NASSAU MONTHLY - JULY 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NASSAU 000461

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON POL PGOV BF
SUBJECT: NASSAU MONTHLY - JULY 2009


1. This is a monthly report on a variety of topics of interest
which do not merit full reporting cables.

-- Containing Swine Flu
-- 700 Haitian Migrants Apprehended in Two Weeks
-- Land Profiteering: Who's to Blame?
-- Controversy over Relocation of the Shipping Container Port
-- Bahamas Breeds Super Sheep
-- World's Largest Cruise Ship to Visit Nassau

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CONTAINING SWINE FLU
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2. Local media reported a large increase in confirmed H1N1
infections in The Bahamas, jumping from six cases July 8 to 28 cases
as of July 27. Minister of Health Hubert Minnis told reporters that
the infections are scattered throughout Nassau and the Family
Islands and attributed the surge to the summer travel season.
Minnis confirmed that there have been no H1N1-related deaths in The
Bahamas and expressed confidence that a mass distribution of
anti-viral medicine was not needed.
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700 HAITIAN MIGRANTS
APPREHENDED IN TWO WEEKS
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3. Over 700 Haitians were apprehended in Bahamian waters from July
15 to July 29, marking one of the busiest migration periods in 2009.
The apprehended migrants are being held in detention centers,
awaiting repatriation to Haiti. Prime Minister Ingraham visited
Haiti on July 16 and appealed to Haitian President Rene Preval to
address the increasing flow of Haitian migrants entering The
Bahamas. Haitian Ambassador to The Bahamas Louis Joseph told local
media that although Haiti is doing all it can to discourage people
from attempting the dangerous journey, "no people will stay at home
dying of poverty and hunger." In an effort to lend support to the
struggling Haitian economy, PM Ingraham announced that The Bahamas
will begin importing agricultural products directly from Haiti.

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LAND PROFITEERING: WHO's TO BLAME?
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4. A committee headed by opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)
MP Fred Mitchell will investigate allegations of corruption over
large areas of government owned land, known as crown land. At
Mitchell's urging, Parliament unanimously voted to create the
committee on July 15. The MP blamed the Department of Lands and
Surveys for the alleged inappropriate land transfers. The Department
of Lands and Surveys was led by Tex Turnquest who resigned earlier
this year after allegations of corruption. Debate ensued in the
local media as the government and opposition leaders pointed fingers
at each other. PLP members have vocally accused the FNM
administration of corruption and profiteering. Prime Minister
Ingraham told local media that the PLP administration governed more
than 20 of the 26 years in question, and encouraged the committee to
complete investigations. The National Development Party (NDP) said
that neither party can objectively investigate the matter, and
encouraged the creation of a Freedom of Information Act to address
such matters. In the meantime, the committee will continue to
investigate whether corruption was involved in grants of crown
land.

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CONTROVERSY OVER RELOCATION
OF THE SHIPPING CONTAINER
PORT CONTINUES
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5. PLP Senator Jerome Fitzgerald launched a campaign on July 10 to
educate Bahamians about what he believes are the negative
environmental effects of the relocation of Nassau's main shipping
container port from its current location in downtown Nassau to
Arawak Cay. In addition to criticizing the FNM administration for
the "secrecy" surrounding the port relocation, Fitzgerald said
construction in Arawak Cay will result in environmental disasters
for marine life. Minister of Environment Earl Deveaux told local
media that the environmental impact of the port move will be minimal
and noted that Fitzgerald was president of a firm that wanted to use
the Arawak Cay location to construct a water desalinization plant in

2006. Fitzgerald indicated that he is looking for a legal option to
halt the project until more information on the reasons for building
on Arawak Cay is divulged.

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BAHAMAS BREEDS SUPER SHEEP
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6. Representatives at the Ministry of Agriculture told local media
that the purchase of $125,000 worth of "champion" goat and sheep
embryos in 2008 was a highly successful move for the country. The
Ministry reported that 108 surrogate Bahamian sheep and goats were

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implanted with the embryos in January and today 95 top quality kids
and lambs are now thriving. The Ministry said these "sons and
daughters of champions" amount to almost a million dollars in
quality livestock. The next step will see some of these "super
animals" made available to Bahamian farmers who can breed them with
their herds in the hopes of enhancing the quality and quantity of
sheep and goat meat available in the country. Ministry
representatives said this initiative will address the shortage of
locally produced quality meat. The Minister of Agriculture told
local media that the Bahamas "is now on its way to becoming
self-sufficient in the production of goat and sheep meat within 10
years."

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WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE
SHIP TO VISIT NASSAU
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7. The largest cruise ship in operation - Royal Caribbean's Freedom
of the Seas - will make its inaugural voyage to The Bahamas on
August 15. This mega liner, which accommodates 4,000 passengers and
crew, is scheduled to arrive only weeks after completion of the
dredging of Nassau's cruise ship harbor. The dredging project,
which began earlier this year, is being done to allow mega cruise
liners to dock in Nassau. Royal Caribbean's Genesis class ship,
which holds up to 5,400 passengers and crew, is scheduled to make
its inaugural voyage to The Bahamas in December. The Government of
The Bahamas (GCOB) has been working around the clock to accommodate
the new mega class of cruise ships in the hopes that extra
passengers on shore will provide a needed boost to the Bahamian
economy.

ELMO