Today in History: May 30

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On this day in Bahamian history, in 1930, the Grant’s Town Library was officially opened by Governor Charles Orr. It was originally located above the Grant’s Town Post Office.

However, during the Burma Road Riots of June 1st – 2nd, 1942 both the library and post office were destroyed by fire by the rioting crowd.

In 1951, it was reopened as the Lillian G. Weir-Coakley Public Library, after lobbying by now deceased former Members of Parliament Bert Cambridge and Dr. Claudius Walker.

Then fast forward to 2019, when hundreds of hotel workers went on strike, workers lining up outside the national stadium. It came days after union leaders burned a proposal from the hotel association. Union President Darren Woods said workers wages and benefits didn’t reflect the so called banner year in tourism.

Also in 2019, then Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest defended government’s $240 million revenue shortfall, insisting they did not have a crystal ball to predict what projections would be met.

Then in 2020, the government’s state of emergency in response to the recently declared global COVID-19 pandemic extended to May 30.

The COVID-19 emergency orders 2020 was amended a month before to include fines for people who violated quarantine.

And, finally on this day in 2022 the country learned of a weapons crackdown in the face of an increasing crime wave.

Prime Minister Philip Davis promised the crackdown on gun trafficking at a regional meeting of police chiefs.