RADIO ABACO NEWS

April 1999 Table of Contents - Current Issue of The Abaco Journal - Abaco Bahamas' Home Page

RADIO ABACO NEWS

'Uncle' Charlie Lowe: Well-known and beloved taxi driver and raconteur Uncle Charlie Lowe of Green Turtle Cay passed away on 28th February after a brief illness. See Passings...

Nehemiah 'Uncle Dad' Hepburn: Mr Nehemiah Hepburn, prorietor of the Surf Side Restaurant and Club in Dundas Town, passed away in Nassau's Doctors Hospital on 1st March after a brief illness. Mr Hepburn had moved from Old Town and Cornish Town and was one of the first settlers of Dundas Town. He and his wife Modena were also among the first businesspeople in Dundas Town, he running the bar side of the business while his wife catered to the restaurant side of the business.

Hope Town Marijuana: While making random vehicle inspections in Hope Town on 1st March, police discovered marijuana. Three men - one a foreigner married to a Bahamian, one a Bahamian, and one a US citizen - were arrested. The three men were escorted to Marsh Harbour and charged with possession of dangerous drugs.

Anchor Club to Ocala: Student representatives of the Anchor Club of Abaco Central High School, a junior branch of the Pilots Club of Abaco, attended a district in Ocala, Florida, in early March. The group travelled to Florida via the Crown Haven/McLeans Town ferry, then the Discovery. They then bused from Miami to Ocala. There they shared fellowship with over 500 Anchor Club members from the Florida district.

National Council for Older Persons: Last year the United Nations declared 1999 as the International Year for Older Persons which has caused many countries to investigate anew the perception of aging. At a luncheon held at Bayview Restaurant on 10th March, the Bahamas National Council for Older Persons hosted many older persons from around Abaco along with concerned local residents. Master of ceremonies for the occasion was Mr Patrick J Bethel, the only Abaconian on the National Council. Patricia Lady Isaacs introduced the members of the Council present, which included former Governor-General Sir Clifford Darling and Olympic gold medal yachtsman Sir Durward Knowles. She then went on to introduce the main speaker, Minister of Housing and Social Development Algernon Allen. The theme adopted by the National Council, Minister Allen said, was "A Society For All Ages". By the year 2025, 17% of the population would be over 65. At the moment, that figure is 7%. The government would work vigorously to make the theme a reality by introducing a bill of rights for older persons, along with photo ID's, real property tax exemptions, special residential care and airline rebates, to name a few of the proposals. The minister congratulated special guests James and Sybil Williams of Sybil's House, a Dundas Town home for the elderly. It was a first class amenity, he said, and he immediately felt the homeliness and affection the residents enjoyed. To loud applause, Minister Allen noted that Sybil's House would be receiving a financial grant to assist the Williamses in their care for Abaco's senior citizens.

Library to Close?: The Marsh Harbour Community Library, which was opened in March 1998 and dedicated to the memory of Dr Ejnar Gottlieb, is in danger of having to close. Mrs Yvonne Key said that many children were using the library for homework and coursework purposes. Their 25 cent book fees were enough to cover utility costs but the library has been told by government that it must also pay $100 a month rent, back-dated to March 1998.

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