RADIO ABACO NEWS<

December 2000 Table of Contents

RADIO ABACO NEWS

Prime Minister Delivers Principal Address: Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham delivered the principal address at a Movers and Shakers Banquet held at the Spinnaker Restaurant, Treasure Cay, on 20th October by the North Abaco Constituency Branch of the Free National Movement in order to honour long serving and dedicated workers for the party. Mr Ingraham said the honourees made him feel more appreciated over the years. The Prime Minister congratulated Roosevelt Curry, George Russell, Ida Russell, Millie McIntosh, Alan Russell, O'Donald McIntosh, Floyd Lowe, Roosevelt Sawyer, Walter Roberts, Natalie Bodie, Moxey Williams, Rev Roland Swain, Venable Gomez, Kayla Lockhart, Augustine Williams, Sybil Ferguson, Rev Carlton Dorsette and many others who had done so much for the community, the branch and himself personally.

Woman Murdered: The badly burned body of Jessie Mae Swain, 35, of Oleander Street, Dundas Town, was found by police late morning on 21st October. It was reported by her brother, who had been a visitor to the house earlier in the morning, that Mrs Swain and her companion had been arguing before the brother left at 2 am. At 3 am neighbours heard sounds that might have been Mrs Swain calling for help but at the time they thought it was just their imagination. The lower part of Mrs Swain's body was burned worse than the upper part. The next day Mrs Swain's companion, Billy Davis, turned himself in to police in Marsh Harbour for questioning. Davis was later charged in Nassau with the murder of Mrs Swain.

You Call This a Work Permit? On 22nd October a Piper Navajo, allegedly operated by Lee Air out of Nassau, landed at Marsh Harbour International Airport from a foreign destination expecting clearance from Immigration and Customs. Upon inspection of the documents presented, diligent Immigration officials noted that five work permits belonging to Dominican nationals appeared to be fraudulent. There were also three Bahamians on board, one a retired police sergeant. The Dominicans appeared before Magistrate Everette Hart on 23rd October and were remanded in custody in Nassau until 15th December. The three Bahamians were also taken to Nassau in custody and charges of smuggling may be brought against them.

Garbage Collection Tender: Dundas Town was the first township to complete the tender exercise to replace the present garbage collection contract which expires on 31st December. The winning tender was from Pastor Alex Archer and will call for twice weekly collection in the Dundas Town township.

All-Abaco Regatta Salvaged: The weather did not cooperate with the 4th All-Abaco Regatta but that did not dampen the spirits of the people. The races were due to be begin on Thursday 26th October but the boats could not be delivered due to high winds. Even so, there were large crowds at Treasure Cay Ferry Dock each evening. Late Friday the Regatta Committee announced they had been successful in arranging for the delivery of three Class A boats - New Courageous, Courageous and Sea Star - to compete against the Abaco Rage. The race started at 4 pm on Saturday. The race was won just before sunset by New Courageous, which was skippered by Mores Island's Ivan Stuart, with Abaco Rage placing second. It is expected that next year's All-Abaco Regatta will be held at an earlier date.

Funny Money: Police are asking the public to be aware of counterfeit money on Abaco. Three men - from Grand Bahama, Fox Town and Walkers Cay - were arrested at the All-Abaco Regatta on charges of passing counterfeit Bahamian $20 and $100 notes. Look for the watermark when you hold Bahamian bank notes up to the light and be aware from whom you receive high value Bahamian currency.

S C Battle Highway? The heavy weekend traffic associated with the All-Abaco Regatta kept police extremely busy. A green Boss, allegedly owned by Anthony Sawyer, was discovered overturned between Treasure Cay and the International Airport. Motorcyclist Sid Dawes, owner of Lofty Fig Villas, was believed to have fractured his shoulder when he lost control of his motorcycle because an oncoming vehicle failed to dim its high beams, temporarily blinding Dawes as he travelled on S C Bootle Highway. A Coopers Town resident's vehicle was hit by a truck driven by a Haitian national who drove the S C Bootle Highway with no lights. He failed to stop at the scene, ran off the road, jumped out of the truck and attempted to run away before being apprehended by police. A white Honda driven by a 15 year old girl broke a pole in half on S C Bootle Highway. There were eight people in the vehicle, including two infants. Several of the passengers were airlifted to Nassau Saturday night. Charges were brought against the owner of the Honda for allowing the under-age girl to drive the car without licence or insurance. The young girl will also be charged.

South Side Road Accident: A witness at 4.30 am on 4th November saw a 4-door Nissan Altima leave the South Side Road between Murphy Town and S C Bootle Highway, plough into the forest, flip over several times and end wedged against trees. The driver, Charmaine Swain of Murphy Town, was removed from the vehicle by Elvis Johnson, who had been a passenger in the rear seat and was uninjured. Another rear seat passenger, Tiffany Johnson, was thrown some 50 feet from the vehicle but was not seriously injured. Mrs Swain was taken to Marsh Harbour Government Clinic by Trauma One and later transferred to hospital in Nassau by air.

Reconstruction Continues: Homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 are still being repaired or replaced. Barbara Burrows of the National Disaster Relief Fund talked to Radio Abaco said that things have been going well. "Some people may think that our work is progressing slowly but it is moving at a very good pace. We have done very well since Hurricane Floyd. Government is in the process of constructing 72 projects, including labour and materials. Some of them are completed and we are pleased with the work." United Methodist Church will also be assisting in the construction of houses in the new year.

Duty Free Concessions End: The reconstruction of Abaco after Dennis and Floyd has energised the Abaco economy. One of the factors which aided the recovery was the government's duty free concessions on building materials. After 15 months, the concessions are over. Prime Minister Ingraham confirmed this at the FNM convention and asked that Chief Councillor for Central Abaco, Silbert Mills, not ask him about extensions any more. "It ain't going to be renewed, so don't ask. It's finished today. That was the deal - it's finished. Finito, Silbert!"

Abaco Youth Remember: Scores of Abaco youth made a colourful parade to the Union Jack dock as part of the Remembrance Day observance. Led by the Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade the procession left Aldersgate Methodist Church where a special service had been held. Members of the Boy Scouts and Red Cross also joined the parade along with other youth organisations. The call to worship was led by Fr Hugh Chapman. World War I poems were read by scouts and Senior Island Administrator Everette Hart read the Old Testament reading. Two wreaths were tossed into the sea in remembrance of servicemen who died in the world wars. The Brigade band played "Abide With Me" and Rev Charles Carey sounded "The Last Post". They shall grow not old as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them...

More Illegal Immigrants Apprehended: 13 illegal Haitian immigrants were discovered in Cedar Harbour in early November. It was believed by immigration officials that they were waiting for a boat to take them to the US. It was reported to police that two Haitians tried to buy food from a Cedar Harbour store. Officers arrested the two and later immigration officers joined the police and 12 more Haitians were found waiting in the bush. They had been in the bush for two nights before running out of food. It was claimed that payments for passage to the US by boat had been made to a resident of Pigeon Pea, one of the Haitian communities in Marsh Harbour. Nine of the group were females, two were males, and there were three children, including a 10 month old baby. One woman had a Bahamian work permit and was allowed to stay. The others were sent to Nassau for repatriation to Haiti. There may have been more Haitians involved who were not apprehended.

Bahamahost Graduation: In a ceremony held on 19th November at Below Decks, Abaco Beach Hotel, 63 Abaconians graduated from the latest Bahamahost programmes to be held on Abaco. The 15th Abaco Session was held at Different of Abaco and graduated 22 participants, while the 16th Abaco Session was held at Central Abaco Primary Schools and graduated 41. MP Robert Sweeting delivered the keynote address and congratulated all the partipants on their success.

Sandy Point Road To Be Repaired: Hurricane Floyd left the road into Sandy Point in a sorry state but Chief Councillor Stanley White announced on 23rd November that repairs would be effected soon. Approval has been given by central government and the work will be done by the Ministry of Works early next year. A new sea wall will also be constructed to protect the road.

Christmas Bazaar Donation: Following the death of Syrvilla Williams, Charles Cooke announced that the profits from the Annual Christmas Bazaar in Marsh Harbour would go to Sybil's House, a home for the aged in Dundas Town which was started and maintained by Mrs Williams and her husband, James Williams.

Beauty Cannot Wait: Central Abaco Council has decided that the beautification of Central Abaco Primary School cannot wait until summer. Council has cleared the land between Forest Drive and the school wall and also along the crescent drive to the school. Several donations have been made, including a Lignum vitae tree and other plants from Hartis Pinder of Rocky Farms.

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