Tuesday, October 13, 2026 · 6:30 PM Bahamas time

The Bahamas Islands Briefing · Full Edition

A Supreme Court battle over Sampson Cay could decide the fate of a queen conch nursery. Long Island shops sit half-stocked as the mailboat fails. Eleuthera stays dark; eleven motorcycles vanish from a Harbour Island police station. Grand Bahama faces a $400 million power-debt question. And in Nassau, a killing near Potter’s Cay Dock and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher under a stove close a heavy night — plus Bahamian golfers ending Jamaica’s six-year Caribbean reign.

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The fight for North Bay

Exuma island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Exuma: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

Three hundred and sixty-five cays. Water so blue it looks painted. And right now, a courtroom drama that could change one corner of it for good.

In the Supreme Court in Nassau, a legal battle over the Rosewood Exuma development on Sampson Cay is heating up. Two neighbouring developments, Turtlegrass Resort and Island Club and the private island Over Yonder Cay, are asking the court to overturn the project’s environmental approvals. The developer is Yntegra, a Miami-based group.

The fight centres on North Bay on Sampson Cay, where the plans include a service dock and the dredging of about one and a quarter acres of the bay.

Aerial view of a shallow turquoise bay on a small Exuma cay with a sandy shoreline, mangrove edges and a few anchored boats, no construction shown
Aerial view of a shallow turquoise bay on a small Exuma cay with a sandy shoreline, mangrove edges and a few anchored boats, no construction shown (AI illustration)

Fred Smith, KC, who represents Turtlegrass, told the court that a breakwater for that dock grew to about 390 feet long, and argued it was never put to the public during consultation. He also argued that the Director of Environmental Planning and Protection breached her duty to the public.

Those are arguments made in court by one side. The judge has not ruled. Inside Climate News reported on October 11 that a spokesperson for the Save Exuma Alliance expects a decision within weeks.

What lives in that water

There is a nature story under the legal one. Scientists say the bay is a nursery for queen conch, a species the United States lists as threatened. Shedd Aquarium researcher Andy Kough warned that changing the water flow in those channels could hurt young conch.

Conch were not observed in abundanceThe developer’s position. It says it does not intend to impact conch nurseries.
Underwater photo-style scene of juvenile queen conch resting on a seagrass and sand bottom in clear shallow Bahamian water
Underwater photo-style scene of juvenile queen conch resting on a seagrass and sand bottom in clear shallow Bahamian water (AI illustration)

Business: the 20th Exuma Business Outlook

This Thursday, October 15, the 20th annual Exuma Business Outlook takes place at the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church Community Center. The theme is “Strengthening Foundations for Long-Term Prosperity.” According to The Nassau Guardian, the agenda covers aviation, including the airports at George Town, Staniel Cay and Black Point, along with workforce training, entrepreneurship and diversifying the economy.

A name to know: Bryan Strachan of Aquaquest Escapes, a local Exuma tour business, sits on the entrepreneurship panel alongside Carson Gray of Exuma TV.

In the northern Exumas, Highbourne Cay, about 35 miles southeast of Nassau, says construction begins this fall on a new beach club and a $20 million marina redevelopment with floating docks. For boaters, the key detail: the cay stays open to day visitors and overnight guests during the work.

Where to go, eat, stay and shop

Big Major Cay, home of the famous swimming pigs, comes first. Right next door, near Staniel Cay, is Thunderball Grotto, the hidden cave you snorkel into, featured in the James Bond film Thunderball.

For food and drinks with a view, the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is a classic boaters’ stop. From George Town, a short boat ride across Elizabeth Harbour takes you to Stocking Island, where Chat ’N’ Chill sits right on the beach.

To stay, there is Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma for the all-inclusive crowd, Grand Isle Resort nearby, and smaller guest houses around George Town for something local. To shop, the Exuma Straw Market in George Town sells handmade straw work, and Exuma Markets is the go-to grocery for stocking the boat.

For natural fun, there is the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, the first land and sea park of its kind in the world, created in 1958. It is a no-take zone: no fishing or collecting inside the park.

Boating in Exuma: read the water

  1. Dark blueDeep water.
  2. TurquoiseShallower.
  3. BrownCoral heads or grass.
  4. WhitePossibly a sandbar.
  5. LightTravel with the sun high and behind you.
  6. TidesWatch the current in the cuts between cays.
  7. MooringsUse park moorings, never anchor on coral.

Tonight’s weather for boaters: the National Weather Service marine forecast for the central Bahamas shows mostly easterly winds around 10 knots, seas of two to four feet and a chance of scattered showers. No tropical development is expected in the coming days.

Inagua: the bottom of the country

Inagua island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Inagua: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

We start at the very bottom of the country. We searched local outlets and found no new Inagua headlines from the past day, but the island appears in a national story. Our News reports that the Bahamas Project for Marine Conservation has assessed 70 marine protected areas across the country. Partners from Inagua joined workshops in Nassau, along with Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera and Grand Bahama, and a final workshop is planned for the end of October.

Inagua is famous for flamingos. Inagua National Park is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of West Indian flamingos in the world, tens of thousands of birds. Then there is the salt: the Morton Salt operation near Matthew Town, with its ponds and white mountains of salt. CruiseMapper lists a visit by the expedition ship Viking Polaris on October 30. Inagua is remote, so book park tours through the Bahamas National Trust and bring binoculars.

A large flock of pink West Indian flamingos wading in shallow pink-tinted salt ponds on Inagua, flat scrubland and white salt mounds in the distance
A large flock of pink West Indian flamingos wading in shallow pink-tinted salt ponds on Inagua, flat scrubland and white salt mounds in the distance (AI illustration)

Mayaguana, Acklins and Crooked Island

Mayaguana island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Mayaguana: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

No fresh headlines from Mayaguana today, which says a lot about how little coverage these islands get. It is one of the most unspoiled islands in the country. The main settlement is Abraham’s Bay. Expect empty beaches, reef snorkelling and real quiet, and bring cash and supplies because services are limited.

Acklins and Crooked Island island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Acklins and Crooked Island: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

We found no new local headlines we could verify from Acklins and Crooked Island in the past day. For visitors, the Bight of Acklins is a huge shallow flat that is legendary for bonefishing, and the historic Castle Island Lighthouse stands off Acklins’ southern tip. The flats are very shallow, so local guides are the way to go.

Long Island: “How do we operate like this?”

Long Island island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Long Island: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

Here, there is news, and it is hurting people. Business owners are frustrated with unreliable mailboat service. The Nassau Guardian and Bahamas Latest reported on October 9 that at least five businesses did not receive their full orders that week.

Jill Smith, owner of Stella Maris Resort and Bonafide Bonefishing, said Stella Maris received only half of its order, and Bonafide Bonefishing received none.

How do we operate like this?Jill Smith, Stella Maris Resort and Bonafide Bonefishing

Erica Darville, owner of Erica’s Bakery in Clarence Town, said: “We never know when the boat is coming.” She warned that fresh produce can spoil before it even reaches the island.

A small Bahamian freight mailboat tied up at a modest concrete government dock on a Family Island, pallets and boxes on the dock, calm water, daytime
A small Bahamian freight mailboat tied up at a modest concrete government dock on a Family Island, pallets and boxes on the dock, calm water, daytime (AI illustration)

Long Island MP Andre Rollins raised the issue in Parliament, saying tourists come, order off the menu, and cannot eat. Transport Minister Leon Lundy said a vessel was en route to serve southern Long Island and promised more improvements soon.

Long Island is worth the trip. Dean’s Blue Hole, near Clarence Town, is one of the deepest known blue holes in the world and hosts international freediving competitions. In Clarence Town, see the two churches built by Father Jerome, St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s. Stay at Stella Maris Resort in the north and fish with Bonafide Bonefishing. Supporting them right now really helps.

Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island: a deep dark-blue circular hole in turquoise shallows, bordered by a white sand beach and limestone cliff
Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island: a deep dark-blue circular hole in turquoise shallows, bordered by a white sand beach and limestone cliff (AI illustration)

Ragged Island, Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Ragged Island island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Ragged Island: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

No new headlines from Ragged Island today. Its single settlement, Duncan Town, is a tight-knit fishing community on the edge of the Jumentos Cays. Cruising the Jumentos is true wilderness boating, so carry extra fuel, water and spare parts.

Cat Island island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Cat Island: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

No new Cat Island headlines in the past day. The bigger story this year came in June, when Bahamasair returned to Arthur’s Town after more than 20 years, with twice-weekly flights from Nassau. Visit The Hermitage on Mount Alvernia, built by Father Jerome on what is recognised as the highest point in The Bahamas. The climb is short and the view is gorgeous.

San Salvador island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
San Salvador: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

There are no new local headlines from San Salvador, but history happened here. Many historians believe it is where Christopher Columbus first made landfall in the Americas in 1492, and monuments mark the spot. Visitors love the Dixon Hill Lighthouse, the dramatic wall diving and Club Med Columbus Isle. Researchers come for the Gerace Research Centre.

Rum Cay island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Rum Cay: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

Tiny, quiet Rum Cay, whose settlement is Port Nelson, had no news today. Divers know it for its reefs and walls. Boaters should approach carefully: the reefs are no joke.

Eleuthera: “How much longer?”

Eleuthera island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Eleuthera: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

Residents of Central and South Eleuthera say the outages happen every day, sometimes several times a day. Philippa Kelly, the former FNM candidate for Central and South Eleuthera, is calling on Bahamas Power and Light to explain its plan.

I am not asking for promises. I am asking for a concrete plan, meaningful action, and measurable results.Philippa Kelly, who also asked: “How much longer are we expected to live this way?”

Residents also cite damaged appliances, lost money and the cost of rented generators. We have not yet seen a public response from BPL with a timeline. We will keep watching.

A quiet Eleuthera settlement road at dusk with houses dark during a power outage, utility poles and lines silhouetted, one home lit by a small generator
A quiet Eleuthera settlement road at dusk with houses dark during a power outage, utility poles and lines silhouetted, one home lit by a small generator (AI illustration)

There is also heartbreak. The Tribune reports that 21-year-old Charles Dupuch Jr. was struck and killed by a van while walking along Queen’s Highway around 9:15 p.m. on Friday. His mother, Markera Smith, told The Tribune he was days away from surgery at Princess Margaret Hospital. He loved farming, Junkanoo and swimming, had finished a course in hydroponic farming and had worked as a lifeguard. Police are still investigating. Our thoughts are with his family.

Harbour Island: eleven motorcycles, one police station

This one sounds like a movie. Four men are accused of breaking into the Harbour Island Police Station and stealing eleven motorcycles. According to The Tribune, prosecutors allege that ten Yamahas and one Honda, worth $66,000, were taken between 11:30 p.m. on October 1 and 2 a.m. on October 2.

The accused, aged 19 to 23, pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Abigail Farrington and were granted bail. A trial date is to be set in Harbour Island on October 27. They are innocent until proven guilty.

A small pastel-coloured Bahamian island police station on a quiet Harbour Island street at night, an empty fenced yard beside it, no people
A small pastel-coloured Bahamian island police station on a quiet Harbour Island street at night, an empty fenced yard beside it, no people (AI illustration)

Visiting? Harbour Island’s pink sand beach is a must. On Eleuthera itself, stop at the Glass Window Bridge, where the deep blue Atlantic meets the calm green Bight of Eleuthera on either side of a narrow strip of land. The island is also known for its pineapple history.

Andros: waiting on a bridge

Andros island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Andros: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

The big story on the largest island in The Bahamas is the Fresh Creek Bridge. Works Minister Clay Sweeting has said the repair will cost about $400,000 and take around four to six weeks once a structural support beam arrives. The government plans to seek proposals for a permanent replacement bridge later. Our News also reported the minister’s updates on road and bridge projects on Heroes Day.

Andros is also part of the national marine protected area assessment. Visitors know it for blue holes, world-class bonefishing and Androsia, the batik fabric made right there in Fresh Creek.

Berry Islands island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Berry Islands: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

The Berry Islands had no new headlines today. They are a lovely stop for boaters, with Great Harbour Cay’s long beach and Chub Cay, well known for sportfishing.

Bimini and Abaco: the fees nobody can afford

Bimini island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Bimini: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

The Tribune reports that yacht charter operators say government boating fees hurt more than high fuel prices. Stephen Kappeler, managing director of the Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina, has said larger vessels are still largely absent from Bahamian waters, arguing that the charges deter some of the highest-spending visitors.

The government did add two new cruising permit categories this year, for stays of 30 days or less and six months or less, which cut costs for some shorter visits. Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to Florida, famous for big-game fishing and its Ernest Hemingway history.

Abaco island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Abaco: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

Abaco tells the same story. Michael Dillon, owner of Abaco Yacht and Charter Services, said the fees and the cruising permit structure are still hurting business, and told The Tribune that fuel in Abaco is about $7.80 a gallon. The Bahama Out Island Promotion Board had previously linked a 6.4 percent drop in sea arrivals to Abaco through July to the fee increases.

A Bahamian marina in Abaco with many empty slips and only a few small boats tied up, a fuel dock in the foreground, the Sea of Abaco beyond
A Bahamian marina in Abaco with many empty slips and only a few small boats tied up, a fuel dock in the foreground, the Sea of Abaco beyond (AI illustration)

Also in Abaco, a resident is calling for action on roadside dumping, calling it “absolutely disgraceful” and asking for dumpsters at set locations and enforcement of the law. “Abaco is far too beautiful to be treated like one big garbage dump.”

Sports fans: the Bahamas Pickleball Federation has a ranking tournament planned at the Abaco Beach Resort, November 13–15. For visitors, Hope Town’s red-and-white striped Elbow Reef Lighthouse is iconic, and the Sea of Abaco is some of the best sailing water in the country.

Grand Bahama island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
Grand Bahama: the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

The money

Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president Ralph Hepburn warns that taxpayers could end up “saddled” with more than $400 million in debt linked to Grand Bahama Power Company.

The GB Power numbers (Tribune Business)

  1. $200mBorrowed by the government to buy GB Power, to become direct taxpayer debt under a resolution tabled in the House last week.
  2. $131.82mLegacy loans left by Emera, also moving onto the public books.
  3. $80mCapital works funding approved by Parliament before the May 12 general election, which GB Power still had not received as of Friday.

Hepburn called the missing $80 million “shocking” and questioned whether the company’s 90 to 95 percent supply reliability will last.

An industrial electric power plant on Grand Bahama with generator buildings, exhaust stacks and transmission lines under a clear sky
An industrial electric power plant on Grand Bahama with generator buildings, exhaust stacks and transmission lines under a clear sky (AI illustration)

Hepburn also says the island cannot rely on cruise tourism alone. He wants more overnight visitors who spend money outside the cruise lines’ private destinations, and says the airport is critical to making that happen.

What business says

That lines up with the Chamber’s new 2026 Business Climate survey of 114 employers. Redevelopment of Grand Bahama International Airport was the top five-year priority, chosen by 82.5 percent. There is optimism too: 62.5 percent of businesses expect to grow over the next year, and only about 6 percent expect to shrink. But more than half say doing business on the island is difficult, and nearly two-thirds named the cost of doing business as the biggest obstacle. Hepburn also wants more investment in farming and marine industries, to boost food security and cut reliance on imports.

Health: a new hospital in Freeport

Our News got an exclusive tour of Doctors Hospital’s new $25 million facility in Freeport. It is nearing completion, with property inspections expected soon. CEO Dennis Deveaux says it is designed to separate emergency and outpatient services. Young people from across Grand Bahama also gathered in Freeport for a free mental health symposium about breaking the stigma and talking openly about emotional well-being.

Culture: 54 years of cracking conch

On National Heroes Day, Monday, October 12, East Grand Bahama hosted the 54th annual McLean’s Town Conch-Cracking Festival, a tradition dating to 1972. The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation partnered with the McLean’s Town Conch-Cracking Association. The lineup included the traditional conch-cracking competition, cultural activities, kids’ events and live music, with Top Tier Band as host band.

Outdoor seaside festival in a small Bahamian village, a man cracking open a queen conch shell at a wooden table with conch shells piled nearby and a crowd watching
Outdoor seaside festival in a small Bahamian village, a man cracking open a queen conch shell at a wooden table with conch shells piled nearby and a crowd watching (AI illustration)

If you are visiting, East End is worth the drive. Stop at Lucayan National Park to walk through the mangroves, see the cave system and finish at Gold Rock Beach, which is stunning at low tide. In Freeport and Lucaya, Port Lucaya Marketplace offers shopping, local crafts, food and live music by the water.

Boating tip: the north side is shallow and the Little Bahama Bank is huge, so plan your route and watch your depth. The weather service forecasts northeasterly winds around 10 knots in the northern Bahamas, with seas of two to four feet.

New Providence (Nassau) island card: name, real island outline map and what it is known for
New Providence (Nassau): the island’s real outline, drawn from Natural Earth map data.

A heavy night in the capital

Early this morning, shortly before 1:30 a.m., a 25-year-old man was shot and killed near the entrance to Potter’s Cay Dock on East Bay Street. Police told Eyewitness News that he had been at a business with friends when an argument broke out between one of his friends and another man. He left in a white Acura RDX with two friends; a blue vehicle pulled alongside and a man opened fire. His two friends were not hurt.

Potter’s Cay Dock area on East Bay Street, Nassau, at night: closed vendor stalls under the bridge to Paradise Island, police tape across an empty road, no people shown
Potter’s Cay Dock area on East Bay Street, Nassau, at night: closed vendor stalls under the bridge to Paradise Island, police tape across an empty road, no people shown (AI illustration)

It follows two separate murders on Friday night. A 37-year-old man was shot through a window of his home in the Old Cedar Way area off Baillou Hill Road and later died in hospital. Around 11:30 p.m., ShotSpotter detected gunfire near Flint and Comfort Streets, where a 25-year-old man was killed.

Anyone with information should call 911 or 919, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

A grenade launcher under a stove

Last week, police found a rocket-propelled grenade launcher in a camouflage bag hidden beneath an abandoned stove on the southern side of Pride Estates, off Tonique Williams-Darling Highway.

We are concerned that that type of weaponry is here. We hope that this is a one-off.National Security Minister Myles LaRoda

LaRoda has also warned against vigilante justice after a viral video showed a nine-year-old boy hanging from a fence by his shirt after stealing a man’s bicycle.

Police evidence photo-style image of a camouflage duffel bag on the dusty ground beside a rusted abandoned kitchen stove in overgrown bush, no people
Police evidence photo-style image of a camouflage duffel bag on the dusty ground beside a rusted abandoned kitchen stove in overgrown bush, no people (AI illustration)

In the courts, a 23-year-old trainee correctional officer was fined $4,500 after admitting to trying to smuggle drugs into prison. A Supreme Court judge ruled that Shakeem Munroe must still stand trial for murder, despite a five-year delay in getting a pathologist’s report.

Heroes, health and hope

On National Heroes Day, 425 people received national honours. Governor General Dame Cynthia Pratt conferred the awards. More than 200 received the Distinguished Service Medal, and 17 were honoured posthumously.

Nation-building is not the work of government alone. It is the work of every Bahamian who sees a chance to contribute.Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis

Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Michael Darville says construction on the new $285 million, 200-bed specialty hospital along the New Providence Highway should begin before the end of the year, to ease pressure on Princess Margaret Hospital. He also said the government is close to finalising a location for a halfway house for people with severe, chronic mental illness.

In travel, The Tribune reports that Bahamian passengers accuse Copa Airlines of leaving them without food, water and proper help during a nearly 12-hour ordeal on a flight diverted to Colombia.

It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Seabreeze MP Leslia Miller-Brice handed out more than a thousand pink and white shirts to constituents with a message about early detection. And a St. Augustine’s College graduate earned a $140,000 All-Bahamas Merit Scholarship after nine BGCSE A grades.

Visiting Nassau? Walk historic Bay Street and Fort Charlotte, then get conch at Arawak Cay, the Fish Fry. If you are here for Boxing Day or New Year’s, Junkanoo is unforgettable.

National sports: Bahamas golf ends Jamaica’s reign

The Bahamas Golf Federation’s 14-member team won the Caribbean Golf Association’s Four Ball Championship in the Turks and Caicos Islands over the weekend, ending Jamaica’s six-year championship streak. The Bahamas led from the end of round one to the finish and took home the Ambrose Gouthro Cup. The Tribune quoted officials calling it the greatest collective team achievement for Bahamian golf on the Caribbean stage.

Caribbean Four Ball Championship, final points

  1. 1. Bahamas88
  2. 2. Jamaica71
  3. 3. Trinidad & Tobago65
A group of golfers in matching team shirts celebrating with a silver trophy on a tropical golf course green with palm trees, faces not identifiable
A group of golfers in matching team shirts celebrating with a silver trophy on a tropical golf course green with palm trees, faces not identifiable (AI illustration)

Junior golfers Tyhler Rolle and Amari Jones advanced as the two qualifiers in the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Junior Golf Front Nine Championships at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island.

In basketball, Buddy Hield is showing off his shooting for the Chicago Bulls in the preseason, and VJ Edgecombe had another strong scoring night for the Philadelphia 76ers. In Turkey, Kai Jones posted a double-double and was named MVP as Anadolu Efes beat Bordo Sportif Balıkesir 85–79.

Mark your calendars: the YES Bahamas HBCU Football Classic returns after more than a decade, with Morehouse College facing Kentucky State University on November 7 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Stadium.

Our advice to you

Look out for each other. If you have information about a crime, call it in, but leave justice to the courts. Support small businesses on the Family Islands: when the mailboat is late or the lights go out, they keep going. Book the guest house, hire the local guide, buy the bread at the bakery.

Boaters, check the weather before you leave, tell someone your float plan, and carry extra fuel and water in the Out Islands. Ladies, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so book your screening. Early detection saves lives.

CreditsThis news was sponsored by PayDat LLC and researched by Michael Elijah Muhammad Clare. Sources cited in this briefing include The Nassau Guardian, The Tribune, Tribune Business, Eyewitness News, Our News, Bahamas Latest, Inside Climate News, CruiseMapper and the U.S. National Weather Service. Statements made in court are allegations, and accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Sponsor this briefingWant your business on the next Bahamas Islands Briefing? WhatsApp 242-817-9293 or support via Stripe at https://buy.stripe.com/28E14m49AgeEcOo7l1bV602. Absolutely no pornography.
Bahama Drama · The Bahamas Islands Briefing · Full Edition · Tuesday, October 13, 2026 · 6:30 PM Bahamas time
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