AGP Executive Report

Blue Economy Push: The Small Business Development Centre and The Nature Conservancy launched an SBDC Blue Economy Accelerator to help Bahamian MSMEs move beyond fisheries into areas like coastal tourism, renewable/ocean energy, marine biotechnology, hydroponics, and conch farming, with training, mentorship, networking, and funding access. Energy Reality Check: A new report asks why the Caribbean—despite major solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and ocean resources—still relies heavily on imported fossil fuels, pointing to market disruption and policy/financing gaps. Health System Update: The NHIA says NHI provider payments have not stopped, with ongoing two-week processing and recent disbursements for lab and primary care services, amid political pressure over service disruptions. STEM Talent Spotlight: Bahamian students backed by FEM STEM Bahamas won Gold (STEM Presentation) and Silver (Environment) at the International Greenwich Olympiad in London, building a sensor-based mobility cane for people with visual impairments. Coral Resilience Research: Scientists report that some coral reefs may withstand warming better than expected, identifying large reef areas with potential resilience—relevant for Bahamas conservation planning. Youth STEM Recruitment: A summer camp and surveyor-focused science and math push aims to recruit young people into the Bahamas Young Surveyors Network, linking classroom learning to real career paths. Nassau Cruise Tech & Capacity: Nassau Cruise Port set a new single-day record with 33,254 passengers on June 8, underscoring the scale of logistics and infrastructure demands tied to tourism growth. Gene Therapy Warning: A report says an unapproved longevity gene therapy is set to be offered in places including the Bahamas, raising ethics and safety concerns over bypassing major clinical testing.

Bahamas STEM Win: Young Bahamian innovators returned from London with Gold and Silver at the International Greenwich Olympiad, powered by SmartSteps—a sensor-and-vibration mobility cane for people with visual impairments—built through a UNDP-supported after-school STEM programme. STEM Education Push: A new summer math and science camp initiative is recruiting for the Bahamas Young Surveyors Network, aiming to spark careers in surveying and address national skills needs. Coral Science for Conservation: New research maps large areas of coral reefs that may survive warming, including resilience potential tied to better protection—highlighting the Bahamas as a key reef region. Health Tech & Ethics Watch: A report says an unapproved “anti-ageing” gene therapy is being offered in countries including the Bahamas, raising serious concerns about bypassing rigorous clinical testing and major regulator approval. Digital Economy & Policy: A Bahamas digital identity strategy is advancing with maritime and border initiatives, while local lawmakers debate how to strengthen consumer protection and affordability.

Digital Finance & Policy: A new guide explains what CBDCs are and why countries are splitting—China and Europe pushing ahead while the US leans on regulated private stablecoins. Medical Ethics & Regulation: An unapproved anti-ageing gene therapy is reportedly set to be sold in Honduras, the Bahamas, and Panama without major regulator approval, raising serious safety concerns. Public Health Updates: At the World Health Assembly, member states recognized countries including the Bahamas for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis, while negotiations continued on pathogen sharing rules. STEM Education & Careers: Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute and partners are recruiting for the Bahamas Young Surveyors Network, aiming to steer students toward math- and science-linked careers. Climate Resilience for Reefs: Scientists report large areas of coral reefs that may withstand warming, with the Bahamas among key resilient reef regions—fuel for conservation planning. Local Tech & Governance: The Innovation Ministry is pushing digitalization of government services to replace slow, manual land and records processes. Health in the Community: A World Blood Donor Day drive in Grand Bahama highlighted ongoing demand and the role of the National Reference Lab in safe collection.

Coral Resilience Mapping: New research suggests climate-resilient coral reefs are far more widespread than thought, with the Bahamas among the key places that may withstand warming—good news for conservation planning. Queen Conch Mobile Lab: FAU and Cape Eleuthera Institute say The Bahamas’ Queen Conch Mobile Lab is now fully operational, with the first egg masses hatched and juveniles reared to help restore declining conch stocks. Workplace Safety Tech: The Department of Labour is moving toward drone-assisted inspections and better site inventories to strengthen surveillance and reduce construction accidents. STEM Summer Push: Nassau’s Bahamas Young Surveyors Network is recruiting students through a math-and-science summer camp style workshop, aiming to build future skills in surveying and related careers. Digital Economy & AI Policy: The Innovation Ministry is advancing plans for national AI legislation and a national AI committee, alongside broader digital economy efforts. Climate Finance for the Region: The World Bank’s IFC is investing up to US$15M into a Caribbean resilience debt fund that includes The Bahamas, targeting climate and sustainability projects. Health & Community: Grand Bahama marked World Blood Donor Day with a blood drive at Rand Memorial Hospital, backed by the National Reference Lab.

Coral Resilience Research: New mapping work suggests about a third of the world’s coral reefs may be able to survive or recover from climate change, with the Bahamas among the key locations—good news, but it also flags how much protection is still missing. Queen Conch Conservation Tech: FAU and The Island School’s Cape Eleuthera Queen Conch Conservancy reached a milestone with the Queen Conch Mobile Lab in Eleuthera producing first egg masses, successful hatches, and early juvenile conch—an applied science win for restoring a vital fishery. Workplace Safety Drones: The Bahamas Department of Labour plans drone-assisted inspections and better coordination of active construction-site tracking to strengthen hazard detection and compliance. Digital Government Push: A local op-ed argues for fully integrating government departments into a single digital system to cut delays, lost files, and manual processing bottlenecks. Climate & Weather Context: Saharan dust and wind shear are linked to a quieter Atlantic hurricane stretch, while heat remains a concern for the region. STEM-in-Action Learning: Disney Cruise Line’s “Discover Your Destiny” arts integration program brought Eleuthera students into real-world cultural and learning settings, supporting K–12 performing arts standards development.

AI Policy Push: Bahamas’ Innovation Ministry says it will set up a national AI committee to draft the country’s first AI legislation, with a permanent AI authority to govern safe, responsible use. Digital Government: The same ministry frames its work as modernizing government, building future readiness, developing talent, and driving national development. Workplace Safety Tech: Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle says drone-assisted inspections and a coordinated inventory of active construction sites will strengthen surveillance and reduce hazards. Marine Conservation Breakthrough: Eleuthera’s Queen Conch Mobile Lab is now fully operational after the first egg masses arrived and the first hatch succeeded, producing hundreds of juveniles for restoration. Climate Resilience for Reefs: A new global mapping effort suggests about one-third of coral reefs may be climate-resilient, with the Bahamas among the key locations. Tourism & Nature Economy: Andros leaders hear how endangered iguanas could become a land-based tourism pillar, while the Bahamas Development Bank highlights $22m in financing and points to new connectivity ideas. Health Community Action: World Blood Donor Day saw a blood drive in Grand Bahama with the National Reference Lab guiding collection for patients needing transfusions.

AI Policy Push: The Bahamas’ Innovation Ministry says it will set up a national Artificial Intelligence Committee to draft the country’s first AI legislation, with a future AI Authority to set guardrails for safe, responsible use. Digital Economy & Governance: The same budget debate frames the ministry’s mission as modernizing government, building future readiness, developing Bahamian talent, and driving national development. Marine Conservation Tech: Florida Atlantic University and Cape Eleuthera Institute report the Queen Conch Mobile Lab in Eleuthera is fully operational, with first egg masses hatched and juvenile conch produced for restoration. Workplace Safety Drones: The Department of Labour plans drone-assisted inspections, plus a national inventory of active construction sites, to strengthen surveillance and reduce jobsite hazards. Climate Resilience Research: A new coral mapping study suggests about a third of the world’s reefs may be climate-resilient, with the Bahamas among the key locations. Local Health Action: Grand Bahama’s blood drive for World Blood Donor Day highlights ongoing demand and the role of the National Reference Lab in safe collection. STEM in Sports: Triple jumper Jah-Nhai Perinchief returns from injury at the National Track and Field Championships, posting a 15.89m best as he rebuilds rhythm and speed.

Sports & Youth: Day One of the BAAA Junior and Senior National Championships delivered standout sprint hurdles, 100m hurdles, and field-event wins, including Denisha Cartwright (women’s 100m hurdles) and Oscar Smith (men’s 110m hurdles). Health & Community: In Grand Bahama, a World Blood Donor Day drive at Rand Memorial Hospital—guided by the National Reference Lab—mobilized donors, including police officers, to support patients needing blood for trauma, NICU, and sickle cell care. Marine Science & Conservation: Florida Atlantic University and Cape Eleuthera Institute say the Queen Conch Mobile Lab in Eleuthera is now fully operational, with the first egg masses hatched and juvenile conch produced to support the Cape Eleuthera Queen Conch Conservancy. Workplace Safety Tech: The Department of Labour plans drone-assisted inspections, plus a national inventory of active construction sites, to strengthen hazard monitoring and compliance. AI Policy: The Innovation Ministry will set up a National AI Committee to draft The Bahamas’ first AI legislation and later create a permanent AI Authority for oversight. Climate Resilience Research: A new global reef mapping effort suggests about one-third of coral reefs may be more climate-resilient than previously estimated, with the Bahamas among key locations.

Coral Conservation Breakthrough: Florida Atlantic University’s Queen Conch Mobile Lab in Eleuthera has reached a major milestone—first egg masses arrived and the first queen conch hatch succeeded, with about 200 juveniles already produced and more progressing through metamorphosis, supporting the Cape Eleuthera Queen Conch Conservancy. Workplace Safety Tech: The Bahamas Department of Labour is moving toward drone-assisted inspections, plus a coordinated inventory of active construction sites, to better spot hazards and strengthen compliance after a fatal workplace incident. Digital Policy Push: The Innovation Ministry says it will set up a national AI committee to draft the country’s first AI legislation and create a permanent AI authority to govern safe, responsible use. Banking Disruption Update: Bank of The Bahamas reports technical challenges after upgrading its Oracle core banking system, with teams working to restore full online and payment services. Climate-Resilient Reefs Mapping: New global research suggests about one-third of coral reefs may be climate-resilient, with the Bahamas among the key locations—good news for targeting protection. Tourism + Nature Economics: Andros conservation experts argue the endangered rock iguana could become a new land-based tourism pillar, helping diversify visitor experiences while protecting a unique species. Regional Finance for Resilience: The World Bank’s IFC plans up to US$15M into a Caribbean debt fund for climate resilience and sustainable development across 13 countries, including The Bahamas.

Queen Conch Conservation: Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch and The Island School’s Cape Eleuthera Institute say the Queen Conch Mobile Lab is now fully operational in Eleuthera, with the first egg masses arriving and the first successful hatch producing about 200 juveniles so far—aimed at restoring declining conch stocks across The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean. Workplace Safety Tech: The Department of Labour and the Ministry of Works plan drone-assisted inspections, plus a coordinated inventory of active construction sites, to strengthen hazard monitoring and compliance after a fatal construction incident. AI Governance Push: Innovation Minister Sebastian Bastian says a national AI committee will draft The Bahamas’ first AI legislation, setting up a permanent AI authority to govern safe, responsible use. Digital Finance Knowledge Share: H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and BVI Finance are bringing practical digital finance insights to the community via a free “Digital Assets Discovery Day” in Tortola. Coral Resilience Mapping: New global research estimates about a third of coral reefs may be climate-resilient, with improved reef mapping using depth and temperature data highlighting the Bahamas among key locations. Banking Disruption Update: Bank of The Bahamas says its Oracle core banking upgrade is still being troubleshot after major online disruptions, with technicians working to restore remaining impacts. Real Estate Tokenization Interest: A Bahamas real estate executive argues tokenized property could attract global capital, citing the country’s digital assets framework and luxury market. Labour Law Overhaul: Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle says Employment and Industrial Relations Act drafts are nearing completion, with stronger protections and enforcement expected after stakeholder review.

Queen Conch Conservation: Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and The Island School’s Cape Eleuthera Institute say the Queen Conch Mobile Lab is now fully operational in Eleuthera, with the first egg masses arriving and the first successful hatch—aiming to produce up to 2,000 juvenile conch annually to help restore declining stocks. Coral Climate Resilience: New global research reports that about 166,000 sq km of coral reefs across 71 countries have capacity to withstand or recover from warming, with a large share of climate-resilient reefs including the Bahamas—pushing for smarter protection where reefs can survive. Digital Government & AI Lawmaking: The Bahamas’ Innovation Ministry says it will set up a national AI committee to draft the country’s first AI legislation and create a permanent AI Authority to govern safe, responsible use. Banking Systems Update: Bank of The Bahamas says its Oracle core banking upgrade is causing technical challenges, with technicians working to restore full service after disruptions to online banking and payments. Marine Restoration on the Ground: Waterkeepers Bahamas and volunteers planted about 4,000 mangrove propagules at Dover Sound, highlighting community-led shoreline protection and habitat recovery. Lab-to-Classroom Tech: HLSCC’s Centre for Applied Marine Studies shared results from a marine plastic tracking study using GPS-enabled “smart bottles” deployed by students in the Virgin Islands.

AI Policy Push: The Bahamas’ Innovation Ministry says it will set up a national AI committee to draft the country’s first AI legislation, with a plan for a permanent AI authority to govern safe, responsible use. Digital Identity & Maritime Tech: The Bahamas Maritime Authority is rolling out a blockchain-secured Digital Seafarer Record Book, plus a pilot Digital Arrival Card for visitors—aimed at tamper-resistant credentials and smoother cross-border processing. Coral Science for Survival: New global research highlights that parts of coral reefs—including in the Bahamas—may withstand or recover from climate change, pointing to where protection efforts could matter most. Queen Conch Conservation: Eleuthera’s FAU Harbor Branch Queen Conch Mobile Lab is now fully operational after the first egg masses arrived and the first hatch succeeded, targeting up to 2,000 juvenile conch per year. Coastal Restoration: Waterkeepers Bahamas and volunteers planted about 4,000 mangroves at Dover Sound to stabilize shorelines and boost habitat resilience. Local Tech & Business: Bank of The Bahamas says its Oracle core banking upgrade is causing technical disruptions while technicians work to restore full service; meanwhile, UB Ignite is seeing strong fintech interest with 100+ pitches for incubation.

Digital Identity in the Bahamas: The Bahamas Maritime Authority launched a blockchain-secured Digital Seafarer Record Book, replacing paper with tamper-resistant digital service logs and QR verification, after a high-volume Carnival pilot; a separate Digital Arrival Card pilot is also underway to streamline visitor credentials. Marine Conservation (Queen Conch): FAU Harbor Branch’s Queen Conch Mobile Lab is now fully operational on Eleuthera, with first egg masses and the first hatch, aiming to produce up to 2,000 juvenile conch annually for regional restoration. Climate-Resilient Reefs: New global research finds 166,000 sq km of coral reefs across 71 countries have strong potential to survive climate change, with the Bahamas among key locations—though only 28% are actively protected. Banking Tech Disruption: Bank of The Bahamas says technical challenges after an Oracle core banking upgrade are being addressed by expert technicians, with updates promised as online and card/payment issues are resolved. Workforce & Education: Labour reforms near completion with new Employment and Industrial Relations drafts; meanwhile, Education Minister Chester Cooper flags a national shortage of about 300 teachers and new diploma pathways to lift graduation rates.

Marine Conservation in The Bahamas: Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, with The Island School’s Cape Eleuthera Institute and support from Chef José Andrés’ Longer Tables Fund, says the FAU Queen Conch Mobile Lab is now fully operational after the first egg masses arrived and the first hatch succeeded—aiming to produce up to 2,000 juvenile queen conch annually for regional restoration. Digital Identity for Bahamians: The Bahamas is rolling out a blockchain-secured Digital Seafarer Record Book and piloting a Digital Arrival Card, as part of broader plans to expand digital credentials and verification for travel and maritime services. STEM & Skills in Education: The Bahamas Education Ministry says new secondary diploma pathways (academic, vocational, and special education) are planned to lift graduation rates to 85% by 2030, while also flagging a national shortage of about 300 teachers. Fintech Talent Pipeline: UB Ignite reports over 100 people submitted fintech business ideas, with new fintech-focused courses coming next week to build local capacity in digital assets and payments. Coral Resilience Research: A new AI-assisted global study finds many coral reefs may be more climate-resilient than previously thought, offering hope for targeted conservation planning.

Digital Economy & AI Governance: The Bahamas is pushing a national digital ID plus AI legislation and AI skills training, with Minister Sebas Bastian saying AI will automate repetitive government work while protecting public servants and setting up an AI Authority with guardrails. Fintech Capacity Building: UB Ignite says more than 100 people pitched fintech ideas to its innovation incubator, as the university prepares fintech-focused courses to build local capability in payments and digital assets. Education Pipeline Under Pressure: Chester Cooper announced new diploma pathways starting in 2027 to lift graduation rates, while also flagging a national shortage of about 300 teachers and urging faster maintenance and staffing fixes ahead of the school year. Coral Reef Resilience for the Bahamas: A major Our Ocean Conference study reports the Bahamas has 32,105 sq km of climate-resilient reef habitat—about a third of the global resilient total—highlighting conservation priorities since only 28% of resilient reefs are actively protected. Tourism Math & Local Participation: Tourism Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin argues the country must grow stopover numbers and boost Bahamian participation, noting cruise dominates arrivals and spending compared with stopovers. Regional Tech & Health: CARICOM and PAHO are working to scale mother-to-child transmission prevention for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, including stronger lab and surveillance systems.

Digital Government & AI: Bahamas Minister Sebas Bastian says AI will automate parts of government work while keeping public servants in the loop, alongside a National Intelligence Committee, AI legislation, and an Artificial Intelligence Authority. National Digital ID: The government is also pushing a national digital ID using biometrics to unify online civic services, reduce login silos, and cut identity fraud. Coral Reef Resilience: A major study presented at the Our Ocean Conference finds about 166,000 sq km of coral reefs worldwide may be climate-resilient—roughly a third—with The Bahamas identified as a top hotspot for recovery potential. HIV/Hepatitis EMTCT: CARICOM and PAHO focused on scaling mother-to-child transmission prevention and strengthening lab and surveillance systems across member states. Postal Modernization Challenge: SVG Post faces a “dual crisis” of falling letter mail demand and unreliable regional transport, plus a need for faster digital modernization. Youth Digital Health Training: PAHO launched a virtual course on youth-centered digital health interventions, stressing youth participation in building solutions. Local STEM/Workforce: UB North commencement highlighted science and architecture graduates, while Fresh Start Programme graduates included IT and electrical training. Climate & Safety Tech: A report notes hurricanes are getting nastier and AI is being tested to speed forecasts, though limits remain. Community Fundraising: A Bahamas-based paddle team raised thousands for cystic fibrosis after an 82-mile journey to Florida. Transport Planning: New Providence’s Transport Strategy 2045 aims to improve corridors, safety, and smarter traffic management over two decades.