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PA GE S TRIBUTE: THE VOICE WHICH CRIED ‘EQUALIT Y FOR ALL’ As another 100 migrants land in Exuma, PM warns DOCTORS

They’re threat to our country

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

AS ILLEGAL migrant landings have increased in recent weeks, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the government remains committed to aggressively dealing with the country’s immigration problems which he said poses a serious threat to major sectors of society.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, the prime minister said he is aware there are many Bahamians who feel not much has been done to stop

illegal immigrants, but he insisted “a lot” has been accomplished.

Questioned further, Dr Minnis said initiatives by his government would become clearer in his upcoming national address, which is expected to air soon.

Officials have been busy apprehending Haitian migrants who have endured the treacherous journey by sea from their homes in search of a better way of life here in The Bahamas.

Royal Bahamas Defence Force officials say this time of year is considered

WHILE Education Minister Jeff Lloyd said CH Reeves Junior High School has been “scrubbed down” to ensure it is safe for occupancy, the Bahamas Union of Teachers insisted industrial action could still be on the table pending an inspection by educators today.

BUT president Belinda Wilson acknowledged the Ministry of Education made an effort to address the union’s concerns of

SEE PAGE THREE

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By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ISLAND Luck’s attorney yesterday warned that the web shop tax hikes place The Bahamas “in clear and present danger” of violating the European Union’s antitax evasion offensive.

Contrasting the sector’s treatment with the speed with which the government moved to eliminate so-called “ring fencing” in financial services, Alfred Sears QC warned that “this contradiction in government’s tax policy” threatened to expose The Bahamas to further sanctions by the EU. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

GB TOURIST ‘DROWNS’ PRISON CONTRABAND - WE HAVE TO STOP IT OFF BEACH MORE than 100 Haitian migrants were apprehended by the RBDF on Saturday, including 84 men, 16 women and one child.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

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AFTER correctional officers complained about being subjected to strip searches at The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, National Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday contended that all efforts must be made to “stop the flow of illegal contraband” into the facility.

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Prison officers strip searched Staff forced to undress at STUDENT MOANS

WEB SHOPS TOLD - TIME TO PAY UP

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Attorney General yesterday warned the web shop industry it was “time for lawful taxes to be collected”, and said of the government’s stance: “We’re ready to go to war.”

Carl Bethel QC told Tribune Business that talks to resolve, or at least minimise, the dispute between the government and web shops over the industry’s increased taxation had “turned out not to be effective”.

Confirming he had “rejected” what he described as a “counterproposal” from Sebas Bastian’s Island Luck group and its attorney, Alfred Sears QC, the Attorney General said he was now awaiting a similar response from the web shops represented by Wayne Munroe QC.

start of shift THE TRIBUNE’S front page from last Thursday.

KNIGHTS LEFT

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

CORRECTIONAL officers are protesting a “demoralising” process that sees officers strip searched before the start of their shift.

Correctional Officers Staff Association chairman Ryan Wilson said officers are seeking an amendment to the Corrections Act 2014 in hopes of streamlining the vague mandatory search

requirement, which he said “dangles carelessly for misinterpretation”.

The problematic searches are just the latest in a litany of longstanding grievances which have gone unresolved by successive administrations, according to Mr Wilson, who pledged that officers intend to hold National Security Minister Marvin Dames’ feet to the fire over promises he made last year.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

FURIOUS AS CHAMPIONS SURPRISED

However, he said, he was TURNQUEST UNVEILS of the complaints unaware ‘ONE-FIT’ FRAMEWORK about strip searches of

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Minnis administration remains concerned that the goal post continues to shift when it comes to The Bahamas maintaining global tax standards, Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest said yesterday, adding this issue has been argued in international forums. He made the

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SEE PAGE FIVE

comments during a press conference to announce the government is developing a new framework aimed at strengthening industry regulations and protecting revenue in the Public Treasury.

By doing this, the deputy prime minister said it was a demonstration of The Bahamas’ commitment to global standards to ensure the country maintains its SEE PAGE SIX

PHOTO: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

HUNDREDS SUFFER NINE-HOUR WAIT TO REGISTER

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net HUNDREDS of angry University of The Bahamas students suffered under the sweltering sun yesterday as they queued for hours in an effort to submit payments and complete registration for the spring semester. It marked the second day of registration chaos at the university.

In anticipation of the

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long lines and disorganised process, some students arrived on campus to start queuing as early as 4am. However, as The Tribune canvassed the area after 1pm, many were still waiting.

“I don’t even recommend this place as a university,” Victoria Edgecombe, a third-year student, told The Tribune.

“I (still rank UB) as a… college, because it’s not up to standard.”

Ms Edgecombe had

been waiting since 6.45am yesterday, and spoke to reporters as she rushed behind dozens of other students to wait on yet another line.

Images of these lines, which wrapped around buildings, flooded social media, causing outrage from the general public.

Yesterday afternoon, UB officials held a press conference to outline the factors contributing to SEE PAGE THREE

officers at the Fox Hill compound until he read reports in the press.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s annual church service, Mr Dames said he intends to meet with both the Acting Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services Charles Murphy and officials from the Correctional Officers Staff Association at some point in the coming

A MALE visitor is believed to have drowned while snorkeling in waters off Deadman’s Reef Beach in West Grand Bahama on Friday.

According to reports, the man’s body was discovered near the shore in shallow water shortly after 2pm.

SEE PAGE SIX

SEE PAGE SEVEN

AFTER falling in the standings from first to third place when penalty deductions brought the Superstar Rockers group its first win in six years, Platinum Knights leader Thomas Curry said the group intends to protest the unofficial results of the 2019 New Year’s Day Junkanoo parade in Grand Bahama.

The loss was a major upset for the two-time defending champion, which won in every category and was the clear favourite by Junkanoo fans to win the parade.

SEE PAGE TWO

A COMIC’S VIEW THREE STORIES THAT ALWAYS MAKE ME LAUGH SEE PAGE EIGHT

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NATIONAL Health Insurance is “working backwards” by setting a $1,000 annual price for its basic care package without determining critical costs, a leading doctor has warned.

Dr Marcus Cooper, president of the Medical Association of The Bahamas, told Tribune Business that the government and NHI Authority should have approached their task “the other way around” by first settling the fees paid to doctors and healthcare facilities providing care under the scheme.

‘WHY JUST GAMING AND NOT BUSINESS?’

SEE PAGE FIVE

mould and pest infestation.

However, she said, there were a few issues left needing attention.

Asked whether there would be industrial action as public schools reopen today, Mrs Wilson said: “Well I am not going to say outright. We are guided by the teachers. When they would have inspected each individual room, we will make an assessment, hold a meeting and make the decision on what’s next.”

Last week, Mrs Wilson

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

‘SCHOOL OPENS IF TEACHERS AGREE’

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

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By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PAGE 2, Monday, January 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Police on the march THE ROYAL Police Force parade followed their annual church service yesterday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff

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THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 7, 2019, PAGE 3

School will open if teachers agree, says union chief Wilson from page one warned officials that only if her demands were met would a strike be averted.

She spoke to The Tribune yesterday while inspecting the school. During the walk through, the union chief said work was still being done by cleaning company Frank Hanna to correct the issues.

She further confirmed that the school did receive an occupancy certificate for the new classroom block. “So far they have made an attempt to address all of the matters,” she said. “There are still a few matters that are outstanding. The teachers will come and go into their classrooms in the morning and make an assessment.

“The new block, they did receive the occupancy certificate. There are 11 classrooms but there is a need for more desks and chairs for students and teachers.

“Frank Hanna is presently doing a thorough cleaning and the painters are on the grounds. They have done some corrections to the science lab and the rest room.

“They have made an effort to address all of the concerns. However, more desk and chairs and one or two cabinet repairs are needed and they did do the termite and rodent remediation today so we have to watch that to see if any roach and rats are crawling around.

“As of right now the teachers will report and go into various classrooms and then we will have a meeting and make a determination.”

When he spoke to reporters yesterday following a contract signing at the Ministry of Education, the minister said he didn’t foresee any challenges with the school’s opening this morning.

He said the incident had caused students to miss school already and this could not be allowed to happen again.

Mr Lloyd said: “Class will begin tomorrow (Monday) morning. Today, Sunday, I had a walk about. I wanted to go and see for myself what exactly is going on at CH Reeves. We had engaged Frank Hanna the cleaning company who has done a comprehensive scrub down of the entire school area.

“As you know there are brand new classrooms that have already been prepared and ready to be occupied by students and teachers “There were a number of classrooms that were of concern to teachers, which have been specifically addressed, but in addition to those and all of the others the school is ready. I have been assured by Katherine Hanna, I think her name is, that the school is ready for occupancy and it is safe.”

He added: “However you know teachers are very important to us and we want to do whatever we have to do in order to

THE BAHAMAS Union of Teachers president, Belinda Wilson, hosted a press conference last week at CH Reeves Junior High School to discuss environmental concerns regarding the institution.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

make them happy and comfortable. So in addition to making sure the school is all scrubbed down and so forth there was one classroom, according to the report, that had elevated mould in the air.

“That particular classroom, as well as all others, will be again tested after the scrub down to ensure that we are safe for human habitation, but there’s no problem. We have been in constant communication with the union, they were all on board.

“We only have 180 days according to law and for every day that you’re not in school you’re challenging the completion of the curriculum every single day, which deprives our students of the opportunity for continuing advancement and the opportunity to pass their exams,” he also said.

Last week Mrs Wilson also demanded written proof that mould had been remediated by a professional company.

Last month, teachers at the school overwhelmingly voted in favour of a strike over outstanding issues.

The Department of Labour initially declined to give BUT a strike certificate because not all teachers in the country had the chance to vote in the strike poll. CH Reeves teachers were the only ones that participated.

Multi-million dollar deal to help education in Grand Bahama and Eleuthera Page 8

MINNIS: HONOURS SYSTEM REWARDS PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED COUNTRY

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday defended the process that selects the recipients of Queen Elizabeth’s Honours, telling The Tribune it should not be seen as a reward for political party supporters, but for those who served the country well.

Eight Bahamians were among 1,148 people selected to receive Queen Elizabeth’s 2019 New Year’s Honours - with Janet Bostwick, the first woman elected to the House

of Assembly and a former Attorney General, named as a dame.

Cabinet Secretary Camille Johnson was also chosen to receive the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for outstanding services to education and to public service. The award is given to people who render important non-military service in a foreign country.

Other honourees included former Housing Minister Alfred Kenneth Russell who received a British Empire Medal for services to politics and business.

But while some say the Queen’s Honours should not be recognised

since The Bahamas established its own National Honours system, others view it as political reward.

The prime minister yesterday pushed back against the latter notion. “The nominations are the same procedures that have always been followed,” Dr Minnis told The Tribune. “Individuals in society are asked to name individuals who they thought made great contributions and there is a previous list of nominees that would have been there from previous Cabinets and you review and look and you make determinations.”

Asked directly whether the

Queen’s Honours are used as token to the party faithful, Dr Minnis said: “No, those are the individuals who have made contributions. How could you question Janet Bostwick or Kenneth Russell? These are individuals who have made great contributions and there are also several reverends who have made great contributions to society.

“They are not political. If you are going to say that, then some can argue that the Bahamian National honours list is similar, but with that list you have a committee that makes

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those determinations and Cabinet may justify the decision, but the committee goes out, does their due diligence searches not only in New Providence but throughout The Bahamas and makes determinations out of the recommendations.”

Last week Father Sebastian Campbell said it was disgraceful this country continues to recognise the Queen’s Honours, pointing to the creation of our own Bahamian National Honours system. He said to recognise the UK system was a blatant insult to Bahamians and their honours system.

PAGE 4, Monday, January 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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Don’t be fooled - this is a SAFE country for tourism BAHAMIANS are well aware that our tourism and financial services industries are the twin pillars of the nation’s economy. While information about what we offer as an attractive destination for tourists should be suitably alluring, it also needs to be accurate in order to protect our reputation. But, as well as seeking good quality and value for money, a major concern for visitors is safety and security.

Major hotels like Atlantis and Baha Mar publicise The Bahamas as a desirable place to visit, as does the Ministry of Tourism. However, overall responsibility for security lies with other parts of the government which have a duty to try to ensure our country is a safe place to visit.

The reputation of our well-publicised sun, sea and sand and unique flora and fauna - together with first class hotels and facilities - makes The Bahamas a popular destination all the year round, not least to those from North America and Europe wanting to escape their winter.

But, if we are perceived by tourism operators elsewhere in the world as a country with a high level of crime that might constitute a threat to the safety of visitors, our tourism industry is likely to suffer, no matter the high quality of our tourism product. So the current controversy about crime and the travel advisories of the US and Canadian governments as well as the cruise company Royal Caribbean is highly significant.

It is self-evident crime exists in varying degrees throughout the world. Some say it is caused by human wickedness and greed and committed by those without a moral compass. Others maintain it is a direct result of social deprivation, child abuse and discrimination.

We are told that, according to the statistics, crime here in The Bahamas is down and the murder rate is the lowest for ten years. What the bare figures gloss over is that, with some horrific exceptions like the shooting of a senior police officer in September last year, most homicides and attacks on people in our country involve either so-called crime-on-crime, gang and drug related issues or domestic violence. Apart from a few equally horrific exceptions during the last few years, tourists, by and large, have not been affected; though such statistics are cold comfort to any who might have suffered an opportunistic assault, robbery or worse.

It is unrealistic to claim, even in a small country like ours where offenders can run but should not be able to hide, that crime can be eliminated. But it can be contained by effective policing, preventive measures and a judiciary that takes wrongdoers off the streets. We

have a particular interest in keeping visitors safe by protecting our public places with a visible police presence in suitable numbers. It is, therefore, encouraging to hear the recent remarks by the Minister of National Security about last year’s manpower audit which recommended recruitment of some 800 additional constables.

It is essential as a major tourist destination to maintain our reputation as a generally peaceful, safe and secure place to visit. However, as in any country, tourists should take sensible precautions by avoiding, for example, ostentatious displays of jewellery or of large amounts of cash and walking around in certain areas late at night that would be normally off limits to everybody else – any more than people should wander alone out of hours in parts of major cities like London or New York.

As for the US and Canadian advisories and Royal Caribbean’s separate advice to its passengers, their content surely depends on judgments reached by the US Embassy in Nassau. Since there is no resident Canadian diplomatic presence here, the assumption must be the Canadians have drawn from the US advisory as has Royal Caribbean.

We believe, therefore, our government should be in constant touch with the Americans so that, if they identify potential danger spots for their visitors, our local authorities will have an opportunity to take remedial action in advance of any official warnings that may be disseminated around the world via the Internet. If the US Embassy considers that Fish Fry at Arawak Cay or the Sand Trap on West Bay Street pose a threat, it would make sense to warn the Ministry of National Security and the police so that they can take any extra pre-emptive security measures that are deemed necessary.

It is vital to avoid any international perception that The Bahamas is unsafe for visitors when this is clearly unjustified. The risk to their security is small in our two main cities of Nassau and Freeport and even smaller in the Family Islands. Nonetheless, even if the threat is low, it should not be discounted – and, if any danger is discovered, immediate action should be taken by the police.

Since anyone could be affected, it is essential for the public to be kept informed about the incidence of crime in our country, not least in case it changes in nature or becomes worse. So we look forward to the Commissioner of Police’s report on the latest crime statistics which is expected this month. We hope it will be the beginning of a new and improved dialogue with the public on a matter of extreme importance to us all.

MPs need to disclose EDITOR, The Tribune CRUISE Port of Nassau - the best choice is the Cruise Lines without any doubt as already commented on - dah - who controls the itinerary’s where the ships visit, not the Cruise Line, so if they are managing Nassau Port there is an enormous financial reason to visit.

Agree with the condition - the cruise lines have to deliver three mega ships

a week all will be on their southerly sailing from the US into the Caribbean… first or second stop max - imagine 4-6000 visitors, with each boat, with full credit and debit cards and have not shopped.

Writer commented online that MSC would be excluded from visiting Nassau? The cruise Line group is in the business check Port of FalmouthJamaica RCL developed that other cruise lines

visit it so others, other than Carnival - NCL Disney and RCL, will visit Nassau.

We have to watch the conflict of interest of shareholders in Arawak Port Development who are in bed with Global Holdings, in this deal…

Ministers - MPs need to disclose upfront as in now!

J WELLS Nassau December 26, 2018

Competent would be enough EDITOR, The Tribune RE: Waters: I’m looking forward to a woman PM. (The Tribune, 28 December, 2018).

However, quite a few Bahamians would now be satisfied with even a transgender PM as long as they are competent.

KEN W KNOWLES, MD Nassau, December 28, 2018.

Public safety is key concern EDITOR, The Tribune EVERY sovereign State has the right to issue advices to their citizens as to the safety of travel to any area in the world – it is their sovereign legal constitutional responsibility.

So US - Canada have issued a ‘caution’ to their citizens to travel to The Bahamas - Editor back 11 plus months ago alerts were issued by both the US followed soon after

by Canada which begs the question did The Bahamas do anything to change the opinion of the US-Canada that the dangers they specifically stated in their alerts were now removed and were no longer?

If both the US and Canada re-issue and in the case of Canada up the alert level then we have done absolutely nothing in the perception of both the governments of US and Canada to remediate the criminals dangers, threats, etc. Thanks! We knew!

Failure in 11 plus months to remediate - improve the safety level is just that failure…Failure in this business of perceived public safety is not just for citizens

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net of the US or Canada but is essentially confirmation that residents and Bahamians citizens are under threat of insecure surroundings and not as the Minister - Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner keep on trying to tell us.

Walkabouts of the top brass of the police do nothing - press comment after press comment from an over frowning minister does nothing if it is not felt and perceived and in the eyes of the US and Canada they don’t see it like we the residents also do not see it.

Purposely drove around yesterday in the constituencies west of Kemp Road - through St Barnabas and into Englerston - Black Village middle of the day did not see a single Police Patrol. How many patrol cars did we buy? Not a further $2 plus million worth?

The patrol cars seem only used to get the police from a station to the scene of the

crime after the public called in a 911 call!.

How many motorcycles were purchased? You only see them screaming through traffic escorting some VIP or after a big wig funeral with the new thing of the use of rental limo buses to move the families without any consideration of the public, where are they rushing to?

The use of sirens - a writer recalled his seeing the Commodore of the RBDF vehicle leaving a parade screaming through traffic - then there is the BMW, blacks SUV with CD plates - are we required to stop for them? Can someone with authority advise?

2019 had better see an improvement in the perception of public safety for us selfishly first because if we are safe then the visitors will also be and the alerts from the US and Canada will disappear - don’t blame them thank them as politically they are telling you on public safety you are failing, no failed…improve in 2019 please.

T J ALBURY Nassau December 30, 2018

Three ships the minimum EDITOR, The Tribune WHO would you prefer managing the Port of Nassau?

1) Group of the largest cruise lines with 105 cruise ships?

2) A management group who own no cruise boats and manage and advise the Government of Cuba who are developing competitive ports to Nassau?

Carnival - RCL - NCL own or manage Cruise Ports in our region…there has not been any protests from competitor Cruise Lines.

As previous writers have said - who

controls the itineraries of the ships? Cruise Lines, not Port Managers.

Who has been extraordinarily successful in attracting more and more cruise takers annually? Port Managers or Cruise Lines?

Choice is easy. The Cruise Line Group, but as a previous writer suggested have a clause where they must bring to Nassau at least three-mega ships a week, Nassau being their first port of call might be second…

C MINNS Nassau December 23, 2018

Zero conflict of interest EDITOR, The Tribune

INTERESTING the RFP for the Cruise Port caused a certain bidder to make donations to local charities!

I totally support the bid by the Cruise Lines - it is simple - who knows better what their, note their clients want? A Cruise Line or a Port Operator?

Carnival alone brings with their name four-five individual Cruise Lines

within their Corporate stable. If you combine Carnival - NCL - RCL - Disney you have probably 85% of the global cruise lines…

Zero conflict of interest… cruise lines today operate ports globally and in the Caribbean, have invested hundreds of millions.

What has to be the criteria in the choice?

Who can cause 50 plus percent of all passengers to come shore and increase

the spend level to an acceptable level?

Unless cruise ships visit Nassau at the ‘front’ end of their itinerary there is no chance for that to increase - be logical - who controls where a ship goes first - the Cruise Line group will guarantee that…a win-win!

T SIMMONS Nassau December 23, 20188

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 7, 2019, PAGE 5

Immigration poses serious threat to society, says Minnis from page one the peak migrant smuggling season due to windy weather conditions which aid their sloops.

On Saturday, the RBDF apprehended 101 Haitian nationals in Northern Exuma. Another 54 were picked up in Abaco last Thursday.

Since the start of the new year, 304 migrants have been intercepted in three separate incidents, officials said, while 600-700 were apprehended in 2018.

“I have had long conversations and communication with the Director of Immigration (Clarence Russell) and we speak with one voice and basically with the same voice in terms of how (we) will attack it,” Dr Minnis told this newspaper.

“We continue to deal very aggressively with this matter because it can be a threat not only to our economy, but it can be a threat also to our national security.

“I think Bahamians must do their part and likewise the government will do its part and put all the infrastructure in place to deal with it as best as we can but every Bahamian must do their part and take on their responsibility because a continuous influx of illegal immigration will affect our health system, will affect our educational system and eventually most of all affect our economy, which would affect our livelihood.”

He added: “We’ve accomplished a lot when it comes to the direction we’ve moved in, but we can do even better. One must not ever sleep on its successes or its laurels. One must always try to do better and be better.”

The government will have a tough sell trying to convince Bahamians

that much has changed when it comes to illegal immigration.

In November, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold struggled to explain what changed about the country’s enforcement of immigration laws more than a year after Dr Minnis set a deadline for illegal immigrants to leave the country or face apprehension.

October 2018 marked the one year anniversary since Dr Minnis made the hardline announcement in the House of Assembly, declaring that if illegal immigrants failed to leave by December 31, 2017, they will be “aggressively pursued and deported”.

With no apparent change in aggression, Mr Newbold has suggested Bahamians were wrong to expect visible signs of ramped-up enforcement activities.

“I think one of the things is when we think about enforcing immigration laws, people think and this depends on how jaded you might be, people think of buses in the middle of the night rousting people out of their homes,” he said at the time. “Nah nobody’s going to do that. What (the prime minister) says is ‘do what you’re supposed to do, follow the law, apply, get yourself straight or you are going to be prosecuted’. That is happening.

‘QUALITY INTELLIGENCE KEY TO SUCCESS’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

NATONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday credited “quality intelligence” for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s recent swift apprehensions of illegal migrants in areas across the country.

In an interview with The Tribune on the sidelines of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s annual church service, Mr Dames said the RBDF has effectively streamlined its strategies, concepts and delivery of personnel in recent months, a move, he said, virtually ensures that “we are there, always”.

On Saturday officials intercepted 101 Haitian migrants north of Exuma.

The interdiction marked the fourth in the past week, and third since January 1. As a result of the four apprehensions, officials have intercepted 304 illegal Haitian migrants.

According to Mr Dames, the recent successes come in large part due to a revision of past practices. He told The Tribune that officials have taken a hard look

at past failures that have allowed illegal migrants to work their way up the archipelago undetected.

In November 2017, there was a significant public outcry after an empty sloop was found on the shoreline of Adelaide Village.

Then Immigration Director William Pratt said at the time he “had no idea” how such a large sloop could land so close to the RBDF Coral Harbour Base and go undetected. He suggested the RBDF should perhaps “improve their surveillance”.

Authorities said they believed the immigrants who landed at the time had help from people already on New Providence.

Referring to incidents like this, Mr Dames said: “Those mishaps have put us in a position where we now value every bit of information we can obtain.

The (RBDF) is working to saturate our waters with manpower. The strategy as I’ve said is to be there. We are there, always.

“We’ve studied the routes that have been a struggle in the past and we are there in numbers. We’ve taken a look at the locations that

have showed no problems, almost to see if we can learn what exactly is working there and how we can utilise those strategies in some other areas,” Mr Dames added. “But to keep it brief, we’ve relied on quality intelligence at every turn. We will not relent.

We will not let up because the Bahamian people want us to keep going. This is good, but it will not be good enough until the numbers are down to zero across the board.”

RBDF personnel over the weekend referred to the earlier winter months as the “active season,” insisting that migrants depend on heavy wind-flow to assist their vessels in manoeuvring the seas.

“Basically, this is the winter season where we have strong winds and these are sailing vessels that would need the wind to move from the south to the north. So this is the main reason why they would use this (time), December, January (and) February, to try and move to The Bahamas,” Commander Clarence Dean, RBDF commander of operations, said.

THE ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force apprehended 101 Haitian migrants last Saturday including 84 males, 16 females and one child.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

What else is a big part of that is what is happening with the shanty towns. Of course nothing is happening with the shanty towns, it’s a matter before the courts. He says I’m going to enforce the law. We find you we are going to prosecute you, we’re going to send you to jail, whatever it is, the minister responsible has been speaking to that, that is what is happening but if people expect you will see buses riding the streets of Nassau rousting people out of their homes at night that’s not whats going to happen.”

Dr Minnis had suggested there would be increased prosecution of people who employ illegal immigrants, but Mr Newbold couldn’t provide figures indicating whether such an increase has taken place last year.

Instead, he said “whenever (people have been found to employ illegal immigrants prosecution) has happened.”

PAGE 6, Monday, January 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

We’ve got to stop the flow of contraband, insists Dames from page one days about the complaints. “No one said nothing directly to me or to my office from either end,” Mr Dames told The Tribune. “I’ve heard about it like many Bahamians, through the press. Either way, we have to do what we have to do to address the smuggling of illegal items into the prison.

“While the claims being made are unfortunate, as we all are aware we have a serious problem at the prison. We have inmates with cell phones, illegal drugs and all sorts of other problems. We have to in some way address that.”

He continued: “There is just too much illegal contraband, full stop. Then added to that, we have had too many incidents in the past where we see our officers being the parties responsible for bringing these things into the system. While I don’t want to say that I am in support of what is being claimed,

MARVIN DAMES, Minister of National Security, says there is just too much illegal contraband, full stop.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

Memorial Service Inge Fliniaux, 81 of Denmark, Paris, France and Nassau, passed peacefully away on Monday, 3rd December, 2018 at The Madson Clinic in Paris, France, will be held at St. Anne’s Anglican Church, Fox Hill, Nassau, on Saturday, 12th January, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.

Reverend Father Hugh Barlett Jr. and Archdeacon Keith N. Cartwright will officiate.

Inge was predeceased by her parents Svend Aage and Ruth Anderson and her sister Liz Christiansen.

Left behind to cherish her memories are her “Bahamian husband” Samuel Knowles - Nephews: Ole Christiansen (wife Randy); Grand niece: Cecilie Christiansen and Torben Christiansen (wife Reggae).

Special thanks to Kevin and Carolyn Cartwright and the staff of Highbourne Cay and to all the boating families at Bar 20 the breakfast Club and families at V.G. Restaurant and all the Girl’s.

Andrew Rahming for his years of dedicate service and friendship.

Jeff Albury and the Palmdale Golf Club members and their families.

To the Knowles families that I love so much and their wonderful cousins.

the reality is we have a problem and we need to fix it.”

In a press statement last week, Correctional Officers Staff Association Chairman Ryan Wilson said officers are seeking an amendment to the Corrections Act 2014

in hopes of streamlining the vague mandatory search requirement, which, he said, “dangles carelessly for misinterpretation”.

The problematic searches are just the latest in a litany of longstanding grievances

which have gone unresolved by successive administrations, according to Mr Wilson, who pledged that officers intend to hold Mr Dames’ feet to the fire over promises he made last year.

“The most recent and

demoralising disservice being imposed upon officers are searches conducted by senior staff where subordinate staff are required to remove clothing upon reporting for their tour of duty,” a press statement from the association said.

Over the past few years, several correctional officers have been arrested and charged in connection with smuggling drugs and contraband into the BDCS. Last October, one former correctional officer was sentenced to three months after admitting to trying to smuggle drugs concealed in his socks into the Fox Hill compound. That same month, another officer was arrested for trying to smuggle a cell phone into the facility.

Last April, an operation involving more than 200 law enforcement officers searching the BDCS found homemade shanks, cell phones, marijuana and other contraband in inmates’ cells.

This came after a video went viral of prisoners, suspected to be from the Fox Hill compound, preparing to roll what appeared to be marijuana joints, while music played in the background.

The Ministry of National Security and BDCS officials have since pledged zero tolerance to corruption.

‘2018 WAS HISTORIC YEAR FOR RBPF’ AS he touted a 25 percent reduction in murders last year and a “dramatic turnaround” in the Royal Bahamas Police Force, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said more technology and support is on the way for law enforcement.

“The year 2018, was a truly historic one for the Royal Bahamas Police Force,” Mr Dames said at the RBPF’s annual church service.

“In all my life, I have never seen an organisation make such a dramatic turnaround in such a short period of time.

“The force has returned to some of its most treasured and time-honoured traditions and practices which made it one of the most progressive police departments in the region.

Events such as police month, the police ball, the canteen, the gym, the cadet corps programme, local and overseas training, the children’s Christmas party, proficiency exams being held twice a year, and joint operations with other law enforcement agencies have all been finally restored.

“These productive traditions

should have never been stopped as they are vital to boosting the morale of our fine officers. I have no doubt, that because of the reintroduction of these programmes, we now have a force that is more motivated, more inspired, and more enthused about going above and beyond the call of duty.”

He said as a result of this “new level of motivation and performance,” 283 firearms and 6,250 rounds of ammunition were taken off the streets last year while more than 10,292 pounds of marijuana and 184 pounds of cocaine were seized.

“And most notably, because of a new refocused strategy, murders have dropped by some 25 percent – a figure that has not been seen in about a decade.”

Mr Dames also said: “Despite the many accomplishments, however, our nation is still faced with an unacceptable level of crime and fear of crime.

“Our government understands that we cannot simply ‘arrest’ our way out of this issue. So since coming to office almost two years ago, we have attacked crime from

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its roots by making criminal justice improvements, increasing educational achievement, improving social justice, reintegrating offenders, and creating economic empowerment initiatives.”

He said in a few weeks, officials will sign a contract for Shot Spotter technology which “revolutionises” crime fighting.

“It uses acoustic surveillance technology to detect, locate and alert the police of gunfire,” Mr Dames said.

“Real time data of precise locations, number of shots, and type of gunfire will be transmitted to the police control room, allowing analysts to pinpoint and subsequently dispatch units to the scene with the foreknowledge of particulars before their arrival.”

He said the second phase of the expansion of the police fleet of vehicles is in motion as another $3.4 million will be spent to provide additional police cruisers, SUVs, T-3 Segways and ATVs. These vehicles will be hitting the streets across the country within the first quarter of 2019.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 7, 2019, PAGE 7

CABINET OFFICE ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

THE scene of an apparent drowning of a male tourist in Grand Bahama on Friday.

Photos: Vandyke Hepburn

Grand Bahama tourist ‘drowns’ off beach from page one ASP Terecita Pinder said the victim was a Caucasian male visitor who was accompanied by several persons to the beach, and while snorkeling experienced difficulties in the water and was later discovered unresponsive.

Barry Smith, manager of Paradise Cove at Deadman’s Reef, said that about 2pm workers noticed some people needing assistance down the beach and went to assist.

He said that earlier a guest had approached one of the employees at Paradise Cove looking for her husband.

“They went looking and saw a gentlemen several hundred yards down the beach on shore in the water,” Mr Smith said.

“We went down there and started giving assistance.

We tried to revive him; we tried CPR and called the

ambulance,” he said. Mr Smith said an ambulance arrived 15 minutes later.

“They don’t know what happened in the water, whether he had heart problems because it was very shallow water,” he said.

ASP Pinder said paramedics and a doctor from the West End Clinic responded and pronounced the man dead. She said police are classifying the death as an apparent drowning.

REGISTRAR GENERAL APPOINTED

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs has announced the appointment of attorney E Sally-Ann Lockhart-Pratt to the position of registrar general.

In a press release issued yesterday, officials noted that Mrs Lockhart-Pratt would be assuming the mantle of leadership at an exciting time, citing the government’s continued push to enhance the quality and delivery of service as it seeks to improve the ease of doing business in The Bahamas.

As registrar general, Mrs Lockhart-Pratt is expected to co-ordinate and manage the daily operations of all sections of the Registrar General’s Department by directing

the workflow and task assignments to staff in the various units, inclusive of administration, accounts and central registry.

Moreover, she will also have oversight of non-profit companies and friendly societies; intellectual properties; registration of births, deaths, marriages and maritime marriages; certifications; deeds and documents; companies inclusive of electronic filings; data management; and scanning and management information systems.

According to the release, Mrs LockhartPratt’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts in Banking and International Finance, as well as a Master of Arts in Legal Studies.

Mrs Lockhart-Pratt was called to both the English and the Bahamas Bar on July 24, 2008 and September 26, 2008 respectively.

Mrs Lockhart-Pratt replaces Acting Registrar General Deirdre Clarke-Maycock.

ERICA Wells Cox has been appointed director of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). She will be responsible for the overall coordination and management of strategic communications within OPM, including the coordination of communications for the Minnis administration.

Ms Wells will liaise and coordinate with other communications officials within government, including the press secretary in the OPM, the Bahamas Information Services and other communications officers across government, as well as with external communications consultants.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis noted that the appointment of Ms Wells is part of the government’s ongoing programme

ERICA WELLS COX to communicate with the Bahamian people through the full range of communication platforms and media.

Dr Minnis said: “Ms Wells has many years of experience. She is highly respected for her professional judgment, integrity and impressive skill-sets.

There will also be other important efforts to strengthen public communications and citizen engagement, including across social media.”

Ms Wells has more than 20 years’ experience working across print, broadcast, digital and online platforms.

She began her career as a reporter at The Tribune and has served in senior editorial positions at The Tribune and Nassau Guardian, as news editor and managing editor respectively.

She served as managing editor of the Bahamas Handbook for four years, and communications consultant for the government’s citizen security and justice programme.

She has also written for the New York Times and the Associated Press, and has contributed to BBC Caribbean and The Times of London newspaper. Ms Wells has a BA in English from the University of Western Ontario and a MA in international journalism from City University, London.

PAGE 8, Monday, January 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Multi-million dollar deal to aid education in GB and Eleuthera

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Education may have found a solution to its teacher shortage after it signed a contract yesterday worth several million dollars with

two private companies in a bid to make the public educational system digital.

The signing with Cable Bahamas and Sam’s Business Machines will allow 43 schools and 14 district offices in Grand Bahama and Eleuthera to be outfitted with fibre

optic capability. Additionally, more than 12,000 tablets will be provided to pre-primary and lower primary students along with 578 projectors and 578 laptop computers to enhance teaching.

According to Education Minister Jeff Lloyd, Cable

Bahamas is to be paid $62,471.37 per month and $89,920 in installation costs.

He said the annual cost for this portion of the undertaking is $749,646.44.

Sam’s contract is worth $1.9m, which will be paid in two instalments.

A contract was signed last year with the Bahamas Telecommunications Company at a cost of $100,000 per month for the project.

However, Mr Lloyd confirmed that the project is already running behind schedule, telling reporters yesterday initially it was hoped that it would have been completed by the end of this fiscal year, but it will now take 12 months to finish.

Eventually, teachers will be able to instruct students in remote locations without ever actually travelling there, Education Director Marcellus Taylor said in response to a question from The Tribune.

“This supports us in ensuring that students get the instruction that they need,” Mr Taylor said yesterday.

He also said: “There are two major components to this, one is the internet connectivity. With the internet connectivity, what that will allow is us to bring to the schools all of the resources that we can access by the world wide web.

“It will also facilitate the uploading and transfer of information from the school to headquarters in terms of our electronic management information system.

So once we get an EMIS installed information that is generated at school level like student enrollment or any personal information on students, information on teachers, their attendance or issues around that kind of thing, that will be transferred almost immediately

MINISTER of Education Jeff Lloyd. to headquarters and then we’ll be able to process information a lot faster.

We’ll have information a lot more readily.

“The other part of it, which speaks a little bit more to the devices will speak to the teaching and the learning process.

“So now that you have those devices and you have high speed internet, which can support those devices and the exchange of information you’d be able to integrate what technology, could provide it into the learning process and so those persons who deal with teaching and pedagogy they talk about differentiated instruction, which means as the minister indicated in his remarks trying to personalise education for the student.

“So there might be a teacher in a room of 20 students but they can all be working at the level where they are at the time that they need and even on topics or subject matter of interest and relevance of what they are trying to study and so there are so many possibilities.”

Mr Taylor continued: “It also will enable us in our remote schooling districts to provide specialised teachers that now we may not be able to provide so for

instance if there are some children in a place like Mayaguana where we only have 18 children at the high school in Abraham’s Bay and we only could dispatch maybe four or five teachers there but if they want to get a lesson in physics BGCSE, we are not going to be able to deploy a physics BGCSE teacher for 18 students, but with this kind of technology we can make that teacher available to those students.

So the possibilities are endless.”

The tablets and laptops will be immediately uploaded with the relevant course work so that teachers and students can begin advanced learning and teaching experience.

Once the work in Grand Bahama and Eleuthera is complete, 172 schools, 60 satellite offices, over 50,000 students and 4,000 teachers throughout The Bahamas will benefit from what Mr Lloyd called “first class” public school education.

Following this, he said, the ministry will then embark on the installation of its EMIS. The system will allow online enrollment for students by parents, a human resources system and reporting of quality education variables among other things.

MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2019

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

Only as good as your word - that’s how you’ll be judged

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

I

T IS widely accepted in our brand of politics that a politician will say anything to get elected. It can almost be likened to the way we treat our children – when they do something naughty, we typically shrug it off as mere child’s play. Likewise, when our politicians rile up crowds of thousands from the campaign stages, promising the earth, moon and stars, we simply accept it when they do not deliver.

Should we not consider how this mindset enables politician after politician to not hold themselves accountable to the utterances that come out of their mouths?

Former Minister of State for Finance under the Ingraham administration, Zhivargo Laing, once said on his radio talk show that hardly any government follows what they outline in a manifesto. Imagine that - a manifesto, a document that should give an electorate an idea of what is to be expected when we vote for our future leaders, is nothing more than an elaborate campaign tool not worth the piece of paper it’s printed on.

We must get to a point where our politicians get the message that accountability will be taken seriously because any man or woman is only as good as their word.

And while we can submit the picture inside government is much different from outside, when promises are made, there should be a plan of action to deliver when the opportunity is presented.

This much has been an issue thus far with the Minnis administration – what seems to be a total lack of vision and planning on the part of the prime minister. While there

WHAT has been greatly troubling is the prime minister’s level of comfort with making promises and not delivering.

have been huge gains in tourism and a reduction in crime, crime is still not necessarily under control and the success we’ve seen in tourism can also largely be credited to the former government.

What has been greatly troubling for the Bahamian people is the prime minister’s level of comfort – all while claiming to be the leader of the people’s government – with making promises and not delivering.

Not long after the Free National Movement were voted in as the Government of The Bahamas in May 2017, the Bahamian people were told the prime minister would address the media quarterly. The last two quarters of 2017 went without any such address from Prime Minister Minnis. In fact, thus far in his term as prime minister,

he’s never had a dedicated event to speak with the media. Press Secretary Ace Newbold, a veteran journalist, ignored the overt deception in what was promised and defended him by pointing out his availability to the media in more regular, informal meetings.

Newbold should very well know, however, an informal meeting with the prime minister that he can cut short the moment a question hits too hard has nowhere near the same impact as an event with a start and finish time, totally dedicated to the prime minister answering questions from the press.

Seriously, why would the prime minister, after offering this to the Bahamian people, backpedal and avoid such an event? As he does not have a portfolio of his own, it’s not like he should be under the constant pressure facing his colleagues who have the responsibilities of day-to-day management of their respective ministries.

Sadly, it seems as though unless the prime minister can stand in an echo chamber, he is uncomfortable.

Come to think of it, the only place the prime minister seems comfortable speaking is during his widely mocked Family Island town hall meetings. Despite being the MP for Killarney, the prime minister’s focus has evidently been on creating goodwill and drumming up support from Family Island residents.

An article in another local publication

highlighted this as a possible political strategy of the prime minister which, while it makes sense theoretically, is still a letdown when we think of what he promised to be – the people’s prime minister.

In this regard, he has been an absolute disappointment.

We have yet to see a probe into the confusion that took place between Works Minister Desmond Bannister and the former board at Bahamas Power and Light. Although he said he would deliver, there has been no legislation for fixed election dates and term limits for prime ministers. There has been no passing of a Freedom of Information Act. And remember when the prime minister was called out for his hypocrisy on government travel during the last administration?

He promised to outline all the expenses and give a report to the Bahamian people.

Certainly, there have been more promises made by the government, but in these cases and many more, none of them have been kept.

The prime minister is dangerously assuming the support of the Family Islands will secure him another election victory in 2022. What he seems to be underestimating is the growing disdain for his government in the nation’s capital. And while only one island, negative opinions have a ripple effect – particularly those coming out of New Providence.

Once the entire country is in campaign mode, every promise the government made and didn’t keep will be unearthed. Likewise, the decision for the prime minister to ignore the nation’s capital, where mass news is produced and disseminated to the out-islands, will also sway public opinion.

There will be no measure of goodwill in the final days of this term that will save a man whose word is not his bond.

Former Prime Minister Christie surely should be able to lend some wisdom to his modern day “David” – the one who defied the odds and took down a political giant. Or did he? Certainly, with regards to Christie’s downfall, the former PM made the mistake of underestimating the wave that swept the Progressive Liberal Party out of office and ended his political career nearly two years ago. But perhaps Dr Minnis is repeating the mistakes made by his predecessors?

Lack of accountability and transparency were two of the major issues the Bahamian people had with the previous government.

As they were campaign buzzwords for Prime Minister Minnis and his colleagues, he ought to remember how unforgiving the Bahamian electorate can be when they feel lied to or misled.

TRIBUNE PUBLISHER TABLES RESOLUTION: ENDS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION JANUARY

1956

An Eye Witness Account of Sir Etienne Dupuch’s Most Historic Achievement

Journalist, Statesman & Politician,Sir Etienne Dupuch, Kt.,O.B.E., K.C.S.G., LL.D., D.Litt. (Hon.)

PAGE 12 MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2019

GAIN AN EDGE A NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Chasing dreams from New GAIN AN EDGE Providence to Acklins A NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

FOCUS is Lyford Cay Foundations’ outof-school time, tuition-free enrichment programme. It provides college readiness and access support to public school students of demonstrated need and potential. Students, who are accepted through a multi-faceted selection process, begin the programme the summer after Grade 4, with the goal of becoming the first in their families to achieve post-secondary education.

FOCUS also provides a unique professional development opportunity for teachers in training. Students are taught by intern teachers, the majority of whom are current education majors at University of The Bahamas. This year will mark the milestone of the first FOCUS class graduating from high school and embarking on college. Berdesha

McSweeney has been a committed member of FOCUS Class of 2019 since the programme’s inception, even when distance became a challenging factor. Here is her story: From the moment she attended her first Summer SLAM as a rising Grade 5 student in New Providence, Berdesha McSweeney knew that FOCUS was special.

The uniqueness of the programme motivated her to stay involved throughout her primary and early high school years, and introduced her to the concept of attaining a college degree.

“I’ve always loved everything about FOCUS,” said Berdesha, now in Grade 12.

“We did so many different things like playing soccer and learning to swim. We also got support for the hard subjects like English and Math.”

Despite her enthusiasm for the programme, Berdesha and her family moved to Acklins in Grade 9. At the brink of her opportunity to be a member of On Course To College (OCTC), the second phase of FOCUS which concentrates on college preparation, Berdesha was determined to hold on to FOCUS like a lifeline despite the distance.

“My new school is great, but I feel like I just won’t be ready for college without FOCUS,” said Berdesha.

From Acklins, Berdesha stayed in touch with her OCTC coordinator and became an active member of the FOCUS Class of 2019 chat group. This group exposes students to tips for success in school and encourages them to continue college exploration. She also made summer visits to Nassau whenever possible to participate in programme activities. “I had so much fun with OCTC last summer. We volunteered as a group to help teachers at T.G. Glover Primary School as they prepared for the new school year. And of course, we did our annual OCTC seminar together,” said Berdesha.

FOCUS co-ordinator, Karen McCartney, is impressed but not surprised by Berdesha’s commitment.

Karen noted: “Berdesha, like the entire 2019 cohort, is deeply connected to the concept of FOCUS and to each other. They hold being the original cohort as a badge of

“I’ve always loved everything about FOCUS,” said Berdesha, now in Grade 12.

honour. They have a level of pride that is unmatched.”

Fishing and crabbing are just a few of the new hobbies that Berdesha has discovered as she’s learned to love family island life. She’s also made her mark at Acklins Central High School by maintaining her place on the honour roll and pursuing new learning adventures.

“I was one of three students from my school selected by our principal to participate in EcoCamp 2018 in Andros,” Berdesha proudly shared. “I got to do things that I’ve never done before like examining a pufferfish, going bonefish tagging and seeing the blue holes.”

With graduation upon the horizon, Berdesha has been thinking more about college and her dream to be a paediatrician. She’s also thought about what advice she’d give to other Family Island students who are interested in achieving their dreams.

“Family Island students should stay focused, get good grades and maintain a positive attitude. That’s what it will take for a chance at a scholarship to college,” she said.

“Gain An Edge” is a weekly collaboration of the Lyford Cay Foundations, Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and University of The Bahamas aimed at promoting a national dialogue on higher education. To share your thoughts, email gainanedge@tribunemedia.ne

The Eye Doctor’s Office is pleased to advise that

Dr. Kevin Bethel

Functional Medicine Specialist Will be seeing patients in Nassau on January 18th and 19th 43 Ivanhoe Road (Eastern-yellow entrance) Please call 393-2273 to make an appointment

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THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 7, 2019, PAGE 13

US TROOPS WILL NOT LEAVE SYRIA UNTIL IS DEFEATED, SAYS WHITE HOUSE AIDE JERUSALEM Associated Press

US TROOPS will not leave northeastern Syria until Islamic State militants are defeated and American-allied Kurdish fighters are protected, a top White House aide said yesterday, signalling a pause to a withdrawal abruptly announced last month and initially expected to be completed within weeks.

While US national security adviser John Bolton said there is now no timetable, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to withdrawing US troops, though he said “we won’t be finally pulled out until ISIS is gone.�

Trump had said last month that US forces “have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,� and added in a video posted to Twitter, “Now it’s time for our troops to come back home.�

Bolton said in Israel that the US would pull out only after its troops had rooted out what’s left of IS in Syria and after the administration

NATIONAL security adviser John Bolton had reached an agreement with Turkey to protect Kurdish militias who have fought alongside Americans against the extremists.

In Washington, Trump told reporters at the White House that “we are pulling back in Syria. We’re going to be removing our troops.

I never said we’re doing it that quickly.� But in a December video, the president had said of the roughly 2,000 US troops in Syria: “They’re all coming back, and they’re coming back now.�

And officials said at the time that while many details were yet to be finalised, they expected American forces to be out

by mid-January. “I think this is the reality setting in that you got to plan this out,� said US Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. He told CBS’ “Face the Nation� that “the bottom line here is we want to make sure we get this right, that ISIS doesn’t come back. And I applaud the president for re-evaluating what he’s doing. ... He has a goal in mind of reducing our presence. I share that goal. Let’s just do it smartly.�

Trump’s decision last month drew widespread criticism from allies, led to the resignation of US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and raised fears over clearing the way for a Turkish assault on the Kurdish fighters. Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. ‘There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal,�

Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem. “The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement.�

  ­

Majority Rule Holiday Banking Hours

TRUMP: I MUST DEAL WITH DEM LEADERS TO END SHUTDOWN

WASHINGTON Associated Press

PRESIDENT Donald Trump yesterday acknowledged that weekend shutdown talks led by his vice president would not break an impasse, as newly empowered House Democrats planned to step up the pressure on Trump and Republican lawmakers to reopen the government.

Heading to Camp David for staff meetings, Trump showed no signs of budging on his demand for $5.6 billion for a wall along the US-Mexico border. Undercutting the staff-level talks, Trump declared that only he could make a deal with Democratic leaders — “in 20 minutes, if they want to.�

Said Trump: “If they don’t want to, it’s going to go on for a long time.�

 �  � � � ( ) � ( ) � ( )

PAGE 14, Monday, January 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

HUGE TRASH-COLLECTING BOOM IN PACIFIC OCEAN BREAKS APART LOS ANGELES Associated Press

A TRASH collection device deployed to corral plastic litter floating in the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii has broken apart and will be hauled back to dry land for repairs.

Boyan Slat, who launched the Pacific Ocean cleanup project, told NBC News last week that the 2,000-foot long floating boom will be towed 800 miles to Hawaii.

If it can’t be repaired there, it will be loaded on a barge and returned to its home port of Alameda, California. The boom broke apart under constant wind and waves in the Pacific.

Slat said he’s disappointed, but not discouraged and pledged that operations would resume as soon as possible.

“This is an entirely new category of machine that is out there in extremely

THE OCEAN Cleanup’s first buoyant trash-collecting device toward the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco last September. challenging conditions,” the Dutch inventor said. “We always took into account that we might have to take it back and forth a few times. So it’s really not a significant departure from the original plan.”

Previously Slat said the boom was moving slower than the plastic, allowing the trash to float away. A ship towed the U-shaped barrier in September from San Francisco to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — an

island of trash twice the size of Texas.

The plastic barrier with a tapered 10-foot-deep screen is intended to act like a coastline, trapping some of the 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic that scientists estimate are swirling in the patch while allowing marine life to safely swim beneath it. Slat has said he hopes one day to deploy 60 of the devices to skim plastic debris off the surface of the ocean.

TEMPLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL

ENTRANCE EXAMINATION 2019-2020 Temple Christian High School will hold its Entrance Examination on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the school on Shirley Street from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon for students wishing to enter grades 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Application forms are available at the High School Office. The application fee is twentyfive dollars ($25.00). Application forms should be completed and returned to the school by Friday, January 18, 2019.

For further information, please call telephone number: 394-4481/394-4484.