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Teams on alert as hurricane draws near By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia,net

AS Hurricane Matthew takes aim at Jamaica and Haiti, emergency management officials in The Bahamas along with other governmental agencies have ramped up preparation efforts as computer models project landfall in the southeast Bahamas by Tuesday. National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Director Captain Stephen Russell said yesterday the agency has been in â&#x20AC;&#x153;constant communicationâ&#x20AC;? with administrators in the southern Bahamas over the weekend, working to ensure that those islands are â&#x20AC;&#x153;adequately preparedâ&#x20AC;? for the effects of the category four storm. Personnel in the southern Bahamas have been instructed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;ensure that their facilities are up and runningâ&#x20AC;?. SEE PAGE THREE

OPPOSITION Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday that the Free National Movement will suspend all political activities until Hurricane Matthew has

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BAHA Marâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secured creditor has acquired the project from its receivers for a sum â&#x20AC;&#x153;substantially higherâ&#x20AC;? than that offered by the top bidder, with the property essentially being sold twice as part of the process. The first sale is from the Deloitte & Touche receivers to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by China Export-Import Bank, the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $2.45bn secured creditor, moving the development out of receivership. Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder, in his September 27 ruling, said the bank was only willing to invest the money to complete Baha Mar if it was removed from receivership. Once Baha Mar has been completed, the second sale will occur, with a controlling interest in the SPV being sold by the bank to the intended purchaser. Justice Winderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ruling does not confirm the identity of Baha Marâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prospective buyer, but it reveals that its purchase price â&#x20AC;&#x153;remained lowerâ&#x20AC;? than that offered by the SPV controlled by the China Export-Import Bank. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

HAPPY to be home - students airlifted by Bahamasair from Jamaica on Saturday night ahead of Hurricane Matthew. Photo: Eric Rose/BIS

INSURANCE MANAGEMENT HURRICANE PROJECTED TRACK & INTENSITY MAP WEDNESDAY PM Nassau

passed. His statement at the FNMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters yesterday came as the party was expected to ratify as many as five new candidates this week for next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general election.

Cat Island

NAME: MATTHEW TYPE: Hurricane POSITION 24, 75.6 VALID: OCT 5,2016 AT 8:00PM MAX WINDS: 120MPH GUSTS: 150MPH DIRECTION: N, NNW

Andros

â&#x20AC;˘ LATEST ON FLIGHT SUSPENSIONS AND SCHOOL CLOSURES - PAGES TWO & THREE

MINNIS: SET ASIDE POLITICS UNTIL AFTER HURRICANE By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHA MAR TO BE SOLD TWICE AS COURT PROCESS ENDS

Long Island Acklins & Crooked Island

TUESDAY PM NAME: MATTHEW TYPE: Hurricane POSITION 20.6, 74.9 VALID: OCT 4,2016 AT 8:00pm MAX WINDS: 120MPH GUSTS: 150MPH DIRECTION: N, NNW

TUESDAY AM NAME: MATTHEW TYPE: Hurricane POSITION 18.8, 74.8 VALID: OCT 4,2016 AT 8:00am MAX WINDS: 140MPH GUSTS: 165MPH DIRECTION: N,

MONDAY AM NAME: MATTHEW TYPE: Hurricane POSITION 15.7, 75.1 VALID: OCT 3,2016 AT 8:00am MAX WINDS: 145MPH GUSTS: 175MPH DIRECTION: N,

SEE PAGE TWO

SEARCH FOR MAN OVERBOARD AFTER BOAT HIT BY RBDF VESSEL By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force are searching for a man who disappeared and is feared drowned after his boat was hit by a RBDF Harbour Patrol vessel on Saturday. Christopher Turnquest, 25, was in a 13-foot skiff along with another man shortly after 8pm Saturday in Nassau Harbour, just east of the Potterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cay Dock, when the RBDF vessel collided with his, causing the boat to capsize. SEE PAGE SIX

CHIPMAN OUT OF ELECTION RACE, POLICE PROBE AS ACTIVISTS SAY SAYS LEADER DOESNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T WANT HIM THEIR LIVES ARE IN DANGER By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net ST ANNEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MP Hubert Chipman announced yesterday that he has withdrawn his name from consideration for renomination in his constituency, saying it is clear FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis no longer wants his contribution. While stressing that he has had â&#x20AC;&#x153;differencesâ&#x20AC;? with

Dr Minnis in the past, he said political parties committed to democracy routinely have such debates. However, under Dr Minnisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; leadership, these types of disagreements are met with animosity. He also criticised Dr Minnis for not pushing the government hard enough on several issues, including the work of the Public SEE PAGE SIX

A POLICE investigation has been launched into claims by five Bahamians that their lives are in danger because of their political advocacy and that some of them have had to flee the country. A petition made on behalf of Fred Smith, Francisco Nunez, Joseph Darville, Kirkland Bodie and Romauld Ferreira by the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association

Nassau & Bahama Islandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Leading Newspaper

(GBHRA) asks that the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) requests that the Bahamas adopt precautionary measures to prevent irreparable harm to their lives. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration said yesterday that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Government takes seriously any complaint of violation of Human Rightsâ&#x20AC;? SEE PAGE 11

PAGE 2, Monday, October 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

I1HURRICANE

JUNE 2016

TOMORROW PREPARE FOR THE STORM WITH THE TRIBUNE’S HURRICANE GUIDE 2016 PICK IT UP WITH YOUR COPY OF TOMORROW’S PAPER

PRIME Minister Perry Christie welcoming a student back from Jamaica after Bahamians were airlifted out of the path of Hurricane Matthew.

Photo: Eric Rose/BIS

MINNIS: SET ASIDE POLITICS UNTIL AFTER HURRICANE from page one

“The FNM is encouraging all Bahamians to be prepared and work together to prepare for Hurricane Matthew that is expected to arrive in The Bahamas on Tuesday,” he said. “The FNM will therefore be suspending all political activities this week to concentrate on the nation, the people and offer assistance where it is needed. I have instructed all FNM members and candidates to work with their constituencies and neighbours with preparations and the aftermath of the hurricane and I’ve urged all other political parties to do the same. “I’m advising Prime Minister Perry Christie to inform me of any assistance to the government and the Bahamas. I urge all Bahamians to tune into the national weather fore-

cast and track the hurricane and take all hurricane preparations seriously. Ensure that their homes and properties are secure and offer assistance to your neighbours.” Dr Minnis expressed particular concern for the southern Bahamian islands, which have not fully recovered from the devastating effects of Hurricane Joaquin. That storm devastated parts of The Bahamas last October. Regarding that hurricane, Dr Minnis said he has not been fully satisfied with the government’s response to it. “The exigency orders we originally thought were inadequate in terms of the time frame, but it was extended. What we’ve asked for is that the government declare those areas that were devastated tax-free zones and give them a certain time to regroup and rebuild and we still feel that

would’ve gone a long way in assisting not only the residential people, but the businesses as well,” Dr Minnis said before a crowd of FNM supporters and officials. The southeast Bahamas was under a hurricane watch yesterday, meaning Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Ragged Island, Long Cay and Samana Cay were expected to feel hurricane conditions within 48 hours. A hurricane alert was in effect for the central and northwest Bahamas yesterday. This includes Long Island, Cat Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, the Exumas, Eleuthera, New Providence, Andros, the Berry Islands, Grand Bahama and Abaco, which were expected to feel storm conditions within 60 hours. The hurricane is expected to bring heavy flooding and up to 25 inches of rain as it passes through The Bahamas.

BAHAMASAIR TO SUSPEND SOUTHERN FLIGHTS ON TUESDAY BAHAMASAIR is suspending services to the southern islands of The Bahamas from Tuesday due to the approach of Hurricane Matthew. A statement from the airline on Sunday morning read: “Bahamasair wishes to advise the travelling pub-

lic that due to the impending approach of Hurricane Matthew, all services to the southern islands will be suspended effective Tuesday, October 4. “Persons affected as a result of Hurricane Matthew to and from these destinations can contact our res-

ervations department to make alternate travel plans. Passengers will be accommodated without a change of itinerary fee. “Further updates will be provided - via radio and also posted to Bahamasair. com - as new information becomes available.”

Fresh Prepared, In-store, Daily.

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PAGE 2, Monday, October 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

TOMORROW PREPARE FOR THE STORM WITH THE TRIBUNE’S HURRICANE GUIDE 2016 PICK IT UP WITH YOUR COPY OF TOMORROW’S PAPER

PRIME Minister Perry Christie welcoming a student back from Jamaica after Bahamians were airlifted out of the path of Hurricane Matthew.

Photo: Eric Rose/BIS

MINNIS: SET ASIDE POLITICS UNTIL AFTER HURRICANE from page one

Fresh Prepared, In-store, Daily.

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THE TRIBUNE

Monday, Monday, October October 3, 2016, 3, 2016, PAGE PAGE 3 3

CAPTAIN STEPHEN RUSSELL, director of the National Emergency Management Agency, pictured at their press conference.

Matthew will hit on Tuesday from page one A hurricane watch was in put into effect for the southeast Bahamas yesterday, including Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Ragged Island, Long Cay, Samana Cay, and the nearby Turks and Caicos Islands. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions could be felt in the alerted islands within 48 hours. Capt Russell urged residents in those islands to monitor news stations for up-to-the-minute coverage, warning that they should be prepared to relocate “at a moment’s notice if the situations dictates”. “We want those residents to know where the shelters are located,” he said. “They all need to be prepared for all scenarios connected to this storm. We are warning and urging, this is the time to get prepared.” He continued: “If the plan is to remain in their homes, residents need to ensure that their homes are prepared. If they are preparing to relocate to a shelter, this is the time to ensure that all important and essential items are compiled and ready to go.” Calls placed to officials in the southeast islands by The Tribune went unanswered; however, Capt Russell has assured The Tribune that communication between his office and these islands has remained constant and uninterrupted. A hurricane alert remains in place for the northwest and central Bahamas, including Long Island, Cat Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, the Exumas, Eleuthera, New Providence, Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Grand Bahama and Abaco. This means storm conditions could be felt within 60 hours. Matthew, a powerful category four hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 145mph, with higher gusts, was centred about 325 miles southwest of Portau-Prince, Haiti, 255 miles south east of Kingston, 445 miles south of Inagua and 730 miles south south east

A DOG crosses a street under heavy rain in downtown Kingston, Jamaica, yesterday, as Hurricane Matthew starts to hit. of New Providence at 11pm ployment to Family Islands on Sunday and moving west as directed,” the statement at five miles per hour. read. The storm was expected Bahamian students studto turn northwest and then ying in Jamaica were airnorth last night. On this lifted out of the country in track, Matthew’s centre preparation for the arrival should approach southeast- of Matthew on Saturday. ern Haiti, Jamaica and eastThe students arrived in ern Cuba today and into Nassau shortly after 11pm Tuesday and move north on a Bahamasair flight and across the heart of the Ba- were met by Prime Minister hamas from Wednesday Perry Christie. into Thursday. Even if MatThe Bahamas remains thew has weakened to a on high alert, as the threat category three hurricane by of Matthew comes nearly a then, it could re-strengthen year to the date that Hurriover record warm sea-sur- cane Joaquin made landfall face temperatures. in the southern sections of Hurricane-force winds the country, devastating a extend outward up to 25 large section of those commiles from the centre and munities in the impact zone. tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 Devastated miles. Matthew is expected In Long Island, one of to produce total rain ac- those islands left devascumulations of eight to 12 tated in the wake of Hurinches over the southeast- ricane Joaquin last year, ern Bahamas, with isolated repairs are still underway maximum amounts of 15 as community leaders there inches. continue efforts to get that Storm surge and large island back to normal. and destructive waves could Island Administrator raise water levels by as much Terrece Bootle-Bethel said as 10 to 15 feet above nor- residents there are taking mal tide levels in the central warnings very seriously. and southern Bahamas. She noted that there is a Last night, the Royal level of nervousness among Bahamas Defence Force Long Islanders, as the fear cancelled all vacation for over Joaquin and what it its members as of today. A did has left many of them statement from Command- scarred. er Defence Force (Acting) She stated: “We are workCaptain Tellis Bethel told ing, and as in the nature of all non-duty personnel to these things, no one can report to Coral Harbour pick when the time is best. Base at 8.40am. “This includes persons who are not on duty at the various outpost such as Harbour Patrol Unit, Port Security Unit, the Airwing Base and Military Police and Force Protection Unit. Personnel are to come prepared for de-

CORRECTION - ANTHONY JENNINGS ARRAIGNMENT THE CIRCUMSTANCES which led to Anthony Jennings, a Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer, being arraigned on two firearm related offences in Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday, were erroneously reported by The Tribune on September 30. The case is not connected to an incident in the vicinity of Kingsway Academy involving two marines who

saw a man and a woman involved in an argument, as The Tribune had reported. Jennings, 22, pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and one of possession of ammunition following an alleged argument on September 25. Jennings is alleged to have been found with a black and silver .40 pistol and two live .40 bullets for the weapon.

This comes at a time when we are still recovering from last year and there remains some challenges.” She made note of drainage issues in Scrub Hill, Long Island, an area that proved critical during Joaquin. During that storm, major flooding in the area completely divided the island, making it impossible for the island’s southern residents to make it north. She said the island’s council made a recommendation for the installation of a new drainage system in the community, but no final decision was made in that regard. She said if Matthew makes landfall with huge downpours of rain, the island could see heavy flooding just like last year. Administrators on these southeast islands are expected to report back to NEMA with any potential issues with shelters ahead of the storm, and update officials in New Providence of any issue that may arise during the hurricane. Shelters As of late Saturday, official shelters in Acklins were identified as Nurse’s Residence in North Acklins, Snug Corner Primary School, Spring Point Community Centre and the Ebenezer Baptist Church. In Crooked Island, Ezekiel Thompson Hall in Cabbage Hill, Church of God of Prophecy in Cripple Hill and Deleveaux’s Residence in Major’s Cay, have all been named shelters. Additionally, Mayaguana has selected Abraham’s Bay High School and Pirates Well Primary School

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

as their shelters, while Inagua has selected Zion Baptist Church, St Michael’s Methodist Church and St Phillips Community Centre as shelters. In Ragged Island, the island’s Administration Building has been identified as the emergency shelter. Residents in Long Cay have been directed to seek shelter at Collie’s Duplex in Albert Town, the Command Centre or relocate to Cabbage Hill, Crooked Island prior to the storm’s landfall. A full list of the 2016 hurricane shelters can be found on tribune242.com.

DETAILS OF SCHOOL CLOSURES

PUBLIC schools in the southeast Bahamas are closed today until further notice due to the impending passage of Hurricane Matthew, the Ministry of Education announced yesterday. This includes schools on Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Ragged Island, Long Cay and Samana Cay. Schools in the Central Bahamas - Long Island, Cat Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Exuma will close on Tuesday. The ministry said it made the decision after being advised by officials from the Department of Meteorology. The ministry is expected to issue another update on school closures some time today. For more information, visit the ministry’s website at ministryofeducationbahamas.com or its social media platforms.

PAGE 4, Monday, October 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

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

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Why are Keod Smith and a Bahamian police officer investigating a judge? TODAY — from early morning—our e-mail has been clogged by Bahamians sending us an article with a headline that reads: “Is CARICOM being used by Bahamas Government and Peter Nygard in Official Investigation by Bahamian Officials into Judge Indra Charles of the Bahamas Supreme Court?” It was published in St Lucia Today and, thanks to the web, is quickly making its way around the world. This is a question that we would all like answered. How did The Bahamas government allow itself to be become embroiled in an issue as an ally of Peter Nygard? Whose side is it on — the Bahamian people whose seabed is in dispute or Peter Nygard who claims the seabed as his? And with a case pending in the Supreme Court between property owner Peter Nygard and Save The Bays (STB) to decide this very issue, what prompted Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald to get government involved by reading out the private e-mails of STB in Parliament? And why did House Speaker Kendal Major let him get away with this breach, knowing that the matter was before the courts? Did the Speaker not know the basic rule that any matter before the courts is sub judice and, therefore, cannot be discussed by anyone – not even the defiant Jerome Fitzgerald, himself a lawyer who should know better. Now that the Speaker realises the ramifications of his decision, he has said that on second thoughts he would not have allowed the reading and tabling of those e-mails. Too late! The baby has already been thrown out with the bathwater. This country is being held up to international ridicule and somebody in government has a lot of explaining to do. Former Chief Justice Michael Barnett, in addressing the Eugene Dupuch Law School’s graduating class, said that the young lawyers must have been as shocked as he was, when after the recent judgment in which the court found that the actions of a minister of the Crown were wrong and a breach of a person’s constitutional rights, the minister (Fitzgerald) would be defiant and say that notwithstanding the judgment “he would do it again”. The matter was taken before Supreme Court Justice Indra Charles, who found that Mr Fitzgerald had breached the privacy of STB members. She ordered Mr Fitzgerald to pay $15,000 in damages. She also ordered that whatever else he had belonging to STB should be destroyed. A defiant Fitzgerald declared that he had no regrets. “I would do the same thing again!” he announced. In the House, Mr Fitzgerald moved that the matter be referred to the House Committee on Privileges and that not only STB members with their lawyers, but Justice Charles also appear before it. By then the Speaker, a dentist by profession, must have got a lawyer to brief him. He reminded the House that such a thing would be a “gross violation” of the separation of powers. Sir Michael agreed, pointing out that to demand that a judge of the Supreme Court should be answerable to Parliament in a matter brought before the courts would be “an affront to the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary”. Despite this, it was decided that the House Committee would meet despite the objections. We shall leave the matter there and move on to the overnight development in St Lucia. As soon as the website is opened to the question of whether Caricom is being used by the Bahamas government in an investigation of Justice Charles, a full-size photograph appears of Keod Smith under which is reported: “Friends and Associates and concerned Members of the Bar of St Lucia are asking questions about an investigation and this note was intercepted which reflects the concerns:

“A Bahamas Barrister Keod Smith, a Parliamentarian (which incidentally he is not), along with a senior officer of the Bahamas Police Force were observed by the St Lucia authorities conducting a series of interviews and interrogations at Government Offices in the capital and around the island on the character of a former Judge of St Lucia – Indra Charles who is now a Judge in The Bahamas. “Some very disturbing questions have been put to citizens of St Lucia and Mr Smith is recorded in conversations where he described himself to be a lawyer for Peter Nygard, who recently had displayed an interest in a Stem Cell hospice on the islands of St Lucia and St Kitts. “A formal statement is being made to the St Lucia Government to enquire into the role it may be playing in this investigation. The St Lucia authorities have identified the two Bahamians who visited St Lucia and paid various officials to supply them with information of a private nature on Mrs Charles. “Mrs Charles, according to news in The Bahamas, is the subject of a Committee in the Parliament which is examining a recent ruling given by her on the privileges of Members and the use of private emails in parliamentary debate. “The people of St Lucia do not wish to become a pawn in this exercise of The Bahamas. “This is an issue in which Prime Minister Allen Chastanet must speak to and avoid the appearance of our Island’s participation in this clearly unsavoury and unconstitutional encroachment on the Judiciary of St Lucia and that of The Bahamas.” Bahamians also demand answers. We also want to know how and why the Bahamas government seems to be so closely aligned with Nygard in his case with STB, which represents the property rights of the Bahamian people to its seabed. Mr Keod Smith has made it clear that he is in St Lucia representing Mr Nygard - collecting information to have the judge removed from hearing the Nygard case in court? Or is he also there to get whatever unsavoury material he might be able to dig up for the House committee? If neither, then why was he accompanied by a senior officer of the Royal Bahamas Police Force at the expense of the Bahamian taxpayer? And why are members of our government showing so much interest in this case? Do they also have something to hide? Mr Smith could have saved his client some money if he had sat down at his computer and researched the judge’s background. The outpourings of love, gratitude and appreciation for her ability when she announced that she was leaving her post in the British Virgin Islands for the Bahamas is most impressive. Here are only a few of a long list of postings from the public on hearing the news: • One of the better judges that has graced the BVI … good quality legal mind. • This has ruined my day. Please why do you have to go??? Stay stay stay • The outpouring for this judge has been so tremendous that I really would like to meet her. I have heard a great deal of good things but cannot believe that no one has made a negative comment. That takes a lot of class. I wonder if she will ever run for political office. Bahamas – here comes our beauty???? • Wow, Black boy. The woman is truly exceptional. Say thanks to her because she did a damn good job. She is fair and fearless and really she is the best to grace this nation. Not everyone will like judges because someone has to lose in their court but when so many people praise a judge, something must be truly great about her. Good luck judge. May God continue to bless you.”

A politics lesson for Dionisio EDITOR, The Tribune. PERMIT me to be so brash as to lecture the great washer Dionisio d’Aguilar in a course I call “Politics 101”. You, sir, are not the messiah. You peddle soap powder and washing solutions. It is perfectly logical for you to wake up one morning and go looking for a new location for your next launderette. It was rude and uncouth to give an interview to the press letting on that you are shopping for a constituency whence you can launch your nascent political career. Politics is supposed to be a grass-roots affair. Political parties have as their base a network of local branches. The branches are supposed to lift up a candidate that they feel would best represent them in the halls of power. Trickle down politics is often very much resented at the branch level and even on the streets of the

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net constituency. “Who you is?” will be a question the candidate imposed on a branch will be asked all the time. “How come I never see you round here before?” All the wash tokens in the world won’t negate that kind of campaigning deficit. And please don’t let the perception set in amongst the voters that yours is a “revenge campaign”. Perish the thought that you only vex because of how Perry Christie and the PLP “roll out” your boys at Baha Mar so you are looking to exact your pound of flesh. Here’s a novel idea. Familiarize yourself with a constituency. Walk the area and talk with the voters. Ask them what their problems are. They are a font of knowledge. Listen to them.

Respect them. Then go away and think about how best to serve them. Next, join the branch and ask them for their vote of confidence. Humble yourself in front of the real keepers of the FNM flame and ask them for the privilege of being their voice on the campaign trail, in parliament and in government. If you have solutions and you ask them nicely enough they will embrace you. They will campaign for you. They will protect you and they will carry you where you want to go. Flying in like a sudsy superman is a recipe for disaster. As we can all see, you indeed are a very busy man. So concentrate on the important things in life. Ask the branch to let you in the game. Remember, all politics is local. THE GRADUATE Nassau, October 1, 2016.

Say what? EDITOR, The Tribune. HERE we are, recently downgraded, teetering precariously at the cusp, faced with the very real danger of falling off the financial cliff into financial ruin whilst we wait in line for another financial evaluation in a few months. Enter the pompous carnival chairman, who, after throwing away tens of millions of our dollars from the public purse over the past two years for another disgraceful and useless weekend party, blithely and blatantly fixes his mouth to declare “I’ve said from the first day I took on this position that this is not a profit exercise, it has never been and it never will be.” How incredibly stupid and financially irresponsible! To all of you who were out there all night drinking

and jumping up and down, and on the street wining up, how much of that “multiplier effect” and “economic impact of $70m” have you been able to put in your pocket and take to the bank? So show us the real money figures, chairman, not insult our intelligence with your ‘creative accounting’ padded in a glossy document with colourful charts that toss dollar signs helter skelter without substance! Shame on us if we swallow this flam hook, line and sinker, and allow them to waste our precious money again for a third time whilst the future of our country hangs in the balance; whilst our infrastructure and national institutions are either non-existent, sadly lacking, or are literally falling down; whilst our civic and cultural organisations are

having to beg for money to keep their doors open; whilst our neighbourhoods and communities die; whilst our children are fettered with a deficient educational system; whilst foreigners snatch away our valuable resources and heritage which are handed to them on a silver platter! Meanwhile, you, yes you, are paying for the BNFC to operate and they, along with the many “all for me, baby, friends, family and lovers” are laughing all the way to the bank as they continue to spend our money like there is no tomorrow by throwing our money down the endless blue hole of debt without a care for the future. It is just sickening – all of it! PAM BURNSIDE Nassau, September 30, 2016.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, October 3, 2016, PAGE 5

Nearly $100m spent on Hurricane Joaquin repairs By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE Christie administration has spent nearly $100m to repair government buildings and infrastructure damaged or destroyed during the passage of Hurricane Joaquin, Melanie Roach, technical director of the National Repair and Reconstruction Unit, announced on Friday. At a press conference at the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) headquarters, Mrs Roach said that figure does not include residential repairs undertaken by the organisation. She said the agency has “not quite finished tallying” those numbers but that information should be available this week. However she did say that $9m was spent on government buildings, with half of that being spend on repairs to the San Salvador airport. Hurricane Joaquin battered the central and southern Bahamas on October 1 and 2, 2015, destroying homes and buildings and leaving severe flooding in its wake. Long Island, Crooked Island, Acklins, San Salvador, Rum Cay and Long Cay sustained the

MELANIE ROACH, National Repair and Reconstruction Unit technical director speaking at NEMA’s press conference on Friday. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff most damage from the category 4 storm. Mrs Roach said since NEMA embarked on its residential repair and reconstruction programme, it has conducted repairs on 383 homes - 88 in Acklins, 37 in Crooked Island, 117 in Long Island, 29 in Rum Cay and 112 in San Salvador. She said NEMA currently has 25 repair projects in progress - four in Acklins, nine in Crooked Island, 10 in Long Island, one in Rum

Cay and one in San Salvador. She also said NEMA provided material for the repairs of 499 homes where the homeowners “provided their own labour”. There were 216 homes where residents provided their own labour and materials. There were 336 homes that were “ineligible for repair” throughout the islands. In total, Mrs Roach said NEMA has assessed 1,611 residential homes throughout six Family Islands and

has repaired most government buildings. Those that have not been finished will be done in the “near future”. “There are 24 homes still under construction: three in Acklins, five in Crooked Island, 12 in Long Island and four in San Salvador,” Mrs Roach said. “Two of the three homes in Acklins are nearing completion and one is much delayed. In Crooked Island, three of the five are nearly completed and two are de-

THE SCENE in Crooked Island after Hurricane Joaquin last year. layed. In Long Island, the Hurricane Matthew. majority of them are about “That $60m is just ap60 per cent completed and proaching, so some of the they are awaiting the arriv- design work has not been al of additional equipment completed so this is a blind that are required for com- estimate, but I would expect pletion and the Ministry that we would stay within of Housing is working with the $60m limit.” the Ministry of Finance to Last October, Prime try and get those materials Minister Perry Christie said there as early as next week,” the initial assessment had she said on Friday. pegged the cost of damage “In San Salvador, three of at well over $60m. The figthe four homes are nearing ure, he said, was expected completion, one is slightly to increase as the Ministry delayed,” she said. of Finance continues to Leyton Rahman, chief receive additional assesscivil engineer at the Min- ments. istry of Works and Urban Mr Christie said the Development, said the to- amount needed to cover the tal cost of all the repairs cost of this recovery and reto road and infrastructure pair phase was likely to be will cost around $60m. He funded through borrowing said all the work will be from either the Caribbean completed by the end of the Development Bank, financyear, depending on what ing from China or by other happens with the threat of traditional sourcing.

CABLE FAULT BLAMED FOR POWER OUTAGE IN NEW PROVIDENCE By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light has blamed a cable fault at the corporation’s Blue Hills Power Plant for a major outage that affected about 30 per cent of New Providence for several hours on Saturday. In a statement to the press over the weekend, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) said crews at the Blue Hills Power Plant reported that smoke could be seen at one of its stations just as several engines shut down. Officials indicated that they isolated the cable fault responsible for the issue shortly after the disturbance, which occurred around 4.30pm Saturday. The engines were said to have accounted for about 60 megawatts of power genera-

tion in New Providence. “To ensure the safety of employees at the site, crews are waiting for the smoke to clear before initial investigations begin and they are able to determine the cause of the smoke and subsequent engine failures,” Saturday’s statement read. BPL further advised that supply out of its Clifton Pier Power Plant and the other stations at Blue Hills were not affected by this major system disturbance. The company also apologised to its customers and assured them that once it was safe to begin repair work, teams would begin efforts to restore power to those affected. BPL completed restoration efforts around 7pm on Saturday. The outage angered scores of residents around New Providence and led

to major traffic issues across the island, as some traffic lights were out because of the electricity disruption. In the wake of the outage, reports surfaced that because of the increased output from the Clifton plant, there was a small oil spill at the coastline facility. When pressed for clarification on the matter, BPL Corporate Communications Manager Arnette Ingraham said yesterday that the “oil spill” was a complete misunderstanding. According to Mrs Ingraham, officials, in preparation for the impending landfall of Hurricane Matthew, began the removal of its oil barriers off the coast of Clifton Pier. She claimed that operation gave the impression that BPL was responding to a spill, when in fact officials were attempt-

ing to be proactive with hurricane efforts. BPL has been heavily criticised for its inability to curb frequent power outages. In July, Prime Minister Perry Christie admitted that the management of BPL failed to adequately prepare for generation chal-

lenges this past summer. However, Mr Christie did not second-guess his government’s decision to hire PowerSecure to manage BPL. The American company took over the utility provider’s management earlier this year. The move was touted as one that would

lower electricity bills and provide a more reliable power supply.

PAGE 6, Monday, October 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Chipman out of election race, says leader doesn’t want him from page one Accounts Committee (PAC), of which the St Anne’s MP is the chairman. His statement comes as well-placed sources in the party confirm to The Tribune that the FNM will nominate talk show host Jeffrey Lloyd in the St Anne’s constituency. Dr Minnis did not confirm this yesterday, however, saying: “I don’t know who is going to run. We

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have over 150 different applicants.” Mr Chipman said in his statement yesterday that although he sought a re-nomination in St Anne’s, he felt he was being disrespected by Dr Minnis. The Tribune understands that a meeting with Mr Chipman was scheduled for Monday with party executives when he was going to be asked not to run again. “I maintained a constituency office from February 2012 to date and was available to meet with constituents at any time,” he said in his statement. “In particular, regular office hours were held from 4 to 7pm every Thursday. Because of the good work we did together, the Constitu-

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ency Association expressed their confidence in me by writing to FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and the Candidates Committee on September 5, 2015. The letter was signed by all of the executives of the association. That was over a year ago. “The association’s letter was never acknowledged. During the first week of March of this year, the executive of my association and myself met. We then met with the leader and the then Chairman Michael Pintard during the first week of March 2016. My candidacy was discussed at length. “We were assured that I would be renominated. The association again wrote to the leader on September 21, 2016 referring to its earlier letter and our meeting. To date we have heard nothing, which I consider a tremendous sign of disrespect toward the association.” Under Dr Minnis’ leadership, Mr Chipman said, disagreements were “far too often met with resentment.” “I remained loyal to the party and continued to work to improve the FNM for the benefit of the Bahamian people,” his statement said. “But sadly, the FNM that I have supported all of my life has become an organisation that I barely recognize. It was my privilege to serve St Anne’s and the Bahamian people in the House of Assembly.” Mr Chipman, who has been criticised for the meagre work the PAC has done under his leadership, also said Dr Minnis did not fully cooperate with him as he failed to push “the government harder on a number of key issues, including the work of the Public Accounts Committee.” Mr Chipman’s withdrawal means Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, one

FNM leader Hubert Minnis, left, and MP Hubert Chipman, right, during a visit to the Straw Market earlier this year. Photo: Yontalay Bowe/FNM of the most vocal critics of Dr Minnis from within the party, is now the only “gang of six” members of Parliament who has been renominated by the FNM for the 2017 general election. The other parliamentarians, who either supported Mrs Butler-Turner or were critical of Dr Minnis’ leadership – including Neko Grant, Theo Neilly, Richard Lightbourn, and now Mr Chipman – have all either withdrawn from consideration for a nomination or have been denied one outright. Dr Andre Rollins, also a part of the group, has previously said he would not offer himself for a nomination if Dr Minnis remains party leader. He has since said he would consider accepting such an offer if one were made by Dr Minnis, however the Killarney MP has been quiet on this proposal.

Dr Minnis did not respond directly to a question yesterday about whether Mr Chipman’s support for Mrs Butler-Turner in the FNM’s July leadership race contributed to the party’s decision to deny him a nomination. Instead, he mischaracterised Mr Chipman’s reason for withdrawing from front-line politics, saying: “I think (Mr Chipman) realises that there’s a bigger, global picture to deal with and the bigger picture is not any one constituency in isolation but all 38 and the additional five or six that (the government) may bring forth.” Yesterday, Mr Chipman also said he became involved with the FNM 45 years ago out of concern with the “cult of personality and one-man rule the country was headed in under the PLP.”

Before the 2012 election he was asked to run in the St Anne’s constituency by former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who at the time was the MP for St Anne’s. “He has a wealth of knowledge and has been assisting all through,” Dr Minnis said about Mr Chipman yesterday. “At this time, the PLP is doing serious damage to this country. They’re the worst government this country has ever seen and the member for Parliament feels that with this level of contribution it’s time to step at the national level to do whatever is necessary in our national campaign to get rid of this worthless government. And I would like to thank publicly the MP for St Anne’s for the contribution he has made to our party.”

SEARCH FOR MAN OVERBOARD AFTER BOAT HIT BY RBDF VESSEL from page one Although his partner in the boat was rescued without injury shortly after their boat was struck, Mr Turnquest’s whereabouts are still unknown. One of his relatives took to Facebook, requesting assistance in finding him. “Last night (Saturday) my two cousins were on a dinghy and (a) defence force boat crashed into them,” the relative said. “One of the cousins spotted it and shouted ‘jump”. The one that spotted the boat is fine but the other, Christopher

Turnquest of St Anne’s class of ’08, is still missing. The search resumed this morning and the community is being asked to keep their eyes peeled. “The crash happened in the harbour near BASRA. We are looking for people with boats to assist with the search. The family welcomes any and all assistance.” Yesterday the RBDF said it was searching with police for the missing boater. “With the clearing of adverse weather conditions, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has intensified its search for a missing

boater who went missing after an accident involving a defence force Harbour Patrol vessel and a 13-foot skiff last night (Saturday),” the RBDF said. “Along with vessels from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Marine Unit, the defence force’s unmanned aerial vehicle was mobilised. BASRA volunteers and local fishermen are also assisting in the search. Defence force divers and shoreline search teams, which began their search immediately, are continuing to probe the waters.”

POLICE HUNT FOR TRIO OF GUNMEN AFTER ATTACK POLICE are seeking the public’s help in locating three men responsible for a shooting incident that occurred on Sunday, which left a Nassau man in hospital. The victim was one of three men who was shot in two separate incidents over the weekend. According to police reports, shortly after 6am a man was walking on Peter Street, when three males armed with handguns ap-

proached and shot him before fleeing on foot. The man was taken to hospital where he remains in stable condition. In other crime news, two male residents of Abaco were airlifted to hospital in New Providence following a shooting at a nightclub on that island on Saturday. The conditions of the two men are not known, and police have not made any arrest in the matter. According to reports, po-

lice received a call shortly after 1am of a shooting at a nightclub on West Bay Street in Dundas Town. A group of men got into a fight and shots were fired, hitting two of the men in the body. The victims were taken to the Marsh Harbour Clinic, where they were seen by a doctor and later airlifted for further medical attention in the capital. Investigations continue into both incidents.

PEDESTRIAN DIES IN FREEPORT TRAFFIC ACCIDENT By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A MALE pedestrian was killed in a traffic accident on West Sunrise Highway in Freeport on Sunday morning, police reported. Although police investigations are continuing into the incident, there are un-

confirmed reports that the man had jumped into the road in the path of oncoming traffic. The victim, who has not been officially identified by police, is believed to be a well-known Haitian drug boss of Pinder’s Point, Grand Bahama. According to police reports, the accident occurred

around 8am in the area of Ellis Lightfoot Avenue, involving a champagne coloured 2003 Nissan Maxima, which was travelling east along West Sunrise Highway. The pedestrian suffered serious injuries and died at the scene. Police are continuing their investigation into the matter.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2016 PAGE 9

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Assessing the looming threat from Hurricane Matthew

By DR JEFF MASTERS Director of Meteorology Weather Underground MATTHEW is weaker as it meanders over the central Caribbean south of Haiti, but the mighty Category 4 hurricane is expected to move northwards later on Sunday and deliver a punishing blow to the islands of Hispaniola, Cuba and Jamaica on Monday and Tuesday. An Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft made three passes through the eye of Matthew on Sunday morning, and found that Matthew’s winds had weakened to 140mph and the central pressure had risen to 947 mb. This weakening may be partially due to the fact Matthew has essentially stalled, allowing the storm to bring up cooler waters from below. In addition, satellite loops on Sunday morning showed that Matthew had wrapped some dry air into its circulation, and this may have contributed to weakening of the storm. Moderate wind shear of 10 to 20 knots is affecting Matthew, and the storm is over warm ocean waters of 28.5°C (83°F) and has plenty of moisture to work with: 75 to 80 per cent relative humidity at mid-levels of the atmosphere, as analysed by the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS) model. The outer spiral bands of Matthew can be seen on Jamaican radar. Matthew will pass within 50 miles of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) buoy 42058 late this afternoon. At 9.50am EDT Sunday, winds at the buoy were 47 mph, gusting to 56 mph, and seas were 23 feet.

TWO-DAY TRACK FORECAST Despite Matthew drifting a bit further westward than expected on Sunday morning, the models are very unified in their twoday track forecasts for Matthew. A large upper-level low pressure system over eastcentral United States will pull Matthew to the north through Tuesday, resulting in a landfall or a nearmiss in southwest Haiti on Monday night, followed by a second landfall in eastern Cuba/northwest Haiti on Tuesday morning. Matthew will then continue northwards into the southeastern Bahamas on Tuesday afternoon. In their 11am EDT Sunday Wind Probability Forecast, the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) gave highest odds of hurricaneforce winds to Les Cayes in southwest Haiti (35 per cent) and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (31 per cent). Lower odds were given to Kingston, Jamaica (6 per cent), and Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (6 per cent).

TWO-DAY INTENSITY FORECAST The latest SHIPS model forecast predicts that wind shear will steadily drop during the next two days, becoming very low, less than 5 knots, by Monday afternoon. At the same time, ocean temperatures will warm to 29°C (84°F) and the heat content of the ocean will increase, which ordinarily would argue for re-intensification of Matthew. However, this morning’s observation that dry air

was getting wrapped into the circulation may mean that intensification will struggle to occur today and Monday. Furthermore, this morning’s hurricane hunter flight showed evidence of a secondary

A SATELLITE view of the Earth yesterday, with Hurricane Matthew pictured centre.

maximum in winds outside of the eyewall. This may be an indication that Matthew could undergo an eyewall replacement cycle (ERC), where the inner the eyewall collapses and is re- storm’s placed by a larger-diameter expected track eye, with a new eyewall mostly over the water areas formed from an outer spiral between Haiti and Cuba. While this is good news for band. This process usually those nations, this would be causes a weakening to the bad news for the Bahamas. Matthew’s inner core storm’s top winds for a day or so. The down side of an may be able to survive the ERC is that is spreads out land interaction, resulting in a much the storm’s stronger hurricane- ‘It now appears that storm in the force winds Bahamas. over a wider Matthew will have area, result- limited time over land, The latest 12Z Suning in severe due to the storm’s day SHIPS impacts over a wider expected track mostly model forecast prearea. over the water areas dicts low to Our top between Haiti and moderate three intenwind shear, sity models - Cuba. While this is a very moist the HWRF, good news for those atmosLGEM, nations, this would phere and and SHIPS near-remodels - be bad news for The cord warm were pre- Bahamas.’ ocean temdicting on peratures Sunday morning that Matthew near 30°C (84°F) for Matwould be at Category 3 thew later this week when it or 4 strength at landfall is over the Bahamas, so we on Monday evening. The can expect strengthening. Matthew is likely to be a SHIPS model gave Matthew a 0 per cent probabili- major Category 3 or strongty of rapid intensification of er hurricane for at least a 30mph or more by Monday portion of its trek through morning. All factors con- the Bahamas. As Matsidered, a Category 3 hur- thew moves north of the ricane at landfall Monday Bahamas, waters will cool night is probably the most and the shear is likely to increase, resulting in some likely scenario. It is unknown what role, weakening late this week. it any, the unusual blob of heavy thunderstorms that has persisted on Matthew’s east side might play in the future evolution of the storm. If this intense area Over the past two days, of thunderstorms remains intact through Monday our two best computer night, it could result in cata- models have been trending towards a more westerly strophic rains for Haiti. track for Matthew late this week, increasing the odds that Matthew will make a direct hit somewhere along the US East Coast. Sunday’s 00Z European model and 06Z GFS model had Matthew coming very close Matthew’s anticipated to or making landfall in landfall over Jamaica/ North Carolina 6 to 7 days Cuba/Haiti on Monday will from now. As one can see weaken the storm, due to from the latest set of ensemthe high mountains it will ble model runs, just about any location along the East interact with. However, it now appears Coast could potentially see that Matthew will have lim- a hurricane landfall this ited time over land, due to week. Since the hurricane

LONGER-RANGE TRACK FORECAST

LONGER-RANGE INTENSITY FORECAST

is expected to be moving roughly parallel to the coast, a long stretch of the coast may receive strong winds and heavy rain from Matthew. We do have three decent models predicting a path for Matthew well away for the US coast late in the week, though - the HWRF, Canadian and GFDL - so it is not yet a foregone conclusion that Matthew will impact the US coast.

98L: A POTENTIAL STEERING INFLUENCE ON MATTHEW? An area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave that (designated Invest 98L by the NHC on Sunday morning) is over the central tropical Atlantic several hundred miles east-northeast of the northern Lesser Antilles, and may alter the steering currents for Matthew. Over 50 per cent of the members of the 00Z Sunday European ensemble

forecasts predicted that this system would develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm as it heads northwest at about 15mph early this week; the GFS model showed virtually no development. In their 8am EDT Sunday Tropical Weather Outlook, the NHC gave this system two-day and fiveday odds of development of 20 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively. If this storm develops significantly, it may exert a steering influence on Matthew that could

help pull it out to sea. Satellite loops on Sunday morning showed that 98L had a very limited amount of heavy thunderstorm activity that was poorly organised, thanks to dry air and high wind shear of 25 to 30 knots. The 12Z Sunday SHIPS model forecast predicted wind shear would rise even higher by Tuesday - in excess of 50 knots - so I doubt 98L will be able to develop. Dr Jeff Masters cofounded Weather Underground in 1995 and flew with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration ‘Hurricane Hunters’ from 1986 to 1990. This is his blog from www.wunderground.com yesterday.

PAGE 10 MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2016

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

SEIZED drugs being offloaded at East Bay Street after a previous seizure by police.

Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

Undercover operations and ‘need to know’ in the fight against crime I

N my experience, there has been excellent co-operation among law enforcement agencies in our region for decades. In particular, all of the top American agencies worked well with their counterparts in The Bahamas. These have included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Secret Service, the Customs Department and the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. During my years on the Royal Bahamas Police

Excellent regional law enforcement co-operation sometimes meant politicians were kept in the dark about covert planning, former Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Thompson says.

Force (RBPF), the co-operation grew from official to personal. We would always receive prompt responses

from our American friends, and the same courtesy was applied to their requests of us.

Over the years, the RBPF has been involved in many covert operations, including some that were kept secret from politicians and even senior police officers. For example, one Commissioner was severely criticised for maintaining the secrecy of a US law enforcement operation that ended with the arrest of several baggage handlers at Nassau airport in 2006. The Americans had enough evidence to prosecute the baggage handlers in the US, but we did not have similar evidence here. So the baggage handlers were sent to Florida for training and were arrested on their arrival. This type of behind the scenes co-operation played an important role in our ongoing efforts to control the drug trade. Here are a few examples of secret operations in the past that have involved local and foreign law enforcement agencies. During the time that Salathiel Thompson was Commissioner of Police, we executed a very successful drug raid on Bimini. We Paul Thompson is the quintessential policeman. His career spanned the modern development of The Bahamas - from colonial times to the challenges of nationhood. Born in a small farming village in Trinidad, he was recruited by the Royal Bahamas Police Force in 1951. He spent most of his time on the force in the Criminal Investigation Department, retiring in 1981 as an Assistant Commissioner. He then began a second career as head of security for the Paradise Island Resort & Casino, returning to the police force as a civilian training officer in 1998, and in 2002 was appointed general manager of Wemco Security. Five years later, he set up his own security company - Paul Thompson & Associates. Now in his 80s, he remains active in security work.

sent undercover agents in the bank and showed him advance and they provid- the money. ed excellent information, My officers in the Crimiwhich was kept under wraps nal Investigation Departby Mr Thompson. The raid ment (CID) monitored all was planned by the Com- of the suspect’s movements missioner, a senior Defence and arrested him when he Force officer and two Assis- delivered the cocaine to the tant Police Commissioners agents in their hotel room. - myself and the late Dudley Secrecy was key to the sucHanna. cess of this sting operation. Search warrants were In fact, even the Commisprepared by Chief Inspec- sioner was unaware of the tor Arthur operation. He Yearwood and often told us: “In those days, signed by Mag“only tell me istrate Wilton any large police if you think I Hercules, who contingent need to know.” - for the sake Another of secrecy - al- leaving Nassau operation inlowed us to re- would be volved a tip tain the court’s immediately that a large copy until after shipment of the operation. known to the marijuana We filed a flight drug dealers on was about to plan to Free- the destination be landed on port because, Eleuthera by in those days, island.” boat from Jaany large pomaica. Five lice contingent leaving Nas- Bahamians were on board, sau would be immediately and two were related to a known to the drug dealers local politician. We were on the destination island. told that the men were Once in Freeport we seeking a purchaser and boarded a Defence Force that a police sergeant in vessel at midnight and Nassau was the contact. We sailed to Bimini. Our men contacted the DEA, which were not aware of the desti- sent an undercover agent nation until we briefed them to Nassau to make contact at sea, and no government with the sergeant. A deal officials were told about was made and the DEA the raid because there was sent a boat to Eleuthera to no need for them to know. collect the marijuana, with The raid was a big success. trusted CID officers moniIt did not end the massive toring the entire operation. drug operations at Bimini, Payment was to be made in but it put a serious dent in a suite at the British Colothis criminal activity. nial Hotel, and this is where On another occasion I the five local men and the received information that sergeant were arrested. a top American business- Politicians and government man on Paradise Island officials had no knowledge was trying to sell several of this operation until it was kilos of cocaine. I contact- over. They did not need to ed Fred Dick of the DEA know. and we developed a plan to Commissioners of Police use American undercover have made it very clear to agents (a man and a wom- officers in the CID and later an) who would approach in our own Drug Enforcethe suspect to make the ment Unit that confidential purchase. The agents visit- information should only be ed restaurants and bars fre- passed on at the officers’ quented by the suspect and discretion. Follow-up action eventually the female agent on the information could be made the contact. I was able compromised if too many to arrange (through the co- people were aware. The operation of a local banker) “need to know” rule should to have a large sum of US always be applied. dollars placed in a safe deThere is an exception to posit box at the bank. The this rule, however. Matters agents took the suspect to of national security must be passed on to the minister responsible and to the Prime Minister at all times. But the investigation and subsequent arrest of criminals should become public knowledge only when completed. NEXT WEEK: why the requirement to enforce the law in The Bahamas is lacking Comments and responses to insight@tribunemedia. net

THE TRIBUNE

Police probe as activists say their lives are in danger from page one and that it would respond in full. In a statement, the ministry said that on September 27, the Permanent Mission of The Bahamas to the Organization of American States (OAS)/Embassy of The Bahamas, Washington, DC was notified by the IACHR of the petition by the five Bahamians. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration in its role as the competent authority of the Government is facilitating the Government’s reply to the Petition,” the statement read. “It is a truism that highly visible and voluble civic engagement is a hallmark in every era of open, democratic society. “The instant Petition relies upon claims that are repugnant to the legal and cultural constitution of the way of life in The Bahamas. Civic engagement by the general public, and by the petitioners in their political advocacy, is in the governance and institutional life of The Bahamas a natural, unfettered element in the identity of The Bahamas as a modern, open democracy. “As the Government of The Bahamas takes seriously any complaint of violation of Human Rights, an investigation of the allegations has therefore been launched by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and is being carried out with dispatch. The findings in this matter are to be reported in the coming days in the Government’s full reply to the IACHR. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Im-

migration will continue to inform the public of the developments in, and resolution of, this matter. The GBHRA has also called on the government and the Royal Bahamas Police Force to distance themselves from “disturbing” allegations about an investigation into a Bahamas Supreme Court judge who is at the centre of a case involving a Cabinet minister’s disclosure in the House of Assembly in March of emails and financial information belonging to an environmental advocacy group. Justice Indra Charles ruled that Mr Fitzgerald’s actions in acquiring, disclosing and releasing specifically Save The Bays internal emails were not legally justified and therefore he cannot be protected by parliamentary privilege. As a result, she ordered that he pay $150,000 in damages for the breach and barred him from any further disclosures or publications of information belonging to the Save The Bays organisation. Mr Fitzgerald filed an appeal last month. The reports of the allegations about the investigation into Justice Charles have emerged from St Lucia. The GBHRA said the country’s international reputation is at stake. “The Grand Bahama Human RightsAssociation hereby calls upon the government of The Bahamas and the Royal Bahamas Police Force to distance themselves forcefully and immediately from the disturbing allegations contained in certain online reports coming out of St Lucia in recent

JEFFREY BUTLER DIES FOLLOWING SURGERY By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

WELL-KNOWN Grand Bahama businessman Jeffrey Bernard Butler died in the Doiminican Republic on Saturday after reported complications from surgery. He was in his 70s. Mr Butler, CEO of the Butler Group of Companies, suffered from throat problems. After having surgery he slipped into a coma, and died hours later, The Tribune was told. The Bahamian businessman was also a pilot, and lived part-time in the Dominican Republic. Mr Butler was a businessman for many years in Freeport. He operated Butler’s Specialty Foods on Yellow Pine Street, which was a very successful food retail business. In December 2010, he opened a 20,000 sq ft supermarket, Butler’s Food World, in the Circle Mall on West Atlantic Drive. In 2012, after serious financial troubles the business fell into receivership, but after five months Mr Butler was able to regain control of his business on a legal technicality. It eventually closed in 2015. Mr Butler had blamed most of the financial woes of the business on the high costs of power, among other things. Mr Butler came from a well known Nassau family that settled in West End, Grand Bahama. His father Bernie Butler, ran the family-operated liquor business – Butler and Sand’s - for many years. The family was said to have been in shock and devastated by the news. Mr Butler was also interested in politics and had put in an application for the third time to the Free National Movement to be the candidate for West End and Bimini, which he often talked about. At one point he parked his boat at West End and said it could be used as a campaign headquarters. He also owned property in West Grand Bahama,

and had constructed a small business complex on land there following the development of the failed Ginn Sur Mer project in West End. He talked about his ideas of a seafood farm and straw market for West End and getting boaters from Florida to visit frequently in an effort to give the area a much needed economic boost. Peter Turnquest, deputy leader of the FNM, described Mr Butler as “an icon in business” and “a fierce defender” of the rights of Bahamians. “It is with great shock and sadness that the FNM, especially those of us on Grand Bahama, learned of the untimely passing of our friend and colleague, Jeffrey Bernard Butler,” he said. “Jeff was an icon in business and the social community of Grand Bahama, and generously contributed to our civic life. His fights with the establishment for fair treatment and honest representation are legendary,” he said. Mr Turnquest continued: “He was a man of courage and conviction in his beliefs and was a fierce defender of his island, and particularly his beloved West End community which he hoped to represent nationally. “His contributions to our party have been consistent and tangible, particularly to our candidates in West Grand Bahama and Bimini,” Mr Turnquest said. The deputy leader also said that Mr Butler was an encouragement and source of strength to many persons. “He was a fierce defender of the rights of residents, of our independence, empowerment and promoted to all that would listen, the development goals he hoped to see in our country, island and, of course, West End for which he has a particular love and commitment,” he added. “Jeff will be missed by all of us and we thank him and his family for his contributions to our party, our community and our country,” Mr Turnquest said.

days,” a statement from the group said yesterday. “Specifically, it was reported on several news and information websites, including St Lucia Today, that an investigation into the ‘character’ of Justice Indra Charles of The Bahamas Supreme Court, is being conducted by certain agents from The Bahamas, including a senior RBPF officer. Justice Charles has recently been at the centre of controversy after she ruled that Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald’s disclosure of private emails and financial information belonging to environmental group Save The Bays (STB) was unconstitutional. “If the claims are untrue - and we trust that they are - the Christie administration and the Commissioner of Police must declare their falsehood and distance themselves from any such investigation in no uncertain terms. We also call on the Bahamas Bar Association to make its position on these allegations clear.”

BOWE NAMED CARIBBEAN HOTELIER OF THE YEAR

BAHAMIAN hotelier Stuart Bowe was last night named the 2016 Caribbean Hotelier of the Year by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). Mr Bowe, the senior vicepresident and general manager, Resort Operations of Atlantis, Paradise Island, received the coveted honour at the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF), hosted by CHTA, in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Accepting the region’s premier hospitality award, Mr Bowe credited his grandmother with teaching him service and attention to detail from “cleaning up the kitchen”. His contribution to the hospitality and tourism industry spans more than 27 years, having “cut his teeth” in customer service and management working at McDonald’s in his teenage years and entering the industry as a management trainee. Over the years he has worked in every department and in nearly all job categories, from dishwasher to busboy, from bartender to laundry attendant, from housekeeping to maintenance, and from front desk

Monday, October 3, 2016, PAGE 11

STUART Bowe receives the award from Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association. Photo: Suzanne Ludwig/Ludwig & Co. to landscaping. a leader who inspires genMr Bowe earned a BA erations of Bahamians and in accounting in 1986 from Caribbean people through Florida State University, an his accomplishments and MBA in marketing summa his humanity.” cum laude from Walden Mr Bowe was posted to University in 2009 and is Dubai from 2008 to 2010 currently pursuing a PhD to oversee the grand openin applied management and ing of the Atlantis, Palm decision sciences with a fo- Jumeirah, serving as Vice cus on leadership and or- President of Resort Operaganisational change. tions in the Middle East. Prime Minister Perry Returning to The BahaChristie, in a taped congrat- mas, he became active in ulatory message, described the BHTA, establishing nuMr Bowe as “an exemplar” merous school programmes to be followed by generations to help children understand of Bahamians. “He is a man- the importance of tourism ager cum laude, one who has and career opportunities brought the pursuit of excel- in the sector. The junior lence to his work,” he said. hotelier program he was Frank Comito, Direc- instrumental in setting up tor General and CEO of in primary and secondary the CHTA who previously schools has impacted more served as Executive Vice than 4,000 students. President of the Bahamas Now in his third consecuHotel & Tourism Associa- tive term, Mr Bowe is the tion (BHTA), said: “Stuart longest serving President Bowe personifies Carib- of the BHTA and currently bean excellence. He is dis- serves as First Vice Presiciplined and innovative and dent of the CHTA.

PAGE 12, Monday, October 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

PM sees completion of Baha Mar on the horizon By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Perry Christie on Friday admitted that while his optimism over the stalled Baha Mar project may be “worn out,” he sees the completion of the property on the horizon. Mr Christie, speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a $20m, multi-unit townhouse development in Venice Bay, New Providence, said Baha Mar will be moving “fast and furious” towards full development in the coming months. “It is for me to say that Baha Mar will be moving fast and furious towards full development and thousands of persons to be employed,” Mr Christie said. “All through the Bahamas, just this morning (Friday) I confirmed that Exuma is poised in the next year for a great jump forward. And so you are going to find that there are going to be Bahamians who are going to be able to invest in these properties not just as an investment. Not just as home accommodations for themselves, but as a good investment to be able to.” Mr Christie called the Venice Bay development a sign that economic progress and vitality was once again on the horizon for the Bahamas. As he commended Roosevelt Whyms, the president and CEO of Kamillers Builders Ltd, for his continued effort and unrelenting vision, Mr Christie said the housing plan signalled the certain expansion of the country’s middle class community. Mr Christie, drawing parallels between his upbringing and that of the devel-

PRIME Minister Perry Christie during his tour of Baha Mar last week. oper, said he was proud to see the vision take another step forward, saying that many have attempted to do the same but have faltered and failed. “It is immense pride for someone like myself, who has been in public life for over 42 years, who has seen the entry into business of many Bahamians trying their hand at property development,” he said. “For someone like yourself, who had a hum-

ble beginning and who kept on growing, who never allowed himself to be daunted by the obstacles that appear in life, but always having a determination to overcome, not withstanding the odds. “To take on property development of this magnitude and to stay with it, it is an immense accomplishment for a Bahamian corporate group. It should give you a sense of great pride to give your wife, your family

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

a sense of great pride and to see as you are doing it, you just didn’t stay with making money, but you are trying to empower yourself spiritually.” Mr Whyms is 35-year veteran in the construction field with a resume that features several prominent local developments. Developers on Friday broke ground on the first phase of the development in southwest New Providence, with a completion date of

February 2017. The development will bring several hundred units along the 1.5-mile long canal system, with the townhouses in the first phase of the development consisting of two and three bedroom, two-storey units. The structures will be built with quality, equipped to withstand extreme weather and outfitted with amenities allowing purchasers the ability to move in immediately with its

turnkey concept, officials said. The community will feature a full access swimming pool, tennis court, a completed park along with a planned community clubhouse and jogging trail spanning the perimeter of the development. Each unit carries a price tag of $315,000 and appraised value of $600,000. The community of Venice Bay was commissioned in 1999.

CONSTITUENCY COMMISSION DUE TO CONVENE AS SPEAKER DENIES IT IS BEHIND SCHEDULE By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Constituencies Commission is expected to convene in the coming weeks, as House Speaker Dr Kendal Major denied that the group was behind schedule as described by Free National Movement Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest. On Sunday, Dr Major, the commission’s chair, insisted the group had not been officially comprised as it is still awaiting the official naming of its last member Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald - in the House of Assembly. The Garden Hills MP contended that once Mr Fitzgerald is identified as the last member of the committee in the House Assembly, he and Senior Supreme

YOUR

Court Justice Stephen Isaacs, the group’s deputy chair, will call the commission to order. “The committee has just been properly comprised, Jerome (Fitzgerald) has been tapped for the last post and will be named this week, so all this talk about being behind makes no sense,” Dr Major said. “Once the member for Marathon is acknowledged in the House, we will move ahead with meetings. I have spoken with the vice-chair of the committee, he was away for some time, upon his return we will communicate and conclude on a date for the commission’s first meeting,” he added. Mr Turnquest, back in August, said he believed the Constituencies Commission should have already prepared a report on the

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constituency boundaries in the country and submitted it to Parliament. On Saturday, he reiterated the statement, this time contending that any further delay would act as disadvantage to candidates in any new constituency. He stated: “It’s important to candidates to know the area they will represent so that they have an opportunity to introduce themselves and their plans as well as to parties who may have to add candidates or realign candidates based upon how the lines may be changed. “Hopefully we can begin this work shortly and give all candidates an equal chance to campaign.” In late July, Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said members of the Constituencies Commission would be appointed by the time the House of Assembly meet on August 3. A month after that comment, on August 31, Prime Minister Perry Christie implied that a meeting date was close as he suggested that Exuma and Andros were two islands for which the establishment of additional seats could be considered. It was at that time that Mr Turnquest made his original gripe with the commission’s schedule known. Mr Turnquest, the FNM’s sole representative on the committee, claimed that there was no clarification over when the committee would meet. The Constitution mandates that the Constituencies Commission review the number and boundaries of constituencies in the Bahamas at least every five years and report on whether changes should be made, such as creating additional constituencies or expanding or restricting existing ones.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, October 3, 2016, PAGE 13

CELEBRATION MARKS JEWISH NEW YEAR

RABBI BLOOMING, above, leading Jewish New Year celebrations at the weekend at Melia Nassau Beach Resort and, below, some of those in attendance. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

COURT VISIT TO NYGARD CAY TO BE HELD THIS MORNING A SUPREME Court judge, officers of the court and a delegation from Save The Bays will visit Nygard Cay in western New Providence this morning for a viewing of the site where it is alleged that dredging and other works were undertaken by Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard without legal authorisation. The visit, at 11am, is part of ongoing contempt proceedings against Mr Nygard, who is accused of having carried out dredging in the face of a court injunction. Justice Bain dismissed Mr Nygard’s appeal - his second in the case - in a ruling on Friday. She cited that the appeal against the prospective visit did not breach Mr Nygard’s constitutional rights and said no evidence of error in law in considering the availability of Royal Bahamas Defence Force or Royal Bahamas Police Force assets to enable the court to view the seabed had been produced. Save The Bays’ battle with Mr Nygard over the construction/development activities at his Lyford Cay home stem from allegations

that the activities have led to substantial growth of the property. The group claims that the Lyford Cay resident has almost doubled the size of his property, from 3.25 acres to 6.1 acres, since he acquired it in 1984, by allegedly reclaiming Crown land from the sea. The advocacy group has alleged that Mr Nygard achieved this without the necessary permits and approvals, claims that have been denied by the fashion designer. In 2015, Justice Bain was asked to recuse herself from committal proceedings involving Mr Nygard through a notice of motion filed in the Supreme Court by his former lawyer on the grounds of bias. However, in January, Justice Bain said Mr Nygard had not proved there was evidence of bias or apparent bias towards him and found the accusations to be “scandalous”. The Court of Appeal, in June, affirmed Justice Bain’s rejection of the application in an appeal of the decision by the Lyford Cay resident. A published decision is expected to follow.

Man must pay $500 to woman left in hospital after beating By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A MAN pleaded guilty to the charge of causing harm and was ordered by a Freeport magistrate on Friday to pay $500 compensation to the female victim. Lenward Baillou, 53, appeared before Magistrate Charlton Smith in Court Two. On September 26 in Freeport, it was alleged that Baillou intentionally caused harm to the woman,

who went to the Lucaya Police Station and reported that the accused had beaten her about the body. The virtual complainant was seen by a doctor at the Rand Memorial Hospital, who reported her injuries as serious. Police arrested and charged Baillou for the offence. Magistrate Smith asked whether the accused had any antecedents and was told by the prosecutor there were none. Baillou’s attorney, K Brian Hanna,

requested that the court grant probation instead of a conviction and imposing a sentence. He noted that Baillou had taken full responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty and not wasting the court’s time. Mr Hanna explained that Baillou had just received information that he would be returning to work in New Providence on the day of the incident. “He went out and had a few drinks and had an altercation,” he said. “Convicting him would hamper his

chance of employment. He is 53 and has no antecedents which speaks volume for most people.” Baillou told the magistrate that he was contracted for artificial rock work and rock design at Baha Mar, and is expected to report to work as early as next week. Taking into consideration that the accused had no antecedents, he granted Baillou a conditional discharge and ordered him to keep the peace and pay $500 compensation to the victim. He told the accused that the

money had to be paid to the court by 2pm on Friday and adjourned the matter for review to December 16. In another matter, Marco Mather, 37, of Bevans Town, was also charged with causing harm. It is alleged that on September 23, at Bevans Town, the accused caused harm to a family friend who did odd jobs around the yard. Magistrate Smith told Mather that the police should not have granted him $1,500 bail for the charge of causing harm. He

ordered the accused not to have any contact with the virtual complainant, which would be in violation of his bail condition. “If it has come to the attention of this court that you, or a third party acting on your behalf, has contacted the complainant, your bail will be revoked and you will be remanded,” he told Mather, who was not represented by counsel. Mr Smith adjourned the matter to February 21, 2017 for trial and granted $2,500 bail.

TEENAGER KILLED, FOUR MEN INJURED IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING ON DOMINOES GAME By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net A TEENAGE boy is dead and four men were left in serious condition in hospital after they were shot multiple times during a drive-by shooting while playing dominoes late Thursday night. The shooting happened shortly before 11pm near Sunset Park and brought the country’s murder count to 75 for the year, according

to The Tribune’s records. Police have identified the teen that was killed as 17-year-old William McKenzie, of Sunset Way, Sunset Park. He was a recent graduate of C V Bethel High School. Officer in Charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander said the group of men was in the driveway of a home through Sunset Way when they were shot. “The men were playing a game of dominoes in

the driveway, when the occupants of a champagne coloured Honda Accord armed with firearms pulled up and fired several shots at them before speeding off,” Chief Supt Fernander said. “One of the men was pronounced dead on the scene and four others were transported to hospital, where they are being treated for their injuries. At this time we have no motive for the shooting and no suspects in custody but we have officers on the ground and we are

actively investigating.” Chief Supt Fernander said the four men in hospital are in serious but stable

condition. Anyone with information on this homicide is asked to contact police at 911 or 919,

the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328TIPS.

AMERICAN COUPLE CHARGED OVER GUN By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AN American couple arrested for gun and ammunition possession at the Grand Bahama International Airport on Friday was charged in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court.

Charles Arthur Scism, 60, and his wife, Margaret Moore Scism, 57, of North Carolina, appeared in Court Two before Magistrate Charlton Smith. It is alleged that shortly after 10am, the couple had presented themselves at the US Customs and Border area at the airport when a

black and grey Ruger pistol, with 25 .9mm ammunition, was discovered in their luggage. They were arrested and taken in police custody. Mr Scism pleaded guilty to firearm and ammunition possession charges and was fined $5,000. The charges against his wife were subsequently withdrawn.

TEENAGER ACCUSED OF KNIFE ATTACK ON STUDENT By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A 15-YEAR-OLD boy was charged in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court with assault with a deadly weapon on Friday. The minor, who was accompanied by his father, appeared in Court Two before Magistrate Charlton Smith. It is alleged that on September 26, the boy assault-

ed another male student with a knife. Magistrate Smith told the juvenile that he was not going ask him to enter a plea to the charge because he will have to appear before a juvenile panel on November 10. However, he expressed concern about why a young man his age would be carrying a weapon to school. “Why were you carrying a knife?” the magistrate asked. “Supposed you had

killed someone?” Magistrate Smith ordered the minor to have no contact with the complainant. He also imposed a curfew and ordered that the boy must be at home from 6pm until 6am, unless in the company of a suitable adult. If he fails to comply with the court’s order, the judge said that he would be remanded to the Simpson C Penn Centre for Boys in Nassau. He was granted $1,000 bail with one surety.

MAN HELD AFTER GUN FIND HUNT FOR ARMED ROBBERS A GRAND Bahama man was arrested after a gun and ammunition were discovered in his vehicle on Saturday. According to reports, police stopped a grey 2006 Chevy Impala while in the area of East Atlantic Drive. During a search of the vehicle, a .9mm pistol and 10 live rounds of ammunition were discovered. As a result the male driver, 25, was arrested and taken into police custody. The man is expected to be charged in the Magistrate’s Court early this week.

POLICE are seeking the public’s help in locating two males responsible for an armed robbery that occurred on Saturday. According to police reports, shortly after 10pm a man and a woman had just pulled up to their home located off Prince Charles Drive, when two men in a blue car armed with handguns approached and robbed them of a large amount of cash before speeding off. Investigations are ongoing.

4 days only! Fri Sept 30th - Tues Oct 4th, 2016

• Housewares • Linens • Baby Items • Toys

PAGE 14, Monday, October 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

THE HANDS for Hunger Paradise Plates event was held at the Grand Ballroom, Atlantis, on Saturday night, putting the focus on the those in need of food and on fundraising to assist. PhotosL Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

PARADISE

PLATES

DUNKIN’ FOR BOOBIES EVENT RAISES $4,000 FOR CHARITY THE third annual ‘Dunkin for Boobies’ cancer awareness event on Friday raised an estimated $4,000 in just over three hours as generous motorists and enthusiastic participants revelled in the opportunity to contribute to a good cause. Corporate figures and radio personalities took to Shirley Street from 6am, enlisting the aid of all Bahamians in the fight against breast cancer, all in fun and vibrant environment. With live broadcasts being provided by the crews from 100 JAMZ, Y98.7 FM and the KISS FM 96 morning shows, volunteers from both Radio House, led by JJ McKenzie, Director of Promotions/Online Marketing, and the Cancer So-

ciety of the Bahamas, lead by cancer survivor Melissa Major, collected funds from commuters. “Breast Cancer has affected everyone in the Bahamas in one way or another,” Ms McKenzie, host of the Midday Juice show, told The Tribune. She added that cancer remains the leading cause of death among women and continues to be a deadly disease that needs to be stopped. “To see the support from our listeners and clients every year is so touching, and to share stories of survival is what it is all about.” New Oriental Cleaners, Wok N Roll restaurant, Sunshine Insurance, CIBC Bank and Bahamas Waste were all among compa-

nies that raised $300, the amount required from employees to dunk their bosses in the water tank outside Radio House. Additionally, the One on One Pre-school in Centreville, regulars at the event, hit the $300 donation mark. Last year the school held its own fundraiser and raised $800 that it subsequently donated to Dunkin’ for Boobies. Other donors included Smooth Grooves Cafe and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn. Over the three years of the event organisers have raised $13,000, all donated to various anti-cancer initiatives around the country. October is designated Beast Cancer Awareneness month.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday,October October3,3,2016, 2016,PAGE PAGE1515 Monday,

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