标签： Bahamas

A 23-year-old Bahamian hairstylist’s allegations of official misconduct by officers at the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s (RBPF) East Street South Station have sparked a formal internal investigation, raising pressing questions about compliance with the country’s landmark 2023 domestic violence reform legislation.

Lewratta Farisien, a young mother, alleges that she was assaulted by her ex-partner — who is himself an active RBPF officer — and his aunt during a confrontation on October 1, when she arrived at his family’s home to collect her two-year-old son. The incident, which Farisien partially recorded on a hidden phone, began when the ex-partner picked the boy up from school without her permission, despite her holding full custody. The footage captures a physical tug-of-war over the crying child, before the aunt joined the assault, leaving Farisien with a black eye, bite marks, widespread bruising, and a broken toe. Her boyfriend, who accompanied her, was also confronted by other family members, and Farisien’s car was damaged during the altercation.

After the attack, Farisien and her boyfriend were transported to the East Street South Police Station to file a formal complaint. Farisien claims that instead of following protocol to document her report of assault, officers at the station actively discouraged her from pressing charges. Citing the ex-partner’s family connections within the precinct, she alleges officers warned that if she pursued the complaint, her boyfriend would face arrest, and she would risk losing custody of her toddler.

Refused formal processing of her claim at East Street South, Farisien took her complaint to the Carmichael Road Police Station, where a senior female officer immediately provided her with documentation to seek medical care. Farisien submitted her medical records, photos of her injuries, and the incident video to that station, leading to the October 15 arrest of her ex-partner and his aunt on charges of causing harm. Both suspects were subsequently released on police bail.

Far from resolving the situation, the aftermath of the arrests has left Farisien in fear for her safety. She alleges that officers linked to East Street South have since repeatedly visited her home, her workplace salon, and her boyfriend’s residence to locate her, and have made persistent phone calls demanding she return to the original precinct. Farisien says she has refused to comply, hanging up on one request because she believes the officers are attempting to pressure her into dropping the charges. She has temporarily relocated to a relative’s home and closed her salon amid growing anxiety over the repeated contacts.

When reached for comment by The Tribune, the East Street South Police Station declined to respond to the allegations. In an official statement, the RBPF confirmed it had opened a full investigation into the claims after becoming aware of Farisien’s viral social media post about the incident, which had been shared more than 4,000 times and drew hundreds of comments from other people sharing their own negative experiences with the precinct.

The RBPF emphasized in its statement that all residents have an inherent right to report criminal incidents and have their complaints properly evaluated. The investigation will focus on determining whether any internal policies or procedural requirements were breached by officers, and the force says it will follow all relevant departmental disciplinary processes if misconduct is confirmed. “The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to assure members of the public that it remains committed to providing fair, impartial, and professional service to all individuals, without prejudice,” the statement read.

If Farisien’s account is verified, the officers’ actions would directly violate the provisions of the 2023 Protection Against Violence Act, landmark legislation designed to overhaul how law enforcement and public agencies respond to domestic violence victims. The law mandates that every violence victim be treated with compassion and dignity, and requires responding officers to draft a formal written complaint, provide the victim with a signed copy, arrange for medical care when needed, advise on evidence preservation, share contact information for the national Protection Against Violence Commission, and formally notify the commission of the report. The law also requires mandatory sensitivity training for all officers handling domestic violence complaints, and grants the commission authority to engage legal representation to advocate for victims when officers fail to cooperate.

The Protection Against Violence Commission, the oversight body created by the 2023 law, was only appointed in February 2024, nearly three years after the legislation was originally passed. Farisien has already filed a separate complaint against the East Street South officers with the RBPF’s own Complaints and Corruption Branch.

In interviews, Farisien said she ended her five-year relationship with her ex-partner after the attack, and has told him he must pursue formal court action if he wants visitation access to their son. Recalling the confrontation, she broke down in tears, saying “I felt like I would have been beaten to death” if her boyfriend had not been present to intervene.

For months, residents of New Providence, Bahamas, have endured repeated widespread power outages, and state-owned utility Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) has consistently pinned the blame on an act of nature: lightning strikes. But a local experienced electrical engineer is pushing back against that narrative, arguing that systemic mismanagement and neglected maintenance — not unexpected weather events — are the root causes of the island’s persistent power disruptions.

Quentin Knowles, an electrical engineer and contractor who designs distribution systems for residential, commercial and hospitality projects across the Bahamas, says any properly engineered and well-maintained power grid is built to withstand routine lightning activity. Speaking to The Tribune, Knowles questioned the frequency and scope of outages tied to lightning by BPL, noting that the utility’s explanation does not align with basic industry standards.

BPL has leaned heavily on the lightning excuse for major outages throughout 2024. In September, the company blamed a lightning strike at the Blue Hills Power Station for a total blackout across New Providence, marking the second major strike-related outage at that facility in just a few months. Back in July, another strike at the plant left entire communities without power for multiple hours, prompting BPL’s board of directors to order a post-incident review. The utility has also pinned outages on unseasonably high summer temperatures, but disruptions have continued unabated even after autumn cooling set in, undermining that claim.

Knowles points out that lightning protection technology, including surge suppressors and strike energy absorption devices, has been a standard industry tool for decades. When correctly designed, installed and regularly serviced, these systems neutralize the vast majority of energy from a lightning strike, preventing widespread outages. “Lightning occurs, and it occurs all the time,” Knowles noted, adding that while an unusually powerful strike can occasionally trigger a localized disruption, consistent outages following every major thunderstorm point to clear failures in protection system upkeep, design or installation.

The engineer also raised red flags about BPL’s grid design, questioning why a single equipment fault at one power station can knock out power to the entire island of New Providence. Drawing a simple, relatable analogy, he compared the failure to a full hotel losing power because of a faulty hair dryer in one guest room: under normal, safe design, only the single outlet’s breaker should trip, not cut power to the entire building. “That should never happen,” he said of island-wide blackouts triggered by single-point faults, adding that such widespread failures are clear evidence of flawed design, inadequate protective infrastructure or deferred maintenance.

Knowles also rejected another common BPL justification for chronic outages: that the Bahamas’ power grid is simply too old to function reliably. He noted that many power utilities across the United States operate generation and transmission equipment that is more than 50 years old, and those assets remain fully functional because they receive consistent, proactive maintenance. “I don’t really buy that argument that hey, we have this old, ancient, ageing system that needs to be replaced throughout,” he said. While he acknowledged that full grid modernization is a necessary long-term goal, he argued that the vast majority of current outages could have been avoided if consistent preventive maintenance practices had been enforced from the start.

Knowles estimates that more than 90 percent of the country’s current power problems could be eliminated through four core steps: consistent preventive maintenance, properly installed and maintained lightning protection systems, system adjustments when new power loads are added to the grid, and regular continuous monitoring of critical generation and transmission equipment.

He pointed to the high-profile July 2024 failure of a 15MVA transformer at Blue Hills, which triggered an island-wide blackout, as an example of the consequences of neglected upkeep. BPL initially claimed the explosion was caused by an underground cable fault. While Knowles emphasized he has no independent direct knowledge of the specific cause of that failure, he noted that all utility-scale transformers of that size are equipped with built-in monitoring devices that track internal heat, power load and component degradation, allowing operators to address emerging issues long before they escalate to catastrophic failure. A properly maintained transformer, he said, would never fail in such a dramatic, destructive way.

Drawing on decades of industry experience, Knowles also suggested that some outages officially blamed on lightning may actually stem from other unaddressed issues. For example, he said rainwater can seep into unmaintained cable trenches and reach degraded, faulty insulation, triggering protective breakers to trip — an outcome that could easily be misrepresented or misattributed to a coincidental lightning strike. He clarified that he has no concrete documentary evidence of this specific issue at BPL, but the scenario aligns with common problems seen in poorly maintained grids globally.

A striking detail that underscores the long-running nature of the Bahamas’ power grid problems came from an engineering WhatsApp group, where a member shared a decades-old Tribune headline from nearly 50 years ago. That headline reported identical issues: chronic power cuts and grid instability at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, BPL’s predecessor agency. For Knowles, this find is proof that the same systemic problems have been left unaddressed for generations, and that the public has not been given a full, honest account of what is causing persistent outages. “I don’t think the full picture has been given to us,” he said.

Knowles stressed that his assessment reflects general industry knowledge, not firsthand work on BPL’s utility-scale transmission and distribution network, but his expertise designing smaller-scale distribution systems gives him clear insight into how grid protection and maintenance should function. He also noted that utilities in most other countries conduct full, transparent investigations after every major outage to identify root causes and implement corrective changes, and it remains unclear whether BPL follows this standard practice.

Nassau is set to host its first ever iteration of a beloved global community-building project this November, after local leaders and businesses joined forces to bring the inclusive initiative to the Bahamas’ waterfront.

The Longest Table, a no-cost movement that brings diverse groups of people together over a shared casual meal, will be held along Nassau’s scenic Western Esplanade on November 14. Organized as a collaborative effort between iconic local producer John Watling’s Distillery and Diane Phillips & Associates, the event is designed to strengthen neighborhood and community bonds at a time when connection remains a top priority for communities still rebuilding social routines after the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The movement itself traces its roots back to post-pandemic New York City, where residents of the Chelsea neighborhood began gathering around long outdoor rows of tables to reconnect after extended periods of isolation. What started as a small local effort quickly spread across borders, catching the attention of Pepin Argamasilla, managing partner at John Watling’s Distillery, after he learned of a successful similar gathering organized in Miami by a former colleague. Inspired by the model, Argamasilla worked to bring the event to Nassau, infusing it with distinct local Bahamian culture to create a one-of-a-kind experience.

Organizers have planned for a maximum capacity of 1,000 attendees, with pre-registration opening to the public weeks in advance. Public response has already outpaced early expectations: 80 people signed up within the first 60 minutes of the event’s announcement, pushing the total pre-registered count to nearly 400 as of the latest update. Diane Phillips, founder and president of Diane Phillips & Associates, noted that while the team is prepared to welcome up to 1,000 guests, a turnout of 500 would be a tremendous success for the inaugural event.

Unlike formal community galas or charity dinners, The Longest Table operates without speeches, mandatory fundraising asks, or entry fees. Dozens of tables will be lined along the waterfront, each led by a volunteer table captain tasked with coordinating their group of 6 to 8 guests. Captains have full flexibility to curate their guest lists: they may invite close friends and family, open spots to individual registrants who have no pre-organized group, or even leave seats open for walk-in visitors. Captains also arrange their own group’s food and drinks, with the option to split contributions across attendees. John Watling’s Distillery will, however, provide two complimentary cocktails to each adult attendee who chooses to claim them, and guests are welcome to bring additional personal beverages of their choice.

Major local stakeholders have already signed on to participate: leading resort Baha Mar has reserved 20 spots specifically for hotel guests, creating intentional opportunities for international tourists to connect and interact with local Bahamian residents. That cross-community connection is a core goal of the local event, organizers say. “It’s a great way to make new friends, to reinforce and reaffirm old friendships, to relax around a meal,” Phillips explained.

To give the global initiative a unique Bahamian identity, the local organizing team partnered with Blairwood Academy students to create a custom table runner decorated with handprints painted in the Bahamas’ national colors. This custom touch marks the event as distinctly local, while still honoring the inclusive core of the original movement.

Organizers have also taken extensive steps to ensure the event runs smoothly and safely for all guests. Phillips confirmed that the team has coordinated closely with key local agencies, including the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force, and the Port Authority, to finalize robust security arrangements. All registered participants will receive a personalized QR code for check-in, and registration remains open for both guests and volunteer table captains through the John Watling’s Distillery official website. The event is scheduled to kick off at 5:30 p.m. on November 14.

For Argamasilla, the event is as much about national pride as it is about community connection. “The main thing is it’s all about partnership, and we here at John Watling’s believe that we all have one brand. Everybody that lives in this country has one brand and it’s called The Bahamas and it’s up to all of us to put the best foot forward for The Bahamas,” he said. He added that the team hopes this first gathering will grow into a beloved annual signature event for Nassau, bringing together Bahamians, permanent residents, and tourists year after year to celebrate connection and community.

The Bahamas’ largest group representing taxi operators is pushing for a new audience with the nation’s top leader to break a months-long deadlock over unaddressed worker demands, including a long-sought fare hike to offset skyrocketing operational and fuel costs. Leaders of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union say they have exhausted all standard channels of communication with Transport Minister Leon Lundy, who has failed to respond to repeated requests for negotiations six months after the union first tabled its proposal for fare adjustments.

Union president Tyrone Butler laid out the full scope of the impasse in comments to reporters this week, explaining that even a previously scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was cut short before key issues could be debated. That September 18 meeting ended abruptly when the prime minister was called away to attend the funeral of former Cabinet minister Neville Wisdom, leaving the union’s full list of grievances undiscussed. Following the truncated session, the union submitted a formal document outlining all its concerns to Davis’ office, and received word last week that the file had been forwarded to Lundy for review and action. To date, Butler says, the union has still not received any formal response from the transport minister.

“Nothing has changed, unfortunately,” Butler stated. “We did have a brief meeting with the Prime Minister to express our displeasure and discuss the lack of cooperation coming from the minister, and even that hasn’t really yielded much success.”

At the core of the union’s economic demands is a proposal for a minimum $5 increase on the majority of standard taxi fares, a adjustment the group says is necessary to counter decades-high inflation and the rising cost of fuel, which climbed again earlier this month. Esso dealers confirmed that gasoline prices are set to rise from $7.06 to $7.50 per gallon, marking yet another jump in operating costs for drivers who cover their own fuel expenses. Butler noted that the group is open to flexible negotiations, including smaller incremental increases if the government cannot accommodate the full $5 proposal right away. Unlike the fixed-rate public bus system, taxi fares in the Bahamas are variable based on travel distance and destination, meaning a broad adjustment would impact most common routes.

Butler argued that a permanent adjustment is warranted given the current trajectory of living costs, adding that even a temporary increase would likely need to be made permanent given how long it has been since the last industry-wide update. The most recent fare change came in early 2024, when then Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis announced a 10% increase for New Providence operators, the first adjustment the group had received since 2017. That revised rate structure was officially gazetted in March and formally announced to the public the following month after multi-party negotiations between the government, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, and the union.

Beyond the fare hike, the union has raised a series of serious complaints about the Road Traffic Department, alleging that agency officers have systematically harassed taxi drivers through arbitrary penalties that violate established disciplinary protocols. Butler claims that rather than issuing formal citations and referring alleged violations to the office of the transport controller for review, officers have been issuing immediate financial penalties for minor infractions including purported dress code violations. The department has also changed vehicle age certification requirements, forcing drivers to pay for new mandatory documentation before their existing certificates are set to expire, adding unnecessary out-of-pocket costs for workers, according to Butler.

He detailed one particularly egregious incident to illustrate the pattern of abuse, where a taxi driver lost more than $300 in fare revenue after an officer confronted him at the cruise port over his footwear immediately after he returned from a tourist tour. When the driver asked for just a few minutes to finish collecting payment from his passengers before addressing the alleged violation, Butler claims the officer directly told the tourists not to pay the driver, prompting the entire group to leave without settling their bill. When asked if existing traffic regulations permitted the officer to take this action, Butler responded: “That’s something he made up of his own.”

Butler doubled down on criticism of Minister Lundy’s leadership, saying the minister has repeatedly failed to honor commitments he made during earlier discussions with the union. “Right now, as it is, I have a letter in front of me that I’m going to send over to his office again, but looks like sending letters and making requests and making phone calls really doesn’t matter,” he said.

The union’s current priority is to schedule a full, uninterrupted meeting with Prime Minister Davis to resolve all outstanding issues before committing to any further action. Butler emphasized that negotiated settlement remains the union’s preferred path forward, but he did not rule out the possibility of widespread industrial action if the group continues to be ignored by government officials. “The union is not going to be silent forever,” he warned.