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Govt says: We’ve accepted 80-90% of non-profit needs

The Government believes it has “accommodated 80-90 percent” of non-profit concerns over plans to regulate the sector, although it remains on a collision course with the church.

Empowerment zone could also help Family Islands

THE government wants the Economic Empowerment Zone Act’s provisions to surpass the confines of New Providence and aid the advancement of Family Island economies where there is an urgent need for support.However, it is unclear how the new law, which w

$1m budget for Freedom of Information

THE government has allocated just over $1m to assist in defraying the cost of bringing the Freedom of Information Act into effect, Attorney General Carl Bethel announced yesterday.The funds were presented as a budgetary line item in a list of allocat

Bethel: ‘Spy Bill’ not set in stone

AMID calls for the Interception of the Communication Bill to be permanently shelved, Attorney General Carl Bethel yesterday said the proposed legislation in its current form could “possibly” be amended, adding consideration will be given to additional changes at the Cabinet level.

Bill to expand power to tackle terrorist threats

THE government tabled the Anti-Terrorism Bill 2018 yesterday, which greatly increases the scope of authorities’ ability to address terrorist threats beyond what is currently legislated in the 2004 Anti-Terrorism Act.The bill aims to “strengthen The B

Full steam ahead for FOI act

THE Minnis administration has set its sight on the full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act within this upcoming budgetary year.

AG seeks to reinforce powers for deportation

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel revealed upcoming amendments to the country’s immigration laws which will strengthen the detention powers of the Department of Immigration and “make it clear” the minister of immigration has the right to order the deportation of “illegal aliens” without first obtaining a court order.

AG: Only two decades to consider oil production

THE prospect of oil production was thrust back into the spotlight by Attorney General Carl Bethel yesterday during his contribution to the mid-year budget debate, with him telling parliamentarians the country only had another two decades to consider

Bahamas rejects UN Human Rights proposals due to ‘Christian values’

THE Bahamas, in its United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) review last January, strongly rejected proposals to address discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity as they were seen as being against the country’s respect for Christian values.

Corporate taxation on the way for Bahamas

The Government’s planned legal reforms pave the way for the introduction of “corporate taxation” on a wide range of Bahamian financial services products, it was revealed yesterday.

Bethel: Any marital violence a crime

AS his office puts the final touches on amendments to the Sexual Offences Act, Attorney General Carl Bethel yesterday made clear proposed marriage controls shopped by the Bahamas Christian Council will not be accepted “quid pro quo”.

AG – absent officers ‘no great concern’

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel yesterday called the absence of two police officers in court proceedings related to the Cabbage Beach access case “difficult to accept but not unusual”.

New section enacted in Freedom of Information Act for whistle blowers

PROTECTIONS for whistle-blowers in the Freedom of Information Act 2017 (FOIA) were brought into force this month.FOIA Section 47 came into operation on March 1, according to a notice tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday.There is still no date as

Smith hits back at ‘cowardly’ Bethel

FRED Smith, QC, has condemned Attorney General Carl Bethel for his “cowardly and shameful attempt to muzzle freedom of expression” and “intimidate” activists who he said are only seeking to educate the public about their rights.

Bethel blasts activists – ‘free speech has limits’

THE country’s top prosecutor has pledged to defend the country’s borders and the “patrimony of Bahamians” from a “long-running silent invasion,” as he hit out at human rights group Rights Bahamas for disseminating “inflammatory” and “misleading” information about the country’s immigration laws.

‘Zero tolerance on domestic abuse’

AS HE denounced MICAL MP Miriam Emmanuel’s “ill-advised” comments yesterday, Attorney General Carl Bethel said no form of domestic violence is tolerated by Bahamian law, adding the country is beyond the days of patrimonial control of the family.

‘Rake and scrape’ days are over

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel yesterday discouraged ethnic profiling and sweeping apprehensions as he remarked on the government’s difficulty in defending its position in court on immigration matters.

AG hints at Bail Act change

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel suggested yesterday the government may reconsider previous amendments to the Bail Act which withdrew the authority to grant bail in certain offences from magistrates.

60 per cent drop in use of nolle prosequis

THE use of nolle prosequi orders to hack away at the backlog of criminal matters before the courts decreased by more than 60 percent in 2017 compared with the previous year, Attorney General Carl Bethel said yesterday.

Bethel acts to address marital rape

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel told The Tribune yesterday an amendment to the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act has been drafted in response to widespread calls from the public for the Minnis administration to criminalise marital rape.

28 deaths - but still no inquests

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel said yesterday the lack of inquests into police-involved killings and in-custody deaths over a number of years is “distressing” and “unacceptable” and his administration will deal with the matter aggressively.

Marital agenda comments put issue on govt's agenda

EXPRESSING surprise at comments made by a representative of the United Nations on marital rape over the weekend, Attorney General Carl Bethel said yesterday that though the issue was not on the government’s radar previously, “now it is”.“Everybody ha

$250k limit not open door for residency

THE government’s decision to place the investment threshold of the Commercial Enterprises Bill to $250,000 was made to prevent a potential run on permanent residency status by investors, Attorney General Carl Bethel suggested in the Senate yesterday.

One year deadline to hand over foreign jobs

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel yesterday said for every foreigner given a work permit under the Commercial Enterprises Bill, a Bahamian must be trained for that position within a year.

Enterprise Bill ‘will be made law’

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel yesterday made it clear that government intends to pass the Commercial Enterprises Bill into law in its current form.

AG warns against false advisory on social media monitoring

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel yesterday warned against a viral false advisory on social media monitoring.Mr Bethel, Minister of Legal Affairs, said the anonymous and untrue posting was also circulated widely before the 2017 general elections.He noted

Pledge to protect whistleblowers

THE MINNIS administration is seeking to immediately implement protections for whistleblowers in the Freedom of Information Act, despite not having a date as to when the entire legislation will be revised and fully enacted, according to Attorney General Carl Bethel.

AG: Caribbean Court has not departed from Privy Council on death penalty

ANYONE who thinks adopting the Caribbean Court of Justice as the Bahamas' final court of appeal in order to circumvent the Privy Council's "disciplines" on the death penalty will be "sorely disappointed", according to Attorney General Carl Bethel.

FNM in spy bill change

THE Minnis Administration will amend its Interception of Communication Bill to ensure the Minister of National Security does not have the power to authorize use of listening devices, Attorney General Carl Bethel announced in the Senate yesterday.

AG: Bahamas ‘in danger’ over money launder flaws

The Attorney General yesterday slammed deficiencies in this nation’s anti-money laundering regime as “entirely unacceptable”, warning they had put the Bahamas “in great danger”.

Bethel plays down end of Laroda appointment on disclosures process

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel suggested yesterday that the expiration of Myles Laroda’s appointment as chairman of the Public Disclosure Commission does not affect the government’s ongoing process to have delinquent parliamentarians and senators file

'20,000 people' without indoor toilet facilities

BEFORE the Minnis administration rolls out legislation to regulate its inner-city incentives plan - an initiative which was a part of its 2017 campaign - the government plans to carry out an intense study of Over-the-Hill areas taking into account ve

‘Growing list’ for director of prosecutions

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel said yesterday there is a “growing list” before the director of public prosecutions of allegations of misconduct, misfeasance and misappropriation concerning situations that occurred under the former Christie administration.

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