Archive for the ‘Essential’ Category

Dr Ewart Brown has resigned from his post as Bermuda’s Tourism Minister, freeing him to enter the race to become the island’s next Premier. Senator David Burch has replaced him.

The US government has delayed the passport requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative until January 1 2008 for land crossings at the Mexican and Canadian borders and for cruise passengers coming to the US from the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada or Bermuda. They amendment does not apply to those travelling by air, who are still required to have a passport from January 8 2007. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) believes the amendment doesn’t go far enough and has equated it to “a category 6 hurricane” in the Caribbean region.

The Bermuda Electric Light Company (BELCO) has announced that power has been restored to all homes affected by Hurricane Florence.

Hurricane Florence swept past Bermuda today, knocking out power to around 25,000 homes but causing very little permanent damage. The closest the core of the storm got to Bermuda was about 50 miles to the west.

Tropical Storm Florence has been upgraded to hurricane status and is expected to hit Bermuda around 10 am tomorrow. The Bermuda Regiment has been mobilised and Bermuda International Airport closed last night.

Bermuda is bracing itself for a hurricane as forecasters warn that Tropical Storm Florence is expected to reach hurricane strength and pass close to the island.

The Lantana Spa & Resort, which was due to open in late 2007, has been put on the market priced at $18.5 million through Coldwell Banker JW Bermuda Realty.

The Bermuda Department of Tourism has released an impressive set of tourism statistics for the quarter-ended June 2006. The figures reveal 228,781 visitors to the island during the period, a 29% jump on the corresponding period in 2005. Bermuda International Airport received 9,000 more passengers while cruise visitors increased by almost 40,000.

The Philatelic Bureau of the Bermuda Post Office has released a series of ‘Made in Bermuda’ stamps featuring the work of local craftsmen and artists including Desmond Fountain and Sharon Wilson.