National Notes

June 2000 Table of Contents

NATIONAL NOTES

Haitian Refugees Die: Two Haitian refugees died on 26th April when the engine of the boat they were travelling on broke down and stranded them on Flamingo Cay in the Ragged Island chain. There were about 300 people on the vessel and it was reported that others had drowned before the beaching on Flamingo Cay. Three sailboats were anchored off the cay when the Haitians landed and one of them notified the Coast Guard by radio or the death toll would have been higher. There was a doctor among the crewmen of the sailboats and he assisted some of ther most severely dehydrated Haitians. Some of the worst cases were helicoptered to George Town, Exuma, and others to Nassau while the bulk of the Haitians remained on the cay awaiting rescue the next day.

Six Rescued at Sea: A 23-foot boat carrying seven people from Grand Cay, Abaco, to West End, Grand Bahama, capsized off Dover Sound on 26th April in rough seas after running out of fuel. One man was drowned. A BASRA aircraft spotted survivors clinging the capsized vessel after it was reported that the boat was overdue. Rescued were Bill Jackson, Joseph Hield, Portia Bowe, Carmen Hanna and two 10 year olds, a boy and a girl. Lonnie Cooper had been clinging to overturned craft with them but weakened and was swept away.

Clifton Cay Latest: The Bahamas government is moving to return 208 acres in the Clifton Cay area to its previous owner, Nassoak Ltd. The government acquired the land 12 years ago with the view to developing a shipping terminal on the south-west point of New Providence. That scheme was abandoned. Once the land is returned to Nassoak, any development would be subject to the same rules which apply to the development of all other land in The Bahamas.

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