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VOLUME:116 No.12, JANUARY 9TH, 2019

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ALICIA WALLACE: R. KELLY STORY TELLS A DARKER TRUTH

Commissioner defends police shootings in crime battle

In any war there are casualties

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Anthony Ferguson said yesterday police are at “war” with criminals, adding there will likely be “casualties” when people confront law enforcement officers.

When asked about police involved shootings last year, Commissioner Ferguson said: “In any war there are casualties.”

In 2018, there were 11 fatal and nine non-fatal police involved shootings, Royal Bahamas Police Force press liaison officer, Superintendent Shanta Knowles confirmed yesterday.

During a press conference where he detailed last year’s crime statistics, Commissioner Ferguson addressed this matter as well as police initiatives

such as body cams and the MARCO Alert system.

“In any war there are casualties,” he said.

“There are casualties.

And so if you are confronting the police, more than likely there will be casualties. And there is a judicial part of the system that will adjudicate over that. “(These) are actions between the police and persons who…confront the police. And police take the necessary action,” the commissioner continued. “Those matters are adjudicated at another level. You have the numbers, we have the numbers. We’re not afraid to tell you how many persons are fatally shot by police. We report them in the press as they happen.”

SEE PAGE FIVE

POLICE Commissioner Anthony Ferguson yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

PRISON OFFICER STRIP SEARCHES SUSPENDED

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

STRIP searches for correctional officers clocking in at The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services have been suspended, according to Correctional Officers Staff Association president Ryan Wilson.

Mr Wilson told The Tribune the matter was resolved during a Monday meeting with National Security Minister Marvin Dames, who reportedly committed to ensuring a more “dignified” search process and implementing international best practices. Correctional officers had described the strip searches as

demoralising. “No more strip search of staff,” Mr Wilson said, “they will find innovative ways as it regards to that. The minister was on board. He wants to ensure the dignity of all officers are kept intact, and moving forward he reiterated that the searches will continue but it will be according to international standards.”

The issue was highlighted in a recent press release from the Correctional Officers Staff Association last week, which pledged the body would be increasing pressure for the resolution of longstanding grievances.

It also follows several arrests of correctional SEE PAGE THREE

AFTER 74 YEARS, TAYLOR INDUSTRIES SHUTS SHOP

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

TAYLOR Industries, the 74-year-old electrical retailer and contractor, was yesterday said to have ceased operating with its sole location locked down.

“Taylor Industries has closed down for good,” one well-placed source told Tribune Business. “I’m sure they tried to stay in business.” They added that the closure appeared to have occurred within days of the New Year.

A Tribune Business reporter who yesterday visited Taylor Industries’ location on Shirley Street, opposite Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), at

mid-afternoon found no sign of life with all doors and windows boarded up and shuttered at the peak of the business day.

The company’s multiple phones just rang out when Tribune Business called them, while assistant general manager, Bryan Taylor, and sales chief, Derek Taylor, did not respond to this newspaper’s e-mails seeking comment.

Taylor Industries’ closure is another sign of the shake-out occurring within the Bahamian retail sector and other industries, which has already claimed other well-known, long-standing brands such as City Markets and John S George.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

‘SIGNIFICANT CHANGES’ NEEDED IN OBAN 2

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net THE government is seeking to amend the economic, environmental and legal provisions of controversial Oban Energies Heads of Agreement, Labour Minister Dion Foulkes has revealed.

His announcement came yesterday outside of Cabinet’s weekly meeting, where he also revealed

that Lauren Klein, consultant counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, and Alexander Grikits, will lead the government’s and Oban’s negotiating teams respectively.

The government was expected to meet with

Oban’s principals and legal counsel on Monday, however those plans fell through in the lead up to the meeting.

Mr Foulkes said the sides have not yet been able to reschedule the talks, but suggested two dates later this month are being eyed as options. He said if neither of those days can be utilised, the government’s negotiation committee will

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

OBITUARIES WILL APPEAR WHEN THE TRIBUNE RETURNS THIS FRIDAY

PAGE 2, Wednesday, January 9, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

The clean-up begins...

By RIEL MAJOR THE Department of Environmental Health Services has announced that starting next month, the collection of garbage will be increased from once to twice a week.

Melony McKenzie, DEHS director, said when the “twiceweekly system is implemented more collection companies will be added to the roster.”

Ms McKenzie said in a statement: “The increase in collections is expected to significantly reduce the collections backlog normally experienced over the holiday season.

“It is not unusual to see a larger than usual accumulation of garbage because of the extra festivities over the holidays. We anticipate that the new system will result in a much smoother collections operation and adequately address the extra build-up of garbage that is normally seen every year around the Christmas holidays.

“As of around 2 o’clock Monday afternoon, the vast majority of the 61 collection routes on New Providence had been completed and we expect that very shortly, the entire island will be done.”

Ms McKenzie said eight contracted garbage collection companies worked overtime, over the weekend, to remove excess garbage.

She also reminded residents that the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) does not collect garbage from commercial businesses or apartment buildings with four or more units. Her statement came after residents of New Providence complained about uncollected trash piling up after the Christmas holidays.

The Tribune canvassed the Chippingham area on Monday, where many expressed anger about rodents and stray dogs attacking piles of trash.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s real unsanitary. It attracts rodents, the stench is starting to stink. The garbage is piling up in the house, so we have to try to organise it then the stray animals are coming and pulling down the (bags) so the garbage is hard to maintain. It was piled up for about two weeks now.”

Resident Karen Sampson said she doesn’t understand

After The Tribune highlights problems with rubbish, everything is looking a lot better A12MAIN

PAGE 12, Tuesday, January 8, 2019

what is taking place. “I know for the past months (garbage men) were coming every Monday until the second week in December. We have the garbage secured but we don’t know what is going on.”

Wanetta Brown said: “They need to do something. No one came around to say anything and I haven’t seen anything on the news to say trucks are down. December is a festive time so this is the time you are going to accumulate more stuff because people having parties and family gatherings so if anything, they should increase the number of

THE TRIBUNE

Collect our rubbish Residents angry that the trash is piling up on their streets

BY RIEL MAJOR RESIDENTS of Chippingham have complained about the mounds of unsightly trash that has yet to be collected from the Christmas season.

The Tribune canvassed the Chippingham area yesterday and spoke to numerous disgruntled residents.

One of them, who only wanted to be identified as Ms Lockhart, told The Tribune: “They are supposed to come every Tuesday and move the garbage but from Christmas they haven’t got the garbage. Some people moved their garbage with their trucks.

Sometimes the garbage truck pass and don’t carry any garbage. The conditions aren’t good because the garbage smells bad.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s real unsanitary. It attracts rodents, the stench is starting to stink. The garbage is piling up in the house, so we have to try to organise it then the stray animals are coming and pulling down the (bags) so the garbage is hard to maintain. It was piled up for about two weeks now.”

Resident, Karen Sampson said she doesn’t understand what is taking place.

“I know for the past months (garbage men) were coming every Monday until the second week in December. We have the garbage secured but we don’t know what is going on.”

Wanetta Brown said: “They need to do something. No one came around to say anything and I haven’t seen anything on the news to say trucks are down. December is a festive time so this the time you are going to accumulate more stuff because people having parties and family gatherings so if anything, they should increase the number of pickups they do for the month of December.”

Another resident, who wanted

to be identified as Mr Holmes, said: “I haven’t got any response from environmental health. I actually heard a garbage truck around here today and I thought they were coming to collect the garbage, but they never did.

(The uncollected trash) attracts rodents, a lot of maggots and stuff with decaying garbage so it is a problem that creates a health concern for me and my neighbours so my only wish is that whatever they have going on, it can get resolved soon.”

Another resident said she saw a garbage truck last week, but trash was only collected from one side of the street. Altomese Isaacs said her garbage hasn’t been collected since before Christmas and claimed the rats in the area “are a big as puppies.”

“My garbage hasn’t been collected from before Christmas,” Ms Isaacs said. “I almost call (someone to collect my garbage) on my own but I couldn’t afford it. I had to choose between paying the doctor and paying them. I understand they were in the area this morning because I spoke to someone from Environmental Health, but they haven’t reached here yet. I still have garbage piled

HOW The Tribune covered the story in yesterday’s paper.

THE TRIBUNE canvassed Chippingham yesterday after residents made complaints about garbage not being collected for some time.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

up in my house. I don’t know what is happening.”

Resident Bruce Sweeting said he spoke with officials from the Department of Environmental Health and thought the area’s trash would have been picked up on the weekend.

“They were supposed to be here from Saturday or Sunday, but they haven’t reached yet so I don’t know. It’s a disgrace because what it’s doing is causing rats and roaches to come then you (have stray) dogs coming. They are tearing down the garbage and you have to be out there cleaning and cleaning so it’s a lot of work.

“I don’t know when they goin’ come but the time they come we’ll be under garbage. Along with the rats and everything else that is out there.”

Attempts to reach officials from the Department of Environmental Health for comment yesterday were unsuccessful up to press time.

pickups they do for the month of December.”

Another resident, who only wanted to be identified as Mr Holmes, said: “I haven’t got any response from Environmental Health. I actually heard a garbage truck around here today and I thought they were coming to collect the garbage, but they never did. (The uncollected trash) attracts rodents, a lot of maggots and stuff with decaying garbage so it is a problem that creates a health concern for me and my neighbours so my only wish is that whatever they have going on, it can get resolved soon.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, PAGE 3

PRISON OFFICER STRIP SEARCHES ARE SUSPENDED from page one officers in connection with smuggling drugs and contraband into BDCS in recent years, and official acknowledgement that smuggling of illegal contraband presents a significant challenge.

“After hearing the staff association’s petition, Mr Dames undertakes to install state of the art technology and modern equipment during this fiscal year and to improve the search and entrance policies and procedures at the Department of Corrections,” the association noted in a press release yesterday.

“Moving forward, the staff association along with the Ministry of National Security and the department’s leaders will make every effort to aggressively

resolve all outstanding issues such as, establishing a Corrections Commission, a review of the current career path, amending the condition of service to 30 years of service or age 65, and confirmations of outstanding contracts to deserving officers. Recommendations were also submitted to amend the Correctional Services Act 2014; such changes will advance the organisation onto best practices.”

Concerning outstanding issues of wage increase, and trainee confirmations, Mr Wilson added: “I think we’re working in good faith, a lot of legal technicalities are involved. It will take some time but we are going to make sure we keep on it.”

The Correctional Officers Code of Conduct Rules says “every correctional officer and servant of the department shall upon entering or

WAYNE MUNROE, QC leaving a correctional facility be checked.”

The law says officers “shall submit themselves to be searched when called upon to do so and that any officer below the rank of a principal officer

may be searched by a principal corrections officer” while those above that rank must be searched by an assistant commissioner or higher. The rules do not specify the scope of the search, however.

On Monday, attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, maintained the broadness of the provision could invite a constitutional challenge if it is used to justify strip searching correctional officers. He noted the Constitution protects people from invasive searches except in select security circumstances.

“On the face of it, if there is something that says you can be searched but there is no limitation on it then any type of search could be conducted and that’s the problem,” Mr Munroe said.

“An extreme form of a search is a body cavity search.

A court might say such a search is not justifiable in a democratic country because it cannot affect the security of your prison.

“If the prison guards think these searches are not justifiable,” he continued, “then they can start an action over it, a constitutional action that firstly considers whether that provision permits strip searching and secondly, if it does, there is a view that the provision is unconstitutional and should be declared as such.

“You could also challenge the use of executive power under legitimate law regulations. Why is it they felt the need to do this now? What are you trying to detect? If it’s something that could be detected by a metal detector, why not employ that?”

Government adamant about changing terms of Heads of Agreement, says Foulkes from page one hold a meeting to determine how best to move forward.

“The government is adamant about changing the terms of the Heads of Agreement,” Mr Foulkes said yesterday. “Oban has agreed to enter discussions to change those provisions which we find at a disadvantage to the residents of Grand Bahama and to the Bahamian people generally.”

When asked to give a timeline for the talks, Mr Foulkes said he foresees “two or three meetings” will be needed, but said a definitive timeline could only come once talks get underway.

“We want to make quite extensive changes to the Heads of Agreement. If the principals of Oban and the board of Oban agree to those changes, we will sign a new Heads of Agreement,” he said.

He added: “We are looking primarily at three major categories, the economic provisions, the environmental provisions and the legal provisions. I do not want to get into the details until we have an opportunity to present our terms

to Oban so that they can have an opportunity to respond.”

When asked by The Tribune if the government would be prepared to walk away from its deal with Oban if the company doesn’t agree to the new terms, Mr Foulkes said such a decision would have to be made by Cabinet when the time presented itself.

“I don’t want to comment on that point, it is a decision for the government, for the Cabinet of The Bahamas to make; if the talks are unsuccessful, it would be a decision for the Cabinet to make.”

The government’s initial agreement with Oban sparked intense criticism, including points of opposition from several environmental organisations that took issue with the lack of an environmental impact assessment, given the project’s risk factors.

The fallout prompted an admission from Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis that there were gross missteps in the government process.

Despite this, however, Mr Foulkes last month said the government will likely not make the project’s environmental impact assessment public until a new agreement is inked.

MINISTER of Labour Dion Foulkes.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, January 9, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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

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Why we don’t know how many people are enslaved in the world today MODERN slavery is a crime against humanity. Although some types of enslavement, like sex trafficking, are widely known, others hide in plain sight.

Enslavement happens in many industries – including restaurants, domestic work, electronics, construction, textiles, steel and seafood.

But exactly how many people live in slavery today? Whether it’s measuring modern slavery in the US or across the globe, there are different, inconsistent, estimates.

As someone who researches modern slavery, I know that calculating its prevalence is like finding a needle in a haystack. A valid figure is elusive – and yet essential for better policies to free enslaved persons and help them make the difficult transition to liberation.

Definitions of modern slavery have shifted over time.

In 1926, the League of Nations defined slavery as the “status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised.” The UN broadened this definition in 1956 to include forced marriage and more protections for women’s rights.

Things changed again in 2000. The UN introduced the term “trafficking in persons” and omitted references of forced marriage from the widely adopted Palermo Protocol. But by 2013, the UN General Assembly recognised forced marriage as a form of enslavement.

Definitions matter because they influence how the public and policymakers interpret the issue. In a court of law, for instance, the term “human trafficking” might be more persuasive to jurors than a term like “slavery.”

For researchers, nuances also matter when it comes to estimating the number of people enslaved. Some organisations include forced marriage in their estimates of modern slavery; others do not.

Still others disagree about when harsh labour conditions merit the label “enslavement”. The International Labor Organization has said, “Not all children who are exposed to hazardous work are ‘slaves,’ and not all workers who don’t receive a fair wage are forced.”

Among published estimates of forced marriage, the numbers are staggering.

Based on its calculations, UNICEF estimates that approximately 650 million girls and women alive today were married before their 18th birthday.

Researchers have struggled to estimate the number of people enslaved within the US. For over a decade, Polaris has operated a hotline for any tips related to trafficking within America’s borders. In 2017, they documented 8,524 human trafficking cases, mostly in

California, Texas, Florida, New York, Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Nevada. Sex trafficking was the most common type of enslavement reported.

These hotline data are useful because they detail more of where and who is trafficked in America today. But the figures are not from a national survey.

Anyone can call and report a tip. So, after a movie like Taken, there may be a spike in tips about sex trafficking from an anxious public.

In 2004, the US State Department reported that, at any given moment, there were 14,500 to 17,500 people trafficked in the US. But this research could not be replicated and verified.

Backing away from national figures, other researchers have begun to focus on trafficking hotspots, like along the US-Mexico border. In one detailed study of 641 homeless youth and human trafficking in the US, more than 14 percent had been trafficked for sex.

Another 8 percent had been trafficked for other types of forced labour.

For a long time, global and regional players that track this sort of data – often competing for the same funding or prestige – would seldom share their data.

This lack of cooperation explains how independent organisations may come up with different estimates.

For example, in 2005, the International Labor Organization estimated that 12.3 million persons were enslaved.

Then, in 2012, it adjusted this figure to 21 million. The International Labor Organization has rarely published country-level results, instead focusing on regional figures.

In a desire to generate country-level estimates, the Walk Free Foundation launched The Global Slavery Index in 2013. The first index estimated 29.8 million persons enslaved. But this was later updated to 35.8 million, and then 45.8 million.

Each iteration of the Global Slavery Index and International Labor Organization figures reflected changes in their methods. Although these changes often reflected stronger methodologies, the changing estimates invited criticism.

The public may never know the true number of persons enslaved today, because modern slavery is a hidden crime. But more precise estimates can begin to shed more light on who is enslaved and where. If the public doesn’t know who today’s enslaved are and where they are, their presence will remain invisible.

By Monti Datta of the University of Richmond. This article first appeared on The Conversation

Ignore the shot spotters EDITOR, The Tribune.

MINISTER of National Security is making a lot of fuss about this Shot Spotter Alert system that will be rolled out very soon.

This is far from a successful application as you find when you Google the name.

Brockton, MA…296 alerts - 152 unfounded…

East Palo Alto, CA 1,725 alerts 1,089 unfounded…

Kansas City, MO…6619 alters…2513 unfounded…

Milwaukee, WI 10,285 alerts…7201 unfounded…

Omaha, NE 1,181 alerts…737 unfounded…

San Francisco, CA 4,385 alerts…1412 unfounded…

Wilmington, NC 1278 alerts…399 unfounded.

Milwaukee had the largest number of alerts 10,285 out of those only 172 arrests! Kansas City 6,619 alerts had 108 arrests. San

Francisco, CA 4,385 alerts had two arrests. How much is this system going to cost?

My advice to the Minister: rely on a 911 call, usually they will be very accurate as to a shooting.

Clearly this data shows someone pulled a hood over someone. Cancel immediately!

sure the US Embassy will be more than willing to donate - three - units solves the problem of the RBDF being blind to wind sailing sloops.

Drones and anything sophisticated you see the RBDF can’t maintain so please keep it simple and save us millions!

Position squads on Inagua - Cay Sal and Rum Cay…a 24/7 watch not a

single Haitian sailing sloop or go fast boat should go without being seen.

You should be ashamed these sloops get through to Nassau.

Sophistication, Minister, has been proven the RBDF can’t cope with that.

M FORBES Nassau January 7, 2019

Long range binoculars?

EDITOR, The Tribune HAITIAN sloops being able to enter The Bahamas and seemingly have free will until just within eyeshot of Nassau - Why? We hear about sophistication at RBDF and RBPF but all they need are US$579.95 long range night vision binoculars or the large version the US military use which I am

ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau, January 6, 2019

Dynamic duo of politicians EDITOR, The Tribune TWO of the most intriguing personalities to dominate the Bahamian political landscape during the 1950s and 1960s, in my opinion, were Sir Randol F Fawkes and Sir Stafford Sands. The latter was the most polarising politician in Bahamian history. When his image was placed on the $10 banknote by the Free National Movement (FNM) administration of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham in March 2000, it stirred up a hornets’ nest.

Not much is known about Sir Stafford, other than what his opponents want the masses to know.

The age old narrative is that Sands was the ruthless boogeyman of the United Bahamian Party (UBP) who contributed very little towards the development of this country. The contrast between Fawkes and Sands is unprecedented.

While the former was a paragon of political and religious virtue, the latter was a hard-nosed materialist. In certain respects, the Bay Street Boys, while rabid capitalists, behaved at times like feudalists.

In Sir Randol’s memoir The Faith That Moved the Mountain, the life of the enigmatic Sands is touched on. Sir Randol’s decision to join the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) immediately following the general election of 1967 helped in tipping the scale in favour of the PLP, much to the chagrin of the incumbent UBP administration. According to Sir Randol, a total of 94 candidates contested that election for the 38 seats in the House of Assembly: the UBP fielded 36 candidates; the PLP 29; Paul Adderley’s National Democratic Party 13 and Sir Randol’s Labour Party four. There were a total of 12 independent candidates. The election results produced a stalemate of 18 seats apiece for both the PLP and the UBP. With the former UBP turned independent Sir Alvin Braynen accepting the House of Assembly speakership from Sir Lynden, and Labour Party Leader Sir Randol forming a short-lived coalition with the PLP, the electoral deadlock was broken. Before the formation of the PLP/Labour

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Party coalition, the UBP under the leadership of Sir Roland T Symonette, propositioned Sir Randol in a bid to gain his support for the Bay Street Boys.

Bahamian history would’ve been radically different had the St Barnabas MP taken the lucrative bait dangled before him by the wealthy UBP merchants.

In the February 6, 1967 edition of The Miami Herald, an article titled “Bay Street Boys couldn’t buy Randol Fawkes” was published. The writer, one Jim Bishop, wrote that Symonette had offered Fawkes a blank cheque. He probably could’ve pocketed $1 million in addition to receiving a Cabinet post within the UBP government. Had he accepted the largesse of the Bay Street Boys, Sir Randol might have never been reduced to legal wrangling with the FNM administration in the mid 1990s over his government pension. If nothing else, the enactment of the Randol Francis Fawkes Pension Act 1998 was evidence that the father of labour was not a moneyed politician in an age when so many of his black political counterparts were no different than the white oligarchs they replaced in 1967. Fawkes’ uncompromising character, I believe, was one of the reasons his relationship with the nascent Pindling government soured in 1968 when he was dumped as minister of labour after the general election that year in which the PLP won 29 of the 38 seats.

The death of the PLP MP for Shirlea, Uriah McPhee at age 42, caused the Pindling government to opt for a general election rather than a by-election.

With a razor thin 19 to 18 majority, Pindling dreaded the thought of losing the Shirlea by-election, which would’ve resulted in a return of minority rule by the UBP, especially given the fact that there were already rumours of discontent within his government.

The 1968 general election solidified Pindling’s grip on power. In an unrelated

note, it is telling that Pindling chose not to second Sir Randol’s motion for the appointment of a select committee to examine the issue of The Bahamas obtaining independence in September 1966 - seven years prior to the independence year of 1973 under the PLP and four months prior to Majority Rule.

Was it because he feared that Sir Randol would’ve upstaged him by leading the country towards independence? Had Fawkes led The Bahamas to independence, he would’ve not only been known as the father of labour due to his herculean efforts as Bahamas Federation of Labour leader, but also the father of the modern Bahamas.

In my estimation, Fawkes was the most influential black politician in that era.

It seems as if certain PLP parliamentarians, who were harbouring ulterior motives, felt threatened by the ambitious MP for St Barnabas.

No one can deny that Sir Randol made seminal contributions to this country, and is rightly regarded as a national hero. However, despite the way he was treated by the PLP, Fawkes was somewhat moderate in his appraisal of Pindling on page 82 of the memorial edition of The Faith That Moved the Mountain, which was first published in 1977 -- nine years after he was unceremoniously booted from the Cabinet.

Fawkes could’ve easily used his memoir to vilify the then sitting PLP government. He chose instead to remain above the fray, at least with respect to the Pindling government.

With the UBP and Sir Stafford, however, Fawkes minced no words in his memoir. He repeatedly referred to the UBP establishment as the “white minority Mountain of Power.”

I encourage peeople to read The Faith That Moved the Mountain, in order to learn more about Fawkes and Sir Stafford - two politicians who dominated Bahamian politics leading up to Majority Rule.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport Grand Bahama January 7, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, PAGE 5

Commissioner defends police shootings in crime battle from page one Despite murders being down in 2018 by 25 percent, he also noted that incidents of non-fatal “criminal shootings” occurred.

“Bahamians need to know that we have Bahamians out there who are evil and who are shooting citizens, shooting their brothers and citizens,” he said.

Commissioner Ferguson also addressed the implementation of body cams for police officers, a programme expected to come on stream this year.

“We believe in (transparency),” he said. “And so very, very soon you will see body cams being worn.

We are very, very close to acquiring that…I can tell you that it’s much closer today than it has been.

“And so you will find that the Ministry of National Security will be making a statement on who should...be awarded the contract to provide body cams to the (RBPF).”

He also discussed the expansion of the country’s CCTV programme, saying it is “well on its way”.

However, the police chief declined to state how many cameras are in operation

and where they are located, for crime fighting reasons”.

Regarding the MARCO Alert system, Commissioner Ferguson said it still needs some “minor adjustments”. The system, an alert for missing children, was launched under the Christie administration, then retooled and relaunched under the Minnis administration, however, it does not appear to have been utilised frequently, if at all, by police.

“It’s in use, it’s still being tweaked,” he said. “It’s completed. We launched it already and so pretty soon you’ll be a part of it.”

The police chief also said in 2019, the RBPF plans to “be more productive and more aggressive in the carriage of our policing mandate.”

“With the recent new addition of officers and the deployment of new vehicles, you can expect to see a higher number of officers moving about on the streets to promote a level of security and to send clear messages to criminal elements that no longer will they be allowed to disrupt our communities and there will be no hiding place for them. In other words, they will feel the presence of

the Police and we will keep them running.

“We will focus on crime hotspots and problematic night spots and aggressive enforcement of the traffic laws. We will be strong on the streets to prevent the movement of criminals from one division to another. We will also continue working with our colleagues in the overall protection of our borders.

“We will continue to build on effective management strategies, professionalising the service, optimising the use of technology, interacting with at risk youth, improving road safety and

the continued prevention and reduction of crime.

“While we welcome the reductions in crime, we are not satisfied with the current level of crime in our country. We will not be complacent, however, but will strive to further reduce the level and fear of crime in the Bahamas.

“We look forward to 2019 with great anticipation as we endeavour to execute our mandate with courage, integrity and loyalty. So I invite you to partner with us as we create safer communities throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas.”

It was much safer in 2018 than it was in 2017, says Ferguson

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net OVERALL crime across the country decreased by eight percent last year when compared to 2017, with murders dropping 25 percent, Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson said yesterday.

The 2018 statistics show that only two categories of crime against the person saw an increase; there was a 46 percent jump in attempted murders and a six percent rise in reported rapes. “It was much safer in 2018 than it was in 2017,” Commissioner Ferguson said at police headquarters.

He said although his policing plan for 2019 is “near completion,” there will be no major changes from last year’s document, as he deemed his 2018 plan is “still relevant, it works, and it is yielding desired results and more.”

“I am happy to report that the preliminary figures indicate an eight percent decrease in crimes across the entire Bahamas when compared to 2017,” he told reporters. Violent crimes decreased by 16 percent while property crimes decreased by six percent. New Providence experienced a six percent decrease in crime while the Family Islands experienced a decrease of 30 percent.

Crime in Grand Bahama remained unchanged... with respect to murder, I am happier to report that for the first time since 2009, the murder count was less than 100.”

However, it has been previously reported that 2018 marked the first year since 2010, when 94 people were murdered, that fewer than 100 murders been recorded in a single year. “The overall incidents of murder decreased by 25 percent with 91 incidents compared to 122 incidents in 2017.”

In 2018, there were 80 murders in New Providence, six in Grand Bahama, and five in the Family Islands, according to the crime statistics. Of these, 35 were retaliation killings, representing an increase from 2017 when 26 retaliation killings were recorded.

Twenty-six of these murders were classified as conflict incidents, 14 were related to robberies, 10 were drug related, 10 were

COMMISSIONER of Police Anthony Ferguson and his senior team yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff

the result of domestic violence incidents and one was undetermined.

However, zero murders were classified as gang related.

In 81 one of these incidents, a firearm was used. In seven incidents, a knife was used and in three the weapon is classified as “unknown”.

The overwhelming majority of murder victims were men — 88 – while three were women.

Thirty victims were between the ages of 26-35, followed by 28 between the ages of 18-25. Seventeen victims were between 36-45 while four victims were 17 or under. The majority of murders occurred in the southern districts of

New Providence — 21 in the south central district, 15 in the southeast, 12 in the southwest, and six in the south. Eleven murders occurred in the central district of New Providence.

In terms of location, 47 murders occurred in the street, 18 occurred in a residence, nine occurred in a bar or club and four occurred in the bushes.

June was the deadliest month of 2018, with 14 murders occurring, followed

by January and December, when 12 murders in each of those months occurred.

“When we analysed murder trends on a quarterly basis, we noticed some promising results,”

Commissioner Ferguson said. “During the first quarter of 2018, there were 26 murders representing a decrease of 35 percent.

The second quarter, there were 28 murders representing a decrease of 15 percent. The third quarter, there were 16 murders representing a decrease of 48 percent. However, in the fourth quarter, there were 21 murders that showed an increase of 17 percent.”

The commissioner also addressed the solvency rate for these violent crimes, saying it was higher than 70 percent. “I wish to bring to your attention that solvency for murder was 73.63 percent in 2018 compared to 57.38 percent for 2017, 53.15 percent for 2016 and 46.58 percent for 2015 – a notable increase,” he said.

Across the entire country, there were 19 incidents of attempted murder, zero incidents of manslaughter, 474 armed robberies, 108 robberies, and 13 armed robberies.

There were 11 attempted rapes and 113 incidents of unlawful sexual intercourse.

However, rape increased by six percent — with 55 incidents reported in 2018 as compared to 52 in 2017.

Forty-four of these incidents occurred in New Providence, as opposed to 36 in 2017.

When asked what police are doing to combat incidents of rape and sexual assault, the commissioner replied: “We realise that when you have persons who are hell bent on moving about in communities and targeting people, there’s a slight increase in matters as it relates to sexual— rape, we recognise that.”

NUMBER OF TRAFFIC FATALITIES IS A ‘MAJOR CONCERN’

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net COMMISSIONER of Police Anthony Ferguson yesterday said the number of traffic fatalities in the country is a source of “major concern”, as he revealed that 69 people died in 63 traffic accidents in 2018.

This represents an increase of 29 percent when compared with 2017 — a year when there were 54 traffic fatalities in 49 accidents.

Commissioner Ferguson made these remarks during his annual press conference held at police headquarters yesterday morning, when the media was provided with the 2018 crime statistics.

“I want to focus just for a moment on traffic fatalities which continue to be of major concern to us,” Commissioner Ferguson said.

“As you can see, so far for the year 2018, there were 63 accidents that resulted in 69 deaths. Forty-two of the traffic incidents occurred in New Providence, 11 in Grand Bahama and (10) in the Family Islands signalling an increase of 29 percent over last year’s total of 49.”

Commissioner Ferguson said as a result of these concerning figures, 25 new

police motorcycles were deployed to assist in road safety management. “Thirteen cycles were assigned to New Providence, five to Grand Bahama, two each to Abaco and Exuma and one each to Long Island, Eleuthera and Cat Island, as we recognised the streets in those areas as somewhat dangerous,” he said.

The majority of these traffic fatality victims were pedestrians, representing 31 deaths or 45 percent of the overall total. Twenty of the deceased were drivers, 12 were pedestrians, three were motorcycle riders, and three were bicyclists.

Of these victims, 53 were male and 16 were female.

In New Providence, the majority of the accidents, 15, occurred in the southwestern district of the island, followed by six each in the central and northeastern districts.

Nineteen of these occurred between 5pm and 9pm, followed by the hours of 3am and 7am, with 17 occurring during that time.

Most victims, 51, were Bahamian and 13 were Haitian. One each was American, Jamaican, Indian, Filipino and Indonesian.

The majority of the victims, 16, were between the ages of 46-55 while 15 were between the ages of 26-35 and 14 were between the ages of 36-45.

MURDERS IN GB DOWN BY 45% BUT OVERALL CRIME CONSTANT

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MURDERS in Grand Bahama decreased by 45 percent in 2018 however there was no percentage change in overall crime figures for the island, according to statistics presented by Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson yesterday.

He also noted that drug trafficking continues to be a major concern in the northern islands of Grand Bahama, Bimini and Abaco, and the southern Family Islands.

Regarding murders in Grand Bahama, the police commissioner said the island recorded six murders, five of which were solved, compared to 11 murders in 2017.

There was a 100 percent increase in attempted murder, from two in 2017 to four last year; a 20 percent reduction in reported rapes from five to four; a 25 percent reduction in unlawful sexual

intercourse from 12 to nine; an eight percent decrease in armed robberies from 13 to 12 and a 40 percent decrease in robberies from five to three. There were no reported incidents of manslaughter or attempted robberies in Grand Bahama last year. There was one incident of attempted rape, the same as in 2017.

The police chief noted that the Family Islands are generally peaceful communities and that residents in the islands are not tolerant of criminals.

“If you are involved in crime in the Family Islands, people will turn you in, they won’t hide you. I want to encourage Nassau people to do that,” Commissioner Ferguson said.

Commissioner Ferguson reported that crime in the Family Islands decreased by 30 percent in 2018. He also indicated that police are keeping an eye on specific individuals who are known to be involved in drug trafficking.

“While seizures may not be

POLICE in GB listen in. in large quantities, there are still persons using the Bahamas as transshipment points, particularly in the southern and northern Bahamas,” he said.

Police uncovered a marijuana field in the eastern end of Grand Bahama in December and seized $1.3 million in suspected marijuana from a vessel

in East Grand Bahama in October 2018. Statistics show police seized 47.59 pounds of cocaine in Grand Bahama last year; 1,619.83 pounds of marijuana and 1,208 marijuana plants.

The police commissioner indicated that the RBPF is forging great strides with the country’s youth through its summer youth programme.

He noted that the programme which has been in existence over 20 years is one of the largest for children under 16, with some 26 camps across the country.

He indicated that participation tripled in 2018 with approximately 4,500 youngsters.

“Our support by the community was amplified with the creation of 85 Neighbourhood Watch Groups that are important in combating crime,” he added.

Commissioner Ferguson stated that in 2019 he would be implementing three police public interaction days where each police division throughout the country, including himself, will partner

and spend at least two hours with various community leaders such as the Christian Council and the National Neighbourhood Watch Council. This will be carried out simultaneously throughout the country.

He also stressed that training of law enforcement officers continued to be a priority for the force and said that they are transforming the Police College into a premier law enforcement training institution in the region.

According to the police chief, 1,213 persons were trained at the Police College, including 794 police officers, 134 recruits, 41 customs officers, 12 immigration officers, nine correctional officers, four security officers, and 210 civilians from the Neighbourhood Watch Council last year.

Additionally, he noted that 136 police officers received international training in the US, Europe, Canada, South America, and the Caribbean.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, January 9, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

More than 100 Haitians face court

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 100 Haitians were charged in court yesterday with illegally entering the country over the weekend.

The 107 migrants – 91 males, 16 females – were charged before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux after being caught on a boat just off South Beach in New Providence on Saturday.

Yesterday’s arraignment came a day after 55 Haitians – 45 males and 10 females, some as young as 15 – were charged, convicted and ordered to be deported for trying to enter the country illegally last Thursday.

Since the start of the year, more than 300 migrants have been intercepted in three separate incidents, officials have said.

According to reports, on

the day in question, officers of the Department of Immigration’s (DOI) Enforcement Unit were informed by the officer-incharge, Harold Thurston, that four Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officers intercepted a vessel at sea and were due to report to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre (CRDC) at 2.30 that afternoon.

When the immigration officers arrived at the CRDC, they were told that at 8.46 that morning, a team of RBDF officers aboard patrol craft P-125 coxswained by Petty Officer Brian Anderson, intercepted a red and blue, 40-foot wooden hull Haitian sailing vessel some 4.17 nautical miles off South Beach Pools in New Providence.

HMBS Lignum Vitae subsequently towed the

Haitian vessel into the RBDF base at Coral Harbour, where a total of 112 Haitian nationals, including five children, were confirmed to be aboard the vessel. At around 3.53 that afternoon, the Haitians were turned over to immigration officials and transported to CRDC for further processing.

Upon arrival there, it was confirmed all of those aboard the vessel entered the country illegally.

All of the 112 migrants pleaded guilty to the offence yesterday. Magistrate Turnquest-Deveaux consequently convicted the group and ordered they all be turned over to immigration officials for processing and deportation.

Grade Two Immigration Officer Avia Beckford prosecuted the case.

THE ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force apprehended 101 Haitian migrants last Saturday.

‘WE CANNOT SIT IDLY BY AND BE TAKEN OVER BY ANOTHER COUNTRY’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Darren Henfield agreed with Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ assertion that illegal immigration is a threat to The Bahamas, saying the country must not sit idly by and allow it to be “overtaken” by another country.

“We’ve been grappling with this problem for the

last 50 years,” he told reporters outside of the Churchill Building yesterday. “Bahamians have been, in my estimation, quite tolerant.”

Mr Henfield said despite “fruitful discussions” with Haitian officials not much has been done to slow the number of undocumented migrants fleeing Haiti to The Bahamas.

Mr Henfield continued: “I think we are doing all that we can on a diplomatic level, reaching out

to Haitian policymakers to explain to them that the way that this is happening is unfair to Bahamians and it has to stop. “… We will continue to enforce the boarders, and we will continue to make diplomatic efforts to cause the Haitian government to appreciate what this effort or what this influx, the affect it is having on The Bahamas.

“The unfettered immigration of any people into a country like ours impacts us

on many fronts. We have to invest in security and then, you know, the social aspects of it. There is threat to our national security along the lines of our economy as well; socially, people come and they have to go to schools, that impacts us; they have to have healthcare, that impacts us. There are other issues where you have to focus your law enforcement in that particular area which is a challenge for us,” he added.

Mr Henfield suggested The Bahamas must stand up for itself. “… We will not stand idly by and allow us to be overtaken by any country who’s seeking to, you know,” he said.

“I heard someone say last night on the news that it is not a security threat, it is. That is why the issue of illegal migration is such a rife topic all across the globe. Everywhere you go people are talking about it because there has to be controlled migration. The government does not plan for illicit migration or for illegal migration into its territory. We plan for what we know, and so we are going to have to find more ways in which to mitigate and stem the flow. I think the Defence Force is

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Darren Henfield. doing a good job. I think we will continue to work as assiduously as we can on the diplomatic front to cause the Haitian government to come to the table and appreciate efforts that we are trying to make,” he said.

When asked by reporters if plans were underway for a second visit to Haiti in the wake of recent trends, Mr Henfield said no.

He told reporters that he has taken the initiative to reach out to Haiti’s new Foreign Minister Bocchit Edmond.

Of the latter, he added: “We will work … I believe we will work with anyone who appreciate the danger of unfettered migration into any country such as the Bahamas.

A small country like ours, with less than 400,000

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people, to be inundated with uncontrollable numbers of migrants is intolerable.”

Immigration Minister Brent Symonette also spoke about the issue yesterday. “(Migrants) don’t just turn up,” he said. “This is big business. Trafficking of people is a big business and there are people living amongst us that are dealing with it.”

He said officials in the Department of Immigration have been working to improve many of the policies and practices which have proved counterproductive in the past, chief among which was the practice of deporting persons without a court hearing.

“Now persons will be prosecuted, they will have a criminal record and they won’t, certainly under my watch, get a work permit,” Mr Symonette told reporters. “That is the first phase.”

The second phase would be the incorporation of drone technology along the country’s southern borders.

Thirdly, Mr Symonette revealed that the Minnis administration was close to concluding its review of the Immigration Act, saying an amended bill could be presented to the public in the coming months for consultation.

He said Bahamians must confront how they contribute to the situation by seeking foreign labour.

“If I tell you ladies that your live-in nanny who takes care of your child has to go home in six years, you’d say well I just had a child born, I want that nanny to take care of my child. That is a legitimate concern, but see where the problem starts,” he said.

“We’ve nationalised since we did the Immigration Commission probably about 500 non-nationals.

The minute we nationalise a lot of (these persons), I don’t know how many of you are aware, but the parents apply for the children who were born here before they were made Bahamian,” Mr Symonette added.

“So I (swear in) one person who is Bahamian, about four or five other children come under. So when I say we’ve done 300, 400 persons in the Immigration Commission, you’re talking about probably 1,200 people because the children come after that.”

“So it gets to be an exponential problem,” Mr Symonette said.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis characterised the ongoing migrant crisis as a serious threat to major sectors of Bahamian society.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, PAGE 7

Trial for man accused of stabbing woman to death moves another step closer

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A MAN’S trial for allegedly stabbing his common-law wife to death in front of four of her five children over a decade ago will be heard before Supreme Court Justice Renea McKay. Court officials told The Tribune that Leo Roderick Johnson’s matter concerning the August 19, 2006 murder of Ericka Fowler will come up for a case management hearing before that judge next week. A trial date has not been set as yet however.

Fowler, a former librarian and archivist at The Tribune, was 33-years-old when she was fatally stabbed. She died from her injuries in the street in front of her Comet Terrace home in Golden Gates on a Saturday night.

According to the-then press liaison officer Walter Evans, Fowler and a man got into a heated argument just before 9pm on the date in question in front of her home. Fowler was attacked with a sharp object, which police believed to be a knife.

When officers arrived on the scene, Fowler was lying lifeless on her back in the street. She had stab wounds about her body and several gashes to her throat.

After the incident, a man fled the area in a black Nissan Sentra. Four of her five children, as well as her mother reportedly witnessed the crime.

FOUR of five of Ericka Fowler’s children. From left, Lashon, Leo Jr, Tanrio and Natrell Johnson. Inset, Ericka Fowler.

Johnson was charged with Fowler’s murder days after her death on August 24, 2006. He was arraigned before the Supreme Court the following year, but the case was dormant until 2014 when a trial date was set for October 24, 2016 before then-Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.

Former Chief Justice Stephen Isaacs

subsequently took over the case.

In October of 2016, Johnson tried to have the proceedings stayed permanently because of the 10-year delay in bringing the case forward, which he asserted breached his constitutional right to a trial within a reasonable time.

At the time, Johnson sought a formal declaration

from the Supreme Court that Article 20(1) of the Constitution had been infringed.

The grounds for the application were that his case was an abuse of the process of the court; the delay was presumptively prejudicial; that no reasonable explanation was given for the delay and that he was severely prejudiced in his defence because of the delay.

The Crown, in turn, noted the reasons for the delay were “the prevailing conditions of the limited number of trial courts in 2007, the demand for legal services and the supply of legal services in The Bahamas as contributing to the delay.”

However, Justice Isaacs ultimately ruled that “on a balance of probabilities, a fair trial can be had despite

the delay and breach of the applicant’s constitutional right to a trial within a reasonable time.”

Johnson subsequently indicated his intention to file an appeal against the judge’s decision resulting in an adjournment of the matter. However, an appeal was not filed.

Nonetheless, a trial date was set for November 7, 2016. About seven months later, in May of 2017, a new trial date was set for November 26, 2018, with Justice Isaacs to be the adjudicator. However, the matter was ultimately transferred to Justice McKay following Justice Isaacs’ sudden death last August.

During her employment at The Tribune, which began in 1997, Fowler held the official title of assistant librarian and archivist.

However, she was often described as the “most versatile employee” because of her ability to work in every department at the newspaper.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, January 9, 2019

S

URVIVING R. Kelly, a docu-series on the R&B singer’s alleged abuse of women, aired on Lifetime over the past two weeks and, as expected, sparked heated debate. Some people are having a hard time reconciling the person behind popular songs with the one accused of various acts of abuse. The conversation has, in many ways, been derailed by people raising other issues that, while valid, do not detract from the gravity of this one.

The series is not an introduction to claims against R. Kelly.

Stories have been shared over the years, he has been tried on child abuse image charges and Buzzfeed’s Jim DeRogatis reported in 2017 on what was called an “abusive cult” when parents spoke out about their 19-year-old daughter believed to be living with R. Kelly against her will. At that time people close to him confirmed six women were living In Atlanta and Chicago properties with their lives — including what they ate, electronic device use and when they could have a shower — completely dictated by him.

It appears to be his practice to engage young women when they are 18 or 19-years old, refer to them as his babies and make them call him “Daddy”. The young women often have aspirations to enter the music industry and are made to believe Kelly CAN help them. Attorney Susan Loggans has confirmed numerous settlements have been made, but would not provide details.

Even hearing heartbreaking stories from those affected by Kelly’s abuse, some find it easy to make someone else the villain.

Where were the parents? Did they really think he would fly her to another city so soon after meeting her? Why did she give up her phone? What kept the women from leaving? Aren’t they at the age of consent? The questions do not call for answers. They are asked to cast a shadow on the innocent and make them look guilty, if only naive.

Fast Girls Society has very stringent rules for young women. Most of them point toward virginity and suppression of all sexual desire.

Young women are not to enjoy sex and should, at the very least, have the decency to hide it if they do.

We are supposed to move through the world like asexual beings and ignore male pursuit. Girls learn at an early age they are responsible for their bodies and whatever happens to them. It’s their job to make themselves as undesirable as possible if they fail at invisibility. Anything outside of this can be seen as being “fast,” and no girl wants that.

Fast girls like boys. Sometimes they are on the receiving end of men’s attraction. In school uniforms, in church dresses, wearing pigtails in the mall and at family parties, fast girls are seen by men and boys who are not expected to control themselves. Parents warn their children about leaving bathrooms wrapped in towels, and insist they wear more clothes than

THE TRIBUNE

Why R. Kelly’s story exposes a deeper, darker truth R. Kelly has built prisons for the women he lured in.

usual when visitors come. That anyone would welcome questionable characters into their homes is mind-boggling. How much more perplexing is it that children are made to fear the unnamed events that might take place and are taught they must prevent it?

As girls enter the teenage years, adults become suspicious of them.

They imagine what the girls might be doing, who they might be doing it with, and how it could make them — the adults — look bad. They are closely monitored and some of their clothes are given away because some shorts were suitable last year, but not now. They are scolded in advance for things they have never done.

Their recreation is restricted, if only because parents do not want them to be seen at too many events. Girls lose freedom before they truly know what it is because the prisons of “safety” adults build for them are better than being seen as “fast”.

The truth is “fast” girls are just girls. They go to school, they have friends, they have crushes, they beg to go to parties their friends are going to and their crush might also attend, they have changing bodies, they are learning to navigate a world that has people in it who are not girls. Excessive restrictions do not help. What they do, however, is prove we

know there is a problem. At what point will we all agree the problem is not “fast” girls?

This has been said many times over the past two weeks, and we cannot say it enough: The age of consent is 16 (and 18 for samesex), and any girls “with big man” before 16 is not fast, but a victim.

The “big man” is wrong, criminal and needs to be reported.

In the case of R. Kelly, “fast” girls believed he would take care of them. They thought he had a genuine interest in them, in helping to them to build careers and in making a life with them. In some cases, their parents believed some of these lies too. Their motivations varied, but they ended up in the same prison.

Whataboutism Throughout this conversation, like many others, people bring up every other case they can dig up. R. Kelly is in the USA where race is central to everything, so it is not surprising his supporters are trying to deflect by asking, “What about Weinstein?”

“Woody Allen?” What about all of the other white men who have been accused, but did not get what they deserved, or whose names are not in popular discourse at the moment.

In two words - them too. They

are manipulative, abusive men too. They, too, should be exposed for what they are and what they have done to people. We need to know how they abused their positions of power, explicitly or implicitly convincing women their cooperation or their silence would guarantee their success. There is, indeed, an issue with the justice system, and the way race impacts the progress in cases, stories, and discussions. That does not change where we are right now, looking at the evidence of R. Kelly’s behaviour. It is telling that so many people needed to see women onscreen, see their pain and hear specific details to believe them.

It is also telling some could watch the docu-series and still leave with “what about” questions, as if the stories, the specific case of R. Kelly and the harm he has caused numerous women and their families do not deserve attention and substantive response on their own.

Invisible listeners We talk about sexual violence in ways that blame survivors, question their testimony and suggest there are more important issues to address. This happens with every case, regardless of familiarity with the people involved. Some people think it is their job to pick apart

stories and come up with an alternate version or zero in on one component to raise suspicions and shift blame to survivors.

Going back and forth in conversations with people who insist on doing this can feel futile. Writing about these cases and talking, over and over again, about the dangers of victim blaming and the need to hold rapists and abusers accountable for their actions can also feel unproductive. It is not.

We may not change every mind, or win every argument, but what we do with our steadfastness is interrupt. We stand between them in the survivors silently watching the conversation. We let survivors know we believe and stand with them. We let those who have never thought about know there is another point of view worth considering. We let the people with problematic comments know they are not stating facts, and they will not be allowed to pretend they are experts. We interrupt what could become an echo chamber of victim-blaming, infantilization of men and distraction from the real issue.

R. Kelly has built prisons for the women he lured in. They are treated more like inmates than children and have little access to the outside world, often unable to even speak with their families. He has been strategic, targeting fans and young women hoping to start singing careers, inviting them to join him very early in their adulthood. He grooms them with the help of other women and immerses them in a different world. It is an extreme version of what men do to girls we like to call “fast’.

They prey on the young, find areas of weakness or need, isolate and dominate.

Yes, we need to protect girls from these predators. One challenge is doing that while acknowledging their personhood and fighting the impulse to make them prisoners in the name of safety. Another is doing that while creating a world where predators are not excused, celebrated, or funded — yes, through the purchase of albums and playing their music too — but are exposed, charged and prevented from hurting anyone else. The wrong people are in prison.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, PAGE 9

CES 2019: TV set maker LG makes its sets disappear LAS VEGAS Associated Press THE CES 2019 gadget show is revving up in Las Vegas. Here are the latest findings and observations from Associated Press reporters on the ground as technology’s biggest trade event gets underway.

DISAPPEARING TELEVISIONS In this age of smartphone streaming, big television sets are no longer the centerpiece of many living rooms. Now South Korean electronics company LG is doing its part to make TVs disappear altogether.

LG has unveiled a “rollable” TV — a 65-inch screen that can roll down and disappear into its base with the press of a button. The set can still play music when the screen is rolled down completely, or display a clock when it’s just partially rolled down. LG says the TV will be available later this year. It didn’t say how much it will cost.

Meanwhile, LG, Samsung and others unveiled “8K” sets, with four times the resolution of today’s high-definition sets and twice that of 4K sets such as LG’s rollable one. 8K represents the next generation of television viewing, but one that most people won’t see for themselves for some time.

So far, 8K has only been deployed for the occasional experimental broadcast, such as during the Olympics. Even 4K shows and movies are just starting to catch on.

“As always with TVs, innovations come with display hardware first and adoption of things like content and delivery always follow later,” said Paul

THE LG Signature OLED TV R, partially rolled up, is on display during an LG news conference at CES International in Las Vegas.

Photo: John Locher/AP Gagnon, an analyst with IHS Markit.

But unlike past developments that never caught on, such as 3D TVs, analysts believe 8K will become more popular eventually — just not ubiquitous.

Samsung announced its first 8K TV last year, an 85-inch model costing nearly $15,000. The company unveiled four additional sizes on Monday, sans prices. Also on Monday, TCL announced plans for 8K sets with Roku’s streaming technology built-in. LG has two 8K sets coming.

ENOUGH ABOUT SELFDRIVING CARS Many people at CES would rather hear about better video games. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang got a big round of applause when he told a crowd that he’d spend more time talking gaming than autonomous driving.

The Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker’s computer graphics technology is used in both industries. But it was Huang’s unveiling of a new gaming-oriented graphics processor that elicited the biggest cheers on Sunday night. He also detailed how his company’s advances in artificial intelligence and a graphics technology called “ray tracing” are helping to generate ever-more-realistic scenery in popular games.

This year’s CES is less focused on autonomous cars compared with last year, though there’s ongoing buzz about self-driving innovations. Ride-hailing service Lyft says that after launching a self-driving Las Vegas taxi service at last year’s CES, it’s now had almost 30,000 paid rides. Daimler on Monday unveiled a new self-driving truck and Bosch and

May Mobility separately unveiled their concepts for a driverless shuttle bus.

Meanwhile, executives from Audi, Toyota, Cruise Automation, chipmaker Nvidia, Google spinoff Waymo and several startups are gearing up to convince the public that autonomous vehicles are safe.

They say the coalition is not a lobbying effort but a united front to invest in countering what they describe as public confusion, fears and unrealistic expectations about self-driving technology.

The industry push follows a year of news about selfdriving crashes, including an autonomous Uber that fatally struck a pedestrian in March. Neither Uber nor Tesla, which has also had crashes, is part of the group.

A CENTURY-OLD CES FIRST-TIMER You wouldn’t expect to find the maker of Pampers

and Bounty paper towels at the world’s largest technology conference.

But here’s consumer goods company Procter & Gamble at CES 2019, showing off heated razors and a toothbrush that uses artificial intelligence. (Sorry if you were expecting selfchanging diapers.)

Procter & Gamble, which was founded more than 180 years ago, said it’s the first time it has been an exhibitor at CES. The company said it needs to infuse technology into everyday products to keep up with what customers want.

Among the goods on display: a waterproof Gillette razor that heats up to 122 degrees; an Oral-B toothbrush that tells you if you’re missing areas when brushing; and a wand-like device called Opte that scans the skin and releases serum that covers up age spots and other discoloration.

Although some of the products have been sold in test runs, pricing hasn’t been set yet. But expect to pay a lot more than the ordinary stuff currently on drugstore shelves.

AN ELEGANT WAY TO TEXT People feeling overwhelmed by their array of connected devices can invest up to $700 on another device meant to feel more artisanal.

Mui Lab, based in Kyoto, Japan, has designed an internet-connected wall panel made of sycamore wood that you can touch to send messages, check the weather or control other home devices such as lights and thermostats. Lighted letters and icons appear on the wood panel when it’s being used — and disappear when it’s inactive.

GIVING UP GAS: CHINA’S SHENZHEN SWITCHES TO ELECTRIC TAXIS SHENZHEN, CHINA Associated Press ONE of China’s major cities has reached an environmental milestone: an almost entirely electricpowered taxi fleet.

The high-tech hub of Shenzhen in southern China announced at the start of this year that 99 percent of the 21,689 taxis operating in the city were electric.

Last year, it still had 7,500 gasoline-powered taxis on the roads. A few can still be found, but electric ones far outnumber them.

The metropolis of 12.5 million is the second to achieve this feat in China and the largest. The northern China city of Taiyuan, with a population of 4.3 million, has had only electric taxis since 2016.

NEW electric-powered taxis are charged at a public charging station in Shenzhen city, south China’s Guangdong province.

Photo: Vincent Yu/AP Shenzhen “has taken the public transport to cut smog reduce emissions — and lead among major Chinese and develop the alternative sometimes startle pedestricities,” said Cui Dongshu, energy industry, the Shenz- ans with their near-silent the secretary-general of hen Municipality Transport operation. the China Passenger Car Committee said.

Shenzhen’s 20,000-plus Association.

Beijing and other Chi- electric taxis will reduce Shenzhen’s bus fleet has nese cities are served by carbon emissions by about been all-electric since 2017. legions of electric scooters, 850,000 tons a year, the It’s one of 13 pilot cities pro- bicycles and three-wheeled city’s transport commitmoting alternative-energy delivery vehicles that help tee said. However, the

all-electric initiative doesn’t include Uber-like ridehailing and ride-sharing services, which are popular in China.

Providing places to recharge taxis has been a big hurdle since Shenzhen rolled out its first 100 electric cabs in 2010. Cui praised the city for its network of about 20,000 public charging stations, which he said should be enough to meet most of the demand.

The electric taxis are equipped with an on-board terminal that tells drivers where taxis are in short supply, such as the airport, train station or other locations. It also clearly displays the fare and the taxi’s route, which the Shenzhen transport committee said would help prevent drivers from overcharging or taking a roundabout route.

• MORE from the CES 2019 gadget show: Google has transformed CES into a Disney-like theme park — complete with singing animatronic macarons — to showcase new features of its voiceenabled digital assistant.

This includes an “interpreter mode” that enables some of Google’s smart home devices to work as a translator. It’s being piloted at a hotel concierge desk near the Las Vegas tech conference and rolls out to consumer devices in several weeks.

Voice assistants are getting pretty good at translating speech into text, but it’s a thornier challenge in artificial intelligence to enable real-time translation across different languages. Google’s new feature expands upon real-time translation services it’s rolled out to Android phones and headphones over the past year.

This is the second year that Google Assistant had made a huge splash at CES in an effort to outbid Amazon’s Alexa as the voice assistant of choice.

Google this year has an amusement park ride that resembles Disney’s “It’s a Small World”, though on a roller-coaster-like train at slow speeds. Talking and singing characters showcase Google’s various voice-assistant features as visitors ride along.

Google isn’t the only CES exhibitor promising the next generation of instant translation. Chinese AI firm iFlytek has been showing of its translation apps and devices that are already popular among Chinese travelers. And at least two startups, New York-based Waverly Labs and China-based TimeKettle, are promoting their earbuds that work as in-ear translation devices.

• IBM is expanding its side job as the world’s meteorologist.

IBM CEO Ginni Rometty used a keynote address to unveil a new global forecasting system that promises more accurate local weather reports in places that never had them before.

The computing giant owns The Weather Company, which runs popular weather services including weather. com and the Weather Channel and Weather Underground apps (though not the Weather Channel television network). Those apps provide precise and constantly updating forecasts in places like the US and parts of Europe and Japan, but not in most of the world.

IBM says its new forecasting model relies in part on “crowd-sourced” data — barometric pressure readings from millions of smartphones and sensor readings from passing airplanes.

Weather Company CEO Cameron Clayton says the new system is intended to aid IBM’s business providing critical weather data to airlines, energy firms and other industries.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, January 9, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Ministry hits out at school bus contract ‘misinformation’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Education has hit out at “misinformation” about the cancellation of school bus contracts after drivers in Grand Bahama staged a protest on Monday alleging victimisation after their contracts, which would have expired in 2020, were terminated.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, the ministry noted that it has decided, in accordance with the terms of the contracts held by a select group of school bus operators in Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Eleuthera, to utilise the 60-day termination clause with respect to those agreements.

“After numerous complaints and due to the cost of these five-year

contracts, which were entered into by the PLP in 2015, these agreements were determined to be unfair and unsustainable,” the statement noted.

“Therefore, the ministry resolved that rather than renegotiate with more than 30 contractors, requests for proposals (RFP) were issued. It should be noted that the majority of the persons who had these

THE MINISTRY of Education released a statement about the cancellation of school bus contracts.

contracts previously have retained those contracts through this new RFP process at considerable savings to the Ministry of Education,” the statement said.

The ministry also noted that there was no inconvenience to students and thanked the courteous and patient display of professionalism demonstrated by all involved.

Yesterday David Thompson, vice-chairman of the Free National Movement, defended Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson in the face of social media criticism over the contract terminations.

“I have always found Senator Kwasi Thompson, state minister for Grand Bahama, to be not only a man who speaks truth but a man who puts God first and who works very hard for his country,” Mr Thompson said.

Confidence “When he speaks I have every confidence in the truthfulness of this man who is doing such an excellent job in Grand Bahama, every day working for Bahamians while finding time to go his church as a deacon and serve God and his family to the best of his ability.

“I, therefore, decry anyone who would suggest that he is untruthful in what he says when he speaks to the public. He speaks the truth always, and we must accept what he says as the truth based on his record and previous truthfulness,” said Mr Thompson.

Mr Thompson said government policy for these contracts was always three years until 2015, when under the PLP bus contracts were given for five years.

According to Mr Thompson, under the previous PLP administration, 2015 contracts were

“After numerous complaints and due to the cost of these five-year contracts, which were entered into by the PLP in 2015, these agreements were determined to be unfair and unsustainable.”

Ministry of Education press statement given to selected “all for me baby” individuals, some of whom held multiple contracts.

“For years we have suffered PLP victimisation of ordinary Bahamians in our economy,” Mr Thompson said.

“Bahamians ask every day how much is enough for the all for me baby crowd?”

On Monday, school bus driver Kevin Ferguson claimed the Minnis administration entered into new contracts with individuals who are all supporters of the Free National Movement.

He claimed some students were not picked up Monday morning for school because many of the new contracted school bus drivers did not have buses to transport them.

“We rode around this morning, and our school kids were not picked up because they did not have buses,” Mr Ferguson said.

“We decided to take a stand because we thought it was unfair to us, to the kids, parents, and everybody who believes that this government is a government that speaks out highly against corruption and wrongdoing.”

Students Mr Ferguson had been contracted as a school bus driver in 2015, and his contract was to expire in June 2020. He transported students from the Pinder’s Point and Mack Town areas and Sunrise Subdivision to St George’s High School.

However Mr Thompson said contrary to these claims, all children were safely transported to school.

“We have received no complaints to date, and with that being the case we say the contractors are executing their bus contracts satisfactory,” Mr Thompson said.

“When it comes to matters related to road traffic and transportation we have a department and a ministry that is very qualified to deal with such complaints, and anyone who has a complaint should go to Road Traffic (Department) in the NIB building in Freeport,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Hanna Martin slams the government’s Majority Rule ‘farce’

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin yesterday denounced the government’s upcoming “farce” of an observance for Majority Rule Day, telling The Tribune the Minnis administration has betrayed the principles of its historical significance.

Given this view, the former Cabinet minister said she would not engage in any event put on by the government for the holiday, which is tomorrow.

“This administration has betrayed the foundational principles of Majority Rule and have sought to reinstitute offensive policies and principles which stultify the progress of our people and marginalise our collective dreams and aspirations,” Mrs Hanna Martin said in a statement to this newspaper.

“They began with their reversal of the Bahamianisation policy with the passage of the Commercial Enterprise Act, which facilitates and prioritises foreign labour whether or not Bahamians are qualified to do the work. This is an abomination.

“They have most recently undermined our economic stability and favoured and protected minority interests by removing the established underpinning, the exchange control policy which supports the fixed control rate, without consultation: the net effect being the majority of Bahamians now face an economic future of uncertainty.

“They have made a mockery of our National

“This administration has betrayed the foundational principles of Majority Rule and have sought to reinstitute offensive policies and principles which stultify the progress of our people and marginalise our collective dreams and aspirations.”

Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin Honours system and potentially devalued its significance.

“They have violated the spirit and intendment of our Constitution by allowing a Cabinet minister to benefit from

THE ENGLERSTON MP mentioned Darnell Osborne (above), former executive chairman of Bahamas Power & Light Company.

a lucrative government contract in the renting of the Town Centre Mall despite not having the unanimous approval and consent of Parliament.

This is egregious.”

She continued: “They have favoured the wealthy and privileged in policy and action such as we saw with their embarrassing

kowtowing to Lyford Cay especially when contrasted with the disrespectful, dogmatic and dictatorial approach to Bahamian citizens and business.

“They have countenanced and condoned the disparaging of women through the official attack on Darnell Osborne, former executive chairman of Bahamas Power & Light Company, sending a vicious message as it relates to women in general.

“They have damaged our country’s reputation by the prime minister’s foray internationally declaring how corrupt the Bahamian people are.

“In the circumstances, I will not engage in the farce of observing form when substance is being destroyed.”

On January 10, 1967, both the Progressive Liberal Party and the United Bahamian Party won 18 parliamentary seats during the general election, with the remaining two going to Randol Fawkes, of the Labour Party, and Alvin Braynen, an Independent.

Mr Fawkes sided with the PLP, helping the party to form the first black-led government and overthrow a white, wealthy oligarchy. Mr Braynen became speaker of the House.

GLENYS Hanna Martin criticised the government contract in the renting of the Town Centre Mall.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, PAGE 11 ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin

PAGE 12, Wednesday, January 9, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

GOVT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ‘ANOTHER EXPENSE FOR BAHAMIANS’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

OPPOSITION Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said the government’s new communications director will not boost the popularity of the Minnis administration, but represents yet another expense Bahamians have to cover.

He spoke after Erica Wells, a communications expert with extensive experience in journalism, was hired as the director of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister to coordinate and manage strategic communications.

“We wish (her) good luck,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

During his first press conference of the year yesterday, Mr Davis said: “Bahamians are once again faced with having

“Bahamians are once again faced with having to pay for another public relations person.

Why is the prime minister afraid to speak directly to the public? While we welcome the new director of communications, a new messenger will not fix the government’s problems. The problem is the message.”

Philip ‘Brave’ Davis to pay for another public relations person. Why is the prime minister afraid to speak directly to the public? While we welcome the new director of communications, a new messenger will not fix the government’s problems.

“The problem is the message.

“When I talk about yet another public relations salary out of the Public Treasury, I ought to note that we’ve always had a director of Bahamas Information Services and then we have appointed after the elections a press secretary and now we have a director of

DIRECTOR of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Erica Wells Cox.

communications. It seems we have two persons and another whole department under the guidance and control of the director of BIS doing the same job, all at the expense of who, us, the Bahamian people.”

Mr Davis also attacked ZNS yesterday for failing to air a substantial portion of an interview he gave the state network last month.

He said the interview featured issues of national importance and the future of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Stories He claimed senior officials at ZNS directed subordinates not to air opposition stories unless the government has responded.

“I make this point because the Office of the Leader of the Opposition is a constitutional position and the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas is a public corporation owned by the Bahamian people,” he said.

“Members of the opposition have as much right to access this national communications network as the government does and the professionals at ZNS should determine what constitutes news.”

Mr Davis said he will make a formal complaint to the Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority about the matter.

OPPOSITION leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis.

BAHAMAS Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson.

Davis: It appears BUT leader has ‘hypnotised’ PM

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net OPPOSITION Leader Philip “Brave” Davis is targeting Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ relationship with Bahamas Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson after reports he prompted the government’s capitulation to her recent demands.

After the Ministry of Education reportedly initially rebuffed the BUT’s request to delay the start of the January school term by several days, the union directed its request to the Office of the Prime Minister. A source in government told The Tribune a meeting with Dr Minnis prompted the official delay to the reopening of public schools. However, Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd has publicly denied this, saying this choice was made exclusively by the Ministry of Education following a review of its calendar.

The South Beach MP said in December that education officials realised teachers would not observe their

“While ignoring the cries of the healthcare professionals and most other labour issues generally, it appears that the leader of the Bahamas Union of Teachers has hypnotised the prime minister and seems to be able to get whatever she wants. All the union leader has to do is go to the prime minister and the instructions are sent down.”

PLP Leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis usual “two week break” between in-year terms, adding officials viewed it as “unfair” to withhold the usual break period given the current workload of public school educators.

In another instance, Dr Minnis intervened to get BUT a strike certificate after the union leader contacted him, according to Mrs Wilson.

The Department of Labour had initially declined to grant the strike certificate because not all teachers in the country had the chance to vote in a December 2018 strike poll. C H Reeves teachers, affected by conditions at the school, were the only

ones that participated. The Department of Labour relied on a similar principle to deny the Bahamas Nurses Union a strike certificate last year. Both unions say the decisions were an abuse of power.

Nonetheless, Labour Director John Pinder told The Tribune he did not recommend that the strike certificate be granted.

Labour Minister Dion Foulkes has not said why he issued the certificate to the BUT. Speaking during his first press conference of the year, Mr Davis said yesterday: “While ignoring the cries of the healthcare professionals and most other labour

YOUR

issues generally, it appears that the leader of the Bahamas Union of Teachers has hypnotised the prime minister and seems to be able to get whatever she wants.

All the union leader has to do is go to the prime minister and the instructions are sent down.

“With the education being one of the most pillars in this country, why would Cabinet agree to delay the opening of the school year? How does it benefit the country?

“How does it benefit our children?

“I’m advised that insofar as nurses, doctors and other unions are concerned, their issues are still extant, they are falling on deaf ears so far as the government is concerned.

“I’m advised that very recently that everything that was asked for by (Mrs Wilson) was granted.”

Sources say Dr Minnis has been keen to suppress the labour unrest in the country. He has generally eschewed the more hardline approach adopted by several members of his Cabinet.

CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY

W W W . J O Y 1 0 1 9 . C O M L I K E

U S

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J O Y F M

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THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, PAGE 13

Grand Bahama Children’s Home enjoys special lunch

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A GRAND Bahama couple, in partnership with Wendy’s restaurant, hosted the children and staff at the Grand Bahama Children’s Home to a lunch on Friday.

Alexander and Valeria Burrows, who are residents of Freeport, are hoping that this becomes an annual event every January and are encouraging others to come forward and assist the home in other ways.

“We are very pleased as citizens of this community to be able to co-sponsor and host the children of the Grand Bahama Children’s Home and their faculty and staff,” said Mrs Burrows. “We are frequent patrons of Wendy’s and a week ago when the idea came to us we immediately approached Wendy’s about a partnership to cosponsor and host the Grand Bahama Children’s Home to lunch here.”

Mrs Burrows said that Wendy’s accepted and came on board to partner with them in an initiative they called New Year’s Lunch Fund. The couple visited the home and was impressed with the children and the staff they met

at the facility on Jobson Avenue. The home cares for children who have been removed from their families for reasons of abandonment, abuse or neglect.

It presently cares for 20 children from infants to 12-years-old.

Mrs Burrows noted that her husband, a former trade unionist, came from very humble beginnings in Mayaguana. “Growing up in a single parent home with a mother and the sixth of seven children, things were really tough for his family, and he said that if there were a children’s home located on the island of Mayaguana, he believes he would have been one of those residents because of how difficult it was back then,” she said.

“So we were moved with compassion when we visited the children’s home, and how well (the children) are taken care of, and we wanted to support that, and do something to thank the workers of the children’s home who take such good care of children and ensure that their needs are met,” Mrs Burrows said.

Mr Burrows said that he would also be contributing some Mayaguana sugar cane to the home’s garden.

“I saw their garden, and

they really need a little more help in that area,” he said.

Jean Hivert, treasurer of Grand Bahama Children’s Home, commended the couple and Wendy’s for hosting the lunch. “We are grateful to the community of Grand Bahama for the way they helped us in the past year and going forward we hope to be able to finish the renovations we started,” he said. “We are also hoping that maybe a psychologist can volunteer to come and help the children because although we can help with their physical needs, we can’t help with their emotional needs because some of them have suffered so much before they come to us. So, a psychologist in the New Year will be very well received so we could help the children,” he said.

The home is funded in part by an annual grant from the government which covers most of the staff’s salaries. The remainder of the home’s operational expenses, including all utilities, food, clothing, school supplies, medical and dental costs, transportation costs and all the other operational costs are funded by private donations and fundraising.

PAGE 14, Wednesday, January 9, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

UK parliament moves to make HEATHROW CLOSED BY ‘no-deal’ Brexit more difficult DRONES

LONDON Associated Press

BRITAIN’S parliament narrowly approved financial roadblocks that are designed to make it more difficult for the country to leave the European Union without a Brexit deal, giving a defeat to Prime Minister Theresa May’s government yesterday.

Lawmakers voted 303-296 to back a Finance Bill amendment that would prohibit government spending on “no-deal” Brexit preparations that Parliament didn’t authorise.

The vote in the House of Commons illustrated the substantial opposition to the real possibility of Britain withdrawing from the EU on March 29 without a divorce agreement in place on the terms of its relationship with the remaining members.

Business leaders and some economists have predicted disruption in the lives of UK residents and financial damage if that happens.

Without a trade deal in place, Britain could see tariffs slapped on its exports to the EU and possible food and medicine shortages.

But Britain has been headed in that direction because May has been unable to persuade a majority in Parliament to back the divorce deal her government negotiated with the EU. Concerns about the risks of a “no-deal” scenario has prompted talk of postponing Brexit day and even calling another referendum on Britain’s EU membership.

BRITAIN’S Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt arrives for a cabinet meeting in Downing Street in London yesterday.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said the spending restriction lawmakers passed was “an important step to prevent a no-deal Brexit”.

Earlier yesterday, a government minister ruled out Britain seeking an extension to its March 29 date for leaving the EU. The date was based on the two-year breakup period that started when May gave official notice Britain was pulling out.

Brexit minister Martin Callanan told reporters in Brussels that May’s government was not going to seek an extension to the countdown despite calls from some British politicians for a brake on the chaotic

and uncertain Brexit process. “We are leaving the EU on the 29th of March this year, because that’s what Article 50 says, that’s what Parliament voted for, and that’s now what domestic British legislation says as well,” Callanan said, referring to the EU regulation governing Brexit.

Britain can request an extension to the Brexit procedure, but the agreement of the other 27 EU countries would be needed, and the bloc’s leaders said last month that they would need good reasons to prolong it. European leaders have said a second Brexit referendum could be one good reason to do so.

May continued to seek further

concessions from the EU ahead of lawmakers voting on the unpopular withdrawal deal next week. The prime minister has pushed for fresh guarantees to ease its passage.

France insisted that the EU can only offer political reassurances — not legally binding changes to the agreement — to help May persuade reluctant lawmakers to endorse the deal. “We really need to have a ratification of the withdrawal agreement. This is the best solution for both parties,” French European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau told reporters.

The withdrawal agreement, which is required before more wide-ranging discussions on future relations can commence, foresees relatively close economic ties with Europe. That is particularly true in the immediate aftermath of Brexit to avoid the imposition of a hard border between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K. As well as frustrating lawmakers who want a complete break from the EU, the plan’s critics said the arrangement could result in the UK being “trapped” in the bloc’s customs arrangement if a superseding agreement on future trade ties is not reached.

Some lawmakers have said they will vote against the deal because they prefer another referendum on Britain’s EU membership.

The prolonged period of uncertainty has intensified political divisions over Brexit and led to some verbal confrontations in London.

LONDON Associated Press

LONDON’S Heathrow Airport halted departing flights yesterday after a reported drone sighting — a development that came just three weeks after multiple reports of drone sightings caused travel chaos at nearby Gatwick Airport.

The suspension of takeoffs from Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, was announced shortly before 6 pm, a move the airport said was made as a safety precaution.

London’s Metropolitan Police said it received a report about a drone “in the vicinity of Heathrow airport” at about 5:05 p.m.

Police and airport officials were investigating the reported sighting, which was not confirmed.

Flights resumed roughly 90 minutes later. The airport said that “based on standard operating procedures, working with Air Traffic Control and the Met Police, we have resumed departures out of Heathrow following a short suspension.”

The temporary departure shutdown at Heathrow follows the pre-Christmas shutdown of London’s Gatwick Airport.

A loose moose in the house ...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska Associatd Press A MOOSE wandered into a hospital building in Alaska’s largest city and chowed down on some plants in the lobby as workers watched the massive animal in awe. When a patient mentioned that security staffers were monitoring a moose that got inside the Anchorage building on Monday,

Stephanie Hupton dashed out and started recording. “Didn’t think we’d have a pet moose,” said Hupton, who works in billing at a physical therapy office inside a building attached to Alaska Regional Hospital.

The footage shows the moose browsing around some greenery near an entrance before it stands gazing at the camera’s direction. It briefly lingers before sauntering out through an open door.

PROSECUTORS WANT TRIAL DATE IN FLORIDA SCHOOL SHOOTING FORT LAUDERDALE Associatd Press PROSECUTORS pushed a judge yesterday to set a trial date this fall for Nikolas Cruz in the 2018 Valentine’s Day Florida school massacre that killed 17 people.

At a hearing, Assistant State Attorney Jeff Marcus said the case is fairly uncomplicated despite its notoriety and magnitude.

He asked Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer to schedule the death penalty trial for Cruz in September.

“We are coming up on the anniversary of this incident. Justice requires that this case be resolved as quickly as it can,” Marcus said. “It’s a pretty straightforward case that does not require years and years to prepare for.”

Judge Scherer, however,

NIKOLAS Cruz is facing a death penalty trial. said she is reluctant to move that quickly, with Cruz’s lawyers contending they still have large amounts of evidence to review and dozens of witnesses to interview. Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill said there are more than 300 frontline witnesses on the prosecution’s list and added that capital cases in Broward County typically take two years or more to

get to trial. “We have to do everything we have to do and depose every witness so that we are effective in our representation of Mr. Cruz.

There’s higher standards of due process,” McNeill said.

Scherer instead set another status hearing for February 21 and urged both sides to work as quickly as possible.

“We need to keep moving forward,” she said. “I just want to work though this as efficiently as we can.”

Cruz, 20, is charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. His attorneys have said he will plead guilty in exchange for a life prison sentence, but prosecutors have rejected that offer.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, PAGE 15