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‘Surrender or become a target’ Wanted men urged to SUSPECTS BEING SOUGHT BY POLICE hand themselves in after spate of killings of the public to assist the Royal Bahamas Police Force in locating eight men police want to speak to in connection with homicide investigations. They are 27-year-old Alfred Bastian of Kemp Road; 29-year-old Amal Hunter aka “Bow” of Major’s Alley; 46-year-old Mario Deveaux aka Mario Fox of Market Street; 25-year-old Mark McKenzie of Blue Hills Heights; 33-year-old Patrick Goffee of Washington Street; 27-year-old Shawn Brown aka “Fire” of Rupert Dean Lane; and 25-year-old Christopher Joseph aka “Deebo’ of Kemp Road. Last night, the eighth named - 34-year-old Anton Wright aka “Banton” of East Street South - turned himself into police.

SEE PAGE SIX

16-YEAR-OLD BOY SHOT DEAD ‘AS HE WENT TO COMMIT CRIME’

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy was shot multiple times and killed early yesterday morning, minutes before police suspect the teenager was about to commit a crime.

The homicide took place shortly before 4am off Kemp Road and was the second fatal shooting in less than nine hours in the capital.

So far for January there have been 11 killings, ac-

cording to The Tribune’s records, already surpassing the eight people killed in the entire month of January, 2016.

Amid rumours that the teen, who was dressed all in black, wearing a mask and gloves, was shot during the commission of a crime, Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade said if the teen was not stopped “you may have had a description of (a) crime that you have never seen before in The Bahamas.”

SEE PAGE SIX

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‘SEND HOME STAFF WHO TURN VOTERS AWAY OVER ATTIRE’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

STAFF of the Parliamentary Registration Department who deny people the ability to register to vote because of their dress must be sent home, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Although Dr Nottage, who has responsibility for elections, said he has instructed Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall to send staff home who have set baseless criteria limiting people’s ability to register to vote, he said “people are still doing it”.

His comments came as he gave a comprehensive description of the government’s efforts to boost registration efforts, he said, that have largely failed to produce the desired outcome.

SEE PAGE NINE

BOUNDARY REPORT DELAYED AMID SLOW REGISTRATION

THE Constituencies Commission has stalled the release of its boundaries report in the hope that the sluggish voter registration will pick up considerably over the next few weeks.

House Speaker Dr Kendal Major, who is also the commission’s chair, told reporters yesterday that he was confident that members will be in a position to table the report “within two weeks or very shortly”.

The House of Assembly was adjourned until February 5 yesterday.

SEE PAGE NINE

MONCUR THREAT TO GUARDIAN EDITOR IN RADIO RANT

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By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

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By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade yesterday called the country’s murder count so far this month a “disgrace”, but stressed that many of the country’s recent killings stem from feuds over drugs and relationships.

Commissioner Greenslade said “prolific serial offenders” cannot remain “free in our communities to continue to create fear” and possibly commit more serious crimes.

He urged family members, friends and associates of serial criminals to “turn them into police before you become targets”.

At a press conference at Police Headquarters, he pleaded with members

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JANUARY 19, 2017

Biggest And Best!

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Volume: 113 No.40

The Tribune The Established 1903

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement Senator Rodney Moncur levelled another attack at female media professionals yesterday, this time taking aim at The Nassau Guardian’s Managing Editor Candia Dames.

The rabid, vitriolic attack was staged on Mr Moncur’s Freedom March radio show on ZSR102.5, in response to an article written by Ms Dames and published in the newspaper’s National Review section yesterday.

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Thursday, January 19, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 19, 2017, PAGE 3

Butler-Turner hints PAC to probe Baha Mar concessions

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net DESPITE facing considerable time constraints with an election date pending, Official Opposition Leader Loretta ButlerTurner revealed that the Public Accounts Committee plans to probe several matters of national interest, including Value-Added Tax (VAT) collected and the concessions agreed to restart the Baha Mar development.

She said the PAC expects to call the financial secretary before the group regarding the VAT funds.

Simon Wilson is acting in this capacity.

Mrs Butler-Turner, who is also chairman of the PAC, said The Pointe heads of agreement also will be a focus of the committee, which has the power to send for persons, papers and records.

In the House of Assembly yesterday, the Long Island MP regretted that despite an assurance from Prime Minister Perry Christie ahead of the parliamentary holiday recess that The Pointe’s heads of agreement would be tabled, this had not been done.

Mr Christie, she said, had promised to lay the document on the table at the first House session, which was last week.

“Mr Speaker, it’s important that we as legislators and the Bahamian people in particular know exactly what agreements the government of The Bahamas is entering to on our behalf,” Mrs Butler-Turner said.

“We heard final statements from ministers today. There was a report from the Minister of Health (Dr Perry

BH17_BiggestBest_1colx3.5 1/18/1

LORETTA BUTLER-TURNER, leader of Opposition in the House of Assembly.

Gomez) on something that happened last year at PAHO. “Mr Speaker, it’s important that we not lose track of the things that are promised to us and one of them certainly is the fact that we should have the heads of agreement tabled for The Pointe. The garage or the parking centre is obviously completed. I imagine from all of the banners that I am seeing as I drive along West Bay Street that they are getting ready to start some construction. I see that we have arrived at the point where all of the PR (public relations) is taking place, but yet we have no heads of agreement and certainly there are concessions that are being provided. We the Bahamian people still do not know.

“For instance, the next point Mr Speaker, I understand from the dailies that there is now a process for people to be hired at the Baha Mar which is fine, not

a problem. But we have yet, Mr Speaker, in this place to see the revised heads of agreement with regards to what’s happening at Baha Mar. We are just hearing everything about the concessions that are being provided and we have nothing which we could look at so we can say definitively as honourable members of this House to our constituents and the wider public exactly what is going on in the name of the Bahamian people.”

She continued: “Mr Speaker, we have got to be able to know this. Election season apparently is upon us and we are hoping that this doesn’t just get swept up in the euphoria of partying and people promoting themselves for re-election.

It is important that the Bahamian people be made aware.

“So, Mr Speaker, since it appears that we can’t get items tabled in this House of Assembly for us to be

able to see what is being done in the name of the Bahamian people, we will be convening the PAC committee very shortly and, Mr Speaker, I’d like to advise you that there are certain things that the PAC will be looking to seek answers to because it’s been so long in coming.”

“For example, we will definitely be questioning the financial secretary with regards to the VAT funds which have been collected to date and we would like to be able to report back to the Bahamian people the manner in which they have in fact been spent. Also, Mr Speaker, we believe that there are other areas that the PAC will certainly be convening to have questions on.

“So, Mr Speaker, I say all of that because in members’ statements, I figured we would have had some information forthcoming and we sat here patiently and yet we await that heads

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of agreement. So PAC will now do much of what we cannot get answers to,” she added.

The Pointe, a multi-million development, is being constructed by its owner, China Construction America (CCA). CCA also owns the adjacent British Colonial Hilton property and is Baha Mar’s main contractor.

Last week, the MP told Tribune Business that she was especially keen to confirm what had been agreed between the government and CCA over the ratio of Bahamian to Chinese workers on the construction, plus other aspects of the investment project.

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CONCERN FOR NOTTAGE DURING HOUSE ADJOURNMENT

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

BAIN and Grants Town MP Dr Bernard Nottage came under heightened scrutiny from his parliamentary colleagues yesterday after he appeared to become momentarily disoriented while addressing House Speaker Dr Kendal Major.

Dr Nottage, 71, had risen to adjourn the House but

instead took a seconds-long pause that did not break until Dr Major prompted him.

Minutes earlier, the leader of government business in the House of Assembly appeared to slur his words when setting a date for adjournment of the lower chamber to February 5.

He repeated the word, February, several times with a smile acknowledging his earlier mispronunciation.

Upon leaving the lower chamber, numerous MPs

expressed concern for Dr Nottage given the peculiar nature of his actions during such a routine exchange.

However, all parliamentarians declined to speculate publicly over the closing moments of the House.

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THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

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Bahamian airlines no longer taxed to fly over our airspace IT WAS announced by government last week that at long last Bahamian aircraft will no longer have to pay the US Federal Aviation Administration overflight fees to cross its own islands.

Our group of islands stretch the length of the area designated as Miami Oceanic east. This area is under the control of the FAA, which collects lucrative fees from any aircraft flying through it, including our own.

Suddenly, after years of inaction, The Bahamas has just awakened to the realisation that it has for many years been out of step with the rest of the world.

Under international law, countries require airlines and other aircraft to pay a fee for the right to fly over their airspace.

The administration of those rights for The Bahamas has always been performed by the FAA, meaning Bahamasair and other Bahamian-owned carriers also have had to pay the US for the right to fly over their own country, Tribune Business reported last week.

Capt Randy Butler, Sky Bahamas’ president and chief operating officer, was delighted to hear the news. To him it means an annual savings of $100,000, which he paid to US regulators to fly in Bahamian airspace.

For The Bahamas, it has meant years of lost revenue that could have been used for the upgrade of all of our airports throughout the islands. It also means that the extra fee towards these expenses can now be removed from passengers’ airline tickets. Cheaper fares usually translate into more passengers, resulting in more revenue for the country and its airports.

It is estimated that in the space of a year at least 511,000 planes pass through our sovereign airspace on their way to and from the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and mainland USA. But why has it taken so long for government to awaken to this lost opportunity?

According to documents obtained by The Tribune, over the past five years the FAA has been unable to enter into negotiations to conclude a bilateral revenue share agreement with the Ministry of Aviation and Transportation. Apparently, a proposal was submitted to government as far back as 2004.

And “in 2006, FAA presented Air Navigation Service Provider Proposal to the Bahamas, which provided for the United States to continue to provide Air Traffic Services for the upper airspace; the Government of the Bahamas to reimburse the FAA out of user fees collected by designated third party. Since then official dialogue commenced on the 26th March, 2014 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nassau with the hopes of finally formalizing an agreement between both ICAO member states.

“Under the Convention on International Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention), each State has the complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above the territory. While national sovereignty cannot be delegated,

the responsibility for the provision of air traffic services can be delegated. The Assembly Resolution A37-15 specifies that a state which delegates to another State the responsibility for providing air traffic services within airspace over its territory does so without derogation of its sovereignty.”

It is not only important that The Bahamas has now negotiated the rights of our own aircraft to fly over our airspace without charge, but that it should receive a reasonable fee from all the other airlines using our airspace. In, other words, if these fees are collected by the FAA a certain portion should be returned to TBahamas.

When Prime Minister Christie said that “considerable progress” is now being made on proposed arrangements for the management of this nation’s airspace, including plans to approach the International Civil Aviation Organisation for formal recognition of an expanded Bahamian Flight Information Region (FIR), “which would have economic benefits to the Bahamas and would be in the mutual interest of both countries with respect to aviation safety and security” surely he did not plan for the tiny Bahama to build a miniature Miami Air Traffic Control centre.

Such a thought would be a pipe dream, because not only would the cost be prohibitive, but Miami Air Traffic Control Centre does the job for us. How could we ever maintain such a centre when we cannot even keep our electrical power on is a mystery. Mr Christie even had reason to complain that the constant disruption in energy services had brought the government embarrassment as it took place the day before the opening ceremony of an international civil aviation conference.

To do the job that it does and cover the vast area that it controls, Miami Control Centre employs 356 highly trained personnel. In 2008, the average daily traffic count was 6,580 aircraft. The record breaking flight day was on January 2, 2005 when the controllers had to control 11,095 flights.

“Miami Centre is divided into four areas of operation with six areas of specialisation, and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It controls approximately 2.95 million cubic miles of airspace and shares boundaries with Houston Centre, Jacksonville Centre, New York Centre, San Juan CERAT, Turks & Caicos, the Bahamas, the Dominica Republic, Haiti and Cuba.”

Why would The Bahamas even contemplate trying to duplicate a system that takes care of it all? Another advantage would be that if anything goes wrong all liability would be borne by the US centre. Such liability would be so financially destructive that it would sink our country below our shallow seas.

It would be wise if government upgraded and maintained to first world standards what we now have.

Bring Anime to Atlantis!

EDITOR, The Tribune.\

WHILE Baha Mar is getting their workers into gear, I should be wondering on one thing.

There are many young teens and adults interested in Japanese animation, or commonly known as ‘Anime’ in America. ZNS had a few of those shows back then, and outside of The Bahamas. It’s much bigger, there’s dedicated fans of the medium and in their love for anime has spiraled into starting up conventions around Japan and the US. And more likely, The Bahamas is a tourist des-

tination after all. What if we can optimise the resorts on Paradise Island to host these events.

It does generate a great sum of cash, having a good chance to socialise with other people from Nassau to the United States (with people dressing up in their favourite anime or video game characters), this may improve our reputation with a troubling tourism industry. Some old people may get into anime as well.

All I’m saying here is to create an environment where a convention is possible. We need something else other than PLP and

FNM conventions.

Paradise Island’s resorts can work together to bring young people to interact with other people who like the medium. Even those who create anime shows to watch on the internet.

What we end up is a very interactive convention with fans and creators around Japan and America.

And this could put young people into a more social position to speak with others and have much better things to do in Nassau.

AMMAKA RUSSELL Nassau, January 17, 2017.

KPMG’s Britnell a hypocrite?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I READ with absolutely no surprise that KPMG’s Mark Britnell upset the business community at a recent Rotary luncheon.

I have wondered when the penny would finally drop and this country would wake up to the nonsense and self serving interests of KPMG and their health advisor Britnell.

He is no stranger to controversy in the United Kingdom having been nothing short of ostracised by the British government.

The Guardian Newspaper (UK) quotes him as saying “that the NHS would be better served by breaking with the mantra that all services should be free at the point of delivery, by allowing copayment, where patients

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net share the costs of care and drugs.” He goes on to say “It appears that countries that have a mixed blend of public and private provision, co-payment and social insurance are possibly more capable of providing resilient healthcare systems.”

Britnell’s comments seem sensible, so why then is he encouraging the Bahamian government to do something completely different (or so it seems)?

He continues to promote the introduction of NHI without the proper financial foundations nor the government health system strengthening in place. The private public partnership

they promote is nothing but a smoke screen. Doctors, of whom I know a number quite well, describe what he and the government propose as nothing short of a dictatorial and hostile public take over of the private system, a far cry from a partnership.

Mr Britnell, we encourage you to be consistent in your advice to governments regarding funding of health care reforms. Please don’t pretend an already struggling public healthcare system can provide a private level of care whilst destroying a presently efficient private system.

Mr Britnell, would you and your KPMG henchmen kindly go home!

JM Nassau, January 18, 2017.

UN’s LGBT agenda EDITOR, The Tribune.

WHO gave the UN the right to promote one particular lifestyle over another?

Of course we do not support violence against any gender but sorry unless there is a balance and the UN affords the same funding and importance, the important issue, an UN sponsored LGBT programme in any form on its own is wrong.

I wrote last week showing that the Obama Administration put considerable emphasis on Gay-LGBT Rights with the appointment of a full ranking Ambassador to

fly around the globe putting pressure on Governments.

The Ambassador visited countries who were diametrically opposed to LGBT but pressured the Government to accede to changing their laws to allow for Gay Rights and even Same Sex Marriage.

President-elect Trump has foreshadowed a radical change will come.

The composition of some of the UN Committees make a total mockery of sense how can you have acknowledged horrific violators of Human Rights on the UN Human Rights Committee?

The LGBT community

have no right to push their agenda on the majority and those who are heterosexual must simply promote, as best, to co-exist in equal respect.

Any Government playing politics with the Gay voting card is wrong.

We hear so often about Women’s Rights where is the entity providing the same safeguards for Male Rights?

We are constitutionally bound not to discriminate I suggest we are big time on this for pure political purposes.

W THOMPSON Nassau, January 17, 2017.

Baha Mar hiring EDITOR, The Tribune.

BAHA Mar ....... blatant discrimination over hiring?

Is it only PLP’s can apply?

Didn’t the past employees of Baha Mar get fully paid off so legally Baha Mar has no legal responsibility and the past employees were required to sign-off they had no claim?

This is correct so why are we hearing - previous employees have a preference for hiring?

I think I know - it was well known that the 2,000 past employees were conveniently selected from staunch PLP families and Constituencies which are PLP. If we are turning a new

page on Baha Mar let’s just do that and the door of opportunity be open to all Baha Mar has no responsibility to giving the past paid off employees any preference. Mr Prime Minister please cut this out.

MARVA ALBURY Nassau, January 18, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 19, 2017, PAGE 5

US woman sues Atlantis over claim of ‘bed bugs’

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AN AMERICAN woman is suing the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort after she was allegedly bitten by a “colony of bed bugs” living in the mattress of a hotel bed.

According to a report broadcast by CBS Miami yesterday, Cindi Avila and her husband, Mike, came to the Bahamas last year “looking for a weekend in paradise at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort,” but when they woke the following morning Mrs Avila was allegedly covered with bedbug bites.

“I really have never been

in such pain in my life. I mean, these things are just swelling up all over my body,” Mrs Avila said in a video said to have been shot several days after she returned from The Bahamas.

In the video, taken with the couple’s iPhone, Mrs Avila can be seen with at least a dozen red bug bites on her arms and neck.

In the video, dozens of little black bugs are also seen inside a mattress cover allegedly taken off the hotel bed. The couple said they stayed in the Royal Towers.

Mrs Avila was moved out of the room and the hotel provided compensation for the stay; however the couple told CBS Miami “hotel management seemed un-

concerned at the time”.

In a statement, Atlantis said the resort offered to pay for Mrs Avila’s medical bills but the hotel claims the couple turned down the offer and instead attempted on three occasions to “extract a large financial settlement” from the property.

“Atlantis, Paradise Island has the utmost concern and respect for every guest experience. Included in our protocol are very strict standards of hotel hygiene and cleanliness. In the unusual event we are made aware of a concern, we respond immediately to the situation and take the appropriate steps to remediate the problem as we did with Ms Avila,” the state-

ment said.

“When Ms Avila reported a concern about bedbugs in her room, the resort immediately took the room out of service, brought in the property’s professional pest company to eradicate the problem and provided compensation for her stay.

The property had no prior complaints regarding Ms Avila’s room and has had no reports of bedbugs in the room in the more than one year since her stay.

“The resort offered to reimburse Ms Avila for any medical bills resulting from her experience, which she declined. Since that time, Ms Avila has repeatedly, and through three different attorneys, attempted to

extract a large financial settlement from the resort and threatened intimidation in the media if her financial demands were not met.”

The statement continued: “Atlantis is dedicated to treating all guests fairly and handling claims professionally. We have engaged with Ms Avila directly and then her multiple prior attorneys continually over the year since this incident took place in an effort to resolve this matter. We regret that she has decided to take this course of action in a further effort to extract a large financial reward.”

Mrs Avila’s attorney, Michael Winkleman, told CBS Miami that he has handled a dozen hotel bedbug cases,

but nothing as bad as Mrs Avila’s.

“When you check into a hotel, the Atlantis hotel that is really a five-star hotel, that comes with expectations, one of which is the sheets are going to be clean and you’re not going to be eaten alive by bedbugs,” Mr Winkleman said.

Mrs Avila said that, through her lawsuit, “she just wants the hotel to feel her pain, and to protect others.”

The couple also claimed they had to “burn all the clothing and the suitcases” they carried on the trip out of fear that the bed bugs which are known to travel - may have returned with them.

MINNIS SLAMS BAHAMAS POWER AND LIGHT OVER BLACKOUTS

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday said the continued failures of Bahamas Power and Light cannot be forgiven or overlooked, stressing that scores of Bahamians are being forced to endure the company’s “terrible job” performance.

Dr Minnis’ critique came as residents in parts of New Providence suffered extended power cuts for periods up to 12 hours in some cases over the last two days.

One male resident of Delaporte stated: “Four hundred dollars, I just spent $400 on groceries on Saturday, gone. Fish, and everything, just bought and gone.

This company needs to get out of town. From 8.30 in the morning to 8.30pm, this is ridiculous. Everybody cannot afford a generator.

“This has to go beyond sending out a press release about some failure, no that’s not going to cut it.”

In response to the outages, BPL said on Tuesday that it was battling “substantial” problems at its Windsor Field substation.

BPL’s Corporate Communication’s Manager Arnette Ingraham said teams were troubleshooting all day Tuesday, without success, to reconnect the entire portion of the island.

Despite the effort, however, extended blackouts were reported in the South

A BPL truck on the road carrying out repairs.

Beach area Wednesday. going problems prove that “We said that BPL is doing it is time for the country a terrible job. We are contin- to move away from energy uously experiencing black- generated by fossil fuels. outs within our nation,” said He added that The BaDr Minnis on Wednesday. hamas was in a position to “Many individuals because completely sustain itself of the blackouts and the through renewable forms of surges are losing their equip- energy. ment, be it refrigerators, be “(This) points out why it is it computers, be it washing so essential for this governmachines, dryers, etc. ment to be removed, look at “But there is no recourse. today, all of this beautiful These are individuals who sunlight, oh my Lord, it is have worked all of their a natural economy. Should lives to accumulate these we not move to solar? things to improve the qual“(BPL) needs a lot to be ity of their lives. BPL and done. We need to look at the government destroys the machines they are ussuch equipment with the ing. We need to look at the blackouts and the surges service of the machine, the and refuses to pay these in- equipment. dividuals back for what was “But all and all, we need damaged.” to upgrade; ensure that it is Dr Minnis said these on- running properly, cut down

REPATRIATION OF CUBANS RISES BY 80 PER CENT

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

REPATRIATIONS of Cuban nationals skyrocketed last year, according to statistics from the Department of Immigration, which indicated that total repatriations increased by some 80 per cent over 2015.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said the department believed that the more than 700 per cent rise in repatriations of Cuban nationals in 2016 was driven by anticipation that the United States’ “wet foot/ dry foot” policy was coming to an end.

The Department of Immigration repatriated 1,287 Cuban nationals in 2016, a stark increase over the 153 persons repatriated in 2015.

Last week, the Obama administration announced the immediate cessation of the policy that has allowed Cubans who arrive in the United States without a visa a pathway to permanent residency and citizenship since 1995.

The normalisation of relations between the two countries in late 2014 led to a surge in Cuban migration to the US due to fears that the policy would subsequently be axed. The Associated Press reported that Cuban migration to the United States peaked to the highest numbers seen in the last eight years.

As he tabled the department’s statistics in the

House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Mitchell noted that the US political administration was about to change with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, and as such, the Bahamian government will wait to assess the impact of the policy change.

According to statistics, the Department of Immigration arrested 7,357 persons in 2016. Of that figure, 6,869 persons were deported and 488 foreign nationals were released.

In 2015, 4,957 persons were arrested, 3,730 were repatriated and 571 were released.

Mr Mitchell noted that amongst foreign nationals released were persons who owed work permit fees.

Haitian nationals remain the highest number of repatriations with 5,241 for 2016. The figure represents a 65 per cent increase over 2015’s total of 3,183 persons.

Repatriations of Chinese nationals increased by 16 per cent in 2016 with just 10 more persons repatriated over 2015’s total of 63.

Repatriations of Jamaican nationals decreased by 35 per cent in 2016, with 217 nationals, over the 2015 figure of 333 nationals.

In a report last month, The Tribune reported that repatriations were up by 17 per cent. This calculation was made using figures released by the Department of Immigration in 2015, which have now proved to be inaccurate.

on the carbon emission and we must move towards alternative energy, we have been blessed,” said the Killarney MP. He added: “We have come through a series of revolutionary processes, we have come through the coal revolution, we have gone through the communications revolution; we are now in the internet revolution.

“We will move into what we call the energy internet revolution and it is essential that we prepare ourselves for that.

“And that is what an FNM government would do, we would prepare you for the energy internet revolution. Utilising our solar and other forms of alternative energy,” he added.

Last December, Prime Minister Perry Christie criticised BPL for its inability to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to the island, telling The Tribune he was not only “distressed” by the outages, but that he ordered a probe to uncover the root cause of an islandwide power cut.

Mr Christie said at the time that constant disruption in energy services had brought the government embarrassment as it took place the day before the opening ceremony of an international civil aviation conference.

To date, the prime minister has not provided any further information on that investigation and what was uncovered.

PAGE 6, Thursday, January 19, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

‘Surrender or become a target’ from page one

COMMISSIONER of Police Elison Greenslade held a press conference yesterday to address recent homicides that have raised concerns for the country.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

Commissioner Greenslade said if police are able to arrest some prolific offenders, he believes there will be “no murder report this evening, none tomorrow and none in the weeks and months ahead”.

Despite recording 11 killings so far this month, Commissioner Greenslade reiterated that crime in the country is down in all areas, except murder. He said the spate in homicides since last November - 40 in two and a half months - is a result of an “ongoing feud among these young men who know each other”. He said the recent killings were not gang related but stemmed from “drug deals” and arguments over women and men.

“We have a feud developing among young Bahamian men who are not prepared to allow the courts to adjudicate their matters,” the commissioner said. “They are not prepared to speak

with law enforcement and they have taken the position that they are going to deal with the matters themselves.

“They are not strangers to each other, they all know each other, they fellowship together and party together and of recent we have seen a trend from about November where there has been an ongoing feud between young men who are not prepared to have their matters investigated by the Royal Bahamas Police Force ...

The feuds are over drugs.

The feuds are over women, we are even seeing some feuds over men. That is real.

We did not want to believe that these relationship issues were the cause of a lot of the anger and bitterness, which leads to serious injury and deaths. These people getting emotionally involved and they respond in the wrong way.

“They are unemployed and not seeking to get jobs.

The ones who want jobs cannot get them because they are not qualified for

the job. You didn’t go to school, you haven’t gone back to learn a trade. You are lazy and are not prepared to work because you want to get rich quick. So what do you do? You sell drugs, sell guns, traffic people, sell counterfeit goods, steal from people and terrorise our communities.”

Commissioner Greenslade also dispelled fears that people were being killed in random acts of violence. “There are no phantoms in this country committing crime, there are no serious offenders standing in the street corners waiting to pounce on residents or tourists,” he said.

“The people that are killing each other are people that are leading a life of crime, they are not employed. They are not looking for work and they are not prepared to lead normal lives as we do, as properly socialised individuals in The Bahamas. They are going against the grain. I do not want to mislead The Baha-

mas, this is beautiful place.

I am not prepared as a commissioner to blanket crime over all the communities of The Bahamas, I will not call our people bad. That is not true. Please let’s be careful; we cannot throw the baby out with the bath water.”

While Commissioner Greenslade said serious crime in The Bahamas had fallen in 2016 by 26 per cent earlier this month, the murder totals have continued to cause concern. In 2016, police recorded 111 homicides, the sixth successive year with more than 100 murders but an improvement on the 2015 record of 146. Since the Progressive Liberal Party took office in May 2012, there have been at least 580 murders in the country.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts on any of the men wanted for questioning is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS. Investigations continue.

16-YEAR-OLD BOY SHOT DEAD ‘AS HE WENT TO COMMIT CRIME’ from page one

The dead boy has been identified as Ricardo Leonard Fawkes.

Commissioner Greenslade said police suspect that if the victim was able to “continue what he was doing, you could have easily had a lot of innocent victims.”

“We have to respect the fact that someone is dead, irrespective of the circumstances,” Commissioner Greenslade said during a press conference at Police Headquarters yesterday.

“We are satisfied based upon the signature at that crime scene, that unfortunately the deceased was not on his own property. There were other things we took note of to suggest that had we not intervened as quickly as we did, the complex-

ion of what occurred would have been quite different and you could have easily have had innocent people as victims.

“I will go further and say, I am trying to be very careful as not to prejudice the investigation, you may have had a description of the crime this morning that you have not seen before in The Bahamas.”

Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, officer in charge of the Central Detective Unit, said officers also found a pistol near the teen’s body.

“We received reports shortly after 3.50am that rapid gunshots were heard being fired in the Williams Lane area,” Chief Supt Fernander said.

“On arrival they met a young adult male, who appeared to be in his early teens, he was lying in the street, lifeless with gun-

THE SCENE in Kemp Road where a 16-year-old was found dead. shot wounds to the body. to residents to see if they At this present time we do would have seen or heard not have a motive for the anything. We also recovshooting. We have officers ered a weapon not too far doing inquiries to speak from the body, a pistol was

UNDERSTANDING YOUR MEDICATIONS THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 AT 6:00PM / DOCTORS HOSPITAL CONFERENCE ROOM, DOWDESWELL STREET

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Don’t miss next month’s lecture when Rheumatologist Dr K Neil Parker talks to us about “Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Thursday, February 16, 2017.

BONUS!

www.doctorshosp.com I (242) 302-4600

Isn’t Your Health Worth It?

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff recovered, we are follow- contact police at 911 or 919, ing with that line of inquiry the Central Detective Unit at this time.” at 502-9991 or Crime StopAnyone with information pers anonymously at 328on this homicide is asked to TIPS.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 19, 2017, PAGE 7

Rollins claims lack of oversight over $150m hurricane repair loan

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins yesterday suggested there is no proper oversight on the $150m the Christie administration borrowed last year to defray the cost of the country’s recovery and reconstruction efforts needed in the aftermath of Hurricanes Matthew and Joaquin.

Dr Rollins made this suggestion in the House of Assembly after repeatedly questioning Labour Minister Shane Gibson, who is also hurricane czar, over the cumulative amount spent to date from the loan since the government acquired it.

However, the minister did not reveal a total, but instead skirted around the question and argued that if Dr Rollins insisted on knowing, he should add up the figures

that were read into the record of the House during his update to parliamentarians on the government’s work post-Hurricane Matthew.

Last October, State Finance Minister Michael Halkitis moved a resolution for the $150m loan. At the time, Mr Christie said damage caused by Matthew was estimated at $600m, while Joaquin imposed costs estimated at around $200m.

The combined total of $800m as a result of both storms, Mr Christie said, equated to 40 per cent of the national budget or 9 per cent of GDP. “Mr Speaker, through you I would like to get what I didn’t get from the minister responsible for hurricane repair and relief,” Dr Rollins said in response to Mr Gibson’s update in Parliament. “What (is) the total amount that has been expended in the relief re-

covery efforts to date? We came to this House to debate a resolution that was passed unanimously for the borrowing of $150m.

“I think the Bahamian people are entitled to know how much of that $150m has to date been spent and what has the lion’s share of the money been spent on.

Can the minister responsible please provide that information to the House?”

Responding, Mr Gibson said: “I thought I went through that when I said how many contracts were issued (and) how much money was spent on clean up. I thought we went through that already. I didn’t give a cumulative figure, but if you look at the communication you could just add it up. One plus one is two, so everything is there.”

This sparked back and forth responses from the two MPs who each main-

tained their positions.

“Mr Speaker, clearly this is a lot of money that we are talking about and I’m assured that the member realises that the Bahamian people are concerned about how their money is being spent,” Dr Rollins said. “I expect the minister knows the cumulative amount and can he say for the benefit of members assembled here today and for the benefit of the Bahamian public. What is that cumulative figure? The fact that he can’t say that causes one to believe that it is not being properly overseen by the minister responsible. That is the concern that I have,” Dr Rollins said.

To this, Mr Gibson took a swipe at Dr Rollins pointing to his political history having run only once in a general election.

Expenditure During his communica-

tion yesterday, Mr Gibson said vouchers valued at $1,133,900 for materials for home repairs were approved for 797 people in New Providence, Grand Bahama and North Andros.

Additionally, he said some residents qualified for assistance with labour and materials. In these instances, contracts worth $3,775,603.63 were issued for repairs to 298 houses. Clean-up efforts on the islands affected also carried a hefty price tag, Mr Gibson said.

In the capital, clean up of debris up to December cost taxpayers $10m. To clean up Grand Bahama, $1m was spent and North Andros, just under $300,000 was spent, the minister said.

For Central Andros, clean up was valued at $40,000.

Mr Gibson said the cost of restoration to public schools postHurricane Matthew now

MILO Butler Distributors teamed up with Bahamas Red Cross to send supplies to islands impacted by Hurricane Matthew, with brand managBH17_AllTheBahamas_1colx3.5 1/ ers Jamarl Chea and Margo Gibson from the grocer.

MILO BUTLER GIVES $10,000 OF SUPPLIES TO HURRICANE RELIEF BAHAMIANS still impacted by the effects of Hurricane Matthew last October on will benefit from a donation by Milo Butler Distributors, the wholesale grocer, which has partnered with the Bahamas Red Cross and the HeadKnowles Hurricane Relief Group to give food supplies worth $10,000 to assist with continued relief efforts.

More than three months after the category four storm made landfall, residents on the impacted islands continue to rebuild their lives. The process requires continued support

from the Bahamian community. Recognising this need, Milo Butler stepped in to assist and send supplies, with the warehouse team stacking pallets of rice, sugar, juice and a variety of canned goods to be shipped to Grand Bahama and communities in the southern Bahamas.

Franklyn Butler, Managing Director of the Milo Butler Group of Companies, hopes the donations to the Bahamas Red Cross and HeadKnowles will lessen the burdens faced in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. “Both organisations have demonstrated

stands at $9m.

He went on to note that repairs to government buildings, including the Supreme Court, the Senate, the Churchill Building and the Tracon Building totalled $3,365,488.07.

The government also is still waiting for detailed scoping of public buildings in New Providence, which require repairs.

In Grand Bahama, the minister said repairs to the Hunter’s post office have been completed at a cost of just over $108,000.

A contract worth $70,562 for repairs at the administrative complex in Eight Mile Rock, inclusive of the courthouse was awarded and work is progressing, he said.

The minister of agriculture and marine resources has estimated damage to the sector amounting to nearly $1.3m.

ALL THE BAHAMAS IN ONE BOOK!

their commitment to advancing the recovery efforts in the wake of this devastating storm. We know that the road ahead is long and full recovery requires continued support. As a company, we are committed to assisting where we can,” Mr Butler said.

For more than 50 years,

the Bahamas Red Cross Society has worked to improve communities through its humanitarian goals including the collection and distribution of supplies after natural disasters. The group thanked Milo Butler for its muchneeded donation of food supplies.

HeadKnowles co-founder Gina Knowles also thanked the company for assisting with their cause.

The group’s strong volunteer network quickly mobilised critical supplies to impacted areas including food, water and building material to islands in the southern Bahamas.

THE NEW 2017 BAHAMAS HANDBOOK AVAILABLE AT NEWSSTANDS

Etienne Dupuch Jr. Publications

323-5665 • Nassau, Bahamas

PAGE 8, Thursday, January 19, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

MONCUR THREAT TO GUARDIAN EDITOR IN RADIO RANT from page one

Ms Dames penned a scathing critique of Long Island MP Loretta ButlerTurner’s performance since she and six other FNM MPs ousted party Leader Dr Hubert Minnis as Official Opposition leader in Parliament. Mr Moncur was one of Mrs Butler-Turner’s controversial appointments to the Senate shortly after she was sworn in as the first

woman leader of the Official Opposition.

Ms Dames labelled Mrs Butler-Turner a “political basket case” with rapidly diminishing credibility, and posited that the group never had a “real end game.”

Rising to Mrs ButlerTurner’s defence, Mr Moncur lashed out at the journalist in lengthy rant about her physical appearance, citizenship, character and morality. He insinuated that he would expose pri-

vate details of the veteran reporter’s life if she did not leave him alone.

He also said he was not a misogynist.

In the article, Ms Dames wrote that Mr Moncur’s recent appointment to the Senate by Mrs Butler-Turner was confirmation that she could not be taken seriously.

Mr Moncur’s disparaging tirade yesterday was not his first clash with the press recently. He became

combative and aggressive towards The Tribune’s Deputy Chief Reporter Khrisna Virgil last month after she questioned Mrs ButlerTurner about Mr Moncur’s opposition to a 2009 Marital Rape Bill.

Among a string of outbursts, Mr Moncur told Ms Virgil that as a 60-yearold married man, he could “climb on top” of his wife whenever he pleased.

He also shouted that Ms Virgil was “dangerous,”

adding “you must know how to frame your questions before you come to me.”

The confrontation between Mr Moncur and Ms Virgil occurred shortly after he had been sworn in as an opposition senator.

It led Mrs Butler-Turner to issue a public apology, in which she labelled the comments as “inappropriate and insensitive” but defended the controversial talk show host’s right to

free speech and expression.

Earlier this month, Mrs Butler-Turner insisted that persons will come to understand “very soon” why she chose the controversial talk show host for the post.

She maintained that Mr Moncur, who has openly advocated against gender equality, is a champion for the “down trodden” and a voice for those who would “otherwise not be heard”.

Best friend of Anne Frank to share Holocaust memories A BAHAMIAN audience is promised an incomparable and emotionally moving evening next month when Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, best friend and stepsister of Anne Frank, will talk about her experiences, the personal memories of a journey that took her beyond the anguish of Auschwitz to a life dedicated to humanitarianism.

The event, ‘An Evening with Eva Schloss, Beyond the Diary’, is set for Thursday February 9 at 6pm at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort. It is free and open to the public.

“Every few years, the Nassau Jewish community brings to the island someone whose story transcends individual religions or creeds and teaches all of us in the broader community the real meaning of strength, courage and goodness,” said Rabbi Sholom Bluming.

“Five years ago, we had Rena Finder, a Schindler’s List survivor, and two years ago, one of the Israeli fencing team athletes who survived the Munich Olympics massacre. It turned out that the man’s life was

ANNE FRANK, whose diary allowed the world to see the ravages of war through the eyes of a child. actually saved by the Ba- though she is very sharp hamian Olympians who mentally, re-living the terwere housed nearby and he ror and the embers of hope never knew who saved him that burned throughout the until all those years later, years of degradation and but that is the kind of real- starvation requires almost life drama that you cannot superhuman energy. re-invent, you can only cel“She cannot continue to ebrate. be a globetrotter forever, “Eva Schloss is an amaz- recounting the horrors, the ing woman,” he noted. “But hiding, the pain, the starvashe is 87 years old and al- tion and finally victory. Her

HOLOCAUST survivor Eva Schloss story of hope and resilience will inspire all of us for its courage and for the example it sets of good outweighing evil.”

Anne Frank was a German-born diarist and writer who gained fame posthumously following the publication of her diary, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’, which documents her

life in hiding from 1942 to 1944, during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II. She died at 15.

Mrs Schloss, who was Anne Frank’s childhood best friend growing up in Amsterdam before the war, became her stepsister after the Holocaust when her mother married Anne

Frank’s father after each lost their spouses. After Anne was murdered, Eva often felt she lived in her friend’s shadow but was determined to make her life count and to use her story to inspire others.

“Being able to hear a firsthand account of Anne Frank’s life is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity, She has left behind a diary that allowed the world to see the ravages of war through a child’s eyes and through the daily life of a family being torn apart bit by bit, limb by limb, dream by dream.

Eva went on to live in the shadow but also in the light, creating for herself a full and rich life - author, wife, mother, grandmother, humanitarian,” the rabbi said.

Mrs Schloss will arrive in the Bahamas February 7 and will address students from several public and private schools during a presentation at the Harry C Moore Library at the University of The Bahamas prior to her main presentation at the Melia Nassau Beach.

For more information, contact rabbi@jewishbahamas.com or diane@dpamedia.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 19, 2017, PAGE 9

‘SEND HOME STAFF WHO TURN VOTERS AWAY OVER ATTIRE’ from page one

Indeed, low voter registration has become a major theme ahead of the next general election, stifling the pace at which the Constituencies Commission could complete its report on constituency boundaries and prompting debate about why Bahamians aren’t registering to vote at their usual pace.

“This business about what you wearing and so forth is for me very ridiculous,” Dr Nottage said amid a discussion in the House about voter registration and the work of the Constituencies Commission.

“Whoever it was who decided that they could tell people how to dress to register was taking into their hands something which they don’t have the authority to do. After it came to my attention that people were being denied registration because someone decided that they were showing too much skin, I think the member for East Grand Bahama, I can see him, sitting at home trying to determine how he’s going to surprise himself, but naked to register. But you don’t need to go that far. No one has that authority, not the parliamentary registrar, not a revising officer, they don’t

have that authority and there are I think occasions and people are still doing it, even though I told the parliamentary registrar that if they do it send them home.

“Some people believe they are doing you a favour to provide you with a service and that is something that I’m really sick and tired of; seeking to make people feel like they doing you a favour to register you.

They actually get paid to do that. I’ve heard stories about the Marathon Mall.

I’ve heard several stories about the Cable Beach Post Office. But they don’t have that authority and the parliamentary commissioner, he knows he doesn’t have that authority and his job is to make it possible for people to register to vote. So we will continue to do the very best we can do in that regard. I think the people who have a lot of influence on people getting registered are members of Parliament, and I suggest we do our very best to get some accelerated registration.”

Dr Nottage explained that in response to the “unprecedented” pace of registration, the government has sought to make it more convenient for people to register by increasing registration sites and reducing restrictions.

“Registration has been

slow,” he said. “Registration is taking place at the parliamentary headquarters, is taking place at many of the popular buildings, BEC, National Insurance, post offices throughout New Providence, Grand Bahama, and, of course, in many of the Family Islands.

“Registration continued to be slow. We then determined that we would have to open registration centres at night. We’ve done so. In New Providence, we started registration in 23 additional locations, particularly in the evening . . . now we have at least 23 locations, one in each constituency so that you wouldn’t have to go outside of your constituency. But in addition to that, registration has continued in other buildings.

Registration continued to be slow. Now, the Boundaries Commission normally would not report until such time as the commission has access to the information that it needs to determine whether there needs to be any changes and the principal thing they are looking at I think is the volume of registrants. The member for Montagu rightly says we don’t want to have an election on a low count of registered voters,” Dr Nottage said.

“But the question is, how to compel people to

go and register? We have advertised regularly on the radio; we’ve tried slots on television and radio; we’ve put billboards around New Providence. We’ve employed more staff. There’s been no shortage of staff for registration. We can provide as many people as we need to register people.”

He continued: “There are people who I have gone personally to each registration centre and watch the process. The process is long in some cases but you want people who are registered to be eligible for registration. The reason people asked for passports is only because a passport signifies a person is a citizen of the country. When we normally have these restrictions, we’ve removed these restrictions. You can register now with your 2012 voter’s card alone. Now, you keep hearing people speaking about you need a birth certificate or you need a passport and the point is that if you were registered on the 2012 register that will make you eligible to be on the new register. But there has been no consideration as far as I’m aware of using the 2012 register because that would come itself with a lot of difficulties.”

Dr Nottage said one strategy that could boost

voter registration is parliamentarians engaging the staff at the Parliamentary Registration Department to come into their communities.

“Those of us who are really concerned,” he said, “I suggest we encourage our constituents. For instance, take them to register. That’s what I did. On Saturday morning, I got the parliamentary registrar to send a team to Taylor Street in my constituency and people came to register and I was quite surprised with the volume and these are the same people who haven’t been responding to pleas for them to come and register. The people have just been walking from their home and coming to Salem Baptist to register.”

Nonetheless, Dr Nottage said that even as limitations are relaxed, officials must ensure ineligible people are not allowed to register.

“We will continue to do our very best efforts to make it possible for people to register with the least of obstructions,” he said.

“You have to remember you don’t want people to be voting in the election who are not eligible to vote. We know that in elections in the Bahamas the political parties themselves do a pretty good job of sorting out people who are not eligible

nounce a date for a general election, should have been tabled by the commission last November - five years to the date the last boundaries report was presented to the House by the Ingraham administration.

The Constitution mandates that the commission provide the House with its reports at intervals of “not more than five years.” Article 70, subsection one continues: “The commission shall . . . review the number and boundaries of the constituencies into which The Bahamas is divided and shall submit to the governor general a single report either stating that in the opinion of the commission, no change is required; or recommending certain changes, and the governor general shall cause such report to be laid before the House of Assembly forthwith.” “(This) means that the Christie administration is breaking the law,” said Dr

Minnis. “This only shows why we have so much problems within our society. If a young man does something wrong and he breaks the law in our society, what happens? He is arrested.

“Yet the government, on numerous occasions is in breach of the Constitution, has no respect for the law.

Can we arrest them? No, but what we can do, when election is called these law breakers must be removed.”

Dr Minnis further claimed that the ordeal was at the root of why persons were not registering to vote, asserting that the confusion over whether the report could affect their current constituency assignments had pushed many Bahamians to adopt a wait and see approach.

However, when approached by reporters on the claims made by Dr Minnis, Dr Major dismissed the concerns, calling Dr Min-

nis’ interpretation of the Constitution “incorrect.”

Dr Major said he had warned both Dr Minnis and Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, who raised the matter in the House, that the law should be interpreted as five years from the establishment of a new Parliament and not five years from the last tabling of a boundaries report.

“I mentioned in the House, and I took issue with that because it was raised by the member for Bamboo Town and I think his interpretation is incorrect,” Dr Major told reporters Wednesday.

“I believe the five-year period speaks to the calling of the new Parliament and it indicates that in five years it should be reviewed.

The deadline to report is a self-imposed deadline, but it was not based on the Constitution. So I think that premise was a bit misinterpreted,” Dr Major said.

FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis.

to register and who do so.

That’s what these election court cases are often about because people are permitted to register who should not have been able to register. It is my hope that whatever else needs to be done we will do it to get people to register, but we can’t compel them to do so.

“We have to also recognise that this is unprecedented because normally when elections are announced people go and register. Well, we are in a season where the people are not going. I’ll leave that to you to answer. Maybe they don’t want to vote for whomever. So registration is the biggest issue we have right now; getting people to agree to be registered.

It isn’t a question of being able to register or having access to register. They have to decide to do it. I would recommend that if any of you have constituents who are not registered and you can get them to agree to go and register somewhere in your area, if you get in contact with the parliamentary registrar then he will make it possible for a team to come and set a location in the constituency, or at business houses, or at churches, at government corporations, you set up a register.

They’ll be there all day if possible.”

MINNIS: GOVT BREAKING LAW OVER BOUNDARIES REPORT

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

ONE day after urging the Christie administration to table the delayed Constituencies Commission report and moments after having concerns on the matter dismissed by House Speaker Kendal Major in Parliament, Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday accused the government of “breaking the law”.

Addressing reporters outside the House of Assembly, Dr Minnis criticised the government for its continued delay in the tabling of the long-promised report while insisting that the government was in error of Article 70, subsection one of the Constitution.

The Killarney MP contended that the report, which needs to be tabled in Parliament before the prime minister can an-

BOUNDARY REPORT DELAYED AMID SLOW REGISTRATION

from page one

“There was an argument put forth that we would allow a little bit more time to increase and beef up the voter registration because there is more access, more opportunities to register,” he said.

“Opposition members also expressed some concern, and the question goes to whether constitutionally the prime minister should make a decision with the voter registration being as low as it is, and I think all of us can agree that we would rather not, or wait until its increased to the extent that it’s a reasonable amount that speaks to the aspirations of the Bahamian people.

“At some point we will have to make a decision, make a cut off point. The argument was put forth, it’s a cogent argument to wait a few more weeks and see what happens.”

Earlier this month, the Parliamentary Registration Department announced 26 new voter registration stations in New Providence and Grand Bahama.

However, voter registration numbers are still trailing behind the last election cycle’s pace as less than 50 per cent of eligible voters have been registered.

According to Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall, just over 80,000 persons have registered to vote to date.

At the last sitting of the House, Dr Major expressed disappointment that the group has not completed its report, underscoring several contributing factors, including low voter registration numbers and “conten-

tion” among members, that delayed its progress.

The contention among the rank and file of the commission was reportedly sparked by the leak of information concerning deliberations to create a new constituency in New Providence.

It is understood that portions of Englerston, Centreville, Bain and Grants Town and Fort Charlotte will be redrawn to reconstitute St Cecelia - a seat eliminated ahead of the 2012 general election.

The commission used data from the 2010 census that had been extrapolated in a 2016 report prepared by the Department of Statistics, to guide recommendations.

Last month, then-Commission member and East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest maintained that there was not enough information to make a scientific decision on any boundary changes due to low voter registration.

However, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman replaced Mr Turnquest on the committee after Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner was voted as the new leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.

Yesterday, Dr Major said that the report was “pretty much done” with the only outstanding action to present it to the commission and have an internal debate, before it’s released publicly.

The Constituencies Commission is comprised of Dr Major, Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs, vice-chair, government members, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis and Jerome Fitzgerald, Mr Chipman and House clerks Maurice Tynes and David Forbes.

PAGE 10, Thursday, January 19, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Keod Smith denied extension to appeal $263,000 legal costs

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE has refused an attorney’s application to appeal an order for extension of time for $263,000 in legal costs to be paid that stemmed from a recusal application where he accused the said Supreme Court judge of bias.

Justice Rhonda Bain had been asked by environmental group Save The Bays (STB) to give Keod Smith additional time to pay the costs awarded to them in December 2014 when the judge had found the lawyer guilty of contempt for the “scandalising” affidavits he had filed which undermined the integrity of the judge and the judicial system.

Mr Smith had been given a 10-week deadline that ended on February 1, 2015.

The ruling on costs was never appealed.

On April 20, 2016, the registrar confirmed the costs at $263,500 from the day the order was made by Justice Bain and a certificate of taxation verified the same and authorised an ex-

KEOD SMITH tension.

However, Mr Smith subsequently sought an injunction against the effect of the order citing prejudice.

He filed an affidavit arguing that he should not be made to pay funds to a nominal plaintiff whose company had no known assets and would not be in a position to refund costs paid to them if the court later ruled he was not a proper party to the proceedings.

He also alleged he would suffer damage to his professional reputation.

Justice Bain, in a ruling handed down November 9, 2016, stressed that Mr Smith had not appealed the

order for costs and had, in fact, participated in the taxing of the costs, and “is not able at this stage to object to the order for costs.”

The court ruled that Mr Smith would pay the costs on/or before December 12, 2016.

A week after the November 9 decision, Mr Smith sought leave from Justice Bain to appeal the order to the Court of Appeal in a notice of motion filed November 16, 2016.

His grounds for leave to appeal were that Justice Bain was wrong, in law, to exercise her discretion to extend the time for the appellant to comply with the order when there was no evidence or reason provided to the court by the respondent, STB, for failure to present a bill of costs to Mr Smith for payment within the stipulated period.

He also proposed to argue at the appellate court that Justice Bain failed to give sufficient consideration to the allegation that STB was a nominal plaintiff and the damage he would suffer for having to make the payments within the specified

period.

In a ruling dated January 12, Justice Bain said: “It is important to note that ruling number 11 did not make any order for costs - it simply extended the date for costs to be paid.

“The ruling with respect to costs was made in December 2014 by ruling number two and that ruling was not appealed,” the judge stressed.

The court determined that Mr Smith did not have an arguable ground of appeal and was refused leave to appeal. His application for a stay of the order was also refused.

“The applicant shall have its costs of this application to be taxed if not agreed,” the 14-page ruling concluded.

Justice Bain is presiding over the judicial review filed by the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay which is challenging an application by Peter Nygard to further develop his premises in Lyford Cay and gain a lease for Crown land reclaimed from the sea.

Fred Smith, lead counsel for the environmental

group, alleges that over the last 30 years, Nygard Cay has nearly doubled in size as a result of construction work undertaken without the appropriate permits and in a manner that had caused significant damage to the surrounding environment of Clifton Bay. In January 2014, Keod Smith filed a series of affidavits claiming that Justice Bain should recuse herself from a judicial review proceeding as she had allegedly made a series of decisions based on her affiliation with the Free National Movement.

Ten months later, Keod Smith withdrew the application for the recusal, notwithstanding a section of an affidavit filed in January entitled “Justice Bain, who is she?”

He alleged the judge once worked under former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, that she was appointed to a high-ranking position in the Attorney General’s Office because of her ties to the FNM and that her two sons were fathered by a person he claimed is a close friend and advisor to Mr Ingra-

ham.

Keod Smith also claimed that Justice Bain had made several rulings in favour of Fred Smith, who in the past had been affiliated with the FNM, which “can only be explained as coming about as a result of her bias.”

Justice Bain, in December 2014, found Keod Smith guilty of contempt for the affidavits.

At a contempt hearing a month later, Elliot Lockhart, QC, appeared for Keod Smith, a former Progressive Liberal Party MP, and expressed his reservations about the proceedings and argued that the court had already arrived at a decision without first considering any evidence to refute the pair of contempt.

The judge ruled, after a hearing in March 2015, that the court would proceed with notice against the attorney to show cause why he should not be committed to prison.

However, the judge stayed contempt proceedings pending the outcome of Keod Smith’s application before the Court of Appeal.

PHYSICIAN GIVES EVIDENCE AS MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING MOTHER

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE trial of a man accused of killing his elderly mother was underway in the Supreme Court yesterday, with a physician, who confirmed Princess Butler’s death, giving evidence.

Dr Austin Davis was called to the witness stand to speak of his actions following a phone called he received shortly before 8am on February 4, 2015.

The physician, who has been employed by the Public Hospitals Authority for

nearly 38 years, told prosecutor Uel Johnson that he was in his private vehicle at the time in Cable Beach near Baha Mar when he received a phone call and received certain information.

“What did you do as a result of that phone call?” Mr Johnson asked.

“I proceeded to the home of Mrs Butler,” Dr Davis said, adding that the commute to Highbury Park took “20 to 25 minutes.”

“I saw Mrs Faith ButlerCleare and her husband, that’s who met me at the residence. Mr Cleare escorted me to the bedroom

and I saw a sheet which actually covered Mrs Butler.

The body was at the front of the bed and she was on her right side in a semi-prone (partially face down) position,” the jury heard.

As Dr Davis was giving testimony, 57-year-old Jerome Butler was seated behind his lawyer David Cash.

Butler is on trial before Justice Indra Charles accused of intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of 81-year-old Princess Butler, his mother.

The victim was found dead in her home at Petersfield Road in Highbury

Park shortly after 8am on February 4, 2015.

An autopsy revealed that she died of asphyxia, which resulted in police launching an investigation.

Her son was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court 12 days later in connection with the death.

He pleaded not guilty to murder when formally arraigned in the Supreme Court three months later.

Butler has retained attorneys Ian Cargill and Mr Cash to defend him against the allegation.

Mr Johnson and Halicia Delancy are prosecuting the case for the Crown.

“Did you notice anything peculiar about the room when you were examining the body?” the prosecutor asked.

“There was nothing peculiar but there was a tiny blood stain about an inch in diameter,” Dr Davis said.

“Did you note any bruises?” Mr Johnson asked.

“No. The room was not very well lit but that’s to be expected for a bedroom,” the physician said.

With Justice Charles’ permission, Dr Davis was shown photos taken of the deceased by Crime Scene Investigator Constable Navar Neely at the Rand Laboratory at Princess Margaret Hospital two days after she was found dead.

The physician said that the bruising under the left eye, left nostril and lip were not visible to him at the time of his cursory examination.

“Was the small bit of blood on the sheet the only blood you saw?” Mr Johnson asked. Dr Davis said yes, adding that he placed the sheet back over her and pronounced her dead by the time police arrived.

“Were you Mrs Princess Butler’s private physician?” the prosecutor asked.

“No (but) I knew her for many years as we attended the same church, St Matthews Anglican Church,” the physician said.

Mr Cash, in cross-examination, asked the physician if there was anyone else present at the home other than Mrs Butler-Cleare and her husband when he arrived.

“If I remember correctly, I think it was one of her other sons, Jonathan . . . I don’t know if he was in the residence though,” Dr Davis said.

“How many officers arrived?” the defence lawyer asked. The physician said two but could not recall their names. “Could the (flash) light have assisted you with your observations in finding those bruises?”

Mr Cash then asked.

The physician said “theoretically it would have” but

he was only looking to determine for signs of life.

“You said there was nothing unusual about the body but if you did notice anything unusual, you would’ve put it in your report?” the lawyer further probed.

“Yes I would,” Dr Davis said.

“Did you ever examine the arm?” Mr Cash asked.

“I did not remove the body from its position. My task at the time was to confirm the individual was deceased,” the physician said “At the time you observed the body, did you have any suspicion of foul play?” the defence lawyer asked.

“No I didn’t,” Dr Davis said. He also said he did not note any suspicion of foul play in his report.

Mr Cash asked the court for permission for Dr Davis to be shown a copy of the death certificate allegedly filled out by Dr Davis who verified the authenticity of the document due to his signature.

The cause of death was natural causes, the physician read when asked.

In re-examination, Mr Johnson asked Dr Davis if he performed an autopsy with respect to the deceased.

“No I didn’t,” the witness said.

The case resumes today.

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 19, 2017, PAGE 11

Pastor and resident call for help in The Grove after shooting

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net TWO members of The Grove community yesterday called for more local support in reaching out to young males in the area following a recent shooting incident that left a man dead and three others in hospital.

Bishop Anthony Roker, pastor of Church of God of Prophecy on Second Street and Palm Tree Avenue in The Grove, along with area resident Sam Williams, called on residents in the community to “reach out more to one another” and “see what we can do” to curb crime in the community.

Bishop Roker said the most recent murder, which took place just across the street from his church, claimed the life of a man his church “reached out to” over its 14 years of outreach. He said his church would continue its quest to help young men stay out of trouble.

On Tuesday night, a man was shot dead and three others were wounded after two gunmen opened fire on a group of men standing on Second Street in The Grove.

According to Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, the officer in charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU), the shooting took place around 7.30pm, when a dark vehicle pulled up where the men were standing.

According to Chief Supt

THE SCENE in The Grove on Tuesday night after one man was shot dead and three others wounded.

Fernander, two men got out of the vehicle and fired a number of shots, resulting in all four men being shot.

One died on the scene and the three other victims were subsequently taken to hospital in a private vehicle.

“We reached out to this young man (the murder victim), we talked to him, he was never involved in any of the recent outreach programmes, but during the years, yes, we did reach out to him,” Bishop Roker told The Tribune yesterday.

“It really hit home, especially right in the community. Crime is something we all need as a community to reach out and to help in

every which way. It’s unfortunate that the young man lost his life. And we just need as a church, and as a community, persons living in the community, we need to reach out more to one another, we need to continue to show that love and compassion to one another in the community.”

Bishop Roker said notwithstanding Tuesday’s shooting, his church will ramp up its ongoing community outreach efforts by establishing both a “big brother programme” as well as a “craftsmanship programme” to teach young men “whatever they want to do so their hands wouldn’t

be idle.”

“Even though this murder happened, our objectives and our motives are to continue on with our outreach programme in spite of this particular incident, because we have a weekly outreach programme here at this local church, and we’ll reach out even more now because of the murder, by talking to the young men each day, Bible studies, Sunday school programmes,” he said.

“Our main objective is to help the young men in this community. We’ve been reaching out in this community for the past 14 years, we do afternoon classes and there are times that we look

BIRDWATCHERS HELP BOOST BAHAMIAN TOURISM THE Bahamas National Trust (BNT), the National Audubon Society and the Ministry of Tourism have developed a joint birdbased tourism initiative to help Bahamians take advantage of a growing, multi-billion-dollar global market.

Prime Minister Perry Christie will be the keynote speaker at the official launch of the initiative to an environmental and travel industry audience at the British Colonial Hilton on January 26.

The United Nations has declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The aim is to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more sustainable tourism sector. Bird tourism can play a role in this.

The bird-based tourism in-

itiative has been training bird tour guides from several islands over the past two years, with the goal of creating sustainable jobs while helping to protect Bahamian biodiversity and natural habitats.

So far, 58 Bahamians have trained as bird field guides through the programme. At least nine have advanced qualifications and can lead specialised tours to any island in the Bahamas. The initiative has also developed marketing and business support materials for the tour guides.

Funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank, the bird-based tourism initiative has been implemented by the BNT and the Audubon Society, with the Ministry of Tourism playing a key strategic role.

A general bird guide curriculum was designed, with basic and advanced versions, as well as suggested

travel itineraries and public education programmes in support of the environment and local communities.

The training covered bird biology, environmental threats and conservation measures, as well as and extensive field training to spot and identify birds. The Ministry of Tourism provided Bahamahost training and business management components.

Bird-watching is a fastgrowing, high-value outdoor activity. And an increasing number of birdwatchers are travelling to destinations like the Bahamas. These visitors are generally high income earners, who spend more money and

time here, bringing greater value to the economy.

They are also more interested in sustainable tourism generally, and tend to rely more on local goods and services when travelling, while supporting destination conservation projects.

Groups of visitors and US tour operators will travel to the main bird tourism islands of Andros and Inagua this month.

Other speakers at the initiative launch include Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe; Deputy Director of Audubon’s International Alliances Programme, Matt Jeffrey; BNT President Larry Glinton; and a tour guide spokesperson.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff for jobs for the young men in the community, and our goal is to see every young man in this community detour from negativity and get into positive activities.”

Mr Williams, meanwhile, called on residents, particularly young men to allow Bishop Roker to “give them counselling and teach them that God is love.”

“Everybody in the com-

munity come out, let’s see if we can meet together, meet and see what we can do to help St Cecilia, because St Cecilia needs help,” he said. “I walk around to the business people in St Cecilia, they’re willing to give back, but we just need to sit around the table, get people to come out and see what we can do to help this area.”

PAGE 12, Thursday, January 19, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Mitchell hits out at ‘hateful’ criticism by attorney Fred Smith

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net FOREIGN Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell responded yesterday to the “hateful” criticism attorney Fred Smith, QC, allegedly made about The Bahamas recently.

This marks the most recent verbal sparring in a long running war of words between the two men.

Speaking in the House of Assembly, Mr Mitchell said: “Mr Smith, who is himself a naturalised citizen of The Bahamas, and was given shelter in this country, has indicated the following and I quote: ‘The fact is The Bahamas is a very racist, a very xenophobic, a nationally insecure and a very hateful place to foreigners.’

“This is absolutely untrue,” Mr Mitchell added.

“This is a statement that comes from someone who presents himself as a human rights activist. He makes his living and a livelihood in The Bahamas.

This is the equivalent of a fisherman calling his own fish stink. Given the wide circulation of the documents, no immigration minister can allow this comment to stand unchallenged, particularly as it was delivered in the face of 65 foreign people who live in The Bahamas and are valued investors here. It is hateful; it is deceitful.

“This is ungrateful. It is dishonest. It is unpat-

riotic. All fun and jokes aside, as a public policy maker, as a member of Parliament, as a minister of the government, I am sworn to defend the Bahamas and its Constitution and its people without fear or favour. I do not appreciate in the least this attempt to smear me and to smear the government and the wider Bahamian people, no matter how it is dressed up.”

Mr Mitchell was referring to comments Mr Smith allegedly made during a meeting of the Coral Beach Condominium Association on January 15.

Sixty-five people, “most of them non-nationals,” attended the meeting, Mr Mitchell said. It was at the meeting Mr Smith criticised the government for getting involved in “the private financial or private disputes in a condominium association.”

An audio recording of the meeting was circulated yesterday.

In the recording, a man, purportedly Mr Smith, can be heard warning those attending that they may be deported. “ . . . It is inappropriate for the government to get involved in the private, financial disputes in a private condominium association like this. Why is Fred Mitchell, the minister of immigration, getting involved in a dispute that exists between condominium owners. Why is he picking on Bruno Rufa. . .or others?

FRED MITCHELL, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. “ . . . Make no mistake, when the new board decides to enforce the lien against some Bahamian who refuses to pay the maintenance, you will be the next one that immigration will try and deport.”

Mr Smith also purportedly said: “It’s a very difficult environment to live in. You’re all white for the most part and it’s a big problem for a lot of the black Bahamians that you’re down here. Believe

it or not, they want your money, they want you to spend it, but they don’t like you.

“The fact is that The Bahamas is a very racist, very xenophobic, nationally insecure and a very hateful

place to foreigners.”

Mr Smith represents Grand Bahama resident Bruno Rufa, a Canadian citizen, who has been accused of working in The Bahamas without the legal authority to do so.

COUNTRY NOT A BETTER PLACE IF PLP WIN, SURVEY SAYS

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

ALMOST 100 per cent

of Bahamians surveyed in an online poll do not believe the country will be in a better place should the Progressive Liberal Party

win the next election, according to data from advocacy group Bahamians Awake.

The results of the pur-

ported online survey were released to the media yesterday.

According to the group, the poll found that less than 10 per cent of the more than 400 people surveyed have faith in whatever future plans a Perry Christie-led administration has for the country.

The Facebook survey, showed that 92 per cent of those polled do not believe that the country will advance under a re-elected PLP government, and furthermore, that just eight per cent feel that Prime Minister Perry Christie has the best vision for the country going forward.

Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, according to the survey, was supported by 38 per cent of the respondents in that regard. Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney and United People’s Movement (UPM) Leader Greg Moss each received the support of 27 per cent of respondents.

The survey also revealed that 88 per cent of respondents believe that an alternative governing party can do a better job than the PLP coming out of the next general election. Additionally, 77 per cent of respondents expressed confidence that any one of the political parties seeking to become the government can affect real change to the country’s current socio-economic trajectory.

The survey also revealed that on a scale of 1-5, with

1 being “very poor” and 5 being “very good,” the PLP received an average grade of 1.5 on its ability to lead the country during its last five years in office. Also, when asked what would make the country better, “a change in government” was the response by Bahamians 200 times, the introduction of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 187 times, and weeding out corruption 150 times.

And, 92 per cent of respondents do not believe that the opening of Baha Mar, long touted by the Christie administration as a key component of the country’s economic rebound, and neither the government’s “PR push” to employ Bahamians through the mega resort’s anticipated partial opening in April of this year, will be enough to secure the PLP’s reelection, according to the survey.

Additionally, 85 per cent of respondents are of the view that the PLP has sold out the country to the Chinese, according to the survey.

According to a statement

by Bahamians Awake, the purpose of the study was to “gauge the trust and confidence the populace has in the current administration, and to also reflect the type of leadership that is desired going into the next general election.”

The group said the survey’s respondents consisted of a total sample size of 485 people between the ages of 18-65 across the Bahamas,

with males and females accounting for 48 and 51 per cent of respondents, respectively.

Bahamians Awake, in its statement accompanying the highlights of the survey, said: “Amidst the election propaganda circulating the social sphere, there are the voices of real people that are not being heard. The government’s role in what led to the redundancy of 2,000 employees and the stalling of Baha Mar only lit the fuse to our demand for change in the country. “ . . . From unemployment, to credit downgrades, to crime, to corruption and the need for the (FOIA), Bahamians all around the country are demanding change. We are in an historic place in our country’s evolution and we must understand that if we desire change, then we, the people, must be the agents of that change.”

In December, a poll of 400 Bahamians showed that Bahamians disapprove of the direction the Bahamas is headed and have grown disillusioned with the governing PLP. The poll, conducted between November 29 and December 5 by American company Wilson Perkins Allen Opinion Research (WPA) on behalf of the Free National Movement, showed that the people surveyed had a higher favourability rating for the FNM and Dr Minnis compared to Mr Christie and the PLP.

PAGE 14, Thursday, January 19, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

FNM CHAIRMAN: COUNTRY CANNOT STAND ANOTHER FIVE YEARS OF THE PLP

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Sidney Collie has condemned Prime Minister Perry Christie’s declaration that he is prepared to serve another term, insisting that the country could not withstand five more years with the Progressive Liberal Party leader at the helm.

In a statement, Mr Collie said while the Centreville MP may be eager for another term as prime minister, the Bahamian people “are not” ready to grant him that chance.

Mr Collie asserted that

the Christie administration’s record stands for itself, listing several of the government’s shortfalls since being voted to office in 2012. “(Mr Christie) may think that he has done an excellent job for the Bahamian people, but they know that the PLP government has been more concerned about taking care of their foreign allies and political supporters than the Bahamian people,” Mr Collie said.

“Their record stands for itself – junk bond status, endemic unemployment, and rising crime, which has led other countries to issue travel warnings, scandals, secret deals, and continued

mismanagement and failures.

“Their four and a half years have been full of empty rhetoric and broken promises, and the Bahamian people are sick and tired of it,” Mr Collie said.

“The embattled prime minister must have been living in a bubble for these past four and half years, because they have been an unmitigated disaster for the Bahamian people. We continue to encourage them to run on their failed record.

“While the prime minister is trying to explain away the past four and a half years, maybe the Bahamian people will finally get answers to critical ques-

tions that the PLP has been ignoring for years.”

Mr Collie said the Christie administration must give an account of all funds collected as a result of the implementation of value added tax.

He also called for clarification on the Baha Mar deal and answers as to why the administration has failed to address crime and the failing education system.

“The Bahamian people deserve answers to these questions and it is our sincere hope that the embattled prime minister will finally deliver answers without any more of their empty rhetoric and broken promises that the Bahamian peo-

ple have become so used to,” Mr Collie said.

“The FNM will continue to stand with the people and hold the PLP accountable for their failed record of the past four and a half years.

“We will not rest until Bahamians get satisfactory answers to their questions and concerns, not more campaign spin.

“With our change team, the FNM will finally return the government to the people in just a few short months, making it ‘the people’s time.’”

On Sunday, Prime Minister Christie brushed off his critics as he spoke of plans his administration looks to

finalise before voters head to the polls this year.

Speaking of his energy and eagerness to serve another term, he urged his supporters not to “squander” the opportunity to win the general election.

Mr Christie contended that the PLP has done and continues to do “everything possible to move the Bahamas forward.”

Mr Christie, who has made it clear that he is in campaign mode, is facing his first leadership challenge since 2009 from Fort Charlotte candidate Alfred Sears.

The party’s national three-day convention is slated for January 24 to 26.

No plan to pull out at Memories

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE a significant decline in hotel room capacity on Grand Bahama, a tourism executive has said there is no plan for a pullout by Sunwing Airlines, which is linked with the currently closed Memories Resort.

Betty Bethel, director of tourism in Grand Bahama, said that the Ministry of Tourism and Sunwing are, in fact, gearing up for the airline’s summer programme.

“To our knowledge there is no pullout by Sunwing,” she said yesterday when contacted about a reported pullout by the airline, The 500-room Memories Beach Resort sustained significant damage from Hurricane Matthew in October and has not reopened.

There are some 600 Bahamians employed with the resort.

Sunwing Travel Group, which operates the resort, had expected to reopen in mid-December, but that date was pushed further back.

Ms Bethel said that the ministry is preparing to move forward to promote the airline’s summer programme.

“They are ramping up for the summer programme right now. What might be happening is that they may have to move out some that has equipment sitting to some other location until

they are back online,” she said.

“I heard had reports (of pull out) too last night and this morning and after following up it was confirmed there is no pull out. To our knowledge it is not happening and we are presently preparing to go into marketplace and promote those summer programmes via Vacation Express using the other hotels until Breakers Cay is open again,” she said.

When asked about the Grand Celebration cruise line, the tourism executive added that the vessel had left temporarily due to the lack of inventory on Grand Bahama following the hurricane.

She said the reopening of the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort made it possible for the ship to return.

“Viva has been able to fill the gap in inventory and the Grand Celebration will utilise all properties available until the Grand Lucayan, their preferred hotel partner, comes back on stream,” she said.

The Grand Lucayan’s Breaker’s Cay resort remains closed. Its smaller property, 200-room Lighthouse Pointe has reopened.

The Tribune contacted Veronica Clarke’s office for comments concerning the status of Breaker’s Cay and rumours about plans of reducing staff at the Grand Lucayan. Ms Clarke, the general manager of Grand Lucayan, was said to be busy in meetings and did

not return a call up to press time.

With Memories and the Breaker’s Cay closed there are around 1,000 rooms out of Grand Bahama’s inventory.

The Treasure Bay Casino closed its doors on December 4, putting 150 Bahamians out of work.

The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) issued a statement yesterday about the uncertainty that exists on the island, particularly for Bahamians at the Memories Resort.

“While Prime Minister Christie says he is doing an outstanding job for the Bahamian people, 600 more Bahamians are uncertain about their future and could soon join the already long unemployment line in Grand Bahama,” said Leslie Lightbourne, DNA candidate for Pineridge and the party’s spokesman on labour.

He stated that after 150 Bahamians were sent home following the closure of the casino operations at Treasure Bay, staff at Memories are worried they will be next.

“Employees have been told the property would reopen in May 2017 following Hurricane Matthew, but there is no indication of any work being done to ensure this happens. Workers have no idea if or when they will be paid. Where are the answers?

“What has this Christie administration done for Grand Bahama and its workers?”

DONNA NICOLLS

ACTIVIST CALLS ARCHDEACON’S COMMENTS ‘SHAMEFUL’ WOMEN’S rights activist Donna Nicolls has decried Anglican Archdeacon James Palacious’ recent pronouncement that black people “breed too much” as “painfully disheartening” and “shameful.”

In a letter to the editor released yesterday, Mrs Nicolls said the remarks demonstrated “a total lack of empathy and understanding of a system of miseducation and oppression that continues to keep our communities disempowered.”

The letter added: “Instead of disassociating ourselves from the social problems we see in society and casting blame on others, often times the most vulnerable, we need to examine the systems of which we are all a part of and advocate for fundamental change to these systems. “ . . .It is easy to condemn, belittle or demean others, especially when you lack empathy or respect. It takes more courage and thought-

fulness to cast judgment on a system that robs our communities of structure and support; a system that offers only contempt in the form of negative messages; a system that breeds impoverishment, inequality and hopelessness.

“When it comes specifically to women, it seems as though we can’t get a break in this country when our very humanity is constantly under attack. It is exhausting as a Bahamian woman keeping up with all of the narrow-mindedness, misogyny and self-loathing that is constantly on public display: questions about how we should act; who we should serve; who we should marry; what our citizenship means; how we should or should not ‘breed’; what the meaning of our womanhood is; how we should dress; how we should dance; what is proper; who we are. These questions always seem to challenge and undermine

our sense of dignity, our personal autonomy and equal treatment.”

Ms Nicolls is a member of Bahamas Women’s Watch, a non-profit organisation that promotes women’s rights. On January 10, Archdeacon Palacious said that “black people breed too much,” adding that Bahamian women “should stop having babies” they cannot afford.

Addressing a crowd of supporters at the end of a march to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Majority Rule, Archdeacon Palacious said that unless “we find a way to control our reproductive processes” The Bahamas will be stuck recycling poverty.

The archdeacon said while Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn’s 2016 proposal for state-sponsored sterilisation of women was “most unfortunate,” he agreed with the principle of what Mr Lightbourn was trying to say.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 19, 2017, PAGE 15

MARTIN Scan on the Yellowfin Tuna near Grand Bahama.

ALL roads lead to Bimini on February 1 to 5 for the first Resorts World Ocean Sports Wahoo Challenge, which offers a guaranteed minimum payout of $35,000 Resorts World Bimini, the Hilton Hotel at Resorts World, and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism have teamed team up to host the first of what is expected to

LOCAL boys David and Charles on the Wahoo.

2

FOR

5

$

Egg & Cheese on Egg an English Muffin

(Incl. VAT)

CAMERON Chandler found a Wahoo double while fishing near Grand Bahama. be an annual event. Bimini has a reputation as the big game-fishing capital of the world.

The tournament fee is $3,000 per boat with advance registration and covers tournament participation of one to six registered participants per boat.

A new website - ResortsWorldOceanSports. com - has been launched for upcoming Ocean Sports events in Bimini and competition registration and

BIG Hoss Fishing Team struck into the Harbour Island Yellowfin Tuna. details can be found there. “hot spots” and providing As part of the entertain- advice on gear and fishing ment, American country methods being used. music artist and songwriter For a sample of the specPhil Vassar will perform tacular fishing to be had in live on February 4 at Re- The Bahamas, expert adsorts World Bimini, the vice, tournament dates and day before the Super Bowl results, informative features which will be screened live and photo galleries visit the at the resort’s casino.

BSFN page at tribune242.

Keep checking the Ba- com or www.bsfn.biz. hamas Sport Fishing NetBSFN slideshows can work (BSFN) expert page be found on USA Today’s for fishing reports through- website in the Travel secout the Bahamas: this will tion at experience.usatobe helpful in tracking the day.com.