been affected immensely since the closure of The Royal Oasis Resort following last years devastating hurricane season. At the present time, the Bazaar is relying on local support for the first time in history.

Sixteen new wines made their exclusive Bahamas debut last night at the Harbour Room Restaurant last night in a wine tasting event. The wines are from the vineyards of Mr. Farina, the proprietor of several vineyards in three different vineyards of Italy. Piedmont, Tuscany and Salento. Butler Specialty Food in Freeport will be the sole and exclusive distributor of Farina wines in the Bahamas.

The National Emergency Management Agency was given another $50.000 by Colina to further assist with the disaster effort from 2004 hurricane season. The same amount was given prior to this one and this donation is the second half of the promised $100,000. Colina is the Countrys' largest group and life insurer.

A walkout on Tuesday by Bahamas Electrical employees is being deemed as an illegal act by company officials. Executives of the company are claiming that proper procedure was not followed as outlined by the industrial agreement act and some disciplinary action will be taken against those involved. The walkout took place at 11am on Tuesday morning with workers vowing to not return to work until the Information Technology Manager was removed from her post. Earlier this month on October 7th the manager had been sent home for one week and ordered to seek counselling and some training for her alleged inhumane treatment of the staff.

Effective Monday, October 24th, service stations in New Providence will see another increase in the price of gasoline. This latest increase will see the price of fuel near the $5.00 per gallon. The price per gallon at Shell stations will be $4.95 per gallon and Esso stations will be at $4.83 per gallon. Diesel fuel will see an increase of .38 binging the cost of diesel to just under $4.00. Consumers are being urged to fill their vehicles this weekend befor the hike in prices takes effect. The increase is a reflection of oil
prices on the International market.

New plans have been launched by tourism officials to raise the Country's', profile in the travel and leisure market through a local program that allows visitors to experience the customs and cultures of Bahamians. The People-To-People program will be enhanced with changes consisting of recruiting visitors as international ambassadors to the program, a tourist participation fee of $35.00, as well as allowing visitors to live with their hosts. The People-To-People program was first introduced in Nassau by former Minister of Tourism Sir Clement Maynard in 1975.

BAHCHEK, a new board game will soon be hitting store shelves as Christmas approaches. The board game is the brainchild of Exuma born native James Deveraux, and after a lengthy twelve years in the making his dream has been realized. One thousand copies of the game have already been ordered by the Atlantis Resort on New Providence Island, where tourists can purchase the custom copies of the game as a souvenir.

During a presentation on Wednesday with regards to the re-branding phase of the Bahamas Telecommunication Company, the new slogan for the company was revealed. It will represent the commitment that BTC has to it's customers, by continuing to bring new technologies to the Country. " YOUR CONNECTION TO THE WORLD" is the new slogan it is the first step toward evolving and re-branding BTC.

A special awards ceremony was held on Wednesday by the Xanadu Vacation Club honouring the top achievers in the work place for the second and third quarters. Ministry of Tourism Officials were on hand for the presentation and commended the staff for the efforts, despite the setbacks that Xanadu has faced.

Another ban has been put on Nassau Grouper. The ban will be in effect from December 3rd of this year until February 14 of 2006. The announcement was made by the Minister of fisheries V. Alfred Grey, and officials are are taking a zero tolerance approach to all violators.

During a seminar at Central Police Station in Freeport, a group of police officers were informed that new machine- readable passports should be available by June 2006. Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell made the announcement. The new passports will be much more difficult as far as forgeries are concerned as everything is going to be switched to a digital format with biometrics and a chip to be included in the passports that is currently being reviewed. The current hand-written passports do not meet international security standards.

The Royal Oasis in Freeport is currently without electricity. The resort has been shut down since the hurricanes of 2004 and had the electricity turned off by Grand Bahama Power Company who is claiming that the owners have amassed an unpaid bill in the vicinity of $550.000. The Driftwood group became financially paralyzed which forced financiers of the company Lehman Brothers to step in. However, Lehman Brothers have put forth the claim that they are not responsible for the debts that were incurred by the Driftwood Group.

On Tuesday a contract was signed by Ministry of Works Officials with joint venture partners, Bethell's Trucking and Bahamas Hot Mix for yet another element of the New Providence Roads Improvement Project. The project will include road improvements between Robinson Road and the new Tonique Williams Darling highway. It was announced during the signing that a bonus will be paid upon early completion in excess of $100.000. It is expected that that the new project will begin in November and be completed within seven months of that time, with the contract cost being $3.334.531.61, with the bonus being offered should completion be within five months of the anticipated start date. Once fully completed the New Providence Road Improvement Programme will have improved nineteen corridors.

Effective November 10, Ft. Lauderdale based Spirit Airlines will offer non-stop flight service from Nassau to New Yorks' La Guardia Airport. Fares will begin at a price of $94 each way, taxes not included. Spirit is the largest privately owned airline in the U.S.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Perry Christie addressed Bay Street stakeholders at a meeting to update them on the status of EDAW'S proposal for Bay Street. As part of the redevelopment plan in the area The Port of Nassau and support facilities may be moved from the current downtown location to South-West New Providence. Mr. Christie stated that assurances have been provided to his Government that the relocation of the Port will be environmentally sound. The project will include five phases and is expected to extend from Arawak Cay to Montague, while dividing the area into three districts consisting of "The Garden District" that will encompass Arawak Cay to Armstrong Street, "The Heart of Nassau" which will be the downtown area and the "Living Waterfront".

A three year industrial agreement has been signed between workers at Club Med, San Salvador and the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union. As part of the new agreement that has been in negations since January, workers will receive retroactive pay increases and a 10 percent salary increase over the three year contract period. The new agreement expire on April 20 of 2008.

According to film industry personal attending the Film and Television Workshop at Our Lucaya, Grand Bahama island is well on its way to becoming the film capital of the Country and the region.The workshop was opened by Minister of Tourism, Obie H. Wilchcomb who said that the motion picture productions in the Country have no choice but to blossom with such developments like Pirates of The Caribbean and strong backing from his ministry. Pirates of The Caribbean is expecting to employ between 200-300 Bahamians and will be occupying 6,500 bed nights for crew members. In addition, according to Paul Quigley, CEO of Bahamas Film Studios at Gold Rock Creek, at the present time there are 120 Bahamians working at the site of the worlds largest water tank and more are expected to be hired weekly until the infrastructure is completed.

Prime minister Perry Christie returned to work on Tuesday, following a visit to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where he received a good bill of health from doctors. Mr. Christie who was hospitalized in May suffering from a slight stroke was not expected to return to full duties until July, however, he is resuming normal duties as head of the Government and was greeted by cabinet members and press on Tuesday as he headed into a cabinet meeting.

A contract to supply high definition video-on demand entertainment and wireless internet service to Atlantis, Paradise Island has been signed between NXTV Inc. and Kerzner International. NXTV is owned by the Pivotal Group and was founded in 1997. The system will be implemented first at Atlantis, as part of the Phase III project and will later be installed in other Kerzner properties.

Four months ago Winn-Dixie stores filed for bankruptcy and on Tuesday announced the closure of 35 percent of its existing 913 stores. This news however does not affect stores operating in the Bahamas as the company has no intentions of closing any of the stores that operate in the Country.

The Bahamas Track and Field Nationals have been relocated to Grand Bahama Island. Originally slated to be held in the Nations capital Nassau, the official confirmation regarding the decision came on Friday afternoon, leaving GBAAA and BACO officials only one week to prepare for the event. Major changes and repairs being done to the Stadium in Nassau are not yet completed prompting officials to reach the decision to relocate the event to Grand Bahama.

The newly formed Petroleum Usage Review Committee is rapidly fulfilling its mandate of performing a comprehensive study of the petroleum industry. The committee was appointed in April of this year and is chaired by H. Vincent Coleby, a petroleum industry executive and is co-chaired by Pierre Dupuch, Member of Parliament for the St. Margaret constituency. Among the focal points of the committee are the customs duty structure for fuel, wholesale and retail margins on gasoline, freight rates on fuel being transported to the family islands, and diesel and LP gas. A report is expected to be forwarded to the Government by the committee in July this year, and the recommendations made will be considered with a view to lowering the price of fuel in the Country.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2/3 is currently on hiatus. The film wrapped 2 weeks early in The Bahamas. As scheduled, production will resume in Los Angeles beginning in mid-August, followed by a return to The Bahamas for more filming.

Virgin Atlantic Airways' inaugural flight from London to Nassau on June 29th will land on the newly refurbished runway 14/32, the airports main runway. The runway had been closed after it was deemed unsafe. In addition to the newly redone runway other changes are soon to take place at NIA. Negotiations with the preferred bidder for the management of the airport are progressing fast and are now in the advanced state. The company is Vancouver Airport Services, and the company could take over the management of NIA as early as the next few months. Transport and Aviation Minister, Glennys Hanna-Martin has also stated that the Bahamas intends to resume sovereign control of its' airspace as soon as possible for the first time since the 1950's.

Driftwood Properties Limited, the owners of The Royal Oasis Resort in Freeport, may have their gambling licence revoked by The Gaming Board if the company does not pay the casino taxes that it owes the Government. Earlier in the year Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe revealed in The House of Assembly that the company owed some 13 million dollars in casino taxes as well as 2.5 million to National Insurance, 2.7 million to the Port Authority, and 4.1 million to the Pension Fund.

The Irish group, Harcourt Developments, has reportedly pulled out of talks to purchase the Royal Oasis Resort properties. The Government had been in talks with the Dublin Ireland based construction and management company to purchase the property after the closure last September. Harcourt Development was one of many groups expressing positive interest in the purchase of the resort property.

Prime Minister Perry Christie has left the country to undergo tests at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Maryland before being given total clearance to resume a full work schedule. All sources indicate that the Prime Minister is doing very well since his hospitalization on May 3 for a slight stroke. It is expected that in July Mr Christie will resume his full duties.

Ms. Vernice Walkine was officially named director General of Tourism on Sunday during a press conference at the Convention Center of the Atlantis Resort. Ms. Walkine is a 26 year veteran of the Ministry of Tourism and former Deputy Director General and will succeed Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace.

Once again on Saturday at the Galatetica Grand Prix at Technologico Stadium in Monterrey Mexico, Chandra Sturrup ran to victory in the Women's 100 meters. Tonique Williams-Darling also ran to victory in the Women's 400 meters, while Chris Brown ran a personal best time landing him a second place finish in the Men's 400 meters. All three athletes are expected to compete in the Nationals to be held later this month.

On Wednesday at the Government House, 24 persons were recognized by Bahamasair for long service of more than 30 years. Minister Roberts congratulated the employees. The airline is celebrating 32 years of service to both local and international markets.

A 17 member golf team has been chosen to represent The Bahamas at the 49th Annual Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships in St. Kitts from August 7-14. Approximately 10-11 countries will contest the championship, with the main competition for the Bahamian team to come from the Puerto Rico and The Trinidad & Tobago teams. The team is hoping to recapture the title that was once held by them in 2001.

Despite the protesting of Guana Cay, Abaco residents, the company developing the Bakers Bay Ocean and Golf Club at Guana Cay, is assuring that the project is still very much on track. An injunction filed by the Save Guana Cay Reef Association against the government to halt the construction of the project was denied on May 26, by Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Isaacs. The attorney that represents the Association, Fred Smith has filed an appeal against the judgment of Justice Isaacs.

The YMCA in conjunction with Lou Parker and veteran golfer Percy Major will hold its first golf camp to begin on June 20th. The golf camp will accommodate 60 youths between the ages of six and sixteen years. The first 40 youngsters to register will all receive free t-shirts.

Old Bahama Bay and Yacht Club hosted a luncheon and tour on Wednesday for prominent business persons from Grand Bahama. Guests were able to see first hand the remarkable recovery the resort has made since the vast damage it received during the 2004 hurricane season.Old Bahama Bay has been continuously growing at an impressive rate over the past few years, and is determined to return the West End to the prosperity that it has not seen since the closure of The Jack Tar Village in 1988. At the current rate of growth at the resort, management estimates that by the end of 2006 it will increase employees from 120 to 200.

A ban on Conch may be implemented during a period when the annual ban on grouper has expired and when the crawfish season is open so that both vendors and fisherman would not be impacted by the ban. V. Alfred Gray, Minister of Agriculture made the statement in his communication on Wednesday in the House of Assembly. Before a final decision is made on a possible ban, Minister Gray made the assurance that the concerns of local fisherman and vendors were taken into consideration.

The seaside Pier One Restaurant on Grand Bahama Island has not re-opened since it suffered damage during the hurricanes of 2004. Several employees have retained the services of attorney Rengin Dengizer Johnson, in order to recover monies still owed to them. The employees are calling on the government to help them in their plight.

On June 13th Earle Bethell will assume the post of General Manager of the Nassau Beach Hotel, and will be succeeding Robert Sands. Mr. Bethell will be responsible for the overall management of the hotel and the short and long term planning and development.

The Northern Bahamas Bodybuilding Championship was held on June 4th in Freeport,Grand Bahamas. The men's overall winner was Paul Wilson from Nassau, and the women's overall winner was Gina Mackay also from Nassau. Both winners will go on to The National Bodybuilding Championships slated to be held in Nassau in July.

Florida Power and Light Company has announced that it has put a temporary hold on it's plans to seal a long-term deal for supplies to the LGN gas terminal in the Bahamas. FPL was involved in a partnership with two energy firms to construct the LGN terminal in the Bahamas, with this new announcement the LGN project will have to deal with further delays and an uncertain future.

The Venture Capital Fund was officially launcher last Thursday by Minister of State for Finance James Smith and became activated today. Gomez Partners and Co are the appointed administrators of the fund, which will provide financial assistant to entrepreneurs wanting to start a small business. Gomez Partners and Co will handle as well as process the business plans of potential entrepreneurs.

After several long months, a new three year industrial deal has been signed between The Bahamas Telecommunications Company and the BCPOU workers. A three year deal was signed as opposed to the normal five year deal in order for the agreement to keep abreast of trends and fast- paced changes in the telecommunications industry.

After seven long years chasing American sprinter Marion Jones, Bahamian Chandra Stirrup defeated Jones this week in the 100 meters. Twice this week, on Sunday and again on Wednesday, Stirrup finished ahead of Jones after bouncing back successfully from an injury plagued 2004 season. Stirrup also ran her fastest time since the 2003 World Outdoor Championships in Paris France. Stirrup will now return home to compete in the nationals to be held on June 24 and 25.

A new Doppler Radar system was commissioned yesterday at The Nassau International Airport. The new system will significantly improve the accuracy of weather reporting in The Bahamas. The new Doppler system will assist in the monitoring of major rain bands, provide vital information on the location, intensity and movement of both thunderstorms and tropical typhoons. As a result of the installation of this new system, meteorologists will now be able to monitor weather up to 300 miles from its base in New Providence.

Although The Bahamas Environmental Service and Technology Commission has already approved the AES project proposed for Ocean Cay, Bimini, the Government of The Bahamas has decided that any decisions pertaining to the liquefied natural gas project (LGN) be put on hold for the time being. In part, the project has been put on hold in order to hear concerns from residents in the area, some of whom have demonstrated recently against the LGN project. AES officials have stated that despite concerns from opponents, they believe that their project will not be harmfully to the environment and will not be come a terrorist threat.

In an attempt to manage the mosquito population in some areas of The Bahamas, The Department on Environmental Services has intensified it's Vector Control Program. There are four components to the program that include, mosquito trapping, larvaciding, fogging, and education and prevention. Fogging exercises are scheduled to begin in New Providence as early as this week, and people with allergies are being advised to stay indoors during the process.

As of June 1, Wendy Craig will be a part of history as she will become the first woman in history to be appointed to Governor of Central Bank. Craig will be succeeding Julian Francis who will be resigning as of May 31. Mrs. Craig has been employed at Central Bank for almost 27 years and processes numerous certificates and enormous amounts of professional training. The appointment brought little shock, as she has been temporarily assuming the role as Governor in the absence of Francis.

Residents of Bimini gathered together to protest the construction of a gate that will separate the developers of the Bimini Bay project from the rest of the island. Residents claim that by constructing the gate they will be denied access to a portion of land on the island. Leading locals in the demonstration were local Government officials who claim that the residents of the tiny island were not consulted with respect to the revised plans of the project, the effects of which will impact them.