05152024 NEWS AND SPORT

WEDNESDAY

RESIDENTS CONCERNED OVER $290M HOSPITAL

Doctors ask about lack of consultation and how location will be staffed

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

DOZENS of residents

voiced their opposition to the construction of a $290m hospital at New Providence Highway during a rowdy town hall meeting yesterday Residents from the Stapledon, Rock Crusher, Dolphin Drive and West Grove communities gathered to discuss their grievances at the Stapledon

school auditorium. Panelists included Health Minister Dr Michael Darvile, Public Hospitals Authority managing director Aubynette Rolle, Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis and Works Minister Clay Sweeting. Dr Gemma Rolle, president of the Medical Association of The Bahamas, said doctors were unaware of the plan and

COURT AWARDS ALMOST $300K AFTER COMPANY DRIVER HIT MAN

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

GOLF Stream Food Services Limited has been ordered to pay a man

$221,000 in damages and $50,000 in costs after its driver struck him in 2016.

Kenneth Thompson was 52 when he was struck.

In seeking general

damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, Mr Thompson said he suffered soft tissue injury to the neck, left lower abdomen and lower back, mild traumatic brain injury, post-concussion syndrome, and cervical and lumbar discogenic disease with herniated discs, among other

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A FOREST fire in Coral Harbour caused temporary flight disruptions at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) and

power interruptions across western New Providence yesterday. Around 11am, LPIA officials urged passengers to brace for flight delays after announcing a nearly three-hour suspension of air traffic control services

due to low air visibility in the area.

Local meteorologists told The Tribune the visibility levels dropped below a mile yesterday morning. Videos showed pilots

CHRISTIE: ROKER WAS A ‘LAW AND ORDER’ PERSON

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie remembered the late Loftus Roker as a “law and order person” known for his commitment to “protecting and preserving” The Bahamas. Mr Christie recalled getting to know Mr Roker, who died on Monday at the

age of 88, in his youth and admiring his capabilities. Mr Roker was known for his strict approach to immigration enforcement. Mr Christie said the former minister had strong opinions which likely influenced Sir Lynden Pindling’s decision to appoint him minister of national security

By KEILE CAMPBELL

AS the Free National Movement’s convention nears, more concerns have been raised about the fairness of the process, this time from members of the party’s Fox Hill constituency association.

Renathia Lockhart, a chairman candidate, wrote to FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands, expressing concern that the acting chairman of the association is continuing with the election process after being instructed that constituency

SMOKE from a bush fire near Odyssey Aviation is seen from Coral Harbour Rd yesterday. Heavy smoke lead to a closure of Lyden Pindling Ineternational Airport for almost two hours.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Smoke from Coral Harbour fire halts flights at LPIA for nearly two hours

informing their passengers inbound for New Providence of the flight delays due to visibility concerns.

While airport operations returned to normal around 1pm, some schools were dismissed early or remained closed due to the high smoke concentration.

At Gambier Primary School, parents were asked to pick up their children after noon for safety reasons.

Meanwhile, Keith Carroll, president of the National Fishing Association, said he and other fishermen spent most of Monday night watching the fire closely to ensure the safety of their equipment.

He said while there was no damage to their traps or supplies, fishermen remained on high alert.

“According to how it be tonight, we’ll probably spend half of the night here too watching them; as long as it takes until we feel it’s safe,” Mr Carroll said.

Director of Fire Services Chief Superintendent Kendrick Morris said while the blaze was not contained, it did not pose an immediate threat to nearby residents.

BPL said it executed an emergency shutdown of several primary feeders in western New Providence because the fire was affecting its transmission and distribution lines, with some poles lost and several lines damaged.

The areas affected included Coral Harbour North, Caves Village, Sandy Port, Sea Beach and West Place #1.

BPL senior manager Arnette Ingraham said

service was rerouted from other parts of the network to restore supply as crews worked to replace damaged poles.

“The rerouting of customers may result in periods of supply interruption to ensure we do not overload our circuits,” she said yesterday evening. The blaze is the latest in a series of fires in the country. Last week, firefighting resources were stretched to fight a fire at a scrap metal yard on Joe Farrington Road.

In April, a forest fire forced some residents in Andros to leave their homes over health concerns.

That month, four separate fires in the Marsh Harbour and Spring City areas of Abaco temporarily forced the closure of the island’s main road. At one point, volunteers spent over 30 hours battling the fires.

Over the weekend, the government sent a fire truck to Abaco to battle another blaze that erupted there.

Abaco residents reported light rainfall yesterday and said the fires were contained.

Chief meteorological officer Kaylinda WardForbes said yesterday that bushfires around this time of the year are not uncommon given the hot, dry temperatures. She said the lack of rain has not helped.

“It is our dry season, and we haven’t had much precipitation, so the underbrush is very dry, so sometimes it just takes a spark,” she said. “You could have a piece of glass bottle in the intense heat. As you could already see, we’re already touching the 90s temperature-wise without any precipitation.”

Lyrone Burrows,

president and CEO at Bahamas Aviation, Climate and Severe Weather Network (BACSWN), also commented on the blaze, saying: “Our heart goes out to residents of

southwest New Providence in the Coral Harbour and Albany areas. We extend our best to the firefighters who are currently persisting in attempting to quell the blaze, and we’re

hopeful that weather conditions will be cooperative as such that it will be able to assist in the quelling of the wildfires and the resulting smoke emanating from it. We are also

hopeful that the impact on the aviation community, especially those landing and taking off from LPIA, that the impact for the sector is minimised over the coming days.”

THE LYNDEN Pindling International Airport control tower is obscured by smoke from a bush fire along Coral Harbour Rd which led to a brief suspension of air traffic yesterday.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

FIRE raging near Lynden Pindling International Airport. Photo: Sydney MacCartney

Residents concerned over $290m hospital

questioned how the government would staff the facility given the burden and current lack of manpower at Princess Marget Hospital.

“The $291m that had been allocated for a new site, that’s to build it, how will it continue to function and be run when we are having challenges in the current system, again, the drain of physicians,” she asked.

“And also, when was it going to be planned that the physicians who are supposed to be working this will be notified? Are we to expect foreign physicians to come in as well as foreign nurses? We also have a drain of our nurses to the United States.”

Dr Darville told Dr Rolle to “reach out directly” to the PHA managing director for the answer but defended the country’s health system while acknowledging the shortage of allied health care workers.

The 50-acre facility will be located off the New Providence Highway between the six-legged roundabout and Saunders Beach roundabout. The 200-bed speciality hospital will specifically host women and children, featuring a neonatal unit, imaging services, morgue and pathology services, and telemedicine.

Dr Darville noted there were four alternative states for the facility. The Gladstone Road location was in a flood zone. The area near the Ministry of Works had sinkholes. Two other undisclosed locations were deemed too small.

One resident questioned

the potential decline in property value, increased traffic and noise population given the hospital’s proposed location.

“The first question is the economic impact this facility will have on the real estate in close proximity. The real estate will go up. The value of your asset will go up,” Dr Darville responded, prompting jeers from the crowd who said it was inaccurate.

Dr Darville added: “The second question as it relates to noise pollution and traffic, listen here, I live in the east. I gotta get up six o’clock in the morning to get to work for nine, so, everywhere in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, in New Providence, is filled with traffic.”

“We need an overpass in The Bahamas and we have to work towards it because the traffic is an issue. Now as far as our EMT services are concerned, our EMT service must be very sensitive to noise pollution, as well as the siren from our police officers.

“We have to come up with a strategy in the country where other countries have done to mitigate and manage noise pollution brought on by sirens. And so, I want to let you know that traffic is everywhere and we need to mitigate traffic.”

Another town hall meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, May 16, at Living Waters Kingdom Ministries. Dr Darville assured residents that continued consultation is expected with the Ministry of Health in the coming weeks.

Court awards almost $300k after company driver hit man

things. The defendants admitted liability, and the matter was sent to the registrar for assessment of damages.

Deputy Registrar Edmund Turner noted:

“The plaintiff noted that after the accident, he immediately experienced back pain, headaches and dizziness. He was unable to sleep, experienced dizziness, and experienced numbness and tingling on the left side. The plaintiff

also noted that sometimes his left side would just collapse. The plaintiff also complained of his sex life being affected. He also complained of memory loss as individuals kept telling him he was repeating himself. It is of significance to note that a non-invasive surgery was carried out by Dr Brusovanik, and the plaintiff felt considerably better but did not have total relief.”

generators, and he is the owner of his own business. As a result of the aforementioned injuries, the plaintiff cannot participate in church processions and Lodge marches. His memory continues to affected, as well as the quality of his sex life.” The deputy registrar awarded the plaintiff $172,368 for general damages, special damages and costs. Interest from the date of the injury to the date of the judgment brought the figure up to $221,098.60. from page one

“The plaintiff is an electrician, whose job is to principally work on

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville speaks during a town hall meeting concerning the proposed New Providence Hospital at Stapledon School last night.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

DR GEMMA ROLLE, president of the Medical Association of The Bahamas

FNM’s upset as constituency elections are postponed

association elections will not be held until after the FNM’s June 1 convention.

She complained that previous executive members acted in executive capacities even though the association’s executive committee had been dissolved.

Ms Lockhart proposed that the two candidates running for the chairman position select an even number of delegates, five from each candidate, to attend the national convention.

Dr Sands said yesterday the matter is an internal issue. He questioned why the letter was made public.

The FNM recently paused constituency association elections, but Dr Sands said some elections were allowed to continue due to “instances where things

were well-established”.

Burton Miller, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’s campaign chairman, called last week to immediately suspend constituency association elections. He accused the party’s leadership of rushing those elections to favour Michael Pintard at the upcoming convention.

The Fox Hill matter is seen within the party as the latest proxy war between Michael Pintard and former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

One of the FNM’s vice-chairmen, Richard Johnson, sued the party for banning him from executive meetings.

Last week, a Supreme Court judge dismissed an application for an injunction to stop the FNM’s Women’s Association election after concerns were raised about the process.

Pintard: PAC examining concerns over how govt spends, manages and processes funds

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter

FREE National Move-

ment leader Michael Pintard says the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is examining several audits from the Office of the Auditor General under the Davis administration, saying there are overwhelming concerns about how the government spends, manages, and processes funds.

Mr Pintard, the PAC’s chairman, spoke to reporters yesterday before a private PAC meeting with outgoing auditor general Terrance Bastian and the incoming auditor general. Mr Pintard said he had sent the government dozens of questions about several unsettled matters, but the government has failed to answer.

The FNM leader said the PAC was still raising concerns about the Consumer Protection Commission’s new rental space selection process last year. He said there are also concerns about the government’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) $250m loan, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), and the recently released audit of the 50th CARIFTA Games, which found numerous irregularities.

“We thought it best to look at all of the audited accounts as a pathway to address any concerns we have about how funds are being managed, whether or not the processes in different government ministries are improving to prevent any irregularities,” Mr Pintard said in the House of Assembly.

“We are going this route because we realise that this is not an administration that’s committed to transparency and accountability. The attorney general has previously attempted to put roadblocks in our way. Out of the abundance of caution, we saw to look at the range of reports already written by the Auditor General.”

Regarding BPL, Mr Pintard said funds must be accounted for from BPL’s glide path initiative, which incrementally increased its fuel charge each month to reflect the rising cost of fuel and then gradually decreased it through the end of February 2024.

“The government also made an illegal loan to BPL, meaning that they must follow the provision both in the Constitution as well as the Financial Transaction Act and the reality is they did not,” he said. “These were funds that they made available, and only when we discovered that they did so that they admitted that they just simply transferred funds to BPL. They have not determined the terms.

Davis about loans the government has received or practices of overspending.

Mr Pintard said he has sent an overwhelming number of letters to Mr

“The auditor general is competent, and under both administrations, he has been a straight shooter and we have had persons on both sides express

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that QUETIE VERONAT-SIMÉ of South Beach, Nassau, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 8th day of to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 8th day of April 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

concerns about his reports, which is a good thing for him because it shows that regardless of who’s in the chair, he’s prepared to do his job,” Mr Pintard said.

East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson said one of his concerns was a

report in 2023 by the auditor general in the House Assembly, where he requested assistance for additional employment. Mr Thompson questioned the government’s progress to fulfill the auditor general’s request.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that LUBENS JOSEPH of Kemp Road, Strachan’s Alley, Nassau, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 8th day of April 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that DOMINIQUE DINO LORFILS of Nassau Village, Nassau, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 7th day of May 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

Christie: Roker was a ‘law and order’ person

at the height of the drug era and a time of escalating illegal immigration from Haiti.

Mr Christie said Mr Roker “had a view that there was too much slackness on immigration matters and that there should be a stern approach, a rigorous approach, a very disciplined approach to the regulation of illegal migrants”.

He added: “His reputation preceded him in terms of his commitment to protecting and preserving The Bahamas as he saw it and as he would speak to that issue.”

Mr Roker affected The Bahamas in other ways too.

Mr Christie said he was a “great friend” of Ted Arison, the owner of Carnival Cruise Lines, and that the friendship led Mr Arison to build the Crystal Palace Hotel and Casino.

“Again, someone who was a stern figure, a strong figure, dynamic figure in Bahamian nationalistic politics and policies, Loftus Roker understood that The Bahamas could not exist without direct foreign investment and amongst some of the people who he knew was such investors who he befriended and became friends with,” Mr Christie said.

Recalling Mr Roker’s tenure as minister of national security and immigration, Mr Christie said: “Any minister in government has to present a policy to his colleagues, and his colleagues have to agree and share what was taking place. Roker was an enforcer of the policy, and he was known

Police testify

to, insofar as ministers are able to dictate enforcement, he was one of those persons who clearly was a law and order person.”

“Whatever the law provided for, Loftus Roker believed that is what he should be able to do, but I don’t want to separate Roker from his government because in all things, he never ever wanted to be identified with someone who was saying I did and this is what I did. He was never that kind of person.”

University of the Bahamas professor Dr Christopher Curry noted yesterday that a second wave of Haitian immigration impacted Mr Roker’s tenure as immigration minister.

“It’s really during this period that Baby Doc, who is Jean-Claude Duvalier, who was the dictator in Haiti, that you see massive amounts of Haitians fleeing to The Bahamas,” the historian noted. “That is the period when Loftus Roker is in charge.”

“I have to say it like that because the influx was those people seeking somewhat of political relief, not quite political asylum, but relief from the dictatorship, despotic rule of JeanClaude Duvalier and his father before him, François Duvalier.

“So that is where you have this massive influx of Haitians coming into The Bahamas, and so he’s trying to police our borders. Mind you, he is in a space where The Bahamas itself is a new sovereign nation; we’ve only been independent since 1971, and he’s leading an area that demands quite a lot of his attention.”

Collins

was a suspect, but friends say he had no gun when he was shot

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN officer testified that Aliko Collins was a suspect in an attempted kidnapping of a woman on Cowpen Road just before he was shot and killed by an offduty officer in Pinewood Gardens in 2017.

However, Collins’ alleged accomplices in that matter denied that he had a gun.

The inquest into the killing of Collins, 21, continued before acting Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux yesterday.

Now-retired Superintendent Basil Collie, the subject of this inquest, alleged that an armed Collins accosted him on Bamboo Blvd in the early morning hours of February 8, 2017, causing him to fatally shoot the deceased.

Inspector David Rolle said on the day of the shooting, he was on duty at the Central Investigation Department when he received information on two suspects in an attempted armed robbery: Dameko Nottage and Sayon Campbell.

Inspector Rolle said in an interview with Mr Campbell, the driver that night, the suspect denied his involvement in the abduction. During Mr Campbell’s questioning, Inspector Rolle said that the suspect told him that he, Mr Nottage and Collins went to Laufey Bar and left around 4am.

When Inspector Rolle asked if Mr Campbell had been on Cowpen Road that night, the suspect did not say, claiming he did not know roads well.

Mr Campbell told Inspector Rolle that the trio encountered a woman walking that night, and they tried to take her phone. Mr Campbell claimed that he and his friends fled the area after the woman started to

scream. He denied having a gun and said none of the men touched the woman.

In his interview with Mr Nottage, Inspector Rolle said that the suspect also denied the abduction but admitted to trying to steal a woman’s phone that night.

During Mr Nottage’s interview, Inspector Rolle recalled the suspect telling him that he and his friends went to a party on Village Road before they drove to Cowpen Road.

Mr Nottage claimed that Collins tried to grab the woman’s phone while the car was still in motion. Mr Nottage told the officer that they got out of the car and tried to get the phone when this failed.

Mr Nottage claimed that when the woman refused, he asked for a gun to scare her to give it up. He said Collins put his hand in his shirt and acted like he was pulling out a gun, causing the woman to scream.

Inspector Rolle said the suspects said they fled the scene after men came out to respond to the scream. When asked what weapon Collins allegedly used against Superintendent Collie, Inspector Rolle could not say as he was only investigating the attempted abduction on Cowpen Road. However, he claimed that the incidents happened minutes apart.

Inspector Rolle confirmed to K Melvin Munroe, Superintendent Collie’s attorney, that he did not investigate the deceased’s shooting.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Demetrius Taylor read his report on what he observed after surveying the shooting scene.

ASP Taylor said he saw the deceased’s body lying on the street in a pool of blood in a black Nike shirt, black pants and black slippers.

ASP Taylor also noted that the deceased had a gunshot wound to his head and that a fired bullet casing

was next to his face. He also observed eight spent 9mm bullet casings scattered across the street, shattered glass and a Carlo Rossi bottle near the deceased’s corpse.

Photos of the scene by Inspector Austin Bowles showed Collins lying faceup on the ground with blood streaming from his nose. Photos of his chest with his shirt pulled up also showed that the deceased had tattoes.

A red dumbbell was also photographed at the scene.

ASP Taylor said Superintendent Collie told him at the scene that before the shooting, a vehicle pulled across from him while he was walking.

Superintendent Collie told the officer that four men exited, and after becoming in fear for his life, he pulled out and fired his service weapon. Superintendent Collie claimed that one of the men had a firearm.

Later that day, ASP Taylor said Mr Nottage and Mr Campbell came to police and said their friend had been shot. ASP Taylor said they claimed Collins approached a man he had an issue with while carrying a bottle, and that the man shot him.

ASP Taylor said the woman in the attempted abduction recognised the champagne gunshot-riddled Nissan Slyphy as the car the suspects who accosted her drove.

When questioned by the jury on the exact timeframe of the alleged attempted abduction and Collins’ death, ASP Taylor could not say, only saying it happened after 3am.

Sergeant Neil Munroe testified that he collected the bullet casings, used bullets and blood samples from the deceased at the scene for forensic analysis. Sgt Munroe made no mention of collecting a firearm used by the deceased.

LOFTUS Roker sitting at the foot of the bridge at Potter’s Cay in 2023.

Photo: Andrew Owen

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Escaping Haitians facing hostility in DR

HAITI’S capital of Port-au-Prince has been under siege for several months, with reports suggesting about 200 gangs have seized control of more than 80% of the city.

The surge of violence has left residents with few options other than to shelter in their homes or seek refuge in other towns or countries.

But finding safety outside Haiti’s immediate borders isn’t easy. Recent actions by the U.S., one of the most common destinations for Haitian migrants, have created additional challenges. Limits on flights in and out of the country, the suspension of visa services in Haiti and a refusal to grant “temporary protected status” to Haitians arriving in the U.S. after November 2022, for example, have made it not only difficult but unlawful in most cases for Haitians to emigrate to the States.

With such restrictions, and with the Biden administration intent on sending Haitians intercepted en route to the U.S. back home, many are seeking instead to migrate to the only country that shares a land border with Haiti: the Dominican Republic.

But as a scholar who studies the experiences of Haitians in the Dominican Republic, I know that their reception across the border is often contentious.

The chaos that has descended on Haiti in recent months has seen more than 360,000 people being internally displaced. It has also led to a wave of xenophobia in the Dominican Republic, where Haitians make up a sizable minority. In a country of about 11 million people, the estimate of how many Haitian migrants reside in the Dominican Republic ranges from 500,000to 1 million. Recent incidents of xenophobia have included harassment of Haitian migrants such as extortion and reports of both physical and sexual assaults.

Anti-Haitian sentiment has also galvanized politicians advocating stronger border regulations in an election year.

Dominican President Luis Abinader, who is currently leading in the polls ahead of the May 19 general election, has made it clear that he seeks to continue migration policies that include the building of a border wall and the placement of strategic checkpoints to prevent what his administration once described as an “avalanche of illegal foreigners, especially Haitian nationals.” Haitians have long been the target of mass deportations and violence in the Dominican Republic. In 1937, dictator Rafael Trujillo ordered the mass killing of Haitians in an incident known as the Parsley Massacre. Over six days, locals armed with machetes killed an estimated 20,000 Haitians –some estimate as many as 30,000. Now, like then, skin color has been used to identify who might be of Haitian descent. The Dominican Republic is a country that generally prides itself on its “mixedness,” in contrast with Haiti’s “Blackness.” And Dominican immigration officials have regularly been accused of racially profiling Black people as foreign, Haitian and illegal.

Anti-Black racism in the Dominican Republic is so notorious that in November 2022, the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo issued a travel advisory urging Black Americans to take precautions when traveling to the Dominican Republic for risk of being mistaken as Haitian and wrongfully detained.

Dominican efforts to deport Haitians has ratcheted up of late, peaking in July 2023 with 24,000 deportations. The monthly total dropped in January 2024 to 9,400, only to rise again by April 2024 to over 16,500. The rise in deportations comes in spite of pleas from human rights groups, which in March called on Dominican authorities to temporarily halt deportations of Haitian asylum-seekers.

Indeed, human rights groups have long been keeping a wary eye on

developments in the Dominican Republic.

In 2013, constitutional amendments rescinded birthright citizenship in the country. This meant that anyone born to noncitizens in the Dominican Republic from 1929 to 2010 was no longer eligible for Dominican citizenship. Initial estimates suggested that just over 200,000 people were made stateless as a result.

Critics scolded the legislation as racist, noting that among many things it seemed to violate Article 15, sections 1 and 2, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This states that everyone has a right to a nationality and that it should not be arbitrarily deprived.

Ten years later, 130,000 people remain stateless, without protection and at ever-looming risk of deportation.

Human rights groups have similarly flagged concern over how Dominican authorities carry out immigration policy, with multiple reports of inhumane treatment of Haitians – such as the use of excessive force in raids, deadly chases and parent-child separations.

In April, video footage circulated online revealing conditions at the notorious detention center in the town of Haina, a location so contaminated by lead that it has been dubbed “Dominican Chernobyl.” In the footage, dozens of Haitians are seen sprawled on the floor in overcrowded conditions.

The Dominican public seems relatively unconcerned about the plight of Haitian migrants.

A February 2024 poll of nearly 30,000 people conducted by the Listín Diario, one of the Dominican Republic’s oldest and most widely read newspapers, found that 99% of respondents believe Haitians’ human rights were not being violated despite the deportation policy.

Driving this sentiment is the belief that the Dominican Republic ought to be able to regulate its own immigration laws independent of other nation states’ influence. This is evident in statements from politicians such as former President Leonel Fernández, who is running for reelection and said in a newspaper interview that international interference in Dominican immigration policy reflected a lack of respect for the country’s sovereignty and self-determination.

Similarly, when Abinader, the current president, was asked whether the Dominican Republic will heed the U.N.’s plea to stop deporting Haitians, he simply stated: “No, we will not … we will continue to apply our laws and our constitution.”

The measures enacted to clamp down on Haitian migrants have been accompanied by agitation from rightwing groups. One such group, the nationalist, conservative organizationAncient Dominican Order, has a stated agenda to “reconquer” the Dominican Republic from Haitians.

The group has used its growing platform on social media – it has 77,000 followers on Facebook, for example – to organize protests against Haitian immigration and the “imposition of the international community.”

This Dominican-first nativism is echoed in the rhetoric of the country’s president. When asked in April by the BBC how the Dominican Republic can justify continuing to deport Haitians given their current crises, Abinader responded, “The same way the United States and the Bahamas and all the other countries” do.

He added that his government would not consider the possibility of offering even short-term refuge for Haitians.

With Abinader’s platform set to be given a fresh mandate from Dominican voters in the upcoming election, the chances of crisis-hit Haitians being welcomed across the border look as slim as ever.

Edlin Veras, Swarthmore College

A DEMONSTRATOR with draped Georgian national and EU flags stands in font of police blocking the way to the Parliament building, during an opposition protest against “the Russian law” in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia, yesterday. Georgia’s parliament on Tuesday began the third and final reading of a divisive bill that sparked weeks of mass protests, with critics seeing it as a threat to democratic freedoms and the country’s aspirations to join the European Union.

EDITOR, The Tribune. HOW often do we encounter a leader whose very words compel us to pause and reflect? How frequently does a politician embody the virtues of honesty and fearlessness to such an extent that they inspire not only their contemporaries but generations to come? As a young Bahamian who had the privilege to know the Hon Loftus Roker, I have grappled with these questions while reflecting on the profound impact of his leadership and the indelible mark he has left on our nation.

Mr Roker’s approach to governance and nationalism was nothing short of transformative. His clear, honest discourse was not merely communication — it was an invitation to engage deeply with the ideas that shape our society. Each time he spoke, it was with a clarity that cut through the noise, urging us to examine our policies and our very approach to nationalism. What can we learn from his dedication to speaking truths, often uncomfortable, yet vital for our growth as a

nation?

His fearless stance on various issues, particularly those involving national identity and integrity, demonstrated a rare form of leadership in Bahamian politics. He never shied away from difficult conversations; instead, he welcomed them as necessary for the health and progression of our society. Why do we admire such traits in our leaders, and why are they so rare? In Mr Roker, these qualities were not just occasional displays but consistent behaviours that defined his career and inspired those who followed his work.

My personal admiration for Mr Roker stems from his dedication to our nation. He embodied the type of nationalism that prioritises the collective good over individual gain, guiding by example and with a moral compass that never wavered. His impact on me was profound; he shaped my understanding

of what it means to be a committed and ethical leader in a landscape that often rewards the opposite.

In remembering Mr Roker, we must ask ourselves how we can incorporate his exemplary traits into our own lives and leadership. How can we, as young Bahamians, carry forward his legacy of integrity and courage? How can we ensure that his rare form of leadership becomes the standard for our current and future politicians?

Let us honour Loftus Roker by striving to emulate his dedication to truth and justice. Let his life remind us that leadership is not just about holding an office but about making a real difference in the lives of the people we serve. Let us commit to being leaders who, like him, are not afraid to speak out, stand firm, and steer our country toward a more honest and just future.

LATRAE RAHMING Communications director in the Office of the Prime Minister.

May 14, 2024

EDITOR, The Tribune. OPPOSITION Question time … In the mother of Parliaments, Westminster, the government would never have been able to get away with avoiding as they did.

Photo: Shakh Aivazov/AP

Selvinique wins 2024 Miss Universe Bahamas

CONGRATULATIONS go to Miss Selvinique Wright on winning the 2024 Miss Universe Bahamas.

“A unique name but also a unique young lady with a simple life goal: to die empty. I am young woman of strength, resilience, compassion and grace. I believe that my life experiences have prepared me to apply for my dream job of becoming Miss Universe Bahamas 2024. Inspired by recent events in my own life I’ve chosen the platform woman’s health, “Us First”,” said Miss Wright. Miss Marechan Burrows is first runner up; Miss Daniella Dorsette, second runner up, was named 2024 Miss International World Bahamas; Miss Chelsea Cooper is third runner up; and Miss Alexandria Pinder was named fourth runner up.

Man accused of setting fire to a vehicle causing $3k damage

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was taken into custody accused of vehicle arson in New Providence last month. Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, yesterday charged Lathario Sturrup, 38, with arson. Sturrup and an accomplice are accused of setting fire on April 25 to a green coloured 2004 Mack Truck belonging to Sandy Morley. The incident reportedly caused $3,000 worth of damage to the vehicle. Sturrup’s 63-year-old accomplice, Peter Sturrup, was arraigned on the same charge two weeks ago. The accused was told that his case would move to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Sturrup’s VBI is set for service on July 3.

MAN CHARGED FOR ATTACKING ANOTHER MAN USING A SCREWDRIVER GRANTED $5K

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted $5,000 bail yesterday after being accused of attacking a man with a screwdriver at a bar in Nassau Village last August.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was denied bail yesterday after he was accused of breaking into two stores on Bay Street last week.

Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged Prince Pierre, 26, with two counts of shopbreaking and three counts of damage. Pierre allegedly broke

Magistrate Raquel Whyms charged Devon Rigby, 25, with assault with a dangerous instrument and causing harm. Rigby is accused of assaulting and injuring Rodrakes Gibson with a screwdriver at Friendly’s Bar on Taylor Street on August 17, 2023.

into Pivot Point Salon on East Bay Street sometime between May 7 and 8. During this break-in, he allegedly caused $1,500 worth of damage to the wall and inner panel belonging to Paulette Connolly.

Pierre also allegedly broke into the Fashion Centre on Bay Street on May 8, causing $493.16 worth of damage to clear plate glass and a black cash

After pleading not guilty to the charges, the defendant was told that he must sign in at the East Street Police Station every Wednesday by 6pm. He was also warned not to interfere with the complainant or witnesses. Rigby’s trial begins on July 15.

register belonging to Maria Limniatis.

Pierre is further accused of causing $1,524.66 worth of damage to a showcase glass at Sue Nan Shoppe on May 8. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Pierre will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his trial begins on June 18.

POLICE SEIZE $400K OF MARIJUANA, THREE MEN HELD

THREE Bahamians are in police custody following the seizure of more than $400,000 worth of suspected marijuana during a drug bust in Grand Bahama. Some 217lbs of marijuana were allegedly found at Lucayan

Harbour on Monday afternoon during a joint operation. Drug Enforcement Unit officers and the Bahamas Customs Department, acting on information, executed a search warrant around 2pm on premises at the harbour where they

found the drug, which has an estimated street value of $434,000.

Two men, aged 57 and 31, and a 42-year-old woman were subsequently arrested and taken into custody. Investigations are continuing into the matter.

JOB VACANCIES The Tribune

is seeking new members of staff to add to its team.

We are seeking candidates to fll three roles:

Website Manager/Page Designer

The successful candidate will be an experienced journalist with an ability to edit stories, design news pages using Indesign and similar software and manage a dynamic website and associated social media. The role requires being able to help break news quickly and ensure regular updates around the clock to the www.tribune242.com website, as well as live coverage when appropriate and liaising with both the reporting team and the publisher.

It will also involve designing graphics suitable for various platforms, including the website, in-paper and for various social media outlets. Experience with HTML and other website skills are a must, as well as familiarity with handling content management systems.

The role also involves page design to support The Tribune’s design team. It is a senior journalist role requiring notable experience in the feld.

Photographer

We are seeking a photographer to join our staff, covering news, sport, business, features and more. The role requires enthusiasm and accuracy as well as an eye for the best photograph and the determination to capture it on camera.

The successful candidate will have familiarity with photo editing software such as Photoshop or similar, and will have their own transport and camera. Your duties will include coverage of local and international fgures, and capturing the daily events for both online and in the pages of The Tribune.

Business Reporter

The Tribune is also seeking a business reporter. Enthusiasm for business is a must, and previous writing experience or journalism training would be an asset. An interest in environmental subjects would also be a positive as the newspaper continues to expand its coverage.

Applicants for any of the above roles should apply with a resume and any examples of work to Managing Editor Stephen Hunt at shunt@ tribunemedia.net

Send your application to The Tribune, P.O. Box N-3207, Nassau, The Bahamas Deadline for all applications is May 20, 2024.

You are not alone, reach out for help

MAY is Mental Health

Awareness Month and it meets us at a time of frequent suicide and attempted suicide reports.

Death by suicide is tragic. It is an indication that the deceased saw no other way to get past whatever they were struggling with, whether or not they shared it with anyone else. Sometimes it seems impossible to share struggles with loved ones. We want them to see us as they have always seen us — strong and capable — or we want to be seen outside of the assumptions of youthful ignorance or irresponsible behaviour.

We are all trying to present a certain image of ourselves, and people are constantly imposing their own perceptions onto us, and this can be a barrier to seeking support. It is unhelpful and unnecessary to blame anyone for this. We all have work to do to build an environment in which everyone can speak openly about mental health challenges and the conditions that directly affect our mental wellbeing, and to ask for help.

People who have survived suicide attempts and have since accessed support mechanisms talk about the fact that most people (or no people) knew what they were going through. It is important that we do not make assumptions about people and the details of their lives. We have to be

By Alicia Wallace

careful in our speech, particularly about people who are struggling and about mental health.

Anxiety and depression are more common than most people think, and while some people are able to manage without medication, there are many people who need medication not only to function day to day, but to survive. The way we engage in public discourse matters. The way we talk about the news, talk about people, and talk about situations with family members, friends, co-workers, and others within our circles also matters. People not only hear what we say, but pick up on the assumption and biases embedded in our speech. It seems to be much more common to speak with criticism and disdain than it is to speak with love and support. We can all benefit from learning more about mental health, the services and service providers in The Bahamas, the gaps that exist, and how they can be filled. We should be able

to refer people to therapists. We should be able to understand when someone says they do not want to speak with a pastor or other religious person who is a “counsellor”, but want to speak with someone who has studied at the university level and been specifically trained to provide mental health support. We have to know that prayer, while it may be helpful or a source of comfort for some, is not enough. There is more to be done.

When we know more, we can do more. For those who need to be connected with a therapist and do not want it to be a Bahamian, there are various services available online that match clients with therapists. Video appointments and 24-hour text messaging are among the options. Cost continues to be a barrier, and this is one area that needs significant attention and intervention. What can we do for ourselves and each other?

We often underestimate the impact that our physical

People who have survived suicide attempts and have since accessed support mechanisms talk about the fact that most people (or no people) knew what they were going through.

health and environment have on our mental health. There are times when we do not feel well, without being able to identify a physical symptom, or we are unable to concentrate, have lowerthan-usual tolerance for everyday occurrences, or have a dip in mood. We may brush it off, recognising it as a “bad day” or push ourselves through it to complete our to-do lists, but this does not help in the long run. It can help to take a few minutes to determine what is happening in our bodies. There is sometimes a quick fix, or a lesson to learn that we can apply regularly to avoid a repeat of the situation. When we feel out of sorts, we can ask ourselves: today? If so, was it a balanced meal?

hydrated? What have I had to drink today? How much water have I had today? today? Have I felt the sun on my skin? Have I taken deep breaths in fresh air?

sleep last night? Did I get enough sleep? Was it restful? Was it uninterrupted? What was I doing right before I fell asleep, and could it have impacted the quality of my sleep?

interactions today? Have I laughed, or even smiled, today? What was the last thing to make me feel good?

contributing to the way I feel? Is my chair comfortable? Is my desk at the right height? Am I dressed appropriately for my activities today?

in ways that increase blood flow today? How much walking have I done today? How much sitting have I done today? Do I need to move around more, or do I need to take time to rest? We can use the same questions to check in with people around us who are

having a difficult time. When we identify the root causes, we can take action to address them in the short term and to avoid the issue in the future. Haven’t eaten all day? Get a wellbalanced meal and give the body time to catch up. Haven’t had fresh air in several hours? Go outside and find a comfortable space to sit or stand, if only for five minutes. It can help to put a hand on the chest or belly to feel the breath move through it with every inhale and exhale.

When there is no quick fix, it is important to be able to refer to a mental health toolbox. This, of course, requires us to develop these toolboxes for ourselves and ensure that they are accessible in times of crisis. The mental health toolbox can include:

people, with contact information, who can provide support. These should be friends and loved ones who are likely to pick up the phone when you call and/or answer the door when you knock. They should know, before they are needed, that they are being put on your list. Their role is to listen to you, affirm you, offer advice if asked, and encourage you to take further steps as needed.

that reminds you of some of the things that you are good at, the challenges that you have overcome, the accomplishments you have had, the great people in your life, and that there is better ahead.

comforting, encouraging, grounding, or otherwise brings you to a good place because of the memories it evokes or the meaning that it holds for you.

things, like puzzles, snacks, books, and games that can give you something to do rather than focusing on anything that you cannot control.

fessional who can have a session with you, allowing you to explain what is happening, share your feelings, and state your needs. This person can help you to name the issues and develop a plan to deal with them in healthy, effective ways.

can read, write, and/or say aloud to remind yourself who and what you are, what you are capable of doing, and the shape your life is going to take.

the events that lead up to the moment that you need to reach for your toolbox. It is a space for you to feel free to be completely honest and not use a filter at all. This could also be a helpful resource when you meet with a mental health professional, especially since it can be difficult to remember details and name feelings when some time has passed.

other scented material that you find soothing so you can create a pleasant sensory experience for yourself.

butter, or massage oil to treat yourself to a selfadministered massage. It may be surprising how much better you feel after moisturising your arms, massaging your neck, or rubbing your feet. It may be even nicer if the body products are in one of your favourite scents.

When self-assessment and our own resources do not yield sufficient results, we need to seek professional help. Bahamas Psychological Association continues to operate help lines for those who need to speak with a mental health professional. Call 812-0576 or 816-3799 for assistance in English. For children and adolescents, the number is 819-7652. For those who need to speak with someone in Creole, call 454-2993

Google unleashes AI in search

Associated Press

GOOGLE on Tuesday rolled out a retooled search engine that will frequently favor responses crafted by artificial intelligence over website links, a shift promising to quicken the quest for information while also potentially disrupting the flow of money-making internet traffic.

The makeover announced at Google’s annual developers conference will begin this week in the US when hundreds of millions of people will start to periodically see conversational summaries generated by the company’s AI technology at the top of the search engine’s results page. The AI overviews are supposed to only crop up when Google’s technology determines they will be the quickest and most effective way to satisfy a user’s curiosity — a solution mostly likely to happen with complex subjects or when

people are brainstorming, or planning. People will likely still see Google’s traditional website links and ads for simple searches for things like a store recommendation or weather forecasts.

Google began testing AI overviews with a small subset of selected users a year ago, but the company is now making it one of the staples in its search results in the US before introducing the feature in other parts of the world. By the end of the year, Google expects the recurring AI overviews to be part of its search results for about 1 billion people.

Besides infusing more AI into its dominant search engine, Google also used the packed conference held at a Mountain View, California, amphitheater near its headquarters to showcase advances in a technology that is reshaping business and society.

The next AI steps included more sophisticated analysis powered by Gemini — a

technology unveiled five months ago — and smarter assistants, or “agents,” including a stillnascent version dubbed “Astra” that will be able to understand, explain and remember things it is shown through a smartphone’s camera lens. Google underscored its commitment to AI by bringing in Demis Hassabis, the executive who oversees the technology, to appear on stage at its marquee conference for the first time.

The injection of more AI into Google’s search engine marks one of the most dramatic changes that the company has made in its foundation since its inception in the late 1990s. It’s a move that opens the door for more growth and innovation but also threatens to trigger a sea change in web surfing habits.

“This bold and responsible approach is fundamental to delivering on our mission and making AI more helpful for everyone,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai told a group of reporters.

Well aware of how much attention is centered on the technology, Pichai ended a nearly two-hour succession of presentations by asking Google’s Gemini model how many times AI had been mentioned.

The count: 120, and then the tally edged up by one more when Pichai said, “AI,” yet again.

The increased AI emphasis will bring new risks to an internet ecosystem that depends heavily on digital advertising as its financial lifeblood.

Google stands to suffer if the AI overviews undercuts ads tied to its search engine — a business that reeled in $175 billion in revenue last year alone. And website publishers — ranging from major media outlets to entrepreneurs and startups that focus on more narrow subjects — will be hurt if the AI overviews are so informative that they result in fewer clicks on the website links that will still appear lower on the results page.

WILL AI REPLACE DOCTORS WHO READ X-RAYS, OR JUST MAKE THEM BETTER?

WASHINGTON

Associated Press

HOW good would an algorithm have to be to take over your job?

It’s a new question for many workers amid the rise of ChatGPT and other AI programs that can hold conversations, write stories and even generate songs and images within seconds.

For doctors who review scans to spot cancer and other diseases, however, AI has loomed for about a decade as more algorithms promise to improve accuracy, speed up work and, in some cases, take over entire parts of the job. Predictions have ranged from doomsday scenarios in which AI fully replaces radiologists, to sunny futures in which it frees them to focus on the most rewarding aspects of their work.

That tension reflects how AI is rolling out across health care. Beyond the technology itself, much depends upon the willingness of doctors to put their trust — and their patients’ health — in the hands of increasingly sophisticated algorithms that few understand. Even within the field, opinions differ on

how much radiologists should be embracing the technology.

“Some of the AI techniques are so good, frankly, I think we should be doing them now,” said Dr Ronald Summers, a radiologist and AI researcher at the National Institutes of Health. “Why are we letting that information just sit on the table?”

Summers’ lab has developed computeraided imaging programs that detect colon cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and other conditions. None of those have been widely adopted, which he attributes to the “culture of medicine,” among other factors.

Radiologists have used computers to enhance images and flag suspicious areas since the 1990s. But the latest AI programs can go much further, interpreting the scans, offering a potential diagnosis and even drafting written reports about their findings. The algorithms are often trained on millions of X-rays and other images collected from hospitals.

Across all of medicine, the FDA has OK’d more than 700 AI algorithms to aid physicians. More than 75 percent of them are in radiology, yet just 2 percent of

radiology practices use such technology, according to one recent estimate.

For all the promises from industry, radiologists see a number of reasons to be skeptical of AI programs: limited testing in real-world settings, lack of transparency about how they work and questions about the demographics of the patients used to train them.

“If we don’t know on what cases the AI was tested, or whether those cases are similar to the kinds of patients we see in our practice, there’s just a question in everyone’s mind as to whether these are going to work for us,” said Dr. Curtis Langlotz, a radiologist who runs an AI research center at Stanford University.

To date, all the programs cleared by the FDA require a human to be in the loop.

In early 2020, the FDA held a two-day workshop to discuss algorithms that could operate without human oversight. Shortly afterwards, radiology professionals warned regulators in a letter that they “strongly believe it is premature for the FDA to consider approval or clearance” of such systems.

TIKTOK CREATORS COULD SUE OVER BAN

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer

EIGHT TikTok content creators sued the US government on Tuesday, issuing another challenge to the new federal law that would ban the popular social media platform nationwide if its China-based parent company doesn’t sell its stakes within a year.

Attorneys for the creators argued in the lawsuit that the law violates users’ First Amendment rights to free speech, echoing legal arguments made by TikTok in a separate lawsuit filed by the company last week. The legal challenge could end up before the Supreme Court.

The complaint filed on Tuesday comes from a diverse set of content creators, including a Texas-based rancher who has previously appeared in a TikTok commercial, a creator in Arizona who uses TikTok to show his daily life and spread awareness about LGBTQ issues as well as a business owner who sells skincare products on TikTok Shop, the e-commerce arm of the platform.

The lawsuit said the creators “rely on TikTok to express themselves, learn, advocate for causes, share opinions, create communities, and even make a living”.

“They have found their voices, amassed significant audiences, made new friends, and encountered new and different ways of thinking—all because of TikTok’s novel way of hosting, curating, and disseminating speech,” it added, arguing the new law would deprive them and the rest of the country “of this distinctive means of expression and communication”.

A spokesperson for TikTok said the company was covering the legal costs for the lawsuit, which was filed in a Washington appeals court. It is being led by the same law firm that represented creators who challenged Montana’s state-wide ban on the platform last year. In November, a judge blocked that law from going into effect.

The federal law comes at a time of intense strategic rivalry between the US and China on a host of issues and as the two have continued to butt heads over sensitive geopolitical topics like China’s support for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. US lawmakers and other administration officials have aired concerns about how well TikTok can protect users’ data from Chinese authorities and have argued its algorithm could be used to spread pro-China propaganda, which TikTok disputes.

Under the law, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance would be required to sell the platform to an approved buyer within nine months. If a sale is in progress, the company will get a threemonth extension to complete the deal.

However, TikTok and ByteDance said in their lawsuit last week that they would still have no choice but to shut down by next Jan 19 because continuing to operate in the US wouldn’t be commercially, technologically or legally possible.

They asserted it would be impossible for ByteDance to divest its US TikTok platform as a separate entity from the rest of TikTok, which has 1 billion users worldwide — most of them outside of the United States. A US-only TikTok would operate as an island that’s detached from the rest of the world, the lawsuit argues. It also said the Chinese government – which would need to approve such a sale – has “made clear” it would not permit a sale of the recommendation algorithm that populates users’ feeds and has been the “key to the success of TikTok in the United States”.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California

ALPHABET CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, California, on Tuesday.

Photo: Jeff Chiu/AP

Xi Jinping building deeper ties on Europe’s doorstep

BUDAPEST Associated Press

WHEN Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hungary last week, he arrived to one of the few places in the European Union where his country is considered an indispensable ally rather than a rival. By the time he left on Friday, he’d secured deals that provide fertile ground for China’s plans of economic expansion in Europe.

After meeting with nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday, the leaders addressed a small group of select media in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, announcing the formation of an “allweather partnership” that would usher in a new era of economic cooperation.

As most EU countries make efforts to “de-risk” their economies from perceived threats posed by China, Hungary has gone in the other direction, courting major Chinese investments in the belief that the world’s second-largest economy is essential for Europe’s future.

While Xi and Orbán didn’t unveil concrete agreements following their meeting, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó later said in a video that a deal had been reached on a joint Hungarian-Chinese railway bypass around Budapest, as well as a high-speed train link between the capital and its international airport.

The two countries also agreed to expand their cooperation to the “whole spectrum” of the nuclear industry, Orbán said, and deals were reached on China helping Hungary build out its network of electric vehicle charging stations and on construction of an oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia.

Zsuzsanna Vegh, a program assistant at the German Marshall Fund and visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said those deals

were “a clear signal that China sees Hungary as a key and reliable ally” in the EU as it seeks to reverse Europe’s toughening derisking policy.

Xi’s visit, Vegh wrote in a statement, shows that Hungary’s government “remains indifferent to its allies’ concerns and will continue to strengthen its bilateral ties with China in order to position itself favourably in what it perceives as a developing multipolar world.”

Pursuing a similar strategy is Serbia, Hungary’s neighbour to the south, which has also provided wide opportunities for Chinese companies to exploit its natural resources and carry out large infrastructure projects.

Like Orbán, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has built a form of autocratic governance that eschews the pluralism valued in more traditional Western democracies — making both countries attractive to China as opaque direct deals help to eliminate red tape.

During Xi’s visit to Serbia last week, he and Vucic signed an agreement to build a “shared future,” making the Balkan country the first in Europe to agree on such a document with Beijing.

Vuk Vuksanovic, a senior researcher at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, said that Xi’s interest in Serbia reflects his strategy of appealing to countries that are less committed to a US-led economic and political community. Xi’s “shared future” agreement with Belgrade, Vuksanovic said, promotes “China’s vision of the international order, the one where China is much more powerful, the one where the Western powers, primarily the US, no longer have the ability to dictate the agenda to others.”

China has poured billions of dollars into Serbia in investment and loans, particularly in mining

and infrastructure. The two countries signed an agreement on a strategic partnership in 2016 and a free trade agreement last year. While Serbia formally wants to join the 27-nation EU, it has been steadily drifting away from that path, and some of its agreements with China aren’t in line with rules for membership.

Vucic is friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and has condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine but refused to join international sanctions against Moscow. The red-carpet treatment by Serbia and Hungary has worried some of their Western partners, which see China’s incursion into the region as both an economic and security risk.

According to Gabriel Escobar, US envoy for the Western Balkans, Xi chose to visit the neighbouring countries because they “are open to challenging the unity of the Euro-Atlantic community.”

“We caution all of our partners and all of our interlocutors to be very aware of China’s agenda in Europe,” Escobar said last week.

In February, Hungary followed Serbia’s lead by concluding a security agreement with Beijing whereby Chinese law enforcement officers would be permitted to assist their Hungarian counterparts in police actions within Hungary.

The government has said the officers will ensure public safety among Chinese tourists and members

WILDFIRES BURNING ACROSS CANADA ARE ALREADY TRIGGERING UNITED STATES AIR QUALITY ALERTS IN THE MIDWEST AND PLAINS

Associated Press

DOZENS of wildfires are burning across Canada in May 2024 and sending unhealthy smoke blowing into the northern US again. At the same time, the southeastern US is getting smoke from Mexico, where drought conditions have been fuelling fires.

Last year, Canada’s record 2023 wildfire season introduced millions of Americans across the Midwest and northeastern states to the health hazards of wildfire smoke, with air quality alerts that reached levels never seen there before.

Professional baseball games were postponed and the skies in New York City turned orange with haze, at times exposing millions of people to the worst air quality in the world. In some regions, the smoke hung on for days.

The pressing question on many people’s minds: “Is this the new normal?”

From our perspective as air quality scientists, we think the answer is likely “yes.” Global warming means more fires

Hotter, drier conditions, coupled with dry grasses and underbrush that accumulated over decades of fire suppression, have made large wildfires more common.

Canada is experiencing a second consecutive extremely dry year in 2024, and it is also facing the reemergence of fires that

smouldered underground through the winter. May 12-14, 2024, smoke from fires in British Columbia and Alberta reached unhealthy levels from Montana to Wisconsin and began to spread south and east into the Midwest and Great Lakes region. The North American Seasonal Fire Assessment and Outlook for May through July highlights drought conditions in western Canada and Central America and higher than normal fire risk in both regions. It also notes the challenge of forecasting fire risk for later in the year as the El Niño climate pattern transitions to La Niña in late summer.

Computer simulations of the future in a warming climate show there will be more smoky days, higher smoke concentrations, larger burned areas and higher carbon emissions from the fires – which further fuel climate change. States and the Forest Service can use prescribed fires and forest thinning to help reduce the number and intensity of fire outbreaks, but smoke exposure is still likely to increase as temperatures rise and moisture levels change. In short, people will need to learn to live with wildfire smoke. It won’t be every year, but it will be more common. Fortunately, there are several tools and strategies for managing a smokier future. Preparing for smoky days

Managing the risk of wildfire smoke starts with making smart personal choices.

Think of smoke waves like heat waves: They’re easier to face if you’re prepared and know they’re coming. That means paying attention to forecasts and having face masks, air monitors and clean-air shelters available.

Inhaling the particulate matter and the chemicals in wildfire smoke can exacerbate asthma, worsen existing respiratory and cardiac problems and leave people more susceptible to respiratory infection. People caring for individuals sensitive to smoke, such as young children and older adults, will need to plan for their needs in particular.

To prepare, read up on the risks and warning signs from public health professionals. Living with wildfire smoke may mean using air filtration devices, wearing N95 or KN95 masks on bad air days, modifying outdoor commuting patterns and activity schedules and changing household ventilation choices. What schools and communities can do Living with smoke will also require changes to how schools, businesses, apartment buildings and government buildings operate.

Schools can start with setting a threshold for cancelling outdoor activities and making sure staff are ready to meet the needs of

kids with asthma.

Building managers may need to rethink air filtration and ventilation and deploy air quality sensors. Communities will also need contingency plans for festivals and recreation venues, as well as rules for business to protect outdoor workers.

Decisions on how to deal with smoke can be complicated. For example, selecting an air purifier can be a daunting task, with over 900 products on the market. The effectiveness of different smoke management interventions are not well known and can vary depending on small implementation details, such as how a mask fits the wearer’s face, whether exterior doors and windows seal tightly and whether filters are installed properly and are replaced often enough. Improving smoke monitoring and forecasting

The US has an extensive air quality monitoring and forecasting system to help provide some early warning. It uses ground-based air quality monitors, satellite remote sensing systems to detect smoke and fires and computer systems that tie observations together with wind, chemistry and weather. These are supplemented by expert guidance from meteorologists.

However, for average people trying to make decisions about the safety of outdoor activities, the current forecasting system is wanting. This is especially true when smoke blows in

of Hungary’s large Chinese diaspora. But critics say the officers could be used as an extension of Xi’s single-party state to exert control over the Chinese community.

As Orbán has deepened relations with Beijing, he has also been engaged in a protracted conflict with the EU that has seen billions in structural funds frozen to Budapest over concerns that he has captured democratic institutions and abused the bloc’s funds.

That money shows no sign of arriving any time soon, and Hungary’s pursuit of additional Chinese developments shows its government “does not envision the possibility of financing such strategic infrastructure projects from EU funds,” Vegh wrote.

While the inflow of Chinese capital is a boon to Hungary’s sputtering economy, having production sites on EU territory also helps Beijing to circumvent costly tariffs and Europe’s increasingly protectionist policies.

In December, Hungary announced that one of the world’s largest EV manufacturers, China’s BYD, will open its first European EV production factory in the south of the country, and has invited large direct investments in the production of EV batteries.

Such investments, Orbán said Thursday, are what will keep Hungary competitive in the future, from wherever they come.

“The concept driving the Hungarians is that we want to win the 21st century, and not lose it,” he said.

from fires far away, or when rapidly changing smoke emission rates and complex wind patterns lead to conflicting forecasts and advisories.

A few key improvements would go a long way for practical decision making around wildfire smoke. More accurate 10-day forecasts and neighbourhood-level forecasts would help communities plan ahead. Merging seasonal weather forecasts of precipitation, humidity and winds with satellite assessments of wildfire fuel conditions could also enhance emergency planning.

Maintaining a strong air quality monitoring network is also important. However, state and local government agencies have reduced the number of ground monitors by about 10% from its peak in 2001. Smoke estimates from satellites and low-cost portable sensors can help, but they

work best when they can be cross-calibrated to a well-maintained network of high-accuracy monitors. We still have a lot to learn

More effective adaptations to smoke will require more research to better understand the effects of repeated exposures to wildfire smoke and the compound hazards that develop when smoke hits simultaneously with other challenges, such as extreme heat.

Community responses, such as providing clean-air shelters – the equivalent to a cooling center during extreme heat – are gaining attention, but there is only limited guidance on what constitutes a cleanair shelter and where and when one would be used.

Living with smoke is emerging as a new reality that people across much of North America will have to contend with again this year, and prepare for in the future.

THIS photo provided by the BC Wildfire Service shows a view of the Parker Lake wildfire near Fort Nelson, BC on Monday.

Photo: BC Wildfire Service/The Canadian Press /AP

CHINESE President Xi Jinping, left, reviews an honour guard with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic during a welcome ceremony at the Serbia Palace in Belgrade, Serbia last Wednesday. Most countries in the European Union are making efforts to “de-risk” their economies from perceived threats posed by China. But Hungary and Serbia have gone in the other direction. They are courting

major Chinese investments in the belief that the world’s second-largest economy is essential for Europe’s future.

Photo: Darko Vojinovic/AP

GET READY FOR THE 6TH SAMUEL P. HAVEN JR

HIGH SCHOOLS SOCCER NATIONALS NEXT WEEK

FROM PAGE 16

played on two separate fields at 4:30pm, 5pm and 6pm.

Grand Bahama’s Lucaya International School for the boys and Bishop Michael Eldon for the girls will get automatic bids to the semifinals, scheduled for May 30 at 4:30 and 6pm.

On May 31, the third place for boys and girls will be played at 4pm, followed by the girls final at 5:30pm and the boys final at 7pm.

Lyford Cay International and the CR Walker Knights are the respective defending boys and girls champions.

“I’m very excited to see the talent and it’s counting as usual to bring the players to the national programme,” Swan said.

“We know that some of the players have played on our national team before and we are looking for some of them to make our national team this year.”

Swan revealed based on the performances of the players, they will get an opportunity to travel with the men’s 20-member national team to St Kitts where the Bahamas will play against Trinidad & Tobago on June 8 and St Kitts on June 11.

Oria Wood, the deputy director of sports at the MOETVT, said they are

happy to partner with the BFA as it afforded the students the opportunity to display their talents on the national stage.

“The success we anticipate is not merely a result, but a combination of hard work and passion demonstrated by both coaches and student-athletes,” she said.

“At the Ministry of Education, we firmly believe that sports transcends mere games. They serve as platforms for growth and development and cultivativation of invaluable life skills.”

Knowles said they are looking forward to not only fierce competition and the defence of championships.

But they are also anticipating excitement, showcasing talent and sportsmanship as the BAISS and the GSSSA go head-to-head in what could be the catalysts for the return of the two sporting bodies facing each other in the other sports.

Varel Davis, president of the GSSSA, said they are excited to be a part of the nationals, although their teams will not be decided until they complete their championship games on Friday at the same venue.

“It’s always good for high school nationals in the various sports because it showcases the talent of our kids, not just here in

Nassau, but the Family Islands as well,” Davis said. She noted that the GSSSA will be prepared to secure their share of the trophies.

Their teams for the nationals will come from their playoff teams that include CR Walker (No.1), Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves (No.2), RM Bailey Pacers (No.3) and CV Bethel Stingrays (No.4) on the girls’ side and on the boys, they are Anatol

Rodgers (No.1), Government High Magicmen (No.2), CR Walker (No.3) and CV Bethel (No.4).

Sandre Hobbs, the conveyer for soccer for the BAISS, said after completing their championship series, their teams are ready to go for the titles.

“We had our soccer championships and it was really exciting,” she said.

“We want to say congratulations to the BAISS schools, Lyford Cay,

Windsor and St John’s, who will be representing the boys and Lyford, St Andrew’s and Queen’s College on the girls’ side.

“All of the BAISS schools will be pulling for the BAISS schools,” she said.

“But we’re happy that the private schools will be going up against the public schools because that is what we want for the nation.

Hobbs wished the GSSSA all the success as they look forward to selecting their teams to compete in the nationals.

Carl Lynch, the deputy secretary general of the BFA, encouraged the public to come out and view the games because he promises them that they will get to witness a high level of competition.

“We want that sportsmanship among all of the schools and we are elated for this opportunity,” she added.

MANCHESTER CITY ON VERGE OF PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE AS HAALAND SCORES TWICE IN 2-0 WIN OVER TOTTENHAM

LONDON (AP) — Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City beat Tottenham 2-0 yesterday and moved to within one win of a record fourthstraight Premier League title.

The three-time defending champion will go into the final round of games on Sunday with a two-point lead over second-place Arsenal.

City hosts West Ham in its last league game of the season, while Arsenal is also at home against Everton.

“The tennis players say ‘the serve to win Wimbledon’, the last game, is the most difficult one,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

“We know what we’re playing for. The tension is there, the rival is so good. It’s why it is difficult, we know that.”

Haaland fired City ahead in the 51st minute at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he converted Kevin De Bruyne’s cross from close range. He struck his second from the penalty spot in the first minute of stoppage time after Pedro Porro had brought down Jeremy Doku.

Victory means City is in control of its own fate in

the race for the title, despite being pushed right to the wire by Arsenal. Guardiola is now within touching distance of a sixth league championship in seven seasons. No other English team has managed to win four top flight titles in a row, while City is also looking to secure back-to-back league and FA Cup doubles.

Going into Tuesday’s game one point behind Arsenal, Guardiola had warned his players that anything other than maximum points would bring an end to their dominance of England’s top division.

That only increased the pressure on his team, which was also looking to end a four-game losing run in the league at Spurs. And the occasion appeared to get to City’s players in a nervous first half.

“They were playing for the consequences of the result.

“When you do that you are going to lose the Premier League,” Guardiola said. “They are human beings, I understand the pressure.”

Haaland’s goal six minutes into the second eased the tension. But while his goals were decisive, City

had to rely on substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega to keep Spurs at bay as the home team pushed for an equaliser.

Coming on in the 69th after Ederson had sustained a head injury in a collision with Cristian Romero, Ortega quickly had to block a close-range effort from Dejan Kulusevski.

Later he produced another save to deny the Spurs forward, but Ortega’s finest moment came in the 86th when Son Heung-min raced through on goal.

With only the keeper to beat, Son looked certain to score as he fired low toward the corner. A draw would have put Arsenal in the driver’s seat for the

title heading into Sunday’s season finale — but Son could only watch as Ortega shot out a leg to deflect the ball.

Guardiola, watching on, had his head in his hands before falling to the ground in relief.

Shortly after, Doku lured Porro into a lunge in the Spurs box and referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot. Haaland put the game beyond doubt by blasting his shot into the top corner for his second of the match and 38th of the season.

City’s win also meant Aston Villa secured fourth place and qualification for next season’s Champions League ahead of Tottenham in fifth.

Medvedev latest to crash out of Italian Open after loss to Tommy Paul

ROME (AP) — The curse of the defending champion struck again for Daniil Medvedev.

The second-seeded Medvedev has never successfully defended a title and he failed again yesterday as he lost 6-1, 6-4 to American Tommy Paul to become the latest top player to crash out of the Italian Open.

“It’s disappointing, to be honest,” said Medvedev, who has won 20 tour-level titles. “I wanted to do

better here. I was not even close. What can I say? The more titles I win, the more chances I have to defend.

“So the more tournaments in a year I’m going to play where I already won, maybe not defend, but at least win twice the same tournament, that’s what I’m going to try to do.”

The opener lasted just 28 minutes as the 14th-seeded Paul broke Medvedev on all three of his service games and then served out the set to love.

“Was a tough one. Mentally I had to be much better,” Medvedev said.

“I started to calm myself down and focus on the match only at the end of the match, and it was too late. I had to do better. I was expecting myself to play better.”

Medvedev improved slightly in the second set

when he broke immediately but Paul broke straight back and never looked back, securing his spot in the quarterfinals when Medvedev sent a backhand long. The second-seeded Medvedev followed 10-time

champion Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Novak Djokovic with early exits in Rome. The only other players to have won the men’s tournament at the Foro Italico in the past 19 years are Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev.

The third-seeded Zverev, who won in 2017, eased past Nuno Borges 6-2, 7-5 and will face Taylor Fritz. Fritz reached the men’s quarterfinals for the first time after recovering from losing a lengthy second-set tiebreaker — during which he let slip match point — to see off Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-7 (11), 6-1. Alejandro Tabilo backed up his stunning third-round win against Djokovic by edging Karen Khachanov 7-6 (5), 7-6 (10) to reach a Masters quarterfinal for the first time. He will face Zhang Zhizhen, who ousted Thiago Monteiro 7-6 (4), 6-3. Paul will play Hubert Hurkacz after the seventh seed — who eliminated Nadal in the second round — beat Sebastian Baez 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-4. The other quarterfinal pits Stefanos

Tsitsipas against Nicolas Jarry. In the women’s tournament, top-ranked Iga Swiatek reached the final four when she swept aside former finalist Madison Keys 6-1, 6-3 with the same score she achieved against the American in the Madrid semifinals two weeks ago. The 16th-ranked Keys grew more frustrated at her inability to convert break points — racking up 10 without converting a single one — and at one point hit her racket against the clay. Swiatek won the Madrid Open and is attempting to become the first player to win the “dirt double” since Serena Williams and Nadal both did so in 2013. The two-time champion will next face third-seeded Coco Gauff after the American beat Qinwen Zheng 7-6 (4),

GSSSA president Varel Davis and BAISS soccer conveyer Sandre Hobbs shake hands as Floyd Armbrister, Crystal AStrachan, Bruce Swan, and Oria Knowles look on.

RUSSIA’s Daniil Medvedev returns the ball to United States’ Tommy Paul at the Italian Open tennis tournament yesterday. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

MANCHESTER City’s Erling Haaland celebrates scoring his side’s first goal during the English Premier League soccer match against Tottenham Hotspur at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London yesterday.

(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Brunson scores 44, Knicks beat Pacers 121-91 to move a win away from East finals

three-point

after a rash of injuries, added 18 points off the bench and Isaiah Hartenstein had seven points and 17 rebounds, helping the Knicks overwhelm the Pacers 53-29 on the glass.

Pascal Siakam scored 22 points for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who will try to stay unbeaten at home in the postseason to force the decisive game.

Myles Turner added 16 but All-Star Tyrese Haliburton had only 13 after averaging 29.7 over the last three games.

Indiana got off to a strong start and was leading 25-20 before the Knicks

the

surged ahead with an 11-0 run en route to a 38-32 lead after one.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle burned three timeouts in the quarter, the crowd seemingly growing louder with each.

Brunson had consecutive baskets for a 13-point lead early in the second quarter and then had the first basket in a 9-0 run that made it 65-47 with 2:11 remaining.

The Knicks haven’t reached the conference finals since the Pacers beat them in 2000 in the sixth meeting between the teams in eight years.

NBA playoffs top seeds Boston and OKC in different places heading into Game 5s

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer

FOUR games into the second round of the NBA playoffs, the No. 1 seeds from each conference find themselves in two different places.

East top seed Boston and West top seed Oklahoma City both made it through the first round with relative ease. After an early stumble to begin Round 2, the Celtics are back home for tonight’s Game 5 with a 3-1 series lead over Cleveland, and with a chance to advance to their third consecutive conference final.

Meanwhile, the Thunder return home in a 2-2 tie with Dallas.

Boston is feeling good about how it followed up its Game 2 loss with backto-back wins in Cleveland.

The Celtics didn’t have to contend with Cavaliers’ star Donovan Mitchell, who sat out Monday’s Game 4 with a strained left calf.

But Boston used AllStar Jayson Tatum’s second straight 33-point performance to earn a 109-102 victory in the Celtics’ first game decided by single digits this postseason.

“It felt good. We knew they weren’t just going to go away or back down,” Celtics guard Jrue Holiday said.

“So, I think being tested in that way and responding the way we did — we did a pretty good job.” Cleveland’s mindset is simple, forward Max Strus said.

SPORTS CALENDAR FROM PAGE 16

now be rescheduled over the weekend of June 29-30. SOFTBALL NPOTSA ACTION THE New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association will begin its 2024 season this weekend at the Archdeacon William Thompson Softball Park at the Southern Recreational Grounds. Here’s a look at the fixture of games for Sunday: 2pm - SWD Boyz vs Dozer Pros. 4pm - Corner Boys vs KC Construction.

“Find a way to win. That’s all we can do,” he said. Dallas missed its chance to go up 3-1, unable to fight off Shai GilgeousAlexander’s 34-points as Oklahoma City rallied to a 100-96 win on Monday.

Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren, who finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, put OKC in front for good in the closing minutes. He said it’s no time to relax.

“Anytime you win, it gives you confidence. But we can’t let it be arrogance,” he said. “We have to get back and figure out how to be better. Because the Mavs are going to do the same thing. The job’s not done, obviously. And neither team feels like they’re out of it. We’ve got to get in there and get ready to battle.”

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving believes they can duplicate their first-round performance when they were tied after four games against the Los Angeles Clippers, and then won back-to-back games to close out that series.

“They’re playing desperation basketball, and we’ve got to play the same,” Irving said. “Just staying even keeled and staying poised. That’s what the playoffs is all about.”

CAVALIERS AT CELTICS

Boston leads 3-1. Game 5, Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT, TNT

— NEED TO KNOW: The Cavs stayed in Game

Series tied 2-2. Game 5, Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT, TNT

— NEED TO KNOW: The Thunder trailed for most of Game 4 on Monday night but rallied to pull out the win. It was a massive road victory for one of the league’s youngest teams. Oklahoma City allowed fewer than 100 points for the sixth time in eight games. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points in Game 4 and is averaging 29.5 points in the playoffs for the Thunder.

MAVERICKS guard Luka Doncic, centre right, drives to the basket as Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) defends in the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series on Monday in Dallas. (AP

4 thanks to 30 points and seven assists from Darius Garland, who picked up the offensive load with Mitchell out. But duplicating those numbers may be tough for Garland, who has just two 30-point games in his playoff career. But Boston is just 3-2 at home this postseason. Its two losses at TD Garden were by a combined 34 points.

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Three-point shooting. One of the reasons Cleveland competed in Game

4 was its advantage from beyond the arc. The Cavs attempted a team playoff-record 48 3-pointers, connecting on 15. Boston went 12 of 32 from 3, below its NBA-leading average of 38 attempts per game this postseason.

— INJURY WATCH: Along with Mitchell, the Cavs also played Game 4 without centre Jarrett Allen, out for the seventh consecutive game with the rib injury he sustained last round against Orlando.

Tony Gutierrez)

Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis has also yet to appear in this series as he continues to work back from a strained right calf.

— PRESSURE IS ON:

The Cavs are facing elimination for the second time this postseason. Unlike in their Game 7 first-round matchup with Orlando, this time Cleveland will be on the road and possibly without their top star in Mitchell.

MAVERICKS AT THUNDER

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Dallas’ P.J. Washington. He has picked up some of the scoring slack for Luka Doncic, but the Thunder might be figuring him out. He made 26 of 48 field goals the first three games, but was just 7 of 19 in Game 4. He’s averaging nearly 22 points in the series after averaging just 12.9 in the regular season. — INJURY WATCH: Doncic. He’s been playing on an injured right knee, and the Thunder, led by Lu Dort, are playing good defense on him. He’s averaging 22 points per game in the series, down from 33.9 in the regular season, and he’s only shooting 39% from the field.

— PRESSURE IS ON: Oklahoma City. The Thunder regained home-court advantage with the Game 4 win in Dallas. The last thing they want to do is give it right back and head to Dallas down 3-2 for Game 6.

The official opening ceremonies will take place on Saturday, June 1. TRACK RED-LINE YOUTH CLASSIC THE Red-Line Athletics Track Club is slated to hold its 3rd Annual RedLine Youth Track Classic on Saturday, May 25 at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The event will cater to all of the track and field events for the age group athletes ranging from 8-and under20. There will also be one or two events for the open category. Interested persons can contact Red-Line Athletics’ coach Tito Moss at 425-4262 for further details.

or go online to www.jrcbasketballacademy.com

BASKETBALL NEX-GEN THE third annual Nex-Gen Elite Training Basketball Camp, hosted by JR Basketball Academy, is all set for June 24 to July 13 from 9am to noon at the Telios Indoor Gymnasium on Carmichael Road. The camp, powered by Frazier’s Roofing, will provide training for game situations, shooting, passibng, ball handling, defense and footwork for boys and girls between the ages of 8-19 years. Registration is now open. Interested persons can contact Cadot at 535-9354, email jrcbasketballacademy.com

TRACK RED-LINE

FIELD CLASSIC THE Red-Line Athletics Track Club is scheduled to hold its 2024 Field Event Classic on Saturday, May 18 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium from 9am to 3pm. The event is geared strictly for field events, including the high, long and triple jumps and the javelin, discus and shot put throwing events. Interested athletes are urged to contact Red-Line Athletics’ coach Tito Moss at 425-4262 for further details.

NEW York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson (11) gestures to fans after making a

shot during

second half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers last night.

(AP Photo/ Frank Franklin II)

Photo/

Jazz and Miami Marlins run away with 1-0 win over Detroit Tigers

By DAVE HOGG Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) —

Jesús Sánchez drove in Bryan De La Cruz with a 10th-inning groundout, and the Miami Marlins beat the Detroit Tigers 1-0 on Tuesday night.

Both starters — Miami’s Ryan Weathers and Detroit’s Reese Olson — allowed three singles in a career-best eight innings. Olson struck out six, and Weathers finished with four strikeouts.

“They were both great,” Marlins manager Skip Schumacher said. “Olson was on his game and we couldn’t get the ball off the ground, and I think Weathers was throwing 80% fastball strikes and keeping everything on the ground.” Olson is 0-4 in eight starts despite a 2.09 ERA. The Tigers have been shut out three times with him on the mound.

“Our guys have been scoring runs, so I believe in them,” he said. “I’m just focusing on throwing strikes.”

Josh Bell hit a leadoff single in the 10th against Alex Lange (0-3), moving

WOODS STILL

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)

— Tiger Woods brings a lot of uncertainty to Valhalla for the PGA Championship. Some of that has to do with his achy body. And some of that involved the Ryder Cup.

The PGA of America still has not settled on a captain for the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black, with Woods as the most obvious candidate.

Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America, had said he would be speaking to Woods.

“We’re still talking,” Woods said yesterday.

“There’s nothing that has been confirmed yet. We’re still working on what that might look like — also whether or not I have the time to do it.”

The PGA of America typically announces the Ryder Cup captain well before the Masters of

De La Cruz to third. Sánchez then hit a bouncer to second that resulted in a forceout at second base.

A.J. Puk got three outs for his first save. He came into the game with four losses in five outings and a 9.00 ERA.

“We were going back and forth between Puk and (Declan) Cronin for the 10th,” Schumacher said. “We ended up going with Puk, because he’s been in that situation before. He was our closer for a lot of last season.”

It was the 10th extrainning shutout victory in franchise history. The previous instance was a 2-0 win at the New York Mets in 10 innings on July 10, 2022.

Weathers matched a bit of family history; his father, David, allowed three hits in eight shutout innings for the Marlins against the San Diego Padres on Sept. 6, 1993. David Weathers spent most of his 19-season career as a reliever, only starting 69 games.

“It’s awesome to share that moment with him,” Ryan Weathers said.

“He’s the reason I’m here today; he showed me

how to pitch. I’m sure I am going to call him tonight and talk about the whole game.”

Weathers didn’t allow a baserunner until Wenceel Pérez led off the sixth with a grounder through the infield. Javier Báez then

grounded into his fourth double play of the season.

“This was a little bit of a throwback game where each starting pitcher was just dealing and going through each other’s lineup,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.

DECIDING WHETHER HE HAS TIME TO BE RYDER

the preceding year. Zach Johnson was announced in February 2022 for last year’s Ryder Cup.

Woods, who has teed it up only twice this year going into the PGA Championship, is keeping plenty busy off the golf course. He was appointed to the PGA Tour board last summer and has been a central voice in meetings.

Woods also is on the committee that is meeting with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia about becoming a minority investor.

The U.S. Ryder Cup captain, whoever that is, has a lot of promoting to do, which includes a “one year out” event at Bethpage Black in September.

“I need to feel that I can give the amount of time that it deserves,” said Woods, who won his second U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in 2002.

Woods had mixed memories when he returned to

Valhalla. He played a practice round late last week and was on the course the past two days. Heavy thunderstorms shut the course for a few hours on Tuesday. There was 2000, where he made what he still considers the most pressure-filled putt of his career. He had a fabulous duel with unheralded Bob

May, ending with Woods having to make a 6-foot birdie putt on the last hole to force a playoff.

And there was 2014, when he was trying to recover from the first of four back surgeries. Woods had to withdraw the previous week at Firestone, and he didn’t come close to making the cut at Valhalla.

“At that time I was maybe one back procedure into it. Now it’s a hell of a lot more than that number,” he said. “Back is now fused, as you know. Yeah, coming into 2014, I wasn’t feeling very good. But I’m always going to feel soreness and stiffness in my back, but that’s OK. Just need other body parts to start feeling better.”

He also needs more than two good rounds. Woods set a Masters record this year by making the cut for the 24th consecutive time, but he followed with an 82 in the third round and wound up in last place

The Tigers put two runners on against Tanner Scott (2-4) in the ninth, including Mark Canha reaching on the game’s only walk, but Riley Greene grounded out to end the inning. The game was completed in 129 minutes.

CUP CAPTAIN

among those who made the cut.

He has not played since then.

“I still feel that I can win golf tournaments. I still feel I can hit the shots and still feel like I still have my hand around the greens and I can putt,” Woods said. “I just need to do it for all four days, not like I did at Augusta for only two.”

As for his other job, Woods didn’t reveal much about discussions with PIF or any of the obstacles in the way of the sport somehow being reunited. He described negotiations as fluid, with plenty of work ahead.

“It may not be giant steps, but we’re making steps,” he said. He also said he was surprised by the resignation Monday of Jimmy Dunne, a PGA Tour board member and key architect of the June 6 framework agreement with the Saudis.

Evans’ suspension increased to four years

pursue a ‘win’ and not the truth. They made it impossible for me to be viewed in a realistic light and dehumanised me with cruel accusations, character annihilation and disrespect. This line of attack is just morally wrong in these circumstances where ‘ethics’ is proclaimed to be of paramount importance,” she continued.

The Bahamas Aquatics Federation (BAF) stood in support of Evans during the trying time and the 26-year-old said she fought to defend the integrity and reputation of herself as well as Bahamas Aquatics.

“I did everything within my power to prove that my

use of a banned substance was accidental and unintentional. Anyone willing to research my history and professional background will see that I came from very humble beginnings with limited financial resources and I have persevered unceasingly to stand on my personal and competitive reputation.

“I fought for the truth and to defend my integrity and the reputation of Bahamas Aquatics. I was stunned at the cruel irony with which I was rewarded for my full transparency and my naive honesty,” she posted. In the midst of what she classified as a “nightmare”, the Bahamian swimmer claimed that she was ordered to pay

a contribution towards WADA’s expenses incurred “in connection with the arbitration proceedings”.

The 26-year-old is a decorated performer holding the national record for the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle events. Additionally, she has made two appearances at the Olympic Games starting with her Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro followed by her stint at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. She was hoping to make her third Olympic appearance but the devastating decision has left her hurt to say the least.

“Nothing short of a reversal of my sanction can begin to rectify the direct and collateral damage that this unfair treatment has

done. It is extremely hurtful and callous to delay the decision making and then subsequently increase the ban from 2 to 4 years after I had painstakingly adhered to all the stipulations of the original ban and trained alone for almost two years to be in the best shape possible to fulfil my dream of going to Paris 2024. I feel victimised by the system I trusted. It was on WADAs insistence that my ban was increased to 4 years. What point is WADA proving by destroying one honest athlete from a small country while overlooking 23 positive tests from Olympic giant China?” she ended. Last month it was reported by the Herald Sun that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for

SITE WHERE HANK AARON HIT HIS 715TH HOME RUN

ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball is returning to the site where the Braves first played in Atlanta and Hank Aaron hit his record 715th home run.

Georgia State has finalised plans for a new 1,000-seat baseball stadium in a parking lot that includes the footprint of the former Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

That venue helped lure the Braves from Milwaukee in 1966 and is best known as the ballpark where Aaron broke Babe

the doping substance Trimetazidine before the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games but the test results were ruled out due to them being contaminated and the athletes were allowed to compete. WADA and the World Aquatics were notified of the positive tests but both governing bodies concluded that the test results were positive due to contamination and they did not hand out any suspensions despite concerns raised by the ITA and US Anti-Doping Agency. With the ban now doubled, it is unclear when or if Evans will return back to competition. Attempts to reach the former Olympian for further comments were unsuccessful.

FOUR TEAMS ‘IN THE HUNT’ FOR GSSSA SOCCER TITLE

FROM PAGE 16

do some specific things. We want to do some of what we did here that worked and improve on some of the things we needed to fix from this game,” coach Carnegie said.

The Lions did not give the Royals a fighting chance in their junior girls’ matchup. The pennant winners overwhelmed the fourth seeded team 4-0.

Georgia McPhee sank two goals to the back of the net for the victors. Victoria Noel along with Andrea Sears pitched in the other two.

Junior Boys The SC McPherson Sharks waved goodbye to the first seeded AF Adderley Tigers with a 3-0 upset. Garth Davis, head coach of the Sharks, was happy to see the team knock off the pennant winners.

“It is a good feeling seeing that we were the fourth seeded team and to have made it to the championship is an achievement,” he said.

The coach shed some light on the team’s objective going into the championship round.

“Our aim is to always encourage team play. Each person must look out for each other and once we work as a team, be consistent and share the ball, we will achieve our objective,” he said.

The Timberwolves are the only junior team with a chance to sweep the junior division after beating the Royals 1-0.

The boys got a gamewinning goal from Khaleb Valbrun against the Royals to clinch a spot in the championships. Championship matchups will be played on Friday.

The senior schools will be in action today at the same venue beginning at 3:45pm.

MIAMI Marlins’ Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr., (2) follows his hit during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels yesterday in Miami. (AP Photo/ Marta Lavandier)

TIGER Woods speaks during a news conference at the PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club yesterday. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

SPORTS

Joanna Evans’ suspension increased to four years

By TENAJH SWEETING

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN two-time Olym-

pian Joanna Evans took to social media on Monday to voice her grievances with the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) after her initial two-year doping ban from the sport was doubled to four years following her attempt to appeal the decision through the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

Evans was sidelined from the sport beginning from February 14, 2022 after she tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol,

which she said she came into contact with in September 2021 while competing at an International Swimming League (ISL) event in Naples, Italy.

The Grand Bahama native was expected to be eligible for competition again back in February but the latest verdict handed down has left her frustrated.

“I have always been an avid supporter of anti-doping campaigns. At the beginning of my nightmare, I believed in the system but as time went on it

became increasingly frustrating and unfair. The system failed me and has led me to conclude that honesty was not my best policy when dealing with these governing bodies. The decision to ban me for 4 years, rendered March 2024, after my hearing with CAS in October 2023 is unconscionable and, in my opinion, alarmingly vicious,” she posted on Instagram.

The doping debacle began when the multiple time national record holder was given a tube

of Trofodermin in 2021 at a local pharmacy while in Naples, Italy to treat a cut received from what was described as a “jagged, rusty balcony at the hotel” by Evans in a statement last year. She claimed that she was unaware that the cream contained the banned substance Clostebol which she used again on October 30, 2021 in Austin, Texas after receiving a gash on her knee due to a fall on a concrete pavement.

Although Evans said she didn’t intentionally use the banned substance to improve her performance, the International Testing Agency (ITA) offered her a three-year ban instead of the

CHISHOLM JR ENJOYS ‘HOME RUN CHAIN’

THE SPORTS CALENDAR

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

up by contacting coach Johnson at 6369350 or email: coachkjjohnson@ gmail.com

Chess Federation will hold a general meeting at 3pm on Sunday, May 19 in the conference room at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. Secretary Angel Pratt revealed that the meeting is open to members only. CHESS SEYMOUR TOURNEY POSTPONED THE Bahamas Chess Federation has announced that the Warren Seymour Classic that was scheduled for this weekend has been postponed. The 5-rounds swiss tournament will

SEE PAGE 13

“warranted” four-year ban if she accepted within three weeks of being notified in June 2022. Evans declined and decided to make an appeal which she subsequently lost. She expressed on Instagram the unfortunate treatment endured during the appeal process.

“My swimming career has been destroyed by WADA’s legal team who disregarded the truth, misrepresented the facts, twisted my words to suit its agenda, showed hostility and intimidation toward my witness and conjured up highly unlikely scenarios to

Four teams

‘in the hunt’ for GSSSA

soccer title

Four teams remain in the hunt for the 2024 Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) junior girls and boys soccer championships.

The sudden death playoffs got underway with the HO Nash Lions and Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves picking up victories against the DW Davis Royals and LW Young Golden Eagles respectively in the junior girls’ division yesterday at the Roscow AL Davies Soccer Field.

The SC McPherson Sharks downed the AF Adderley Tigers while the Timberwolves defeated the Royals in the junior boys’ division.

Junior Girls

The Lady Timberwolves secured a dominant 3-0 victory against the Golden Eagles yesterday. The team had to fight through some playoff jitters to start the game but were able to regain their composure to advance to the championships.

Head coach Cleon Carnegie talked about the team regrouping in order

to advance. “It started out rough. They were nervous and some girls were crying but I reminded them that it is a game and they should go and enjoy it. In training, I saw them do well and do the right things but sometimes when they come out here and see the spectators they get a little nervous. I reminded them that they had the ability to do well based on what I saw in training and that it is still a game and after that they were laughing and smiling. Once I saw that, I knew they were gonna do good,” he said.

Misha Joseph, Nisha Joseph and Drexline Raphael all scored one goal apiece to propel the team to the finals.

Next up for the third seeded Timberwolves will be the pennant winners HO Nash, who handed them a tough loss during the regular season.

Coach Carnegie remained tight-lipped on his strategy for the next game but is looking to make some slight adjustments going into the last stage of competition.

“We will have a training session before that game to

GET ready for the Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Training’s sixth Samuel P. Haven Jr High Schools Soccer Nationals next week at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Center at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The event is scheduled for May 22-23 with the elimination rounds, followed by the semifinals and finals from May 30-31. It will showcase the top three teams from the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) against the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA). Bruce Swan, the technical director of the BFA, said the heightened intensity between the players in the under-18 division of their league play will make for an interesting nationals with the winners of the Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Sports Association participating in the boys and girls divisions.

“Unfortunately, due to budgetary constraints, we had some other interests, but we could not entertain them this year,” he said. During the elimination process from May 22-23, the BFA will host the match-ups between the BAISS versus the GSSSA with the number one schools playing against the third ranked teams and the two second place teams will face off against each other. Those games will be

JOANNA EVANS

BRUCE SWAN, BFA technical director, speaks as Orai Knowles, deputy sports director in the Ministry of Education, looks on.

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

MIAMI Marlins centre fielder Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. holds the home run chain presented to Otto Lopez after the two-run home run by Lopez during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Monday.

PAGE 14

Photo/Carlos Osorio)