The lovely views and sunsets that one can fully appreciate while on a Caribbean vacation are simply spectacular.

Vacationers who love to spend time by the poolside are indeed going to be taken aback by the incredible types of pools designs that these brilliant and dedicated people of the Caribbean tend to be interested in creating.

Pools that have a view of the ocean from within them and of some beautiful proportions as well. The Bahamas is truly a diligent student in the classroom when it come to creating some of the best atmospheres in the planet.

Source: Sol-y-sol

Actor John Travolta and his legal team are dismayed that the alleged behavior of a juror led to a mistrial in the case of two people accused of attempting to extort millions from Travolta, his representative said.

John Travolta, center, and his wife, Kelly Preston, enter the courthouse in the Bahamas last month.

"We are disappointed to hear about the alleged juror misconduct since we know that the Bahamian government, the court, the other jurors and John Travolta as the victim want to have this matter adjudicated through the judicial system," Samantha Mast said late Wednesday night.
"Mr. Travolta has and will continue to cooperate with the Bahamian authorities in the prosecution of the defendants for extortion."

The Bahamian judge said she believed someone in the jury had had inappropriate communications outside of the jury room, where jurors had been deliberating for eight hours. The judge received information that an announcement had been made at a local political rally that one of the defendants had been found not guilty.

Tarino Lightbourn, a paramedic, and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater - who also is Lightbourn's lawyer - are charged with trying to extort money from Travolta after his son Jett's death from a seizure on January 2.

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The College of the Bahamas, in conjunction with the Construction Seminar Group, will host the Caribbean's first Nobel Prize winner for literature Derek Walcott for two exciting events in November. This will be the first time that the Bahamas has ever hosted a Nobel Laureate.

Honoured by the MacArthur Foundation, the Royal Society of Literature and Her Majesty the Queen, Mr Walcott is an outspoken poet, playwright, writer and visual artist.

He will present on the topic "Art, Politics and Caribbean Culture" at the college's signature Anatol Rodgers Memorial Lecture Series on Thursday, November 12.

Mr Walcott will also address the 2009 Construction Seminar on the impact of foreign direct investment on the development of the Caribbean on Friday, November 13.

"Hosting a Nobel Laureate in the Bahamas is a highly celebrated achievement and comes on the heels of President Barack Obama being awarded the Nobel Prize for extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and his support for nuclear arms reduction," the college noted in a statement.

Source: The Tribune (Nassau)

AN EXUBERANT crowd cheered on newly elected PLP deputy leader Philip "Brave" Davis as he stepped up to the convention stage last night, buoyant in his victory and filled with enthusiasm for his new post.

The MP for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador exclaimed that he will do everything in his power to move the party into government and work in a government of action.

The new deputy leader led an ardent campaign driven by a team of tenacious young Bahamians and seasoned politicians to ensure he would secure the position above contenders Senator Jerome Fitzgerald and West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe.

Mr Davis won around 760 votes, while Mr Wilchcombe won 400 and Senator Fitzgerald won 200, and in the same way Mr Davis intends to ensure the PLP wins the government in the 2012 general election. Bowing to former deputy leader Cynthia "Mother" Pratt, who held the position for 12 years and was the country's first female deputy prime minister, Mr Davis paid credit to the party's rich history before he expounding his vision for the way forward.

Mr Davis exclaimed:

"The Bahamas is moving in the wrong direction! Education is in crisis! There is a serious lack of economic activity and the fear of crime is paralysing our nation!
"The problems of this country loom large on the horizon and so while the celebration that will invariably and deservedly follow in the next day or two have their place, we must remember that our mission is to change the Bahamas.
"There is much work to do, but together we can do it, because we have done it before."

Mr Davis vowed to change the Bahamas for the better by tackling crime through revision of the penal code to ensure there are stiff penalties to deter offenders.

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The Government has spent $16 million in unemployment benefits to displaced Bahamian workers over the past six months, Minister of National Security, the Hon O A T ‘Tommy’ Turnquest confirmed.

Addressing the two-day Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Social Security Meeting in New Providence, October 22, Mr Turnquest said the payment, made possible through the Unemployment Benefit by the National Insurance Board, was part of Government’s “decisive action” to bring relief to Bahamians during the current world economic situation.

The money was paid out to 12,000 unemployed Bahamians.

“This is money that, from all indications, has been well spent,” Mr Turnquest said. “It has helped to compensate for loss of wages and has contributed to our efforts to sustain our economy.”

The current world economic situation has “pointed out shortcomings” and “a lack of flexibility” in many of the regional social security schemes and has forced regional governments to re-examine those systems, he said.

The current world recession has also forced, particularly regional governments, to re-examine their social security systems now and in the way forward, he said.

Social security systems have also been taxed by a decrease in the contribution base, the increasing demands for benefit payments to offset the financial challenges of the current economic environment, and the “strident calls” facing the region to increase benefits and expand coverage as “real dollar values are declining,” the Minister said.

“Economic trends in our countries and our region have not been encouraging in recent years, as globalization and trade liberalization continue to bring about significant changes in the global economy,” Mr Turnquest said.

“Many of our countries have struggled, and continue to struggle, particularly over the past year, with negative or declining economic growth, resulting in consequential changes in all facets of national life, particularly in the economic and social areas. We know that the current economic crisis has compounded the situation for all of our countries,” Mr Turnquest added.

In these circumstances, he added, the need for, and value of, social security systems have come into sharp focus even as financial protection through social security has gained in acceptance and importance worldwide.

“In the face of the current crisis, the Government of The Bahamas has acted decisively and quickly in many areas,” Mr Turnquest said.

Source: Bahamas Weekly