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VOLUME:116 No.13, JANUARY 14TH, 2019

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Junkanoo cash for votes probe

Police called in over claims ‘judge’ asked for money

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence asked the Royal Bahamas Police Force on Tuesday to investigate claims of bribery at the recent Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades, according to JCNP Chairman Silbert Ferguson.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Shanta Knowles, press liaison officer, said yesterday the Royal Bahamas Police Force has launched an investigation.

The claims stem from

several recordings of calls from a purported female judge to Bommer George, a costume designer for the Genesis Junkanoo group.

Mr George told The Tribune as part of his attempt at a sting operation, he downloaded a software that automatically records incoming calls. He said he is willing to talk to police and share his information with them, including additional recorded calls not yet publicly released.

The JCNP is taking the allegations seriously in SEE PAGE THREE

FATHER SHOT DEAD - JUST LIKE HIS SON

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama recorded its first homicide for 2019 when well-known musician and businessman Lester Adderley Sr was shot outside a night spot in Freeport early Sunday morning.

In August 2015 his son, Lester Adderley Jr, who owned and operated several businesses in Freeport, was also murdered after being shot outside his residence. After his son’s death, the elder Adderley took over and ran the businesses.

SEE PAGE FIVE

BACON RANCH

THE CINDERELLA piece used by the Genesis group during Junkanoo and named in recordings as having been voted down by judges in return for money. See page three for the full transcript.

INSIGHT TEACHERS INSIGHT CONCH WANT 20% PAY HIKE CRISIS NEEDS ACTION

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

WHEN the Bahamas Union of Teachers sits to negotiate its new industrial agreement with the government, a 20 percent pay increase over three years will be among the union’s demands, BUT president Belinda Wilson has revealed.

Teachers, Mrs Wilson insisted, deserve this raise as they serve in a profession that requires a bachelor’s degree prior to permanent employment at entry level.

The union leader said a higher cost of living is another reason why teachers need a raise.

SEE PAGE FIVE

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

TALKS will take place on a possible conch season following reports that the country’s supply could be wiped out in ten to 15 years.

Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard said he would “aggressively engage”

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stakeholders regarding conch conservation.

Measures the ministry will recommend include a minimum lip thickness for conch to be harvested - and a possible end to exports of conch.

On introducing a conch season, Mr Pintard said: That’s an option.”

INSIGHT - SEE PAGE TEN

PAGE 2, Monday, January 14, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Fisheries warehouse destroyed in blaze

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

THE FIRE at Paradise Fisheries on Saturday.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/ Tribune Staff

FIREFIGHTERS battled a “ferocious” blaze at Paradise Fisheries on Saturday night, Fire Services Director Chief Superintendent Walter Evans told The Tribune yesterday.

CSP Evans confirmed the company’s warehouse was destroyed, but firefighters were able to prevent the flames from spreading to the retail side of the property. It took responders three hours to bring the fire under control.

Residents in the surrounding area were temporarily evacuated from their homes and Mount Royal Avenue, where Paradise Fisheries is located, was temporarily closed.

CSP Evans said a police investigation is ongoing and officials cannot yet say what caused the blaze. However, he confirmed no one was injured.

“Police on the island of New Providence are investigating a fire which destroyed the warehouse portion of a business establishment, Saturday, January 12,” police said yesterday.

“According to reports, shortly after 8pm, Fire Services officers responded

to reports of a fire at Paradise Fisheries Ltd, located Mt Royal Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered that the entire warehouse was engulfed in flames.

“Officers were able to contain and extinguished the fire, which has destroyed the warehouse.

Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire and no injuries were reported. Investigations are ongoing.”

CSP Evans clarified to The Tribune that initially two fire trucks responded, where they met “heavy flames” coming from the metal warehouse’s roof. He estimated the warehouse to be 15,000 square feet.

“All of the units were called,” CSP Evans continued. “We made an initial attack and we were able to battle that blaze for three hours before bringing it under control. That building, as is the custom with structures like that, (there’s) very little windows — (but) with that building there were no windows.

There were just several doors by which one had to make their way.

“That fire was (a) very ferocious fire, and we had extensive heat. We had super-heated conditions in that fire. The fire was moving towards the west

and we were able to prevent the spread . . .from coming into contact with Paradise Fisheries, the retail section.”

However, the warehouse was ultimately destroyed, CSP Evans said.

“We also had to call for an immediate evacuation (for all) residents who reside within 200 feet of Paradise Fisheries. They were temporarily evacuated from their homes… BPL (Bahamas Power and Light) were called in also to disconnect the power supply in that general vicinity.

“There was (also) the temporary road closure of Mount Royal Avenue, and that’s between two grids, for just operational purposes.”

CSP Evans could not give specifics as to what was stored in the warehouse, other than “a number of canister bottles of Freon,” among other various items.

“At this point the investigations are ongoing.

Investigators are out there now. We are not in the position to say what was the cause of this blaze,” he said.

The Fire Services director also confirmed there was a fire in Exuma on Friday, but could not provide details up to press time, saying investigators are looking into the matter.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 14, 2019, PAGE 3

Junkanoo cash for votes probe from page one

part because Mr Ferguson is convinced some of the calls originated ahead of the New Year’s Day parade from inside the JCNP’s Norfolk House location on Frederick Street, access to which is tightly controlled by the parade management team and reserved exclusively for parade operators and judges.

Officials assemble there two hours before the parades to receive their packages and materials.

Judges are only then told which categories they will assess. The random selection process and the late delivery of assignments are intended to impede corruption. In several of the recordings, the purported female judge discloses the categories she and others were assigned to Mr George.

Mr Ferguson said: “We have a space that the judges operate from within the parade. That’s where all of them meet and get their final instructions and pick up their judges score pads and all the rest of it. The call was made from there based on what you are hearing on the tapes. Ain’ everybody

ONE of the pieces in the Genesis parade. could walk in there like that. That’s a place only judges go and the officials.

We have narrowed down the people who were in that block and hopefully the police can move quickly.”

It is a violation of unwritten rules for a judge to disclose their assignment,

Mr Ferguson said.

“We have a random selection process so judges do not know what they are judging until about an hour before the parade and so groups do not know who is judging what either,” he said.

Still, Mr Ferguson did

not dismiss the possibility the recordings are a part of a hoax. As social media has become pervasive, people have spread falsehoods through voice notes, sometimes inducing panic. In December, a voice note claiming a Bahamasair aircraft experienced mechanical failure in the air contained false information, prompting a rebuke from the airline.

Nonetheless, Mr Ferguson said until the woman on the recordings is found, they must be taken seriously. About 60 people judge the two parades, only 20 percent of them men, he said. The JCNP believes it has narrowed the list of people who could have made the calls to eight or ten but the body is powerless to investigate the matter any further.

In one of the recordings, the purported female judge names a woman who she identifies as her partner in the alleged scheme.

Mr Ferguson confirmed the name revealed is that of a judge, but he said the woman with that name did not judge the lead costume category at the Boxing Day parade as the recording suggests.

For his part, Mr George said he recorded the calls

as part of a “set up,” saying the woman on the call did not know he was recording her. He did not explain why he anticipated that a bribe-seeker would reach out to him. He also declined to reveal the identity of the woman on the call.

“I look at this in a good way and a bad way,” he said yesterday. “There are some people I don’t want to hurt, that’s the bad thing but the good thing is I’m glad the suckers have been exposed.

This could go bad, bad, bad for some people and the girl who did it, I was trying to protect her but I can’t do it no more.”

Mr George owns a trucking service business. He said he has seven additional recordings beyond what have already been circulated on social media. He also sent The Tribune multiple WhatsApp messages purporting to show that a judge revealed her score card to a member of a category A group before the conclusion of the New Year’s Day parade, a violation of rules.

Asked about the messages yesterday, Mr Ferguson confirmed the score cards shown in the images are issued to Junkanoo judges. It has not been verified, however, when the

messages were sent. All groups receive every judge’s score card on a jump drive the day after the parades, The Tribune was told.

Shaun Adderley, chairman of the Genesis Junkanoo group, said he believes Mr George’s recordings are “100 percent legitimate”.

“I know Bommer and just like how he was talking, that’s him, it wasn’t like he forcing a story,” he said. Mr Adderley said he wants the results of the two parades declared void.

“It’s serious because it means we have judges that aren’t fair to start off with,” he said.

However, Mr Ferguson ruled out the possibility that results could be voided after an investigation.

“What has happened is the judges have judged the parade,” the JCNP chairman said.

“We have reviewed all the people’s score cards and all the groups have the same information. If anybody desires to make parades null and void, that will not happen like that. Based on what we have seen, we don’t think anything that has been reported or done could screw the results like that.”

TRANSCRIPT OF RECORDING AT CENTRE OF ALLEGATIONS First Recording (purportedly between December 25 and 27): Bommer: Hello Woman: Hello? This Bommer?

Bommer: Yeah.

Woman: I didn’t know that was your costume on Boxing Day. Bommer: Which costume that is?

Woman: Cinderella.

Bommer: Yeah that was our costume. What’s happen?

Woman: We actually was paid to bet against that.

Bommer: Really? Who pay y’all to bet against it?

Woman: xxx (name deleted) gave us couple dollars so we could um, mark it down.

Bommer: Stop (expletive) around.

Woman: I did not know that. Not until after the fact we realise that that was your costume.

Bommer: I don’t understand, I don’t understand what you trying to say to me.

Woman: That costume did look so good on Bay Street but we got couple dollars.

Bommer: What is couple dollars?

Woman: $4,000.

Bommer: From who?

Woman: (Pause). That’s not important.

Bommer: Wow. So you saying to me y’all was paid to bet against (expletive) costumes?

Woman: Yeah, xxx gave us couple dollars.

Bommer: Wow. Woman: And if we did know that me and (woman’s name) would’ve come to you because we know we would’ve get more money.

Bommer: Man look here, who this is I talking to?

Woman: That’s not important.

Bommer: Wow. Woman: The important thing is, you have any horse in the race for New Year’s?

Man: Yeah I got horse in the race for New Year’s. Now what y’all gon do? No, no, no, no let’s get back to this (expletive) Boxing Day. You saying to me now y’all get paid to bet against Cinderella from xxx?

Woman: Yes. Bommer: What I don’t understand, y’all get a costume what ain (expletive) finish and y’all beat things which finish likes Toones and myself which was completed?

Woman: We did not know it was you. I did not know it was you. You know me too but I don’t want to say my name.

Bommer: Boy listen here. This is some serious (expletive) man, this some serious allegation.

Woman: I just thought I should let you

know ‘cause your costume was really nice.

It was really nice. It was really detailed and it was really nice. Xxx told us to use our discretion.

Bommer: Who? Woman: Sorry?

Bommer: What you say just now? Who told you use your discretion?

Woman: Um, do you have any horses in the race for January?

Bommer: Yeah I have horse in the race.

I have plenty horse in the race. Now what y’all want do? What y’all want do? If you could bet against (expletive) the costume for Boxing Day I might as well put my money on the line too.

Woman: We didn’t know you were with Genesis. We thought you were with the Valley Boys. That’s how we didn’t even realise.

We didn’t know you was with Genesis.

Bommer: What I trying to say is y’all get money to (expletive) bet against the costume? That’s what I asking you.

Woman: Yes. Bommer: Wow. Can I call you back? Or can you call me back?

Woman: Do you want us to have a little wages settlement for January? $1,000 each?

Bommer: I just, you don’t want to give me a number to call you back? I either got to call you back or you could call me back. I got to think this over. I got to (expletive) think this over my head hurting now.

Woman: Ok. Bommer: Call me back in about 45 minutes.

Woman: Ok. Second recording (purportedly January 1): Woman: Hey. She doing step dance.

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Bommer: (mumbling to himself) Who doing (expletive) step dance?

Step dance.

Woman: And I doing free dancers.

Bommer: (mumbling to himself) Free dance, free dance. Anyway, no lead huh?

Ain’ nobody doing lead?

Woman: Um overall costume I see.

Bommer: No lead lead lead. Ain’ nobody doing lead?

Woman: I ain’ see nobody who I know doing lead.

Bommer: (expletive). Listen here, I gon’ call you back in five minutes.

Woman: All right.

Third recording: Man: Hey, I got a free dance and (inaudible), 587 for the Valley Boys.

Woman: All right.

Bommer: I gon’ call you back all right?

I got one more. When I get a number I gon call you. Listen this one, 587, put this hard in the card all right?

Woman: All right.

Fourth recording: Woman: You ain’ get me the rest of the costumes.

Bommer: Aw I trying to line up…I tryna get the next one right now.

Woman: It’s 587?

Bommer: 587 and I gon’ get the next one.

Woman: All right.

PAGE 4, Monday, January 14, 2019

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,

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com

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-

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Where did Trump get so much power? Remember Dick Cheney?

STORIES about what is now the longest government shutdown in US history dominated news reports during the past week. President Trump’s decision to force a standoff with the newly empowered Democratic majority in Congress over his desire to complete a border wall along America’s southern border with Mexico has so far not dimmed opposition resolve.

In response to Democratic resistance, Trump has been hinting at attempting to get his goal accomplished without the Congress by some type of executive fiat.

First, there were reports that he would find a way to build the wall by simply issuing an executive order. When that did not gain much traction, suggestions appeared Trump might declare a state of national emergency along the southern US border to permit him to divert other federal funding to find the estimated $5bn it would take to complete the barrier.

There is scant expert opinion that there is anything approximating an emergency situation along America’s southern border. Most of Trump’s hysterical claims have been denounced in mainstream media reports and dismissed as simply more prevarications from the liar-in-chief. But at the same time, the current political posturing over Trump’s wall does beg the question of how an American president has gained so much power.

Enter Dick Cheney. The subject of a critically panned but controversial recent American motion picture entitled “Vice,” (pun absolutely intended), this once bright rising star in American politics is portrayed in the film as a venal, cynical manipulator. The film assigns to him major responsibility for the concentration in recent decades of power in the White House almost for its own sake, largely at the expense of the U.S. Congress.

In his long public career, Cheney was White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford, Wyoming’s delegate in the House of Representatives, Secretary of Defence under Bush 41 and then the most powerful vice president in American history under Bush 43. In his younger days, Cheney had been viewed as a potential president.

Cheney was recently on television, sitting in the second row at the December funeral of former president

George H. W. Bush. He comments infrequently on American politics these days from his comfortable retirement perch on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

He receives little more public attention than does his daughter Liz, a rising star in the GOP congressional caucus and, like her father before her, Wyoming’s only member of the House of Representatives.

While Vice depicts Cheney as accumulating power for its own sake, a different view comes from political historian James Mann, who gained widespread acclaim with his best-selling chronicle of George W Bush’s war cabinet, entitled Rise of the Vulcans.

In a recent review in The Washington Post, Mann refers to a document Cheney issued as Secretary of Defence in 1992. In this policy statement, Cheney argues for the unilateral, universal, unchallenged accumulation and use of American power in the world.

Mann acknowledges the idea that Cheney, operating behind the scenes in the Bush 43 administration, played a role in the expanded power conferred on the American chief executive. After figuring out a way to dodge the military draft at about the same time Trump did during the Vietnam War, Cheney was a young staffer in the Nixon and Ford administrations. He was, as Mann reports, appalled by the pushback from Congress at the continuing presidential pursuit of a massively unpopular and apparently senseless war in Vietnam.

Congress in the 1970s passed a series of laws limiting a president’s unilateral power in foreign affairs. Mann writes that “Cheney denounced ‘aggrandising intrusions by Congress’ into policy matters, and harshly criticized ‘the boundless view of congressional power’ that took root in reaction to the war in Vietnam.

It now seems safe to say while Cheney is not solely to blame for the executive power Trump so disastrously wields, he did quite a bit to nurture the thinking that has led all presidents since Nixon, including Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, to gather and exercise as much of that power as they can.

Surely one development after Trump leaves the White House – and perhaps while he still resides there – will be a renewed congressional effort to check American executive power.

Post office boxes EDITOR, The Tribune.

EAST Hill General Post Office, which has not provided the renters of Post Office Boxes for three-four years any resemblance of some service, again the Post Master - Ministry of Transport defined everything and asks for full payment of rental for 2019-2020!

Incredible that the Post Master and the Minister could not think - you know let’s give these clients a break…no business as usual

even if the renters waited months for delivery of mail were not consulted as to the alternative site - now told February why not April first it would be very appropriate as that whole deal with the Symonettes is an April fool - spend nearly $3m for four years? My grandchildren’s grandchildren will collect mail if there is still mail before the Post Office closes at Town Centre.

Can’t understand why the existing boxes can’t be removed and taken to Town

Centre? When these were replaced at East Hill the new set were moved by a fork life and put in place…

Just another FNM socalled People’s project gone so terribly wrong and this People’s Government don’t think anything about the years of inconvenience to the renters…2019 should have been free, Mr Minister!

JULIA MILLER Nassau, January 5, 2019.

Baha Mar dock EDITOR, The Tribune.

BAHA MAR’S new marina… a dock is a dock an erection of wooden piles with a walking area on top usually straight out into the water - a marina might have a boulder breakwater, as the new Baha Mar does plus berths which their marina has.

May I suggest The Tribune writer should make a visit to the site - take

photographs to prove what has been developed?

Baha Mar might have an interest in Silver Cay and might be planning to develop that suspect extensively as a treasure island this marina expansion is obvious to satisfy the potential business and the number of ferries they will operate.

We do not have the capability of putting the design in a hydrographic tank and

test the impact so we guess or use computer models my fear is simple…build a solid breakwater as what has been you change the usual currents which can remove existing sandy beaches forever then what?

Goodman’s is a protected area from the Harbour to Delaporte - full stops.

ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau, January 8, 2019.

Canon Campbell misfires EDITOR, The Tribune THE Reverend Canon Sebastian Campbell is passionate about our home-grown national honours system and well he should be. He has worked assiduously to bring it in to being.

But he has completely deluded himself into thinking that before the Honours Act 2016 came into force, we did not have a national honours system in the Bahamas.

We have always had a national honours system administered by our sovereign, the Queen, on the advice of her Bahamian Ministers. Twice a year – on her birthday and to mark the new year – the Queen bestows ancient honours on those citizens who have served her realm.

If the Reverend Canon doesn’t like that he should first and foremost begin a lobby to change our government from a monarchy to a republic. Or he can go back on his own hard work on the national honours committee and persuade Parliament to abolish one of the two systems we now have in place.

But it is going to be a bit rich for the good Canon to argue for republicanism given the fact that his very existence and life work is tied to the monarchy. The Queen, after all, is the head of the Anglican Communion and even his elevation in 2013 to the ecclesial rank of Canon can be viewed as a gift of Her Majesty.

Perhaps he may want to consider returning this holy honorific which is akin to the title Monsignor in the

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Roman Catholic Church.

That would be his right and could help remove any hint of hypocrisy from this man of the cloth.

The National Honours Act 2016 is law because it received Royal Assent via the Governor General who, incidentally, serves as the Chancellor of the Honours programme. The only way to give it a more royal blessing would be to have named the Queen herself to that role.

We elected not to make our modern honours a replacement for the ancient honours, like Jamaica did with theirs. By their law, the only Jamaican who can accept an ancient honour from the Queen (who is also their head of state), is the Governor General since it would be complete farce to legislate that the personal representative of the Monarch, couldn’t receive a direct honour from the woman at whose pleasure he or she serves.

The savings clause of the Jamaican law further states that the Queen can override the ban on honouring Jamaicans other than the Governor General by giving them any of her personal honours such as the Royal Victorian Order which is the exclusive gift of the Queen for services rendered to the royal family personally.

Much like Reverend Campbell, the Jamaicans never bothered to understand that the Queen doesn’t bestow ancient

honours.

The cabinet imbues them with the necessary stamp of domestic authenticity.

One of the honorees in the New Year’s honours list is Dame Janet Bostwick, a most deserving awardee.

Last year, she was installed with the award of Order of The Bahamas, and because our legislation has a savings clause that permits it, she can dutifully wear both honours. One doesn’t lessen the other.

Indeed, all four of our awardees for National Hero carry two Bahamian honours – the ancient one from the Sovereign that they all served, and the modern one which is also from the same Sovereign that they all served.

If Father Campbell didn’t want it that way he should have stormed out in protest when they made the Queen’s representative the Chancellor of the Honours system, being careful not to trip on his own tippet on the way out the door.

He would do well now to go and re-read Chapter 18 of the Act which states: “For the avoidance of doubt, any honour conferred upon any citizen of the Bahamas by Her Majesty the Queen shall not be extinguished by reason of this Act.” It might be useful to refer the Canon to a line from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: “My words fly up; my thoughts remain below.

Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”

THE GRADUATE Nassau, January 11, 2018.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 14, 2019, PAGE 5

Father shot dead - just like his son from page one According to reports, Adderley Sr was shot and killed at Gametime, located in the former Gwen’s Plaza, which was one of several establishments acquired by his late son.

Sometime after midnight yesterday, police received reports of multiple gunshots fired in the area of East Atlantic Drive and sent a team of officers to investigate. When police arrived, they discovered the lifeless body of a man on the ground.

Supt Brian Rolle, officerin-charge of the Central Detective Unit on the island, said officers are in the preliminary stage of their investigation and were

THE SCENE of yesterday’s shooting, in which Lester Adderley Sr, right, was killed. Far right, one of Mr Adderley’s albums, released in the 1980s.

Supt Rolle said that unable to release the vicmedical personnel protim’s name at this time.

A video was circulated nounced the victim dead at on social media of the the scene.

“We are in the predeceased – a light-skinned man with dreadlocks – lying liminary stage of our in a pool of blood on the investigation, and we just concrete floor just outside like to say to the general public that any information the plaza. they may know concerning this matter to please contact the Police Control Room or CDU,” he said. unable to revive the man Adderley Sr was a and he was pronounced talented musician and dead at the scene. Shortly entertainer in Grand afterward, police arrested Bahama for many years. a male resident of KenA guitarist, Adderley nedy Subdivision in Sr made a remix of one of connection with the the songs on Baha Men’s incident.

“2 Zero” album, “Hooked The victim has been On a Feeling,” released in identified as Joel Russell.

1999.

Up to press time, there Grand Bahama resident were three murders so Dave Mackey, of Uppercut far this year, after a man Band, knew Adderley Sr was shot dead in Grand for many years and worked Bahama on Sunday. with him in the music

MAN HELD AFTER FATAL SHOOTING A 29-YEAR-OLD man is in police custody in connection with a murder that occurred in New Providence on Thursday.

Shortly after 11pm on Thursday, police responded to Willow Tree Avenue in Pinewood Gardens after receiving reports that a man was shot.

Officers discovered the man with injuries to his body. Paramedics were

studio. He was sad to hear the news of his death.

He said that Adderley Sr was an “incredible guitarist,” but that he had also put out an album that was sought after by people in the international music industry.

“I was quite saddened to hear the news of Lester Adderley’s passing. I have known Lester for many, many years and my affiliation with him was in the world of music,” said Mr Mackey, who is also wellknown in the music industry as a member and lead guitarist of T-Connection.

“Lester Adderley was a musician’s musician; an amazing guitar player. In addition to being a musician, Lester was also a highly successful music producer with many hit songs and albums to his name,”

recalled Mr Mackey, who in the mid-80s produced an album with Adderley Sr called “Lester Farai”.

“We spent countless hours at Cay Gottlieb’s Cicada Sound Studio (the present Grand Bahama home of The Tribune, KISS FM and 100 Jamz radio station) perfecting and recording his album.

“The interesting thing about that album of late is that there has been a resurgence of interest expressed by international persons in the last year to get their hands on vinyl copies of his album paying upwards to $125 for a single copy.

I send condolences to his family through this tragic loss of his life,” he said.

In August 2015, Adderley Sr’s son was found shot dead at an apartment complex, the Blue Marina Cove

apartments, on Sunken Treasure Drive, near the Xanadu Beach.

Adderley Jr, had been the owner of the former Mega Hits music store, and a few other business establishments. The younger Adderley was one of several people questioned in connection with the death of Freeport businessman Konstantino “Konkey” Vardoulis, 34, who was shot dead outside his Bahama Reef Boulevard residence in 2008 or 2009. However, he was never charged with the murder.

The Tribune understands Adderley Sr had left music to pursue other endeavours and was reportedly in the numbers business for many years. Of late, he was running a nightclub, Cayo, his son had on Midshipman Road.

TEACHERS WANT 20% PAY HIKE from page one

Education Minister Jeff Lloyd confirmed his ministry was working on a counter proposal to the union’s demands.

However, he said, their demands had to be contextualised with the requests of other unions, adding that for too long issues like these have been one-sided.

He said the country needed to move to a point where accountability is also factored into union negotiations. Nonetheless, he said, the raise could only be considered as far as the country’s finances allow.

The pay raise for educators was featured in a proposed industrial agreement presented to Mr Lloyd seven months ago on June 20, 2018.

The union, Mrs Wilson said, is waiting for the government’s counter proposal.

A date has not yet been set for negotiations, although the union does expect for

talks to begin this month, she said.

Asked if she believed the demand for more money was reasonable, Mrs Wilson said she did not view it as “exorbitant”. The most recent pay raise for teachers was in 2016.

“First of all it should be noted that in order for a teacher to be employed, the level of qualifications has to be a bachelor’s degree. So teachers for the most part have this and it is called a first degree,” she told The Tribune. “We are among the few that require that at an entry level.

“If you look at a lawyer who has an LLB the equivalent to a bachelor’s, they would start about $4,000 plus more than a teacher who has the same. So I don’t think it’s exorbitant.

“Also there has been a value added tax increase implemented since the last raise and the cost of living increased. I believe that it is reasonable.”

She also said: “The

minister also talks a lot about how other education systems are doing like Finland and Singapore, but they are paid at a higher level. Finland’s teachers are paid on the same scale as medical doctors.”

In response to the demand for more money, the minister said more must be expected.

During an address in 2017 to newly appointed teachers Mr Lloyd pledged to increase the salaries of teachers “to match the role educators play in society” as well as provide scholarships to instructors seeking to obtain master’s degrees and PhDs. “I am on record as saying teachers should be the highest paid but I am also on record as saying they have to be accountable,” Mr Lloyd told The Tribune when contacted for this report. “When you look at the graduation rate, should teachers also be accountable? They should be accountable when they are in a classroom, six or seven

hours a day. But they don’t want to take that responsibility on. They will say it is everyone’s responsibility.

“Are graduation rates going to improve? Will students at third grade level read better? You see where I am going with this? What is going to improve?”

More money is not the only element the union is seeking.

According to Mrs Wilson the BUT wants a significant change to the system.

“We know it cannot be changed overnight. This is our fourth industrial agreement. The first one was presented to the government in 2005 and in the fourth there is a repeat of some of the issues.

“For example the career path and special development of teachers this was initiated for years where we would be able to have the best and most experienced in the classroom and promotion to senior and master and have training while they remain in the class.

MINISTER of Education Jeff Lloyd.

“So for eight or nine years they have not had a promotion to senior teacher or master teacher so something like that that has always been in our agreements. We now just want to see that done because it strengthens the system.”

The union also wants to implement changes to the way at risk youth are handled.

“What we are asking is instead of them being sent home or walking about the street when there is

a suspension, apart from receiving counselling and attention from pastors, teachers would be able to send along the work. So you would go there for behavioural changes, but you won’t lose out on academic work.

“What is in place now has not been working and it’s having a negative impact.”

The union also wants curriculum revision, Mrs Wilson said.

• See Insight section for more

PAGE 6, Monday, January 14, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Sex offences court open ‘this year’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel said officials will push for the opening of a sexual offences court this year to address the “egregious” delay of those matters which have contributed to the backlog of cases in the court system.

Mr Bethel spoke with reporters at the Garnet Levarity Justice Centre on Friday following the annual church service and procession to the courthouse to mark the opening of the legal year in Grand Bahama.

In response to a sermon

by Canon Norman Lightbourne concerning the lack of swift justice for persons in the court system, the attorney general agreed that justice delayed is justice denied.

He said: “We have been engaged in a continual process over many years to improve the speed of justice, and we are constantly reducing the backlog of cases.

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel.

“The most pressing area we need to focus is on setting up a court specifically to deal with sexual offences. That is where there is the greatest and egregious delay,” Mr Bethel stressed.

He indicated officials had expected to have such a court ready this year for matters, but funding from an international agency fell through.

“Unfortunately, we were exploring a source of funding through an international agency that has an ongoing project with my office and the Ministry of National Security, and at the last minute last year they told us they were not going to fund it because we proposed to rent the building after we spent over nearly a year working on getting the court ready for sexual offences matters,” he said.

“We are now seeking hopefully in the midterm to have the government allocate the money so that we, the Bahamian people, will pay for our own court. “...So, it was a great

disappointment for us that it came so late in the day because we confidently expected this year we would have had a sexual offences court up and running in Nassau.

“So, we will in due course do it during the course of this legal year.

If we can get that sexual offence court up and running, it would assist us in clearing more of the backlog cases more than five years old that have languished,” he said.

In Grand Bahama, Mr Bethel said officials hope to continue to improve the administration of the justice at the Garnet Levarity Justice Centre in Freeport.

He indicated that next week construction would start on the renovation of the building’s roof, and the exterior and interior of the courts.

“It is going to be an investment of nearly $2m… if we fix the roof, it would fix the problem that led to suggestions of the infestation of mould, and hopefully lead to the

improvement and advancement of justice here in Freeport, and on the island of Grand Bahama,” said Mr Bethel.

According to the senator, officials are also looking into the question of employing court marshals at the courts in Grand Bahama.

“We want to hire some Grand Bahamians as court marshals to man the Magistrate’s and Supreme Courts, and we hope to post a second sitting justice here in the Supreme Court in Freeport as well during the course of the year because that is a matter for the judiciary. When I say we hope to it is because we have to try and make the building serviceable and ready to accommodate (persons),” he said.

Registrar Stefana Saunders informed lawyers that they would be experiencing challenges as the renovation of the Supreme Court will begin today.

With the start of improvements, she said, there are times when the court will have to close.

ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE PLEASED AT END TO ‘UNFAIR CRITICISM’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE country’s top judge has noted that “unfair criticisms” of the country’s judicial system have subsided over the past year, though she reminded those who continue to blame the courts for the country’s crime woes that the courts “do not create criminals”, but society does.

Acting Chief Justice Vera Watkins, in addressing the opening of the 2019 legal year, said while there was a time “not too long ago” that courts “bore the brunt of the blame for the high level of crime in the country,” it is “refreshing” to note that the trend has mostly discontinued.

She said the focus has now shifted to where it ought to be: “On the role of the family in the prevention of crime.”

In September 2017, outspoken self-styled activist Omar Archer was convicted and sentenced to 21 days in prison by Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson for contemptuous remarks he previously made about the legal proceedings against former Cabinet minister Shane Gibson.

The sentence was suspended once Archer made donations to two charities and performed community service.

That same month, a bench warrant was issued for the arrest of media personality Christina “Chrissy Love” Thompson for failing to appear before the same judge to face charges of contempt of court stemming from certain remarks she made about Gibson’s legal proceedings.

During the opening of the 2018 legal year, former Chief Justice Stephen Isaacs, acting in that

capacity at the time, criticised the “uninformed destructive attacks on judicial officers” and stressed the importance of a judiciary free from “extraneous noises” and “improper influences”.

Addressing the topic during Wednesday’s ceremony, ACJ Watkins said: “There was a time not too long ago when the courts bore the brunt of the blame for the high level of crime in the Bahamas. It was convenient for members of the public as well as persons who are held in high esteem by the public, to make public pronouncements that suggest that the proliferation in criminal activities was due to the fact that judges and magistrates were too lenient in their dispensation of sentences and that too many accused persons were being released on bail. “…It is imperative that

society in general and all of those who engage in the practice of blaming the judicial system for the behaviour of the criminal elements in our society, come to the realisation that the courts do not create criminals. Criminals are created in the homes and societies in which they live.”

Concerning the issue of the granting of bail, ACJ Watkins further noted that “contrary to popular misconception,” persons brought before the courts are not to be regarded as guilty. Conversely, she said the courts “must regard them as being innocent and the courts must treat them as innocent persons.”

“The courts cannot, therefore, punish innocent persons by denying bail,” she said. “Each bail application must be considered on its own merit and bail can only be denied within

the confines of the law. It is the responsibility of the court to provide the facilities to ensure that every person who is accused of a crime is afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time.

“It is only when accused persons are found guilty of a criminal offence that the court will mete out an appropriate punishment according to the statute law and guidelines set by case law.”

ACJ Watkins further suggested that the judiciary needs more Supreme Court judges, particularly to alleviate the caseload of Supreme Court judges.

According to ACJ Watkins, there are currently 16 substantive Supreme Court judges. Of that number, 10 are assigned to hear criminal matters, and one of those judges presides over matters brought before the Supreme Court in Freeport,

Grand Bahama. The other five judges are assigned to hear civil matters. Thus, ACJ Watkins said there are twice as many judges hearing criminal matters.

“A few years ago the Supreme Court Act was amended to increase the maximum number of judges to 20,” she said. “I am of the view that there is a need for 20 judges. The judges hearing civil matters are inundated with cases.”

Despite her calls for more judges, however, ACJ Watkins noted the judiciary’s physical/infrastructural limitations. “…While the Supreme Court Act makes provisions for 20 justices of the Supreme Court, at the present time there are no accommodations available to house an additional four judges. It is my hope that the judiciary will be able to secure additional accommodations in the near future.”

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

It’s in my belly.

I fight for the underdog

BUT president Belinda Wilson in her office and during a press conference.

By KHRISNA RUSSELL BELINDA Wilson, president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers is no stranger to controversy. A fearsome adversary across the negotiating table while at the same time an enigma within her own union having six times been suspended.

The most recent issue late last year happened when she and three other officials were suspended for two months because they allegedly breached a 2017 Supreme Court Order over nomination issues stemming from a 2016 union election.

But throughout the years and successive administrations, Wilson has continued to be arguably one of the most no-nonsense and prominent union heads to advocate for the rights of workers.

Just last week the union chief was mulling over whether there was to be industrial action long standing conditions at the CH Reeves Junior High School where mould and pest infestation has made it challenging for teachers to work there.

Recently she asked why she has remained unmoved and unshaken, a constant force to be reckoned with despite what seems to be a never ending push to have her unseated as president, she responded: “I will never give up. There are just far too many teachers depending on me.”

Wilson says the drive to defend her colleagues is in her “belly” - encoded in her DNA from her days growing up at Ross Corner in the inner city.

The former Physical Education and English Language teacher is the ninth child of 11 born to Reverend Basil Johnson, a former Tribune employee in the sales and marketing department and Maria Johnson an 18-year shop steward with the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union. Both were strong Christians.

Undoubtedly, this was the blueprint for Wilson’s closeness to God and her outspokenness as a trade unionist.

She further credits Cynthia “Mother” Pratt for the direction her life took as it was the former Cabinet minister who ensured Wilson received a full scholarship to St Augustine’s College in Raleigh North Carolina.

“I believe that my parents had a lot to do with the way that I am because my father, I’m talking about a prayer worrier,” she recalled.

“So five o’clock in the morning daddy was awake and (he would) wake up everyone and that prayer is going to last for a whole hour. No matter where you were or what time you sneaked into the house make sure you were around for prayer because we had family prayer.

“My mommy, a strong woman, was a hotel worker actually, a cook. But she served during the time of (former unionist) Mr Thomas Bastian. My mom was the chief shop steward and the shop steward for the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union for 18 consecutive years.

“So the drive that I have I believe comes from both of my parents, comes from my up bringing and being the 9th of 11 children, so you know you had to be tough to defend yourself.”

Born into humble beginnings, Wilson said it hurts to see people mistreated and taken advantage of.

This conviction has been her motivation and ties in to her philosophy of doing unto others as a person would want to be done unto them.

“It’s in my belly. I have a passion to advocate for the small man or for the underdog,” she said.

“That motivates me because whenever I see someone being mistreated (and) that doesn’t only mean union members.

Some times I am driving or in a public place and I see a child being cursed at by a parent, like it’s something inside of me that cannot ignore that. Sometimes I’m driving and I see a group of guys that may be picking a fight or getting into an altercation with another guy or someone.

“Whatever is in me I don’t even think of my safety first. I always think about like this, ‘Hey please leave him alone, why are you bothering with him?’

“I believe that I was placed on this earth to advocate and to stand up for the rights of others.”

Her belief in a higher calling has not left Wilson unscathed.

Last September, after an executive committee meeting, Wilson’s sixth suspension became active.

Secretary General John

Musgrove, whose membership was also suspended along with Treasurer Lorraine Knowles and trustee Mizpah Pintard-Munroe, confirmed it.

Mr Musgrove said they were all suspended for breach of the 2017 Supreme Court order that saw Mrs Wilson, Mrs Knowles, and Mrs Pintard-Munroe reinstated as candidates on nomination ballots before the union’s elections in April that year.

The three women took the union and its executive committee to court over its decision to deny them the candidacy in elections slated for June 9, 2016.

They also appealed to the court for an order to be paid monies withheld by the union during their suspension, along with outstanding half pay. Benefits requested were inclusive of “loss salaries, stipend, and other emoluments”.

However, in his order dated March 9, 2017, Justice Ian Winder granted a “very limited declaration” and “refused all other reliefs”.

Mrs Wilson was returned as president following a landslide victory over her chief opponent Zane Lightbourne on April 7.

Pointing to these circumstances, she said: “My Christian values and principles and my belief in God is what keeps me.

“I was just at a place and a guy said ‘Why don’t you just quit because for what you’ve gone through if it was me I would quit?

I would go and I would get a job in in a ministry or administration.’

“I told him I will never

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

quit, because there are more with me than who is against me.”

“Last year, approximately 1500 teachers voted for me and so if seven or eight executives thought to suspend me, 1500 teachers believe in me. So I have to stay the course if only for them, but I am not a quitter.

“There is nothing that I can say that I am fearful about. I believe that there is a higher calling for me but I will allow the Lord to lead me and guide me as to what is my future.”

And the future is just what she’s decided to focus on as far as union goals are concerned.

Wilson revealed she has her sights set on a salary increase and housing plan for teachers alongside a new multi-million dollar state of the art facility for her union.

“Our agreement ended on June 30, 2018, so we have a new agreement that we presented to the government already dated June 20, 2018. So we are expecting to begin negotiations on that soon.

“In addition we are asking for a 20 percent salary increase over a three year period.

“We also asking for the government and the ministry to work with the ministry on curriculum revision on revising the national high school diploma because we find that there are some amendments that are needed for the high school diploma. We are asking them to work along with us in ensuring that teachers are trained and that they get professional

development and that this is ongoing. We have some untrained teachers we are asking for them to receive grants and scholarships.

“We want sabbaticals for our teachers for them to be able to do research and to write books etc. It just so much that we want for the members.”

She continued: “Then internally for the union we want to build a new multi million dollar new Walker’s Hall. So we are going to embark on that and we also want to do a housing project for our members because we have a list of approximately 250 members who want to acquire homes. Also this year June it is going to be our election period.

“So within the next six months the Bahamas Union of Teachers has a lot of work to be done and we hope to continue the work that we have been doing.”

Of all the unions the Minnis government has had to deal with since coming to office Belinda and the BUT have been among the most vocal.

With little cash in the treasury it’s going to be interesting for all to see how Minnis and Co deal with Belinda in the coming months.

When Belinda wanted three extra days holidays at Christmas for her members seemingly all it took was a phone call to the Prime Minister to secure approval, something the opposition has already seized upon.

How the government deals with a 20 percent pay claim is going to be interesting to say the least.

PAGE 8, Monday, January 14, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

We must not hold back on using technology in the fight against crime

By MALCOLM STRACHAN FIGHTING crime is perhaps the most relevant national issue we face as a country, next to, of course, a much-desired economic rebound. Although marginal, the eight percent decrease in crime has been noteworthy and much credit is owed to the hardworking men and women of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Certainly, there is room for improvement, which we should be confident will take place with the introduction of the technology Minister of National Security Marvin Dames and Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson have been promising.

Just months into his appointment, Dames sent out a warning to the criminal element: “I will like to send a warning out to all those persons who continue to live a life of crime -moving forward we intend to make your life very uncomfortable,” Minister Dames said. “We will use every resource at our disposal to ensure that you are made to account for your wrongdoings.”

Indeed, after a full year behind the wheel, Dames’ expertise in law enforcement has paid off, as he and COP Anthony Ferguson have proven to make a good pairing at the helm.

While there are still areas we want to see improved, a nearly 30 percent increase in the detection rate of the 91 murders that took place in 2018 is heartening.

Most recently, Minister Dames revealed some of his upcoming initiatives: “As criminality evolves and becomes more sophisticated, the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is committed to ensuring and providing cutting-edge technology associated with worldwide industry standards – drones, body cams, and shot spotters are just a few of the crime-fighting tools that government will be providing to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and Defence Force and other law enforcement agencies around the Bahamas to further reduce crime levels in the nation. We will begin rolling those in during the first quarter of next year,” said Dames.

In a separate interview this year, Dames elaborated on the possibilities

A POLICE officer with a body camera during a trial run in 2017 and, right, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames. of ShotSpotter technology, that it will “revolutionise” their crime fighting capabilities.

“It uses acoustic surveillance technology to detect, locate and alert the police of gunfire, wherever they may be.

“Real time data, precise location, number of shots [and] the type of gunfire will be transmitted to the police control room, allowing analysts to pinpoint and subsequently dispatch units to the scene with the foreknowledge of particulars before they arrive.

“Getting to gunfire instantly [or] faster not only improves the likelihood of apprehending a perpetrator, but may also save the life of a gunshot victim,” he said.

Additionally, Dames also confirmed a request for proposals was issued for the acquisition of drones, which in some jurisdictions have made a great impact on crime.

For instance, after experiencing rising levels of crime, Mexican police in Ensenada yielded positive results

after introducing a drone programme. With just one drone, Ensenada police reported a ten percent reduction in local crime with more than 500 arrests, and a 30 percent reduction in home robberies.

The Bahamian people have been waiting for first-world standard crime fighting technology to be utilised by local law enforcement.

However, we have been told for a long time these technologies would be coming on stream.

In December, when speaking to the media, Dames said the $1.9m ShotSpotter contract would be signed in a week. Last week, a few weeks after his December interview, the timeline shifted to another few weeks. Similarly, in November 2017, Commissioner Ferguson told the media the RBPF would have been testing body cameras for the next “several weeks”. Over a year later, Ferguson acknowledged the length of time this testing phase has been ongoing, but gave assurances that

today, “it is much closer today than it has been”.

While we would like to show as much patience as we can, we are not receiving an explanation as to what is holding up these processes. In this case, we only can hope the timeline given by Dames that these advances will be fully operational by June this year will not slide any further.

Especially while law enforcement seems to have momentum and morale is high, now is not the time to become complacent.

With studies showing the successes other jurisdictions have experienced by integrating gunshot detection, drones and body cameras into their crime reduction strategies, what has also been notable is the increase in accountability on the part of law enforcement.

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Surely, a 24 percent increase in complaints against the RBPF evidences the need for increased accountability and trust between the police force and the public.

Turning our attention to a proven method in reducing complaints, a Cambridge University study revealed police-worn body cameras have led to 93 percent fewer complaints from the public. This is perhaps why law enforcement in the US, the UK and Australia have deployed 50,000, 70,000 and 17,000 body cameras respectively since 2015.

There is no doubt technological advancements have

made it possible for new and more efficient tools to be used in our crime fighting strategies. The impetus has to be on our leaders to equip our law enforcement agencies with the adequate technology to bolster their efforts.

The late technology guru and pioneer Steve Jobs left us with many nuggets of wisdom before his passing, but one may have said it best: “Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.”

We should be encouraged that our law enforcement will only get better with modern technology. Dames has certainly shown the grit to get the job done.

Hopefully, the government will continue to provide the Ministry of National Security with the resources needed to eliminate crime and make The Bahamas a safer country.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

National good over narrow interests in Guyana

THE President of Guyana, David Granger, and the Opposition leader, Bharat Jagdeo, showed political maturity when they met on January 9 to try to resolve a constitutional crisis that could have led to civil strife and the destabilisation of Guyana.

They should be applauded for the good sense they have shown so far and be encouraged to continue to place the national good of Guyana before narrow party-political interests.

The two political leaders met after a motion of no confidence against the government was passed on December 21 in the House of Assembly by one vote. A member of the government side, Charandass Persaud, voted in support of the opposition which had submitted the motion to the House.

The government is a coalition between APNU (mainly the Peoples National Congress) and the Alliance for Change (AFC). The coalition won general elections in May 2015 by a razor-thin majority of one seat in the 65-seat legislature. Guyana’s electoral system provides that the leaders of the electorally-successful political parties name a slate of representatives to the National Assembly based on the number of seats won by the parties. Charandass Persaud was named by the leader of the AFC, the smaller party

in the coalition government.

Early reports of the meeting between Granger and Jagdeo indicate that agreement was reached on three critical matters without which Guyana would most certainly have been plunged into chaos.

The three matters are: the Constitution of Guyana will be respected, meaning general elections will be held within 90 days of the December 21 no-confidence vote or such longer time as the Assembly agrees; appeals to the Court by various parties concerning the validity of the no-confidence vote will proceed and the political parties will make representation to the Court for an expedited decision with which they would abide; and the political parties will meet the Electoral Commission to determine its readiness to hold general elections and to agree measures to advance the process.

Had the leaders not demonstrated this politically mature stance, the alternative would have been street protests and marches by the opposition Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), the heightening of political tensions and the potential for violence that would have harmed Guyana’s prospects just as oil production,

by Exxon Mobil and other oil companies, looks set to make it the richest country in the Caribbean.

Of course, advantage

INSIGHT

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019 PAGE 9

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

would have been taken of any turmoil and political instability in Guyana by its adversaries, such as Venezuela which claims two-thirds of the country, to advance their cause even by military means. The unity of the Guyanese people is crucial to resisting territorial claims and maintaining Guyana’s sovereignty.

But, one issue remains outstanding.

Opposition leader, Bharat Jagdeo a former President of Guyana, argues that, until elections are held, the government remains in office only as a ‘caretaker’.

President Granger says the Constitution makes no such stipulation.

This argument could become problematic unless the Court acts expeditiously to deliver a ruling on the case brought by the Government, challenging the validity of the no confidence vote. If the Court delays hearing the case and delivering a ruling, the political atmosphere will heat-up and could still lead to civil strife.

The need for urgency by the Court in delivering a

ruling in an election matter would not be new or unique to Guyana. For instance, the 2012 Law Commission Report in the UK on “Challenging Elections in the UK”, favoured the guidance of European Union’s Vienna Commission which stated: “Election law must guarantee the resolution of disputes within a period of time suited to the electoral process. It is crucial here to ensure that the outcome of elections is not delayed.

This implies that the period between the filing of a complaint and when it is dealt with is very short.”

The guidance goes on to say that, “all complaint and appeals should be determined once and for all within a maximum of two months”.

In the broad interest of every sector of the Guyana economy and every person in the country, reasoned, but swift, action is therefore required by the Court.

Meanwhile, all parties should work to ensure that general elections can be held smoothly in an orderly and peaceful atmosphere.

To satisfy all sectors and

groups within Guyana and outside of it, the main political parties should also agree to external observation of the entire election process, not only of the election period.

And, that external observation should begin now. There are many organisations that could be approached to undertake this activity, including the (Jimmy) Carter Centre, the OAS and the European Union.

It would be in Guyana’s interest to seek external observation of the entire electoral process since it would allay fears of rigging, eliminate credible accusations of manipulation, ease tensions between political parties and their supporters and create the atmosphere for peaceful elections in which the voters of Guyana decide the next government.

If the political parties are convinced of the national appeal of their programmes and of their popularity, they should have no fear in leaving the judgment to the people.

Mixed-up in the validity of the no confidence vote is a claim that Chandradass Persaud was a dual national and, in that circumstance, was disqualified from being a member of the National Assembly, let alone to vote.

It turns out that there may be many other members from all the political parties in the Assembly who are also dual nationals and have voted on many motions

and legislation. Whether an action of the National Assembly, once done, can be undone, throws up issues over the validity of all the actions the Assembly has taken while dual nationals have voted.

Of greater importance now is what happens going forward. At the present time, the Guyana Constitution prohibits a dual national from serving in the National Assembly.

Therefore, no dual national should be put on the slate of any political party contesting the next general election unless they publicly and evidently rescind their nationality in any other country.

Further, those who are dual nationals in parliament now should own up to their situation and rescind their other nationalities immediately. Members of the Assembly are law makers.

Law makers cannot be law breakers, particularly knowingly.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the OAS. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own.

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PAGE 10 MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Conch crisis needs action

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard has vowed to “aggressively engage” with stakeholders regarding conch conservation, including starting dialogue on a possible conch season, in the wake of recent reports that the country’s conch supply could be wiped out in ten to 15 years.

Mr Pintard said measures his ministry will be “strongly recommending” will include implementing a minimum lip thickness for conch to be harvested, considering ending conch exports, increasing equipment and personnel available to “ensure compliance” with fisheries laws, and encouraging more participation in the fight against “illegal, unreported, and unregulated” fishing practices.

When asked if the government will consider implementing a conch season, Mr Pintard replied: “That’s an option that will be raised with stakeholders. All reasonable options will be considered and discussed.”

On Friday, The Tribune canvassed vendors, fishermen, and store proprietors at Arawak Cay and Potter’s Cay Dock to find out their views on these dire research findings and the impact such an outcome would have on their livelihood.

The majority of the vendors interviewed doubted the study’s findings, with some describing it as “impossible”. However, they all admitted their dependence on this resource that is seen as a main staple for Bahamians and visitors alike.

In a press release earlier this month, the Chicagobased Shedd Aquarium group revealed its research on more than 3,000 conchs at 42 survey sites throughout the Bahamas between 2009 and 2017.

The findings show that not only are the numbers of adult conch decreasing, but the densities of legalto-harvest queen conch are now far below the established minimum threshold for reproductive success, except in the most remote areas.

Additionally, the research showed that viable fishery for queen conch in the Bahamas might only last

CONCH being prepared at Potter’s Cay and, right, Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard. another ten to 15 years, entrepreneurs, unless significant measures scientists, enviare taken to cut fishing ronmentalists, pressure. vendors and “We will act decisively others” to deterand in a timely manner,” mine the collective Mr Pintard said in his state- best interest. ment released yesterday.

“Already our min“My ministry has com- istry has concluded mitted to aggressively and will be strongly engage in widespread con- recommending to stakesultation with the various holders that we implement stakeholders relative to a minimum conch lip ‘conchservation’ and the thickness for conch to be protection of the Bahamian harvested,” Mr Pintard grouper,” he continued. continued.

He noted any policy deci“We also believe that we sion made in this matter must seriously look at the will be based on scien- possibility of ending the tific research, followed export of conch. We must by dialogue with “fishers, increase the equipment and personnel available to ensure compliance with the fisheries laws.

“Also, we must encourage greater participation of stakeholders in the process that would assist in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices especially with regard to the harvesting of our marine resources, inclusive of the queen conch.

“It is also imperative that we conclude the amendments to the draft Fisheries Act which are now being reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office.”

Mr Pintard said the current questions are “to what extent” the conch stock has been depleted and over what period of time; what types of harvesting methods,

ranging from the harvesting of immature conchs to the use of compressors, have contributed to this “significant” reduction; and what steps must be taken to “address the growing concerns” about pressures marine life face due to “illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing” in the country’s waters.

Mr Pintard also said the fact that there is a decline in the number of marine products available in traditional fishing areas “should not come as a surprise.”

“The anecdotal evidence is the ongoing stories told by fishers and researchers that persons have to travel further and further away from land in deeper waters to catch conch,” he added.

Resistance However, many vendors reacted differently in interviews with The Tribune on Friday.

One Arawak Cay vendor, who wished to remain

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anonymous, suggested the findings are simply a ploy to “scare the public into having a conch season.”

“But it’s very impossible for our conch to be wiped out when they have so many eggs at one particular time… anywhere from like 200,000 eggs to 500,000 eggs,” the vendor said.

“We’ve been doing this for many, many years,” he continued. “I think we know more about conch than most scientists. Because they study the conch – they’ve never really went out there and dove for the conch or even watched it grow.

“They don’t know (it) the way we know it… They’re in the lab all day, we’re out here all day.”

Many vendors also took issue with the fact that a non-Bahamian company conducted the research — despite the fact that the research was conducted in conjunction with local stakeholders.

“Foreigner don’t know nothing about The Bahamas,” a Potter’s Cay vendor who gave his name as Mr Cartwright said.

“You ga let someone come in your house and tell you how much people live in your house?” a vendor working alongside Mr Cartwright added.

A Potter’s Cay vendor who identified himself as “Popeye da Conch Celebrity” offered a solution to this divide between the scientific and fishing communities.

“You have a lot of different opinions — the scientist saying one thing, the fishermen saying another,” Popeye told The Tribune.

“And so there’s a debate in between. (I feel as though) most of the fishermen don’t have a scientist to represent what they’re seeing.”

He like many other vendors fear a conch season, worrying it would hurt their livelihoods.

“This is the only way that I could make a living and if you take this away from me...then what (will) I do?” he questioned.

When asked if the government should implement a conch season, he instead said it should ban export licenses, particularly to companies that are “overfishing a high amount of conch.”

However, some vendors did support the notion of a conch season.

“I don’t think it’s going to be wiped out,” said Keno Watkins, owner and chef of Butter’s Something Different Kitchen at Arawak Cay. “I think we could probably shorten it, have a little season on it. The demand is so strong, it’s going to be hard for that as well. But other than that…only thing they have to do now is stop them from getting the young conchs.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 14, 2019, PAGE 11

NEW OWNERS LAUNCH WALKER’S CAY CLEAN-UP

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AMERICAN philanthropist and businessman Carl Allen, and his wife, Gigi, the new owners of Walker’s Cay, are in the process of cleaning up the island as the beginning of phase one of the redevelopment project to return the northernmost cay to its former glory.

The Allens plan to employ dozens of Bahamians directly and indirectly in the cleanup and prepping of the island for major upcoming projects.

Phase one of readying the island for redevelopment, according to Mr Allen, “is another step forward and closer” to fulfilling their commitment to reopen the island and provide jobs for Bahamians.

“This is another step forward and step closer to the

day we will reopen Walker’s and return it to its former glory,” he said in a press statement issued in late December.

“While in some aspects we’re still in the planning phase, we continue to move quickly on all fronts.

Gigi and I are so pleased to be able to announce we’ve started the cleanup and planning required to move forward. This next phase will include hiring, directly and indirectly, dozens of Bahamians. They will join in the efforts already underway that focus on prepping the island for many of the important, upcoming projects,” said Mr Allen.

The Allens purchased the island in May 2018. Its former owners closed Walker’s Cay in 2015 after two hurricanes hit it. Mr Allen, who has been coming to The Bahamas and Walker’s

Cay since age 12, decided to purchase the island which he had come to love as a child and through frequent visits with his wife and children.

The first phase of the project will include the church restoration project.

The historical and beloved church – a well-known site – will serve as a welcome destination for future travellers to Walker’s.

“The historic church stands as a beacon to many past visitors to Walker’s, and it will be again,” said Mr Allen.

“From clearing the island of trash and junk, to cleaning up some of the derelict buildings – as well as restoring the beloved church – this is an exciting step forward. It also marks the beginning of what will be a long-term partnership Walker’s will have with Bahamians; one that

Failed shift to LNG fuel ‘a blessing in disguise’

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE country’s missed LNG possibility more than a decade ago may have been a blessing in disguise, according to experts, who noted the radical shift in US export trends since that bid was shelved.

Markus Hector, general manager of Shell’s LNG Market Development, suggested use for the 76-mile pipeline would now be obsolete as most import terminals in the United States have been converted for export use.

He was responding to questions by The Tribune during a liquefied natural gas (LNG) workshop hosted by Shell at its Western Supply and Trading Office last week.

“That project was very different a decade ago,” Mr Hector said, “that was a time when the United States was still an importer and the idea was there at that time to bring an LNG terminal here and actually pipe the gas via pipeline to the US. “That would have been a very very large terminal, basically designed for the consumption of Florida, so that would have been a very large and expensive pipeline.”

The AES Corporation pitched plans to build an LNG import terminal on Ocean Cay near Bimini some 15 years ago.

The project included a 76-mile pipeline to transport re-gasified LNG to Fort Lauderdale in southern Florida, with AES even modifying its plans to offer to supply LNG to the Bahamas Electricity Corporation.

Both Tractebel and El Paso Corporation proposed similar plans to AES, using terminals in Grand Bahama, but these were also doomed due to the absence of Bahamian regulatory approvals.

Former Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) chairman Leslie Miller strongly advocated for LNG during his tenure as minister of trade and industry in the first Christie administration.

Last month, he urged the government owned utility provider to “sort

out” its Clifton power plant woes “sooner rather than later” arguing that the country’s energy costs would now likely match Florida’s had his liquefied natural gas (LNG) plan been embraced.

At the LNG workshop last week, Mr Hector said: “Now a lot has changed entirely in terms of the US becoming a massive natural gas producer and LNG exporter.

“Because the United States is already exporting LNG already today, not just for the Caribbean but for large customers around the world… that infrastructure, the massive fridges now available in the US. Now basically to transport that already liquid LNG to The

Bahamas is far more efficient than if you were trying to build a pipeline for that relatively small amount of gas that The Bahamas will be using so that’s kinda the landscape, how it’s different.”

In November 2018, the country was said to be one step closer to lower energy bills and more stable electricity generation with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Bahamas Power and Light and Shell North America for an integrated LNG gas-to-power project.

The project, which features a 220-250 megawatt (MW) power plant, is not slated to be completed until the early 2020s.

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helps to create secure jobs as we work hand in hand to return it to its former glory,” he said.

Mr Allen said that the ramp-up of phase one follows extensive planning over the last year and will begin in the first quarter of this year.

“Things are happening, and progress is being made – especially with the church.

It’s all very encouraging, but we know a lot more work needs to be done. And as we continue these efforts, we will look for more opportunities to partner up with Bahamians to create secure and long-lasting jobs. We look forward to creating even more opportunities as we ramp up our efforts to return Walker’s Cay to its former glory. The rebirth is well on its way,” Mr Allen concluded.

Mr Allen is a renowned Texas businessman and

CARL ALLEN philanthropist, known for building his family run business from 130 jobs up to nearly 1,000. He, his wife Gigi, and their family strongly believe that creating good jobs and helping

FORMER BPL chairman Leslie Miller.

communities go hand-inhand, so they invest in educational institutions and environmental causes that make the world around them a better place, a press release noted.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

PAGE 12, Monday, January 14, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Brothers deny attack on court prosecutor l service g the ecumenica Minnis addressin is Xavier Cathedral. rt be Hu Dr ter y at St Franc PRIME Minis Majority Rule Da held to honour

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net TWO brothers have denied attacking and injuring prosecutor Joel Seymour on Saturday, January 5, with their attorney accusing the Crown of launching a “malicious prosecution” against her clients.

Daltino Thurston and George Rahming both entered not guilty pleas when charged before Magistrate Kara TurnquestDeveaux on Friday with

wounding Mr Seymour.

The pair also face obstruction of justice charges, which they both deny. Rahming, 27, is accused of injuring Mr Seymour as a result of Mr Seymour being the prosecutor in a criminal matter.

Meanwhile, 30-yearold Thurston is accused of attempting to intimidate and commit violence against Mr Seymour for the same reason. The case has been adjourned to February 18 for trial.

However, Ramona Farquharson-Seymour,

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their attorney, vehemently accused the Crown of conducting a “ruse” in charging her clients, and further criticised suggestions that the Department of Public Prosecutions may be prosecuting the matter because it would represent a conflict of interest.

Before an adjournment date was set, Mrs Farquharson-Seymour questioned who would be taking carriage of the matter: the Department of Public Prosecutions or Police Prosecutions, as representatives from both departments were present in court.

Mrs Farquharson-Seymour said her question was based on the principle that justice must not only be done, it must also be seen to be done. As an illustration, she noted that whenever there is a policeman involved in a shooting, none of the police prosecutors would get involved in the matter, but rather the attorneys from the Department of Public Prosecutions would prosecute the case.

Thus, she said, the same

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en O Pinthe late Sir Lynd Opposimausoleum of the of the er at ad ay Le rd s. Pictured are dling and ing service yeste A WREATH-lay ime Minister of The BahamaGeneral Dame Marguerite Pin ne Staff Pr dling, the first , Anne-Marie Davis, Governor otos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribu Ph tion Philip Davis O Pindling II. en grandson Lynd

t h g i l w e n s t s a c m l i F k c a t t a r o t u c e s o r p n o

the prosec Seymour was my son hu t immedise no ca e d th di in s r er to offic ca lled ely and not Nobody even e and had ca bail immediat to prison. ately arriv e before they (him). e defendant).” d th or e de ut m on an bo m (a ge ice re pa tw be be from r Seymo mand, they came. She can For his part, M e of Once on re r bail, a pro- eventually video holding a sid s hi ed uld apply fo ke weeks. seen in the g maintain he spoke to T d Mr Sey- co r ear, walkin ta story when It was reporteed because cess that could n-Seymour phone to he of her yard. nt so ck ar ta fro t in Tribune. ou ab fic mour was at osecuted and Mrs Farquh t of no with o ding h should “Myself along our l She said respon sts at the of a case he pr nt was a wit- said a punc more severe k ris re ar s or no ut ila e e ec sa th ad os ers m r pr warrant that his as trying to officer told he defendant in ’ charge. ‘causing harm e sons were scene; one rt their side of everyday Bahamian pe ness for the po e th re th id to ct sa al. te sons She n, that tri these s Thurston’s on Wednes- the story at a police statio Mrs and yet still ken to court But icates that ta but were later taken which they did minutes people are screaming pl m co e ag y foot s da id. m’,” he told tment of Core video show to the Depar ices because later, she sa owledged her cify hi r. narrative. Th n happened pape ws ne She ackn e ur an altercatio her home, rectional Serv longer be of es not capt no within range e they could e station. She video do eded the events st at K-Sous prec a polic at at wh pt cuke not yards ea e en th Road, why the m camera, parti on Blue Hill Mr Seymour could not say igned at the caught on itial interaction in ra op e ar sh t th larly d were no takeaway ve visited reported t said that is between Mr Seymour an buincident.

HOW Tribune to hapreviously s said me time,the waThe nfrontation sa atter she will deal with Mr Thurston at the takeaco e th when shoulde be ly ten a m indicated he could sh esidents say not principle police had th nearapplied op. Rindicated happened. In p, a man, today. pros- way transformed charged lice whether po is originally cli a , op ng er sh speak to his lo ev in the present case; given both ee ow ut th H rs min M is ay t. r, rd gh ou ste ni ym ye at Se a club Thurston tedly Mr or confirmed wi intohanrporSeymour would that pu Mr works Rahming th the be Thurs- inecutdepartment at the very and Mrs e was an issue t, hence Thurston said o should en charging at es therdling do he the matter. de ee vi the se Department of Public with causing harm, although as sh d e e ton’s son an r son inter- men’s charge arraigned on least, th lic po raged were Mrs re not Farquharson-SeyProsecutions, that s departnever arraigned have discouthey they we so her younge g charges nche him in pressin ay. further noted sd m ne s and puyield fro ed mour the W dest it e mentvene should to the on that lic e po th elcharge. said , or ns n ni so se r sto ur he A t .

Th ains rs M the head of Police itishownindicated Lavita matter was not also have her ag and Department Prosis She to “upsetting” ed the leg official confirm eo to this is distressing e conditions of whom ysical contact vid th ph e “disrespectful” and that the re th ecutions in prosecuting the Thurston, their mother, was du ng of vi en sons macy of Cor- ha Mr Seymour. d said it does epartmenther with the Dagainst s two clients newspaper an ent involv- of case matter. originally listed as a witrsu y ve “M an ili s. cid al Service “If it was civ were not ction concern the in merely adi“ruse”.

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Nonetheless, on s ne istrate suggested date of it str ow is ver be advantath stne ily sh d ea ar ul e nt lu th wo vo in d g an rs in t othe fendangeous e brfor his case so they around look Turnquest-Deveaux ach trate FebruaryTh11 trial, Mr their ht on m which de figto ble Be nt to the Ca and gave erly direction froeventually be moved to told both parties she was r n Bonabywe indicated such removed her as a witness,” io ou Mr Seym Police Stat en behalf. ant gave the police, marking defend ne of those se ry toconvenihe Mrs 18 as the s. OFebruary “T ge a date thwas Farquharson-Seymour er eir stonot ,” em bi o ly ali in nt is Dalt name as an re subseque oundand ing ar they weled Daltino’ssaid. standfor but then trial ent. That to Mrs date st sonif any n told him dethat ston, 30, the ol encoun- she said. “My so urts and ur rested.

Th ar th wi s co e that date, don’t “Nonetheless issues arose with iew e th Farquharson-Seymour she and rv lik of te in re nt g ce in e Dur e he s- at th t he tesen in thinform e that, bu e on Wedne either could can be se vehemently challenging others were present, and things lik y, ter. He party The Tribun , dd rs rth bu M fo , n’t d re ay an sd ey we Thur walking back g in the tified. Th clipcourt. day and statement, Mr Bonaby’s there are friends neighbours inter- the se other clo sticulatin n, a court buddy like times gethe ng. be able to Thurstobecause told at methiwill e After proceedings, sh . or so particularly he as well who on as ol preter, cried this morning easterly directi n said when from scho ow why they kn sto MrsMFarquharson-Seymour had, just usmoments speak as to what rs Thur I don’t : “I am up before, use occurred.” ion started, rse than when seem like beca and I feel wo was killed. I the commot e police but making it th er d ht e calle my daug mind around sh can’t wrap my ppen to us. I ha is th it, how a good meal haven’t eaten .” ay rd tu Sa since fears the The family t receive a no ll wi rs he ot br because they fair hearing against a are going up . prosecutor their point, As proof of d the sons te no r ye their law to be charged are expected harm under g in us ca with the Penal ction 266 of Dr PRIME SeMinister Prime MinisAttorney General Senased to SectionThe po op as de Co re uld secu cofor ey Hubert Minnis leaves ter will outline recently tor Carl Bethel; Viana th e er wh 5 13

PRIME MINISTER FLIES TO BRUSSELS FOR TALKS Brussels, Belgium, this morning to hold bilateral talks with high-ranking officials of the European Commission.

Discussions will focus on matters relating to the fulfilment by The Bahamas of its commitments to the EU, and how those commitments will be implemented by the financial services sector of The Bahamas.

Prime Minister Minnis will be promoting recent initiatives by the Government in the financial services sector.

passed legislation and a new framework aimed at strengthening industry regulations and protecting the financial services’ competitive edge as a leading international financial centre.

“The Government is working diligently and in cooperation with industry stakeholders to do everything possible, in keeping with our national interests, to protect the financial services sector, while adhering to global standards,” said Prime Minister Minnis.

Gardiner, COO PMDU; Stephen Coakley Wells, advisor to the Minister of Finance; Wendy Warren, CEO, Caystone Group; Michael Paton, partner, Lennox Paton; and a team of advisors will accompany the Prime Minister to Brussels.

Prime Minister Minnis and his delegation will return to Nassau on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister K. Peter Turnquest will act as prime minister in the Prime Minister’s absence.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 14, 2019, PAGE 13

Family shock as killer’s sentence cut by 19 years

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net A NEARLY 20 year sentence reduction for a convicted Grand Bahama murderer has sent shockwaves through the victim’s family, and left his widow calling for changes to the country’s legal system.

Cable Bahamas line technician Garfield Wright was stabbed to death in his Freeport home as he tried to protect one of his daughters from intruder Leslie Webster in 2001.

Webster was initially sentenced to 60 years in prison after he was convicted of Wright’s murder in 2005, but that sentence was shaved down to 41 years in a Court of Appeal ruling last month.

Wright’s widow Charlene said family members were shocked to learn of the sentence reduction through the news, and expressed disbelief victims were not directly notified of the proceedings.

She told The Tribune the couple’s daughter still suffers from nightmares that recur around the time of the incident in May each year.

“It is so sad and hurtful that we were not notified of this appeal and ruling,” she wrote in a statement.

“We saw it on the news and sat in disbelief. Even though Leslie Webster murdered Garfield 17 years ago, everything came back fresh.

“Family members should be allowed to come in and state what they are going through and reasons why that murderer should not be given any considerations. In considering our pain, life in prison is not enough for him.”

Her statement continued: “Should they not be in place already, I am calling on the government of the Bahamas to establish laws where families of murder victims can attend these appeal hearings and receive reparation from the murderer while in prison, even if it’s ten cents. Webster has no remorse; he doesn’t even have a conscience, so this tells me he will try to appeal

again. This monster needs to sit small in jail until he’s brought out in a box.”

According to the Court of Appeal ruling, on the night of May 7, 2001, Webster broke into Wright’s home situated in Fiddler’s Green in Freeport looking for something to steal.

While inside the home, Webster held Wright’s daughter at knifepoint and a struggle followed between the convict and the deceased.

Wright, 40, was stabbed 16 times and killed as he tried to protect his daughter from the intruder.

“We are all in shock and cannot help but question our court system which would allow such a travesty,” Mrs Wright continued.

“We are astonished that a convicted murderer who was sentenced to death and then given a second chance at life, be allowed to appeal his case and bring further hurt and pain to me and my family.”

Mrs Wright wrote: “Leslie Webster took the life of someone very special.

He murdered my husband, Garfield Wright, who was also a father, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. Webster should be grateful to be above ground; my husband however, is under the ground! I do not know why the Privy Council is giving him a slap on the wrist for murder. He is not remorseful for taking away our loved one. How dare he appeal! Even after Garfield was dead, he was still stabbing him.”

She continued: “Every time I think about what our daughter who was ten at that time had to endure on that day, (it) makes me scream. Maybe the Privy Council should consider the plight of the victims.”

Webster, who is in his late 50s, has already served 13 years of his new sentence.

He was unanimously convicted by a jury in March 2005 and was subsequently sentenced to death, but following an appeal in 2003, he was ordered to be retried.

Webster was again convicted of murder and sentenced to death on

March 18, 2005; however, he appealed once again to the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his appeal and affirmed his conviction and mandatory death sentence.

Webster then applied to the London-based Privy Council, and while his appeal against conviction was dismissed - the court granted his petition for leave to appeal against sentence.

His appeal against the mandatory death sentence was allowed and the Privy Council remitted the matter to the Supreme Court for an appropriate sentence to be imposed.

The re-sentencing took place before Justice Isaacs on February 10, 2012, after which Webster was sentenced to 60 years in prison for murder, with the sentence to run from the date of his conviction in 2005.

Webster subsequently appealed that decision by Justice Isaacs.

Appellate President Sir Hartman Longley, along with fellow Justices Stella Crane-Scott and Milton Evans, last month ruled Leslie Webster will now serve 41 years.

The appellate court initially substituted a 45-year sentence for Webster, asserting the original sentence was “unduly harsh” and that the new one

GARFIELD WRIGHT, who was killed in 2001 as he tried to protect his daughter from Leslie Webster. represents the “appropriate sentence” that “ought to have been imposed for the offence.”

Mrs Wright continued: “How could his sentence be too severe, and what kind of considerations is he

entitled to? Please tell me!

What about our pain? The little girl that Garfield died fighting for 17 years ago is now a woman and still has nightmares.

“The oldest daughter just got married, her uncle

walked her down the aisle and the seat where her father should have been sitting only held a picture of him. Webster’s children can see and touch him; my children cannot see nor touch their father.

BIMINI POLICE UNCOVER $300K OF MARIJUANA BIMINI police seized over $300,000 worth of suspected marijuana among mangroves in South Bimini on Saturday.

ASP Terecita Pinder reported that the discovery was made shortly after 10am while officers patrolling in a police boat, acting on information, went to an area at the eastern end of

the island where they found 58 packages of suspected marijuana.

ASP Pinder said the area was searched but no arrest was made. She said the drugs weighed 334 pounds and have an estimated street value of $334,000.

Investigations are continuing into the matter.

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PAGE 14, Monday, January 14, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Kidnapped teenager ‘in good spirits’ after escape WISCONSIN, US Associated Press THE grandfather of a 13-year-old northwestern Wisconsin girl who authorities say escaped a man who killed her parents and held her captive for three months said yesterday she’s in “exceptionally good spirits”.

Jayme Closs fled the cabin on Thursday near the small town of Gordon where she said she had been imprisoned.

She approached a woman walking a dog and asked for her help.

Police officers arrested 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson minutes later based on Jayme’s description of his vehicle.

Authorities are holding Patterson on suspicion of kidnapping and homicide.

Little has been revealed about Jayme’s ordeal since her abduction in mid-October, although more details could come Monday when Patterson is expected to be charged and make his first appearance in court.

Jayme’s grandfather, Robert Naiberg, said Sunday that, considering the circumstances, the teen is holding up.

“She’s doing exceptionally well for what she went through,” Naiberg told The Associated Press by phone.

FILE - In this October 17, 2018, file photo, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald speaks during a news conference about 13-yearold Jayme Closs. The northwest Wisconsin girl has been found.

“She’s in exceptionally October 15, gunned the couple down and made off good spirits.”

Yesterday, area churchgo- with Jayme.

While investigators have ers said their prayers were answered by Jayme’s safe said Patterson’s goal was to kidnap Jayme, he has no return.

“We are overjoyed and apparent prior connection we couldn’t be happier. It’s to the family. Naiberg told a miracle and it’s wonder- the AP on Saturday that ful,” Mary Haas told the Jayme told FBI agents she Minneapolis Star Tribune did not know Patterson.

Patterson attorneys while taking down Christmas decorations after Mass Charles Glynn and Richard at St. Joseph’s Catholic Jones said in a statement Church in Barron. “We that they consider the situprayed and prayed and ation “very tragic” and that they are relying on the prayed.”

Jayme has been stay- court system to treat their ing with an aunt in Barron client fairly.

Barron County Shersince she escaped.

“It’s a great day up in our iff Chris Fitzgerald told area,” said Larry Leff at reporters on Friday that St Peter’s Catholic Church Patterson took measures in nearby Cameron. “God to avoid leaving evidence at the Closs family’s home, answered all our prayers.”

An intruder blasted open including shaving his head the door of James and before breaking in. A shotDenise Closs’ home near gun was recovered from the Barron with a shotgun on cabin.

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THE SCENE of a gas leak explosion in Paris on Saturday.

Photo: Matthieu Croissandeau /AP

FOUR DEAD AFTER BAKERY BLAST PARIS Associated Press

PARIS Fire Department said rescuers have found a woman’s body under the rubble of a bakery in Paris that was blown apart by a powerful explosion, bringing the overall death toll to four.

The blast on Saturday morning in the Rue de Trevise in north-central Paris also injured dozens of people. Paris Fire Department spokesman

Eric Moulin told reporters Sunday nine people were still in critical condition from the explosion that devastated a Paris street and 45 others also injured but not as seriously.

He had said earlier that French rescuers were searching for a missing woman living in the building where the bakery was located.

Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said on Saturday the cause of the blast appeared to be accidental. He said

Paris firefighters were already on the scene to investigate a suspected gas leak at the bakery when the explosion happened. Two firefighters were among those killed.

About 30 firefighters were at the site yesterday to search for other potential victims, amid a mountain of debris and wrecked cars.

Paris authorities said 12 neighbouring buildings that were damaged by the blast apparently due to a gas leak have been evacuated.

COP KILLER: POLICE BOMBARDED ME WITH ULTRASONIC WAVES DAVIS, California Associated Press THE man who shot and killed a rookie California police officer left a letter on the bed in the home where he lived claiming police bombarded him with ultrasonic waves, officials said.

Police in the college town of Davis near Sacramento on Saturday made public the one-paragraph letter they said was written

by Kevin Douglas Limbaugh, 48. He killed himself on Thursday after fatally shooting Officer Natalie Corona.

Police spokesman Lt Paul Doroshov said the paper

KEVIN DOUGLAS LIMBAUGH was found face up on the gunman’s bed.

“The Davis Police department has been hitting me with ultra sonic (sic) waves meant to keep dogs from barking,” the

letter said. “I notified the press, internal affairs, and even the FBI about it. I am highly sensitive to its affect (sic) on my inner ear. I did my best to appease them, but they have continued for years and I can’t live this way anymore.”

The handwritten note was signed “Citizen Kevin Limbaugh.” Also recovered as evidence from the man’s home were two unregistered guns.

Authorities have not determined where Limbaugh obtained the two semi-automatic handguns he was believed to have used in the Thursday night attack that killed Corona.

SAUDI WOMAN FINDS ASYLUM IN CANADA TORONTO Associated Press

TIRED but smiling, an 18-year-old Saudi woman who said she feared death if deported back home arrived on Saturday in Canada, which offered her asylum in a case that attracted global attention after she mounted a social media campaign.

“This is Rahaf Alqunun, a very brave new Canadian,” Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said arm-in-arm with the Saudi woman in Toronto’s airport.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun smiled broadly as she exited an airport arrival door sporting a Canada zipper hoodie and a UN High Commissioner for Refugees hat, capping a dramatic week that saw her flee her family while visiting Kuwait and before flying to Bangkok. Once there, she barricaded herself in

RAHAF MOHAMMED ALQUNUN an airport hotel to avoid years and returned home. deportation and tweeted Freeland said Alqunun about her situation. preferred not to take quesOn Friday, Prime Min- tions on Saturday. ister Justin Trudeau “She is obviously very announced that Canada tired after a long journey would accept Alqunun as and she preferred to go and a refugee. Her situation get settled,” Freeland said. has highlighted the cause “But it was Rahaf’s choice of women’s rights in Saudi to come out and say hello Arabia, where several to Canadians. She wanted women fleeing abuse by Canadians to see that she’s their families have been here, that she’s well and caught trying to seek that she’s very happy to be asylum abroad in recent in her new home.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, January 14, 2019, PAGE 15

Cruise line hands out scholarships to graduates

By RIEL MAJOR TWO graduates of the LJM Maritime Academy were awarded scholarships from the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line on Friday.

Shante Pearson and Trevon Ferguson, the scholarship recipients, both expressed gratitude for the opportunity to further their education.

George Purdy, senior vice-president of marine operations Royal Caribbean International, said the group awarded Bahamians with the scholarships because The Bahamas is the main country most visited by their guests and they see the need to help with economic growth.

Mr Purdy said: “We’ve seen the quality of people here from the maritime school so we’re very pleased with what we’ve seen… we toured the facilities. High quality education and the one thing everyone needs in the cruise industry is good people. That’s what makes us successful, so we are very interested in continuing our partnership with The Bahamas.”

Brendamae Cleare, president of LJM Maritime Academy, said the scholarship recipients were “trailblazers” and very good students.

Ms Cleare said: “The American Caribbean (Maritime Foundation) asked

if we had any students who were interested in furthering their studies like a bachelors or master’s degree. These are the two students who showed keen interest that I recommended.

“They graduated with a diploma one year beneath a bachelor. I don’t know the dollar amount, but the scholarship covers housing and tuition. The only thing our students have to pay is their travel expenses.”

Ms Pearson said: “It is extremely crucial to continue my education because these opportunities don’t come (very often), they come once in a while and to be able to get this and continue my education is the important thing to do.”

Mr Ferguson said: “(This scholarship) is extremely important to me and I’m very grateful because it means I have the opportunity to achieve my ultimate goal which is to be the captain of a cruise ship. It gives other individuals an opportunity so that they could (also) get this and have a job in the maritime field one day.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m also ecstatic that I was granted this scholarship. My dream is to become a master mariner, but I will also like to achieve my bachelor’s degree in marine transportation.”

eat B Retreat

DEPUTY Prime Minster Peter Turnquest, and his wife, Sonia, attended the annual Royal Bahamas Police Force Beat Retreat in Grand Bahama on Saturday on Pioneer’s Way, Downtown Freeport. Despite the inclement weather, many turned out to watch as the Police Band entertained them with holiday songs.

Photos: Vandyke Hepburn

THE ACMF-Royal Caribbean scholorship presentation to two Bahamian students of LJM Maritime Academy, Trevon Ferguson and Shante Pearson, from the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation and Royal Caribbean International.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff