Methylene chloride is gradually being phased out of paint strippers. In some US states it is impossible to get it already. The 'new' paint strippers use causitc soda which is nowhere near as good

FYI Methylene Chloride is also used in the dry cleaning business and also (in some cases) to remove caffeine from coffee.

With a boiling point less than 40 Celsius, it is very volatile and doesn't hang around for long. Not flammable either.

Not weird at all. They have to run a full spectrum of tests during forensic pathology in order to rule out other potential causes. Some of these test by their very nature can take weeks to obtain results They can't just test for one thing and move on.

Correct, AC's don't produce CO. It's possible that some sort of diesel or petrol generator may have been positioned close to the air intake of the A/C system. Also, depends on whether the villas have central A/C or Splits.

And like Tribanon states below, there is no law in The Bahamas about having CO detectors/alarms installed, although one would think Sandals, being the size that it is, would insist on having CO alarms in all it's locations

Exactly.

Also, forensic toxicology testing takes at least 2 weeks (sometimes months) due to the number of specimens and number of tests that have to be performed

With all due respect Mr Robson, the requirements to get into the USA from anywhere in the world (24hr negative antigen test) are stricter than getting into The Bahamas (72 hr negative antigen test). Not only that, the cost of getting a test for travel (no symptoms) in the US can be as much as 8-10 times more expensive than here. Maybe your clients should be made aware of this.

"*gifts from all over the world could be purchased at duty free prices.*"

Unfortunately 'duty free' is no longer relevant with the advent of online shopping. Fine quality items that were not so easy to get, are now readily available online for cheaper prices (including taxes) than can be obtained duty free in The Bahamas.

"*Back in the day you could buy fine china, crystal, figurines, cameras, duty free liquors, beauty products, toiletries, watches, fine fashions - all from top brand name companies.*"

The current generation has little or no interest in these items, and if they do, they can get them online.

I think there is still a place for genuine Bahamian handicrafts, but unfortunately most strawmarket vendors are only interested in selling cheap chinese made souvenirs, given that most of the cruise ships that come here are the budget cruises with lower class (living on a budget) passengers, who can't afford to spend $$$$$ on genuine Bahamian handicrafts. If we can attract more high end luxury cruise ships, then those passengers would probably purchase more expensive locally made handicrafts.

Actually, both sides are guilty of not undertaking their obligations in both the Minsk I and Minsk II agreements, so stop your one-sided finger pointing. Russia has repeatedly stated that the accords don't apply to them because they were not involved in the conflict. - yeah, right!

The letter writer needs to realize that "Big Pharma" has absolutely nothing to do with his complaint. It's "Big Health Insurance" that he needs to air his grievance with. Big Pharma does not perform health exams.

Unfortunately not so. The contracts are negotiated between the insurance company and service provider. Once contracted the service provider is considered "in network" so if you have coverage through insurance company ABC, for example, you can go to any "in-network" provider and be guaranteed coverage (payment) from ABC. If you elect to go to an "out of network" provider, ABC will likely not cover all of the costs, and there is no guarantee that the out of network provider will charge you less.
I'm pretty sure there is some history to why it's done this way. My guess is it has something to do with providers and/or insurance companies, sticking it to patients in the past.

It's my understanding that the health care provider & insurance companies establish 'contracted prices' for specific procedures. Since the cost of the same procedure will vary, depending on geographical region (think of NY v's middle of nowhere), they establish these contracted prices to keep the health care provider somewhat honest, and to reduce paperwork in reviewing every single case. Also, the cost of identical procedures at the same location can vary, depending on the time taken & any apparent anomolies observed during the procedure.
So, the 'contracted price' between the insurance company & provider is frequently more than the cash price between Joe Public & provider