标签： Bahamas

It has been 12 months since the public rallied behind 22-year-old Ezekiel Miller, whose lifelong battle with a persistent infection has cost him both legs and two fingers. Today, he still pushes his manual wheelchair for an hour each day through the streets of Freeport, Grand Bahama, asking passers-by for small donations to cover his basic living costs. His story has reemerged in the public eye after a video shared to Facebook on Wednesday reignited public concern, showing Miller seated in his chair, wearing black knitted gloves to cover open sores on his hands, his amputated lower legs visible beneath his black shorts. The person who filmed the video confirmed that Miller receives government disability assistance, but emphasized that the support falls far short of what he needs to get by, and called on the community to step forward to improve his quality of life.

In an interview with The Tribune on Thursday, Miller explained that years of pushing a manual wheelchair have left his body worn and strained. Last year, a Florida resident following his story partnered with local business owner Eddie Whan to gift him a donated motorised wheelchair, but the device has since broken down and is in need of repairs that Miller cannot afford. “I just need some help,” Miller said. “I don’t feel like pushing this wheelchair 24/7, messing up my hands. I’ve already been through so much.” He is currently in urgent need of a new functional motorised wheelchair to regain his mobility without constant physical strain.

Miller’s life was upended forever at age 14, when he stepped on a rusty nail that sparked a persistent, unidentifiable infection that has slowly spread through his body. He lost his first leg at 14, his second at 19, and two more fingers earlier this year, leaving him with eight functioning fingers. Though he currently experiences no constant physical pain, the infection continues to progress, and another finger is so deteriorated that his mother is planning for another amputation. “I mean, the legs are already gone, so now it’s moving through my hands,” Miller said, his voice heavy with resignation. When asked if he hopes for further surgery or prosthetic limbs to restore function, he seemed drained of hope, adding: “They can’t even get rid of the infection in me anyway. It’s definitely still hard for me. I basically can’t do too much.”

Last year, Miller traveled to the United States to see specialists in search of answers and treatment, but even top clinicians were unable to identify the root cause of his persistent infection. They only recommended minor additional surgery to remove a small section of remaining leg tissue, a procedure that has not stopped the infection’s spread. The condition has left him unable to hold steady employment, but the 22-year-old still considers himself a hard worker committed to earning what he can, describing himself as a “hustler.”

Each day, he pushes himself more than a mile from his home in Caravel Beach to downtown Freeport and surrounding neighborhoods, seeking small donations from people he meets. Local Grand Bahama community members have continued to show up for him, with many stopping to contribute cash for his daily food and needs, and Whan provides him with a regular monthly stipend to help. After last year’s outpouring of support, a bank account was set up to hold donations from supporters around the world, but Miller says fraudsters hacked the account and stole most of the funds. The Tribune has not yet been able to independently confirm this claim, but Miller said the theft left him devastated, and forced him back onto the streets to beg for support to survive.

For most of his life, Miller has been confined to a wheelchair, and his daily reality stands in stark contrast to the lives of most people his age, who get to enjoy travel, social connection and the freedom of young adulthood. Miller admitted that staying positive is a constant struggle. “When I’m by myself, I get down sometimes,” he said, explaining that he tries to hide his sadness from others. “Certain things I can’t do, I just can’t do. I just sit down and patiently wait for someone to help me, to be honest with you.” Right now, he says he is just doing his best to get by each day, and he is asking anyone who can donate a working motorised wheelchair or contribute financial support to reach out to him directly at 242 827-1213. Any assistance, he says, would be life-changing.

A senseless, unprovoked shooting has robbed a close-knit family of their beloved patriarch, a 71-year-old hardworking construction worker who spent decades raising six children alone and keeping to himself in his adopted home of The Bahamas.

St Gerard Nord, a Haitian national with permanent residency in The Bahamas, died in a local hospital on Friday, two days after an unknown gunman ambushed him as he sat in his parked vehicle outside his Wilson Tract residence, preparing to leave for the day. Nord had only celebrated his 71st birthday four months prior, and was quietly looking forward to retiring in his home country of Haiti after a lifetime of work.

The devastating news has left his relatives, most of whom live abroad, reeling with grief and confusion, as they struggle to reconcile why anyone would target a man they describe as gentle, hardworking, and entirely unconnected to trouble.

Lynda Nord Seide, Nord’s daughter, who lives outside of The Bahamas, recalled speaking to her father just hours before the attack, when the pair laughed, joked, and caught up on life as they usually did during their twice-weekly calls. When her sister called her at work the next morning with the shocking news, Seide said the blow was overwhelming. “I felt like everything just left my body. I felt like my soul literally just left my body, and it’s just been a blur and a roller coaster of emotion for the past week,” she told local outlet The Tribune.

According to initial police accounts, a purple vehicle pulled onto the street near Nord’s home last Wednesday. A gunman exited the vehicle, opened fire on Nord, and immediately fled the scene. Relatives confirmed that Nord suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Bystanders told investigators they had seen a vehicle matching that description parked near the home with multiple men inside in the moments leading up to the attack, a detail that has deepened the family’s confusion.

Nord’s life was defined by quiet responsibility. When Seide was just seven years old, his wife died, leaving him to raise all six of their children alone as a single father. He worked tirelessly in construction to provide for his family, never sought conflict, and had no known ties to criminal groups or gang activity, his relatives said. The family has confirmed that while Nord did mention a minor conflict with an acquaintance that began last year, he never expressed fear for his safety, and the family has no insight into whether that dispute was connected to his killing.

For Tasha Oliver Milfrise, Nord’s niece and goddaughter who also lives overseas, the violence is incomprehensible. She had just visited The Bahamas two weeks before the shooting for her own father’s funeral, and got to see her godfather during that trip. “I just don’t understand. How can someone just take a 71-year-old life?” she said. “My godfather never bothered anyone.”

Seide described her father as the unshakable pillar of the family, and said he was incredibly proud that all six of his children had built lives abroad. Beyond his work and his dedication to his kids, Nord lived a quiet, unassuming life: he kept to himself, avoided conflict, and was planning the next chapter of his life back in Haiti after decades of working in The Bahamas. Right now, the family’s only request is answers and justice for a man who never harmed anyone.

A brutal dog attack on a young American child vacationing in the Bahamas has resulted in a one-year prison sentence for the Bimini-based canine owner, according to court proceedings. Harrington Rolle, 34, accepted full culpability for multiple offenses connected to the July 28 incident that left 9-year-old Beau Brattain of Florida covered in more than 100 bite wounds, requiring emergency medical intervention and multiple major surgeries.

Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans handed down the combined sentences after reviewing graphic evidence of the attack, including photographs of Brattain’s severe injuries that the magistrate described as deeply disturbing. Rolle pled guilty to three separate charges: negligently inflicting grievous bodily harm, keeping a dangerous dog that caused harm to another person, and allowing a dangerous dog to roam freely in a public area. All three sentences will run concurrently, resulting in a total 12-month custodial term.

The attack unfolded around 10 a.m. on a public Bimini beach, where Brattain was collecting sand during a family holiday. Rolle’s six dogs escaped from their unsecured enclosure and assaulted the child, biting repeatedly across his face, head, arms and legs. The attack was only halted when an anonymous passerby stepped in to chase the pack away, potentially saving the young boy’s life.

Emergency first responders transported Brattain to a local Bimini clinic, but the severity of his injuries required an emergency airlift to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida for advanced care. Prosecutors confirmed the child has already undergone two surgeries, one of which lasted a full 10 hours, to address life-threatening damage. Court documentation noted large portions of tissue were torn away from Brattain’s arm during the assault.

During sentencing, Rolle appeared visibly distressed and took full responsibility for the incident. He told the court he had confined the six dogs in a storage shed, but acknowledged the lock on the structure was faulty and failed to keep the animals contained. When asked how he would have responded if the child had died from his injuries, Rolle admitted he had no defense and acknowledged his negligence was entirely at fault.

In the wake of the attack, Brattain’s family launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to cover the overwhelming costs associated with the child’s care, including immediate medical bills, ongoing rehabilitation, travel for treatment, and other related recovery expenses. The family set an initial goal of $350,000, and by the time local media confirmed the sentencing on Thursday, more than $240,000 had already been raised from public donations.

Brattain’s family said in a statement that their sole focus for the coming weeks and months will be supporting the child through his recovery. “Alongside the overwhelming emotional toll, they are now facing significant medical expenses, travel costs and rehabilitation needs related to this tragic incident,” the statement read, adding that Brattain faces what the family describes as a “long and difficult road to recovery.” The case was prosecuted by Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom.

Widespread, prolonged power outages have plagued New Providence for weeks, leaving many residents without electricity for days at a time – and leaders of the Bahamas’ key energy providers say consumers should prepare for continued disruptions through the end of summer, driven by unforeseen record-high temperatures and decades-old infrastructure. Senior energy officials laid out the challenges facing the country’s power grid during a press conference hosted by the Office of the Prime Minister, outlining the multiple overlapping factors that have sparked the recent crisis.

Anthony Christie, chief operating officer of Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), told reporters that the utility cannot promise fewer outages over the coming weeks. After two to three months of above-average temperatures that have already pushed the grid beyond its planned capacity, meteorological forecasts call for even hotter conditions in August and September, which will send demand for air conditioning even higher.

While BPL conducts annual planning for peak summer energy demand, Christie said current temperatures and consumption levels were well outside projections. “Based on abnormal conditions, we’re seeing higher loads, higher temperatures and more frequent failures on equipment,” he explained. “So that’s now straining a lot of our resources that we did not really anticipate would be needed at this level.”

When pressed on whether BPL had failed to adequately prepare for summer demand, Christie rejected that claim, emphasizing the current crisis stems from entirely unforeseen conditions. Utility crews are working around the clock to reinforce grid infrastructure, reduce outage durations and minimize disruption for households, but Christie stressed that 100% uninterrupted power is not a realistic outcome. “They don’t want the light to never go off, but that’s not reality,” he said. “The light will go off. The power will go off. There will be an issue, a challenge that has to be addressed. But again, we’re trying to shorten the outages and lessen the impact.”

BPL Executive Chair Christina Alston echoed that defense of the utility’s preparation work, noting that no mechanical or electrical system delivers flawless, constant operation. “Saying that the system is going to be on 100 percent of the time, that is a very unrealistic goal,” she said. “No system is 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. Your car doesn’t work 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. Nothing mechanical or electrical works 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. But what we have done is systematically gone through and mitigated where we could see problems occurring.”

Alston described the Bahamas’ power network as one of the most complex in the Caribbean, and urged residential consumers to give providers flexibility by cutting back on unnecessary energy use through the remaining hot months. Officials clarified that this call is not asking residents to give up air conditioning or other home comforts – only to use energy mindfully.

Dareo McKenzie, chief executive officer of Bahamas Grid Company (BGC), which now manages New Providence’s transmission and distribution network under the government’s ongoing energy reform agenda, acknowledged public frustration but offered a lighthearted perspective on temporary outages: “Sometimes it may not be a bad thing. I go out and sit on the beach and enjoy what this beautiful island has to offer.” He quickly added that this personal take does not override the provider’s core commitment to consumers: “But to each his own, and it does not override our sacred responsibility to the consumers, which is to provide safe, reliable, and resilient service.”

McKenzie noted that New Providence’s grid faces consistent pressure from two daily peak demand periods, leaving the system almost no time to recover. BPL has already asked government agencies to cut energy consumption by reducing air conditioning use in public buildings, a step Alston said has already helped the provider restore power to more residential users and small businesses.

Alongside ageing infrastructure and abnormal heat, BGC is also grappling with persistent workforce challenges: the company struggles to recruit and retain skilled line workers. Currently, BGC only fields between 60 and 80 line workers to cover demand, though McKenzie said the company has taken steps to address the gap, including recruiting graduates from the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, advertising open roles, and hiring experienced former BPL staff, including retired workers.

The current grid challenges come as the Davis administration prioritizes broad energy sector reform. The government recently transferred responsibility for New Providence’s transmission and distribution network to BGC for long-term upgrading and maintenance, after originally structuring the partnership with Pike Corporation, a US firm whose Bahamian subsidiary Island Grid Solutions was set to be BGC’s majority shareholder – though Pike has since withdrawn from the arrangement.

A correction appended to the original reporting clarifies that McKenzie, not Christie, made the comments about enjoying the beach during outages, a mistake the original outlet apologized for.

The tight-knit coastal community of West End on Grand Bahama is gathering to mourn the passing of Keith Cooper, a trailblazing local eco-tourism entrepreneur and lifelong community champion who introduced thousands of people to the rich underwater biodiversity of the region’s waters. Cooper, the 69-year-old founder of West End Ecology Tours, collapsed and passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, August 2.

A native of West End, Cooper launched his eco-tourism venture in 2010 after returning to his hometown more than 20 years earlier following time living abroad. He quickly built a reputation as a trusted guide, leading hundreds of excursions to the iconic Sandy Cay that gave visitors the rare opportunity to interact safely with wild stingrays, while learning firsthand about the area’s shark populations, native fish species, and the delicate interconnected marine ecosystem that supports the island’s coast.

Kingsley Smith, the Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama, emphasized that Cooper’s legacy stretches far beyond his successful tourism business. In the years after his return to West End, Smith said, Cooper poured his energy into lifting up the next generation of local young people, creating accessible outdoor programs that taught core skills like swimming and fishing, before expanding to add sailing opportunities. “It was something new for the community, and many young people benefited from his programme,” Smith noted.

Cooper’s tours also reshaped West End’s tourism landscape, drawing travelers who otherwise would have only visited the area’s popular nightlife into the heart of the village to experience its unspoiled natural beauty. Most recently, he had expanded his local footprint by venturing into the restaurant industry: he purchased the former Coffee on the Bay property, renovated the space, and launched Conchshells, a new eatery designed to give both residents and visitors an authentic taste of West End’s local culture and cuisine.

Joseph Darville, chairman of the Bahamian environmental advocacy group Save The Bays, shared that he joined Cooper on an excursion to Sandy Cay just two weeks before his death, to observe nurse sharks during their annual mating season. Darville said Cooper was enthusiastic and full of energy during the trip, updating him on the final renovations for his new restaurant and looking forward to its opening. “Keith Cooper had an intimate, almost divine knowledge of the ocean, the fish and everything connected to marine life,” Darville said, noting he had spent hundreds of hours exploring West End’s waters with Cooper over the years. “I learned a great deal from him. I always looked forward to spending time with him.”

Cooper also regularly partnered with environmental education programs, opening his tour sites to student groups who came to study marine ecosystems firsthand. He spent countless hours teaching visitors and students alike how to safely and respectfully interact with local marine life, Darville added.

Beyond his work in tourism and youth development, Cooper was also a critical support for West End in times of crisis. Following damaging hurricanes that have repeatedly impacted the Bahamas, Smith said Cooper leveraged his extensive network of international connections built through decades of tourism work to secure donations and emergency aid for local residents. “Any time there was a disaster, Keith used the many international contacts he had built over the years to help West End,” Smith explained. “People donated, and he always used his reach for the benefit of the community.”

Since news of Cooper’s death broke, tributes have flooded social media from current and former residents, past tour guests, and friends, many of whom highlighted the indelible mark he left on Grand Bahama’s identity and marine conservation work. Multiple commenters described his passing as a devastating loss for the community, noting that the island will never be the same without his leadership and passion. Both Smith and Darville extended formal condolences to Cooper’s family and loved ones, reflecting on the deep void his death leaves in the West End community. “He will be greatly missed,” Darville said.