RADIO ABACO NEWS

July 1998 Table of Contents - Current Issue of The Abaco Journal - Abaco Bahamas' Home Page

RADIO ABACO NEWS

Warning on Privatisation. UK Trade Unionist David Norman of British Telecom was a guest of the local branch of the BCPOU on 13th May. He said that privatisation of the telephone service in the United Kingdom had improved service to large businesses but the ordinary customer did not do as well. Smaller services were abandoned. He emphasised that all the shares went to the general public.

Weekly Fish Fry Gets Under Way. Sponsored by the Abaco Office of the Ministry of Tourism, a series of weekly Fish Fries commenced on Wednesday 20th May at the Crossing Beach, Marsh Harbour. According to Sherry Parker of the Ministry of Tourism, the Fish Fry concept was designed to allow the opportunity for tourists and locals to mingle and for visitors to experience our local food, handcraft and cultural products. Between 300-500 people attended the first Fish Fry and Chairman of the Tourism Advisory Board, Roosevelt McIntosh, declared it a great success. As one visitor to Abaco put it: "I caught bonefish this morning and ate conch salad tonight - It doesn't get much better than this!" The second Fish Fry was held at Yamaha Park on 27th May and had a far higher number of tourists present - and enjoying themselves immensely. An added attraction on this occasion was a Junkanoo rush. Fish Fries were held every Monday throughout June at Yamaha Park.

National Teachers Appreciation Week. Teachers, students and community leaders from all over Abaco celebrated National Teachers Appreciation Week from 17th - 22nd May. The celebrations opened with a church service at Mount Zion Baptist Church, Fox Town, and included a social held on 20th May at Abaco Central Secondary School. Among those present was the National Teacher of the Year, S C Bootle Secondary School's Kenneth Romer.

Dockmaster Saves Child. Shortly after midday on 26th May a group of children were diving and swimming off the Customs Dock in Marsh Harbour when one of them - a girl aged seven or eight - got into difficulties and cried for help. Dock Master Clifford Henfield Jr immediately jumped into the water and saved the girl. He had earlier warned the children about playing in the area of the Dock.

Visitor Death. A newly-arrived visitor to a two-storey rental property on Guana Cay fell from a balcony area during a power blackout and later died of his injuries.

FTAA Speaker. Mr Wesley Kirton, OAS Representative in The Bahamas, addressed a group of Abaco business persons on the subject of the Free Trade Area of the Americas during a luncheon held at Bay View Restaurant, Dundas Town, on 3rd June. It was, he said, the most significant proposed arrangement in this hemisphere and would create a huge trading area to counter blocs set up in other areas of the world: thirty-four countries with a population of 750 million and a GNP of over $9 trillion. One of the points made by Mr Kirton was that The Bahamas was not considered a small economy because of its high per capita income. Groups such as the one he was addressing should get together and assist the government in its thinking. "Every country must negotiate its own destiny," he said, adding that the government should operate in the best interests of its people. The next speaker in this series of talks on the FTAA will be The Bahamas High Commissioner to Caricom, A Leonard Archer on 8th July.

BCPOU Labour Day Service. The BCPOU and members of other unions held a service to give thanks for the past and pray for the future at Faith Chapel, Marsh Harbour, on 4th June. The address was given by Fr Hugh Chapman.

Illegal Immigrants. Twenty-five illegal immigrants, described as 24 'Chinese' and one Malaysian, were apprehended in the Hole in the Wall area of south Abaco after a speedboats had dropped them ashore from a freighter on 6th June. Police and Immigration Officers rounded up the aliens and they were taken to Nassau the following day. It was believed the intended final destination of the illegal immigrants was the United States.

CIBC Backs Abaco Teams. The Marsh Harbour Branch of CIBC Bahamas donated $3,000 to the Abaco women's volleyball and men's baseball teams due to compete in July's Bahamas Games in Nassau. Branch Manager Derick Benjamin made the presentation on 9th June to the Ministry of Youth's Greta Culmer. Also present was President of the Abaco Sports Council, Frank Hepburn. The branch also sponsors the CIBC Warriors basketball team.

Sub-Division Progress. Mr Gordon Major, Contracts Officer of the Ministry of Housing, visited Abaco 9th June to inspect progress at Abaco Central Pines Estate. Mr Dickie Malone is the contractor for road construction and the work has been divided in to two phases. The western area will constitute Phase 1 and Mr Malone will be responsible for grubbing (taking out trees, making roads and clearing) and ripping (making roads driveable).

How Sweet It Was! Forty-five members of the Royal Bahamas Police Choir from Nassau appeared in concert at the Church of God, Dundas Town, on 14th June. They were joined by members of the Abaco Division and local Police Reserves to provide an inspiring evening of gospel and inspirational songs.

Prime Minister Experiences Marsh Harbour Airport. "People had told me," Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said in his contribution to the Budget Debate in Parliament, but he was still surprised at the great congestion and the number of people who had to wait outside Marsh Harbour International Airport when he passed through on 14th June. He noted that the airport was probably the busiest in The Bahamas after Nassau and announced a $1 million terminal and control tower would be part of the 1998-9 budget.

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