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VOLUME:118 No.31, JANUARY 7, 2021

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TRUMP’S FINAL SHAME A PROTESTOR raises an arm in victory after a day of shame saw the US Capitol stormed yesterday by supporters of President Donald Trump after he urged them to march.

One woman died after being shot in the Capitol during the incident, and lawmakers including Vice-President Mike Pence had to be evacuated to safety until police could clear the building.

President Trump has claimed the

election he lost to President-elect Joe Biden was rigged - but he has lost repeated court cases and failed to stop the election process.

Yesterday, he attended a rally and called on his supporters to march to the Capitol. A number of them did, smashing windows and forcing open doors to gain access. Trump later urged them to go home, but said of them: “We love you - you’re very special.”

FULL STORY - SEE PAGE 13

NYGARD PROBE ‘WILL FOLLOW THE RULES’ FRONT PORCH

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said he is not concerned that the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by Peter Nygard will be compromised by the fact that officers are named in a lawsuit that accuses the wealthy Canadian of raping dozens of women.

A civil lawsuit filed in

PETER NYGARD New York last year claimed senior police officers, both past and present, were on

Mr Nygard’s payroll and frequented Nygard Cay. Those claims sparked renewed interest after the Southern District of New York unveiled a criminal indictment against Mr Nygard last month that made allegations closely mirroring those in the first civil lawsuit.

Asked yesterday whether an officer named in the civil lawsuit is involved in the local investigation into SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF A NATION BUILDER

PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Thursday, January 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

A SCUFFLE between protestors and police yesterday in Washington DC.

Ambassador shock at storming of Capitol

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

Harry B. Sands, Lobosky & Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Viola C. Major as a Partner of our firm Viola started her legal career in public service and has transitioned from an accomplished criminal prosecutor into a skilled civil litigator. Her principal areas of practice are Employment, Negligence, and Contract Law. Viola regularly acts for a number of large local employers, including international financial institutions and hotels with a local presence. Viola also represents local and international insurers in disputes concerning personal injury and fatal accident claims, as well as claims arising from structural damage sustained during major hurricanes.

Viola holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Economics) from McGill University in Montreal, Canada and an LLB (Hons) from King’s College London in London, England. She was called to both the Bar of England and Wales and The Bahamas Bar in 2011.

We are excited to welcome Viola as the firm’s newest Partner and look forward to her continued commitment to providing our clients with quality legal representation.

Viola C. Major Partner

hbslaw.com Magna Carta Court | 18 Parliament Street | P. O. Box N-624 | Nassau, Bahamas |Tel: +1(242) 322-2670

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SIDNEY Collie, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States, told The Tribune last night of his shock at the storming of the US Capitol building by proTrump rioters.

Mr Collie said he had never in his life seen anything like the scene that unfolded at Capitol Hill.

“The staff and employees of the (Bahamian) Embassy are safe. The staff and employees of the. consulate in Washington, DC, are safe,” said Ambassador Collie.

“We sent out a general advisory earlier in the day to members of the diaspora where we have contacts for them, not to go downtown.

Based on the reports that I am seeing and having no reports of any Bahamians on the streets in distress, I would say that everybody is safe.

“There is no report of any incidents involving Bahamians. I am hoping that as night falls and the curfew of 6pm is enforced, I am hoping that will bring some calm to the city.”

Asked what he thought of the events that unfolded in DC yesterday, Ambassador Collie said: “I have never seen anything like this before. So, it’s quite frankly surprising.”

Yesterday, the world looked on in shock as supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump scaled walls, knocked over barriers, fought with police and occupied the US Capitol for hours. The out of control scenes came shortly after President Trump held

a rally nearby, urging his supporters to march to the area.

The Capitol building was placed on lockdown, with senators and members of the House locked inside their chambers, shortly after Congress began debating an objection brought by a minority of members to certifying the Electoral College’s vote for President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

The unrest continued, despite President Trump’s later appeal for protesters to remain peaceful, and Vice President Mike Pence asked for the group to disperse.

A civilian woman was also shot inside the Capitol after the mob breached the building. She later died.

Video of this snippet of the pandemonium earlier on Wednesday appeared to show what took place in the lead up to the woman being shot.

She appeared to climb on to a small ledge next to a doorway inside the building immediately before a single loud bang was heard.

The woman, draped in a flag, fell to the ground at the top of a stairwell. A man with a helmet and a military-style rifle stood next to her after she fell, and shouts of “police” could be heard as a man in a suit approached the woman and crouched next to her.

The unrest halted the United States’ electoral vote count to confirm President-elect Biden’s victory.

Mr Trump and his supporters have falsely claimed without evidence that the US election was “rigged” and “stolen”.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 7, 2021, PAGE 3

Nygard probe ‘will follow the rules’ from page one

Mr Nygard’s actions, Mr Dames said he has confidence in Police Commissioner Paul Rolle.

“That is a question for the Commissioner,” he said.

“I have the highest confidence in the Commissioner and his ability and his integrity to ensure that every matter – not only to which you speak – that every matter that is reported to the police is investigated with the highest degree of transparency and the highest degree of integrity and

there are checks and balances within the system and there are checks and balances outside of the system.

“Again, I have no concerns about this matter or any other serious matter being compromised because of someone internally. I’m certain the Commissioner knows exactly what he has to do and to ensure that he is being accountable to those who would’ve made the complaints and he is being accountable to the Bahamian people at large.

At the end of the day this is a matter that is constantly out there in the public

sphere and time will tell.”

Asked how the RBPF is treating the allegation, he said: “I’m certain the police force, the Commissioner of Police is, as any Commissioner would do and I hear from the Commissioner on a regular basis, all of these matters are treated with the highest degree of seriousness. These are allegations being made and, as I said before, everyone would want to clear their name, so I’m not going to get into this conversation around an individual where allegations would’ve been made.

“The police, the

Commissioner and his team of officers know exactly what they have to do. I have no concern about their ability to investigate these matters with the highest degree of transparency and integrity and at the end of the day the facts will bear it out. This is an investigation that covers multiple jurisdictions.

Sometimes allegations are made against a person and it’s found at the end of the day to be totally wrong, sometimes they’re made and at the end of day it’s found there is some veracity to it. Let’s see where the investigation

goes and where it leads and at the end of the day the outcome will determine who is involved and their degree of involvement.”

The RBPF, which has taken no action against Mr Nygard, faced scrutiny after American prosecutors brought charges against the fashion mogul last month even though criminal complaints were first made to local police in late summer of 2019.

“I don’t know about the lack of action,” Mr Dames said.

“I know that when the matter was first brought to

the attention to the police, then the Commissioner had moved on it quickly.

We know that sometimes these investigations are protracted for any number of reasons, sometimes you can’t catch up with witnesses… and sometimes witnesses are outside of the country, you have to make contact, that’s the nature of investigations. You can take a file and bring it to completion within a week, sometimes two weeks, sometimes a few months, sometimes a few years, I mean that’s the nature of investigations.”

‘SIR WILLIAM ALLEN HELPED MAKE OUR NATION BETTER’

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net FORMER Finance Minister Sir William “Bill” Allen died at home yesterday after a long illness. He was 83.

Among those who paid tributes to his life were former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, who credited Sir William for ushering in greater degrees of transparency and accountability in government financing.

Sir William began his 32-year public service career in 1970, when he joined the Bahamas Monetary Authority as a research manager. In 1973 he was appointed to chair a committee created to establish the national flag carrier, Bahamasair, from 1973 to 1980.

Mr Ingraham said: “Bill’s contribution to the development and advancement of our country is immeasurable.

He served first at the Central Bank and later in the Senate, House of Assembly and as a member of the Cabinet of the government of The Bahamas.

“Bill’s experience and advice was invaluable to me and to each of the governments I was privileged to lead. I credit him for the new levels of discipline introduced into the government’s budget process and for setting

the country on a path of financial reform that ushered in greater degrees of transparency and accountability in government financing.”

In 1974, upon the establishment of the Central Bank, Sir William was appointed deputy governor and he continued his role as research manager of the bank until 1976. In 1980 he was appointed governor of the bank and served until his retirement in 1987.

When the Ingrahamled FNM became the government in August 1992, Sir William was appointed to the Senate from 1992 to 1994 and also served as minister of state in the Ministry of Finance and Planning.

He later took up the top post as minister of planning and public service.

He was first elected to Parliament for the Montagu constituency on November 10, 1994, and then was appointed minister of finance, carrying that portfolio until May 2002.

Mr Ingraham continued: “In 1992, I persuaded Bill to join my new government as a senator and accept an appointment as minister of state in the Ministry of Finance and Planning. Following his election to Parliament in 1994, he became my portfolio minister of finance, a position which he held through to the end of our

second term in office in 2002.

“Bill has been in declining health for some time and early last year suggested to me that he knew that his time was limited. He was gracious in expressing appreciation for having had the opportunity to serve our great country. He said that he believed that we had made our country better.”

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, in a statement, said Sir William was instrumental in the Cabinet in helping to transform The Bahamas after the Free National Movement’s win in 1992.

“The Bahamas was stagnant before the change of government,” Dr Minnis said in a statement. “The leadership of the Ingraham Administration, of which Sir William was a key part, led to record economic growth, infrastructure expansion across the country and the rebound of our international reputation.

“The investments in the tourism sector and expansion of the Bahamian economy due to the policies of that administration created new opportunity for tens of thousands of Bahamians.

“The Bahamas was fundamentally bettered

by Sir William’s service.

He was a man of integrity who gave his all to

SIR WILLIAM ALLEN his country. I also wish to express gratitude for his advice and assistance when I served as leader of the Opposition.

“The Bahamas has lost a distinguished statesman.

May he rest in peace.”

Fidelity Bank and Trust also released a statement in tribute to the former politician.

“The hearts of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas were made heavy upon learning of the passing of Sir William Allen, KCMG,” a statement from the bank said.

“And the hearts of the Fidelity Group were made even heavier as we bid farewell to Sir William, a cherished member of the Fidelity family.”

Sir William was described as “an integral

part of the transformation of the Fidelity Group,” particularly in The Bahamas, which commenced in the early 2000s.

“His charisma and kindness led to Sir William not only being a leader of those charged with governance of the Fidelity Group, but also a mentor and counsellor for many members of the management team,” the bank said. “And even following his retirement from the Fidelity Group, he certainly remained a fountain of wisdom, experience and expertise from which the Fidelity Group could regularly quench its thirst for such valuable input.

“Sir William’s intellect, steadfast approach and calmness all contributed to his successes in public

life over a long and illustrious professional life, comprising his roles as a monetary policymaker and fiscal policymaker.

“All who knew and worked with him clearly understood that while he was not a man that used his voice to publicly chastise those that were deserving of such chastisement, his voice was going to be heard nevertheless, as he strongly encouraged those that should know better, to simply do better; and for those that may not know better, he spent the time ensuring they were taught better.”

Sir William leaves behind his wife, Lady Aloma Allen, and children, William, Andrew, Michael and Cara.

• See Front Porch, page nine

50,000 TRAVEL VISAS SHOW SCALE OF TOURISM DROP

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

ABOUT 50,000 people bought travel health visas to enter The Bahamas in December, suggesting arrivals declined by more than 90 percent compared with December 2019 despite relaxed entry requirements.

Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said 35,000 of the visa applicants were visitors while the remaining were returning citizens and residents.

The low travel numbers come amid international reports the United States may require all people entering that country from international destinations to present a negative COVID-19 test. If this is implemented, the tourism minister said this would have a significant impact on The Bahamas’ tourism industry.

“I have to say,” he said about the arrival numbers, “that in speaking to hotel operators and travellers when visiting properties

over the holiday seasons, they all were impressed with how well the system was working. The response time is within 24 hours or less. In speaking to them, they expressed how safe they are in The Bahamas, that our protocols made them feel safe and they had a wonderful holiday and were happy to follow the protocols to enjoy the holiday.”

He added: “The Bahamas attracted higher end foreign visitors during the Christmas seasons. If you

speak to facilities that cater to higher dollar travellers, they seemed to have had a very good Christmas. For those that cater to middle income travellers, it wasn’t as robust as they had necessarily wanted it to be.”

More than 710,000 people arrived in the country in December 2019.

Mr D’Aguilar said 20,485 people bought health visas to enter the country in November.

Mr D’Aguilar also reacted to a report by Aviation International News,

which said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to expand pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirements to all passengers arriving to the United States from international destinations.

The report followed a meeting the National Business Aviation Association had with the CDC and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mr D’Aguilar said The Bahamas will be significantly affected if the US

requires that people obtain a PCR test result for entry.

“The impact that would have on tourism would initially be very significant,” he said. “First of all, it would be an impediment to travel. A lot of people will decide it’s not worth it, getting a test to go and come back. The tests alone would cost travellers $300 to $400.

The second issue is that it would put significant load on our testing facilities in The Bahamas. There are no PCR testing facilities in the Family Islands at all.”

PAGE 4, Thursday, January 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

No child to be vaccinated without parents’ consent

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Health has clarified that no one under the age of 18 years of age will be administered a COVID-19 vaccine until the World Health Organisation and scientific evidence say it is safe to do so and with the consent of parents.

The ministry also noted in a statement yesterday that the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine will be “entirely voluntary”.

This comes a day after Health Minister Renward Wells told reporters the government had not yet decided if students will have to take COVID-19 vaccine as an entry requirement to attend school.

Yesterday the ministry explained there are clinical trials currently underway on the vaccine relating to people 12 to 17 years of age.

The vaccines being administered in the United States have not yet been approved for use in those under 16.

“The ministry wishes to clarify that no one under the age of 18 years of age, including children in The Bahamas, will be administered the COVID-19 vaccine,” according to the ministry’s statement.

“Although the Government of The Bahamas has been proactive in securing mechanisms that will give the Bahamian people access to this much-needed vaccine, the Ministry of Health underscores that administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is entirely voluntary. In other words, only those who wish to receive the vaccine can avail themselves of it.

“The ministry further states that it will continue to comport with best practice and international standards on medical and public health matters.

This extends to the age

recommendations for the COVID-19 vaccine administration. From current knowledge, the approved age range for the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 16 years and older; and Moderna is 18 years and older.

“The ministry notes the global scientific clinical trials currently underway to determine/study the safety and efficacy of this vaccine in persons 12 to 17 years of age. We assure the Bahamian people that COVID-19 vaccination among children will not be offered within this subpopulation until evidence suggests it is safe to do so, and with the consent of parents and guardians.”

A day earlier, Mr Wells had said that discussions were underway about the possibility of making the COVID-19 vaccine a requirement for students to enrol in school.

“We are in discussions about it but obviously if that decision is made, we will come back and tell the Bahamian people, but we don’t require you to take the flu vaccine to go to school,” Mr Wells said in response to reporters’ questions on Tuesday.

“There are some vaccines that are required and there are some vaccines that are not. The flu vaccine is not required.”

Asked if the matter is being discussed by Cabinet, he replied on Tuesday: “I’m saying that I’m going to bring it to that level but at the end of the day the current position of The Bahamas (is) that this is (not) mandatory unless the WHO and others change their protocols and their requirements. I don’t believe you’ll see any change with us, but again this situation with COVID is very fluid.”

According to the Associated Press, Pfizer began

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL DEATHS

7,959 175

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES WEDNESDAY 14 CASES NEW PROVIDENCE 39 SAN SALVADOR 4 PENDING 1

TUESDAY

17 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE 13 GRAND BAHAMA 2 ABACO 1 ELEUTHERA 1

TOTAL TESTS

53,842 testing in October “in children as young as 12 and is expected to take several more months” while Moderna “began enrolling study participants ages 12 to 17”

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CASES IN ICU

in December.

When contacted, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell pointed out the legal issue with mandatory vaccines on

minors.

“The immediate thing when I saw the headline (of Mr Wells’ comments) was this – if you are not forcing adults to do so how can you,

11

1

RECOVERED

6,297 as a man of civil will, force children to do so because in the general law children require the permission of their parents to accept vaccines,” Mr Mitchell said.

DR WARNS OF POSSIBLE NEED TO TIGHTEN TRAVEL

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR physician has said the government might have to toughen COVID19 travel restrictions if The Bahamas sees a surge of infections as a result of the recent holiday celebrations coupled with a new COVID-19 strain already spreading in some parts of the world.

Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) President Sabriquet PinderButler told The Tribune yesterday it’s a watch-andwait game for doctors.

While stressing that workers have already “mentally prepared” themselves for each case scenario, Dr Pinder-Butler also said if COVID conditions were to worsen in the country, the government might have to revisit certain restrictions, specifically relating to travel.

“So certainly, the travel restrictions or protocols are always something that’s not an easy thing to make determinations on, especially from the view of The Bahamas just re-opening,” she said.

“But again, we have to also look at those things and

balance it with the health of the nation. I think that certainly if we’re seeing further increases or seeing an impact from other strains of COVID or COVID in general, I think it’s something the Ministry of Health and the government would have to look into perhaps tightening certain restrictions as it relates to travel,” she said.

She added: “But having said that, I think we must also be mindful because we also have inter-island travel and certain things are certainly not in place for persons coming from other islands and we know that

that sometimes also creates loopholes for other things coming into the country. “…So, I think that’s why we have to watch very carefully to see what’s happening because if we realise that we’re having increase in cases and other countries are having challenges then we might have to revisit (what) we have put in place to protect the Bahamian residents and to make sure that we’re able to survive beyond COVID.” Her comments come after the Progressive Liberal Party task force called on the government to adopt “more proactive and transparent” COVID-19 policies to safeguard the country against the new threat.

The mutation, which was first spotted in the UK, has already been detected in more than 30 countries – including the US. “Given that a significant portion of our visitors come from the United States, and that there is robust travel of Bahamians to and from the United States, the government of The Bahamas must move quickly to protect our country from a third wave that could bring great suffering,” the PLP task force said in a statement Tuesday.

Recommendations made by the group includes the government widely consulting with the medical and business communities on the new strain, revising the current travel protocols as necessary to reduce the likelihood of imported cases and ensuring that local hospitals are prepared to isolate any potential cases of the new virus among other things.

In response to the new infectious strain, some nations have tightened restrictions and even issued travel bans. The UK announced a national lockdown on Monday to combat further spread of the mutation.

Local health officials here have already said it’s only a matter of time before the new strain reaches the country’s shores.

Dr Pinder-Butler said it’s possible The Bahamas may have already had cases of the new infectious COVID19 strain which have not yet been confirmed.

However, the CPSA president said it’s encouraging that the new strain does not appear to be more deadly.

“I think at this particular time when we look at what we’ve been seeing in other countries with other

strains, we’ve not necessarily seen that there’s been any increase in deaths... which is a good thing even though it sounds to be a bit more infectious so meaning persons can catch it easier,” she said.

For her part, Bahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams also said nurses are keeping a close eye on the situation.

However, she said, it is important that everyone does their part and continue practising the health protocols to help keep the new strain at bay and also, prevent further COVID-19 spread.

Ms Williams told this newspaper: “We’ve not let our guards down. We’re still aware that all of these things are still happening and around us and we’re just a little dot on the map so we know that... (but) we’re praying that it have a different shift and just like we never had the Ebola, there’s a possibility that we could not have the (new COVID) strain also, so let’s keep moving and let’s keep praying and exercising and following the guidelines of the healthcare that provides for the public and that’s the most important thing.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 7, 2021, PAGE 5

Christian Council leader wants death penalty methods considered

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander has suggested the country may need to consider other methods of capital punishment in the face of a spate of murders, telling The Tribune a “strong deterrent” is needed for criminals wreaking havoc on society.

While he conceded the BCC remains divided on the issue of capital punishment, Bishop Fernander said the country must consider what will work and see to it that it comes into force.

His comments came as the country has recorded six murders within the first five days of the year.

Bishop Fernander said this is both “alarming and concerning”.

“Obviously the council is divided on that and capital punishment,” he said.

“We’ve been divided for a very long time and so there must be a penalty and there must be a deterrent and we must figure out what works in our context. Our neighbours to the north, they don’t do the heinous act of hanging by rope but they do the lethal injection.”

The last person executed in The Bahamas was David Mitchell in January 2000.

He was convicted of stabbing two German tourists to death.

Mitchell’s execution by hanging was controversial because it was carried out while he had an appeal pending before the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights.

Bishop Fernander continued: “We must come together as a nation and say what works for us, but there has to be a strong deterrent to our young men taking lives.”

Asked if he was of the view that lethal injection could work in The Bahamas, the BCC president said he believed research should be done.

“I am not definitive on it. We need to do some research. We need to stop just throwing money at things and we need to study it. I am proposing from the council that a study be done with the young men at Boys Industrial (Simpson Penn School for Boys) and the young men that are coming into the prison system and see what’s systemic and go after them. Let’s spend time and energy trying to fix that which is broken in our society.

“We are trying to fix something that is already happening and we need to find the causal effect. Now the lethal injection can be one of the tools, but it will not solve the problem.”

Earlier, Bishop Fernander said society needed to do a better job of protecting women and children who have been victims of crime.

On Sunday, 18-yearold Jilny Flereume was murdered in Abaco. Her brother, 11, was also shot and was said to be in hospital recovering. Days earlier, an Abaco mother was killed during a suspected domestic dispute.

“We are very alarmed and taken aback with the spate of murders that have taken place within this early

portion of the year and we are partnering with the state and with the crime prevention council and the police force to do our very best as a pillar of society.

We believe that all of us must do our part,” said Bishop Fernander.

“Our young men have reached the place where they cannot de-escalate their conflicts and they are unfortunately taking each other’s lives over needless situations.

“This sometimes involves children and our vulnerable females. I think we need to do better as a society to protect our children and those that are in toxic relationships and help them get out of them.”

The religious leader said he believed that the COVID-19 induced removal of key programmes resulted in many not having a proper outlet to channel frustration.

“We have partnered with the neighbourhood watch.

We have a permanent seat on the crime council that we are intricately involved with behind the scenes,” he said.

“It might not be known by the Press, but we are involved behind the scene with the mobilisation of programmes and we are trying to help those in power see the need for permanent intervention that some of the things we do as a church has to be funded like the after-school programmes, the counselling relief, all of this stuff.

“As we see during COVID-19, when all of these things are removed from society, there is no outlet. There is no place

DRIVERS STILL SPEEDING DESPITE RECENT ACCIDENTS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE Grand Bahama’s fatal traffic accidents in recent weeks, many motorists are still ignoring the speed limits on the island’s major thoroughfares.

A series of traffic speed checks were conducted on four main roads yesterday, which resulted in 61 motorists being ticketed for violating the speed limit.

Superintendent of Police Terecita Pinder reported that officers of the Traffic Division, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashton Greenslade, conducted speed checks between 7am and 10am.

The areas included East Sunrise Highway, Coral

Road, Grand Bahama Highway and Settlers Way. Supt Pinder said at the end of the operation, 61 fixed penalty notices were issued to motorists who were found speeding.

“Motorists were all strongly warned of the importance of adhering to the speed limit,” Supt Pinder said.

Three people in Grand Bahama lost their lives in December as a result of speeding. On December 12, a young man died following a traffic accident at East Sunrise Highway. Four days later, an 11-year-old girl was killed when a vehicle went off the road and overturned on Grand Bahama Highway in the vicinity of the University of the Bahamas.

On Boxing Day, another

male driver died after crashing into a concrete column on Cathedral Boulevard in the area of Sir Jack Hayward Junior High.

Officers of the Fire Department were called in and were able to put out the fire and used the Jaws of Life to remove the man from the car.

Superintendent of Police Jeremy Henfield, the officer in charge of the Traffic Division, has indicated that too many lives have been lost on the streets of Grand Bahama last year and is appealing to motorists to slow down.

“We lost far too many lives on our streets for this year alone,” he said in December. “Our fatality count is in the double digits.”

POLICE CRACKDOWN IN GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE operation targeting illegal drugs, firearms and ammunition was launched in Grand Bahama on Tuesday.

Superintendent of Police Terecita Pinder reported that officers of the Drug Enforcement Unit started “Operation Genesis” as

part of their continuing efforts to rid the streets and crackdown on those serious offences in 2021.

“This operation will continue for the month of January with strategic focus on increased presence of police officers on the streets of Grand Bahama,” she said.

Supt Pinder revealed that the operation has already

resulted in the discovery and seizure of illegal drugs in the Freeport area.

She said that on Tuesday DEU officers, acting on information, went to the Bruce Avenue area, where they searched a bushy area and uncovered a quantity of illegal drugs – marijuana.

Ms Pinder said that no arrest was made in connection with the matter.

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BISHOP DELTON FERNANDER, President of the Christian Council. for these young men to not only vent, but have positive replacement with what is going on in society.”

It will take a concerted effort from society to stifle the proliferation of crime, he said.

“This is not a government

problem, but a society problem and because it is a society problem, we’ve got to partner with, in particular the law enforcement area, to really remove the opportunity.

“For this to take place in our society... all the state

can do is provide the necessary technology and the necessary things in place, but ultimately we, who are saying enough is enough... must take in hand these young men that are seemingly changing the whole mood of our society.”

PAGE 6, Thursday, January 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

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A shameful day for the US AS you drive down Shirley Street, a large screen blocks off the view of construction of the new US Embassy. A new era for the embassy – one which we’re sure those behind its construction will hope will be a bright one.

But as the foundations of a new embassy are being built here, the foundations of democracy in America itself have been crumbling.

Yesterday was a day of shame for the US – and it was a day of shame in which its own President, Donald Trump, was directly complicit.

Protestors trying to keep Trump in power despite his election loss to Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in Washington. Elected representatives – including Vice-President Mike Pence – had to be evacuated to safety as windows were smashed, doors forced open and in poured this motley collection of conspiracy theorists and white supremacists and all manner of people claiming the word patriot but acting like anything but.

Protestors is too mild a word for them.

Thugs, fascists, hatemongers, racists – take your pick.

Earlier in the day, Trump attacked his own Vice-President, saying “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done” – in other words, he didn’t play ball with Trump’s fantasy to overturn a legal election.

And yesterday morning, he urged his followers to march on Congress.

Well, that they did. The sitting President urged his followers to march on the Capitol as part of his effort to undermine a legitimate vote.

After the chaos of people smashing their way into the Capitol, after a woman was shot and killed inside the building, after elected representatives had to scurry for cover taking with them the vital documents needed for the transfer of power process, after all of that Trump tweeted out a video in which he said of the protestors: “We love you – you’re very special.”

His daughter, Ivanka, sent out a tweet, later deleted, addressing them as “American Patriots”.

Yesterday’s chaos falls directly on the shoulders of the US President – and those around him who encouraged him, excused him or failed to stand up to him. He has come to power through encouraging the racists, encouraging resentment, encouraging hate – and in a few short days he will take his leave with a legacy of destruction of the reputation of a nation revered as the leader of the

Free World prior to his arrival.

America has fallen far under Trump’s presidency. It has a long way to go to rise again. But though Trump may soon be gone, watch for those who follow his path. Watch for those who lie to your face and call it the truth. Watch for those who stoke people’s fears and insecurities, and never let them anywhere near power. There are those here at home who would do the same, and we should be on our guard.

Perhaps then it can indeed be a new era for all of us – one where we do not let these charlatans and con men take away the democracy that is our most precious possession.

It is a lesson for all nations.

Death penalty

The president of the Christian Council seems to think the solution to the spate of murders over the New Year is a more civilised form of killing people.

Bishop Delton Fernander seems to think capital punishment is the way forward – as if members of gangs aren’t facing their own form of capital punishment every day on the streets without the nicety of a legal process.

Indeed, Bishop Fernander seems to be concerned about the method of execution, wanting us to “figure out what works in our context” before saying “Our neighbours to the north, they don’t do the heinous act of hanging by rope but they do the lethal injection”.

Bishop Fernander wants a “strong deterrent to our young men taking lives” and wants research to be done on the topic of lethal injection.

He might be busily wondering about the method of dealing out an eye for an eye but there already is significant research on the death penalty that shows it has no particular deterrent effect on crime. For example, in the US – those neighbours to the north he’s referring to – states that have the death penalty have a higher murder rate than those without it.

We absolutely want to deter young men from committing murder – but talk of a death penalty is not tackling the issue, just exacting revenge. There are root causes far more important to tackle, dealing with the matter before the trigger is pulled rather than facing up to the aftermath.

Let’s talk more about that – and not whether a rope is too cruel.

Sentences for guns EDITOR, The Tribune THERE have now been six murders in the first six days of 2021. All of these murders have involved illegal handguns. Yet little outrage was expressed in the media or elsewhere when a magistrate last week sentenced a man to a mere 13 years imprisonment for the possession of an illegal firearm, even though he offered the damning explanation that he had the gun for the purpose of selling it!

I have long argued that the judiciary and magistracy are among the most failed institutions in this country, a situation that is aggravated by their tendency to arrogate to themselves a sense of being above the criticism of the society they continue to disserve. It is my opinion that this latest example

speaks to a magistrate who should be removed from the bench immediately.

With their lax sentencing for gun possession, magistrates and judges continue to normalise behaviours that are destroying our society. In this they are assisted by low quality politicians, who seem to bow to judicial lobbying out of a misplaced sense of colonial deference (maybe it’s the wigs and pageantry), even at the cost of safeguarding the society they were elected to protect.

Hubert Ingraham agreed to remove statutory minimum sentences for gun possession after being so lobbied and the result has been the continued easy availability of guns that daily undermines the viability of Bahamian society.

Meanwhile, the present government has incredibly sought to take credit for

a dip in murders for 2020, despite that being a year of unprecedented lockdowns and curfews that also drastically reduced every other kind of extra-mural activity, from dental visits to weddings. Why should shooting people be any different?

Typically, rather than address such simple (and egregious) issues like people getting 13 months for carrying around high powered, illegal weapons and trying to sell them, this government chooses to dazzle us with the latest technological gimmicks that will at most give a high-tech edge to the interminable wars between badly trained police and highly armed criminals that our judiciary and politicians do precious little to address at the root.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau.

January 6, 2021

Stars shine at Social Services EDITOR, The Tribune.

MINISTER Frankie Campbell, 2020 has been a truly rough and trying year, the world over; and our beautiful country and beloved, Bahamaland has been left feeling the weight of the crunch as well.

This was further compounded by the grim and very real prospect of being unable to see the emergence of light at the end of this long, dark and unending tunnel. A tunnel that has now brought my colleagues and me to the very doorsteps of despair, and we are now down on our hands and knees gasping for relief and financial assistance.

I now know what it is to see people reach their own breaking point. As we have been pushed to the brink by the pandemic and recently sent out to join the lines at Social Services by our employer – but enough about us!

A few weeks ago, I went to Social Services on Robinson Road; as I too had found myself there among those seeking assistance.

And though the line was not as long as I had initially anticipated – the amazing experience proved to be quite an eye opener.

Fortunately, I’d arrived there early enough to be among the first names called and the initial process, believe it or not,

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net went rather smoothly. The thing however, that took centre stage, in my mind, that day was the efficiency, smoothness of operation and the precise and orderly manner in which the staff conducted their affairs. Despite the occasional complaints raised in the crowd: professionalism and commitment to service was clearly the order of the day.

From the security officers at the entrance, to the young man putting out and taking in the chairs, to the young ladies at the reception counter to the tireless and service-minded supervisor – frequently checking ensuring that everyone was served, and that no one was left waiting needlessly in line once the requisite information had been submitted.

We live in a time when complaining, griping and ingratitude has not only become a part of the national fabric, but is indeed the new norm in our country.

And impatience and a strong sense of self entitlement, looms large among us, so much so, that returning to say, “Thank you,” seems like a weakness rather than a strength and a cherished quality

to be admired. The words “Thank you very much!” are slowly becoming obsolete like outdated features from far away and long ago.

There’s no denying the heavy loads Social Service workers (our Bahamian brothers and sisters) shoulder, and the inescapable burdens they are made to bear.

These mostly long unending lines that show up day after day, reminds us all that the struggle is real.

As I watched these workers carry out their functions like well-oiled-machines, a patriotic pride sprang up inside my bosom and my face was made to shine like the sun. My heart, that day, had been more than sufficiently warmed.

Minister Campbell, it is my wish that you would convey my thanks, and gratitude to the following persons for a job well done!

Security: Shirleymae Taylor and Charles Marshall; Receptionist: Lisa Brown; Maintenance: Stephen Smith; and Supervisor: Michelle Collie.

Sir, these individuals are all such fine feathers in your huge hat.

“Life,” as they say, “is not about the number of breaths we take, but rather those few special moments that take our breath away.”

TOBY GOODMAN Nassau, January 5, 2021.

Release oil deal EDITOR, The Tribune.

APPARENTLY the Attorney General’s Office, headed by Minister Carl Bethel, has advised that the contract for drilling oil cannot be changed or stopped.

Recently, however, Carl

Bethel himself said that if oil were found he would negotiate a new agreement, which would increase our Royalties received from oil drilling.

What is he trying to say? Or does he think that Bahamians are stupid?

Why doesn’t the Prime

Minister, Dr Hubert Alexander Minnis, release the agreement so that the People who own this land can decide whether or not it is acceptable?

PIERRE DUPUCH Nassau, January 4, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 7, 2021, PAGE 7

Union chief: Tell the truth about learning platform

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net AFTER a third day of issues with the Ministry of Education’s Virtual Learning Platform, Bahamas Union of Teachers president is calling on officials to “tell the truth” about the myriad problems plaguing the system.

After teachers were unable to access the system on the first and second day of the new school term, the Ministry of Education issued a statement, dated January 5, advising the public that the system was not working.

“The Ministry of Education wishes to inform the general public that its Learning Management System (LMS) experienced challenges on Monday, January 4, and Tuesday, January 5, 2021. The ministry wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of these interruptions,” the statement said.

“Additionally, the ministry wishes to advise that in the case of such interruptions, schools and school districts have developed contingency plans which they are able to operationalise. From all accounts, schools currently engaged in virtual learning on the islands of New Providence, Abaco, Eleuthera and Exuma were able to activate their contingency plans, successfully, therefore keeping the loss of instructional activities to a minimum. Schools will continue to utilise their contingency plans until the challenges are resolved.”

However, BUT president Belinda Wilson said there is no contingency plan and the teachers are fending for themselves by using alternative measures.

She said: “While the Ministry of Education is pretending that there is a functional virtual platform and falsely claiming that thousands of students are

LITTLE Feet Academy held its in-person classes yesterday with students properly spaced and keeping sanitised.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff online learning, and creat- that from time to time, closely with the Ministry of messages. When will this ing hype, sadly the children similar systems challenges Education in 2021, it is back fiasco end?

“The Ministry of Eduof our nation continue to are likely to occur until to square one because of have their educational expe- this process is completed. the malfunction of the vir- cation needs to tell the Similar situations are being tual learning system. country the truth about rience negatively impacted.

She said: “There is an the myriad of issues asso“A large number of teach- experienced by education ers use Zoom and Google systems globally. However, urgency to intensify train- ciated with the LMS and Classroom platforms that the MOE is confident that ing sessions for teachers to EMS. The only way these they subscribe to person- at the end of this process, be trained on an operable problems are going to be ally. Most of the teaching we will have a more robust platform. Again, teachers, resolved is if and when the and learning was done this system to manage our on- students and parents tried ministry admits that there to access the One on One are major problems with way in 2020. This was done line learning activities.”

For her part, Mrs Wilson LMS platform first thing this platform and seek soluby initiatives and creativity from teachers unsupported said as soon as the Bahamas in the morning and they tions from proper sources by the Ministry of Educa- Union of Teachers recom- received error messages such as their stakeholders.” mitted itself to work more and system maintenance Mrs Wilson is urging the tion’s so-called platform.”

In its statement, the Ministry of Education said it has partnered with One on One/BTC to develop a customised LMS for its education system. It said over the Christmas holidays, One on One made a number of enhancements to the LMS in response to concerns and requests made by teachers, students and school administrators over the last three months.

According to the statement: “Generally, the MOE is happy with the upgrades and enhancements to the LMS. However, it appears that the challenges experienced on Monday and Tuesday resulted from those enhancements. One on One is working to rectify these system glitches.

“We remind the public

SOME PARENTS WELCOME RETURN TO CLASSROOMS

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net SOME parents were elation yesterday on learning that several schools had resumed face-to-face learning this week, allowing their children back into the classroom after months at home.

Although COVID19 cases are still being recorded locally, for parent Melanie Lewis it is comforting to see various measures put in place at Xavier’s Lower School to safeguard students.

Ms Lewis’ daughter, Jaya Bridgewater, is in the first grade at the primary school and shares in her mother’s excitement that she’s back to traditional learning.

“I might be more excited than she is,” Ms Lewis said yesterday. “I’m definitely happy. Especially at this young stage. She is in grade one and they need that face-to-face element. There are certain things that they can’t learn virtually.

“This is also going to save me a pretty penny because I don’t have to hire anyone to be at home with her. Previously I had to pay someone to be at home with her because everyone in my house had to go to work.

Having to spend the extra money was taxing, but it was something I had to do.

“Plus, I don’t possess the skill to be there with her at home and do that work, it’s not for me. Teachers are heaven sent. They are a godsend and they all need a raise.”

As for Ms Lewis’ concerns about her daughter contracting COVID-19, she said there were none.

“She went to school in September when they initially opened and we had no issues. The school did everything that I thought that

they could do to prepare.

“They have the sanitising stations and they even put in their timetable an air break, so they give the children time to go outside and get fresh air and then they have about three different times that they sanitise and that was also worked into their schedule.

“Each child had to have their own masks. They have them separated in the class and they have to use their own supplies. So, no I’m not concerned at all about her and COVID-19 because, like I say, it’s something we have to live with and deal with and once you adequately prepare then that’s all you can do.”

At St Cecilia’s Primary School, officials there have opted for hybrid learning.

Parent Laretha Fernander said her daughter, Anthonae Smith, described being back to school as “amazing”.

Ms Fernander said: “Honestly when I heard the news that school was merging into hybrid learning I was too excited because I felt that they still needed that one-on-one at least twice or three times a week.

“Primary school students need that guidance, confidence and a teacher who loves to make sure they are doing it correctly and understand their assignments.

Anthonae’s first day was as she described it ‘amazing’. She was so excited to see her classmates, wear a new uniform and meet her teacher in person. The last time she saw them was last year March 2020.”

Public schools in New Providence, Abaco, Eleuthera and Exuma may resume face-to-face learning next month, depending on the advice of health officials.

Ministry of Education to acquire a virtual platform that is operable and able to meet the needs of teachers and students in the public school system.

She continued: “In these hard economic times, millions of tax papers dollars are being squandered on an inadequate, ineffective, inoperable platform. Even more concerning is the fact that this is being allowed to happen at the detriment of thousands of public school students failing and being further disadvantaged.

Intervention is needed and it’s needed now.

“What is it going to take to get change at the Ministry of Education – change in the modus operandi which is outdated and antiquated? Change in the curriculum that needs to be changed to meet the needs of the twenty-first century.

Change in the way they communicate and change in the result of our students receiving an opportunity to reach their full potential.

What will it take?”

She added that it is a sad day when teachers, students and parents are faced with the same issues they were faced with since March of 2020.

PAGE 8, Thursday, January 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

FINDING THEIR VOICES NOW THE FINAL DOMINOES FALL IN TRUMP’S DREAMLAND

STATESIDE

with Charlie Harper

DAWN broke cold, grey and wintry over much of the American Northeast yesterday.

But it was sunny and warm in many minds.

As the Democratic leader of the US Senate said, while unsuccessfully trying to suppress a wide mid-morning grin, “Who’d have thought it was possible?”

Chuck Schumer’s elation was echoed in many towns and cities across the US. Improbably, Democratic underdogs won both of Georgia’s hotly contested run-off election races, and now the Senate is evenly divided 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, herself a retiring senator, will preside and break ties.

The nation will be spared at least two more years of Mitch McConnell’s dour and obdurate obstructionism.

As the US Senate and House of Representatives gathered for a ceremonial endorsement of the November 3 election results yesterday, they all knew the Dems would control Congress and the White House on January 20.

And incidentally, the Democrats’ remarkably poor overall performance in the general election was largely mitigated by the unexpected Georgia results.

There were remarkable sound bites all over TV and the newspapers throughout the day. Probably the most trenchant and most memorable comments were

delivered by the avowedly outspoken and Republican partisan Gabe Sterling in a memorable morning press conference.

Sterling, the voting systems management administrator in the office of the Georgia Secretary of State, clearly relished his continuing moment in the glare of the bright TV lights. He pinned the blame for the GOP defeats squarely on US President Donald Trump.

After practically begging for a question seeking his assessment of responsibility for the shocking Republican losses, Sterling looked squarely into the camera and said: “Donald J Trump.”

At the same time, thousands of Trump supporters stood by in the blustery January cold on the National Mall waiting for Trump to make a promised appearance and listening to falsehoods and debunked conspiracy theories spewed by the likes of ex-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump enablers.

Many of the visiting protesters had driven for days to reach the capital, heeding the call of the President.

As these loyal supporters showed their support, Trump kept them waiting in the cold while he unleashed a Twitter tirade against his most consistently devoted follower.

Fixated on the fictitious notion that his vice president could somehow overturn the results of the election, Trump excoriated Mike Pence for respecting

his constitutional duties and limitations above a doomed attempt to subvert the American electoral process.

Americans could only look on in wonder and amazement this week as their President persisted in his brazen ambition to avoid ceding the presidency. But almost as astounding as Donald Trump’s behaviour is the staggering amount of leaking to the press going on in and around the White House.

Trump’s leaky presidential ship makes the Titanic look watertight, in more ways than one.

Day after day, new dramatic vignettes are breathlessly reported by the mainstream American press Trump so clearly despises and fears.

Newspaper readers especially have now grown accustomed to explosive quotes and revelations prefaced by something like the following: “According to a senior official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay the President’s state of mind and statements…”

Or how about this: “She could not speak on the record because she was not authorised to speak publicly about confidential discussions inside the White House.”

Unlike former American President Richard M Nixon, to whom Trump is most frequently compared these days, the current American leader doesn’t seem all that unsettled by the negative or even derisive coverage he is receiving from all segments of the news media except from a diminishing

PRESIDENT Donald Trump yesterday. number of die-hard rightwing commentators.

The President has often said any publicity is better than no publicity. Name recognition is everything. His adherence to this dictum has rarely been tested as it has been in recent days. But it’s hard to imagine there are even 10, 000 Americans from among more than 330 million who have never heard of Donald Trump.

To be unfamiliar with his name at this point, you’d almost have to have been living in some remote cave for the past nearly 40 years, like the Japanese soldier who emerged decades after the end of World War II unaware the conflict had ended.

It is hard to know how to respond to Trump’s antics and tactics. This man is truly a one-off in American politics, and it just gets weirder by the day. For example, he has rarely been more carelessly transparent in his disdain for professional politicians of both parties, saving his praise only for those whose fealty is constant and passionate.

Of course, Trump’s scorn toward professional politicians matches the mood not only of his notorious base but also of many millions of other voters, including Democrats, who have long found wearisome the sanctimony, hypocrisy and even mendacity of their elected representatives.

Since the early 1990s, it has seemingly become acceptable to disrespect and berate legislative and presidential elders.

Bill Clinton was impeached for far less misbehaviour in office than what was ignored during the administrations of John F Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. George W Bush was widely derided as a puppet in the manipulative hands of Vice President Dick Cheney. Barack Obama’s provenance and legitimacy as an American presidential candidate was impugned for years, most notably by his successor in the White House.

Now Trump is routinely called a racist, a liar and an existential threat to

the present and future of American democracy. Few even talk any more about his philandering, tax cheating or Vietnam War-era draft dodging.

If he responds at all to the avalanche of criticism aimed his way, it is to dismiss it all as “fake news” or the product of sinister actors predetermined to engineer his downfall.

The President has reportedly told friends he would rather lose with people thinking it was stolen from him than that he simply lost.

The pages of timeless fiction chronicle tragically flawed characters, some of them resembling the current President. But this is real life, unrehearsed and in living colour. The US is going to need some time to recover from what’s going on just now.

Indeed, as we went from dawn to sunset, and the Capitol building was stormed by Trump supporters, we saw even more ways in which the US needs to recover. There’s a long way to go.

DON’T WORRY, THE STORY’S FAR FROM OVER PRESIDENT Trump’s legal future after he departs the White House, meanwhile, is looking increasingly problematic.

A scorecard is necessary to keep track of all the litigation pending against him and the Trump Organization.

The Democraticcontrolled House of Representatives is after Trump’s and his organization’s tax records.

Subpoenas from various congressional committees have been issued seeking his tax records from Mazars USA, the President’s personal accounting firm. That case has bounced around for months from the Supreme Court to the US Court of Appeals to district court, so far without resolution.

Another congressional subpoena seeks Trump’s and his organisation’s records

from Deutsche Bank, the German giant financial institution that has served as Trump’s apparent lender of last resort in recent times. A New York appeals court is working on that one.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr is conducting a criminal investigation and studying those pesky hush money payoffs to a stripper and a Playboy model to keep quiet before the 2016 election about

their affairs with Trump.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James is scrutinising the Trump Organization’s dealings involving various properties and whether the company lied to banks and regulators for financial gain.

Vance Jr is the son of a former Democratic Secretary of State. State Attorney General James is also a Democrat. Both have vowed to continue their

investigations after Trump leaves the White House.

The President is also facing defamation lawsuits brought separately by two women who have accused him of sexual assault. And his niece, Mary L Trump, is suing him and his siblings over an inheritance dispute.

He’s also being sued over apartments his family once owned, and by people who say they saw little to no profit after joining schemes

touted by Trump and his children.

But Trump is quite accustomed to litigation, as we see from the many lawsuits his representatives have fruitlessly brought to try to overturn his November election defeat. Would you bet against him prevailing in all these pending cases?

His efforts to do so will surely keep Trump in the headlines for months if not years to come.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 7, 2021, PAGE 9

SIR William Allen SIR William Allen was a man of dedicated public service who enjoyed and cultivated the life of the mind. During an exemplary public career he employed his prodigious intellect, reflective nature and good judgement in the service of a sovereign Bahamas.

The term nation-builder is sometimes overused.

But in Sir William’s case it aptly captures the legacy of a man who helped to build various national institutions and who understood the country’s developmental challenges and responded enthusiastically with ideas and initiatives to meet them.

As a gifted young man, he pursued tertiary studies in the United States, obtaining “a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the School of Commerce, New York University and a Master’s Degree in Economics with a concentration in International Finance from Baruch College of the City University of New York”.

In New York he worked as an internal auditor at a securities company and later as a budget supervisor at JC Penney Company headquarters.

William, or “Bill” Allen as he was better and affectionately known, could have had a lucrative private sector career in the United States if he desired.

But as a newly independent Bahamas was emerging, a public-spirited and patriotic young Allen returned home to lend his talents and imagination to nation-building. His talents included financial and economic acumen harnessed to a pragmatic progressivism.

Such skill and acumen were bolstered by a

thoughtful and deliberative manner. He was also a man of tremendous integrity and honesty. He began his public service in 1970 as Research Manager at the Bahamas Monetary Authority, the forerunner to the Central Bank of The Bahamas.

A strong, independent Central Bank is a critical national institution. After its establishment in 1974, he was appointed Deputy Governor, while continuing to serve as Research Manager until 1976.

He became the second Central Bank Governor in 1980 following in the footsteps of the dapper and legendary T Baswell Donaldson. Mr Allen retired as Governor in 1987.

During his 17 years with the Bank he helped to build the institution and to institutionalise numerous banking and financial practices and legislation for a modern Bahamas that was also developing as a noted international financial services centre.

Sir William also played a leading role in the development of our national flag carrier. In 1973, he chaired a committee for the establishment of Bahamasair, serving as first chairman of the airline’s board from 1973 to 1980.

After leaving the Central Bank, Sir William was involved in a number of private business ventures.

A man of ideas, Sir William penned a newspaper column for a number of years.

A well-read intellectual, he offered his thoughts and views on a wide range of topics, offering insight on the issues of the day as well as specific ideas to respond

Standing on the shoulders of a nation builder

to the array of national challenges.

A cosmopolitan spirit, widely-read on international affairs, he appreciated the imperative need to make ideas applicable to The Bahamas.

As a pragmatist he also appreciated that change sometimes takes time and that a long-held goal is sometimes best achieved incrementally. He also knew when it was time for bold action in public policy.

Many enjoyed reading his weekly contributions to national dialogue, including this writer, who called to ask for a meeting to discuss a number of things he had written and to ask his advice on a number of matters.

Given his stature in the country, as well as his courtly and impeccable manner and dress and his politeness and civility,

this columnist expected a somewhat conservative and reserved individual.

Though he was quite mannered, Sir William was very down to earth, approachable, interested in thoughts of younger people, open to banter and discussion, happy to offer thoughtful advice then and even many years later, including suggestions for this column.

He also had a sense of irony, which sometimes erupted in humorous asides during conversations.

Prior to the Free National Movement becoming the government in 1992, Sir William generously offered advice to Opposition Leader Hubert Ingraham, who recalls that the former helped to draft the economic and financial platform of the party leading up to the 1992 victory.

Mr Ingraham knew Sir William when the former was a PLP Cabinet Minister, noting the latter’s assistance in helping to get commercial banks to help Bahamians to secure mortgages for housing.

After the FNM won in 1992, Sir William was appointed to the Senate and served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Planning. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Montagu Constituency in 1994, and was subsequently appointed Minister of Finance, a post he held until May, 2002.

The Bahamas of today is

dramatically different than the Bahamas pre-1992.

Successive FNM governments, including those from 1992 to 2002 transformed the country in numerous ways from progressive social policy to vast public infrastructure As Mr Ingraham noted, Bill Allen played a tremendous role in this transformation and era of reform and modernization. He once said of Sir William: “William Allen is one of the unsung heroes in terms of public service in The Bahamas.”

Sir William was not an armchair critic, who refused to serve in government or indeed on the front lines.

Nor was he like those who take their privilege for granted and who fail to evince an appreciation for those who served in the arena, often slogging away at the daily business of government which requires time, patience and dedication.

Though it has often been noted, it is worth repeating again Theodore Roosevelt’s famous quote from his “Man in the Arena” speech in reference to the public service generously and cheerfully given by Sir William.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who

errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

It is all too easy to lob criticisms from the sidelines of public service and history. But is a greater form of citizenship to spend the countless and often thankless hours doing the hard work of national development?

When presented with an opportunity to do so, Mr Ingraham requested that Mr Allen be knighted for his extraordinary contributions to public service and national development.

Sir William, who also served as Deputy to the Governor General, has left a tremendous example of public service.

Mr Ingraham described his contributions as “stellar and singular”, a fitting tribute and an epitaph of which any citizen should be proud.

It was the country’s great fortune to have another such fine public servant as Sir William, whose living legacy is all around us and will endure past the lifetimes of most of us.

PAGE 4 , XXXDAY, XXXMONTH XX, 2015 THURSDAY, JANUARY 7th, 2021

THE TRIBUNE THE TRIBUNE

Unless the Minister of Tourism has a better idea? Let’s join the rest of the world!

THE TRIBUNE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7th, 2021.

OxFord University RT-LAMP Technology & CommonPass COVID eApp Being Rolled Out by Prenetics to Global Airlines & Airports Worldwide Five additional global airlines and the Airport Council International (ACI) World have announced they will join the ‘Common Trust’ Network to create “Safe & Clean” travel bubbles on flights in and out of New York, Boston, London and Hong Kong as of December 2020. By joining the network, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss International Airlines, United Airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic join Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines

Hong Kong, NYC, Singapore & Toronto Airports, BA, Cathay Pacific, United, JetBlue, Disney & perhaps Carnival Cruise Line

Commons Project Foundation CEO Paul Meyer said: “The members of the Common Trust Network are coming together to implement an inclusive global network designed to empower individuals with digital access to their health information so they can protect and improve their health, and demonstrate their health

“ Bahamas offered Free Trial of Oxford University RT-LAMP technology connected to World Economic Forum’s CommonPass, but Minister of Tourism has yet to respond...................” who have already selected the World Economic Forum’s Common Pass -ePassport App powered

by Oxford University RTLamp technology which is being used by Prenetics at Heathrow, Manchester,

status to safely return to travel, work, school, and life while protecting their data privacy.” The pass was officially trialled in October on Cathay Pacific Airways and United AirPrivate and Confidential lines flights between Hong

Kong, Singapore, London, and New York. It enables passengers to demonstrate their Covid-19 status while protecting their data privacy.

Notwithstanding the surge in mutant strain of COVID-19 in UK, why don’t we also ask Dionisio if he’d like to share the reason behind British Airways delayed the relaunch of its LHR-NAS segment; opting instead, to fly directly to Caymans and Turks & Caicos .......

United regulatory and policy vicepresident Steve Morrissey said: “We were proud to be the first US carrier to trial CommonPass on 21 October from London Heathrow to Newark.

“Testing is a key component of our multi-layered approach to safely reopening travel and ensuring our customers’ wellbeing, and we look forward to using technology platforms like CommonPass to provide travellers and governments confidence in verified test results. ******

Validated Clinical Performance Oxford, OSCAR, Shenzhen Hospital (16 Samples) Peer-Reviewed Data1 – Extracted RNA

Oxford, OSCAR, Oxford NHS Trust, Nuffield Dept of Medicine (69 Samples) Manuscript Data Submitted – Direct Swab

Prenetics Laboratory (527 samples) Paper in Progress – Extracted RNA

Negative Percentage Agreement (NPA): 100% (8/8)

Negative Percentage Agreement (NPA): 100% (39/39)

Negative Percentage Agreement (NPA): 100% (444/444)

Positive Percentage Agreement (PPA): 100%

Positive Percentage Agreement (PPA): 92% for CT < 31

Positive Percentage Agreement (PPA): 100% for CT <32 96% for CT <38

Overall Percentage Agreement (OPA): 88%

Overall Percentage Agreement (OPA): 99.4%

Zero False Positives

Zero False Positives

Zero False Positives

1. Data from: RT-LAMP for rapid diagnosis of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: Zhanfeng Cui, Wei E. Huang, et al. (14 April 2020) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7264870/

Oxford RT-LAMP Near-Term Roadmap • Develop of RT-LAMP array using same sample to detect COVID-19, Influenza, (Critical for Winter Season and for Fast Diagnosis in Hospitals and Clinics)

• RT-LAMP Instrumentation as Point of Care Device and as Handheld Reader (se prototype on right)

FDA: Antigen Tests fail to Detect Up to 70% of COVID-19 Asymptomatic Cases

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said last Wednesday that antigen tests are still not as reliable in detecting COVID-19, adding that the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test remains to be the gold standard. In a virtual media briefing, FDA Director General Eric Domingo said that like RT-PCR tests, an antigen test also uses swabs to collect a sample of mucus from a patient’s nose or throat. It is also similar to rapid antibody tests in yielding faster results, as it has a turnaround time of only about 15 minutes, he said. “It takes about 15 minutes, but it’s not as accurate as PCR),” The FDA chief cited a study by the World Health Organization which found that the accuracy of antigen tests varies from 34% to 80%.

He says Antigen test haave an accuracy of about 30% for those who have no symptoms.

Although the FDA alert did nt specify a test provider, they did seem to make recommendations about the cardtype kits sold by Abbott as well as the instrument-based assays from BD and Quidel.

The instructions for all of the tests reinforce that if the provider does not follow the timings appropriately, they can cause false results. They also noted problems linked with processing multiple specimens in “batch mode” They also pointed out that

any kit that has less than 100% specificity, which is almost all of them, will have large numbers of false positives when screening populations where a pathogen has a low prevalence. The FDA pointed out that with 98% specificity, ranges can go from 20% in a population with 10% prevalence to 96% in a population with 0.1% prevalence. In the U.S., according to the CDC, 7.1% of tested samples were positive. “People who receive

falsely tell you that there is virus when there isn’t.”

The rapid antigen tests are everywhere. The government sent millions of test kits to schools and nursing homes.

“The FDA only approved the antigen tests in use for people who are symptomatic, that have symptoms.

Let’s just be clear. It is only cleared for use and approved for use among people who are sick.” Dr. Chang says.

“When we use these tests outside of those parameters and test people who are not sick.

This is where we run into problems.”

It’s difficult to extrapolate the results to larger populations, since the people on board the ship were living in close quarters while entirely isolated from outside life for about a month. Even still, the results are a stark reminder of how likely COVID-19 is to spread within communities, and how difficult it can be to tell when it does.

That’s a particularly important lesson to consider as states reopen and nice weather eats away at many people’s resolve to stay home.

The virus can and does spread undetected—and an asymptomatic case can still cause serious illness if it spreads to someone else. Until a vaccine is available, the safest way to keep coronavirus from spreading is to keep your distance from others, whether you’re sick or not.

“ The World Health Organization found the accuracy of Antigen tests varies from 34% to 80% decreasing to 30% for those who are astymptomatic.........”

10

Private and Confidential

positive results on an antibody test but don’t have symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been around someone who may have COVID-19 are not likely to have a current infection” and should “continue with normal activities,” they said.

“However, the antigen test is like a smoke detector. The smoke detector doesn’t look at the fire itself. It just looks at the smoke that comes off of the fire,” says Dr. Joseph Chang, chief medical officer at Parkland Hospital System.

“The rapid antigen test, looks for bits and pieces of the virus- not the genetic material of the virus,” he says “It can be fooled in either direction. It cannot detect virus that’s there. But it can also

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PAGE 12, Thursday, January 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Suspect faces court over New Year’s Eve killing

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 23-YEAR-OLD man was charged yesterday with murder in connection with a shooting that claimed the life of a teenager on New Year’s Eve. Deno Francis appeared

before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt accused of causing the death of 18-year-old Hollis Aranha on December 31.

According to initial police reports, shortly after 8 o’clock on the night in question, officers were alerted to gunshots by a Shot Spotter in the area of

Rupert Dean Lane off Poinciana Drive. Officials said inquiries into the matter revealed that a man was shot several times about the body. The victim was taken to the hospital by a private vehicle and later died.

During the arraignment, Francis was not required to enter a plea and the case

was adjourned to April 7 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

Due to the nature of the charge, he was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

DENO Francis outside court yesterday.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

PROBATION FOR ATTACK ON EX-GIRLFRIEND

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 26-YEAR-OLD man who assaulted his ex-girlfriend and damaged her family’s property after losing his temper in a jealous rage was yesterday put on probation for a year.

Police arrested Ricardo Richardson after he assaulted and threatened to kill the mother of his child on January 3. The prosecution said the accused also made death threats to the woman’s sister, broke seven windows of the home they were staying in and damaged the complainant’s mother’s car.

The court was told that Richardson and his ex-girlfriend were in an “on again, off again” relationship for four years but officially ended things late last year. The pair, who have a four-year-old daughter, remained cordial after the split.

However, on the night in question, Richardson called the woman and asked her where she was. When she told him she was at home, he said he knew she was lying because he was standing in her bedroom. The court was told the complainant was actually at her uncle’s house with her daughter attending a family gathering. The prosecution said Richardson then went to that residence to confront his ex-girlfriend.

When she told him she did not want to be bothered, he kicked down the door of the bedroom she was in and cursed at her.

Richardson then said he would kill the woman and her baby, before stating: “If you go to sleep all y’all will be dead.”

The court was told the ex-girlfriend and the rest of her family who were in the home became fearful, which prompted her to call the police. However, when she attempted to do so, Richardson swung at her and ended up hitting their 4-year-old child. The complainant’s sister then pushed the accused in an attempt to part the fight. He then said: “If y’all want to live y’all better grab y’all niece and come out this house.”

He then went outside and began throwing large rocks and a beer bottle at the windows of the home. The complainant’s mother’s car was also damaged. Richardson was arrested a short time later, in an interview with police in custody, he claimed he tried to leave the home after the argument that night, but was “held hostage” by his exgirlfriend who didn’t want him to go out during curfew hours.

After listening to the prosecution’s facts, Magistrate Rolle Davis told the accused he went on an “expensive rampage” and his actions could not go “unscathed”. As a result, he ordered Richardson to pay for the repair of the seven broken windows and damaged car glass and placed him on probation for one year. He warned Richardson if he failed to do so, he would be fined $2,500 or sentenced to six months behind bars.

RASTAFARIAN TO APPEAL OVER MARIJUANA CHARGE

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A RASTAFARIAN man is set to appeal a drug charge he received after police found him with $150 worth of marijuana over the Christmas holiday.

Lorenzo Stubbs, 33, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt after he was found with a quantity of Indian hemp on December 28.

He pleaded not guilty to one count of dangerous drug possession during the arraignment.

Yesterday, the accused’s attorney, Bjorn Ferguson, informed the magistrate that he had filed a motion against the charge in the Supreme Court.

Mr Ferguson said this was done because the charge brought against Stubbs threatened to breach his rights as outlined in Article

22 of the country’s Constitution, which states: “Except with his consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience, and for the purposes of this Article the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his religion of belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”

Stubbs’ counsel said his client was also appealing the charge because he believed Sections 22, 23, and 24 of the Dangerous Drugs Act were unconstitutional.

As a result, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt said she took note of the motion’s notice and adjourned the matter to May 5 for a status hearing.

Stubbs was granted $500 bail in the interim.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 7, 2021, PAGE 13

SCENES from the US Capitol yesterday as protesters try to break in - forcing lawmakers to be moved to safety.

Trump mob storms US Capitol WASHINGTON Associated Press A VIOLENT mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol yesterday and forced lawmakers into hiding, in a stunning attempt to overturn America’s presidential election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House.

The nation’s elected representatives scrambled to crouch under desks and don gas masks, while police futilely tried to barricade the building, one of the most jarring scenes ever to unfold in a seat of American political power. A woman was shot and killed inside the Capitol, and Washington’s mayor instituted an evening curfew in an attempt to contain the violence.

The rioters were egged on by Trump, who has spent weeks falsely attacking the integrity of the election and had urged his supporters to descend on Washington to protest Congress’ formal approval of Biden’s victory. Some Republican lawmakers were in the midst of raising objections to the results on his behalf when the proceedings were abruptly halted by the mob.

Together, the protests and the GOP election objections amounted to an almost unthinkable challenge to American democracy and exposed the depths of the divisions that have coursed through the country during Trump’s four years in office. Though the efforts to block Biden from being sworn in on Jan. 20 were sure to fail, the support Trump has received for his efforts to overturn the election results have badly strained the nation’s democratic guardrails.

Congress reconvened in the evening, lawmakers decrying the protests that defaced the Capitol and vowing to finish confirming the Electoral College vote for Biden’s election, even if it took all night. Lawmakers were still at it after midnight.

Vice President Mike Pence, reopening the Senate, directly addressed the demonstrators: “You

did not win.”

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the “failed insurrection” underscored lawmakers’ duty to confirm the vote. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress would show the world “what America is made of” by finishing the count.

Punctuating their resolve, both the House and Senate soundly defeated the first objection — to election results from Arizona — that had been raised by Sen Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. Still, most House Republicans voted for the objection.

Other objections to results from Georgia, Michigan and Nevada fizzled without adequate support from senators. But an objection to Pennsylvania backed by Sen Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Rep Scott Perry, R-Pa., forced deliberations. Proceedings pushed into the wee hours.

The president gave his supporters a boost into action Wednesday morning at a rally outside the White House, where he urged them to march to the Capitol. He spent much of the afternoon in his private dining room off the Oval Office watching scenes of the violence on television.

At the urging of his staff, he reluctantly issued a pair of tweets and a taped video telling his supporters it was time to “go home in

peace” — yet he still said he backed their cause.

Hours later, Twitter for the first time time locked Trump’s account, demanded that he remove tweets excusing violence and threatened “permanent suspension.”

A somber Presidentelect Biden, two weeks away from being inaugurated, said American democracy was “under unprecedented assault, “ a sentiment echoed by many in Congress, including some Republicans. Former President George W. Bush said he watched the events in “disbelief and dismay”.

The domed Capitol building has for centuries been the scene of protests and occasional violence.

But Wednesday’s events were particularly astounding both because they unfolded at least initially with the implicit blessing of the president and because of the underlying goal of overturning the results of a free and fair presidential election.

Tensions were already running high when lawmakers gathered early Wednesday afternoon for the constitutionally mandated counting of the Electoral College results, in which Biden defeated Trump, 306-232. Despite pleas from Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, more than 150 GOP lawmakers planned to support

objections to some of the results, though lacking evidence of fraud or wrongdoing in the election.

Trump spent the lead-up to the proceedings publicly hectoring Pence, who had a largely ceremonial role, to aid the effort to throw out the results. He tweeted: “Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!”

But Pence, in a statement shortly before presiding, defied Trump, saying he could not claim “unilateral authority” to reject the electoral votes that make Biden president.

In the aftermath, several Republicans announced they would drop their objections to the election, including Sen Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga, who lost her bid for reelection Tuesday.

Earlier, protesters had fought past police and breached the building, shouting and waving Trump and American flags as they marched through the halls.

Lawmakers were told to duck under their seats for cover and put on gas masks after tear gas was used in the Capitol Rotunda. Some House lawmakers tweeted they were sheltering in place in their offices.

Rep Scott Peters, D-Calif, told reporters he was in the House chamber when rioters began storming it.

Security officers “made us all get down, you could see that they were fending off some sort of assault.”

He said they had a piece of furniture up against the door. “And they had guns pulled,” Peters said. Glass panes to a House door were shattered.

The woman who was killed was part of a crowd that was breaking down the doors to a barricaded room where armed officers stood on the other side, police said. She was shot in the chest by Capitol Police and taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. City police said three other people died from medical emergencies during the long protest on and around the Capitol grounds.

Staff members grabbed boxes of Electoral College votes as the evacuation took place. Otherwise, said Sen Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, the ballots likely would have been destroyed by the protesters.

The mob’s storming of Congress prompted outrage, mostly from Democrats but from Republicans as well, as lawmakers accused Trump of fomenting the violence with his relentless falsehoods about election fraud.

“Count me out,” said Trump ally Sen Lindsey Graham, R-SC. “Enough is enough.”

Several suggested that Trump be prosecuted for a crime or even removed under the Constitution’s 25th Amendment, which seemed unlikely two weeks

from when his term expires.

“I think Donald Trump probably should be brought up on treason for something like this,” Rep Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif, told reporters. “This is how a coup is started. And this is how democracy dies.”

Sen Ben Sasse, R-Neb, who’s at times clashed with Trump, issued a statement saying, “Lies have consequences. This violence was the inevitable and ugly outcome of the President’s addiction to constantly stoking division.”

Despite Trump’s repeated claims of voter fraud, election officials and his own former attorney general have said there were no problems on a scale that would change the outcome.

All the states have certified their results as fair and accurate, by Republican and Democratic officials alike.

The Pentagon said about 1,100 District of Columbia National Guard members were being mobilised to help support law enforcement at the Capitol. More than a dozen people were arrested.

As darkness fell, law enforcement officers worked their way toward the protesters, using percussion grenades to clear the area around the Capitol. Big clouds of tear gas were visible. Police in full riot gear moved down the steps, clashing with demonstrators.

SPORTS PAGE 14

AUSTRALIA 21-1 IN RAIN-SHORTENED 1ST SESSION, 3RD TEST VS INDIA

SYDNEY (AP) — Will Pucovski was unbeaten 14 on debut as Australia reached lunch at 21-1 after a rain-shortened opening session in the third cricket test against India.

The 22-year-old opener faced 29 balls and hit one boundary, a top-edge to a short ball as he attempted a pull shot, before rain stopped play after 7.1 overs at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Australians won the toss and batted after making two changes to its lineup, including the return of David Warner from injury and a test debut for 22-year-old Pucovski.

Warner lasted only eight balls and scored five runs before he chased a fuller, wider delivery from Mohammed Siraj and got a thick edge to Cheteshwar Pujara, who took a neat, two-handed catch over his left shoulder in the fourth over.

Pucovski and Marnus Labuschagne (2 not out) moved the total from 6-1 to 21-1 before the break.

Siraj had figures of 1-14 off 3.1 overs and Jasprit Bumrah was 0-7 from four overs.

The four-match series is tied 1-1 after Australia won the opening daynight match in Adelaide by eight wickets and India responded with an eightwicket win in Melbourne last week.

India also made two changes for the SCG match, with Rohit Sharma replacing opener Mayank Agarwal after showing no signs of discomfort from the hamstring injury that sidelined him for the limited-overs portion of the tour and the first two tests. He’s also deputy to stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane, whose gritty century guided India to victory in Melbourne.

India made an enforced change to its bowling attack, with 28-year-old right-arm fast bowler Navdeep Saini selected for a test debut to replace Umesh Yadav, who joined fellow fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma on the injured list.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

PAGE 17

Fredrick King Jr making history

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

redrick King Jr will make Bahamian basketball history as the country’s first student athlete to enrol in one of the National Basketball Association’s global academies.

King is set to leave New Providence today en route to the NBA Academy Latin America programme in Mexico City, Mexico.

NBA Academy Latin America is an elite basketball training centre in Mexico City for the top prospects throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, Canada and South America.

F

The academy is a partnership between the NBA, CONADE (Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport) and the Mexican Basketball Federation.

King made the official announcement at the Bahamas Elite Sports Academy campus yesterday.

“I just want to thank everyone who has helped me on this journey, I appreciate the support and the love. I was very happy, I just had no idea I could get this far in the game yet.

“I feel confident, I just need to pick up on things quickly and work even harder now.”

The 16-year-old 6’9”, 210-pound forward said he patterns his game after

FREDRICK KING JR the reigning two time NBA MVP, but looks to expand his development at the academy.

“I try to pattern my game after Giannis Antetokounmpo,” he said. “I can rebound, run the floor,

play above the rim and just be athletic. I can play inside or out, but I know I have to learn how to shoot better.”

A native of Mangrove Cay, Andros, King matriculated to New Providence and joined Mark Hanna’s programme at DW Davis.

As a member of the Royals, King helped the team to multiple GSSSA and Father Marcian Peters Tournament championships.

He then went on to play for Kevin Johnson and the CI Gibson Rattlers.

“My game, it’s gotten better everytime I practice, I just try to learn as much as I can and to get better with everything that I do, “King said.

“[My coaches] They played a big role because I believed if I never made the move to Nassau I would not have become this good and I would not be here today.”

King’s stepfather, Carson Lundy, echoed those sentiments and said he is just one example of the deep talent pool in the family islands.

“The journey started from Mangrove Cay where coach Smith saw his talent and she said to me she thought he should further his skills.

“So we took her advice and sent him to DW Davis with coach Hanna, then he went to CI Gibson with

SEE PAGE 16

‘Buddy’ ices Bulls with and-1 three

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) — Buddy Hield converted a four-point play with 38 seconds left to make up for a horrible shooting night, and the Sacramento Kings held off the Chicago Bulls 128-124 on Wednesday.

Hield missed 12 of his first 14 shots and was 1 of 8 on 3-pointers before hitting one from the top of the arc and getting fouled by former Kings teammate Garrett Temple.

Hield sank the free throw and finished with 10 points.

First-round draft pick Tyrese Haliburton scored 15 of his season-high 17 points in the fourth quarter and made a key steal in the backcourt. Haliburton followed Hield’s pivotal 3 with one of his own against a pair of Chicago defenders to help the Kings end a three-game losing streak.

Marvin Bagley III had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Sacramento, which played most of the game without De’Aaron Fox. The point guard strained his right hamstring midway through the first quarter and did not return.

HIELD’S 4-POINT PLAY HELPS KINGS HOLD OFF BULLS, 128-124 a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying the results of last November’s presidential election.

SACRAMENTO Kings guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield in action against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Monday night. Last night against the Bulls, he scored 10 points with three rebounds, three assists and a steal in 35 minutes.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Richaun Holmes had 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Kings.

Harrison Barnes added 20 points.

Coby White had a career-high 36 points and seven assists for the Bulls.

Zach Lavine scored 32 and Wendell Carter Jr added 11 points and a career-best

17 rebounds. Hield’s gamewinning shot bailed out the Kings after Sacramento blew a 12-point lead in the first half and trailed with 6 minutes remaining.

Haliburton’s 3-pointer was equally big, coming just before Harrison Barnes missed a pair of free throws for Sacramento.

Beal scores 60 but Embiid leads 76ers over Wizards, 141-136 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 38 points and the NBA-leading Philadelphia 76ers overcame a Washington recordtying 60-point performance by Bradley Beal in a 141-136 win over the Wizards on Wednesday night.

MAGIC 105, CAVALIERS 94 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Former top overall draft pick Markelle Fultz suffered a season-ending tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the first quarter of Orlando’s win over Cleveland.

CELTICS 107, HEAT 105 MIAMI (AP) — Rookie guard Payton Pritchard’s putback with 0.2 seconds left capped a wild finish, and Boston beat Miami in their first matchup since last year’s Eastern Conference finals.

KNICKS 112, JAZZ 100 NEW YORK (AP) — Austin Rivers scored 23 points, including 14 straight for the Knicks down the stretch, and Julius Randle had 30 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists as New York won its third straight by beating Utah.

THUNDER 111, PELICANS 110 NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points, George Hill hit the go-ahead free throws with 12 seconds left, and Oklahoma City edged New Orleans.

Ayton posts double double in loss

SUNS centre Deandre Ayton (22) beats Raptors centre Aron Baynes (46) to the ball on the opening tip-off last night. Ayton had 11 points and 16 rebounds.

(AP Photo/Ross D Franklin) PACERS 114, SUNS 123, ROCKETS 107 RAPTORS 115 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — MalPHOENIX (AP) — Devin colm Brogdon scored a career-high Booker scored 24 points, Jae Crow35 points and made the go-ahead der added 21 and Phoenix made 21 3-pointer with 2:22 to go, leading 3-pointers against Toronto for the Indiana past Houston. victory.

BUCKS 130, HORNETS 102, PISTONS 115 HAWKS 94 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis ATLANTA (AP) — Gordon Antetokounmpo scored 25 points Hayward scored a career-high 44 and Khris Middleton added 23 as points and Charlotte recovered to Milwaukee rolled past Detroit for its beat Atlanta after trailing for the third straight victory. first time in the fourth quarter.

Lavine countered with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 127-124 with 2.6 seconds remaining.

Before the game, players from both teams locked arms with their teammates during the national anthem. That followed a pattern set by other teams around the NBA after

TIP-INS Bulls: Denzel Valentine had seven points in the final 3:51 of the first quarter. … Carter was called for defensive three seconds, resulting in a technical foul. … Temple scored 11 points in 33 minutes.

Kings: Coach Luke Walton lost a challenge after Bagley was whistled for a foul early in the fourth quarter. … Jabari Parker missed a second consecutive game for personal reasons.

UP NEXT Bulls: Visit the Lakers in Los Angeles on Friday.

Kings: Host the Raptors on Friday. Toronto has won six straight against Sacramento dating to 2016.

STRACHAN INVITED TO NFL PLAYER ASSOCIATION COLLEGIATE BOWL

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net MIKE Strachan’s recruitment profile is set to receive a boost with his invitation to the 2021 National Football League Player Association (NFLPA) Collegiate Bowl.

The 10th edition of the annual all-star game was cancelled in November 2020, but the organisation will host a virtual programme for draft prospects and invitees, January 13-14.

The game traditionally invites approximately 100 draft prospects either targeted late in the draft or undrafted free agents.

“Although we will not hold your typical showcase, we are confident that our alternative approach - an innovative, virtual experience intended to educate, equip and empower participants -- will still allow us to strategically engage with this year’s class of prospects as well as our stakeholders, broadcast partners and NFL club personnel.”

Notable alumni from the bowl include Tarik Cohen (Chicago Bears), Shaquil Griffin (Seattle Seahawks), Kendall Hinton (Denver

MIKE STRACHAN Broncos), Marquez ValdesScantling (Green Bay Packers), Avery Williamson (Pittsburgh Steelers) among others.

According to its website, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl showcases players for nearly 200 scouts, player personnel staff, general managers and head coaches from all 32 NFL teams.

“Unlike other all-star games, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl not only provides future union members the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of professional coaches and scouts but also

SEE PAGE 18

SPORTS

PAGE 16, Thursday, January 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Ayton putting greater emphasis on defence

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net DEANDRE Ayton has placed a greater emphasis on the defensive end of the floor as a part of the Phoenix Suns’ transition to their new look roster.

Ayton’s offensive numbers are down from previous seasons, but the Suns headed into last night’s game with the Atlanta Hawks at 5-2, second in the Western Conference standings.

The third year centre has averaged 13.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

“I really don’t care about offence. I’m just the anchor for the defence. I let the game come to me. Finding my way around the offence is just being more of a threat, I’m not really tripping about offence,” he said following a New Year’s eve win over the Utah Jazz.

“Our defence is winning games. That’s what the Suns need to have.

When we get punched in the mouth, what do we do?

How do we answer back?

We already got offence.

I’ve never seen so many shooters on one team. The offence isn’t my thing, I’d rather defence more than anything.”

The Suns are currently first in the NBA in opponents-points-per-game (100.6), fifth in defensive rating (104.4), and seventh in opponent field goal percentage.

“It’s us being together and going out there and competing. That’s just us being together, going out there and competing. We’re just putting our heads down, not believing in the hype, playing hard every night, playing together, making sure our defence is winning games for us and we’ll be fine,”

KING JR FROM PAGE 14 coach Johnson, then I got the call from Mr Curry here at BESA about this opportunity with the NBA Academy - so said, so done,” he said.

“I want to give special thanks to the Smiths, Mr Craig Smith, his wife, their son Chad Smith, they took over the guardianship of Fredrick for two years and they did a wonderful job.

I just want the Bahamian people to know there are a lot of elite athletes in the Bahamas. We just need to have persons who are able to look out for them and further their development.

President and CEO of Bahamas Elite Sports Academy, Rodney Curry, said King’s opportunity came about as a result of the organisation’s amendment to the COVID-19

NBA UPDATES MENTAL HEALTH POLICIES AMID ONGOING PANDEMIC

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

NEW Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram shoots over Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton.

Ayton said. “We want to compete from the beginning to the end of the game and we will run you into the dirt, it doesn’t matter.”

Despite his improvement on the defensive end, Suns head coach Monty Williams wants to see his centre taking advantage of his mismatches on the offensive end as well.

Ayton had back-toback 20-point games for the first time this season when he posted 22 points and 11 rebounds on January 1 against the Denver Nuggets and 24 points and eight rebounds against the LA Clippers. “He’s starting to dominate in the paint, especially on the switches.

It kind of takes him a minute to figure out what teams are doing on the pick and roll but then once he figures that out his steals have been fundamental and offensive rebounding has helped us,” Williams

pandemic and hosting a virtual showcase.

“It’s an historic event to have our first Bahamian student athlete go abroad to attend an NBA Academy.

Every year at Bahamas Elite we host our basketball showcase, where we showcase some of the best talent in The Bahamas.

“But this year we were unable to because of COVID-19 and we had to take a different direction and do a ‘Cyber Showcase’ and today the result of that showcase is this young man having the ability to further his studies and his skills,” he said. “Hats off to this young man and we hope that he continues to work hard as he has been doing throughout his years.”

He added that any donations towards King’s cause can be made at www.bahamaselite.org under the “donate” tab on the home page. “It is very expensive for this young man and his

NEW Orleans Pelicans centre Steven Adams (12) shoots over Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton during the first half Tuesday in Phoenix.

(AP Photos/Rick Scuteri) said. “We just have to ability to score down there DA can do, he can punish figure it out from the jump and generate offence for switches and generate open and take advantage of his our shooters. That’s what threes for our guys.”

family. Any assistance that corporate Bahamas can lend will be appreciated,” Curry said.

“We are trying to help this family as best as we can so if anyone wants to assist they can contact the academy because we need to invest in our athletes, and this family can use as much assistance as possible.

Bahamas Basketball Federation President, Mario Bowleg, said King is well on his way to being the latest Bahamian on the path to the NBA. “The BBF is proud of Bahamas Elite Sports Academy for having the platform for Fredrick King to showcase his talent and give him the opportunity to be the first Bahamian student athlete to attend the NBA Academy. As we are aware in this country, we have two NBA players, many in the NCAA in the pipeline that will be in the NBA. I believe this opportunity for Fredrick will allow us to have another player in the pipeline that stands a great chance of making it to the NBA,” he said.

“It shows the great improvement in the development of the game and the players in this country.

When I got the call from the NBA Academy I was excited and I’m just happy that this day is here and Fredrick has an opportunity to better his skills at a high level toward becoming a collegiate or professional basketball player.”

NBA Academy is an elite basketball development initiative that provides top high school-age prospects from outside the US with a holistic approach to player development.

The NBA Academy programme includes six academies across Australia, China, India, Mexico and Senegal for top male and female prospects from their respective countries and continents.

The programme focuses on health and wellness, character development and

THE NBA is urging teams to make increased commitments toward providing mental health resources to players and staff, releasing updated guidelines yesterday to reflect the challenge of playing amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The league told teams they should establish “education and awareness materials focused on managing mental health during times of uncertainty and coping strategies for addressing the emotional toll of the pandemic.”

“Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, taking care of one’s mental health and having access to resources are important aspects of managing the feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and stress that have characterised much of 2020 and will in all likelihood be present during the 2020-21 season,” the league wrote in a memo obtained by The Associated Press.

The NBA has mandated that teams offer access to mental health professionals in recent seasons — a programme the league calls Mind Health was launched nearly three years ago — but that obviously predates the pandemic and how countless aspects of dayto-day life has changed in recent months.

Most arenas don’t have fans and those that do only allow a limited number of people at games. Players and coaches are tested daily, travel parties have been pared down from what used to be normal and, starting Tuesday, those on the bench to start a game must wear masks until they enter the contest. Those are a few of the ways the NBA has changed amid the virus.

PETER Gilcud presents Fredrick King Jr with his Andros shirt.

FREDRICK King goes up for a block against a Doris Johnson player in the GSSSA Championships.

Photos: 10th Year Seniors life skills, and gives prospects the opportunity to learn the game from outside coaches who the NBA hires with professional, collegiate and international coaching experience.

As part of the programme, the prospects compete against top competition throughout the year and have an opportunity to

be selected for travel teams that play in international tournaments and exhibition games.

Depending on the location of the academy, prospects either attend a local public school or receive a scholarship to a local private school, and receive additional academic support as needed.

“We forged a close relationship with the NBA Academy and we have been trying for a number of years to see how we can get a Bahamian in the academy,” BESA Chairman Peter Gilcud said. “It’s a team effort that makes it happen.

He is the latest in the lineage of great players to come from Andros.”

SPORTS

PAGE 18, Thursday, January 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Tom Brady excited, ready to lead Buccaneers into playoffs

By FRED GOODALL AP Sports Writer TAMPA, Florida (AP) — New team, same ole Tom Brady.

The six-time Super Bowl champion who left New England for sunny Florida is in the playoffs for a NFL-record 18th time in 21 years, and eager to build on an ever-expanding legacy in his first postseason appearance with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bill Belichick and the Patriots are home watching following a historic two-decade run with the 43-year-old quarterback, who’s now pumping vitality into a franchise with the worst all-time winning percentage in the four major professional sports.

Brady led New England to the Super Bowl nine times in 20 seasons, appearing in 41 playoff games and winning 30 — both records.

The Bucs, who will end a 13-year postseason drought when they face Washington in a NFC wild-card game Saturday night, have played 15 playoff games in the club’s 45-season history.

“Anytime you make the playoffs, it’s a good feeling, and it’s a good opportunity to be playing this weekend, a privilege for any of us,” Brady said yesterday.

“We’re a team that’s made a bunch of improvements

over the course of the year, and we have to be at our best. That’s what this part of the season is all about,” the three-time league MVP added. “The regular season is what it is. You realise you put it in the books, but we’re here to win playoff games.”

Brady left New England in free agency, signing a two-year, $50 million contract with the Bucs, who’ve surrounded him with an All-Star cast of playmakers that includes receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, tight end Rob Gronkowski and running backs Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette.

An improved defence has helped Brady continue to defy Father Time, too.

“It’s amazing because when you’re out there watching him in practice, you’re like, ‘This guy looks like he’s 30, maybe 33 at most,’” coach Bruce Arians said.

“It’s just amazing watching him and the way he works so hard at taking care of himself. That’s not easy at 43, taking a few shots — hopefully not too many — and moving on. ... He really is a freak of nature in that regard.”

It’s never been Brady’s style to call attention to his accomplishments, so he lets his play speak for what he’s been able to do this season

BUCCANEERS quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during practice yesterday. The Buccaneers play the Washington Football Team in a playoff game Saturday night.

(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) without benefit of a normal offseason or preseason to prepare for his transition to a new team.

With a franchise-record 40 touchdown passes, he joined Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks to

throw at least 40 in multiple seasons. It also tied Russell Wilson for the second most in the league this year behind’s Rodgers’ 48.

“When he first signed I said, ‘OK, we’ll be a 40 (touchdown) and 10 (interception) team,’” Arians said. “I was expecting

practice, I was expecting OTAs and those things.

What he’s done with none of that — especially this last half of the season — is incredible.”

Brady enters the playoffs coming off throwing for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns over the last eight quarters he played. He rallied the Bucs from double-digit deficits to win four times this season and has thrown for at least two TDs in seven consecutive games.

“As a player, he really hasn’t changed,” Gronkowski, the quarterback’s favourite target in New England, said. “From the second I first met him, he’s been all-in — all-in with practices, all-in at meetings, all-in trying to get better every single day.”

In some ways, Brady has exceeded Arians’ expectations.

“His leadership is beyond anything I’ve ever seen.

Peyton Manning is the only thing close,” said Arians, who’s worked with Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer and Andrew Luck while establishing a reputation as a quarterback whisperer.

“It’s a never-ending thing with him, the perfectionist, to get everything right in practice,” Arians added.

“Also, his calmness on the sideline in games when we’re not winning, saying

‘We’re going to win.’ Those type of things. You put those in a bottle and you make a bunch of money.”

It hasn’t been all rosy, though.

While the Bucs went 10-0 against teams that failed to make the playoffs, they were 1-5 against opponents that earned berths. Brady had 10 touchdown passes and nine interceptions in the losses.

When Arians, who doesn’t sugarcoat his assessment of quarterbacks, spoke publicly about Brady’s early inconsistency many wondered if there was a rift developing between player and coach.

A four-game winning streak to end the regular season put that notion to rest. “I feel like we have a great relationship. From the moment I got here, we’ve just had great dialogue and I certainly appreciate all the insight he gives me and the way he coaches and leads,” Brady said. “It’s very open, honest dialogue about how we think, certainly how I can be most effective,” Brady added. “Any questions he has, we always have a great, open line of communication. I really enjoy my time getting to know him, and I have great admiration for him as a coach, as a man, as what he is off the field and how he commands and leads the team.”

WASHINGTON IN PLAYOFFS AFTER TUMULTUOUS, WHIRLWIND MONTHS

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer ONE name change years in the making, two months of cancer treatments for the beloved new coach, three starting quarterbacks, four combined wins over rivals Dallas and Philadelphia, five months and counting of an investigation into workplace misconduct and countless court filings by minority owners and Dan Snyder over interest in selling shares of the team.

All this happened in less than half of a calendar year for the franchise now known only as the Washington Football Team.

Even for an organisation infamous for decades of drama since three Super Bowl victories, this has been a whirlwind ride unlike many that have been seen in North American professional sports.

“This experience ranks up as the most different one I’ve had, and not just the playoff race but

the whole year,” said coach Ron Rivera, who took over January 1, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in August and did his job through proton therapy.

“This’ll be a memorable one. It really will be.”

Just over a year ago, Snyder fired longtime team president Bruce Allen, putting in motion an attempt to change the organizational culture.

In mid-July, amid a national reckoning over racism and pressure from key sponsors, he dropped the Redskins name that had been around since 1933 when the team was still based in Boston.

The same week, 15 female former employees said they were sexually harassed during their time with the team, and an independent investigation was launched, which the NFL eventually took over.

The Washington Post reported allegations that Snyder was involved in the harassment, which he denied.

Snyder has since battled in US District Court with minority owners Robert Rothman, Dwight Schar and Frederick Smith over their intention to sell their shares of Washington Football Inc. His team is in the playoffs for the first time in five years, but there will be no fans allowed Saturday night when Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit for a wild-card round game because of the coronavirus pandemic.

As NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico said yesterday, “There’s been a lot of stuff that’s happened with the organisation during the year.”

That’s an understatement, if not a euphemism.

“We didn’t know what was going to happen this year with everything,” defensive end Chase Young said.

“With the pandemic, the name change — just everything going on around our team.”

Everything on the field includes Young’s stellar rookie season,

quarterback Alex Smith’s remarkable comeback two years after breaking his right leg in gruesome fashion and a turnaround from 2-7 to NFC East champion, albeit with a losing record.

“It’s been a very eventful year, for sure,” said linebacker Thomas Davis, who signed in March, before the name change.

“I definitely know that if anybody was hired who could handle all of the things that happened this year, it would be coach Rivera.”

The experienced 58-year-old coach praised the entire league for getting through the season amid COVID-19 protocols and praised his players and staff for powering through.

His cancer fight became a source of inspiration, even as Rivera wanted “business as usual” at the practice facility.

“He wanted us to worry about football so he can take care of himself,” offensive coordinator Scott Turner said. “You could tell there was days that he was

fatigued, he was worn out. Sometimes he would come out to practice late. He wasn’t here quite as often as he would be or sometimes he missed a couple meetings here and there, but we all knew what he was going through and we were ready to pick up the slack.”

Rivera didn’t miss a game, from a 1-3 start and benching 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins through a Week 17 victory at Philadelphia to get in the playoffs, days after releasing Haskins, who violated COVID-19 protocols twice.

And for all the happenings over the past several months, Washington has the opportunity to add another chapter against the Buccaneers as more than a touchdown underdog. Rivera has encouraged a “Why not us?” mantra that has become easy for players to believe.

“The old saying goes: ‘All you need is a chance,’” he said.

“That’s why we’ll show up on Saturday night.”

MIKE STRACHAN FROM PAGE 14

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equips them with knowledge of the business side of football. As the union for NFL players, we believe our messaging, guidance and holistic approach will best prepare participants for their future professional football careers. We also take pride in providing the premier platform for collegiate talent from major Division-I schools as well as smaller universities and HBCUs.” Strachan, the Grand Bahama native and former University of Charleston Cougars wide receiver, declared for the draft in December.

The 86th edition of the draft takes place April 29 May 1, 2021.

Strachan signed with DEC Management in November and also recently joined The Society brand and marketing agency.

The 6’5” 225-pound two sport star (athletics), was recently listed among Yahoo! Sports’ top “small school” prospects for the 2021 NFL draft and a preseason All-American.

In his junior season, Strachan rewrote the record books and boosted his stock for pro scouts.

He was named an NCAA Division II Second Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and to the 2019 Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America team.

MIKE STRACHAN He finished with 78 receptions for 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns in his final season with the Golden Eagles.

He finished his career with a share of the all-time Charleston touchdown record of 27. He set new school records, led the Mountain East Conference in each category and was second in all of DII in both receiving yards and touchdowns. He currently holds school records in receiving

yards, breaking his own previous record of 1,007 set in 2018. His 19 receiving touchdowns broke the 70-year record of 13 held by Charlie Hubbard in 1950.

His 78 receptions broke the record of 60 set by Terrance Spencer in 2006. He also achieved Division II Top-10 marks for the 2019 season in receiving touchdowns (second), receiving yards (sixth), receptions (ninth), and receiving yards per game (fifth).