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VOLUME:115 No.34, JANUARY 11TH, 2018

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER:$1

OFFICIA

CL ASSIFIEDS TRADER: CARS, CARS, CARS - AND TECH

INSIDE

Fish Fry ‘no go’ zone in US alert

By AVA TURNQUEST and RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporters

THE US State Department released an updated travel advisory for the country yesterday, telling its citizens to stay clear of popular cultural restaurant hub the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay at night.

Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar told The Tribune the advisory was “odd and troubling,” adding he was “at a loss” over why the State Department would opt to target the area given there is an on-site police station.

The advisory ranks the Bahamas at ‘Level 2: Exercise increase caution,’ stating that violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assault are common, even during daylight hours and in tourist areas.

The State Department

maintained its stance banning embassy personnel from visiting the Sand Trap in Nassau or using Jet Ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Island; however, its latest warning strikes a major blow to one of the city’s most popular cultural offerings, the Fish Fry. In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mr D’Aguilar stressed there was no comparison between the safety enjoyed in the Caribbean with crime levels in major American cities.

“The Bahamas is a very safe destination if you consider in comparison with London or Chicago and New York,” he said.

“Some 6.3 million (guests) come to the country each year. This is an important area for Bahamian businesses, this is the first I’m hearing about it (travel advisory).

SEE PAGE THREE

REGULATORS have moved to ease “the hardship suffered” by Sebas Bastian after the Island Luck chief’s radio launch was blocked by an ongoing court dispute.

Tribune Business can reveal that the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has permitted Mr Bastian’s radio joint venture to broadcast using a “temporary” FM frequency - a move that has angered rival operators.

10PC NUGGETS

Mr Bastian’s majorityowned Paramount Systems joint venture was supposed to use the 103.5 FM frequency formerly employed

by ZSR Sports Radio, a station established by Olympic triple jump medallist, Frank Rutherford, and late sports broadcaster, Phil Smith. Mr Rutherford and Mr Smith’s widow are Mr Bastian’s minority partners in Paramount Systems, but they - and the 103.5 FM licence - have become embroiled in a legal challenge.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

BIG FISH

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands confirmed Tuesday that an additional tax will be introduced to fund National Health Insurance (NHI).

In an interview with reporters outside of Cabinet, Dr Sands said he has put pressure on the NHI board to come to the public sooner rather than later concerning the funding and execution of the health care initiative.

SEE PAGE 11

A SUSPECT who was shot by police yesterday morning during an armed robbery of a web shop on Prince Charles Drive is recovering in hospital.

Shortly after 3am police received information that a local gaming shop on Prince Charles Drive was being broken into.

Officers responded to the location and were confronted by two armed men, police said.

SEE PAGE THREE

PROTESTORS ‘CAN RELY ON PM’S PROMISE’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A PARTICIPANT in the Majority Rule Day silent march yesterday - held to mark the national holiday.

See page seven for more.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

STUDY CONFIRMS CHANCES OF MASSIVE OIL DEPOSITS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMAS-based oil explorer has received “a great endorsement” from independent experts who confirmed its chances of success are at least four times’ higher than the industry average.

Simon Potter, Bahamas Petroleum Company’s (BPC) chief executive, told

Tribune Business that confirmation of the validity of its underwater seismic data “can only be positive” for its joint venture partner search.

The exploration outfit, whose licence gives it until April 2018 to spud its first

exploratory well in waters south-west of Andros, hired Moyes & Co, a petroleum industry consultancy, in August 2017 to assess its prospects of striking ‘black gold’ in Baha-

mian waters.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

ORIGINAL CHICKEN SANDWICH WWW.BURGERKING.BS

NHI WILL NEED NEW TAXATION

POLICE SHOOT ARMED ROBBER IN SHOP RAID

WATCHDOG ACCUSED OVER ‘RADIO SEBAS’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

L SOUR CE

/BURGERKINGNASSAU

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis does not regret pledging to expunge the records of Cabbage Beach protestors who face court charges and he still intends to “live up to the commitment” he made them, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold said Tuesday.

However, he could not explain how Dr Minnis will SEE PAGE FIVE

LET’S BE HONEST - IT’S TIME TO CLEAN UP OUR ACT

SEE PAGE 13

PAGE 2, Thursday, January 11, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

SANDS WARNS AGAIN ON FLU VIRUS STRAIN

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands has again urged Bahamians to take warnings related to the H3N2 flu strain seriously.

On Tuesday, the Elizabeth MP implored all at-risk Bahamians to get vaccinated to avoid catastrophic health risks from the new strain, dubbed Aussie Flu. He also dismissed cultural superstitions that surround seasonal flu vaccinations, calling these beliefs “nonsense”.

He warned anyone abstaining from vaccines in this instance, were unnecessarily “rolling the dice” with their overall health.

“There is a lot of hearsay, you know. In The Bahamas, ‘if the draught hit your mole you’d get pneumonia’, right? Which is nonsense,” Dr Sands said.

“If you get wet in the rain, you’d get pneumonia, right? Which is nonsense.”

He continued: “The same thing applies to taking a flu shot. There is a specific subset of people that ought to take the flu shot every year; older people, people with underlining medical problems like diabetes or kidney failure, people with cancer, people that have depressed immune systems, younger people and health care workers. If you don’t, you’re rolling the dice.

“So don’t listen to all of this nonsense. I mean it is cute, but a lot of it is nonsense.”

Dr Sands, a surgeon, insisted international reports surrounding the

virus were not being exaggerated.

He contended: “(This strain) is killing people around the world. This is nothing to play with.”

With respect to the availability of vaccines, Dr Sands added: “There are 10,000 doses of flu vaccines available in the public sector and we have the ability to get more. There are other doses in the private sector.

“You can decide whether you are going to listen to that someone (warning against a flu shot) who don’t know nothing about what they talking about and when you get very, very ill in the Intensive Care Unit.”

There have been no reported incidences of the virus in the Bahamas, but health service officials have watched the matter very closely.

Symptoms of the Australian or Aussie flu are identical to symptoms of less severe strains of the flu virus, except the symptoms are more severe and longer-lasting.

According to Australian health officials, the H3N2 strain mainly affects older people, those with long-term health conditions, pregnant women and children.

The strain was recently blamed for more than 300 deaths in Australia, with nearly 170,000 cases recorded.

According to the UK Telegraph, 24 people in the UK have died as a result of the strain.

Additionally, the number of those being treated for flu-like symptoms increased by 2,370 people in one week.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 11, 2018, PAGE 3

ARAWAK CAY, which has been named in a warning from the US embassy.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

Fish Fry ‘no go’ zone in US alert from page one “The Fish Fry is visited by many guests every year without incident,” Mr D’Aguilar said.

“I would consider it a very safe place for our foreign visitors. I’m at a loss as to why they would specifically pick that out and in addition to that there is a police station there so the government has taken steps to ensure it’s safe.

“It’s very odd and troubling and I will investigate why.”

Yesterday, vendors on the strip underscored the critical importance of both local and tourist traffic, expressing major concerns over the advisory’s impact on eateries struggling to survive in the current economic climate.

Jason Burrows, proprietor of Deep Creek, called on the government to make an immediate intervention.

The restaurant has been at Arawak Cay for 15 years.

“That’s ridiculous, why would they say something like that?” Mr Burrows said.

“Arawak Cay is a place that tourists and Bahamians alike come out and enjoy themselves. I can’t see the American embassy or any embassy in this country put out some kind of advisory like that because we’re so small, this is a cultural spot and I would hope that the government and everybody would put a stop to all of the nonsense.

“We have small businesses out here trying to advance themselves, trying to keep people employed and trying to do the right thing, so when you hear things like this… this is what they are trying to do is stop us from making a living. And I think that’s really poor.”

He continued: “Nights are important, right now we’re trying to do some other stuff out here, more cultural, to bring it together but we need help with people like the American embassy - if they would send more people out here and instead try to help us to make this a better place. This is the only cultural spot, so why do you want to put a black mark

or a bad name on it?”

Mr Burrows acknowledged the area was not immune to crime or conflict, but said it was important to contextualise incidents as it was not representative of the business community.

In line with previous travel warnings, the State Department also advises its citizens to avoid the Overthe-Hill area.

“Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assault is common, even during daylight hours and in tourist areas,” the notice said. “US government personnel are not permitted to visit the Sand Trap area in Nassau due to crime. Jet Ski operators are known to commit sexual assaults against tourists, including minors. As a result, US government personnel are not permitted to use Jet Ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Island. “. . .If you decide to travel to The Bahamas: avoid the area known as ‘Overthe-Hill’ (south of south of Shirley Street) and Fish Fry at Arawak Cay in Nassau at night. Do not answer your

door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is. Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.”

The updated advisory came as the State Department launched its new travel advisory programme - a revamp of its Consular Information Programme - that retires travel warnings and alerts in lieu of a streamlined four tier-ranking system.

Level 1 and 2 countries are reviewed on an annual basis, unless there are special circumstances, according to Michelle Bernier-Toth, acting deputy assistant secretary for overseas citizens services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, during a press briefing on the new advisories.

Ms Bernier-Toth explained that local embassies are authorised to provide host governments with an advance copy of the final travel advisory for their country - “if they thought it was important;” however, she noted host governments did not have the ability to change the language contained in the advisory.

SUSPECT HELD AFTER OFFICER KNOCKED TO GROUND

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net POLICE took a man into custody yesterday who they believe injured an officer as he attempted to evade arrest, according to Assistant Superintendent of Police Shanta Knowles.

Videos of the altercation were circulated widely on

social media.

Supt Knowleds said: “Shortly before 12 noon today, an officer was at Junkanoo Beach and was attempting to affect an arrest of a male suspect, resulting in a struggle. The officer was thrown to the ground and received injuries to his leg. The suspect fled into the sea but was captured a few minutes

BEAUTY STORE ROBBED POLICE are looking for a gunman who robbed employees of a beauty supply store on Tuesday afternoon.

According to police, around 5pm, a man armed with a handgun entered a beauty supply store on Palmetto Avenue and Market Street and robbed employees of cash before fleeing on foot.

In another incident, shortly before 7pm, a woman had just pulled up to

POLICE SHOOT ARMED ROBBER IN SHOP RAID

from page one

“The officers, being in fear for their lives, engaged the men and afterwards discovered that one had been shot,” according to Superintendent Shanta Knowles.

Both suspects were taken into custody.

The injured suspect was taken to hospital where he is listed in stable condition.

Investigations are ongoing.

her home on Firetrail Road when she was approached by a gunman who robbed her of cash and other items before fleeing in a dark coloured SUV with another male.

Investigations are ongoing.

later. The officer was trans- remained on the ground for ported to hospital and some time, clearly in pain as is being treated for his nearby residents attended injuries. The 27-year-old to him. A video posted on suspect is expected to be Facebook not long afterformally charged before wards showed a number of court later this week.” officers on Junkanoo Beach In one of the videos taking a man into custhat circulated online, a tody. Whether the suspect police officer appeared to allowed himself to be taken be body-slammed by the in willingly was unclear, but man resisting arrest. After police appeared to aggresthe suspect fled,Thursday, the officer sively handle 11th January 2018 him.

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PAGE 4, Thursday, January 11, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

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

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

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

Published daily Monday to Friday

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Changing times and marijuana A DECADE ago, The Tribune would have refuted, rebuked and shunned the suggestion of marijuana being decriminalised faster than the speed of light could travel. But the culture is changing. The conversation has started locally, regionally and internationally. We can no longer pretend the issue is not on the table. It is time to give careful consideration to where The Bahamas stands and how we proceed from here.

We tread carefully on this subject because we know the marijuana issue sprouts many angles and takes many forms. The plant grows naturally and was one of the first used by naturedependent peoples long before our time.

Its potency as a medical supplement and pain suppressor has been affirmed and re-affirmed repeatedly. However, its use for medical purposes must be measured against its use for recreational purposes when we know that, over time and with regular heavy use, marijuana or weed as it is commonly called can lead to depression, anxiety and a general lethargy toward life, including lack of ambition.

At best, for occasional recreational purposes, marijuana is an appetite, conversation and sensual experience enhancer; at worst, it can and, in some instances does, lead to a desire for something stronger - cocaine, even heroin.

Though there is denial among many regular smokers, the lack of ambition and the search for a successive high, concern us deeply. One high invites another, triggering the craving to repeat the initial sense of euphoria or achieve an even better high, both becoming harder to attain with the same toke and grain, a scenario that invariably ends in disaster.

But the track that concerns us even more locally is what happens to a young man caught smoking a joint or possessing just enough weed for personal consumption when, under current policy, he is arrested, charged and sentenced for a small quantity of marijuana.

In exchange for a brief high, he will suffer consequences that could reverberate for years.

Once arrested and convicted, he cannot produce a clean criminal record when applying for a job. Unable to secure honest work, but having contacts in the drug business, he starts out small doing what comes relatively easy.

He deals. If he is good, he is promoted to a larger role with greater risk, responsibility and reward. If not, he may turn to stealing, likely from those closest to him, a few dollars from his mother or sister’s purse, a few tools he can sell on the street.

Escalation follows. It is a path that Minister of National Security Marvin Dames realises is untenable, consuming police resources, prison costs and ruining lives for engaging in a practice that is not only legal in other places but allows shareholders to derive revenue and economies to grow.

Just because others do it has never been a strong enough argument for us in the discussion of any issue. However, we are interested in the underlying causes of what motivated others to change

their tone to either decriminalise or legalise the use of marijuana. We want to maintain the distinction between the two and between medical and recreational use.

As we continue to review, here is what we believe is a thoughtful and prudent approach to a delicate subject.

First, we must have an open mind. We elect to listen to all sides and not enter the discussion with a jaundiced or prejudiced view.

The Bahamas is a member of CARICOM. We have headed the regional organisation of Caribbean states and, as such, should participate in the conversation and, unless there is strong opposition, contribute to a regional policy. If the policy is not regional, states or island nations that are not partner to it will shoulder the brunt. If, for instance, the agreement is to decriminalise, which may be reasonable as it stops short of full-on approval but relegates personal recreational use to the same category of punishment as a traffic violation.

If we do not agree with this step, then our young men and women who smoke weed will be paying a higher price than those in neighbouring countries.

What The Bahamas cannot do and should not do is go it alone. We cannot be first out of the gate to say “yes” to all or any uses of marijuana, medical or recreational, and we cannot stand alone to say “no” but whatever the decision, we must have full faith in how it was reached.

Secondly, if the majority vote is decriminalisation for recreational use, we should separate that decision from the consideration of medical marijuana as part of our medical tourism product development. Toward that end, we will have to participate in creating policy and tight regulations that guard against unwanted risk while providing a service to those who suffer from various illnesses.

Thirdly, whatever step we take we must engage in a strong educational campaign so that the issue is not seen as political but as a community decision, creating a safer environment. And we must be prepared to handle the impact of addiction should there be widespread approval.

Finally, we must take a good, strong look at the economic benefits of the male marijuana plant, hemp, which can be used in clothing, fuel, medicinal oil and numerous other products. Medicinal hemp cannabidiol, an anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant and anti-oxidant used in a number of conditions including epilepsy and schizophrenia, is projected to be a $1 billion industry by the year 2020.

The Bahamas is ideal fertile ground for growing and harvesting the plant.

With much at stake and still many unknowns and unknowables, we hope the process of decision-making is marked by public and expert professional consultation and by reason.

Marijuana has sprouted a debate that has no easy answer and the result may well be that policy is as organic as the plant itself, capable of adapting to change.

Privatise Junkanoo EDITOR, The Tribune.

WE love Junkanoo so much that every single post parade there is controversy so I suggest privatise the whole event and let’s see whether the public really is willing to put their money where obviously their mouths are.

Maybe the Government will be responsible for one aspect - erecting the bleachers nothing else.

God help us if we listen to a hinted suggestion of the Minister that we should build a purpose-built arena for Junkanoo as, like Thomas Robinson Stadium, that will never make money.

The route needs to change - start at the Eastern Parade and come up to the Hilton, a straight run where the parade will end. Dancing in probably two areas en route include

Rawson Square. No parade on Shirley Street as that will now be used for two way traffic.

If the Groups can’t make this a financial and attendance success then sorry, all financial support will be removed. It is time the Groups learn and let realism decide.

W THOMPSON Nassau, January 2, 2018.

Treatment of Carnival a disgrace EDITOR, The Tribune.

RECENTLY, Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture Michael Pintard made a further statement on the government’s involvement with carnival. I found it contradictory, duplicitous, and confusing. Still, in the January 2, 2018, issue of The Tribune, Minister Pintard said, “There is no contradiction in our position and certainly no duplicity. We, as a government, are out. This is now a private venture that will be guided by the government through an amended commission. But for all intents and purposes, all avenues are open.” Huh? If carnival is truly now a private event, how is it and why is it that the government is guiding it through an amended commission?

And what does it mean that “for all intents and purposes, all avenues are open?” Clearly, the Minister’s words reveal more carnival duplicity and new doubletalk.

Based on Minister Pintard’s own words, the government is not out of carnival. Yes, the government has rightly decided to discontinue the PLP government’s practise of wasting large amounts of money on carnival, but according to Minister Pintard, the FNM government plans to provide in-kind funding (e.g., giving advice and logistical support, etc.). So, the minister’s statement is contradictory and confusing. If the government provides advice, logistical support (and possible subvention) to events and people who are promoting a foreign culture, the government is not being serious or honest about not being in the business of funding a foreign culture.

Connected to Minister Pintard’s statement that carnival will be ‘privatised’, the carnival band

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net owners are asking the government to provide police and clean up for their so-called road march (which is nothing more than public debauchery and a pornographic street parade). Clearly, there is a significant cost for these services, and if the government accedes to their request, it would be further evidence of contradiction and duplicity in Minister Pintard’s statement that no government should be in the business of funding a foreign culture. And in addition to funding a foreign culture, the government would be aiding and abetting public indecency, public drunkenness, and lawlessness, as police officers look on and do nothing.

Once again, I urge the government not to give permission to the carnival band owners to use our streets or public spaces for their pornographic parade and public debauchery.

Let them use private property, and let them pay for their own security and clean up their own garbage.

Outside of our homes, we live in shared space.

Our streets and public spaces are to be shared by all of us. Therefore, no individual or group should be allowed to use shared space in a manner that breaches our laws and societal norms regarding public conduct.

And an overwhelming majority of Bahamian citizens and residents still believe that the live pornography, vulgarity, debauchery, and drunkenness promoted by and practised in carnival should not be allowed in our streets and public spaces. And what is worse is for the government to

facilitate such conduct.

The introduction of carnival by the PLP government was and still is a national disgrace. That decision remains a moral blight on the PLP and our country. What carnival promotes does not inspire us to lift up our heads to the rising sun. Instead, it compels us to hang down our heads to the ground below, in shame. At least that’s the effect on those of us who still have a sense of shame and an awareness of what is appropriate conduct in public.

As I listen to Minister Pintard trying to justify government support for the continuation of carnival by way of facilitated privatization, I’m forced to ask the question: Why would any government who truly wants a better Bahamas facilitate the continuation of this moral blight called carnival, and become a partaker in the moral misdeeds of the Christie-led PLP government?

Facilitating the continuation of carnival on the one hand and pronouncing support for Bahamian culture on the other hand is contradictory and confusing.

And more than that, it is unjustifiable.

I and other right-thinking Bahamians continue to pray that Minister Pintard and the FNM government will make the right financial, moral, and cultural decision about carnival and totally and completely discontinue involvement with it. And we encourage them to remember that the person who does not himself burn the house down but advises and provides logistical support to the one who does burn it down is an accomplice in that crime.

PASTOR CEDRIC MOSS Nassau, January 8, 2018.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 11, 2018, PAGE 5

Minnis to discuss marital rape laws and marijuana in Cabinet meeting

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will devote a day of Cabinet meetings to discuss marijuana and marital rape with his ministers, his Press Secretary Anthony Newbold said.

Dr Minnis has not commented publicly on marijuana since it emerged as a topical issue last week and Mr Newbold gave no indication he has strong views on matters related to the substance, be its medicinal benefits or the social impact of criminalising

people found with small amounts of the drug.

“He’s committed to taking a day for his Cabinet to talk about several issues, the whole issue of marijuana is one of them,” Mr Newbold said Tuesday, later adding he could not say which date the issue will be discussed. He later told The Tribune marital rape would also be discussed in this meeting.

“Cabinet will spend a day discussing that and will have that discussion before any other movement is made with respect to that.

The prime minister has said and continues to emphasise

that whatever happens, the Bahamian people must have a say in whatever that final decision is determined to be. That decision will be made after the Bahamian people have had an opportunity to weigh in extensively on that issue just like any other.”

Cabinet ministers have been reluctant to give their personal view on marijuana, typically emphasising a desire to speak as one government.

Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield has come the closest to expressing his personal view, telling reporters last week that no

PROTESTORS ‘CAN RELY ON PM’S PROMISE’ from page one do something legal experts believe could open him up to executive interference accusations and overreach, as laws do not empower a prime minister to expunge a person’s record of a criminal conviction.

Ten people were charged, including for obstruction and disorderly conduct, in 2016 after they protested limited vendor access to Cabbage Beach.

Some protestors tore down a fence that blocked the entrance to the beach not long after the government had announced the pathway would be opened for a period of time while it sought a resolution with the property owner.

As leader of the opposition, Dr Minnis said he “expected the charges to be dropped,” and if they were not he said “the records will be wiped clean” under an FNM government.

“These men will have no criminal records that will interfere with their advancement and progression in society,” he said in 2016, outside the Magistrate’s Court as the men were arraigned. “It will be wiped clean.”

Many months later, the protestors have been in and out of court but have been unable to meet Dr Minnis so he could make good on his promise to them.

They told The Tribune on Monday that Dr Minnis encouraged some of them to join the protest and now they feel used and betrayed.

Conceivably, the Office of the Attorney General could issue a nolle prosequi to end the case, but doing so would raise questions about political interference for an administration that has passed a law making the Department of Public Prosecutions independent from such influence. Otherwise, Attorney Wayne Munroe said yesterday that some criminal convictions are expunged automatically “after the required time has passed” under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. He added the Perogative of Mercy Committee could recommend a pardon for a conviction.

“The problem is that if you don’t enter a nolle prosequi before the conviction, you are saying that it

DR Hubert Minnis at the time of his pledge to those charged over tearing down a fence blocking access to Cabbage Beach. is okay to break the law if you have a good reason,” Mr Munroe added. “No one does that.”

During Tuesday’s press conference, Mr Newbold said: “It’s a legal issue and so when it comes to legal matters (Dr Minnis) will always be guided by his attorney general. But the prime minister is a man who always lives up to his commitments and if I say anything to the public, if I say anything to the protestors at Cabbage Beach, the prime minister lives up to his commitments.”

In fact, Attorney General Carl Bethel has already addressed the issue, telling the Nassau Guardian recently: “Politicians don’t have the authority to direct prosecutions or discontinue prosecutions or expunge.”

Told this was Mr Bethel’s view, Mr Newbold repeated his comment: “He (the prime minister) lives up to his commitments.”

Asked if the prime minister will meet the protestors, Mr Newbold said: “He lives up to his commitments.

Whatever commitment he made, he intends to live up to it.”

Last year the Minnis administration passed a constitutional amendment to create an Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Although the law has not yet been gazetted, it mandates that an attorney general can only direct a DPP’s action under specified conditions “involving consideration of public policy, national security or the international obligations of The Bahamas.” Critics have faulted this provision in the ammendment, saying the broad categories create loopholes that an administration could exploit to interfere in a case. The amendment mandates that an attorney general’s direction be gazetted and disclosed to the public.

Asked how the prime minister will fulfill his

SON OF FORMER HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE BAHAMAS DIES, AGED 47 THE son of the former British High Commissioner to The Bahamas died unexpectedly at the weekend in England.

Andrew Buchan, 47, was the son of Verona and Peter Young, who was High Commissioner from 1996 to 2000 and lives in Nassau.

Mr Buchan, an IT consultant who lived in Surbiton, Surrey, was a regular and enthusiastic visitor to the Bahamas.

Educated at Amersham College and Merton College, Mr Buchan died on Saturday evening in St Thomas’ Hospital, central London, from

ANDREW BUCHAN complications following a sudden urinary infection and sepsis.

He leaves a wife, Caroline, and a younger brother, Ian.

promise to the Cabbage Beach protestors in light of the Department of Public Prosecution’s independence, Mr Newbold said: “...

We didn’t have that discussion but I’m sure that is something he’s thinking about and everybody needs to think about because that person is certainly independent and that was always the intention.”

Mr Newbold said Dr Minnis does not regret his promise.

“No, no, (the) prime minister months ago – and I told this story shortly after the election and shortly after I was appointed and somebody called and said tell the prime minister if he could just live up to a third of his promises he will be fine. And (the prime minister) said what is he talking about, I didn’t make promises because I didn’t know how I would fulfill them; I intend to fulfill all the commitments I made.”

Nevertheless, Dr Minnis has already failed to live up to at least one of his boldest promises: to renegotiate the Baha Mar deal left in place by the former Christie administration.

After pledging to do this during the lead-up to last year’s general election, Dr Minnis has instead attended the opening of Baha Mar events marking new stages of the development of the resort.

The resort sale has since been finalised to Hong Kong-based conglomerate Chow Tai Fook Enterprises.

reasonable person can deny the country must examine laws that criminalise people caught with small amounts of the substance.

Before his election to office, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands called for possession of small amounts of marijuana to be decriminalised.

Mr Newbold said Tuesday the prime minister has told no one to refrain from contributing to the public debate about the matter by giving their personal view.

“They all subscribe to the same philosophy which is, ‘I don’t necessarily want to influence anyone either

way.’ There is lots of information out there. There will be lots more information gathered, let people have an opportunity to view the information and come to a reasonable and sensible conclusion for themselves.”

CARICOM, according to the chair of its Regional Commission on Marijuana Dr Rose Marie Belle-Antoine, submitted a questionnaire for the government to publicly distribute to conduct a survey on the attitudes Bahamians have toward marijuana. However, Mr Newbold could not say if

the government intends to conduct such a survey.

He later added: “I would imagine you probably will have more meetings.”

CARICOM will release its report on marijuana in July.

“When the report is completed, I’m sure something official will be said and what will happen as a consequence of what was recommended,” Mr Newbold said.

Mr Newbold also revealed during Tuesday’s press conference that Dr Minnis will deliver his first national address for the year on January 29.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 11, 2018, PAGE 7

THE LEADER of the opposition Philip Davis at the march yesterday.

Majority Rule ‘a day for all’ PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday heralded the struggle of those who paved the way for majority rule, saying the historical event should be celebrated by all Bahamians.

In a Majority Rule Day message, Dr Minnis recalled the history surrounding the important day in 1967.

“Between 1942 and 1967, a series of significant events forever transformed the political and social landscape of the country,” Dr Minnis said. “The Burma Road Riot in 1942 was the beginning of a new political awareness in The Bahamas.

“In 1953, the Progressive Liberal Party was formed as the first national political party, with William ‘Bill’ Cartwright playing a central role in the development of party politics.

“Sir Etienne Dupuch’s anti-discrimination resolution in the House of Assembly in 1956 was the catalyst for dismantling racial segregation in public places.

“The General Strike of 1958, resulted in muchneeded changes to the country’s labour laws and electoral representation.

Four new parliamentary seats were provided for New Providence. With this new political awareness and activism came a strong resolve to give a voice to every Bahamian, not just a privileged few.

“It was not until January 10, 1967, that the House of Assembly represented for the Bahamian people what has been described as the fullness of democracy.

The intervening years witnessed many evolutionary changes, even revolutionary changes, before it became the legitimate expression of the will of all the Bahamian people.

“In the middle of the 20th century the House was firmly under the control of an entrenched oligarchy, who maintained their stranglehold through unjust electoral laws and the brutal exercise of economic power.

“It was then that a new generation of political leaders rose up to challenge the old guard and to bring pressure on the colonial power for change. In the 1960s, some of the worst aspects of the corrupt electoral system were changed and universal adult suffrage came to The Bahamas, with women voting for the first time in 1962.

“So it was that in 1967 the Bahamian people finally voted out the oligarchy and opened a new era of democratic government. We call

that day Majority Rule Day. It is a day that should be celebrated by all Bahamians because, among other things, revolutionary but peaceful change had come to The Bahamas.

“A system that had to end one way or another, ended in a peaceful and orderly manner, and of that all Bahamians should be proud.”

At a symposium held at the University of The Bahamas yesterday on majority rule, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader Philip Davis also spoke of the significance of January 10, 1967.

“It is generally accepted by historians that the significance of majority rule is equaled and some may argue surpassed only by the transatlantic slave trade and independence for its transformative impact on the national development, ethos and national identity of this free modern democratic state we call The Bahamas,” Mr Davis said.

He said he will petition Dr Minnis to create a statutory commission to oversee official state functions related to Majority Rule Day. “In the spirit of national unity and bipartisanship, I call on the government to cause for the appointment of a statutory commission to superintend the official state functions that will mark this momentous occasion. The membership should represent a cross section of civil society to create the level of balance and commitment by the government and people of the Bahamas in preserving our history, heritage, culture and national identity.

Those thousands of unsung heroes who sacrificed much, even their lives, deserve no less from us the beneficiaries of their sacrifice. I will write the prime minister to initiate this proposal and pledge the PLP’s support in this bipartisan effort.”

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

PAGE 8, THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018 PAGE 9

TRIBUNE PUBLISHER TABLES RESOLUTION: ENDS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION JANUARY

1956

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

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

PAGE 10, Thursday, January 11, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Still homeless after the tornado

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ALFRED Rolle, 68, and his 88-year-old mother, Annalee, are still displaced and have received no help with home repairs four months after their house was destroyed by a horrific tornado at Imperial Park Subdivision.

Mr Rolle and his mother are staying in a small unit in the Kwan Yin apartment complex and claim they are struggling to pay rent.

Both are pensioners and do not have the means to repair the house. There is no roof and their furniture, appliances and personal belongings are destroyed.

Assessments were conducted by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Ministry of Works, and Department of Social Services in Grand Bahama, but the government has not yet provided any assistance with home repairs to the victims in Imperial Park.

On September 10, 2017, as Hurricane Irma passed near Grand Bahama, a tornado ripped through Freeport destroying several buildings, including five homes in the Imperial Park

ALFRED ROLLE, 68, and his 88-year-old mother, Annalee, are still displaced and have received no help with home repairs four months after their house, above right, was destroyed by a horrific tornado at Imperial Park Subdivision in Grand Bahama.

Photos: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff Subdivision. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and several Cabinet ministers visited the tornado-damaged homes and the affected homeowners on September 14.

The Tribune went to the area last Saturday. Some of the affected homes were under repair, but appeared unsafe for occupancy and had a bright orange inspection sticker on their front doors.

The Tribune spoke with Mr Rolle and his mother at their home.

Mr Rolle, a retired

hotel worker, paid off his mortgage in 2007 but did not have any home insurance. Social Services placed him and his mother at the Royal Islander Hotel for a month but told them they would eventually need to find an apartment, The Tribune was told. Mr Rolle said he got an apartment in Kwan Yin, where they are paying a monthly rent of $500.

“I have been here over 31 years, plus my van was damaged,” he said. “The money we get from our old age pension is going into

paying the rent.”

He and his mother visit their house in Imperial Park just about every day, he said.

When The Tribune arrived, the two were sitting inside a tarp-covered van parked in the yard. A small trailer was in the yard and a pile of debris at the roadside.

According to Mr Rolle, local government officials brought the trailer to his property.

“They put 30 sheets of plywood in there and from then to now nothing else has been put in there,” he said.

“I feel awful and I am depressed. Anybody would feel that way, but by now they should consider me and put a roof on, and then I could eventually refurbish the inside. The money I am spending now I could have put that towards furniture, and carpet,” he said.

Mr Rolle is appealing to anyone who can help, to assist them with repairing their home.

His mother, who is blind in one eye and walks with a cane, thanked God that she survived the ordeal.

“My heart gets full whenever I come here; I hope the government will help us repair the house,” she said.

This newspaper also spoke with area homeowner

Tanya Ferguson, who also sustained significant damage to her house on September 10.

Ms Ferguson is now back at home, thanks to her employer and co-workers at Pharmachem Technologies who made a monetary contribution to assist her with home repairs.

It is the second time her roof was damaged – the first was during Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Although the roof has no shingles because of lack of funds, she is happy to be home and is grateful to family members for allowing her to stay with them for three months.

Ms Ferguson was four months pregnant when the tornado tore through her home and is due to give birth in February. She returned home several weeks ago.

“Everything is back to normal pretty much, thanks to Pharmachem and my colleagues,” she said.

Although Social Services officials had offered to put her up in a hotel for a month, she decided instead to stay with her sister and brother-in-law. She is also provided with a voucher for groceries up to February.

The Tribune contacted the Ministry of Works to speak with head engineer Toni Hudson Bannister,

and was informed she had not received any further instructions or directions regarding home repairs in that area.

When contacted, NEMA official Tammy Mitchell referred The Tribune to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Yesterday, Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson said the government is aware of the unfortunate situation, particularly with respect to Mr Rolle and his mother.

He said Social Services and NEMA immediately assisted with accommodations to the tune of over $5,000, which involved hotel and apartment assistance and monthly food assistance.

Mr Thompson said the Department of Social Services will perform another assessment of the Rolles, who are also currently receiving National Insurance benefits, with a view to furthering assistance with rental accommodations for another three months.

“We expect in the coming weeks that (the) general hurricane assistance programme that was in Grand Bahama will continue, and it is expected that Mr Rolle and his mother will receive assistance with home repair,” the minister said.

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THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 11, 2018, PAGE 11

DR DUANE SANDS MP

NHI WILL NEED NEW TAXATION from page one He also said NHI’s budget has been slashed from $40m to $36m, after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis made the decision for all budgets across the board to be slashed by 10 per cent this fiscal year.

When asked if a tax is the only way to fund NHI, Dr Sands said “yes”.

“You may recall in the 2017-2018 budget, we allocated $40 million for NHI. What we suggested was $15m for primary care, $15m for catastrophic care and $10m for the nuts and bolts of running the NHI Authority. Now we have made the decision that all of the budgets will be decreased by 10 per cent so instead of $40m, we are looking at $36m this fiscal year,” Dr Sands sad.

“Moving forward we need to be able to tackle the problem of how NHI will be paid for. No one questions the benefits but how will we pay for it and also people what to know what can I get for my mommy or daddy who is struggling and so we want

to be very specific.

“Paying for it means a tax because we are running a fiscal deficit and have been doing so every year since 1972. So any new benefit we will figure out where the new money is going to come from and it is going to mean that the Bahamian people are going to have to dig deep and find the funds. But also what we have promised is we will eliminate a lot of the waste in health care so they get value for money. We are nine days in and I am putting the pressure on my very competent NHI board to come to the public and say this is what we have to deal with. They have had some challenges ... the Bahamian public want it now and so we are going to continue to work so we won’t have to wait.

We have to see how quickly we can get this information because the Bahamian people deserve it.”

Dr Sands said there are currently more then 30,000 people enrolled in NHI. Last week, Dr Sands said a long-anticipated legal opinion from the Office of the Attorney General

complicated the Minnis administration’s effort to create a NHI programme that fits its preferences and will likely limit the administration’s ability to quickly accomplish its NHI goals.

As one of its first official acts, the board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) sought a legal opinion about whether the actions of the NHI Secretariat – established by the previous Christie administration – were legal and potentially binding.

This was because even before the NHI board was established and key provisions of the NHIA were gazetted, the secretariat entered into numerous contracts with residents and health care providers.

Nonetheless, the AG’s Office has said in its opinion delivered to Dr Sands the secretariat’s actions were essentially legal.

The NHIA board cannot make significant changes to the programme therefore without considering the legal and financial implications connected to the preexisting arrangements the NHI Secretariat entered into.

PAGE 12, Thursday, January 11, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

RETRIAL ORDERED FOR MAN IN NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Court of Appeal has ordered a retrial for a man previously sentenced to 35 years in prison for murdering another man outside of a nightclub in Abaco six years ago in what he previously claimed was an accident.

The appellate court, in a written ruling, quashed Nevin Curry’s sentence for murdering Stanley McIntosh at the Solid Gold nightclub in 2012, and in the “interest of justice,” consequently remitted the matter to the Supreme Court for retrial.

Appellate Justices Stella Crane-Scott and Roy Jones both concurred Curry was

“improperly” deprived of having an alternate verdict of manslaughter placed before the jury, based on Curry’s claims in his pretrial confession statement that he “did not mean” to shoot the deceased.

Thus, Justices Jones and Crane-Scott agreed the “failure” by the trial judge to properly direct the jury

on the alternative verdict of manslaughter “touches the safety” of Curry’s conviction and “constitutes a miscarriage of justice”.

However, former appellate President Dame Anita Allen maintained Curry’s claim the shooting was an accident was an “expression of his feeling after realising the effect of what he had done” and “was not indicative of lack of intent at the time of the commission of the offence”.

On February 26, 2012, a fight broke out at the Solid Gold nightclub in Marsh Harbour between McIntosh and another man named Silas Forbes. After the men had been parted and the fight appeared to have died down, Silas Forbes dashed towards McIntosh and began fighting with him again.

Forbes’ brother, Shakeel Forbes aka Keely, intervened by using a bottle to hit McIntosh in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. Curry, who was not involved in the fight, subsequently approached McIntosh, shot him in the chest, then ran to a nearby vehicle with the Forbes brothers and drove away.

Later that day, during a record of interview, Curry told the police he was outside the Solid Gold club where his van was parked in a gas company’s yard when he said he noticed a fight taking place near the entrance to the club and she made his way towards the fight. As he got closer, he said he realised Silas was fighting and “some boys from Blackwood was beating him.” He said in trying to protect Silas, he took out his gun and shot at the individual Silas was fighting with.

Curry said in the record of interview that he “did not meant to shoot” McIntosh and that he was only “trying to scare him”.

Curry went on to say that after he fired the shot, he saw the victim, who was seated on the floor, lay back. Afterwards he said he ran to his van because he was “scared”. Silas and another individual only

identified as Dremeco also ran to his van and he subsequently drove off.

Curry said after they left, someone called Silas’ phone and told them it was McIntosh who was shot.

According to the record of interview, Curry knew McIntosh from Blackwood, and the two were “cool” towards each other.

Curry also said McIntosh had previously given him a cigarette in Solid Gold.

“I did not mean to shoot him,” Curry told police. “It was an accident…”

Curry was sentenced to 35 years for McIntosh’s murder by Justice Carolita Bethell, who determined it was a reasonable punishment considering all of the circumstances of the case.

Curry was due to serve 31 years after his time on remand was taken into account.

He appealed his conviction on September 28, 2016, and relied on seven grounds, which included but were not limited to, that the trial judge failed to put his defence to the jury, as well as the reasonableness and safety of the verdict regarding his evidence.

During her disposition, Dame Anita addressed Curry’s issue with the trial judge’s statement to the jury that: “You may have no difficulty in determining that Stanley McIntosh was indeed murdered.”

Curry contended that this statement did not “give any recognition” to the confession statement that affects the issue of intent, and that the judge “usurped the function of the jury” by determining that whoever shot McIntosh “possessed the requisite intent to kill”.

However, Dame Anita said she was of the view that the trial judge “gave an impeccable direction on the element of intention relative to the offence of murder”.

Dame Anita further noted “under no circumstances could a person aim a loaded gun at someone’s chest, pull the trigger and not intend that that person should die”. Thus, she said

the onus was on Curry to “rebut the presumption of intent to kill” by providing evidence that him firing the gun was an accident.

She further noted even if the trial judge was “obliged” to leave Curry’s claims of it being an accident for the jury’s consideration, she is of the view that even if properly directed on that issue, given the “cogency” of the evidence against Curry, the jury “would inevitably have convicted the appellant of murder”.

“In the absence of such evidence and based on what the appellate told the police during his (record of interview) and (confession statement) I am of the view that the appellant’s claim that he did not mean to do it/it was an accident was an expression of his feeling after realising the effect of what he had done and was not indicative of lack of intent at the time of the commission of the offence.”

Thus, Dame Anita disregarded all of Curry’s grounds of appeal save for his first ground, that the trial judge erred in law by admitting the confession statement into evidence as it was not obtained voluntarily.

However, Justice Jones said while the trial judge was “entitled to refuse to leave the defence of accident to the jury as it clearly did not arise,” there was conversely “no other evidence ruling out as a possibility the appellant’s claim of a lack of intention to shoot the deceased”. He noted: “In our view the jury should have been directed by the learned trial judge to have regard to all the relevant circumstances of the case, including the incriminating and exculpatory parts of his confession statement together with what he did on the night in question.

“This failure by the learned trial judge in our view touches the safety of the appellant’s conviction.

Finding as we have, it is otiose to consider the other grounds of appeal argued by the appellant.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 11, 2018, PAGE 13

LET’S BE HONEST - IT’S TIME TO CLEAN UP OUR ACT

By Diane Phillips

W

E often talk you can actually identify about beau- where you are, which is tification, often a useful thing to do. meaning So not all signs were planting flowers or adding born bad and the hisgreenery, lighting, benches tory of signage is actually in a pedestrian area. We pretty interesting. Accordinclude clean-up where ing to Wikipedia (what did appropriate, public art we ever do before it?) the where possible, under- term “sign” comes from ground irrigation where the French, signe, which is affordable. But we rarely a noun, and signer, a verb, stop to think how the place meaning a gesture or a we are beautifying got motion of the hand. (I am into the shape it did that quoting verbatim.) That, required beautification in in turn, comes from the the first place.

Latin “signum” meaning AN UGLY and dilapidated sign on an abandoned building on Bay Sreet - but gaudy and garish sigsns can be just as annoying as those In other words, real an identifying mark, token, on rundown buildings.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff words or otherwise, we indication, symbol, proof, find a nicer, more commu- convenience store, the only times have we all seen signs making them souvenir don’t think about how it got etc. nity-minded man than Peter commercial enterprise on about events of years past material. uglified, a word that should You can see where the Bates, who founded The Eastern Road. with the worn and torn Beautification is often exist and only does not history of signage is going Sign Man and has grown The Department of banner still flapping in the expensive. Preventing uglibecause we are in denial with this. Think signal, even the business into a major Physical Planning which air or hanging off a pole? fication is far easier. In that this is what we do to traffic signal, or a sign of enterprise through hard falls under the Ministry of Signage has its place signage, size does matter our surroundings. the times, meaning sym- work and dependability, or Works has responsibility for and, in fact, Nassau is shy and what we see every day If there is beautify, a verb, bolic. Think what signage the mother-daughter team signage. What would it take of the right kind of signage impacts how we feel about then there has to be a verb was originally intended to who run Signarama and to remove all those signs – plaques on historic build- the world around us. If what that describes the opposite do - direct - and how many are both highly creative, and restore the drive before ings, better directional we see is attractive, clean, and my vote is uglify. thousands of years hand also hard-working people. I the lack of sensitivity signage that includes the neat, pleasing to the eye, we Uglification doesn’t signals and other symbols would be surprised if either becomes contagious? There number of miles to the air- are more peaceful and care require much, it is much did all that. And then came company contributed to are rules about permitting port, for instance, from the more about our immedieasier to achieve than beau- computers and relatively blinking or rotating signs signs and enforcement is highway turn-off as you ate environment. When we tification and that’s the real easy-to-use software chang- and we need people like possible with dated permits head west where Thomp- care about something, we pity of it. All uglification ing how signs were created them to contribute to this on signs themselves. To son Boulevard meets the take better care of it. It is takes is lack of taste and in a flash. conversation and bring our the best of my recollection airport road. We badly so simple. Why do we make plenty of greed. A touch Signs were once a work signage policies and rules event signs are allowed to need more street signs and it so hard on ourselves to of desperation doesn’t hurt of art and when prop- into the 21st century. be erected two weeks prior we have an opportunity do the right thing? Clean and a dash of erly designed At some point, our to an event and must be to make them distinctly up the signage, please, and selfishness com- ‘Signs were and carved, design sensitivity must kick removed within seven days Bahamian, securing them I promise not to use the pletes the recipe moulded, con- in. Nothing alters our physi- after the event. How many well enough to avoid world uglification again. for bold, boister- once a work structed or cal and built environment ous, in your face of art and painted actu- more than signage and we ugly. when properly ally enhanced are ignoring this fact at our Uglification a building or own peril, becoming deis so easy to designed structure, even sensitised to the uglification achieve we can and carved, a water tower. we are allowing to become take a street in moulded, I remember entrenched. If we continue a modest neighindustrial cities to accept it, future generabourhood and constructed or in America tions will know little else uglify it in a painted actually where, as a and unless and until they go matter of hours enhanced a child, I would behind the gates of places with just two look up in like Lyford Cay they will simple additions building or wonder at how not appreciate how vastly – abandoned structure, even they got those different the landscape cars and jum- a water tower.’ great big steel looks with only Nature’s bled, tacky or brass letters enhancements on buildings signage. Every to stick to a and grounds. now and then, the aban- building and make it look Our ability to become doned cars get cleaned up prettier than it would have immune to what is starin a neighbourhood sweep been without them. Those ing us right in the face is thanks to a motivated were the years when signs truly one of our greatest member of parliament or were part of architecture, survival tactics as well as community-minded indi- but as graphics became one of our self-defeating vidual and a company like more accessible to more flaws. In another decade, Bahamas Waste which people, and signs became we could stop seeing tacky, is called upon to donate easier to produce, the sig- garish signage for what it trash hauling services or a nage explosion erupted. is, allowing it to creep into towing company that offers Plastics became common- more and more neighbourits trucks and services at a place. Neon lights lit a small hoods unannounced, but reduced rate. Derelict vehi- piece of sky. Huge logos, unopposed. cles and trash are relatively even prices glared at you It is happening on Easteasy targets to identify and and now in Nassau, all the ern Road and must be dispose of, but the number rules that once applied and stopped. For two miles one cause of uglification were meant to keep sig- or more, there is a lovely remains. Signage. nage reasonable seemed stretch of road with mature Nothing changes the to have evaporated or are trees, including guineppes, appearance of a street or being ignored despite the sapodilla, royal Poinciana, community faster than fact there is no new signage mahogany, a treasure trove signs. Think East Street legislation. of natural fauna and foliSouth, for instance, and picGarish, flashing, tacky age, and then there is the ture what the drive would signs with multi-coloured Fox Hill Street corner that look like without literally rotating lights are alter- has recently changed the hundreds of signs. Imagine ing the looks and changing nature of the drive. A huge if that same area were free the environment in places telecom billboard shouts of all the plastic signs and like Shirley Street, Faith and touts its TV service. tattered, torn banners and Avenue and Carmichael Several smaller signs are aged painted over plywood Road. tacked to a utility pole. A and instead had far fewer This is not to insult or few doors east, two large signs, attractive in their own hurt leaders in the sign banners advertising dog way like the artistic hand- industry in New Provi- and cat food are thrown painted sign at Judy’s Bread dence. It would be hard to over a hedge next to a small Shop or the Jamaican shops nearby.

Imagine East Street South with standardised signage that looked very Bahamian, maybe even quaint, with business names instead of a steady stream of a dizzying graphics jungle of out of proportion, frequently garish desperate attempts to catch your eye and lure your business.

Or think downtown, the difference in the quality of signage between brands like Cartier, all class and good taste mirroring the prestigious line of luxury goods, and several of the souvenir and t-shirt shops with signs that are far too large in perspective and proportion for the shop they adorn.

Did style go out of style?

When? How did it happen?

When and how did crass and crude replace taste, beauty and modesty? This is not about snobbishness, EX-L nor is it about cost. Some Features: of the signs that qualify 3.5L V6 with VCM(Variable Cylinder Management) under the contributing to Remote Start/Keyless Entry and Push Button Start uglification category are Warranties Three year and 100,000kms manufacturer warranties are 8” Audio Touch Screen with Rear View Camera horrendously expensive. provided with any new vehicle purchased. Manufacturer If you have been behind Bluetooth/HDMI/ Apple Car Play and Android Car Play warranties are generally invalidated when vehicles are the gate at Lyford Cay or Power Tailgate imported into The Bahamas by anyone other than the Old Fort Bay or Ocean Bahamas’ representative. It is important to buy locally to ACE Body Structure (Advanced Compatibility Engineering) receive the fullest protection for your investment.

Club Estates, Albany or Port New Providence, guess what you won’t see. You won’t see signs advertising anything. What you will see is a street sign at every info@nassaumotor.com • www.nassaumotor.com corner and intersection so

2018

PILOT

PAGE 14, Thursday, January 11, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

US AMBASSADOR CANDIDATE MUST BE RENOMINATED BY TRUMP

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE hotelier who was nominated to be United States ambassador to the Bahamas will have to be re-nominated after the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations sent his submission back to President Donald Trump last week.

DOUG MANCHESTER The re-submission provision comes under a rule that can send back to the White House nominations

that were awaiting approval at the end of each Senate session.

President Trump nominated Doug Manchester for the post last May. It is not uncommon for Senate committees to send nominations back for resubmission or for them to take longer than one session to approve a nominee, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Tribune reached out to the US Embassy in Nassau on Tuesday for comment, but a formal statement was not received up to press time.

Last August, Mr Manchester caused controversy when he said the Bahamas was “for all intents and purposes” a protectorate of the US. During Mr Manchester’s confirmation hearing, New Jersey Senator Bob

Menendez said: “In your conversations with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff, you described The Bahamas as a protectorate of the United States. Is that a view you believe is part of our relationship?”

Mr Manchester responded: “Well certainly, for all intents and purposes we believe that it is a protectorate. We have Coast Guard there, homeland security; we are obviously working with the Royal (Bahamas) Police Force which we want to infact continue to support, who are doing a great job in the interdiction in human trafficking, in drugs and also gun running.”

Former Minister of Immigration and Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell later

said he found the comments offensive.

During the hearing last August, Mr Manchester also seemed to speak favourably of the newly elected Minnis administration, telling the panel “it really looks bright” in The Bahamas. He said officials stationed at the US Embassy in Nassau, including former Chargé d’Affaires Lisa Johnson, said this much in his discussions with them.

This was part of his response to a question from Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio who asked Mr Manchester for his position should The Bahamas’ support “waver” regarding its vote at the Organisation of American States (OAS) for democracy in Venezuela.

ONE HURT IN PLANE CRASH

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

A PLANE crash at the airport in Eleuthera left one man with minor injuries after the aircraft’s landing gear collapsed.

The Pineapple Air charter flight from New Providence landed in Governor’s Harbour on Tuesday, but skidded off the southern end of the runway.

Two pilots and 15 passengers were on board, according to a police report, which indicated the matter will be referred to the Department of Civil Aviation for further

investigation.

“Reports are that shortly after 8pm, police on Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera received a report that a plane had crashed at the airport,” the report read.

“Upon arrival at that location, officers discovered that as a Pineapple Air charter flight from New Providence was approaching the end of the runway, the landing gear collapsed causing the aircraft to skid off the southern end of the runway.

“Two pilots and 15 passengers were on board. One passenger complained of injuries and was taken to the local clinic where he was treated and discharged.”

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Thursday, January 11, 2018, PAGE 15

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Fix our streets TORRENTIAL rain has been taking its toll on Nassau’s roads and is certain to cause problems for rush hour motorists when they head back to work this morning.

The normal potholes will all be filled with rain water giving drivers no clue as to the depth of the hole they’ll be driving over.

This spot by Mount

Vernon on Fox Hill was among the worst Tribune readers alerted us to over the last few days.

As seems usual on New Providence roads some formal repair work appears to have been started and then left completely unfinished. The heavy rains have washed away whatever loose stones were used to fill in the road, leaving a crater

for motorists to deal with.

Some members of the public managed to erect a small barrier to warn drivers of the danger but at night, with no hazard lights, it is still going to be a serious danger.

No doubt the authorities will be straight on the case today to fix this - and all the other holes on our highways.

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