08082017 business

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017

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NHI payments will stay on hold

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands warned yesterday that no payments under the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme will be made until a proper governance structure is in place.

And Dr Sands told The Tribune at the same time as this structure is being established a legal opinion would be sought on the validity of all contracts entered into by NHI. Dr Sands noted the new NHI Authority’s Board only met for the first time last week.

“Now that the Board is in place one of the first things it has to do is to appoint a managing director, a legal

adviser, financial controller and so forth,” he said.

“It is only when those things are properly in place that any contractual obligations can be reviewed and funds disbursed.”

The Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) pointed out last month that key aspects of the NHI Act had not been ‘gazetted’ and brought into law by the time the scheme was launched.

Among the sections omitted were those giving authority to enroll persons in NHI; the criteria setting out who was eligible to enroll and the framework detailing the functions of health care providers and insurers.

Dr Sands added: “The establishment of a proper governance structure and the appointment of the NHI staff proper is required in order to facilitate See PG B2

MINISTER OF HEALTH DR DUANE SANDS

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AVIATION NEEDS A PLAN WHICH WILL FLY

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

go and get them. We need to involve the domestic carriers in the development of this sector.”

Mr Butler argued the A SENIOR Bahamian government must create airline executive said yes- an environment which terday he was not prepared would allow domestic carto simply ‘curse the dark- riers to remain profitable. ness’ over the issues facing “What is challenging to us this nation’s aviation sector, is we continue to have an demanding, “Let’s quit airline like Bahamasair talking and make things that we are going to give happen”. $40 million to and they Captain Randy are competing against the Butler, Sky Bahamas chief other domestic airlines,” he executive told Tribune added.

Business he was eager to “We are competsee what plans the Minnis ing against our own administration has for the tax dollars. We have to aviation sector, noting that address Bahamasair. We addressing Bahamasair can’t continue to subsi“must be a top priority”. dise it the way we have.

“I am open to support- ‘We can’t depend on the ing this administration foreign carriers to bring in building this industry. people here. Let’s go and I’m not at the giving up build those routes we need stage at all. I just want and get the people here us all to look at the reali- and get the demand going. ties that we are faced with When the legacy carriers and come up with a plan.” see that then they will jump “We have the airspace on board. I would rather agreement, we have tourists see us spending money on who want to come here, let’s that.”

Bahamas can regain BCCEC gearing up for ‘packed’ fall schedule shipping registry prominence Bimini bank crisis A MARITIME attorney with a leading law firm says The Bahamas is only steps away from regaining its position as one of the world’s most respected and sought after shipping registries.

Syneisha Bootle, maritime specialist with Callenders & Co., the country’s oldest law firm with a century-old history with shipping, said to achieve this goal the Bahamas must update maritime legislation including a half century old insurance act and enact new legislation with strict enforcement provisions.

“We have the talent, we have the resources to put The Bahamas back on the map in maritime law,” said Bootle, who holds an advanced degree in maritime law.

“However, we must enact legislation enabling us to act on the many conventions and treaties we have signed. Without enforcement legislation, the signatures on the treaties are merely well-intentioned promises.”

In the 1990s, The Bahamas enjoyed the position of being the fastest growing ship registry in the world and at one time was the third largest, boasting of high standards that would distinguish it from being a flag of convenience.

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

SYNEISHA BOOTLE Bootle is worried the country has fallen to seventh place in an era when opportunities are greater than they have ever been.

“It is gratifying to know that companies like Chevron, Exxon International, Maersk Line, Cunard Lines, Texaco, Holland-America Cruises, Finnlines, Teekay Shipping, Lauritzen Reefers, Smit International, the East Asiatic Company and MSC are listed on the official Bahamas Maritime Authority register and have chosen to fly the Bahamian flag. However, with the record number of new cruise ships under commission and the growth being experienced by the shipping industry as a whole, we must ask ourselves why we are sliding instead of See PG B2

THE Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation is gearing up for a ‘packed’ fall schedule of trade missions.

“It’s going to be petty busy time,” said chamber chief executive Edison Sumner.

“We are looking to do a trade mission into the Washington DC area which would include Baltimore, Virginia and other states in that immediate vicinity.

We are also working on a trade trip to South Africa for the Fall as well.” said chamber chief executive Edison Sumner.

“There is also still on our agenda a trade mission

into Haiti which we expect to take place neat the end of summer as well. There are at least missions three on our agenda between September and November and we are working to finalize the details within the next week or two. It’s quite a busy agenda. I’m not sure we can fulfil them all because everything is coming in around the same time so we may have to decide on the ones we can deal with this fall and what may have to be pushed back but we have at least three of them actively on our agenda.”

The Chamber has led numerous trade missions to promote Bahamian firms to international markets and foster reciprocal trade arrangements.

crippling trade

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net BANK of The Bahamas (BOB) is set to return to the island of Bimini later this month as but residents still fear the absence of a bank on the island would encourage crime and negatively impact commerce.

One local businessman told Tribune Business after Royal Bank of Canada’s pull-out on August 2 left the island with no banking institution the

island needed a bank ‘like yesterday”,.

Bank of The Bahamas, which is majority owned by the Government, confirmed in an advertisement last week that it would be opening a branch in Alice Town Bimini on August 21 but this hasn’t satisfied residents and traders.

Lorrick Roberts, owner of Dolphin Cart Rentals, told Tribune Business: “RBC closed the doors, moved all the ATMs and that’s it, we don’t have a bank. As a businessman it’s scary.

See PG B3

PAGE 2, Tuesday, August 8, 2017

NHI payments will stay on hold

THE TRIBUNE From pg B1 any payments from the NHI Authority which is now an instrument of the Ministry of Health.

“The legal disbursement of funds to anyone from NHI demands that the appropriate governance and corporate structure is adhered to and we have been moving diligently to put in place all of these things. When we talk about accounts payable and indeed accounts receivable they now have to be deal with a new legal entity.”

Dr Sands recognized there was concern over the way NHI had been administered in light of the political imperative to begin rolling out services in April of this year.

“There are a number of options to remedy this and we have chosen to fix it.,” he said.

“When things are appropriate and the structure for doing things in dignity and in order is in place then people will be paid. I can’t say when that will be but we are moving on that.”

Dr Sands has previously acknowledged to The Tribune complaints of

non-payment from private doctors who had signed-up to provide services to NHI’s 25,000-plus beneficiaries.

“There is also a need to review all of the contracts that were entered into without the appropriate governance and corporate framework and so we are going to need a legal opinion as to the validity of those contracts,” said Dr Sands.

He noted that while the Christie administration had agreed to go with AETNA, Family Guardian’s International partner as the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme’s public insurer, he was not prepared to go down that route.

“I am not going to sign that contract,” he said.

“Whether or not the Board now recommends the adoption of a public insurer as the way to go I will await their recommendations but certainly we are not going to send money outside of The Bahamas to mange a product which is delivered in the Bahamas.

That makes absolutely no sense,” said Dr Sands.

Bahamas can regain shipping registry prominence From pg B1 climbing relative to other registries,” said Bootle.

“We have the capacity.

We have the infrastructure with a well-equipped and provisioned maritime authority with offices in London, Hong Kong, Greece and New York with an agency office in Tokyo. We have the political stability, the strong and stable banking and financial sector requirements. We simply need to update and modernize our maritime legislation and to take a stricter stand on enforcement which requires legislation so that the treaties we have signed become law.”

Bootle’s dissertation focused on the modernization of the Marine Insurance Act. The Marine Insurance Act that is more than 50 years old, she noted, and was modeled after the 1908 United Kingdom act. “Today, that Act is in urgent need of updating,” says Bootle.

“Along with the Marine Insurance Act, there are several pieces of legislation that need updating or must be created if we are going to be competitive in the ship registry space.”

She commends the government for recognizing the value of yacht registration and enacting

legislation to introduce the separate registry in 2011.

Now, she says, it is time to re-focus on the registry for commercial vessels, re-affirming the high standards it represented when the Bahamas Maritime Authority was launched in 1995.

According to the government’s reports, The Bahamas has more than some 1500 ships on its registry. Panama, the world’s largest registry, reports 8,200 ships accounting for 23% of all vessels, though its requirements to register including the age of the ship are less stringent than those of The Bahamas.

“We never wanted to be a flag of convenience and I am pleased that, in principle, we are maintaining that standard. But without signing on to treaties like the London Convention that sets strict penalties for dumping at sea and without updating our maritime legislation to support the treaties we have signed on to, I fear our reputation will be at stake. We want this country to grow and play a prominent role in an arena that is profitable, productive and invites many opportunities for people and companies that service the ships we register. These are relatively easy fixes and we should act on them without delay.”

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THE TRIBUNE

BIMINI BANK CRISIS CRIPPLING TRADE From pg B1

“Most of us handle cash and there is no place to put it. There are security concerns. This is the situation that we are in now and I understand the government is trying to get BOB in here. They come every week signing up people but we have no way to do deposits. The community is up in arms that this was allowed to happen. We need a bank in here like yesterday. It’s a really sad situation.”

The Royal Bank of Canada closed its operations in Bimini last Wednesday, ending more than 50 years of banking services on the island. The institution informed its customers in July by public notice that it was closing the branch in Bimini and the bank would be merging the branch with the RBC Freeport branch on August 2.

Ashley Sanders, the Dolphin House’s owner and operator, told Tribune Business: “We need another bank here right away. You can’t live in these modern times and not have access to a bank in a growing place like Bimini. Not having a bank is inconvenient not only for visitors but residents.

It’s a shame that it got to this point, it’s a public disgrace.

“I think this situation is encouraging robbery as well as breaking and entering. People know that if there is no bank they have to keep their money at home and that is living dangerously. We have people working here, a Hilton hotel, direct flights from New York, a ferry coming here and no bank, it’s ridiculous.”

Tuesday, August 8, 2017, PAGE 3

PROSECUTORS ASK COURT TO IMPRISON SAMSUNG HEIR FOR 12 YEARS

By YOUKYUNG LEE Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have recommended a 12-year jail term for Lee Jae-yong, 49-yearold billionaire heir of the Samsung business empire, urging a court to convict him of bribery and other crimes.

Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, became emotional Monday as he denied ever trying to seek political favors in his final remarks in the four-month-long trial. Lee was arrested in February amid a tumultuous corruption scandal that triggered months of massive public protests and culminated with the ouster of South Korea’s president.

A panel of three judges at the Seoul Central District Court said they will hand down their verdict on Aug. 25.

Lee, princeling of South Korea’s richest family and its biggest company, choked up during his final remarks, saying his ordeal was unjust but he had reflected during his six months in jail and realized that the bigger Samsung became, “the stricter and higher the expectations from the public and the society,” a pool report from Monday’s hearing said.

“Whether it was for my personal profit or for myself, I have never asked the president for any favors,” he told the court.

In his remarks wrapping up the trial, Special Prosecutor Park Young Soo said Samsung’s alleged bribery was typical of the corrupt

and cozy ties between the South Korea’s government and big businesses.

Such dealings once helped fuel the country’s rapid industrialization but now increasingly are viewed as illegal and unfair.

Park also accused Samsung officials of lying in their testimonies to protect Lee. In past cases, South Korean courts have often given suspended prison terms to members of the founding families of the chaebol, the big, familycontrolled businesses that dominate South Korea’s economy. In some cases, presidents have pardoned them, citing their contributions to the national economy. But recent rulings on white collar crimes have shown less leniency. If convicted, Lee may be the first in his family to serve a prison term.

Lee was indicted in February on charges that included offering $38 million in bribes to four entities controlled by a friend of then-President Park Geun-hye, including a company in Germany set up to support equestrian training for the daughter of one of Park’s friends, Choi Soon-sil.

Prosecutors alleged the bribes were offered in exchange for government help with a merger that strengthened Lee’s control over Samsung at a crucial time for organizing a smooth leadership transition after his father fell ill.

Park was removed from office in March and is being tried separately. Her friend Choi also is on trial.

LEE JAE-YONG, second from right, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., arrives for his trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul yesterday. South Korean prosecutors recommended imprisoning a billionaire Samsung heir for 12 years on Monday, asking court to convict him of bribery and other crimes in a national corruption scandal.

(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, Pool)

Lee has denied all charges. He has said he did not know of Choi or her daughter before the scandal grabbed national headlines and said Samsung’s succession situation was not discussed during three meetings he held with the former president.

Samsung’s lawyers do not contest having donated a large sum of money to the entities controlled by Choi. They disagreed with the prosecutors about the nature of the funds and insisted that at the time the donations were made Samsung was unaware that Choi controlled them.

Prosecutors also are seeking heavy penalties for four other former Samsung executives who had belonged to a once-powerful corporate strategy office that handled such activities.

Prosecutors are seeing a 10-year sentence for Lee’s mentor Choi Gee-sung, a former vice chairman at Samsung Electronics. They requested seven to 10-year terms for three other former Samsung executives.

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THE TRIBUNE

GLOBAL SHARES MEANDER AS LIFT FROM US PAYROLLS REPORT FADES

By ELAINE KURTENBACH Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — World share benchmarks are mixed as last week’s report of strong gains in U.S. payrolls fades.

KEEPING SCORE: Germany’s DAX slipped 0.2 percent to 12,274.94 while the FTSE 100 in Britain edged 0.1 percent higher to 7,521.51. France’s CAC 40 rose 0.2 percent to 5,215.48. U.S. futures point

to an upbeat open for Wall Street, with Dow futures up 0.2 percent at 22,050.00 and S&P 500 futures gaining 0.1 percent to 2,474.40.

ASIA’S DAY: Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index added 0.5 percent to 27,690.36 and South Korea’s Kospi was up 0.1 percent at 2,398.75. The S&P ASX 200 in Australia rose 0.9 percent to 5,773.60, while the Shanghai Composite index reversed earlier losses to climb 0.5 percent, ending at 3,279.46.

NOTICE Golden Goa Valley Ltd. In Voluntary Liquidation Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, Golden Goa Valley Ltd. is in dissolution as of July 27, 2017 International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

LIQUIDATOR ______________________

India’s Sensex slipped 0.2 percent to 32,255.74. Taiwan’s benchmark jumped 0.7 percent, and shares in Southeast Asia were mostly lower.

WALL STREET LAST WEEK: Banks, technology companies and other stocks climbed Friday after the Department of Labor said U.S. employers added 209,000 jobs in July. Investors sold government bonds and bet that interest rates are going to rise, which lets banks make more money

NOTICE CAMERON VALLEY INC. In Voluntary Liquidation Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, CAMERON VALLEY INC. is in dissolution as of August 2, 2017 International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

LIQUIDATOR ______________________

NOTICE MOTHORAN INC. In Voluntary Liquidation

NOTICE SILVER SILVERS LTD. In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, MOTHORAN INC. is in dissolution as of August 2, 2017

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, SILVER SILVERS LTD. is in dissolution as of August 4, 2017

International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

MEN rush by an electronic stock board of a securities firm, showing Japan’s Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo yesterday. Shares rose in Asia in early Monday trading after last week’s report of strong gains in U.S. payrolls. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.6 percent as the yen slipped slightly against the U.S. dollar.

(AP Photo/Sherry Zheng) on loans. It also helps boost the U.S. dollar. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index added 0.2 percent to 2,476.83.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.3 percent to 22,092.81, its ninth gain in a row. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.2 percent to 6,351.56 and the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies gained 0.5 percent to 1,412.32.

ANALYST VIEWPOINT: “Perhaps the big talking point on the trading floors over the weekend and this morning is whether we are genuinely seeing a sustained reversal underway in the U.S. dollar and what are the ramifications should

this play out,” Chris Weston of IG said in a commentary.

“The question then is will we see follow through buying in the U.S. dollar this week?”

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude shed 78 cents to $48.80 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

It added 55 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $49.58 per barrel on Friday. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 76 cents, to $51.66 a barrel.

CURRENCIES: The U.S. dollar climbed to 110.84 from 110.69 yen. The euro climbed to $1.1801 from $1.1774.

International Liquidator Services Inc. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.

LIQUIDATOR ______________________

LIQUIDATOR ______________________

NOTICE

EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION (SIBERIA) LIMITED

EXXONMOBIL COLOMBIA (VMM II) LIMITED

NOTICE

NOTICE

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, notice is hereby given that the above-named Company has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by The Registrar General on the 20th day of July A.D., 2017.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, notice is hereby given that the above-named Company has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by The Registrar General on the 20th day of July A.D., 2017.

Dated the 8th day of August, A.D., 2017

Dated the 8th day of August, A.D., 2017

JEMJE LTD. N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: a) JEMJE LTD. is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 02nd August, 2017 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. c) The Liquidator of the said company is Octagon Management Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, Nassau, Bahamas.

Dated this 08th day of August, A. D. 2017 _________________________________ Octagon Management Limited Liquidator

R.W. Rice Liquidator of EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION (SIBERIA) LIMITED

NOTICE

NOTICE

LA VICTORIA ADVISORS LIMITED

PERSIAN WOLF LIMITED

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: a) LA VICTORIA ADVISORS LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 02nd August, 2017 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. c) The Liquidator of the said company is Credit Suisse Trust Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, Nassau, Bahamas.

Dated this 08th day of August, A. D. 2017 _________________________________ Credit Suisse Trust Limited Liquidator

N O T I C E IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: a) PERSIAN WOLF LIMITED is in voluntary dissolution under the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act 2000. b) The dissolution of the said company commenced on the 02nd August, 2017 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General. c) The Liquidator of the said company is Credit Suisse Trust Limited, The Bahamas Financial Centre, Shirley & Charlotte Streets, Nassau, Bahamas.

Dated this 08th day of August, A. D. 2017 _________________________________ Credit Suisse Trust Limited Liquidator

R.W. Rice Liquidator of EXXONMOBIL COLOMBIA (VMM II) LIMITED

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 8, 2017, PAGE 5

Tech firms drive US stock indexes to new highs

By ALEX VEIGA Associated Press GAINS in technology companies helped lift U.S. stock index higher Monday, nudging the market once again into record territory.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed at an alltime high, as did the Dow Jones industrial average.

The latest gain extended the Dow’s winning streak to 10 days.

Traders bid up shares in microchip makers and other technology companies. Grocery chains, drugstore operators and other consumer-focused companies also helped drive the market higher.

Energy companies declined the most along with the price of crude oil. Banks and industrial companies also lagged.

Investors were mostly focused on the latest company earnings and deal news.

“Earnings have been strong, particularly revenue growth has come in stronger than initial estimates,” said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial.

“And overall the guidance has been strong.”

The S&P 500 index rose 4.08 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,480.91. The Dow gained 25.61 points, or 0.1 percent, to 22,118.42. The Nasdaq composite added 32.21 points, or 0.5 percent, to 6,383.77. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks picked up 1.85 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,414.17.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.26 percent from 2.27 percent late Friday.

Positive economic data and strong company earnings have helped nudge the stock market mostly higher in recent weeks.

Heading into Monday, about 82 percent of S&P 500 companies had reported quarterly results, with roughly 52 percent having posted better-thanexpected earnings and revenue, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Of those, technology companies led all others with 73 percent of the sector’s results beating Wall Street’s expectations.

Investors have welcomed the positive earnings growth, pushing the market further into record territory, fueling speculation about how high the market can go before there is a pullback.

“What you want to see is a broad range of stocks pushing the market higher, and what we’re seeing are fewer stocks pushing the market higher,” Krosby said. “That’s not necessarily a prescription for a major pullback, but it’s something to watch. Statistically, August and September tend to be the least-hospitable period for the market.”

Technology companies lead the market’s gainers Monday. Lam Research rose $5.79, or 3.9 percent, to $155.84. KLA-Tencor rose $3.18, or 3.6 percent, to $92.01.

Energy stocks were on the other end of the spectrum.

Pioneer Natural Resources fell $5.70, or 4.2 percent, to $129.64, while Newfield Exploration lost $1.39, or 5 percent, to $26.44.

Traders also continued to bid up shares in companies whose earnings topped analysts’ forecasts.

Tyson Foods climbed $3.60, or 5.7 percent, to $66.90. The meat processor’s forecasts also pleased investors. ON Semiconductor jumped $1.23, or 8.1 percent, to $16.33.

Some companies’ results disappointed the market.

Armstrong Flooring slumped 17.5 percent after the company’s latest quarterly results fell well short of analysts’ forecasts. The stock slid $3.03 to $14.25.

The market welcomed the proposed combination of NxStage Medical and Germany’s Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. NxStage, a medical device company, agreed to be acquired by Fresenius for $30 a share in a cash deal valued at about $2 billion. NxStage shares vaulted $6.53, or 28.2 percent, to $29.67.

Oil prices fell. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 19 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $49.39 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 5 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $52.37 a barrel in London.

In other energy futures trading, wholesale gasoline dipped 2 cents to $1.63 a gallon. Heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.64 a gallon. Natural gas gained 3 cents to $2.80 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold added 10 cents to $1,264.70 an ounce. Silver held steady at $16.25 an ounce. Copper rose 2 cents to $2.91 a pound.

The U.S. dollar climbed to 110.72 from 110.67 yen

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on Friday. It weakened against the euro, which rose to $1.1793 from $1.1769.

The euro was below $1.06 as recently as April, before the dollar began weakening steadily.

Markets in Europe were mixed. Germany’s DAX fell 0.3 percent, while France’s

CAC 40 rose 0.1 percent.

The FTSE 100 in Britain edged 0.3 percent higher.

Earlier in Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index added 0.5 percent, while South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.1 percent.

TRADERS MICHAEL MILANO, left, and Daniel Leporin work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange yesterday.

Stocks are little changed in early trading as technology companies rise and energy companies slip with the price of oil. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

PAGE 6, Tuesday, August 8, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

BIPARTISAN EXPERTS URGE NEXT STEPS ON HEALTH CARE PUSH

By ALAN FRAM Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of conservative and liberal health policy experts is pressing the Trump administration and Congress to take steps to quickly shore up coverage under the Obama health care law, an idea that’s been anathema to President Donald Trump and many congressional Republicans.

The plan, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, includes continuing federal payments to insurers Trump has threatened to block. It says Trump and lawmakers should find a way for people to buy coverage in the handful of counties that may have no insurers next year in the federal and

state insurance exchanges created by President Barack Obama’s statute.

In addition, the analysts want the administration to continue urging people to sign up for policies and helping them enroll, which was stressed under Obama.

The Trump administration has signaled it might curtail those outreach programs, one of several steps it’s suggested it might take that would undermine the law.

It is unclear whether the recommendations will have much influence on one of the most politically polarizing issues in Washington.

The impact might also be blunted because the Senate’s jolting July 28 defeat of the GOP effort to repeal Obama’s law has left Republicans divided over whether to seek a biparti-

san deal with Democrats.

Yet the advice, from leading policy advisers to politicians of both parties, underscores that politics aside, there are steps respected voices from each side agrees could be taken to prop up a law that’s expanded coverage to around 20 million Americans. The experts urge action by Sept.

30, the end of the government’s budget year.

One signee, Lanhee Chen, policy director for Mitt Romney’s 2012 GOP presidential campaign, said that besides risking people losing coverage, “There’s also just a very real political price I think to be paid if Republicans allow the system to crash and burn.”

Ron Pollack, former director of Families USA, a main proponent of Oba-

ma’s 2010 law, said the suggestions would “lend encouragement to those that are already inclined to work on a bipartisan basis.”

Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., have said they’ll try writing legislation to temporarily continue the payments to insurers and ease some of the Obama law’s requirements.

The paper says the suggestions are aimed at stabilizing health care markets “until a longer-term resolution can be achieved and, most importantly, to protect coverage and health care access.”

The experts want lawmakers to retain some way of prodding healthy people to enroll for health coverage and penalizing them if they don’t. The purchase of

policies by healthy consumers helps insurers because they are less costly to cover than sicker, more expensive customers.

GOP bills passed by the House and proposed by Senate leaders would abolish Obama’s individual mandate, which assesses tax penalties on those who don’t buy coverage. Instead, the Republican measures impose higher premiums or long waiting periods for many who were uninsured previously.

The analysts proposed giving the federal government and states more flexibility for programs and a “judicious expansion” of tax-favored health savings accounts.

Trump has threatened to halt federal payments to insurers used to reduce

out-of-pocket costs for around 7 million low- and middle-income people.

Obama’s law obliges insurers to lower their costs and requires the government to reimburse the companies.

A federal court temporarily blocked the payments, but Obama and Trump have continued them.

Others making the recommendations include Gail Wilensky, a Republican economist and former Medicare director, and John McDonough, a senior adviser to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy during passage of Obama’s law.

The experts composed the plan as a project of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a bipartisan nonprofit group that looks for solutions to divisive issues.

GOOGLE EXEC DENOUNCES EMPLOYEE’S VIEWS ON FEMALE WORKERS

By BARBARA ORTUTAY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — When it comes to why there are so few women in tech, Silicon Valley is in the midst of an ideological battle.

The latest conflict is at Google, where a male engineer suggested that women don’t get ahead in tech jobs because of biological differences.

His widely shared memo, titled “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber,” also criticizes Google for pushing mentoring and diversity

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that KAREN MONCUR of Firetrail Road, Carmichael, P.O.Box N-602, New Providence Bahamas is 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 August, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that WILNY PIERRE-LOUIS of Fire Trail, Nassau, Bahamas is 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 1st day of August, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

t. 242.323.2330 | f. 242.323.2320 | www.bisxbahamas.com

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE 1,835.03 | CHG -21.05 | %CHG -1.13 | YTD -103.18 | YTD% -5.32 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.38 19.17 9.09 3.60 2.41 0.13 6.50 8.60 6.30 10.60 14.49 2.52 1.60 6.00 10.00 11.00 10.00 7.25 12.51 11.00

52WK LOW 4.01 17.43 8.19 3.50 1.47 0.12 3.80 8.40 5.83 9.46 10.00 2.18 1.50 5.80 8.75 7.01 8.01 6.60 11.93 10.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

900.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

PREFERENCE SHARES

1.00 106.00 100.00 106.00 105.00 105.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 105.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol ICD Utilities J. S. Johnson Premier Real Estate Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Commonwealth Bank Class E Commonwealth Bank Class J Commonwealth Bank Class K Commonwealth Bank Class L Commonwealth Bank Class M Commonwealth Bank Class N Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00 100.00

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS FAM FBB FIN FCL ICD JSJ PRE CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA CBLE CBLJ CBLK CBLL CBLM CBLN FBBA FCLB

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 17 (Series A) + Fidelity Bank Note 18 (Series E) + Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB17 FBB18 FBB22

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-3Y BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-5Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0103 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.07 3.95 1.96 170.77 146.34 1.50 1.67 1.58 1.10 6.99 8.54 6.15 10.52 11.46 10.46

52WK LOW 1.67 3.04 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.44 1.63 1.55 1.04 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57

LAST CLOSE 4.27 17.43 9.09 3.60 1.47 0.12 3.92 8.60 6.00 10.43 10.01 2.54 1.55 6.00 9.75 7.01 10.00 7.01 12.50 10.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.40 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01 LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 100.00 108.30 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 4.27 17.43 9.09 3.60 1.47 0.12 3.92 8.60 6.10 10.00 10.01 2.56 1.55 6.00 9.75 7.01 9.75 7.01 12.50 10.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 -0.43 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.25 0.00 0.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.40 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00

108.39 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund FG Financial Preferred Income Fund FG Financial Growth Fund FG Financial Diversified Fund FG Financial Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund

VOLUME

1,500 1,500

1,400 500

VOLUME

NAV 2.07 3.95 1.96 174.30 146.25 1.50 1.63 1.58 1.08 6.92 8.03 6.15 10.52 11.46 10.01

EPS$ 0.444 0.932 -0.510 0.383 -0.340 0.000 -0.760 0.587 0.190 0.540 0.570 0.102 0.455 0.753 0.763 0.330 0.830 0.600 0.697 0.000

DIV$ 0.080 1.000 0.000 0.210 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.300 0.220 0.360 0.570 0.060 0.060 0.290 0.450 0.000 0.340 0.140 0.620 0.000

P/E 9.6 18.7 N/M 9.4 N/M N/M -5.2 14.7 32.1 18.5 17.6 25.1 3.4 8.0 12.8 21.2 11.7 11.7 17.9 0.0

YIELD 1.87% 5.74% 0.00% 5.83% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.49% 3.61% 3.60% 5.69% 2.34% 3.87% 4.83% 4.62% 0.00% 3.49% 2.00% 4.96% 0.00%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST 7.00% 6.00% Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2017 31-May-2018 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2017 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 2.34% 4.55% 0.90% 1.64% 1.21% 2.55% 3.48% 4.01% 3.17% 7.00% 2.15% 4.22% -1.93% -1.89% 0.81% 2.21% 2.28% 1.30% -1.08% 1.77% -5.96% -3.05% 1.90% 4.59% 7.24% 11.96% 2.77% 3.88% 3.94% 4.69%

NAV Date 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2017 31-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017 30-May-2017

MARKET TERMS BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

end, begins by saying that only honest discussion will address a lack of equity. But it also asserts that women “prefer jobs in social and artistic areas” while more men “may like coding because it requires systemizing.”

The memo, which was shared on the tech blog Gizmodo, attributes biological differences between men and women to the reason why “we don’t have 50% representation of women in tech and leadership.”

The employee, whose identity hasn’t been released, was described in news reports as a software engineer.

Google, like other tech companies, has far fewer women than men in technology and leadership positions. Fifty-six percent of its workers are white and 35 percent are Asian, while Hispanic and Black employees make up 4 percent and 2 percent of its workforce, respectively, according to the company’s latest diversity report .

NOTICE

MARKET REPORT FRIDAY, 4 AUGUST 2017

programs and for “alienating conservatives.”

Google’s just-hired head of diversity, Danielle Brown, responded with her own memo, saying that Google is “unequivocal in our belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success.” She said change is hard and “often uncomfortable.”

The dueling memos come as Silicon Valley grapples with accusations of sexism and discrimination. Google is also in the midst of a Department of Labor investigation into whether it pays women less than men, while Uber’s CEO recently lost his job amid accusations of widespread sexual harassment and discrimination.

Leading tech companies, including Google, Facebook and Uber, have said they are trying to improve hiring and working conditions for women. But diversity numbers are barely changing .

The Google employee memo, which gained attention online over the week-

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | FG CAPITAL MARKETS 242-396-4000 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225

NOTICE is hereby given that JEFFREY SAINTILUS of Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, Bahamas is 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 31st day of July, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

JCAM (BGP), LP (in dissolution)

TAKE NOTICE that the above-named exempted limited partnership (“the Partnership”) was dissolved by the General Partner of the Partnership on the 5th day of June, 2017.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that Michael Pearson and Trudy-Ann Scott of 2nd Floor Harbour Centre, 42 North Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands have been appointed to act as agents of the General Partner for the purposes of winding up the affairs of the Partnership.

Dated the 24th day of July, 2017 HIGGS & JOHNSON Lyford Crescent, Western Road Lyford Cay, The Bahamas Attorneys for the General Partners

NOTICE

JCAM BAHAMAS LIMITED (in Voluntary Liquidation)

TAKE NOTICE that the above-named Company was put into liquidation on the 2nd day of June, 2017 by a resolution passed by the sole member of the Company on the 2nd day of June, 2017.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that Michael Pearson and Trudy-Ann Scott of FFP Limited, 2nd Floor Harbour Centre, 42 North Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands have been appointed voluntary liquidators of the Company.

Dated the 24th day of July, 2017 HIGGS & JOHNSON Lyford Crescent, Western Road Lyford Cay, The Bahamas Attorneys for the Voluntary Liquidators

THE TRIBUNE

YOUR

Tuesday, August 8, 2017, PAGE 7

CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY @JOYFMBAHAMAS WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019

A Critical Thinker, Analytical, and a Passion for Problem-Solving We are growing!

Fidelity Bank invites applications for the position of:

ASSOCIATE INTERNAL AUDITOR Job Summary: Fidelity Bank is currently recruiting for an Associate Internal Auditor to audit, conduct business process reviews and perform fraud investigations. With functional report to the Manager, Internal Audit, this role includes compliance responsibilities and support for various cross functional partners. This is a high visibility role on a small team, and provides the successful candidate with an opportunity to contribute to the organizations’ control environment and exposure to many business areas.

Main Duties & Responsibilities: • Conduct financial and operational audits.

• Conduct internal investigations of company violations and other legal matters.

• Diagnose operational risks and process improvement opportunities.

• Provide recommendations to improve financial and operational controls.

• Develop reports and presentations on audit findings, results and recommendations.

Key Qualifications & Experience: • Bachelor’s Degree in a business-related field • Minimum 2 years’ experience in the Financial Services Industry or Hospitality Industry • Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) • Ability to prioritize, meet tight deadlines and work well under pressure • Limited travel may be required • Ability to work flexible hours in a self-motivated environment • Independent worker • Ability to manage the administration of multiple tasks at one time • Highly organized

PLEASE SUBMIT BEFORE August 11th, 2017 to:

HUMAN RESOURCES Re: Associate Internal Auditor careers@fidelitybahamas.com

ABSOLUTELY NO PHONE CALLS

A competitive compensation package will be commensurate with relevant experience and qualification.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, August 8, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

B O DY A N D M I N D

Read it before you eat it Healthy Bahamas Coalition asks consumers to look at labels

By CAMELTA BARNES

WHEN you are considering the purchase of a new appliance or new car, do you just pick one off the shelf or from the car lot and buy it?

Most likely not.

Typically, consumers want to know what is the best appliance or vehicle to suit their needs. For example,

if you were purchasing a blender you are likely to pick it up off the shelf, read the label and examine the features offered to see whether that particular product will benefit you and your family.

Likewise, if you were purchasing a new car you may find yourself researching its safety features, reading the reviews, checking on the durability of the engine and other parts. In other words, you want to make sure you are getting the best value for your buck. Do you practice this same due diligence with the food you place in your body?

In a course of one year you will probably consume foods and beverages that come from literally hundreds of packages. For the Bahamas, these hundreds of packages translate to food and beverages packaged from around the world, as approximately 95 per cent of our food is imported.

This alone is reason enough why we should be vigilant in reading food labels. Do you know what is in your food?

How often do you stop to read your food labels? Do you find it confusing? Considering the increasing levels of non-communicable diseases and obesity, taking time to read the food label can help you make informed and healthy choices that are right for you and your family. The Healthy Bahamas Coalition wants to help you unravel the mysteries of the food label.

So what is a food label?

It is all the information you find on the package of food and beverages, including the pictures, the name of the brand, the amount in the package, the health claims as well as the nutrition facts found on the side or back of the package. Manufactures spend billions of dollars designing and crafting the information found on these packages to influence your purchase towards their products. One way they do this is through the enticing looking pictures on the front of the labels as well as the health claims, also found on the front of the labels. But don’t stop at the front of the label, be sure to turn your package around in search of the nutrition facts panel where you will find standard information such as serving size, number of calories, amount of fat sugar and sodium, included nutrients and a list of ingredients.

Though the nutrition facts panel provides valuable information, deciphering it while grocery shopping or at any other time actually, may seem a little overwhelming and time-consuming. But don’t despair, here are three quick and easy steps to follow:

1. Serving size

The first place to start when looking at the nutrition facts panel is the serving size and the number of servings in the package. All the following information pertains to the serving size.

For example if the serving size stated one cup and the amount of calories stated 90, this translates to 90 calories in a single serving of one cup consumed. So if you consume twice the serving size you consume twice the calories – 180 calories.

But if you ate or drunk the whole package and the servings per package stated five you would have consumed five times the amount – 450 calories.

Likewise, for the amount of fat, if the information states nine grammes of fat and you consumed two servings, you will be consuming 18 grammes of fat. But if you consume the whole package of five servings, you would have consumed 45 grammes of fat in one sitting and that is way too much fat, considering the recommended daily fat intake is around 65 grammes depending on your total caloric intake. But the scary part, it is very easy

to consume too much fat without even trying. One 1 ounce bag of chips contains 10 grammes of fat. Yes, the little one-ounce bag. You know, the one that is filled with air and barely a handful of chips, and sometimes one bag is not enough and you find yourself eating three one-ounce bags in one sitting, consuming 30 grammes of fat easily just from three small bags of chips.

2. Calories and calories from fat

Next, scan your calories and calories from fat. The calories measure how much energy you would receive from a single serving of a food. The calorie section of the label can help you manage your portions size and your weight. As a general rule for a single serving: • 40 calories is low • 100 calories is moderate • 400 calories is high Calories from fat in a single serving are also found on the label. Calories from fat are not additional calories, but are fat’s contribution to the total number of calories in one serving of the food.

The nutrition facts label lists the calories from fat because fat has more than twice the number of calories per gramme than carbohydrate or protein.

For example, if the nutrition facts label says 90 calories in a serving and 30 from fat, this means that out of the 90 calories per serving, 30 – or one-third – are coming from fat. The remaining 50 calories come from other nutrients such as carbohydrate, protein.

Per cent daily value (% DV) helps you to quickly decipher at a glance whether a food or beverage is a good or bad choice for you. It is usually the section of the nutrition facts labels that is overlooked. It is a guide to the nutrients in one serving of food. For example, if the label lists 15 per cent for calcium it means that one serving provides 15 per cent of the calcium you need each day.

So put the calculators away, follow this quick guide to % DV known as the “5 – 20” rule and you won’t go wrong. 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high.

This means that 5% DV or less per serving would be considered low and a good thing for all nutrients that you want to limit such as fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, but not good for the nutrients you want more of such as fibre, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. 20% DV or more per serving would be considered high and a good thing for those nutrients you want to consume in greater amounts such as fibre, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C, but not good for the nutrients you want to limit in your diet such as fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

So there you go, read it before you eat it in three basic steps: Step 1: Check serving size – Remember that one package may contain more than one serving.

Step 2: Scan for calories and calories from fat – Remember 100 calories per serving is moderate and 400 or more calories per serving is high.

Step 3: Zoom into % DV – Remember 5% DV or less per serving is low and 20% DV or more is high.

For more information, contact the Healthy Bahamas Coalition (HBC) at healthybahamascoalition@ gmail.com or call 502-4862, 397-1020, 397-1029.

The HBC is an organisation that links through collaboration civil society with government, the private sector, academia and international partners.

• Camelta Barnes is a public health nutritionist and member of the Healthy Bahamas Coalition Nutrition subcommittee.

THE TRIBUNE

Life after diagnosis

Tuesday, August 8, 2017, PAGE 9

Over the past decade, there has been a steady rise in the cases of children being diagnosed with autism and other developmental delays. Yanique Smith, director of the Therapy Learning Centre, aims to open up a dialogue with Bahamian parents and teachers, and offer practical advice gleaned from firsthand experience of working with affected children.

Q: What do I do after my child has been diagnosed with autism?

A: There’s no doubt that after your child has been diagnosed with a developmental delay your life as a parent is never the same.

The diagnosis can be frightening and many of you feel left with nowhere to turn. You may be consumed with feelings of shock, denial, anger and distress.

I vividly remember one of the first parents I encountered after they found out their child had been diagnosed with autism. I’ll call this parent Paul. Paul was a successful businessman and author. In fact, he received the news of his son’s diagnosis just one week before his third book was set to be released. Paul came into the special unit I worked in at the time to have his son academically assessed. As with all assessments I conduct, I started with the statement, “Tell me your story.” Every parent of a special needs child has a story of the day they learned of their child’s diagnosis. This story gives a lot of insight on the parent’s acceptance or denial of the diagnosis.

Well, Paul was somewhere in the middle of acceptance and denial. He accepted the fact that his son had a condition but denied that he would have to make any special adjustments to ensure that his child would have a functional life. He was of the opinion that once his son received a “good ed-

Off The Spectrum

Yanique Smith ucation” he would be able to fit in with society. I gently but directly informed him that his child would need more than just a “good education”.

After talking to Paul for almost an hour, I realised that he was afraid. He hinted then stated that he was terrified that he would have to close his business, give up all recreational activities and his overall happiness. I began to share with this fearful dad that although his life would never be the

same, it didn’t mean that his happiness had to be sacrificed.

Over the years, I’ve encountered dozens of parents with stories similar to Paul’s. A few fully accepted what their child’s diagnosis entailed, while most struggled greatly to even say what their child had been diagnosed with.

Many have made the mistake of giving up truly living because they feel as though that’s what it takes to manage having a child with a developmental delay.

Although there are many things you should and can do after your child’s diagnosis, there are just as many things you shouldn’t do.

This list of dos and don’ts may seem impossible to follow, but with consistency and support, I guarantee that each day will get a little easier.

• Don’t let the diagnosis intimidate you.

• Do get as much information about your child’s specific diagnosis. No two diagnoses are alike.

Further, you’ve gone through hardships before in life and overcame them. This one is no different.

• Don’t let the diagnosis isolate you.

• Do reach out for help. There are thousands of other parents who have walked a few miles in your shoes. Online groups can also be helpful. You’d be surprised at the amount of camaraderie in the special needs community.

• Don’t isolate your child from society.

• Do find ways to integrate them in community activities and programmes appropriate for them.

Sure, you may get a few stares and maybe even some rude comments, but don’t let uninformed people hinder the social development of your child.

• Don’t jump to conclusions about what you think your child’s diagnosis may mean for his or her life.

• Do remember that no two children are alike. This is the most common mistake parents make after their child’s diagnosis. They say things like: “My child won’t be able to learn. My child won’t be able to take care of himself. My child will need medication for the rest of his life.” They spiral into

paranoia based on what they’ve read or heard. All the doctors, therapists and the price tag that may come with developmental delays can be daunting. But it doesn’t mean that your child will go down the worst possible path.

On the other hand, what may be working for one child may not work for your child. There are many factors to take into consideration. Talk with healthcare and education professionals to formulate the right plan for them.

• Lastly, don’t give up on life!

• Do make it a purpose to have fun! Maintain your sense of humour and look for the joyous moments. Your situation will be more manageable if you maintain a positive mental state. Remember that a diagnosis doesn’t mean that your dreams must fall by the way side. It’s simply a chance for you to dream a little differently.

• Parents, teachers and other interested persons can send questions and comments to tutoringtherapy@gmail.com or call 552-5909. Information provided will remain confidential.

NEOCOLONIALISM, PATERNALIST PATRIARCHY AND THE MALE BODY WE do not often discuss the male body or the gaze on the male body. Men are to be physically chiselled with endless abs, long muscles and large endowments.

But what happens if this is not who or what we are?

We build up so many young people to think this is normal and masculine. This is problematic, especially today with the power of social media to shame and to embarrass, particularly through oversharing nudity that is often not meant to be consumed by the masses but is so commodified and apparently thought so little of that people send it out without contemplating the its potential damages. We are creating seriously damaged young men who are not able to speak about or identify with their bodies because we have made them spaces of silence and violence.

We tend more often to talk about men and violence or underperforming males, and we usually discuss a particular socio-economic group when we do this, yet we miss the class of it.

We also do not think about the ways in which violence is visited on male bodies on a daily basis.

This column picks up from where the last one left off, discussing an exhibition at the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas (NAGB), but also how art can be a tool to work against violence and to re-wire young people who are traumatised by a history of violence, disempowerment, dispossession and social exclusion.

In the Double Dutch “Of Skin and Sand” by Edrin Symonette and Leasho Johnson viewers are presented a varied yet open imagery of sexuality, masculinity and nudity/the body. The artists use their artistic practice to bring to light images and ideas of masculinity that seek to work against the common paternalist, patriarchal image of man as violent head of household who is obeyed without question, even when he is wrong, and who uses coercion and physical force to assert his domination because this is what he has been taught, the lessons have been internalised. Men can do nothing other than behave physically, or with anger and sexual innuendo. This exposes many men to a life of social

Dr Ian Bethell-Bennett exclusion and disenfranchisement, not to mention physical, mental and emotional disassociation.

As a part of colonisation we tend to think of and focus on women and the female object, but we ignore the power deployed to control men and their masculinity. We ignore how the postcolonial state resends the message that young, working class men who are minimally educated are gigolos, or ‘jineteros’ in Cuba, and ‘sanky pankys’ in Santo Domingo.

The power inequality visited on Caribbean youth and the violent reassertion of popular images of female and/or male sexuality as being the fullest extent of personal achievement, is damning. At the same time, given the lack of attention paid to really empowering images of youth or the work needing to be done of unpacking the violent, sexualised, savage image of black masculinity, they are never able to talk. Young men are only empowered by their penis, which, according to myth, must be 12 inches or so and is the only thing they have going for them. Working with these images, we must show young men that they are more than violent sexual predators. The media can help with this, too. The above mentioned exhibition provides a springboard to be able to talk about masculinity and male sexuality. However, we are working against a powerful silence from history and religion.

It is a well-known thought that once the colonised countries received independence from the colonial power, they were free and able to chart a course of their own design. Yet we say nothing of the reality that this has proven to be false. As soon as colonisa-

tion ended there may have been a brief period where there seemed to be black empowerment, but that soon shifted drastically. The space has remained colonised because it continues to serve as a place where sexual adventures are consumed or where gangsters run wild. The images of men and boys deployed by the administration is as damaging as those deployed by the tourist agenda. The ideology of male sexuality as the end all and be all is not only destructive, as discussed in my last article, but destabalising of a nation attempting to create an empowered population where most, if not all, men can participate in the democracy. Ironically, democracy has also sought to categorically sideline many young boys through its rendering of them as violent, troublesome boys who can do nothing. When we teach boys they can do more than smoke dope, behave violently, dominate women, and other younger or smaller males, we improve our future.

When direct colonialism ended indirect or neocolonialism began Neil Lazarus discusses this thoroughly in “The Postcolonial Unconscious”. What this piece focuses on is the commodification and consumption of the male body through tourism and its language and imaging, as well as the Bahamian obsession with ignoring male psyche except as it is deeply sexualised and so deeply problematised because the language we use refuses to engage with the reality that men are consumed by tourism, that there exist seriously complex issues around agency and empowerment or better said disempowerment through supposed agency.

Tourism creates a market based on 19th century stereotypes that render the male as a mere phallus. If a man is black, as is typified of the postcolonial space, he is rendered silent and the image deployed is one of a penis waiting to be used. Of course, this images retains its power today. In fact, because we are so loathe to discuss male sexuality, expect to say that man does breed plenty woman, we are creating generations of young men who fall victim to this stereotype and are becoming consumed

by the dilemma of disempowerment. We are going to find, given the proliferation of sexual tourism, the consumption of young men and women through tourism and the reduction of human to their sexual organs, that sexual transmitted infections are going to increase, as they did in earlier periods.

Space is always created according to the overarching ideology of the time. In the work of David Harvey and Edward Soja they show how spaces are produced and the importance of spacial justice.

How does this work with gender and understanding masculinity?

We teach young boys that it is good to be violent and to use violence against young women; this is the only way you can be. We also produce them to understand that they are in charge without ever equipping them with any empowering tools, not even as much as an education. Then we refuse to speak to them about their bodies, about sex and about sexually transmitted infections. We are then surprised when we have serious problems with the resurgence of powerful STIs such as syphilis and gonorrhea, for example.

The use of Caribbean bodies for pleasure results in the largescale increase of STIs. Although the black body gets blamed for being diseased, and this is especially true for the male body, the reality is that tourism is one of the most active and powerful vectors of disease and infection transfer.

And that usually flows from West to us, not the other way around.

So we are really facing two serious national problems, violence in the form of gangs and male disaffection and disassociation through failure and social exclusion, and

disease through ‘sexploitation’ that is “pleasurable”.

When we force people into unhealthy and unsupported spaces where their bodies become occupied territory reduced to a space of sexual interaction and nothing more, we refuse to allow them to become full citizens. We also create a serious national health problem. It is not only commendable, though only a small start, that these young men discuss masculinity in such a way and that they demonstrate that we do not own our bodies, much like Harvey Soja and others point out, we inhabit spaces that are controlled or predetermined by the old colonial mores that function in this neocolonial framework because we are silenced by conservatism and reaction to and against real empowering progress.

Ignorance, and sexual and human ignorance, can only serve to make the country less able to grow and prosper nationally. We like to say that we empower young men, but in reality the silence around victimisation, sexuality, sex and masculinity and violence really only renders them serious victims to elite power structures that function from without. We must talk about what young people really are doing, the problems they really have, their real bodies, and not the silly things we think of them as being and doing. We are burying our heads in the sand, and much like with the sea levels rising, the power and the impact of the denial is going to be devastating. Our silence creates a national health emergency waiting to explode.

• For questions and comments email bennettbethell@gmail.com

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PAGE 10, Tuesday, August 8, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Fashion meets charity ONE of the Bahamas’ leading haute couture brands, Remilda Rose Designs, is set to showcase its much anticipated Spring/ Summer 2018 collection to help raise funds for the Cancer Society of the Bahamas. The fashion showcase will be hosted at SuperClubs Breezes Bahamas on October 15, under the patronage of cancer survivor and author Dr Ebbie Jackson and with the theme “Your Light Shines”.

Statistics indicate that cancer is the leading cause of death in the country. A 2012 study carried out by Dr Judith Hurley found that Bahamian women had the highest rate of breast cancer in the world, which has been attributed to mutated genes. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Bahamian women.

Consultants examining the feasibility of National Health Insurance in 2015

Remilda Rose Designs to launch collection in aid of Cancer Society reported that there is likely a large portion of Bahamians who have cancer and are not aware of it.

Remilda Rose’s founder Gillian Curry-Williams has vowed to utilise this season’s platform to simultaneously expand the culture of fashion in the Bahamas while also shedding light on this horrific and relenting disease. She has taken the official colours associated with the various types of cancers – pineapple yellow for sarcoma and the strawberry pink for breast cancer, for example – and has incorporated them into a unique print for the designs in her new collection.

The line comprises resort and evening wear, and maintains the romantic, feminine design comple-

mented by opulent fabrics, a luxurious colour palette, splashes of crystals and hand-beading that the fashion house is known for.

The designer will also be honouring five women and two men who have either survived cancer or are still battling cancer. The honorees will receive complete makeovers, self-portraits, and model evening gowns and suits designed specifically for them.

Asked about her motivation to assist cancer research and honour cancer patients and survivors, Mrs Curry-Williams explained: “In 2014 we found out that my father had rectal cancer.

That was a serious blow the family. We went with him to every treatment and doctors visit. In March

REMILDA Rose Designs will once again support the Cancer Society of the Bahamas.

2016, he died. But prior to his death, after seeing how many persons were at the hospital taking treatments, I just knew there was something I could do to

make the patient/survivor feel better. Thus, the print and the decision to honour them during the show.”

The fashion show will begin at 6pm. Regular

seating is $50 per person; $100 for VIP. For further details, follow Gillian Curry-Williams’ Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ remildarose.

Women’s organisation hosts entrepreneurship fair

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net AS one of its major objectives is to support and help young Bahamians achieve their dreams, the New Image women’s organisation recently hosted a Entrepreneur Fire Fair that helped aspiring business owners to get one step closer to fulfilling their goals.

The fair attracted entrepreneurs-to-be who have not yet completely established themselves or their businesses, and who needed an avenue to display their talents and wares.

During the event, they had an opportunity to promote their budding ventures and start building a clientele, said Tanya Sweeting, president of New Image.

A total of 22 entrepreneurs enrolled and entrusted the New Image management team to effectively roll-out their business ideas, which ranged from healthy drinks, clothing and accessories to beauty supplies, event planning, pastries, dance lessons and more.

Some of those companies that exhibited included Total Health Changes, Sensation Boutique, Brother D’s Hot Pattie, New Image Hats & Headpieces, Tanya Sweeting Focus Driving Systems, Rosie’s Boutique

& Heavenly Bubbles, Pink Lily, Sheska’s Creation, Tirsty, Island Bear, Painting by Bre, Unique’s Desert, Fish n’ Chips, 242Sky juice, Bahama Mama Seafood & Grill, KC Travel & Redeemed Dance Company, G&T Clothing Store, Vintage View, Claudia Nails and Beauty Salon, Nell’s Floral, Da Tea Lady, Eatin’ Healthy Deli and Classical Designs.

“This organisation continues to host workshops and seminars for young ladies with an effort prick their minds in recognising their strengths and build their dreams. As a result, a number of the ladies indicated how they aspire to

become their own boss, or that they have a talent or dream they wish to pursue but are uncertain of how to let the world know about it,” Ms Sweeting told Tribune Woman.

With this in mind, New Image announced it will host another workshop in future. However, the recent entrepreneur fair served as a more practical means for women to display their business ventures.

“We could not do this without the assistance and support from our sponsors. As a non-profitable organisation, we continue to seek financial assistance and contributions from the corporate world, and for

THE WOMEN’s organisation New Image hosted a entrepreneur fair for young Bahamians to display their budding businesses. this Entrepreneur Fire Fair Event we received sponsors and aid from the Lucayan Car Rentals & Auto Sales, Caribbean Bottling Company, Bank of Bahamas and Ray of Hope.

Thanks to all our sponsors and The Tribune for believing in the cause of New Image,” said Ms Sweeting.

She added that participating up-and-coming entrepreneurs benefitted from the event, as it gave them opportunities to network with others.

“Now, New Image is moving forward to host a Ladies Conference in December 2017. Due to the number of responses and requests received, we have now expanded our view of only catering to young ladies, but to ladies in general. The December conference will be a two-day conference that will be extended to married ladies,

single mothers, ladies in ministry and professionals, and of course our young ladies to take the role as leading ladies,” she said.

“We continue on the quest to plant, water and nourish the seed of righteousness that would create an awareness of how successful and accomplished ladies can become in every area of their lives.”

How a job acquires a gender (and less authority if it’s female)

By SARAH THEBAUD University of California, Santa Barbara (THE CONVERSATION) “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.” So proclaims Beyoncé in a video in support of the #banbossy campaign. The campaign highlights how when little boys take charge, they’re often praised for being a “leader.” But when little girls do, they’re more likely to be scolded for being too “bossy”.

And it matters for grownups, too. Research and media stories abound with examples of how gender stereotypes disadvantage women leaders. A woman manager is less likely to be taken seriously by the people who work for her.

When men direct others, they’re often assumed to be assertive and competent.

But when women direct others, they’re often disliked and labeled abrasive or bossy.

Our new study puts a twist on this narrative.

Gender bias doesn’t merely disadvantage women, it also can disadvantage men. The reason? We don’t just stereotype men and women. We stereotype jobs.

Firefighters and nurses

Many jobs in the economy are gender-stereotyped.

Firefighting is thought of as a man’s job, whereas nursing is thought of as women’s work.

Previous studies have shown that these stereotypes – which shape our expectations about whether

“I’M not bossy, I’m the boss.” – Beyoncé voices her support for the viral campaign which calls for a ban of the word ‘bossy’ for women and girls.

(AP Photo) a man or a woman is a better “fit” for a given job – are powerful because they can bias a whole host of employment outcomes. For instance, they influence the chances that a man or a woman will apply for the job, that he or she will be hired, the pay each would receive and even performance evaluations that determine promotions.

But how quickly do these gender stereotypes get at-

tached to jobs in the first place? And, to what extent might such stereotypes affect the level of authority and respect that people are willing to give the man or woman who works in that job?

How a job gets stereotyped

To answer these questions, we studied a job that is ambiguously related to gender: a microfinance loan

manager in Central America.

In this region, the microfinance loan manager job is new and gender-balanced in its composition. Unlike firefighters or nurses – jobs that are already strongly genderstereotyped – loan managers at the microfinance bank we studied are about 50/50 men and women.

The nature of commercial microfinance makes managers’ positions more

gender-ambiguous. Microfinance is associated with the financial industry, which is traditionally masculine.

But microfinance also has a legacy of social service and poverty alleviation, which are female-stereotyped activities.

Additionally, in the context we studied, the loan manager job had been around for less than 10 years, making it even less likely that clients would have strong preconceptions about whether it was a “man’s job” or a “woman’s job”.

Loan managers at the bank we focused on are frequently reshuffled from one borrower to another, male and female. We examined borrowers’ missed payment rates as a measure of the authority they afford their managers. Making a payment on time signals that the borrower views the manager as someone whose authority is legitimate and whose directives should be followed. In contrast, missing a payment signals that the borrower feels he or she can approach his or her responsibilities to the manager more laxly.

We found that it took only one interaction before clients assigned a gender to the job and began to treat anyone in that role (man or woman) based on that stereotype, which meant less authority if the loan manager position was seen as a “woman’s job”. So if a client’s first manager was a woman, they would tend to miss more payments on

their loan – even if later transferred to a male manager – compared with one who was initially paired with a man.

Male managers whose clients perceived the job as a “woman’s job” experienced an especially large disadvantage compared to male managers whose clients perceived the job as a “man’s job.”

Gendered jobs harm us all

When gender stereotypes get attached to a job, it biases the authority that people attribute to the man or woman who happens to work in that position. In this way, men experience negative bias when working in positions that others associate with women.

Our findings show that, when men work in a managerial job that people associate with a man and male stereotypes, they are able to wield a substantial amount of authority over clients. But when the very same managerial job happens to be associated with a woman, men who work in that position are viewed as significantly less legitimate sources of authority.

In other words, our study suggests that stereotyping a job as “women’s work” and societal biases that grant women less authority than men harm us all.

• The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 8, 2017, PAGE 11

From an island girl to a queen

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net FROM a young girl who enjoyed climbing trees on the islands to becoming the newest Miss World Bahamas, Geena Thompson has truly undergone a metamorphosis – which was also the theme of this year’s pageant.

With style and grace, the 24-year-old Miss Long Island captured the crown during the finale held at the Baha Mar Convention Centre. In a sit-down with Tribune Woman last week, Geena described the experience of winning as “dreamlike”.

“I felt it most when Sharonique Russell, the Miss Abaco contestant, grabbed me and I was like, ‘This is it’.

I have said in the past that I wanted to be the queen, but actually being successful in that goal is beautiful,” she said.

Geena exemplifies the adage of “if at first you don’t succeed, try again”, with this being her second go at the crown. In 2016, she made it to the top five in the 2016 Miss World Bahamas Pageant.

“The pageant experience is designed to develop a young lady no matter if she wins or not; it’s a great experience. People know me as a very ‘island-y’ girl. I like to climb trees and I am usually in flats, so to be in heels now all the time is a new thing for me, but so very exciting. I experienced the idea of what a lady looks and acts like, but I don’t believe there is just one definition of what a beauty queen is. I believe it changes with whoever is wearing the crown at the time, so you have to take your own personal attributes and make it your own,” she said.

When making the decision to enter the pageant for a second time, Geena said she was given the advice to always be kind to herself and to also learn to forgive herself.

MISS World Bahamas Geena Thompson Photo/SHAWN HANNA “For me this year it was more about believing in myself and not looking at other people’s strengths. There were eight other contestants who were just as deserving and beautiful as I am, so my whole mindset was to show off Geena. I enjoyed the swimsuit part of the competition because it allowed

to a good start, having been named the official ambassador for the Hands For Hunger non-profit organisation for the month of August.

“They are definitely a local team that has pushed the mission of ridding the Bahamas of hunger. This advocacy started out mainly with my grandfather because he literally took two homeless persons in and they became a part of our family, and just going through life with them and being able to help them in certain ways where others would not, that gave me an appreciation for what I have and to also serve and give to others,” she said.

Additionally, Geena said she would also like to speak to the youth of the nation about not giving up on their dreams.

“I believe that we all have desires and God has placed us here with talents and gifts to execute those desires. My third goal is to definitely be-

“I like to climb trees and I am usually in flats, so to be in heels now all the time is a new thing for me... but I don’t believe there is just one definition of what a beauty queen is.

I believe it changes with whoever is wearing the crown at the time...” me to be confident. I got to speak from the inside,” she said.

“You are only wearing a bikini so you have to definitely show off your personality and be able to talk and speak to people through your body language, and that was important for me. I fell in love with Geena, so I wanted everyone else to fall in love with her.”

With a platform focusing on putting an end to homelessness and hunger in the Bahamas, Geena hopes to continue her efforts in this regard during the remainder of the year. She is already off

come Miss World, so that is what is next for me. Going into training and trying to accomplish that,” she said.

Geena now has a hectic schedule to fulfil.

“I am going into full training with Club One Fitness and then I go into training with a coach. I am also travelling to Chicago to fit a wardrobe for Miss World and so much more,” she said.

The Miss World Pageant is scheduled to take place in Sanya, China, on Saturday, November 18. Readers are asked to follow the Miss Bahamas Organisation social media pages for updates.

www.ub.edu.bs

Congratulates University of The Bahamas

its faculty, student and alumni who have been elected and appointed to serve in the Parliament of The Bahamas. We are extremely proud of you.

Hon. Mark Humes,

MP Fort Charlotte, Assistant Professor, English Studies

Hon. Reece Chipman, MP Centreville, ‘87

Hon. Romauld Ferreira,

House Speaker MP Nassau Village, ‘99

Senator Hon. Ranard Henfield ‘99

MP Bain & Grants Town, UB Student

Hon. Adrian Gibson,

MP Marathon, ‘85

Hon. Halson Moultrie,

Hon. Travis Robinson,

MP Long Island, ‘05

Senator Hon. Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson

Associate Professor Education

Hon. Darren Henfield, MP North Abaco, ‘09

Hon. Ellsworth Johnson, MP Yamacraw, ‘96

Hon. Iram Lewis,

MP Central Grand Bahama, ‘96

Hon. Michael Pintard,

Hon. Donald Saunders,

Hon. Chester Cooper,

MP Exumas & Ragged Island, ‘96

Hon. Picewell Forbes,

MP Tall Pines, ‘94

Senator Hon. Jasmin Turner-Dareus ‘04

Senator Hon. Jobeth Coleby-Davis ‘06

Senator Hon. Michael Darville ‘78

Senator Hon. J. Kwasi Thompson ‘93

MP Marco City, ‘85

MP Mangrove Cay & South Andros, ‘80

SECTION B

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017

Magic happens with the right hairdresser

By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

A

HAIRDRESSER is part fairy godmother, part therapist, and part soul sister.

After all, a certain magic happens when a woman walks into a salon for her appointment looking slightly worse for wear, only to emerge some time later looking fabulous and feeling like a new person.

Hair salons are a special place; advice is given and shared, jokes are made and concerns discussed – all as hair is washed, treated, curled, dyed, sewn-in, braided and utterly transformed.

But what goes into selecting the perfect hairdresser who will be responsible for all this? For many women choosing a hairstylist and/ or salon they can stay loyal to is an almost spiritual journey.

“I have to say that I don’t let anyone and everyone near my head, especially when it comes to cutting and perming my hair,” Jenna, a lawyer by profession, told Tribune Woman.

“Not all hairdressers are created equal. Some people, even if they have the training, are just not good listeners; they do what they do want to do, what is easy for them or what they want, not what the customer wants. But it’s my hair and it’s my money and I don’t accept that. I pay you to do what I want my hair to look like. I know what makes me feel attractive.”

Meanwhile, writer Michelle said that convenience and feeling that special connection with a stylist is most important to her.

“I would say that the biggest deciding factor for me is what I want done and when I need it done,” she told Tribune Woman.

“I have four places I go to. I am not picky about who does my hair – once I know it will be nice – but I hate spending unnecessary time in the salon. I don’t do the walk-in, wait all day and hope to be served before night. I only

go to people who take me by appointment. My hair is natural and so many of the styles I get done already take several hours, so adding hours wait time is not going to happen. I have two braiders I go to – one if I want braids or Afro kinky, and one if I want twists or other natural styles. Both of these ladies work out of their homes, and when you are in someone’s chair for that long it is important that you feel comfortable around them. Both of these ladies have become my friends. We can laugh and hang out all day long and have a great time. I have binge-watched entire seasons of shows while getting my hair done; carry snacks and my Kindle, take naps – it’s a whole day’s activity.”

“When I don’t want braids or twists, I have two salons I go to and how I decide between those two usually based on who can fit me in and how much I want to splurge, because one is significantly more expensive than the other. I go to them when I want a quick fix and don’t have all day, like if I am going out that evening or want like my ends trimmed or a treatment. I have to admit, getting my hair braided is just hanging out with a friend, but nothing beats going to a proper salon and feeling pampered. What I also love about my hair appointment time is that I can sit and basically do nothing, but I am still being productive – making myself beautiful.”

Banker Crystal agreed that having a back-up is essential.

“I have two stylists that I trust, because you always need a trustworthy option if you can’t get an appointment. I have a through the week person and a weekend person, depending on when I need to make the appointment, and they are both competent and actually know each other and trust each other as well.

In fact, my weekend stylist was the one who hooked me up with the other one when she was going on vacation, which I really appreciated,” said Crystal.

“If you want a quick wash, you can go to whomever, I guess.

But if you have someone who you have been with for years, you know that they will treat you right.”

CLOSE-up of a young woman having her hair done

Cynthia, an accountant, said she is extremely picky about who she lets touch her hair and said she only “cheats” on her main stylist if she wants something simple done.

“I go to my friend Apryl.

If you want a quick wash, you can go to whomever, I guess. But if you have someone who you have been with for years, you know that they will treat

you right,” she said.

“For example, last year I was going to Paradise Plates and the electricity went out. Half of my hair was fixed and the other half was not. Because I am such good friends with my hairdresser, we went to her house, where she had a generator, and she was able to finish my hair. Now, if I had gone to just any old Joe Blow, clearly they would

not just be inviting me over to their house so they could finish my hair. So I think the relationship you have with your hairdresser is very important, and it pays to go to the same person on a consistent basis.”

Meanwhile, Leslie noted that she has been going to the same stylist for the past 15 years, ever since she was a teenager. It means a lot to have the history with her

stylist Shanique, the chef said.

“She has done my hair for all of my special milestones – my prom, my graduation, family events, birthdays, before vacation, everything. And when I had a traumatic breakup she convinced me to go with a cut and colour I never thought would work.

That style did so much for my confidence it led me to meet my new husband, and of course Shanique did my wedding hair. We are so in sync, I literally just show up, sit in the chair and let her do whatever she wants,” said Leslie.

Attorney Alexis agreed with the notion of only letting one person touch her hair.

“I have been burned, literally, too many times, by going to ghetto crazy people that destroyed my hair. I have many horror stories – my hair dropping because they left perm in; asking for a particular cut or colour and the end result looks nothing like what I wanted,” she said.

“When I found the lady who does my hair now, it was honestly like a miracle from heaven. She convinced me to do a big chop because my hair was so damaged, and then she methodically set about restoring it. She is a hair doctor more than a stylist, so every visit she treated and nurtured my hair and now it is healthy, because as they say, she has growing hands.

I don’t go to anyone else, period. If you see me with a ponytail or bun, you know it’s because she is away or I couldn’t get to her.”

‘CURLS Girls’ rule the Bahamas THE team behind CURLS, a leading American company in the natural hair care industry, took its fans on trip to the Bahamas via Snapchat and Instagram over the weekend.

Taking some of the internet’s most popular natural hair bloggers along for the ride, the CURLS team landed in Nassau on Friday.

While in the country, the CURListas relaxed in the sun, networked with other naturalistas, promoted their newest products, and hosted a special mentorship event for young women.

Participating bloggers came from all over the world – the US, Paris, London, Canada, and even the

Netherlands – to enjoy the sights and sounds of the island.

“While in the Bahamas, we will partner with a local non-profit to have our CURLS Girls Rule the World event – Bahamas Edition. This mentorship event will partner the very successful bloggers with disenfranchised women of colour, who like (CURLS CEO and founder, Mahisha Dellinger), did not have a clear path to victory. Our time together is designed to empower the ladies to know that their destiny is in their hands,” said the company.

CURLS first launched its ‘Rule the World’ campaign last April.

During the inaugural event, the company hosted 100 girls of colour from New York City and Westchester County between the ages of 12 and 24. The event aimed to expose girls to accomplished mentors in various industries so they could begin to learn how they can make their dreams come true.

“We are so proud of our CURLS Girls Rule the World programme,” said CEO Mahisha Dellinger.

“Having a mentor and being exposed to business resources to help me accomplish my dreams was something I did not have when I was a young girl.

Being able to provide girls

INTERNATIONAL natural hair bloggers enjoy a trip to the Bahamas.

with the opportunity to meet successful women, who will stay in touch with them, is truly giving the girls a leg up in realising

that whatever they dream is possible.”

CURLS was founded in 2002 in California by Ms Dellinger. She collaborated

with leading cosmetic experts to develop the products for her company. Her desire to create a quality line for a growing, yet overlooked audience, coupled with an extensive chemistry background proved to be a winning combination.

During the last decade, CURLS has emerged as a leader in the natural hair care industry. Celebrity consumers include Halle Berry, Alicia Keys, Nia Long, Tia Mowry, Blair Underwood and Ashanti.