A Dog Attack Ends in a Court Order, 2,000 Meals for Teachers, and a Survivor’s Message: Early Edition Across The Bahamas

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

It was a quiet stretch across the islands, but not an empty one. In Nassau, a dog owner must pay a fine and compensation and have his dog put down, a breakfast-stand fight ends in a six-month sentence, and teachers got 2,000 free meals. Regulators rate three financial sectors “medium-high” for financial crime risk, a breast cancer survivor shares a message every woman should hear, and Exuma gets ready for its 20th Business Outlook.

Listen to the full briefing

Exuma: business on Thursday, and a Moss Town success story

The 20th annual Exuma Business Outlook is this Thursday, October 15, at the St. Andrew’s Community Centre in George Town. Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper leads the speakers, and the theme is “Strengthening Foundations for Long-Term Prosperity.”

An Exuma name also turned up in education news. The Tribune reports that Junell Johnson, a former head girl of Moss Town Primary School and the first recipient of the Charles “Chuck” Mackey Legacy Scholarship, spoke to students at a LevelUp Leaders 360 back-to-school workshop at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas. The free workshop was for students in Grades 4 to 6 and their families.

LevelUp Leaders 360 has now launched the 2027 Charles “Chuck” Mackey Legacy Scholarship Competition. It offers students and their parents or guardians academic coaching, character development, deportment training and parent coaching through the school year, and the winner receives a monetary award. The event also saw the launch of two school planners for Grades 4 to 6 by author Koschina L. Marshall.

There is still no ruling in the Supreme Court fight over the Rosewood Exuma project on Sampson Cay. We will report the decision when it comes down.

The southern islands: a quiet stretch

From Inagua and Mayaguana through Acklins, Crooked Island and Ragged Island, we found no new local headlines since our last briefing.

The same was true for Long Island, Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay. We are still watching for an update on the Long Island mailboat delays.

Eleuthera to Abaco: no new headlines

Eleuthera, Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini and Abaco had no fresh headlines in the latest reports we checked.

Grand Bahama: still searching

No new Grand Bahama headlines. The family of Lynda Pinder of Lewis Yard is still searching for her. If you have seen her, please call the police.

Nassau: a dog attack, a breakfast-stand fight and a theft charge

A man was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay a woman $3,000 in compensation after his dog attacked and injured her on Sumner Street, The Tribune reports. Ricardo Hinsley Jr, 42, pleaded guilty before Deputy Chief Magistrate Shaka Serville to causing harm by animal over the September 4 attack on Gweneth Rolle. If he fails to pay, he risks six months in prison. The court also ordered that his dog be put down.

In another case, Shaquille Thompson, 33, was sentenced to six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for injuring Dwayne Cooper during an altercation at Milsa Breakfast Stand on September 29. Thompson pleaded guilty to causing harm before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr and told the court he had let his anger get the better of him.

And Robinson Piervilus, 26, is accused of stealing $42,830.80 from four people he had access to by reason of service between March 14 and August 13. He pleaded not guilty before Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs to four counts of stealing by reason of service and money laundering. Bail was set at $9,900, and his trial is set for March 30. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Nassau: thank you, teachers

Titan Hospitality and the delivery company Kraven celebrated Teachers’ Day by providing 2,000 meals to educators and school staff across New Providence in appreciation of their contributions to students and schools, Our News reports.

Nassau: honouring service

The Royal Bahamas Police Force paid its final respects to the late Reserve Woman Constable 101 Carrol Martin. Family, friends and colleagues gathered at the Paul Farquharson Centre at Police Headquarters for her viewing, Bahamas Latest reports. Our condolences to her family.

Retired Chief Superintendent David Lockhart, who served more than 36 years in the Royal Bahamas Police Force, has been honoured by the Governor General for his service, and the U.S. Embassy Nassau joined in congratulating him.

Young people from Golden Gates took part in the National Youth March for the second consecutive year under the message “From Voice to Vision.” Golden Gates MP Pia Glover-Rolle helped bring the Golden Gates Youth Association & Council to life.

Business: who will lead next?

Leadership development specialist Simmone L. Bowe warns that Bahamian businesses risk a growing leadership vacuum as experienced workers retire and employees are promoted without being prepared to lead, Eyewitness News reports.

Bowe is hosting The Executive Edge: Leadership Intensive on Friday, October 16, at the Baha Mar Convention Center, featuring a fireside discussion with Roger Archer, District Head at Scotiabank, and Tanya Woodside, President of Woodside Brokerage.

National: regulators rate financial crime risk

Three of the four industries reviewed by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas have been rated “medium-high” for exposure to money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risks, Bahamas Latest reports: securities, digital assets, and corporate and trust services. The financial services segment, including money lenders, payment companies and financing businesses, was rated medium.

The securities sector holds about $256.6 billion in client assets, with around 86 percent of clients living abroad. Digital asset businesses number 32, with nearly 2.16 million clients and $33.65 billion in client assets. Corporate and trust service providers administer about 27,700 entities, roughly 7,800 of them with no apparent economic activity. None of the individual entities assessed received a high-risk rating.

National: “Cancer changed me, but it did not define me”

Zia Scantlebury-Wallace first found a lump in her armpit during the Covid-19 pandemic, but waited until November 2021 to have it biopsied, The Tribune reports. The results confirmed Stage 3 breast cancer. In March 2022 she had a single mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and targeted therapy with Herceptin. Today she takes anastrozole, which she expects to stay on for ten years, and she has moved toward a more plant-based diet and regular exercise.

She is sharing her story during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to give hope to women already diagnosed and to encourage others to schedule their annual mammograms.

Weather and our advice

For New Providence on Wednesday, the forecast calls for a high near 85°F, a low around 74°F, light east-northeast winds and about a 30 percent chance of a passing shower. The National Hurricane Center says tropical cyclone formation is not expected over the next seven days.

If you own a dog, keep it secured: one attack can cost you thousands of dollars, and your dog. If you feel your temper rising, walk away; six months in prison is not worth one argument. Ladies, do not wait: if you feel a lump or notice a change, get it checked, and book that mammogram. And go thank a teacher this week.