Radio Abaco News

June 2000 Table of Contents

RADIO ABACO NEWS

Two Youths Die: Church services in Coopers Town and Fire Road were abandoned on 16th April when news that the bodies of two young men had been found in a car at 10.30 that morning. Dead were Keko Murray and Carlos Sands. The roof of their car had to be removed before the bodies could be freed. Murray and Sands had last been seen in Crown Haven earlier that morning. Their vehicle was heading from Little Abaco towards Coopers Town when the accident occurred. It is speculated that the car became airborne as there were no tracks into the bush where their car was found many hours after the accident.

Suicide? The body of 43 year old Demille Gideon was found face down on the Treasure Cay Farm road on 16th April. His wrists had been slashed and it was reported that a Gillette razor blade was found nearby. Suicide? Maybe not, say the police.

Get Rid of That Stuff: Ambassador for the Environment His Excellency the Honourable Doctor Earl Deveaux addressed an enhancement of product seminar for small hotel operators on 18th April at Abaco Beach Hotel sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism and the Out Island Promotion Board. He noted that Abaco was the most successful island for small hotels due to its ambience and friendly population, particularly in Man-O-War, Green Turtle Cay and Elbow Cay. He warned, however, that Abaco must work hard to keep its position. The biggest challenge to tourism was the management of waste disposal, especially in the smaller cays. "Government can help... but it must be in your heart to dispose of garbage properly."

Earth Day: Residents of Elbow Cay celebrated Earth Day once again with a demonstration on how to turn everyday waste into soil by composting. As Suzanne Bethel said, "We must use what is on the island. We must not throw plastic into the water." Ambassador Deveaux was in attendance and said that he was impressed. "Hope Town has a lot to offer other communities through concern for reef restoration and the ecology of the environment. We should recycle and re-use on a case by case, person by person basis."

Boating Accident: An Easter Monday recreational boating accident in Mores Island caused a boat to capsize. Twelve people were involved in the two boat accident and one young person was airlifted to Nassau for treatment.

Airport Closed by Smoke: Smoke from a bush fire caused flights to be postponed at Marsh Harbour International Airport for several hours on 25th April. Fire brigades from Marsh Harbour and Dundas Town combated the fire, which sent smoke all the way to Man-O-War Cay.

Keep Your Safe Safe: Several Abaco businesses have been robbed of their safes during the last calendar year. Island Administrator Everette Hart entered the Magistrate's Office on 25th April after a long holiday weekend to find that the rear door had been forced open and the office safe was open. The contents have not been disclosed and police are investigating. One thing's for sure, it's not a good time for any safecrackers to come before Magistrate Hart. Update 17th May: Another safe was taken from an Elbow Cay residence on14th May while the owner was at home. He assumed the noises he heard were being made by family members. Other safes stolen during the past 12 months belonged to Lucien Stratton, Bahamas Customs, the Fish House and Bellevue Business Depot - all in Marsh Harbour.

US Visas Next? Chief Passport Officer Jack Thompson announced on 25th April that a workshop for public servants in passport processing procedures was being held in Marsh Harbour and passports would be issued in Marsh Harbour, Coopers Town and Sandy Point as of 1st May. It was also announced later in the month that Haitian passports would be processed in Marsh Harbour by the office of the Haitian Consul.

Hope Town Fire: The home of Sherman and Wilma Kemp in Hope Town was destroyed by fire on 30th April. The house was in the north end of the settlement near the harbour entrance. The Kemps have three children.

Fire! Fire! Spring 2000 has been the most active forest fire season on Abaco for as long as anyone can remember. Fires are burning from Crown Haven to Hole in the Wall but the most affected region is central Abaco between Treasure Cay and Casuarina Point. Much valuable hardwood has been lost and the wild life of Abaco has been seriously affected. On 7th May a new fire started in the region of the new sub division between BEC and Central Abaco Primary School. ASP Leeland Russell of the Royal Bahamas Police Force says a reward of $5,000 will be paid for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone setting fire to the Abaco forest.

Bajan Help: A team of eight skilled Barbadian construction workers were sent by the prime minister of Barbados, Hon Arthur Owen, to assist with the re-building of homes in central Abaco. They worked on the homes of Lolita Sawyer and Althea Mills of Dundas Town and assisted Rotary Club members with the homes of Godfrey Cooper and Marcus Edgecombe. Other homes they assisted with were those of Sylvia McKenzie of Murphy Town, Donalee Ferguson of Spring City, Mother Merle, and Sophie and Nathan Bootle of Dundas Town. Prime Minister Owen visited Abaco on the weekend of 12th May in the company of Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. They visited Treasure Cay, Guana Cay, Man-O-War, Hope Town, Dundas Town, Casuarina Point, Crossing Rocks and Sandy Point. Mr Owen said he was pleased with the quality of assistance being afforded by his team and declared the Bajan team would stay on Abaco for six weeks instead of three, so they could help more people. The Barbadian team is made up of Roger Price, foreman; Cameron Springer, electrician; Vincent Gittens, Glenville Callender, Grenville Babb and Winston Dottin, carpenters; Oviston Small, mason; and Ezra Wilson, plumber.

Eleuthera Express: Abaco Air will be inaugurating a regular service between Marsh Harbour and North Eleuthera starting 2nd June. The trip takes only 25 minutes - less time than to Nassau or Freeport - and will operate on Fridays and Sundays. This will allow time for the many Abaco people who have family and friends in Spanish Wells and Harbour Island to get together for a weekend. Denise Kelly of Abaco Air says the new service will be called the Eleuthera Express.

Mores Island Fire: The home of Leo McBride of The Bight, Mores Island, was totally destoyed by fire on 14th May. The fire left five homeless. There is no fire-fighting eqipment on Mores Island.

Crawfish Myth: There is a myth abroad that you can always catch a couple of crawfish out of season if you use them to feed your own family. The fact is, the rule is absolute. No crawfish can be caught out of season. This fact of life was brought home to an English visitor to Treasure Cay as he pulled into Green Turtle Cay with two crawfish tails on board his 20' Mako. He was apprehended by authorities and could be fined heavily and have his boat confiscated. Expensive crawfish...

Treasure Cay Hotel Dismantled: Work on the dismantling of the old Treasure Cay Hotel began on 17th May. The occasion caused many people to think back to the good old days, all the people involved in the running of the hotel and those wonderful evenings in the Crow's Nest. The dismantling of the old hotel does not mean that a replacement is on the cards in the near future.

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