NASSAU, Bahamas -- Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie said the Government has been clear that its over-riding priorities are resolving the crime issue and addressing unemployment.

During his Contribution to the 2012/13 Budget Debate on June 13, the Prime Minister said the Minister of National Security stated that he needs more police officers and cars to fight crime.

"I am going to say today that I do not know that I could meet the immediate needs, one time, as Minister of Finance, but to assist with the attainment of the objective, we will over the next 18-months, purchase at least 70 new vehicles for use by the police force, to show their presence over the breadth and depth of the streets in all areas. This will facilitate quicker response by the police."

It is the annual event that the students, faculty and staff at the Woodcock Primary School look forward to each year. Once again, students were all smiles on Wednesday, June13, as they welcomed U.S. Embassy's "Read to Lead" Volunteers and the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, John Armstrong to celebrate the close of the 2011-2012 academic year with an "Eats and Treats" event. The festivities included ice cream and cookies for Woodcock's students and staff to celebrate the students' commitment to reading and mark the end of a successful academic year.

For the last seven years, U.S. Embassy volunteers have traveled to Woodcock Primary School each week during the school year to read to students for 30 minutes as part of the Ministry of Education's national "Read to Lead" program.

NASSAU, Bahamas - Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, along with several cabinet ministers and senators, toured Phase Two of the construction site at Lynden Pindling International Airport, June 15. Phase Two commenced in the spring of 2012 with the demolition of the then existing US departures terminal and will end in the construction of a new international arrivals terminal and pier at 226,000 square feet. The budget for this phase is estimated to be around $129 million.

Mr. Christie said he was "happy" to be back at the airport, given that it is a project he initially started. "During my last term in government, we saw a need to expand the airport due to the many projects coming on stream at the time - Albany, South Ocean, Phase three of Kerzner International, Bahamar and the Ritz Carlton on Rose Island," said Mr. Christie. "As a result of what was going on, we new that we had to put the infrastructure in place to meet the needs that would have arisen."

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Twenty-four Grade-12 students from public and private secondary schools in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera, recently graduated from the Ministry of Health's Nursing Cadet Programme, many with the hopes of matriculating into the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing Programme at the College of The Bahamas.

The BSc. Programme is of four-year's duration and is fully funded by the Ministry of Health.

Participants also receive Government stipends. Ms. Camille Johnson, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, told the students that they have the opportunity to prove wrong the surveys that suggest that young people are unemployable.

NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Holy See-Vatican pledge to strengthen diplomatic relations in the areas of education, the rights and dignity of persons and serving the poor.

These sentiments were expressed during the Presentation of Credentials by His Excellency the Most Reverend Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to The Bahamas during a ceremony at Government House on Thursday, June 14, 2012.

FREEPORT, Bahamas -- Steve Loar, Professor of Art at Indiana University of Pennsylvania brought his top eleven students from his Three Dimensional Design class to Grand Bahama Island invited by The Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee and Cristina Zenato, UNEXSO.

One Island is a university-based research programme that investigates methods for creating art from common waste materials of the global consumer society. Steve and One Island were invited by Cristina Zenato of UNEXSO and Keep Grand Bahama Clean to create a sculpture from marine debris found on the beaches of Grand Bahama.

FREEPORT, Bahamas -- The Pilot Club of Freeport will chart what it has termed "an adventurous course through service" with the installation of its new slate of officers for 2012/2013. The 33-year-old service club held its installation dinner Saturday night at the Taino by the Sea Restaurant.Club president Linda Williams, 31, is an Operations Support Supervisor at RBC Royal Bank Bahamas Ltd. She holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Huddersfield and is currently completing an LLM in International Finance and Banking Law from the University of Liverpool.

A Pilot member for the past three years, Miss Williams previously served as Treasurer and President-Elect of the Pilot Club of Freeport. Installation guest speaker Senator Kwasi Thompson, lauded the ongoing community and civic-based initiatives of the Pilot Club of Freeport, and highlighted the importance of sound leadership.

WEST GRAND BAHAMA, Bahamas -- Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie gave his commitment to students, teachers and parents of the Eight Mile Rock High School to have the faculty in place by the next term for students to receive the best education possible. The Prime Minister brought the keynote address at the 2012 Commencement Exercise of the Eight Mile Rock High School, Thursday, June 14.

Before the Prime Minister spoke, Principal Dwayne Higgins presented his report on the 2011-12 school year and conditions at the institution. The Principal explained to Prime Minister Christie and other guests that certain courses like auto mechanics were in limbo, because teachers had not been replaced when they either left or retired.

WEST GRAND BAHAMA, Bahamas -- Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie used himself as an example to show graduating students how they can move beyond failures and disappointments and still go on to achieve success.

Dwayne Higgins, Principal of the Eight Mile Rock High School, invited the Prime Minister to give the keynote address at the 2012 Commencement Exercise in the school's gymnasium Thursday, June 14, 2012.

FREEPORT, Bahamas -- Deep Water Cay, - New management team Bill and Lisa Culbreath along with the Deep Water Cay family, were pleased to welcome local McLean's Town and Sweetings' Cay teachers to their island recently.

"We invited all the teachers for a special lunch to say thank you for all their efforts this year," said General Manager, Bill Culbreath.

FREEPORT, Bahamas -- The Grand Bahama Committee for The Bahamas' 39th Independence Celebration met June 17 to make final preparations for the celebrations which begin from July 6 and culminating on July 10.

Minister for Grand Bahama the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville told the meeting that "we in Grand Bahama are excited and confident that this year's celebration will meet the expectation and lay the foundation for the grand finale for the 40th Independence celebration next year.

On June 19, Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) operations center responded to an urgent request for emergency assistance from the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to support the medical evacuation of a Bahamian resident on Eleuthera.

The 7th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami, and Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater immediately approved the medical evacuation, and an OPBAT helicopter flew to Governors Harbour, Eleuthera where the patient, accompanied by a nurse, and a doctor were flown to Odyssey Airport in Nassau.

The Honorable Jerome Fitzgerald, Minister of Education, Science and Technology extends condolences to the families of the victims of the tragic boating accident which occurred on Sunday, 10th June, 2012 in waters near Abaco. Minister Fitzgerald is particularly saddened by the loss of the young persons who were all students of public schools in The Bahamas.

The Minister further stated that shortly after it was revealed that there were children on the vessel who attended public schools, guidance counsellors were sent to the respective to schools to provide counselling.

We can smell thousands of smells and taste only five flavors; sweet, salty, sour, bitter and a savory richness that the Japanese call "umame". But, as we taste wine, is there a sixth flavor- the price tag?

When doing a wine tasting, is your palate affected by knowing the price of a wine before you try it? If you are given a glass of wine from a bottle right after you were told it was a $1000 bottle, do you think you will view it differently?

Or if someone suggested a cheap bottle of wine was up for grabs, would that negatively affect the taster's palate? I would argue that to most amateur or "unpracticed" palates (and to some practiced palates), there are dollar signs attached. We probably would all rather think that this might not be the case, and that we can taste with for the merits of the wine itself, and that is entirely possible- but, let's play to human nature and say it is safe to say the best way to do that is blind tasting. Taste a wine with no knowledge of its value or what it is and see how you like it, what qualities does it have that you enjoy? Are there any qualities you do not care for? What is the body like?

Acting U.S. Chargé d'Affaires John Armstrong was among the invited guests attending a welcome reception for the Dance Theatre of Harlem delegation at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Franklyn Wilson on June 18, 2012.

The Nassau Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, in partnership with Atlantis resort and the U.S. Embassy, is cosponsoring the Dance Theatre of Harlem's visit to The Bahamas.

The LIS "Spare Change Campaign" has officially ended and the HSGB is very grateful for over $1500 raised to purchase Neem trees for the shelter grounds! (Thanks also to several individual donors who also donated for Neem trees!) Grade 7 at LIS won the challenge by raising the most money of any class - pictured here with shelter dog Bobbie.

This movie does not have a tagline. This is the journey of a boy as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

Ted Wiggins is an idealistic 12 year old boy who will do anything within his power to gain the love of the girl who is the object of his affection. Audrey is the dream girl of Ted and her wish to see a real tree is brought to his attention it begins an adventure that may change the walled city of Thneed-Ville. The Once-ler is the person who recounts how his discovery of the Truffula Forrest in the past led to its depletion and the departing of its guardian the Lorax.

In discussion about the Anglican Church many people remember King Henry VIII who broke from the Roman Catholic Church - but not much more. But it should be remembered, for all his deadly marital infidelities, Henry was earlier a staunch supporter of the Roman Church against the growing wave of Protestantism in northern Europe. For this service to the Vatican he was awarded the title of Defender of the Faith (interestingly Fid. Def. was inscribed on all British coins of the realm until very recently).

In fact the argument over Henry's intended divorce to Catherine of Aragon had more to do with Church politics than faith and morals. If his wife had been almost anybody else, an annulment of the marriage would have been a mere formality. However, Catherine was the daughter of the (very) Catholic monarchs of Spain.

For the first time, three local female junior track athletes and one female coach will represent The Bahamas in a 10 day Caribbean-focused youth exchange sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. The youth track and field exchange will take place from June 18 - June 28, 2012 with the goal of instilling leadership skills in emerging female athletes who can share the benefits of athletic participation - including improved health, greater self-esteem, and greater academic success - with other girls.

The Track and Field Youth Ambassadors include three up-in-coming track stars representing three islands of The Bahamas: 14 year old Dawayna Pratt of Nassau, 17 year old Rickera Moxey of the Exumas and 17 year old Rakeisha Knowles of Moore's Island, Abaco.

A group from the children's home and a record number of other worthy youngsters are going to enjoy this year's Sir Jack Hayward Soccer Camp thanks to the generosity of a large number of local businesses and individuals. Despite the tough economic times, organizers of the English Premier League-supported camp, which starts at Freeport Rugby Football Club next Monday, have had a really heartwarming response to their appeal for financial backing.

This event is in its eighth year in Grand Bahama and each time one of the key objectives has been to introduce the world's most popular sport to as many local children as possible whose parents cannot afford to pay the full fee.

Once again showing his commitment to the youth of our Country, Coach Norris Bain, watched one of his basketball players commit to furthering his career in sports and education.

On Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 Garth Brown a former student of Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy, home of the mighty Falcons, signed a letter of intent with Lamar State College, in Port Arthur, Texas.