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Volume: 121 No.32, January 8, 2024

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$

After 16-year-old girl killed as house riddled with bullets, PM asks:

PRAY FOR END TO VIOLENCE

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said he was saddened and shocked by recent murders in the country.

Bahamas Christian Council president Delton Fernander struck a similar tone, saying he is concerned about what the future holds for his children.

The men spoke yesterday during the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s annual church

service at the New Destiny Baptist Cathedral after another bloody weekend that saw three people killed, including a 16-year-old girl whose father was murdered two years ago. She was charging her phone when bullets flew through her house.

Eight people have been killed in 2024.

Since December 14, 14 people have been murdered, according to The Tribune’s records.

SEE PAGE FOUR

DAVINIQUE GRAY

Teenage girl shot dead as gunmen open fire on home

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net SIXTEEN-year-old Davinique

Gray was murdered on Saturday, two years after her father was murdered and one day after what would have been his birthday.

Police said the girl, an

11th grader at RM Bailey High School, was charging a mobile device when gunshots ripped through her Nassau Village residence, killing her.

She was one of three people murdered over the weekend.

Eight people have been killed in 2024 as authorities struggle to respond to the bloodshed that

has occurred almost daily since the start of the Christmas holiday period.

SEE PAGE FIVE

One man dead as 36 cases of ANDROS UPSET COVID-19 reported in six weeks OVER ROAD REPAIR DELAYS

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

CASES of COVID-19 are on the rise in New Providence and Grand Bahama, with one man dying.

The Ministry of Health & Wellness said yesterday that 36 cases were reported in the last six weeks, 26 of them in December.

JN.1, a variant of COVID-19 first detected in the United States in

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Michael Darville September, has been spreading. A US Centres for Disease Control

and Prevention report in December said the strain may be more transmissible or better at evading immune systems than other variants currently circulating, according to the New York Times.

Minister of Health & Wellness Dr Michael Darville told reporters yesterday that the variant is in The Bahamas.

“As you can see coming

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net CAPTAIN Leslie Johnson spent $760 to replace control arms on his car after the jeep fell into holes on South Andros’ bad roads. His wife’s car –– just purchased on SEE PAGE THREE

PAGE 2, Monday, January 8, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

THIS WEEK OUR OBITUARIES AND RELIGION SECTION WILL APPEAR IN FRIDAY’S PAPER DUE TO THE MAJORITY RULE DAY HOLIDAY

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 8, 2024, PAGE 3

Former pageant winners want governing organisation investigated

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net FORMER Miss Bahamas Universe winners want a “formal investigation” into the organisation governing the pageant, citing concerns about mismanagement and lack of accountability.

The joint statement yesterday from Melissa Ingraham and Chantel O’Brian came after Ms Ingraham resigned her position over disappointing experiences and a lack of support from the Miss Bahamas Universe Organisation.

She claimed in a statement that the organisation failed to uphold its commitments and she didn’t get the support she expected for training, wardrobe and event management.

In 2021, Ms O’Brian became the first Bahamian to finish in the top ten of the pageant. She later said the organisation treated her like an afterthought.

The joint statement between Ms Ingraham and Ms O’Brian yesterday said: “In reflection of the challenges faced by queens annually, stemming from the mismanagement, mishandling, and overall lack of accountability within pageant organisations, this joint statement serves to shed light on the significant issues experienced. Following Melissa Ingraham’s resignation and entrusted disclosure of her hardships, I publicly stand by her, affirming that her struggles resonate with my own during my 9-month tenure as Miss Bahamas Universe 2021.”

Ms O’Brian said essential components like wardrobe, makeup and hair were self-solicited during her reign.

“Despite an historic Top 10 finish and the Spirit of Carnival Award at Miss Universe, the organisation offered no further support, leaving my accomplishments fueled solely by personal dedication, teamwork and passion,” she said.

She said she complained to the Miss Universe Organisation, but the body took no action.

“I urge them, along with all affiliated individuals, corporations and ministers, to seriously consider our grievances,” she said. “Furthermore, I call for a formal investigation into the ethics and financial management of the organisation.”

The Minnis Universe Organisation said Friday that Taja Hudson, the first runner-up of the pageant, will serve as queen.

Anthony Smith, the national director of the organisation, said he could not immediately respond to questions from The Tribune when contacted yesterday.

MISS Bahamas Universe 2023 winner Melissa Ingraham resigns citing lack of support.

SOUTH ANDROS RESIDENTS UPSET OVER STATE OF ROADS AND THE SLOW PACE OF REPAIRS Friday –– began squeaking and had to be taken to a mechanic. Brandon Miller, meanwhile, is planning to replace his car tyres two weeks after getting new ones.

South Andros residents are frustrated by the deplorable state of their roads, prompting the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs to say in a statement on Friday that the government “shares their concerns surrounding the safety and accessibility of proper roads for residents”.

“The government has reached out to the respective contractor expressing its concern over the slow pace of the road repairs in South Andros as well as concerns surrounding the quality of those repairs.”

The ministry said letters were sent to the contractor in June and December 2023, and the company’s response is being reviewed “to determine the appropriate course of action”.

The ministry did not say who has the contract.

However, in August 2021, during the waning days of the Minnis administration, the ministry said an $8m contract was signed with KW Paving to repair roads from Driggs Hill to Mars Bay. The project was expected to start within three weeks of that announcement and to end within 12 months.

Julian Gibson, owner of Eula Nixon Convenience Store and Last Stop Gas Station, said the roads worsened after the contractor started.

He believes the government was “experimenting” when it gave the company the contract.

“It was half-ass work,” he said. “A bunch of children playing in the mud.”

Although he is retired, Mr Gibson said the roads hurt him because some refuse to drive to his businesses to avoid them.

SOUTH Andros residents are frustrated by the deplorable state of their roads “The roads been bad before the PLP came to power,” he said. “The FNM rushed a contract before the election. The PLP met it on the table, but government has had two years to fix it. They dealing with Abaco and Exuma so there’s no excuse to not deal with Andros.

“Various persons have lost bearings for wheels and suffered vehicle damage. In Nassau you could duck roads. But this is the main thoroughfare where people go to work.

School bus be bouncing up and down and fishermen have to use that road.

Everybody in Andros have to use that road. It’s a disgrace. Everyone has had vehicle damage.”

As Mr Gibson spoke to The Tribune by cellphone, people entered his store and began complaining about the roads.

Some volunteered to express their distress.

Captain Johnson, 56, said he just changed the control arms on his 2013 GMC Terrain Jeep on Friday, noting he can’t avoid the roads.

Mr Miller said the roads are “beat up bad”, requiring him to change his tyres frequently.

PAGE 4, Monday, January 8, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

Pray for end to violence, PM says from page one Mr Davis said: “Yes, crime has been a longstanding issue in our country, but recently, the crime of murder especially, has taken on a horrifyingly new level of brutality and barbarity. Something has indeed gone very, very wrong in our society.”

He invited the Christian Council to hold a National Day of Prayer for healing and comfort.

He said more will be said in the coming weeks about “a strategic initiative to implement a ‘whole government response’ to tackling gang crime’.”

“After all the losses, all the waste of life, all the misery and fear and pain that is part of the criminal life in gangs, those who still choose to pursue the path of crime: understand that we are at maximum resolve,” he said.

“While our arms are open for those who seek a better path, our stance against crime is resolute.

We are coming for you. You cannot win. We will reclaim our streets, our neighbourhoods and our homes.

“I feel the weight of every crime. I hear the cries of every tear shed. I hear the echoes of every plea for a safer nation. I am deeply moved, not just as your prime minister but as a Bahamian, a parent, a neighbour, and a friend.

Safeguarding our nation’s peace remains at the forefront of my mind.”

Bishop Fernander

highlighted the connection between those given bail for serious crimes and those murdered.

He said: “Commissioner Fernander has informed us of the statistics of the number of persons killed on bail for serious offences; also, the number of persons arrested and convicted for these murders of persons on bail, that are themselves on bail or just released from prison for serious crimes.

Unfortunately, it is clear that our justice and legal system is in need of a serious review and overhaul. It is broken and needs to be fixed.”

He added: “We must ask the hard question of what kind of nation will be left for future generations? We must all commit today to be an army of one and not settle for a place where the slaughter of young men and women takes place daily.

“I call on every Bahamian to take responsibility for our children. We must each take our place and give our police force the support it needs to arrest this problem in our society. We must endure the inconvenience of roadblocks, the increase of stop and search and the saturated patrols of police and collaboration with neighbourhood watches.

We cannot be first world in tourism but third world in community living and nation building. I don’t know about you, but this isn’t good enough for me.”

There were 110 murders in 2023.

MORTUARY services personnel remove the body of man from the scene at East and Lewis Streets where he died after being shot in the seventh murder since the start of the new year on Saturday.

Photos: Dante Carrer

POLICE attempt to console a distraught woman at the scene of the coutry’s seventh murder on Saturday.

Man’s body found floating near Potter’s Cay dock A BODY of a man was found floating in waters near Potters Cay dock yesterday. Police said they would provide details about the matter but did not do so before press time.

Funeral Service For Patricia Vernetta Elizabeth Burrows, 65 a resident of Gleniston Gardens will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, 10:00 a.m. at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Wulff and Baillou Roads. Officiating will be Rev’d Fr. Roderick Bain assisted by Rev’d Fr. Chester Burton. A Private Interment will be in The Garden of Christ Church Cathedral, George Street. Cremation was held prior to service.

She is survived by her mother: Mrs. Elsie V. Burrows; brother: Mr. Edward L.C. Burrows; sisters: Dr. Uanna G.M. Burrows, Ms. Delrese Burrows-McWeeney; niece: Miss Krystalann Burrows; nephew: Mr. Emmanuel Bonaby; grandniece: Miss Emani Bonaby and a host of other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.

There will be No Viewing.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Butlers’ Funeral Homes & Crematorium Ernest and York Streets.

THE TRIBUNE

Teenage girl shot dead as gunmen open fire on home

Monday, January 8, 2024, PAGE 5

ONE MAN DEAD AS 36 CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED IN SIX WEEKS

from page one Davinique’s sister, Davianna, 17, said January 5 was already a sombre day for her family because that was the birth date of their father, David Gray, Sr, who was murdered in Montell Heights in December 2021.

She said losing her sister the same way on January 6 is a blow to the family.

She said she was at home when her younger sister was killed but could not recall what happened.

She said after the murder, a circulating voice note alleged that her sister was killed because she witnessed a murder and mentioned it on social media.

“That’s false,” she said. “She don’t go nowhere.”

“Stop making up false narratives.”

She said her sister was funny, outgoing and liked to braid hair.

The teen’s killing happened hours after a man had been killed near East Street north.

Officers found the man lying at the base of a stairwell with gunshot injuries to his upper torso but said they were uncertain of the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Officers also searched a nearby property, finding and seizing a firearm with ammunition believed to be connected to the fatal shooting.

Police said they are looking for a suspect wearing a black jacket and tam who fled from the scene in a cream-coloured Nissan vehicle travelling south on East Street.

On Friday night, a man was shot dead in Nassau Village shortly before 8pm.

The victim was reportedly standing at the junction of Forbes Street and Alexandria Boulevard when the occupants of a grey Nissan vehicle approached him. One man got out of the car and fired multiple gunshots at him.

The victim, believed to be in his early 40s, tried to run but collapsed a short distance away. He was reportedly known to police.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS MINSTER MICHAEL DARVILLE from page one

DAVINIQUE GRAY

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out of the Christmas holidays, a lot of people travel abroad, and we’re exposed, and so there’s no question that the new variant is in the country. But there’s no need to panic, the Ministry of Health is on top of it,” he said.

He added that the variant appears mild and similar to influenza A or B. The minister said Grand Bahama has recorded 11 new COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks. A man died from the virus on that island.

In New Providence, two people were hospitalised after testing positive for the disease. None of the cases has required intensive care management.

Health officials said 28,423 confirmed cases have been recorded in The Bahamas since the pandemic began.

Eight hundred and forty-six people have been confirmed dead, and 12 deaths are under investigation.

“The Ministry of Health

& Wellness remains vigilant in its monitoring of disease trends that could pose possible public health concerns for the Bahamian population, especially trends within the region,” the ministry said.

“Currently, neighbouring countries have noted increases in viral respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 infections. In addition, visits to public health facilities for influenza-like illnesses within the region have increased.

The COVID-19 virus (SARS CoV-2), influenza B, influenza A, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have been responsible for most of these recorded cases.”

People are encouraged to practice good respiratory hygiene –– covering the mouth and nose with a tissue while sneezing and coughing and disposing of the tissue into a trash can after use.

People are also advised to practice proper hand hygiene using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitiser after disposing of tissues.

THE CLEARING BANKS ASSOCIATION Announces

MAJORITY RULE DAY HOLIDAY BANKING HOURS A MAN was shot on Taylor Street and Alexandria Drive in Nassau Village on Friday becoming the fifth victim of the year. The man intially fled after being shot but later collapsed in the street, succumbing to his wounds.

Photos: Moise Amisial

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2024 Closed

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 Normal Banking Hours

CLEARING BANKS Commonwealth Bank Limited Mon. - Fri. 9:00am - 3:30pm Sat. 10:00am - 1:00pm (Cable Beach, Golden Gates, Oakes Field, Prince Charles, Wulff Road, Freeport Mall Drive & Marsh Harbour, Abaco Branches) Bank of The Bahamas Limited Mon - Thurs. 9:30am - 3:00pm Fri. 9:30am - 4:30pm CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank Mon. - Fri. 9:30am - 3:00pm

Citibank, N.A. Mon. - Thur. 9:30am -3:00pm Fri. 9:30am - 4:00pm Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited Mon. - Fri. 9:30am - 3:00pm RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited Mon. - Fri. 9:00am - 4:00pm Sat. 9:00am - 3:00pm (Prince Charles, Cable Beach & Carmichael Branches) Scotiabank (Bahamas) Limited Mon. - Fri. 9:00am - 2:00pm

PAGE 6, Monday, January 8, 2024

The Tribune Limited

THE TRIBUNE

PICTURE OF THE DAY

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

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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Leave no stone unturned to end violence THE fight against crime should not need to be a partisan matter.

Reducing the number of murders in particular should be a goal that we all strive towards together.

Of course, that has not always been what has happened. Current Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis infamously defended the PLP putting up billboard signs in 2012 displaying the number of murders, saying “We cannot hide the truth”.

Mr Davis is now the man tasked with dealing with the murders that plague our nation. Last year, there were more than 100 murders. The year before, there were more than 100 murders. This year has started out with more murders than days so far.

Yesterday, as he addressed members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force at a church service, Mr Davis talked of the numbers of deaths this year, saying that “something has indeed gone very, very wrong in our society”.

But what of solutions? His party’s Blueprint for Change ahead of the last election was very light in how the PLP would address crime. There are just three mentions – a pledge to “enhancing crime fighting methodologies in our aggressive war against crime”, a section that says the PLP will ensure “that the necessary reforms are executed for a safe Bahamas” and to “introduce research-based analysis and policies on countering anti-social behaviour, violence and crime”, and in a section on disaster recovery in Abaco to “address increased levels of crime with proven, effective crime management measures”.

At yesterday’s service, Mr Davis asked the question himself “what can we do?”

He talked of having recruited more

police officers. But that is what have we done, not what can we do. That hasn’t stopped the current wave of murders.

He talked of having strengthened control of our borders to reduce the illegal trafficking of people and firearms – again, this is in the past, not what is in the future.

One thing that is new is that he talked of how in recent months there has been a “strategic initiative” to implement a “whole government response” to tackling gang crime. Apparently, we will hear more in coming weeks.

We have heard of anti-gang initiatives in the past that seemed to take forever to start – the violence interrupter scheme for example that recruited individuals such as Carlos Reid and Rodney Moncur. A report on the status of that project would be helpful.

And then Mr Davis asked the Christian Council to consider a national day of prayer.

We have been praying long and hard for an end to violence already – the prayers will be welcome, but as the saying goes, the Lord helps those who help themselves.

We have long seen measures in place such as saturation patrols – but what do we do next in the face of ongoing high levels of murder?

Tomorrow, the Police Commissioner will address the recent killings in a briefing. He has recently said that officers need to go back to the table to determine new strategies.

Solutions do exist. Look at New York, which has experienced sizeable drops in violent and serious crime.

We should leave no stone unturned in our search for those solutions and ways to implement them here.

And that should be a matter for all sides to come together to achieve.

Time for govt to act on crime EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WOULD like to say Happy New Year to every Bahamian across our archipelago and across the world. I hope that this letter reaches you all in good spirits.

I am writing to express the frustrations of the average Bahamian across this country. We live in a country where defensive driving isn’t just about potential road risks but also looking to see if someone is coming to kill you or the person in the next lane as you transit.

In this new year alone, it appears that we’ve had more murders than we’ve had days. The loss of one life is one too many.

We have a government that appears to be nonchalant on the issue of crime and it’s increase on our shores.

Crime is not a political problem, however when a

government is elected; one of its primary mandates is to ensure the safety of its citizens.

When will enough be enough? When will this government finally put into action plans and strategies to safeguard this Commonwealth? Does crime have to jump over the high gates and bobwired fences of those in power in order for them to do what they were elected to do? I pray that it’s not the case.

All Bahamians, especially young people, deserve to be protected and there is an obligation to protect them.

The reality is that we as a country are desensitized about the violence that is plaguing our shores, simply because those who lead us are either out to lunch or simply lost in the sauce.

When will they make the difficult decisions to save lives?

Brothers and sisters,

we must do a better job in holding our loved ones accountable for living by the sword or being associated with those who do.

The life we save may be our own.

The Bahamian people are tired of counting the number of lives lost each year to violence. It is time for this Government to roll up their sleeves, clock in their cards and get to work; so that we as a country can celebrate the lives being saved and our future being secured.

I would like to offer my sincere condolences to all families who may have lost a loved one to this senseless violence, most especially the family of the 16-yearold female senselessly killed within her home.

XAVIER KNOWLES President of the Torchbearers Youth Association January 7, 2024

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander presents Former Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling a gift of flowers during the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Annual Church Service at New Destiny Baptist Cathedral yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer

Brave, true words at Lyford Cay EDITOR, The Tribune.

HAVING seen excerpts from the Prime Minister’s speech at Lyford Cay last week, I am left with the hope that we may finally have a government that understands the basic interests of The Bahamas and Bahamians for the first time since that of Lynden Pindling.

Moreover, the nature of the criticisms leveled against Mr. Davis’ speech (being mostly veiled, yet unconvincing defenses of Hubert Ingraham’s policies) serve only to reinforce such hope.

Mr. Davis is especially to be commended for having identified what is clearly the most pressing priority facing this country today: an unsustainable socio-economic imbalance, which is these days being misidentified by both media and politicians as a “cost of living crisis”.

The real problem is not about inflation. This has always been a high cost country compared to the adjacent mainland.

Goods, services, electricity and fuel are all more expensive here than in North America. But the two costs that most affect the livelihood of the majority of Bahamians (wages and revenues) are both lower.

The resulting formula means that US dollars earned from abroad are redistributed disproportionately in favour of merchants and professionals (who sell goods and services) and disproportionately against wage earners (who sell labour and rely on state services).

That is the problem.

To pretend that the problem is merely inflation is to pretend that external price fluctuations affect us all equally, which they most manifestly do not.

Yet instead of fixing this formula by raising wages relative to profits and other prices, a generation of Bahamian politicians has instead relied on the ‘expertise’ of economists representing the very interests that benefit from

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net the old, broken formula.

The result is a delusional expectation that ever more foreign investment will somehow, someday fix the problem. Unsurprisingly, it never does.

Whenever you hear a politician express the notion that they would like to raise the minimum wage but now is not the time, or that the economy is too fragile to do it now, that politician is not only demonstrating a fundamental ignorance of The Bahamian economy and how it works, but is parroting the talking points of these vested interests.

Far from safeguarding momentum in the domestic economy, undercompensated labour is actually the principal obstruction to such momentum, both in the short and the long term.

In other words, the surest way to boost growth (at any time) in the domestic Bahamian economy is to lift wages at the bottom, at the expense of profits at the top. The historical record is clear beyond contradiction.

If, as he indicates, the Prime Minister intends to address these inequities by finally moving to introduce a livable wage, then this could represent the best news for the Bahamian economy and society since the advent of Bahamianization.

Equally encouraging is the Prime Minister’s correct assessment of the failures of privatization in the Bahamian context.

The Nassau Guardian’s editorial of the 4th January, which criticizes Mr. Davis’ speech and defends Hubert Ingraham’s supposed successes in making us a “shareholding society” illustrates the tenacity of one of the most destructive political gimmicks of the 1980’s and 90’s.

Bahamians don’t need a government that turns them into “shareholders”

any more than they need one that turns them into union members. Both these are private choices.

What Bahamians need is a government that defends and responds to their needs as citizens. That’s all.

The notion that some politician has a right to take an institution built over centuries on the taxes of Bahamians (and therefore belonging to them ab initio), unilaterally transfer it into private control and then offer the original owners “shares” is as absurd as it sounds, forty years after Thatcher and Reagan (the destroyers, respectively, of the British and American middle class) tried to normalize it in a political gamble that has now spectacularly backfired on both sides of the Atlantic.

In the local context, the absurdity approaches criminality when you consider that the ultimate effect of the so-called “shareholder society” has been to exacerbate the dichotomy between haves and have-nots while offering substandard service and reduced accountability.

That the Guardian would, in its defense of Ingraham’s policies, cite the case of the Arawak Port Development (a privatized monopoly now making huge profits while the cost of imported foods has helped to price Bahamian wage-earners out of the “success” of their own economy) demonstrates how out of touch our elites have become in these matters.

I suspect it will also help, rather than hinder, the resonance of the Prime Minister’s basic point with most Bahamians.

Overall, Mr. Davis is to be commended for having told it like it is. Now, having identified them, he should endeavour to begin undoing those foolish policies that have so harmed this country and its people.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, January 2, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

Pintard says Mitchell’s comments let ‘the cat out of the bag’ on govt view of FOIA

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell’s dismissive comments about the Freedom of Information Act are “incredibly sad” and let “the cat out of the bag” about how the Davis administration feels about a system whose implementation has been slow for more than a decade.

Mr Mitchell said the administration opposes “this Freedom of Information Act idea”. His comment came even though the Progressive Liberal Party promised to fully implement the law in its pre-election Blueprint for Change, identifying it as one of the keys to good governance.

More than 100 countries have implemented some form of freedom of information legislation.

Although a law was passed locally in 2017, no one can request information through the system.

Information Commissioner Keith Thompson told The Nassau Guardian last week that his office has done what it can to get a FOIA pilot programme

rolling but needs the Office of the Prime Minister to provide the necessary technology.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis later said the FOIA was not among his top priorities.

On Friday, after Mr Mitchell’s comments, the Office of the Prime Minister said the administration is committed to implementing the Freedom of Information Act and that Minister Mitchell affirmed the government “is actively moving forward with the FOIA’s implementation”.

However, The Nassau Guardian’s article did not suggest or report Mr Mitchell saying the government is “actively moving forward” with implementing the law. Mr Mitchell said the prime minister’s position is: “Yeah, we’ve got a Freedom of Information Act and we’ll get to it”.

Mr Pintard said: “It is an old adage that often when a crime is bad, the cover-up is even worse. This came to mind when I read the statement from the Office of the Prime Minister from the desk of the country’s chief executive on Fred Mitchell’s incredibly sad statement on the government’s views on the freedom of information.

“The army of

PASSENGERS OF WESTERN AIR HAVE SCARE ON GRAND BAHAMA FLIGHT

A WESTERN Air flight from Nassa to Freeport landed safely following an issue with landing gear leaving passengers shaken.

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net TERRIFIED Western Air passengers prayed and braced for impact on Saturday as their plane made an emergency landing.

A crew member said “brace, brace, brace” as the plane descended, according to a video from a passenger.

When the plane successfully landed, passengers clapped. One shouted: “Hallelujah.”

Western Air CEO and President Sherrexia “Rexy” Rolle said the flight was between New Providence and Grand Bahama. She said the gear indication light came on as the captain prepared to land.

“He then requested to ATC to re-enter the holding pattern as he completed his emergency checklist and once they completed the checklist, they noticed that the indication light

remained on and so at that point, just simply in an abundance of caution, he decided to inform the passengers and to declare an emergency status,” she said.

“As we know, the aircraft landed safely shortly after at 4.50pm and taxied to the gate. It’s important to note to the passengers and to the flying public that the crew must follow their standard operating procedures which they did here and essentially once an emergency status is declared, certain exercises must be done, including requesting brace positions as what may be seen in the video.

“Of course, we must thank and applaud the passengers for following crew’s instructions and their cooperation. We certainly recognise that this is not the usual experience but I can assure them that every decision made by the captain was in the interest of caution and safety.”

political spin doctors at OPM decided for reasons unknown to issue an utterly false and misleading statement in their futile attempt to back peddle or moonwalk away from the sentiments expressed by a cabinet minister and chairman Mitchell. Of course, as we all know, Minister Mitchell let the cat out of the bag and confessed to the nation that the PLP simply ain’t about that freedom of information business. They are not about that life.”

Mr Mitchell also suggested he does not support the Fiscal Responsibility Act and Public Procurement Act that legislation good governance advocates have sought for years.

“The clear and unmistaken truth is that Minister Mitchell didn’t affirm the Freedom of Information Act,” Mr Pintard said. “The truth is stated that he and the PLP oppose these acts.

“Bahamians have realised for a while now what Minister Mitchell has just gotten around to admitting.

The Davis administration never had any intention of fully implementing the Freedom of Information. They will continue to stall and slow walk the implementation of this important piece of legislation because, as they have been showing us, they do not want accountability and transparency.”

Monday, January 8, 2024, PAGE 7

FNM LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD

MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2024

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

The question of accountability

By MALCOLM STRACHAN HAPPY New Year, readers. The ways in which the Christmas holidays fell means it’s been some weeks since my last column – and there certainly has been a lot that has gone on since then.

So what issue should I focus on? There is a lot to choose from.

Perhaps it should be the current surge in murders, which has seen more murders than days of the year so far.

Possibly it should be the Commissioner of Police, who failed to meet his own target two years running with regard to the number of murders, praised a man for begging to be let back into prison who didn’t trust the authorities to keep him alive out on the streets and who admits he has to go back to the drawing board to “see where we could strategise and do some things differently” to fight crime.

We could linger with the Commissioner’s remit and wonder why he needs 14 assistant commissioners when the biggest police force in the UK needs only half that number. We might note that National Security Minister Wayne Munroe sees no problem with that decision and dismissed an

audit that recommended the force only needs six such officers, protesting that The Bahamas has more landmass than other forces so needs more officers – although officers manage people, not land.

While we are talking about Mr Munroe, I might note his suggestion that some criminals ought to be subject to monitoring after they have completed their sentence and wonder about both how constitutional it might be for someone to be subjected to a further punishment beyond that which was given by a judge and how it is also tantamount to an admission that there is next to no rehabilitation going on for offenders while they are in prison.

No, just release the dangerous criminal and stick a tag on him until we throw him in jail again, maybe after he has killed someone else. It is also worth a thought that arbitrarily being able to place punishments on people beyond the legal process is a dangerous place for a government to be in.

I might take a look over at Junkanoo and wonder if I can place a bet on whether Prodigal Sons will get seed money again for next year’s parade after their double no-show.

I might consider how there is to be a gathering to discuss the nature of the mission for the Bahamas force due to go to Haiti and wonder how if the discussion is only happening now, how relevant could the training be that the forces have already gone through.

I’m sure there is a lot more – it’s been a busy few weeks considering the Christmas period is usually quite quiet in the world of politics.

But I’m going to land on something that rests on one word – accountability.

If you want to roll your eyes and say oh, here he goes, he’s going to talk about freedom of information, then let me reassure you – I am absolutely going to talk about freedom of information. Or the lack of it.

Back in 2021, the nation’s first Information Commissioner was appointed. Keith Thompson, appointed under the Minnis administration, has yet to oversee the release of a single piece of information.

The latest we are told is that he has done all he can do to get the freedom of information pilot programme ready for launch – and now it lies in the hands of the Office of the

Prime Minister to provide the technology needed.

The Prime Minister, Philip “Brave” Davis, swiftly poured cold water on the idea that freedom of information might be coming any time soon, suggesting that the government was more focused on fighting inflation rather than providing freedom of information, as if those are the purview of the same departments and as if the government cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. The FNM’s Kwasi Thompson swiftly jumped in to say if the government was really focused on alleviating hardship, it could stop slapping taxes on people, while it was also swiftly pointed out that the spike in electricity prices could have been avoided if the Davis administration had gone ahead with hedging after its election.

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell then piped up to say that “we oppose this Freedom of Information Act idea” and suggesting that anyone can just come and get information from the government whenever they want. Tell that to the reporters who have been asking for who filed their public disclosures on time since the deadline in March, and while you’re

at it, feel free to publish all the contracts awarded by the government since it came to power.

But no, Mr Mitchell says: “There’s no issue with information being disclosed in this country.”

Mr Mitchell tried to deflect, saying: “The issue right now is high prices flowing into the high prices in the country. That’s an issue. The issue is how are we going to stop these young men from killing one another every day?

That’s an issue. Freedom of information? I don’t think so.”

He added: “And it’s bureaucratic, expensive to execute, and I’m not sure you get any results from it that people can actually see.”

For that latter point, it is simple enough to look at other countries with freedom of information in place to see examples. In fact, handily, back in 2015, when a UK politician railed against the freedom of information act, the UK Guardian newspaper rounded up 103 such examples from the first half of the year alone, including stories on contracts, allegations of spying, government expenditure, police departments losing electronic devices, details of toddlers being stopped

and searched by police, the cost of detaining criminals, flaws in election processes, sexual abuse, and a government decision to allow a paedophile to keep a knighthood.

I would be remiss not to note that after Mr Mitchell’s statements, the government fired off a statement saying that the Office of the Prime Minister “wishes to make absolutely clear the Davis administration’s commitment to the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act. Minister Mitchell, in a recent Nassau Guardian article, affirmed that the government is actively moving forward with the FOIA’s implementation. This step underscores our unwavering dedication to ensuring transparency and accountability in governance, integral to our democratic principles and the public’s right to information.”

All is well, then. So as the government is so dedicated, and as Mr Mitchell says that there is no problem with information being disclosed, allow me to make my own premature freedom of information request: By what date will it be fully implemented?

I eagerly await the answer.

Smallness and separateness is not an effective strategy PAGE10, 10 Monday, MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2024 PAGE January 8, 2024

AS we stand at the threshold of 2024, gazing upon the dawn of a new year with uncertainty, the time has come for a profound reflection on the trajectory of the 15 Caribbean nations constituting the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

This juncture prompts the nations of the region to take stock of the strides made, recognize the opportunities neglected in the pursuit of individual sovereignty, and confront the dual challenge of advancing domestic wellbeing while strengthening their global standing.

In this pivotal moment, it is evident that the more pressing threats to CARICOM’s progress emanate not solely from climate change, but primarily from the lack of social cohesion and political consensus both within CARICOM nations and between them.

The choice before CARICOM countries now is the same one that has always confronted them: either pursue a closer union that would make them stronger together or a march alone, knowing they would assuredly be weaker, but hoping gambling on good fortune to muddle through.

So far, CARICOM countries, or at least, their political leadership, have gambled on their ingenuity to maintain the trappings of sovereignty while conceding autonomy to external forces, which, for one reason or another, prop them up, but maintain their dependence.

Since the 1960s, when

INSIGHT

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World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Barbados embarked on separate pathways of independence, they and the other CARICOM countries that followed them, have had fluctuating periods of economic and social development, but none of them has become independent.

They have paid a steep price for cherishing individual sovereignty, manifested in their smallness and in their lack of capacity to exercise influence in the world.

The reality is stark: despite commendable strides on the domestic front, CARICOM nations remain on the fringes of global significance. Economic growth, for the majority, is stunted, shackled by burdensome levels of unsustainable debt.

External shocks, such as the reverberations of the COVID-19 pandemic and the volatility of commodity prices, further strain their fiscal capacities.

The opportunity missed lies in the aftermath of the dissolution of the West Indian Federation, as each nation opted for the allure of self-reliance.

They made the mistake that the United States of America

did not. As US historian Carol Berkin put it, the 13 former British colonies formed a union “on the firm conviction that a strong government representing all the peoples of a Federal State was the surest path to economic growth and prosperity, to civil law and order, and to winning the respect and recognition from foreign nations necessary to insure America’s continued independence”.

And so, it turned out to be.

While over the years, in recognition of their weakness, CARICOM countries have established joint institutions and collective machinery, they have fallen short of creating a legally binding, political umbrella that would be an effective instrument for dealing with critical domestic and foreign challenges.

Importantly, CARICOM leaders failed to do what the founding fathers of the US knew to be essential.

They failed to do the hard work of governance which is to create a nationalism built on shared identity as citizens of a united Caribbean. Thus, the pursuit of separate sovereignties still hampers the strength of CARICOM countries in economic, financial, and

GROUP photo of members of CARICOM at the opening ceremony in October 2023. diplomatic arenas.

None should believe that periods of economic good fortune that reflects itself in episodes of economic growth are sufficient when underlying structures of weakness remain.

Eventually, it is the fundamental weaknesses not the occasional successes that determine national viability.

CARICOM needs to reignite the flame of genuine independence. To do so CARICOM countries must reevaluate the concept of a Caribbean Single Market and Economy, fostering regional cooperation that transcends national borders.

In addition to external challenges, CARICOM countries face a significant hurdle in the form of internal political rivalries both within individual states and among the member nations. The relentless pursuit of political power and influence often takes precedence over the crucial need for social cohesion and national consensus— foundational elements for achieving fair and balanced regional development.

While diverse opinions on policy matters are essential in democratic societies, the detrimental practice of dismissing opposing views solely for narrow political gains undermines the very essence of progress.

It becomes imperative to recognize that prioritizing

regionalism over nationalism is the key to fostering growth, fortifying economies, and building the necessary capacity for true independence.

A looming concern threatening Caribbean stability is the alarming surge in gang-related violence, prominently evident in Haiti. The cultivation of gangs is not merely a local predicament but a symptom of organized crime seeking to destabilize the Caribbean as hubs for illicit activities.

Addressing this menace necessitates a united front, built upon social cohesion and national consensus, lest it becomes an insurmountable impediment to economic and political integration.

The time is opportune for leaders across CARICOM, spanning government, opposition parties, the private sector, unions, and academia, to reignite the vision of deeper integration. The emphasis should unequivocally be to pursue regional development and national interests on parallel tracks, recognising that each can contribute to the other. Pursuing national concerns to the exclusion of regional development is self-defeating.

Except for Haiti, the lessons ingrained in CARICOM’s shared history since the 1930s, underscore the significance of interdependence, preserving

a distinctive Caribbean identity, and collectively acquiring the capital and capacity requisite for the region to stand as a robust, respected, and influential area globally.

The road ahead demands a paradigm shift in our political culture — one that places social cohesion and national interest at the forefront. By transcending political rivalries and fostering a spirit of collaboration, CARICOM nations can harness their collective strength to navigate the complexities of 2024 and beyond.

The vision of independence within interdependence remains an attainable beacon, promising a future of prosperity for the diverse and dynamic nations that constitute the Caribbean Community.

It is not beyond the creativity of the region to create a constitutional mechanism in which CARICOM countries can assign to a central agency, composed of representatives of their states, to sustain unity that benefits all. Separateness and smallness will not do.

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS. He is also the current President of the OAS Permanent Council. The views expressed are entirely his own. For comments and previous commentaries, see: www.sirronaldsanders.com)

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INSIGHT

Monday, January 8, PAGE 11 11 MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2024, 2024 PAGE

The US invented shopping malls, but China is writing their next chapter

CUSTOMERS visit a duty-free shopping center in Sanya city in South China’s Hainan province

By JOHN RENNIE SHORT ON A recent research trip to China, I wandered through the Oasis Mall in suburban Shanghai. Like many Chinese shopping centres, this complex was filled with empty stores that reflected the end of China’s 30-year-long economic expansion. But there also were surprises.

Along a stretch of the mall’s interior walkway, a cluster of parents and grandparents sat on chairs. They were looking through a plate glass window, watching a dozen 5- to 7-year-old girls practice ballet steps, carefully following their teacher’s choreography. A space initially designed for retail had been turned into a dance studio.

From 1990 through 2020, large, shiny shopping malls embodied China’s spectacular economic growth. They sprouted in cities large and small to meet consumer demand from an emerging middle class that was keen to express its newfound affluence. These centres look familiar to American eyes, which isn’t surprising: US architectural firms built 170 malls in China during this period.

Like their US counterparts, many Chinese malls have fallen on hard times.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of online shopping have devastated foot traffic, leaving the nation with a huge overhang of retail space. But many Chinese malls are being reimagined by owners and users as palaces of experience – civic areas for communities to meet and interact, with new configurations of public and private space.

As a longtime urban policy scholar, I was fascinated by the new uses I saw for malls in China. In my view, these experiments could become models for new, creative uses of retail space in the US, where the mall was invented.

Serving a new consumer class

China opened up to foreign trade and investment less than 50 years ago.

Since then, it has become the world’s second-largest economy, surpassed only by the US Rising incomes and a massive population shift from rural areas to cities have created a growing middle class with significant purchasing power. GDP per capita increased from US$293 in 1985 to $12,500 by 2021.

Today, approximately 350 million Chinese – 25% of the total population – can be considered middle class.

More recent economic growth has generated growing income inequality that now is equivalent to US levels.

Malls became a motif of modernity during the country’s economic expansion.

They offered consumers year-round protection from heat, humidity, cold and frost, as well as from busy streets and polluting traffic.

Malls were safe environments where the steadily increasing numbers of more affluent Chinese families could shop and eat, stroll and meet.

Over the past 30 years, China’s malls have faced economic booms and slumps. For example, the New South China Mall in Dongguan – which is twice the size of Minnesota’s Mall of America, its largest US counterpart – opened in 2005. But most of its 2,300 storefronts remained closed for over a decade as China fought off recession after the 2008 world financial crisis.

China weathered that downturn through aggressive economic stimulus policies, and within a decade it replaced the US as the world’s top driver of economic growth. This expansion buoyed its retail sector, including shopping centres. By 2018, a renovated and modernized New South China Mall was near full occupancy.

Then COVID-19 struck in 2020. The Chinese government adopted a rigid zero-COVID policy, in

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which local governments could impose lockdowns after detecting just a few cases. Hundreds of millions of people were restricted to their homes for weeks or months at a stretch.

This policy was lifted only in late 2022. China’s economy has yet to fully recover, and many experts argue that it will never again reach its previous rates of growth. An aging population, trade wars with the US and a government focused on centralizing power under the Communist Party are all acting as drags on the economy, and online shopping is drawing consumers away from stores.

As a result, Chinese media reports abound with stories about well-known stores and venerable malls closing.

In China, as in the US, what scholars once described as the “magic of the mall” has become an “allure of ruins.”

Malls with Chinese characteristics But the Chinese are making creative use of excess mall space. New users are filling nonretail areas, such as indoor walkways and atriums that now

INSIDE large mall in Wang Fu Jin in Beijing. house café tables. Others have become children’s play spaces filled with giant inflatable figures. The Raffles City Mall in Shenzen has a rooftop pet playground, a stage, an art display area and a sun-shaded lawn.

China’s informal economy of food stalls and sidewalk merchants is also filling the void. Although street vending has a long history in China, government officials sought to suppress it in recent years, calling it unsanitary and a throwback to pre-modern times. Now, however, they

are encouraging it as a way to reduce growing unemployment, especially among young people, which currently exceeds 20%.

During my trip, I saw small-scale entrepreneurs selling produce, street food and crafts in mall parking lots and around public entrances. The distinction between public and private spaces is being reconfigured as vendors set up stalls in areas that once were open space.

Empty store spaces are also being repurposed.

Some have been converted

into electric vehicle showrooms, art museums and children’s play centres with dance studios, paddling pools, small skating rinks, gyms and yoga centres.

Others have been redesigned as sites for art or cooking classes, or for multiplayer electronic gaming and virtual reality experiences. The Dream Time Mall in Wuhan contains an indoor snow centre that offers ski lessons, ice mazes and tubing.

I see these experiments as a shift in the meaning of the mall. What began as a cathedral of retail consumerism is becoming a place where people can connect and enjoy individual and collective experiences that aren’t available online.

Some US malls are moving in this direction, but China is doing it on a much larger scale. Just as former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping once asserted that his government was pursuing its own version of socialism, with “Chinese characteristics,” the US-designed mall is being rewritten with Chinese characters.

PAGE 12, Monday, January 8, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union signs five-year industrial agreement

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union signed a five-year industrial agreement with Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant on Friday.

Over 50 Graycliff employees are expected to benefit, with salary increases and other benefits throughout the period.

“In this new agreement, there are improvements in the vacation, there are improvements in Christmas bonus, there are improvements in the ham and

turkey and of course, there’s improvement in the wage and emoluments,” said Darrin Woods, BHCAWU President.

“And there’s also a lump sum payment that they will get, as a matter of fact, once the document is signed, they have decided just to make those payments in the very near future.”

The agreement provides a 20 per cent wage increase over the five years, with the first increase expected in the coming weeks.

Mr Woods expressed his satisfaction with the new agreement, adding that the deal puts Graycliff

employees in a “more stable position”.

“The members were the ones who told us exactly what it is they want to see,” he said yesterday.

“And like anything else, you don’t always get what you requested, but I believe we went very well on our way in terms of getting most of the things that we would have asked for and we were able to preserve a lot of the prior benefits that were in there.

“And again, this one is also historic and significant because once this document is signed and registered, it then forms part of the

employee’s individual contract of employment.

“So, which means the benefits will continue and that is why from an organisational standpoint we are pushing membership-driven activities and membershipdriven benefits because of the long-term rewards they would reap at the end of the day.”

Mr Woods said the union is locked in industrial agreement talks with other entities including Bahamas Hotel and Restaurant Employers Association, Harbourside and Club Med Columbus Isles Resort.

DARRIN WOODS, BHCAWU PRESIDENT

MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND POSSESSION OF FIREARM

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net A 24-YEAR-OLD appeared before the Magistrate’s Court on Friday to face murder and firearm charges.

Jonathan Armbrister was accused of, by means of unlawful harm, intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of Antonio Bowles on December 31 in New Providence.

Armbrister was also accused of possessing a firearm, an AR 15 rifle, with the intent to endanger Mr Bowles’ life.

Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley said the accused was not required to enter a plea and his court has no jurisdiction to grant bail, hence he would have to apply for one.

The matter is adjourned to April 18 for the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.

AMERICAN MAN CHARGED WITH STABBING DEATH OF HIS FATHER

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander presents Governor General Cynthia Mother Pratt a gift of flowers during the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Annual Church Service at New Destiny Baptist Cathedral yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer

A 26-YEAR-OLD American man faced Magistrate’s Court on Friday accused of the first murder of 2024.

On Monday - New Year’s Day - Mario Cash Jr is accused of intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of his father, Mario Cash Sr, at his residence in New Providence.

Due to the nature of the charge, Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley said Mr Cash Jr was not required to enter a plea in the Magistrate’s Court.

Mr Cash Jr’s attorney, Ian Cargill, claimed the accused had been denied medications when in custody. He is said to need pretax, hydra and oxycodone for a medical condition.

When the defendant was arrested, he reportedly advised police of his medicine and medical condition. After Cash Jr continuously complained to officers at the Western Police Station, they then advised the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) who went to his residence to retrieve the medication. This complaint of not receiving his medication reportedly went on between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mr Cargill said he visited his client on Tuesday, January 2. He said he spoke to a sergeant and two CID

officers who were at the station. He said he asked to be notified so he could be present for any video interview.

However, on the following day, Mr Cargill alleged police took the defendant on a video inquiry as soon as he left. He claimed his client requested his lawyer be notified and the officers refused to do so and Mr Cash Jr was forced to participate.

The lawyer advised a US Embassy representative of the alleged denial by the sergeant of his client’s constitutional right to have his attorney present during an interview and the problems he was having receiving his medication. Cash Jr also notified the representative.

Mr Cargill also said he advised CID officers the defendant had asked to see a doctor. Mr Cargill told the magistrate the defendant was taken to hospital on Thursday evening.

Mr Cargill also asked CID to permit family members of the defendant to retrieve documentation that may assist in his bail application.

He claimed that has yet to happen. Mr Cargill asked the court to make an order for two individuals to be escorted by officers to the defendant’s property. The judge scheduled January 8 for the request to access the residence.

Before the court proceedings, the defendant could be seen crying and hugging with loved ones.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 8, 2024, PAGE 13

Israel says Hezbollah struck sensitive air traffic base in the north and warns of ‘another war’ JERUSALEM Associated Press HEZBOLLAH has struck an air traffic control base in northern Israel, the Israeli military said Sunday, and warned of “another war” with the Iran-backed militant group The increase in fighting across the border with Lebanon as Israel battles Hamas militants in Gaza gave new urgency to US diplomatic efforts as Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepared to visit Israel on his latest Mideast tour.

“This is a conflict that could easily metastasize, causing even more insecurity and even more suffering,” Blinken told reporters after talks in Qatar, a key mediator. The escalation of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has complicated a US push to prevent a regional conflict.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah fire hit the sensitive air traffic control base on Mount Meron on Saturday but air defences were not affected because backup systems were in place. It said that no soldiers were hurt and all damage will be repaired.

Nonetheless, it was one of the most serious attacks by Hezbollah in the months of fighting that has accompanied Israel’s war in Gaza and forced tens of thousands of Israelis to evacuate communities near the Lebanese border.

Hezbollah described its rocket barrage as an “initial response” to the targeted killing of a top Hamas leader in a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut last week, which is presumed to have been carried out by Israel.

The Israeli military chief of staff, Lt. Col. Herzi Halevi, said military pressure on Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, was rising and it would either be effective “or we will get to another war.” Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari asserted that Israel’s focus on Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force was pushing it away from the border.

ISRAELI soldiers take up positions near the Gaza Strip border, in southern Israel, yesterday.

Israel has mostly sought to limit the fighting in its north. Hezbollah’s military capabilities are far superior to those of Hamas. But Israeli leaders have said their patience is wearing thin, and that if the tensions cannot be resolved through diplomacy, they are prepared to use force.

“I suggest that Hezbollah learn what Hamas has already learned in recent months: No terrorist is immune,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet. We are determined to defend our citizens and to return the residents of the north safely to their homes.”

Lower-intensity fighting along Israel’s northern border broke out when Hezbollah began firing rockets shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel triggered the war in Gaza, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking some 250 people hostage. Hezbollah has said its attacks

aim to ease pressure on Gaza.

In a joint news briefing with Blinken, Qatar’s government acknowledged that the killing of the senior Hamas leader in Lebanon can affect the complicated negotiations for the potential release of more hostages held

by Hamas in Gaza but “we are continuing our discussions with the parties and trying to achieve as soon as possible an agreement.”

Inside Gaza, the war against the militant group entered its fourth month Sunday.

The Israeli military has signalled that it has wrapped up major combat in northern Gaza, saying it has completed dismantling Hamas’ military infrastructure there. Now it presses its offensive in the south, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians are squeezed into smaller areas in a humanitarian disaster while being pounded by

Israeli airstrikes.

Netanyahu insists the war will not end until the objectives of eliminating Hamas, getting Israel’s hostages returned and ensuring that Gaza won’t host a threat to Israel are met.

Biden administration officials have urged Israel to wind down its blistering air and ground offensive and shift to more targeted attacks against Hamas leaders.

More than 22,800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 58,000 wounded since the war began, according to the Health Ministry in Hamasrun Gaza. The death toll does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Health officials say about two-thirds of those killed have been women and minors.

Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates in heavily populated residential areas.

Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP An airstrike near the southern city of Rafah killed two journalists on Sunday, including Hamza Dahdouh, the oldest son of Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s chief correspondent in Gaza, according to the Qatari-owned Arabic-language channel and local medical officials. Al Jazeera broadcast footage of Dahdouh weeping and holding his son’s hand.

Israel’s military had no immediate comment.

Al Jazeera strongly condemned the killings and other “brutal attacks against journalists and their families” by Israeli forces. Dahdouh also lost his wife, two children and a grandchild in an Oct. 26 airstrike, and was wounded in an Israeli strike last month that killed a co-worker.

“The world is blind to what’s happening in the Gaza Strip,” he said, blinking back tears.

Another airstrike hit a house between Khan Younis and the southern

city of Rafah, killing at least seven people whose bodies were taken to the nearby European Gaza Hospital, according to an Associated Press journalist at the facility. One man hurried in carrying a baby, and later walked the blanket-wrapped child to the morgue.

“Everything happening here is outside the realms of law, outside the realms of reason. Our brains can’t fully comprehend all this that is happening to us,” said a grieving relative, Inas Abu al-Najja, her quavering voice rising. Men worked the rubble with picks and bare hands.

On Sunday, officials at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis received the bodies of 18 people, including 12 children, killed in an Israeli strike late Saturday on a home in the Khan Younis camp set up decades ago to house refugees from the 1948 war over Israel’s creation.

Israeli forces pushed deeper into the central city of Deir al-Balah, where residents in several neighbourhoods were warned that they must evacuate.

The international medical charity Doctors Without Borders, known by the French acronym MSF, said it was evacuating its medical staff from Deir al-Balah’s Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital.

A bullet penetrated a wall of the hospital’s intensive care unit on Friday, and “drone attacks and sniper fire were just a few hundred meters from the hospital” over the past couple of days, said Carolina Lopez, the group’s emergency coordinator there. She said the hospital received between 150 and 200 wounded people daily in recent weeks.

The International Rescue Committee and Medical Aid for Palestinians said they also were forced to withdraw from the hospital. “The amount of injuries being brought in over the last few days has been horrific,” surgeon Nick Maynard with the IRC medical team said.

AS POLICE LOSE THE WAR ON CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA, PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES STEP IN JOHANNESBURG Associated Press THAMSANQA Mothobi was going about his life in Johannesburg when he was carjacked and taken to an informal settlement where robbers accessed his mobile banking apps.

“They had guns and demanded the PIN codes for my apps. They increased the withdrawal limits in my accounts and emptied them. I was only released in the early hours of the morning,” the father of three said, adding that his one comfort was that he was not killed.

It’s an all-too-common story in South Africa, a country that in the past year has seen an average of 75 killings and 400 robberies with aggravating circumstances every day, according to official statistics. While it may be Africa’s most developed country, it also has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world.

Experts have warned that the South African police are losing the battle against crime — and that has led those citizens who can afford it to turn to a booming private security industry.

“It’s not getting better, it is getting worse,” said Anton Koen, a former police officer who now runs a private security firm that specializes in tracking and recovering hijacked and stolen vehicles. “The murder rate is the highest in 20 years, violence is getting worse because our justice system seems to be failing us, the public of South Africa.”

There are more than 2.7 million registered private

TWO men, on the ground, suspected of driving a stolen vehicle, are apprehended by private security personal in a suburb east of Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday, December 1, 2023. Experts have warned that the South African police are losing the battle against crime and that has led those citizens who can afford it, to turn to a booming private security industry.

Photo: Denis Farrell/AP security officers in the country, according to the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, making South Africa’s security industry one of the largest in the world.

That compares with fewer than 150,000 police officers for the country’s 62 million people.

Private security companies earn a monthly fee for patrolling neighbourhoods and providing armed response to their clients’ alarm systems. They also offer tracking and car recovery services, which often results in them getting involved in highspeed chases of car thieves and hijackers.

Figures from PSIRA show that the number of security businesses in South Africa grew by 43% in the past decade,

while the number of registered security officers has increased by 44%.

Associated Press journalists accompanied private security officers on patrols around suburbs in east Johannesburg, where it was evident they were performing the role of the police in many circumstances.

Koen was armed with an assault rifle and wore a bulletproof vest as he patrolled in his response vehicle, which is fitted with cameras and has car registration identification technology that can pick up suspected stolen vehicles.

During one of the patrols, Koen sped to where two suspects had been apprehended by other private security personnel after a vehicle they

were travelling in was linked to burglaries and armed robberies. The suspects were handed over at a nearby police station, which typically happens to those apprehended by security firms.

But staying safe and avoiding crime is another example of the stark inequality that afflicts South Africa, as only the wealthy few can afford private security services.

The majority of South Africans must still rely on an underresourced and struggling police force.

More than 580,000 private security guards are currently active and employed — more than the police and army combined — according to figures from PSIRA. “People with money make up a very small

percentage of South Africa. That means that the vast majority of South Africans don’t really benefit from this security industry,” said Chad Thomas, an organized crime expert who has worked more than 30 years in law enforcement and now in private security.

“If you live in a traditional township environment, or if you live in an informal settlement, it is few and far between that you will see security patrols in those areas because they don’t have paying customers.”

Even those who are lucky enough to have private protection can’t always be sure of safety.

In November, a South African government minister and her bodyguards were held up at gunpoint on a highway and robbed of money and their cellphones. The two bodyguards were made to lie on the ground while the robbers ransacked their vehicle and stole their police-issued guns.

It was a reminder that as long as violence is so prevalent in South Africa, everyone is in danger.

Thomas, like many, ties the high levels of violent crime in South Africa to anger over the country’s deep problems of poverty.

“We have seen this anger playing out in violent acts,” Thomas said.

“So, what should be a normal robbery where someone gets pointed (at) with a firearm and their belongings are taken … becomes an opportunity for the robber to vent frustration and anger on that innocent victim.”

Violent crime in South

Africa has spiked over the past decade after a period when it decreased substantially. There were 27,494 killings in South Africa in the year to February 2023, compared with 16,213 in 2012-2013. South Africa’s homicide rate in 2022-2023 was 45 per 100,000 people, compared with a rate of 6.3 in the United States and around 1 in most European countries.

The police say 10,000 new police officers are going into service from the start of 2024, in an effort to reverse the trend.

“This is more boots on the ground, we’ll have more members on the ground who will be able to reach more communities and more delivery of services,” National Police Commissioner Gen. Fannie Masemola said during a graduation parade in December for some of the new officers.

In an indication that police are overwhelmed, local government authorities in the Gauteng province that includes Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, have recently introduced their own crime wardens to help with law enforcement. The uniformed but unarmed wardens provide support to police operations, though they have faced questions over their legal status.

Thomas said that crime “can thrive in an environment where there is a disorganized police force.”

“We don’t have a disorganized police force because they set out to be disorganized,” he said.

“It is simply because they don’t have sufficient resources, they don’t have sufficient capacity.”

SPORTS MULLINGS SOARS TO NEW RECORD PAGE 14

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER spending the past year working on his technique in a new location, former national decathlon record holder Ken Mullings decided to go back to Urbana, Illinois, to continue his training in his attempt to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in July in Paris, France.

Mullings, whose national record was relinquished to his former training partner and close friend, but arch rival, Kenderick Thompson last year, got in his first meet for the year at the Illini Open over the weekend.

At the meet, Munnings vaulted to a national indoor record-breaking performance in the individual men’s pole vault, a victory added to the 60-meter hurdles and a seventh-place finish in the shot put.

The 26-year-old Mullings had a clean sheet in the pole vault with first clearances of 14-feet, 06 ¼-inches or 4.43 meters, followed by 15-00 ¼ (4.58m), 15-06 ¼ (4.73m), 15-00 (4,88m) and finally his winning height of 16-06 (5.03). But he failed at his three attempts at 17-00 ¾ (5.20m).

“It felt really good. I felt that all the work that I’ve been doing after Chile is paying off,” said Mullings, about his final meet in October when he competed at the Pan American Games in Santiago where he failed to post a mark.

He suffered an injury on

MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2024

the last day of competition and was unable to complete the grueling ten events.

“Now I just have to build on and get more points so that I can compete in multiple events (decathlon).

It went really well. It also helped that it was the first event so I went into it more energised. I feel there’s more energy in the tank.

I just have to try some bigger poles and get the job done.”

It wasn’t until Mullings got the confirmation from national hammer record holder Delron Innis during their competition after the meet that he discovered that he had erased Brent Vanderpool’s national pole vault record of 4.95m that he established on February 15, 1988 at the Naval Academy at the Halsey Field House in Annapolis, Maryland.

“That was crazy,” said Mullings, who admitted that the way he performed on Saturday, there’s no reason why he can’t mount up to 5.15 or 5.20m.

While he was thrilled to get the record, Mullings said it helped him tremendously as he competed in the other two individual events in the competition.

In the shot put, Mullings had to settle for sixth place with his heave of 50-0 ½ (15.25m). Five competitors, all from Illinois, had throws better than Mullings, led by senior champion Tyler Sudduth with 61-07 (18.77m).

“I was really pleased with that performance,” Mullings stated. “Everything just went for me in that

SHEENA STURRUP DIES, AGED 54

SEE PAGE 16

DECATHLETE Ken Mullings celebrating after one of his performances. event.”

And on the track, taking the title in the 60m hurdles in 7.83 seconds, well ahead of his nearest rival, Jack Elder, a senior at Butler, who ran 8.03 for second.

Mullings got out of the preliminaries with the fastest qualifying time of 7.92 with Elder trailing with the second fastest in 8.26.

“That was a really good run. I could still clean it up a bit because my trail foot hit the hurdles, so I know there’s more in the tank for the hurdles as well,”

BUDDY ON THE MOVE?

INDIANA Pacers guard Buddy Hield in action as the Boston Celtics played the Indiana Pacers an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, on Saturday.

Photo: AJ Mast/AP

By TENAJH SWEETING Fischer via the X platform the Bahamian Tribune Sports Reporter three-point marksman could be potentially tsweeting@tribunemedia.net traded after contract negotiations between the Pacers organisation and the 31-year-old GRAND Bahama native Chavano stalled last fall.

“Buddy” Hield could find himself on a new “I do know that Buddy Hield is on the team roster before the National Basket- block after he turned down extension numball Association’s (NBA) trade deadline in bers from Indiana in the fall,” Fischer said. early February. The current Indiana Pacers The three-point specialist currently has shooting guard has bounced between the one year remaining on his four-year $94m starting lineup and bench unit since the contract but it seems unlikely that he will start of the 2023-24 NBA season and is be with the Pacers organisation late into now actively involved in trade rumors once the season. again as the February 8 deadline looms.

SEE PAGE 16 According to Senior NBA reporter Jake

Mullings said.

In Urbana, Mullings is back under the supervision of coach Petros Kyprisnou, whom he worked with for the first time last year.

“After the improvement I made with him last year, I decided to go back this year,” Mullings said. “I came up here a little earlier to get in the training and so I’m glad that I made that decision because it’s already starting to pay off.”

Before he focuses on the Olympics, Mullings said he wants to take a crack at the

World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland from March 1-3, so he will start his campaign to qualify by competing in his first heptathlon on January 27-28. The heptathlon for men is seven events indoors, compared to the ten events for the decathlon outdoors.

“I don’t know how many points I need to score. I just need to get a top six position and hopefully no other Bahamian will get past that,” Mullings said. “If the way things happened today

went, I’m highly confident.

“Today went beautifully and it wasn’t no fluke that I got over these bars or ran the times and threw these distances. I just need to clean up some things and get sharper when I compete again. The goal right now is to qualify for World Indoors.”

Once he’s done indoors, if he qualifies, Mullings said he’s willing to step up his training for the outdoors and his quest to qualify for the Paris Olympics in July.

NEXT STOP EUROPE ON THE ROAD TO THE OLYMPICS

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IN his bid to attempt to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, judoka Andrew Munnings is planning on taking his training base to Europe over the next four months.

Munnings, who trained in a few countries last year, plans to take off to Europe at the end of the month where he admits that it’s cheaper for him to compete in a number of competitions where he’s there.

“There’s a training site that I went to last year who has extended an open arm for me to come back,” said Munnings, of the proposed training base in Valencia, Spain. “I will be there while traveling to compete in the different Grand Slams and Grand Prix that are happening.”

Munnings, who turned 26 on January 1, is looking to compete in his first event for the year on February 1 as he got his adrenaline flowing for what he expects to be a banner year. He will continue to represent the Bahamas Judo Federation at the July 26-August 11 Olympics, hopefully following in the footsteps of his father, Timothy Munnings, a track and field Olympian and former Director of

ANDREW MUNNINGS Sports at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

“I feel confident. I feel very strong,” he said. “My last few training sessions when I was away were very good, so starting in Paris with the competition there, will be a good starting point because Paris has one of the biggest competitions yearround and is normally sold out. So I am getting fired

up and hope to continue the momentum through the rest of the competition.”

With the meet being a prelude to the Olympics, Munnings said he just wants to put his best foot forward.

He’s currently 263 in the world in the under-73 kilograms and is 52nd in the Pan American region.

SEE PAGE 19

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 8, 2024, PAGE 15

Rhema Otabor optimistic for 2024 season

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net WITH 2023 now in the rearview mirror, expectations are high for not only federations but also top athletes in the 2024 calendar year. Top javelin thrower Rhema Otabor turned in an outstanding 2023 season across the board and although many adopt a “new year, new me” mindset as the calendar flips, The Tribune’s 2023 Senior Female Athlete of the Year wants to build on last year’s tremendous progress this season.

The 2024 calendar year is a major one in athletics due to the Olympic Games being scheduled for July 26-August 11 in Paris, France. With the marquee event a mere 200 days away, the 21-year-old is determined to make a push to qualify and make her debut at the event this summer.

“For 2024 as we all know is gonna be the Olympic year and that is the big goal. I want to make it there and I want to go there and perform really well. I hope that leading up to the Olympics I have really good meets where I feel like I could build confidence on what I have been working on and practicing so that when I get to that actual meet I am able to compete with them and give it my best. It won’t be a repeat of what happened at the World Champs last year but it will be ten times better,” the women’s senior national javelin champion said.

In her debut at the 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Otabor was unable to turn in her best efforts. Team Bahamas’ youngest member ended her stint at the event 15th in Group B of the qualifying round with a throw of 53.62m and was unable to advance to the finals at the global event.

Despite a disappointing performance by her standards, the University of Nebraska student was grateful for the learning experience and will use it as fuel to motivate her on her quest to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“It wasn’t a really good performance. One thing I will say that I took away from it was the experience.

Going into it, I was really nervous because I was actually with the big dogs and it was my first time being on a stage that large. Now that I have that experience and exposure under my

belt I feel that I am more equipped. I feel like I belong and could definitely hang with them,” she said.

Otabor had countless remarkable accomplishments in 2023 to cement herself as a notable performer in the women’s javelin at the senior level.

She became the second Bahamian, since Laverne Eve in 1987, to win the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One javelin title at the Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas with a throwing distance of 59.49m. The NCAA D1 javelin title holder surpassed that mark with a toss of 59.75m at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) 2023 National Track and Field Championships to become the women’s senior national champion last July.

Throughout the season she expressed the desire to clear 60m which she eventually did at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile where she notched 60.54m to earn her first international medal. She not only claimed silver in the women’s javelin throw finals but became only the second Bahamian to go over the 60m mark in the field event.

Otabor has gotten dangerously close to Eve’s national record of 63.73m which she established at the Nashville Commodore Classic in Nashville, Tennessee in 2000.

“My last meet was over 60m which I feel like I should have already hit from earlier in the season but everything in its time. My practice has been going pretty well. I wouldn’t say it is too tedious or too much emphasis placed on heavy lifting but more on technique, maintaining strength and getting stronger in certain aspects of my throw. It is coming together and I feel pretty good about where I am at right now,” she said.

In her downtime at home, Otabor was grateful to spend time with her family, experience Junkanoo and other aspects of Bahamian culture and enjoy much warmer weather which is the opposite of her experience in Nebraska.

“I missed that a lot when I was up there in Nebraska it ain’t nothing like home. I have not been getting a lot of down time because I have been working but it feels a bit more relaxing being here,” she said.

The senior athlete will head back to the University of Nebraska on January 17 to take on the 2024 season.

T-Bird Flyers Classics sees more CARIFTA qualifiers

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net THE 32nd T-Bird Flyers Track and Field Classic was a success not only for event organisers but also athletes vying to compete at the 2024 CARIFTA Games scheduled to take place in St George’s, Grenada.

Three athletes unofficially qualified for the regional competition at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Odd Distance Meet held late last year while more were added to the count over the weekend at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

After being unable to join last year’s historic 80-member CARIFTA team due to her age, Bishop Michael Eldon’s Keyezra Thomas made sure to check all boxes this time around. The now 14-yearold athlete, who recently celebrated her birthday on Friday, got a sweet birthday treat when she unofficially qualified in stunning fashion for the under 17 girls high jump.

Thomas placed first in the event soaring to a height of 1.70m. Not only did she surpass the under 17 girls qualifying standard of 1.63m but she also cleared the 1.65m distance established for the under 20 girls. Additionally, she took home first place finishes in the 200m and 400m events in the same age group.

Thomas, who is new to the high jump event, was grateful to qualify early.

“I feel good, last year I

could not go but I watched two-day meet. and felt like when I do go in “I was very happy that I would do extremely well I was able to qualify this so I am proud that I can go early. I have been working in it this time. I just want to really hard towards this for thank God for giving me the a couple months in the offstrength and allowing me to season trusting my coach, have an injury free compe- trusting the approach and tition. I thank my coach for trusting God so I am really teaching me what I did and happy I was able to qualfor starting high jumps last ify at the first meet,” the year. I will do well at CAR- 14-year-old said.

IFTA,” she Her expecsaid. tation for the ‘I feel good, last The rising is to year I could not go season performer’s continue to expectations but I watched and work towards for her season felt like when I do getting better is to drop her ahead of the go in I would do times so that CARIFTA she is able extremely well so I Games. to medal in am proud that I can Koi all events Addershe plans to go in it this time. I ley jumped compete in just want to thank past the at the 51st God for giving me CARIFTA CARIFTA qualifying the strength and Games. standard allowing me to Joining of 1.65m in Thomas in have an injury free the under unofficially 20 girls high competition.’ qualifying jump. Adderfor the under Keyezra Thomas ley notched 17 girls high 1.70m in jump was the event to Alexandria Komolafe of collect a victory and new Bahamas Speed Dynamics. personal best. She along She landed exactly on the with Tylah Pratt, of Andros qualifying mark with 1.63m Heats, bested Sheronika for second place and a new Simeon’s previous meet personal best in the event. record of 1.40m. Pratt finParis Rolle, representing ished with a distance of Leap of Faith, placed third 1.60m. with 1.55m. For the under The newest CARIFTA 17 girls 200m finals Komo- qualifier shared how it felt lafe trailed for second in to get the job done.

26.66 seconds. The top “It was a huge relief so three athletes smashed the that I can just focus on my previous meet record of other events and also my 1.50m set by Koi Adderley technique. After I cleared in 2021.

1.65m I was relieved Komolafe was impressed because that’s my qualifywith her efforts at the ing standard but I really

started to get excited when I jumped 1.70m because that’s a personal best for me. I got a little disappointed after I didn’t clear 1.75m because I was so close but that just means I have to work on my form a little bit with more practice but I will get it,” she said.

In the boys event, Jelani Morrison landed on the qualifying distance of 2.00m. Anthony Sweeting, of X-Treme Athletics, earned second and Jaidyn Brown, of the University of The Bahamas, fell to third.

The top two finishers in this event said goodbye to William Hart’s meet record of 1.85m.

Annae Mackey and Cailyn Johnson both unofficially qualified in the under 20 girls discus throw. Finishing third in the event was Garette McIntosh of Quick Step Athletics.

Mackey blew past the standard of 40.36m after she earned 44.46m for first place. Johnson, who came second, pulled off a throwing distance of 43.80m to join the other CARIFTA qualifiers. Both competitors downed Shelby Knowles’ former meet record of 28.11m.

Mackey, of Blue Chip Athletics, is yet another athlete to meet the criteria from this respective club.

“I am grateful, just gotta trust the process in God’s timing. I followed through with what my coach said by executing and being aggressive and was surprised with my results,” she said.

Although she was successful in unofficially

qualifying in the discus throw event, her focus will now shift to the shot put event where she hopes to earn a personal best over 50m.

Johnson was happy with her performance but felt she still has a lot left in the tank for the season.

“It definitely feels great to qualify but I also feel like I left a lot out there and next time I will come back with a better PB,” “I got aggressive because I wanted to qualify and feel like I had the ability to do so I just went out there and did what I wanted to do. I have a lot of building left to do this season,” she said.

Jaylen Stuart, also from Blue Chip Athletics, not only unofficially qualified for CARIFTA with his throwing distance of 14.40m but also set a new meet record. He cleared the standard of 14.03m in the under 17 boys shot put and also Zyon Evans’ meet record of 10.05m. Kashawn Russell, of Andros Heats, came second with 11.63m

which also cleared the previous meet record.

Stuart fell behind Lynwood Brown Jr, who set a new meet record, in the under 17 boys discus throw. The former notched a 29.98m distance in the event.

The under 17 girls javelin throw was a must see at the original Thomas A Robinson stadium.

Kamera Strachan, who is now unattached, along with Dior-Rae Scott and Valiyah Farquharson all went over the qualifying distance of 25.00m. Strachan ended in first with a distance of 43.70m while Scott qualified for the second straight meet with 43.32m. Both ladies obliterated G’Shan Brown’s previous meet record of 28.81m in the event. The third place Farquharson sealed the deal with 26.45m.

Next up on the 2024 track and field schedule will be the DTSP WolfPack meet on January 20 at the original Thomas A Robinson stadium.

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PAGE 16, Monday, January 8, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

BUDDY ON THE MOVE? from page 14 Last September, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that the team was in search of a trade partner after Hield did not feel “desired” by the Pacers’ contract offer to him.

As for his on court play, Hield is averaging his second lowest scoring output since his rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans. For the season he has put up 12.7 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists while shooting 43.4 per cent from the field and 37.8 per cent from behind the arc.

In the Pacers’ most recent loss to the league leading Boston Celtics, the senior men’s national team player was once again slotted back into the team’s starting lineup to replace forward Bruce Brown who was sidelined with a knee injury.

Hield managed to drop 15 points to pair with two rebounds and three assists. However, he struggled with shooting, knocking down just 6-of-16 field goals and canning 3-of-10 three pointers on the night.

Despite the lack of agreement between Hield and the Pacers, the team currently sports a 20-15 (win/loss record) good for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Additionally, they have won seven of their last ten games played.

Nonetheless, both parties will look to resolve the situation sooner than later.

The Pacers will try to rebound against the Celtics in the home game tonight at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Eastern Conference showdown begins at 7pm.

INDIANA Pacers’ Buddy Hield in action during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, on Wednesday, January 3, in Indianapolis.

Photo: Darron Cummings/AP

SPORTS NOTES +++ SPORTS NOTES +++ SPORTS NOTES SHEENA STURRUP DIES, AGED 54 SHEENA Sturrup, one of the most promising track and field athletes whose career was cut short after she took ill, passed away on Friday at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Sturrup, 54, was remembered for her performances as a back-to-back silver medalist in the women’s under-20 100 meters in 11.86 seconds at the 1986 CARIFTA Games and 11.75 at the1987 Games and bronze medalist in the 200m in 23.69 in 1978. As an under-17 competitor, she also picked up several medals, winning a bronze in the 100m in 11.87 in 1984 and a silver in 12.09 in 1985. She also captured a gold in the 200m in 24.2 in 1984 and a bronze in 24.52 in 1985.

She competed during her era against local competitors such as national 100m record holder Chandra Sturrup and Keva Mackey, and international athletes such as Gillian Forde from Trinidad & Tobago and Beverly McDonald from Jamaica.

Locally, she competed for Aquinas College and Government High and attended college at St Augustine’s in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Sturrup experienced some health challenges which prevented her from continuing her track career. She eventually moved to Grand Bahama where she resided for a great portion of her latter years.

VOLLEYBALL NPVA RESUME SEASON COMING off their break for the Christmas holiday season, the New Providence Volleyball Association resumed its regular season on Sunday with the start of week 10 of their competition .

In the men’s opener on Sunday at the DW Davis Gymnasium, the Warhawks defeated the Technicians in a five-set thriller that came right down to the wire with set scores of 25-21, 26-28, 23-25, 25-16 and 15-9.

The feature game over quicker than as the Lady Panthers swept the University of the Bahamas Lady Mingoes in three straight sets with scores of 25-13, 25-19 and 25-17.

Here’s a look at the games on tap for the rest of the week: Wednesday’s schedule - No games will be played.

Friday’s schedule - 7:3-0 pm Lady Techs vs Lady Warhawks (L). 9 pm UB Mingoes vs Set-Sy Poppers (L).

Sunday’s schedule - 3:30 pm Lady Warhawks vs Panthers (L). 5 pm Defenders vs Warhawks (M).

TENNIS BAHAMIANS WIN THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association congratulates Bahamians Sydney Clarke and brother Rodney and Rasheed Carey for huge wins at the 10K Battle In The Bahamas presented by MTEG, Flora and Jelly held at the National Tennis Centre.

CI Gibson Gymnasium - 4 pm Anatol Rodgers vs Doris Johnson (senior girls and boys).

DW Davis Gymnasium - 4 pm AF Adderley vs LWV Young (junior girls and boys).

Friday’s schedule CI Gibson Gymnasium - 4 pm CR Walker vs CC Sweeting (senior boys).

DW Davis Gymnasium - 4 pm Anatol Rodgers vs CH Reeves (junior girls and boys).

BASKETBALL BAISS SEASON

SHEENA STURRUP Despite the heavy rains, matches were able to be completed at the NTC with some of the Bahamians participating and coming out victorious.

Clarke won over Spencer from the United States in women’s singles 4-2, 4-2 and Carey would be a double champion in singles and doubles. Rodney and Rasheed Carey combined to capture the men’s doubles against Americans Perry and Delon 6 3 and in men’s singles Rodney Carey was victorious over fellow Bahamian Dentry Mortimer 4-1, 4-0.

The BLTA congratulates the Bahamians on their participation and Carey and the Carey brothers on their respective victories.

BASKETBALL GSSSA SEASON THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association will continue its regular season this week at both the CIB Gibson and DW Davis Gymnasiums. Here’s a look at the match-ups: Today CI Gibson Gymnasium - 4 pm DW Davis vs Anatol Rodgers (junior girls and boys)O. DW Davis Gymnasium - 4 pm GHS vs CI Gibson (senior girls and boys).

Tuesday’s schedule CI Gibson Gymnasium - 4 pm RM Bailey vs CV Bethel (senior girls and boys).

DW Davis Gymnasium - 4 pm SC McPherson vs HO Nash (junior girls and boys).

Wednesday’s schedule No games.

Thursday’s schedule

THE Bahamas Association of In dependent Secondary Schools will resume its regular season this week after taking a break for the Christmas holiday. Games will begin today at 4 pm for senior boys and junior girls and Tuesday senior girls and boys on various school home courts.

Today’s schedule Junior girls - Aquinas College at St Augustine’s College.

Senior boys - St Augustine’s College at Kingsway Academy; Aquinas College at Queen’s College; Jordan Prince Williams at Nassau Christian Academy; Bahamas Academy at St. Andrew’s and St Anne’s at St John’s College.

Tuesday’s schedule Junior boys - Bahamas Academy at St Anne’s; Queen’s College at Jordan Prince Williams; St John’s at Charles W Saunders; Nassau Christian Academy at St Andrew’s and Kingsway Academy at Aquinas College.

Senior girls - St Anne’s at Queen’s College; Aquinas College at St John’s and Jordan Prince Williams at Kingsway Academy.

Wednesday’s schedule No games.

Thursday’s schedule Junior boys - St Anne’s at St Augustine’s College; St Anne’s at Bahamas Academy; Queen’s College at Charles W. Saunders; Temple Christian at Jordan Prince Williams and Kingsway Academy at Nassau Christian Academy.

Senior girls - Temple Christian at Queen’s College; Aquanis College at St John’s and Jordan Prince Williams at Kingsway Academy.

Friday’s schedule Junior girls - St Augustine’s College at Queen’s College and St John’s at Charles W. Saunders.

Senior boys - Queen’s College at Bahamas Academy; Kingsway Academy at Aquinas College; Jordan Prince Williams at St Anne’s School; St Andrew’s at Charles W. Saunders and St John’s College at Nassau Christian Academy.

BASKETBALL BSA SEASON THE Bahamas Scholastic Association will continue its basketball regular season at the Hope Center with games on tap every day this week, except for Wednesday. The action will start at 4pm and will include competition for primary, junior, intermediate, senior and open boys and girls.

COMEBACK ON HOLD FOR NADAL AFTER AUSTRALIAN WITHDRAWAL MELBOURNE, Australia Associated Press

RAFAEL Nadal of Spain reflects between games in his quarter-final match against Jordan Thompson of Australia during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, on Friday.

Photo: Tertius Pickard/AP

RAFAEL Nadal’s comeback from hip surgery is on hold after he withdrew from the Australian Open with an injury a week before the start of the season’s first Grand Slam tournament.

The 22-time major champion said Sunday on social media that medical tests he took in Melbourne revealed a small tear in a hip muscle and he would fly home to Spain for treatment.

The 37-year-old Nadal has won the Australian Open twice — in 2009 and 2022 — and his absence will leave this year’s event without what had been expected to be one of its main story lines. It was a year ago at Melbourne Park that Nadal hurt his hip flexor during a second-round loss to Mackie McDonald, then missed the rest of the season.

Nadal had an operation in June and his return to the tour after nearly 12 months away came last week in Brisbane. After winning two matches, the left-hander took

a medical timeout during the third set of a quarterfinal loss to Jordan Thompson on Friday.

“Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried,” Nadal wrote Sunday.

“Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news. Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level.”

The former No. 1-ranked player’s career has been marked by a series of injuries, including to his knees, left foot and left wrist, perhaps connected to his punishing style of play.

“A lot of things can be happening in a body like my body after a year without playing tennis,” he said.

The loss to Thompson was Nadal’s third match in four nights and lasted nearly 3 1/2 hours, following straight-set victories over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler.

Since arriving in Australia to begin the

season, Nadal sounded like someone lowering expectations for what he might achieve during the tour’s swing through the country. He made clear that his focus was to be fit for the claycourt season and the French Open, which begins in May and where he has won a record 14 championships.

“I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in 3 months,” he wrote Sunday.

“I really wanted to play here in Australia and I have had the chance to play a few matches that made me very happy and positive,” Nadal said.

The Australian Open begins on Jan. 14 — the first time it is starting on a Sunday, instead of a Monday — and, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, top-ranked Novak Djokovic is favored to add to his record totals of 24 Grand Slam trophies and 10 titles at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic dealt with his own health issue recently, bothered by a sore right wrist during the United Cup in Australia last week.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 8, 2024, PAGE 17

Love conquers as Packers clinch berth in playoffs

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer JORDAN Love threw for 316 yards and connected with Dontayvion Wicks on a pair of touchdowns to send the Green Bay Packers to the playoffs with a 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Packers (9-8) needed a win to earn an NFC wild-card berth.

Green Bay delivered by winning their third straight overall and beating the Bears (7-10) for a 10th consecutive time.

The Packers were in a similar situation for their regular-season finale last year, but lost 20-16 at the Detroit Lions in four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ last game with Green Bay. The Packers traded Rodgers to the New York Jets less than four months later.

Love now has the Packers reaching the postseason in his first year as a starter.

The Packers are the NFC’s No. 7 seed and will visit the Dallas Cowboys in the wildcard round.

He went 27 of 32 as Green Bay never punted all day. Love threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Wicks that put Green Bay ahead for good midway through

GREEN Bay Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (95) celebrates after sacking Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) during the first half of an NFL football game yesterday in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Photo: Mike Roemer/AP the second quarter and found the rookie fifthround pick in the end zone again for a 12-yard score in

the third.

Green Bay’s Jayden Reed caught four passes for 112 yards, the rookie

second-round pick’s first career 100-yard game.

Aaron Jones rushed for 111 yards on 22 carries,

his third straight 100-yard performance.

Chicago now heads into the offseason facing a major

question about its quarterback situation.

The Bears have the top overall pick in the upcoming draft by virtue of a trade they made last year with the Carolina Panthers, who own the NFL’s worst record. They now must decide whether to keep Justin Fields as quarterback or select his potential replacement with that No. 1 selection.

Fields went 11 of 16 for 148 yards, but couldn’t get the Bears into the end zone.

He was sacked five times and had eight carries for 27 yards.

The Bears reached Packers territory on each of their first six series, but had only nine points to show for it.

Cairo Santos capped the game’s first series with a 50-yard field goal that bounced off the left upright before going through.

Santos also had a 39-yarder late in the second quarter and a 35-yarder early in the fourth.

The Bears got inside Green Bay’s 35 midway through the fourth quarter, but a holding penalty and a sack caused the drive to stall and forced a punt.

Green Bay took over at its own 6 with 6:08 left and held the ball the rest of the game.

...AND SEAHAWKS MISS OUT DESPITE RALLYING TO BEAT CARDINALS

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer GENO Smith threw two touchdown passes and the Seattle Seahawks rallied for a 21-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but the Seahawks still missed the playoffs after the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears.

Arizona’s Matt Prater missed a 51-yard field attempt, wide right, at the buzzer. It was his second missed field goal of the fourth quarter.

The Seahawks came into Week 18 of this regular

season in a familiar position, needing a win in the finale and some help from another team to squeeze into the playoffs. It worked out last season after the Seahawks beat the Rams and the Lions beat the Packers.

This time around, it didn’t.

The Seahawks had to beat the Cardinals and hope the Bears could upset the Packers. The games were played at roughly the same time on Sunday and both were tight, but the Packers polished off their 17-9 win — knocking the Seahawks

out of postseason contention — midway through the fourth quarter of the Arizona-Seattle game.

Around that same time, the Cardinals made their move against the Seahawks with some trickery. On fourth-and-3 at the Seattle 8, the Cardinals looked like they were going to settle for a field goal, but Prater abruptly moved over to receiver as quarterback Kyler Murray sprinted back under center.

Murray then found Trey McBride in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown and a 20-13

lead. Murray finished with 262 yards passing.

The Seahawks rallied on their final offensive drive, despite knowing they were eliminated from the playoff bracket. Smith hit Tyler Lockett for a 34-yard touchdown pass with two minutes left, cutting the margin to 20-19.

Seattle then converted a 2-point conversion, with Smith finding Lockett in the back of the end zone.

Conner tied it at 13-all early in the third quarter with a 29-yard touchdown run, slicing through Seattle’s defense without much

resistance. He finished with 1,040 yards rushing this season — despite missing four games with a knee injury — topping the 1,000yard mark for the first time in his career.

Arizona (4-13) had a 3-5 record after Murray returned at mid-season following an 11-month layoff due to an ACL tear in his right knee. Seattle (9-8) misses the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

Smith threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns.

The Seahawks inched ahead 3-0 in the first quarter

on a 33-yard field goal from Jason Myers. The Cardinals responded to tie the game early in the second on Prater’s 23-yard kick.

Seattle scored the first touchdown of the afternoon on a 19-yard pass from Smith to a wide open Will Dissly for a 10-3 lead. It was Arizona’s second blunder in coverage during the drive after Lockett caught an uncontested pass for a 37-yard gain.

Myers made his second field goal of the first half — this one from 29 yards out — at the halftime buzzer for a 13-6 lead.

Redemption shot for Mayfield SCOOP-AND-SCORE AS CHIEFS WIN WHILE The coincidence wasn’t lost on Baker Mayfield.

Standing in the same room at Bank of America Stadium where he was informed late last season by the Carolina Panthers he was being released, Mayfield spoke to reporters about winning an NFC South championship with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Personal redemption? Check.

“There’s a lot of things that bring me back to here,” Mayfield said. “But that is what happens when you go to a team within the division and you have memories of playing with them.”

Chase McLaughlin kicked three field goals, Tampa Bay’s defense forced two turnovers and the Buccaneers defeated the Panthers on Sunday 9-0 to win their third straight NFC South title and reach the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

For Mayfield, returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 was satisfying and not only because it came against the Panthers, where he was 1-5 as a starter last season before being waived on Dec. 5.

Mayfield has struggled to find career stability, playing for his fourth team in three seasons. He was traded by Cleveland, released by Carolina and not re-signed by the Los Angeles Rams in a two-year span.

He bounced back this season going 9-8 as a starter for the Buccaneers, completing 64.4% of his passes for 3,907 yards with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

He beat the Panthers twice.

“I’ve been through a lot,” Mayfield said.

“But I have had a lot of help along the way.”

The biggest question moving forward might be how effective Mayfield will be when the Buccaneers host the Philadelphia Eagles in a wild-card game next weekend. Mayfield came into Sunday’s game with sore ribs and suffered an ankle injury against the Panthers, although he remained in the game.

The 2018 No. 1 overall pick walked with a slight limp as he entered the interview room. He said he’s looking forward to healing up. “I’ll see how he feels and how he goes through his treatment and we’ll make a decision based on how the week goes,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said.

Kyle Trask is Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback and John Wolford is the third string. The 28-year-old Mayfield wasn’t particularly happy with his own play, finishing 20 of 32 passing for 137 yards with no touchdowns. He just missed on a long connection with Mike Evans in the first quarter.

“I got to be better,” Mayfield said. “They ran a lot of two-shell defense and there was

some stuff that was open underneath and I have to be better in that facet.”

“He was banged up,” Bowles said of Mayfield’s performance. “But the times he had to throw they had great coverage.

You’ve got to credit their defense too.

They played very good defense. We were off and weren’t clicking on all cylinders.”

But Mayfield likes Tampa Bay’s chances heading into the playoffs, where it could be a home underdog despite winning five of its final six games.

Like Mayfield, the Bucs have been counted out time and time again, particularly after losing six of seven games during one stretch.

“We have a locker room full of guys that are comfortable being counted out,” Mayfield said. “All we wanted was a chance to get in and now we are here and we have to handle it the right way.”

• Aidan O’Connell passed for 244 yards and two touchdowns, Zamir White rushed for 112 yards and a relentless Las Vegas pass rush helped the Raiders continue their dominance over the Denver Broncos with a 27-14 victory Sunday.

This was the Raiders’ eighth consecutive victory over their AFC West rivals and 10th in 11 games. That included a 4-0 record in Las Vegas.

Both teams ended their season at 8-9 and out of the playoffs with a number of questions facing both franchises. That includes whether Raiders own Mark Davis makes interim Antonio Pierce the full-time coach or searches for someone outside the organization. Las Vegas went 5-4 since Pierce replaced Josh McDaniels on Halloween night, and fans chanted “AP!” toward the end of the game.

O’Connell overcame a injury to the index finger on his throwing hand — he didn’t play the Raiders’ first drive of the second half — to complete a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers on the first play of the fourth quarter to put the Raiders ahead 24-7.

Meyers also scored a TD in the second quarter, turning what was designed to be a wide receiver pass to a 5-yard run when the play broke down.

Teammate Davante Adams reached 100 catches for the fourth straight season, joining Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs as the only players to accomplish that over the same span. Antonio Brown, who had six such consecutive seasons with Pittsburgh from 2013-18, holds the NFL record.

Las Vegas committed no penalties, the second time that has happened this season.

The Raiders also weren’t penalized Nov. 26

against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham made his second start in a row in favor of the benched Russell Wilson. Stidham passed for 272 yards with a TD and interception and was sacked five times and hit 11 times. He quarterbacked the Raiders over their final two games last season in place of Derek Carr, who also was benched.

After the teams traded lengthy first-half touchdown drives, Las Vegas took the lead for good on a 49-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson and a 3-yard touchdown pass from O’Connell to Adams. The TD occurred with 7 seconds left and capped a 12-play, 98-yard drive that took just 1:36.

• Breece Hall rushed for 174 yards and a late touchdown and the New York Jets snapped a 15-game losing streak against the Patriots with a 17-3 win Sunday in what could have been Bill Belichick’s final game as New England’s coach.

With snow covering the field and flurries swirling throughout Gillette Stadium, Greg Zuerlein kicked three field goals to help the Jets (7-10) earn their first victory over the Patriots since an overtime win on Dec. 27, 2015. It marks the Jets’ first win in New England since the 2010 AFC divisional playoff round.

The Patriots’ 4-13 record is the worst finish in Belichick’s 29-year NFL coaching career. Sunday’s loss also marked the 178th of Belichick’s career, including the playoffs, tying him with Tom Landry for the most ever. It also ties the record of 165 regularseason losses held by Jeff Fisher and Dan Reeves.

New England now shifts to its most uncertain offseason of the past two-plus decades, with Belichick’s future with the team in the spotlight after 24-year tenure during which the Patriots won six Super Bowl titles. Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft are expected to meet Monday to discuss the coach’s future.

• Trevor Lawrence had every chance to play the Jacksonville Jaguars into the playoffs for a second straight year as the AFC South champs.

He wound up stopped short of the goal line with 7:13 left, and he also turned the ball over on downs with 1:47 left as the Tennessee Titans eliminated the Jaguars 28-20 Sunday in their regular-season finale.

The Jaguars (9-8) came in needing a win to clinch a second straight AFC South title for the first back-to-back crowns since 1998 and 1999. Their loss makes Houston the division champs, costing the Jaguars their only way into the postseason after Pittsburgh also won Saturday.

RESTING STARTERS

MIKE Edwards returned a fumble 97 yards for a touchdown, Harrison Butker made a 41-yard field goal with 49 seconds remaining, and the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs beat the Los Angeles Chargers 13-12 on Sunday while resting most of their starters.

With the Chiefs (11-6) locked into the AFC’s No. 3 seed for the playoffs, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were inactive.

Kelce finished with 984 receiving yards, ending the All-Pro tight end’s bid for an eighth straight 1,000-yard season.

Kansas City will host either Buffalo or Miami in next weekend’s wild card round.

The Chargers (5-12) closed the season with five straight losses, the last three after coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired on Dec. 15.

Easton Stick, who started the last four games after Justin Herbert suffered a season-ending finger injury, was 28 of 47 passing for 258 yards and had 77 yards rushing on 13 carries. Donald Parham had five receptions for 83 yards.

Cameron Dicker kicked four field goals for the Chargers. Los Angeles ended the season without a touchdown in its last 10 quarters.

Blaine Gabbert, making his first start since 2018 with Tennessee, completed 15 of 30 passes for 154 yards. Gabbert had scrambles of 25 and 14 yards during a nine-play, 51-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that resulted in Butker’s second field goal.

Kansas City’s go-ahead drive followed Dicker’s 20-yard field goal with 4:06 remaining that put the Chargers on top for the first time.

The Chargers were on the 18th play of their opening possession when Stick was sacked by Chiefs defensive lineman Charles Omenihu at the Kansas City 5-yard line and fumbled. Edwards scooped the ball at the 3 and went 97 yards for the fourth touchdown of his five-year career.

It was the longest scoop-and-score in the NFL this season and the third-longest in Chiefs history. According to Sportradar, it was the seventh time since 2000 a team had a drive of at least 18 plays and turned it over. It was the first of those on which a defensive touchdown was scored.

Butker extended the lead to 10-0 in the second quarter when he connected from 22 yards. The Chargers got field goals from Dicker on their final two drives of the half.

Dicker’s 43-yarder with 4:11 remaining in the third quarter got Los Angeles within 10-9.

PAGE 18, Monday, January 8, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

No relief for Arsenal in cup as struggles continue

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer THREE straight losses, an elimination from the FA Cup, and the ominous sight of Manchester City back in form and boosted by the return of Kevin De Bruyne.

These are worrying times for Arsenal.

In a heavyweight thirdround matchup in the FA Cup, Arsenal’s increasingly alarming problems in front of goal were further exposed in a 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday.

An end-to-end contest was settled by two late goals — an own-goal by Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior in the 80th minute and a fierce strike by Luis Diaz in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Arsenal has now lost four of its last seven matches in all competitions, including its last three in a row.

“We need to reset,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

“This (upcoming winter) break is good. It has come at a good time.”

Arsenal has had 48 shots in its last two home games — taking in the 2-0 loss to West Ham in the Premier League on Dec. 28 — and not scored a goal. That statistic, plus a knee injury to first-choice striker Gabriel Jesus that made him miss the game, could yet tempt manager Mikel Arteta to go into the transfer market this month.

Otherwise, Arsenal risks falling short again this season, just like in the last campaign when the team faded late on and was beaten to the Premier League title by fast-finishing Manchester City.

“If the team is getting hammered, not playing well and not deserving to win football matches, I would be much more worried,” said Arteta, attempting to stay positive. “I love winning and we have to win many more games.

“But at the moment, the thing we have to change, what we have to reset, is up here,” he added, pointing to his head.

Even more worrying for Arsenal and Arteta, Man City looks in prime shape heading into the second half of the season, with a 5-0 win over second-tier Huddersfield in the FA Cup notable for the return from injury of De Bruyne after nearly five months out.

De Bruyne hasn’t played since sustaining a hamstring injury at Burnley on the opening day of the Premier League season on Aug. 11.

The Belgium playmaker

LIVERPOOL’s Luis Diaz celebrates with teammates during his side’s FA Cup soccer match against Arsenal in London yesterday and, below, the opening goal, an own goal by Arsenal’s Jakub Kiwior.

Photos: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

came on as a 57th-minute substitute — when City was 2-0 ahead — and provided the cross that fellow replacement Jeremy Doku converted for the final goal in a one-sided match at Etihad Stadium.

City manager Pep Guardiola welcome back a midfielder he described as “exceptional” and “unique”.

“Kevin helps us to win games and there are few like him in the world,” Guardiola said. “I’m pretty sure Kevin felt how our people are in love with him.

This mutual respect will last forever.”

Phil Foden scored twice, Julian Alvarez added another and there was an own-goal for the defending champions, who saw defender Manuel Akanji go off injured in the first half.

Erling Haaland was still deemed not fit enough to feature for City, but should be back soon to complement the returning De Bruyne and Doku as Guardiola’s team go for an unlikely repeat of its treble of major trophies won last season.

City is third in the Premier League, five points behind first-place Liverpool with a game in hand, and is through to the round of 16 in the Champions League.

“I know he can handle the pressure,” Guardiola said of De Bruyne, “but I don’t want to put all the pressure on Kevin’s shoulders.”

REPLAYS NEEDED Premier League teams West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Luton were all held to draws at home by lower-division opponents.

West Ham failed to hold onto a lead earned by Jarrod Bowen’s early goal and drew 1-1 with secondtier Bristol City. There was more bad news for the Hammers, with Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta

forced off injured in the first half.

Forest had to come from two goals down to draw with third-tier Blackpool 2-2 while another third-tier team, Bolton, held Luton 0-0.

American striker Daryl Dike scored his team’s third goal in the 27th minute of second-tier West Bromwich Albion’s 4-1 win over fifth-tier Aldershot, his first match since tearing his right Achilles against Stoke last April.

MANCHESTER City’s head coach Pep Guardiola, right, gives instructions to Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne during the match against Huddersfield Town.

Photo: Dave Thompson/AP

HOLLYWOOD OWNERS, A NETFLIX SHOW... AND A CUP RUN SHREWSBURY, England Associated Press

WREXHAM’S THOMAS O’CONNOR, centre, celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game with teammates during their English FA Cup Third Round soccer match at The Croud Meadow, Shrewsbury, England, on Sunday.

Photo: Nick Potts/PA via AP

RYAN Reynolds and Rob McElhenney appear to have FA Cup fever — just like their soccer club Wrexham.

The Hollywood stars were watching from their homes in the United States as Wrexham won 1-0 at local rival Shrewsbury, a team from one division higher in English soccer’s pyramid, in the third round of the famous competition on Sunday.

The Welsh club will find out on Monday its opponent in the fourth round — or the last 32 — and there’s a good chance it will be a team from the Premier League.

That would excite Reynolds and McElhenney, who bought Wrexham for $2.5 million in 2021 and made the club the subject of popular fly-on-the-wall TV documentary “Welcome to Wrexham.”

They have become keen soccer fans as a result, with “Deadpool” star Reynolds posting a picture of himself on X, formerly Twitter, sitting next to fellow actor Hugh Jackman while watching the Shrewsbury-Wrexham match.

The FA Cup’s official

account on X posted a video of Wrexham’s goal against Shrewsbury, which was scored by defender Tom O’Connor in the 72nd minute, and said the team’s fans enjoyed it. McElhenney responded to it by posting: “You should’ve seen my living room.”

Wrexham has a strong tradition in the FA Cup, memorably defeating thenEnglish champion Arsenal 2-1 in the third round in 1992 for one of the competition’s biggest-ever shocks.

Wrexham reached the quarterfinals in 1997, beating top-flight West Ham along the way.

The buzz around Wrexham and its celebrity owners reached new levels during a cup run around this time last year when the team beat one secondtier Championship team in Coventry and then took another, Premier Leaguebound Sheffield United, to a replay.

This season, Wrexham has already beaten Mansfield, Yeovil and now Shrewsbury to reach the fourth round.

The team is also doing well in league play. It is in third place in the fourthtier League Two in a bid to secure back-to-back promotions.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 8, 2024, PAGE 19

NEXT STOP EUROPE ON THE ROAD TO THE OLYMPICS from page 14 “Going into this year, Lord’s willing, I should be able to do more competition and really gather a lot more points to improve on my rankings,” Munnings said. “To qualify for the Olympics, I would need to be in the top 18 in the world or 11th in the region.

“And so to be top 18 in the world could be so difficult, especially if you don’t start off very strong. You could be in trouble because the ones who win, they continue to keep winning and they secure the points by the time the Olympics roll around.”

Not counting his chances out, Munnings said he will probably get the other way to qualify, which is to get through from the Pan American region, which better suits the smaller nations like The Bahamas because the points difference isn’t as great.

“If I could win at least two fights in a big competition like the Grand Prix or the Grand Slam, it would put myself up in the qualifying round for the Pan American region.”

Munnings would have female judoka Cynthia Rahming to partner with and rely on for her assistance internationally, but after she announced her retirement from competing last year, Munnings said he won’t let it get to him because he has some to do.

“It’s not that much difference because we are in two different genders and we compete in two different weight classes, we

couldn’t always go to the same training sessions together,” he pointed out. “Some were together and others were not.

“But honestly, I do miss her on the mat because to be able to go back and forth with her, we could communicate on what we did or didn’t do. I still communicate with her. She says I’m crazy for it, but I miss having her around to help keep me going.”

Munnings said he remembered a fellow judoka from the country Georgia, who watched him compete and he asked him what keeps him going because he’s been doing it for so long? Munnings said his answer to him was that it was simply because he could be “the world champion”.

He said: “I love the sport.

When you spend so much time in the sport, it’s really hard to just give up on it, or on anything. But I really believe I could be the world champion. This past year, I tested my ability and although I didn’t put myself in any box, I went out there and did whatever I was told to do. Over time, I felt really good because I competed against some of the best competitors in the world.”

On this trip to Europe, Munnings will remain overseas until May, training and competing as a full-time judoka. He admits that he doesn’t have a full bank account, but at the same time, he’s not going to allow his insufficiencies to keep him away from attaining his goals.

He concluded that he’s putting his faith and trust in God to deliver from him just as he did

ANDREW Munnings has relocated to Europe for training ahead of the Olympics. in the past when he didn’t know how he would make ends meet.

He said that God showed up and provided for his needs just in the nick of time.

“When I left at the beginning of the year, I started in Israel and as a lot of things were going on over there as it was around the world, but God was with me every step of the way,” Munnings said. “I met a lot of friends, but when I didn’t know what my next step would be, he brought someone to help me out.”

He remembered going to Kazakhstan and he didn’t have a visa to get in. He had to submit an

application, get it signed and send it back to him in order for him to enter the country. As a last minute decision to travel, Munnings said he needed the process to be completed in 24 hours and before the time expired, to his “surprise,” he got his documents, signed, sealed and delivered.

In another incident when he went to Georgia, Munnings said he was very low on funds, but there was a coach who assisted in providing him with food at a restaurant where a number of other visiting athletes got food provided for them on a daily basis.

He had another big thrill, but

preferred to hold off the details until after he qualified. However, Munnings said he continue his journey with an open mind that “if I put my trust in God, he will provide. He’s done it for me in the past and I will continue to rely on him to open doors that have been closed in front of me.”

As he reflected on his latest birthday celebrations with his family, Munnings said he’s now eager and enthused to see what unfolds as he ventures into the next few months in preparation for his attempt at qualifying for his first rodeo as an Olympian in Paris in July.