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Friday, January 14, 2022

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Weekend

Orchid dreams Page 10

Chef in charge Celebrity cook takes on Bahamian cuisine

pg 07

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

food

HOSE who have visited big cities like London or even New York may have had the chance to take advantage of the double-decker sightseeing bus tours. The big red buses for hop-on, hop-off tours have become a staple in many a metropolis, but here in the Bahamas there is only one, and it isn’t used for sightseeing. It is parked permanently off Shirley Street and serves as the home base of 2 Storeys Catering. Stationed right before you get to Doctors Hospital, the bus also provides the venue for a unique and intimate dining experience, all outdoor at the moment. “The idea of 2 Storeys came from a lot of different things Travelling and living abroad is one of them,” said owner Keevon Maynard. “Living in Europe, China and the United States gave me the opportunity to expand my mind to think outside the box and enhance my creativity.” And he called it 2 Storeys not just because it’s on two levels, but –making a play on the word – also because there are always two sides to every story. The restaurant offers a wide variety of comfort food such as chicken wings glazed with a variety of sauces, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, pancakes, waffles, wings, loaded fries, with pasta soon to be added. Also on the menu are fried chicken and conch. “Everything is cooked to order and fresh. We also have our signature salads for the veggie eaters and burgers for the burger lovers,” said Keevon. “One of my personal favourites are the pulled pork loaded fries with BBQ pulled pork, melted cheddar cheese, topped with jalapeños. I can eat it every day.” Keevon hadn’t planned on becoming a restaurateur. He initially took the traditional route, which was to go to college and obtain degrees with the expectation that he would get a great job at a high-end company, make a lot of money and one day retire. But things didn’t quite go according to plan. “After college I came back home to the Bahamas and moved around from company to company looking for self-fulfillment. That also did not happen. With a full educational degree catalogue, two bachelors and three masters, I was under-paid and undervalued. I decided that the best way for me to find fulfillment in myself was to create a business and employ myself,” he said. “However, it’s hard to like anything about being an entrepreneur during a time like this. Business growth projections are hard to determine, cash doesn’t always flow as expected, and expenses always exist, irrespective of the type of day the business is having. The scariest and exciting part of entrepreneurship comes with the uncertainty of how every day will go. It teaches you to think outside the box and be creative; always in problem-solving mode,” he said. But Keevon has learned a lot since opening last November, including how to respond to customer demands. And so far, things have gone well. “Since opening we’ve been getting an overwhelming amount of positive energy from our visitors. They love the experience. A lot of

Friday, January 14, 2022

The Bahamas’ only doubledecker experience By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net

“

Living in Europe, China and the United States gave me the opportunity to expand my mind to think outside the box and enhance my creativity.” people travel abroad but never hop on board a double-decker bus and we’ve brought that experience to the Bahamas. The environment is an experience of its own - but the energy, the vibes, the food and drinks stand alone. We have a lot of repeat customers and are looking forward to welcoming everyone else and making them repeat customers. It is completely outdoor dining, so in that regard we try to ensure that the safely protocols are followed. We have sanitation stations all around our grounds to make sure people remain sanitised and safe,” he said.

“Ideally, in the future I would love to see the 2 Storeys brand as a major franchise that can stand on its own and compete against some of the major franchises, but with its own sense of uniqueness. One day we could be found all over the world – the United States, Europe, Canada and beyond.

The Tribune | Weekend |03

Friday, January 14, 2022

Tributes to Sir Sidney Poitier’s continue to pour in By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

entertainment

s the world mourns the loss of Hollywood icon Sir Sidney Poitier, tributes continue to pour in for the trailblazer who was the first Black actor to win an Academy Award – for his role in “Lilies of the Field” in 1964. Sir Sidney served as the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan from 1997 to 2007 and, in 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former US President Barack Obama, who hailed the late actor as a “singular talent”. “Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomised dignity and grace, revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together. He also opened doors for a generation of actors. Michelle and I send our love to his family and legion of fans,” said President Obama. Sir Sidney enjoyed a long career, first on Broadway and then starring in films including “In the Heat of the Night,” “A Raisin in the Sun” (in which he reprised his starring

role from Broadway), “To Sir, With Love,” “A Patch of Blue,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” Movie actor, director and producer Tyler Perry spoke about the impact Sir Sidney had on his life. “The grace and class that this man has shown throughout his entire life, the example he set for me, not only as a Black man but as a human being, will never be forgotten. There is no man in this business who has been more of a North Star for me than Sidney Poitier. I’ll never forget inviting him and Cicely (Tyson) to fly to South Africa with me. Selfishly, I wanted to hold them both captive for the hours-long trip as I literally sat at their feet and listened to their wisdom and experiences. It was life changing. All I can say is thank you for your life, thank you for your example, and thank you for your incredible gift. But most of all, thank you for being willing to share you to make us all better.” Actor Denzel Washington also praised Sir Sidney for “opening doors” for people of colour.

As he paid tribute to the legendary star, the 67-year-old Oscar winner said it was a “privilege” to call Sir Sidney “friend”. He said in a statement: “He was a gentle man and SIR Sidney Poitier hugs Oprah Winfrey opened doors for all of us that had been closed for from their farm on Cat Island. He years. God bless him and his family.” spent his early years on Cat Island Talk show host, producer and and he quit school at 12 to help supphilanthropist Oprah Winfrey said: port the family. Three years later, “For me, the greatest of the ‘great he was sent to live with a brother in trees’ has fallen: Sidney Poitier. Miami. When he was 16, he moved My honour to have loved him as a mentor, friend, brother, confidant, to New York and enlisted in the army wisdom teacher. The utmost, highbefore pursuing acting. est regard and praise for his most He got his big break in 1958, magnificent, gracious, eloquent life. when he starred with Tony Curtis I treasured him. I adored him. He as chained-together escaped conhad an enormous soul I will forever victs in “The Defiant Ones”. The cherish. Blessings to Joanna and his film received nine Academy Award world of beautiful daughters.” nominations; both actors received Sir Sidney was born prematurely nominations for Best Actor, with Sir on February 20, 1927, weighing just Sidney’s being the first for a Black three pounds, in Miami, where his parents had gone to deliver tomatoes actor.

Bahamian entertainer K B is ‘so tired a corona’ Bahamian entertainer K B has the innate ability to articulate the things that Bahamians think, feel and want to say in his songs. When the singer-songwriter and producer puts his pen to paper, he always seizes the opportunity to craft lyrics directed at societal issues with his own brand of social commentary that aims to spark conversation while simultaneously making us laugh, dance and sing. In his latest song and music video entitled, “I So Tired a Corona”, K B chronicles the deep-seated feelings of exhaustion people the Bahamas and around the world are experiencing; simply put, we have “COVID fatigue”. “I So Tired A Corona” is K B’s first release for 2022, and it is characteristic of the music that has made him a fan favourite. The song was written during the country’s first lockdown, when

curfews, masks and other restrictions were newly implemented and the world was hopeful that the first wave of the COVID pandemic would be dissipate quickly. The singer admits that he used the lockdown time to write new music. “I wrote a lot of music during the lockdowns, and I did release a few songs during that time as well. My last release happened during the Christmas holiday, it was a duet with Smooth T, an artist from Turks & Caicos, called ‘Wine up on somebody’,” he said. “I plan to release a full album in a few months. I’ve been very busy working, and I have a lot of new music. I wrote ‘I So Tired a Corona’ over a year ago and I wanted to release it now because it’s timely; the world needs it now because we are really tired of this pandemic.”

Many Bahamian entertainers have been unable to work since the onset of the pandemic, which has brought festivals such as regattas and homecomings to a screeching halt, and eliminated their opportunities to earn revenue from live performances. K B admits that he misses performing in front of live audiences,

but writing during downtime has been a therapeutic outlet for him. “I used the time to create new music. I know musicians who play their instruments every day. Whether it’s the piano or the guitar, they play every day, they’re constantly touching their instrument. I’m the same way. My instrument is my mind and I write every day; it gives me solace,” he said. K B is completing the production on his new album which is scheduled for release in the coming months, and he shared that the songs will be reminiscent of favourites like “Juicy Suzie” and “Coo Coo Soup”, promising to return to his art of storytelling on his next project. For more information on new music and music video releases, follow K B on Facebook - KBBahamianEntertainer.

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 14, 2022

Neely

Ricah

interview

At just 22, she is owner of a school and has used the opportunity of the pandemic to start a flourishing tutoring service. She shares with Cara Hunt advice for parents home-schooling their children during these challenging times.

rowing up, Ricah Neely never dreamed that she would one day not only be an educator, but the owner of a successful school and tutoring company, all at the age of 22. But that dream is now her reality. “I never saw myself as a teacher, it was not something that I was interested in,” she explained. Instead, it was the need for extra money while she was a student at the University of the Bahamas that led her to her current career path. “From the time I was 13, I have worked. I started working at a photography company,” she said. Ricah initially attended St Anne’s School before transferring to Doris Johnson. She and her brother both took education very seriously and they both were able to take their external exams (such as BGCSEs and GLAT) early. “We were both given scholarships to attend university. My brother went to school in New York and I enrolled in the University of the Bahamas. “While I was in school, I needed cash and so I started tutoring and that is how this all started,” she said. Ricah earned her teaching qualifications while participating in a Spanish immersion course at the Instituto Juan Luis Vives in Cuidad del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico. While in Mexico, she taught English and also worked with children on the autism spectrum. Upon her return, her tutoring really took off and she started Tutoring with Ricah in 2017, which provided hourly services on a weekly or monthly basis depending on parents’ budgets. Education all over the world was thrown into chaos with the onset of the COVID19 pandemic as students were forced to

Friday, January 14, 2022

continue their studies virtually. Ricah was able to use her expertise to help parents navigate the best way to ensure their children continued their education. She knew that many parents needed an option other than virtual home schooling. “Ricah’s Academy was the result of COVID,” she said. “At first everyone was against the idea of me starting a school in the middle of a pandemic, but I took a huge leap of faith.” Initially, the school was just her and two students in a room at Epworth Hall. “But I kept being persistent and two students became four and four became six,” she said. Today, her school has 18 students with five staff members, and her tutoring business has seven staff members in their space in Grosvenor Close on Shirley Street. “Ricah’s Academy is grounded on global best practices and our principles of individual focus and complete with self,” she said. “We strive to develop a child’s individual talent, creativity and communication skills, which are essential for their success in future world, beyond 2025. Instilling ancient values, teaching essential life skills and developing the right habits enables the child to adopt a lifestyle that creates balance among all dimensions of life and attain complete wellness (body, mind and soul).

“I

nstilling ancient values, teaching essential life skills and developing the right habits enables the child to adopt a lifestyle that creates balance among all dimensions of life and attain complete wellness (body, mind and soul).”

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

She has many more students who take advantage of the tutoring programmes. Students can have classes at her school, at their homes or another location of their choice, or virtually depending on their needs. With the majority of schools back to a virtual platform only, she advises parents to seek the help they need for their children. “It is very difficult to supervise your children all day in school as well as do your own work and take care of the home. It can be very overwhelming,” she said. “Remember that it also overwhelming for the kids as well to have to sit in front of a screen all day. I am an adult and I have trouble h Neely’s school focusing.” STUDENTS at Rica Her advice is to ensure that students frequently go outside for fresh air and that they are given “All together they act as small treats as incentives the greatest unifying forces and rewards for staying on track. in life and pillars of a strong “Maybe buy them ice cream or take them to the foundation for responsible park to give them something to look forward to,” global citizens of tomorrow,” she suggested. she said of her school’s vision. Ricah said the last few years have been a lot of The students range from hard work. grade one right up to grade “I have worn myself thin with tutoring and 12, and Ricah focused on teaching and learning new innovative ideas from preparing them for external other schools and companies, but honestly, it has examinations such as the just been an honour to work with my students. A GLATs, BJCs and BGCSEs. lot of the time people think some of my staff are “Things have been going very well and they have been the owners, because they can’t believe I am so successful in navigating the young and the owner,” she said. challenges brought about by Looking towards the future, Ricah said: “I see the pandemic,” she said of her my school providing exclusive and quality educastudents. tion. I don’t want a large school because I don’t “We do have small classes, want to lose the quality and strong foundation that which makes it easier to social we provide. I would like to maybe expand to the distance and at the same time have a high teacher-to-student Family Islands though.” On Saturday, Tutoring with Ricah will offer an ratio, and we also take temexam boot camp for students preparing for the perature checks and mandate facial shields. Additionally, we GLAT, BJC and BGCSE exams. Interested individuals may contact her at 676require students and staff to 7230 or 456-5963. COVID protocols will be present a negative rapid test after each school break.” enforced.

27 Insect of biting nature (4)

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

N J

THE ALPHABEATE

O I S L E O F M A L X I F B E N B E

TARGET Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

nt A rco AB e

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals. Verb forms ending in s permitted. TODAY’S TARGET Good 31; very good 46; excellent 62 (or more). Solution tomorrow

Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 Sudoku Answer for today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Where good drivers may be handicapped (4,6) 6 The ring Winnie returned (4) 10 Possibly amend given title (5) 11 Forced into service - and unlikely to forget it (9) 12 Superabundance of the polar variety (8) 13 They are something to build on (5) 15 Government diet (7) 17 Famous actor figures in new role (7) 19 They secured superior items for ladies (7) 21 A target perhaps for rivals in craft (7) 22 Not flush but accepted by the social clique (5) 24 Point to it returning in maps as a lost island (8) 27 It shelters one in retirement (9) 28 Ordeal in court (5) 29 Call in a hotel for something to read (4) 30 Instantly but not there and then (4,3,3)

Down 1 Peer of the stage (4) 2 What a 50 amp bulb produces (9) 3 Acted strangely for a Service trainee (5) 4 Fabulous supporter of royalty (7) 5 Parson crazed with love for highly vocal female (7) 7 Attack featured where film is being made (5) 8 Lacking inspiration he goes for a walk (10) 9 Fastening a shingle that’s out of position (8) 14 High churchman? (10) 16 Claim support (8) 18 Sixth sense tells where knowledge is to be sought (9) 20 A vegetable as a leek may be (3,4) 21 Take over from a king and two biblical characters (7) 23 One does not care to do it (5) 25 Either way it’s out of the question (3,2) 26 Run loud and deep (4)

9 10

14 15

25 26

Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Militia, 5 Basic, 8 Steel wool, 9 Eye, 10 Nigh, 12 Iron hand, 14 Dollop, 15 Render, 17 Freebies, 18 Reap, 21 Era, 22 At the most, 24 Trees, 25 Penalty. Down: 1 Mason, 2 Lee, 3 Tilt, 4 Aboard, 5 Balanced, 6 Skedaddle, 7 Cheddar, 11 Golden age, 13 Top brass, 14 Deflect, 16 Pent-up, 19 Pithy, 20 Mean, 23 Oil.

FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off. Solution tomorrow

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Hollywood (10) 6 Male singing voice (4) 10 Be repeated (5) 11 Cultural backwardness (9) 12 Ghastly (8) 13 Statement of belief (5) 15 Dawdler (7) 17 To swindle (7) 19 Strictly pragmatic person (7) 21 Mistaken belief (7) 22 West African country (5) 24 Of the Church of England (8) 27 A mere trifle (9) 28 Bury (5) 29 Equally balanced (4) 30 Reclusive Swedish actress (5,5)

Down 1 To convert (4) 2 Central American country (9) 3 Spooky (5) 4 A newspaper format (7) 5 Explosive part of missile (7) 7 Incidental comment (5) 8 US pioneer film producer (3,7) 9 Whimsical (8) 14 Star of Gone With The Wind (5,5) 16 Estrange (8) 18 Ornamental form of gypsum (9) 20 Type of fishing vessel (7) 21 A fabrication (7) 23 Trumpet-like instrument (5) 25 Sugar coating (5) 26 Group of three (4)

targEt thE cAn you crack the Alphabeater? each grid alpha ex

number represents a letter – or black square.Pyjamas, MarQuEtry across: 09 As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet army artery arty arum erratum River, Upsurge, (De Se mare marque MARQUETRY marry the Lumbar, Formal, B each is used. But you have to complete grid too! mart martyr mature Failing, Farce, Tren use the givenmater letters and black squares below maturer merry quarry quart down: Parasol, Be the gridquarter to start. the grid ‘rotationally 09 quarte query rare is rate Machine, Marzipan symmetrical’ – in retry othertamer words, it looks the Cost, *Calls ream rear rearm Oxygen, Hor you sametarry if youtear turnterm the terry page upside tare tram down. Dirge, Piece, Lodg ne tray trey true truer tyre urea Solution tomorrow year yurt A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

19Yesterday’s 5 28 30

28 Kakuro 7 17 Answer 26 21 5

4 15

30 31

34 35

■

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to yo text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus your usu

KEIJO 1

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Bring up, 5 Aides, 8 Billy goat, 9 Ski, 10 Loan, 12 Spanking, 14 Cognac, 15 Ostler, 17 Practise, 18 Iron, 21 Bus, 22 Louisiana, 24 Erase, 25 Dodgems. Down: 1 Babel, 2 Ill, 3 Goya, 4 Prompt, 5 Astonish, 6 Distiller, 7 Snigger, 11 Aegean Sea, 13 Pastille, 14 Capable, 16 Issued, 19 Nears, 20 Used, 23 Ace.

I O O M L F O

7 Terseness; 10 Fall S Y Y H U G Q Y R through; 11 Reasoning; Friday, January 14, A E 2022 A T N Q Y M H 14 Resides; 16 Usurer; 19 Circa; 21 Eye. Y L L A V L I Q B

1 x Battleship

3 x Destroyer

2 x cruiser

4 x submarine

The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, January 14, 2022

Famous EthiopianSwedish chef puts a spin on traditional Bahamian dishes

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net

food

arcus Samuelsson is an Ethiopian-born Swedish-American celebrity chef, restaurateur and television personality. He is behind the some of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants, and now he’s making his mark here in the Bahamas. His newest venue, Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, is a celebration of his passion for the exploration of flavours, from finding the freshest Bahamian ingredients and local seafood to sharing his latest take on comfort food classics. “Chef Marcus is world-famous for his culinary (takes) on everything. He came down to the Bahamas and just added a twist on some of his favourite dishes and Bahamian favourites, to make the restaurant great here in the country,” said Barry Sawyer, assistant restaurant manager. Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House features an innovative menu, including signature dishes like his unique fried chicken, an extensive selection of locally caught seafood – raw and cured – as well as simply cooked premium dry aged steaks, and vegetables sourced from local farmers across the island that use the best hydroponic technology. Inspired by the colourful and warm culture and traditions of the Bahamas, the interior design features a selection of artwork curated by The Current Gallery and Art Centre, The Current’s creative art director, John Cox, painted a mural in main dining room, while all menus feature artwork by prominent Bahamian artists. In addition to the family-friendly dining room with ocean view, there is also the restaurant’s rooftop cocktail bar, Marcus Up Top, which features entertainment from local deejays and musicians. “People love Marcus at Baha Mar; they come for lunch also, which runs from 11am to 3 pm daily. They want to try the snapper, the fried chicken, the lobster, the sweet potatoes, the pork chops and more. We have some of the best pork chops on the island, our Tomahawk steak is second to none, so people just want to try everything when they come here,” said Mr Sawyer. A long-time fan of conch, the national dish of the Bahamas, Chef Samuelsson made sure to include his version of conch fritters and conch salad on the menu. Another of his personal favorites is the cornbread served with hot buttered Bahamian rum. Garrette Bowe, the chef de cuisine at Marcus at Baha Mar and Marcus Up Top, said the delicious conch salad is actually named after her - “Ms G’s Conch Salad.”

“The conch salad has pineapple, peppers, red onion and sour orange. We have a conch croquette as well here - inside the croquette is conch, salted fish, which depends on the fish we have available; it could be salted salmon or snapper. At the bottom we have a curry remoulade sauce,” she said. She said they were all impressed with how interested Chef Samuelsson is in the local way of preparing food. “What’s admirable about what he did here is the fact that he came and was really interested in what we eat as locals. It wasn’t just ‘these are my dishes and this is the food I want’. He wanted to incorporate his style into ours. We would make the conch salad and he would be like ‘take me to where this is made, to Potters Cay’,” said Chef Bowe. “Even with the pork, he asked, ‘How do Bahamians eat it?’ We’d say normally jerk - so he’d say let’s make a jerk sauce. The menu incorporates our flavors and things that we eat here. It is very important for us to also use local suppliers. For example, we are using Bluefield Farms for a lot of our greens. We use Eden Farms as well. And as it relates to our seafood items, we use local fisherman.” A part of the Marcus team since its opening in June 2021, Chef Bowe said the feedback from guests has been amazing. “A popular item with locals is the shrimp and grits. It is not your traditional shrimp and grits, but they love the one we have. Another one is the yard bird, which is surprising because you know normally Bahamians don’t come out and eat chicken, but it is popular here. The food is very soulful as well, so we have mac and cheese, sweet potato mash, collard greens, kale…it is comfort food too,” said Chef Bowe.

SWEDISH-American celebrity chef, Marcus Samuelsson

MS G’s Conch Salad

CARIBBEAN Chocolate

WHOLE Fried Chicken

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 14, 2022

The orchid addiciton

gardening

otatoe, potahto; tomatoe, tomahto… Clerodendrum quadriloculare (I love that name, more on this one later). Vegetables and flowers, flowers and vegetables. Grass. Oh look! A palm. Bamboo! Orchids. Orchids for me are the boutique clothing store of gardening that I don’t often step into because it is just off of my typical path. Orchids have mystified people for ages, and with the infinite hybridisation of them, both the variety and wonder continue to blossom. Orchids are the source of a kind of mania that only orchid lovers possess, with its seemingly endless need for another fix. People have destroyed native populations and pushed wild species to the brink of extinction, and with a little research, I am sure that there are documented extinctions of species in the wild and I imagine more than a few undocumented at the same time. There are active efforts in many countries to conserve natural areas that contain threatened species, and chiefly their efforts are to protect orchid species survival in the wild, mainly from the threat of illegal collection for horticulture, medicine, food (Vanilla planifolia is the source of vanilla, used in many foods), and even cosmetics. Keep in mind there are over 28000 documented species of orchid. On the business side of the topic, there are breeders and greenhouse operations that are regularly releasing new hybrids. It can take a decade or more to produce new hybrid introductions. The typical orchid varieties that are easily purchased such as Phalaenopsis or Dendrobium hybrids, are propagated by tissue culture laboratories and grown on to the flowering stage, by the millions, hundreds of millions, in the matter of months inside robot-controlled factory greenhouses. One of the primary producers as a nation is Holland. The Netherlands is the top orchid exporting country in the world. The global market has been valued at over 5 billion US$, with an annual growth rate of over four percent. People eat them up. Orchids. Orchidaceae. When orchids finish their flower, keep it happy and it will give more. Ice…. That myth has been busted,

if purchased through a grower, professional nursery or garden centre. Most that can be purchased in our market are most easily grown on by tying them to a tree and essentially forgetting them while they establish. During dry season, it is always best to remember that they are there and give them a spray with a hose now and again. Many orchids can get fungus issues and relocation to a more suitable location is the first remedy, with a fungicide drench as a backup option. There is nothing quite as spectacular as sauntering through a garden that is splashed with orchids that bloom at will throughout an area. It is rumoured that a handful of our Bahamian native orchids have been used in the hybridisation of several new cultivars produced in Florida, and possibly elsewhere. Our natives are not as showy as one would expect, but they are as tough as nails, and that is a desirable trait in any plant genetic makeup if it is to survive challenging conditions. I’m currently a guest at an orchid lover’s house, and they are tied to just about every palm, plant, or tree that is available. If you’ve been bitten by the orchid bug, go out and get one or three more! If you have already been bitten by the orchid bug, well…. Please don’t poach orchids out of the wild. Rescuing them is a different story. As always, I wish you happy gardening. • Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.

but it persists. Orchids are happy with a little water now and again. Do not over saturate to where the media is soaking wet, and do not leave bone dry. Each individual location will present different environmental factors to keep in mind. Feed occasionally. Orchids are very easy to learn and to maintain once the correct conditions

are provided, depending of course upon the species being grown and their individual tolerances. Most orchids that are purchased will be labelled by genus, species, and hybrid cross (this name x that name) and the conditions in which it thrives will be easy enough to find, if purchasing through a mass retailer, or provided by the vendor

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

Friday, January 14, 2022

Freeport teen shares view of humanity in his first book of poems

books

f you’re of the mindset that you have to be all grown up to pursue and accomplish your dreams, young author John S Poitier, a native of Freeport, Grand Bahama, is a good reason to have you rethink that position. At just 16 years of age, Shaquille, as he is called by family and friends, has recently published his first book, “Mangoes in the Summertime”, a collection of inspirational poems. An avid reader, writer and debater, Shaquille is the past Junior Achievement vice president of human resources, the head boy at Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy, and is a firm advocate for social equality. Though still a student, he has high aspirations of pursuing a course of studies in Nursing and Biochemistry, which would eventually assist him in realising his dream of becoming a general surgeon. In “Mangoes in the Summertime”, Shaquille shares his views of humanity through the eyes of a youth. Meticulous by nature, he gave each aspect of the book much thought. The young author noted that the title refers to periods in life when one experiences moments of joy and peace (mangoes) for some time (summertime) before a period of unhappiness. “Regardless of your age,” Shaquille asserts, you will possibly have questions about your existence, purpose, or if there is a divine plan for your life. In his didactic way, Shaquille speaks to these questions through poetry. “It’s a celebration of life, death, and everything in between,” he said. Each poem takes you on a journey that encompasses both humour and sorrow. Shaquille bravely bares his soul through each line of the poems. “My poetry fluctuates between good and evil, light

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and darkness, prompting readers to think about our current existence— virtue or villainy?” AUTHOR Shaquille enjoys Shaquille listening to music, Poitier, 16 playing video games, travelling, and attending family Bible study. He is the son of John W Poitier and Nurse Virginia L Poitier, who are thrilled at their son’s accomplishment and say that it is their joy to support “Mangoes in the SummerShaquille in realising his pubtime”, published by Inspire lishing dream. John has two Publishing, is available in sisters, Johnelle Poitier-Kelly paperback and Kindle from and Johnique Poitier. He is Amazon.com or by contacting also the proud uncle of threeyear-old A’mani McIntosh. the author.

. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

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Literary lives

V S Naipaul (1932 - 2018)

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Trinidad’s most famous writer who often disavowed his origins Part II Sir Christopher Ondaatje continues his biography of the impenetrably enigmatic Indian writer who climbed his way to the Nobel Prize winner’s podium, and encountered racism and criticism every inch of the way. “An autobiography can distort, facts can be realigned. But fiction never lies: it reveals the writer totally.” - VS Naipaul In early 1962, VS “Vidia” Naipaul and his wife Patricia arrived in India for a year-long visit. An Area of Darkness (1964), the resulting book, was his second non-fiction book and is an account of his effort to understand the country of his ancestors. But it took a while to complete. After a month in Bombay, where he felt anonymous and could not avoid the Indian reaction to poverty and suffering, he spent a productive five months in Kashmir, completing Mr Stone and the Knight’s Companion (1963), set in London. He also wrote a number of short stories published in the collection A Flag on the Island (1969). Certain aspects of Indian life haunted him and reminded him of the early stage of his life in Trinidad – something he had grown out of. Before he left India, he was commissioned by the English language magazine – the Illustrated Weekly of India – to write a monthly “Letter from London” for a fee of £30 a letter. He did this for two years and it is the only time in his life that he would write on the contemporary culture of the land of his domicile. It was not a comfortable theme. Although Naipaul’s books received some critical acclaim, they were not money makers and his finances were low. All this changed when he met Lady Antonia Fraser, the wife of the Conservative politician Hugh Fraser. He was now introduced to her social circle of upperclass British politicians, writers and performing artists. He was also introduced to the wealthy second Baron Glenconner, father of the British novelist Emma Tennant and owner of considerable estates in Trinidad. Glenconner arranged for an unsecured loan of £7,200 for Naipaul – which money he and his wife used to buy a three-floor house on Stockwell Park Crescent in London. It was in late 1964 that Naipaul was asked to write an original script for an American movie. He spent the next few months writing “A Flag on the Island”, but the completed version was turned down by the director and the movie never made. The title was, however, eventually

used to include some other of his short stories published in 1967. He then began work on the novel The Mimic Men (1967) – but didn’t make much progress. In 1966, he was offered a writer-in-residence fellowship at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. He got there in early 1966 and began to rewrite what he had done. The novel was finished quite quickly and was to be a breakthrough for him, involving both fiction and non-fiction. Set in the imaginary island of Isabella, it was the precursor of future Naipaul novels. Through the character of Ralph Singh, Naipaul introduces a more personal aspect to his writing, and explicit sex is introduced for the first time. Caribbean politicians admitted that: “VS Naipaul’s description of West Indians as ‘Mimic Men’ is harsh but true.” - Michael Manley Eric Williams Returning to London in October 1966, Little Brown invited Naipaul to write a book on Port of Spain – his hometown in Trinidad. The book took two years to write and The Loss of El Dorado eventually became a narrative history of Trinidad. However, Little Brown were

expecting a guide book and it was eventually published by Alfred A Knopf in the United States (1969) and André Deutsch in Britain. The book highlights the uncertainties created by changeable populations and the cruelties inflicted by the island’s inhabitants on each other. During the writing of The Loss of El Dorado, disillusioned by life in England and public animosity in the mid-1960s towards Asian immigrants, Naipaul and his wife sold their house in London and travelled to Trinidad and Canada, looking for a place to settle. This search was unsuccessful and money problems and homesickness forced their emotional return to Britain. Earlier, in the 1960s, during their travels in Africa, Naipaul had met the young American author Paul Theroux. “I was twenty-five years old, and at that point had been in Uganda for four years. I spoke Swahili, I had a car, and my teaching job ... took me around the country ... Naipaul was often unhappy with his driver, and so I became his driver and began to call him Vidia – he in the front seat, Pat in the back. They often quarrelled ... What I did not know at the time was that in

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in this novel, nor the town at its bend, nor the country or its president. Yet there are possible identifiers.

spite of the brilliance of his books, Naipaul’s career was precarious.” - Paul Theroux

Curiously Naipaul credits his extramarital affair with Margaret Gooding for giving A Bend in the River and his later books fluidity, saying that these “in a way to some extent depend on her. They stopped being dry.” He made no mention of his wife Patricia. A Bend in the River was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, but did not win.

What every aspiring writer yearns for is the approval of an older established writer. Naipaul gave him this and the friendship blossomed for thirty years, which Theroux recounted in Sir Vidia’s Shadow: A Friendship Across Five Continents.The relationship soured over the years and Theroux became critical of Naipaul’s writing and described him as “a depressive, a skinflint and a misogynist”. The feud was not resolved for another fifteen years.

In 1987, The Enigma of Arrival, a novel in five sections, was published. He continued to write non-fiction works. In his 1998 non-fiction book Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples, Naipaul argued that Islam is a form of Arab imperialism that destroys other cultures. The Mosque of Africa: Glimpses of African Belief (2010) explores beliefs and rituals among primitive people.

Naipaul drew on his earlier African experience with Theroux in his novella In a Free State (1971), which went on to win the Booker Prize. During the latter part of 1971 cracks started appearing in the Naipaul marriage. He had acquired, according to his biographer Patrick French, a mistress, Margaret Gooding – an AngloArgentine mother of three, whom he abused violently. And although dependent on his loyal wife Patricia, Naipaul began frequenting prostitutes for sexual gratification. Naipaul’s unashamed depiction of himself was that he was “a prostitute man”. His wife, he said, who had supported him for four decades “did not attract me sexually at all”. She was, he coolly declared, “the only woman I know who has no skill”. Readers of his 1975 novel Guerillas will recall Jane’s description of her husband: “He was excited only by prostitutes, swiftly bought and had.” “Naipaul, we learn, knew many women. His long-serving mistress, Margaret Gooding, was both sexually attractive and – to use his word – skilled. Her relations with Vidia, however, ruined her life. He seems, if we credit his authorised biographer, not to have cared. Her utility for him was that he could mistreat her. Many of the gruesome sexual depictions in the novels, French records, ‘were not the work of imagination but drawn from his life with Margaret’. Field work. Pat – the wife, died lingeringly of cancer in 1996, aware that she was unloved and betrayed. On the day after he cremated his wife, French bleakly notes, ‘VS Naipaul invited a new woman into her house. It was a prospective second wife – but not Margaret, the long-serving mistress: she was, we are told, cast off.” - John Sutherland Lives of the Novelists, 2011 Patricia Naipaul continued her sustained literary labours for Naipaul who was increasingly illhumoured and infantile. She also began to keep a diary, a practice she would continue for the next twenty-five years. “Pat’s diary is an essential, unparalleled record of VS Naipaul’s later life and work, and reveals more about the creation of his subsequent books, and her role in their creation, than any other source. It puts Patricia Naipaul on a par with other great, tragic, literary spouses such as Sonia Tolstoy, Jane Carlyle and Leonard Woolf.”

NAIPAUL and his mistreated mistress Margaret Gooding

NAIPAUL presenting his Nobel Prize with his second wife, Nadira Alvi, at his side - Patrick French The World Is What It Is: The Authorised Biography of VS Naipaul, 2008 Guerillas was published in 1974 following a creative slump that lasted several years. A Bend in the River (1979) marks the beginning of Naipaul’s exploration of native historical traditions – different from his usual “New World” examinations. It is a masterpiece and one of Naipaul’s best known works – although criticised for a perceived defence of European Colonialism in Africa. Without specifically referring to the novel, the Nobel Literature Prize Committee indicated that it viewed Naipaul as Joseph Conrad’s heir as the analyst of the destinies of empires in the moral sense: what they do to human beings. In Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad presented a dark picture of the same region at the beginning of European colonisation; this type of depiction of Africa is also recast in Naipaul’s novel. Like Conrad, who in Heart of Darkness does not name the big river

In awarding Naipaul the 2001 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy praised his work for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories. The committee added: “Naipaul is a modern philosopher carrying on the tradition that started originally with Lettres persane and Candide. In a vigilant style, which has been deservedly admired, he transforms rage into precision and allows events to speak with their own irony.” Naipaul’s fiction, and especially his travel writing, have been criticised for their allegedly unsympathetic portrayal of the Third World. The novelist Robert Harris has called Naipaul’s portrayal of Africa racist and repulsive, reminiscent of Oswald Mosley’s fascism. Edward Said argued that Naipaul allowed himself quite consciously to be turned into a witness for the Western prosecution, promoting what Said classified as “colonial mythologies about wogs and darkies”. Said believed that Naipaul’s world view may be most salient in his book-length essay The Middle Passage (1962), composed following Naipaul’s return to the Caribbean after ten years of exile in England, and the work An Area of Darkness (1964). Within two months of his wife Patricia’s death, Naipaul ended his affair with Margaret Gooding and married Nadira Alvi, a divorced Pakistani journalist more than twenty years his junior. He had met her at the home of the American ConsulGeneral in Lahore. In 2003, he adopted Nadira’s daughter, Maleeha, who was then twenty-five. Naipaul died at his home in London on August 11, 2018. Before dying he read and discussed Lord Tennyson’s poem Crossing the Bar with those at his bedside. His funeral took place at Kensal Green Cemetery. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; The World is What It Is: The Authorized Biography of VS Naipaul by Patrick French, 2008; and Lives of the Novelists by John Sutherland, 2011.

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PAUL C ARANHA

FORGOTTEN FACTS

history

n the US Library of Congress there is an 18-century map of New Providence that shows an island, labelled ‘West end (sic) Key’, off the northwest coast of New Providence. Today that island is known as Lyford Cay In my youth, Adelaide, Carmichael, Clifton and Lyford Cay were far-away places that everyone had heard of, but few people had ever visited. They were too far away! My family as an exception, because my father took us to these places and always told us about their history. At the time the map was drawn, however, it took a full day

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West End Kay to get from Nassau to West End Key, using track roads bordered by thick foliage. West End Key was an island, entirely surrounded by the sea (as shown on the map), but in 1866 a monster hurricane joined it to the mainland of New Providence. After the Americans and their French allies defeated General Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown, thousands of colonists who had supported King George III were forced out of their homes and properties and many fled to St Augustine, East Florida, which was a British territory. One of these was Colonel Andrew Deveaux (1758-1812) of South Carolina who seemed to be looking for a fight. A daring plan to recapture New Providence from the Spanish occupiers was taking shape and Deveaux became its leader. His second-in-command was Major Archibald Taylor (my mother’s two times great-grandfather). One particularly noteworthy volunteer was Bahamian-born William Lyford, Jr (1719-1794), who had emigrated to Carolina with

MAP of the northwest corner of New Providence, based on a 1700s map. A hurricane caused the gap between West End Key and the mainland to be filled in 1866.

his parents. Lyford spent his life as a harbour pilot and sea captain. I have not been able to find out whether Lyford took part in the land attack on Fort Montagu (led by Deveaux) or, what seems far more likely for a nautical man with 20 years of seafaring, in the marine attack on Spanish ships in Nassau Harbour (led by Taylor). After all was said and done, the Bahamas were restored to Britain. As a reward for their support, Royalists had been assured, by King George III, that they would be rewarded for the possessions they had left behind in America and, on May 5, 1788, Lyford was granted 448 acres of land on New Providence, including West End Key. The ruins of William Lyford Jr’s home, on that ‘key’ island, were demolished in 1998. Lyford was also granted 592 acres in southern Cat Island, less than 10 miles from the estate (now derelict) of Alexander McQueen, my mother’s three times greatgrandfather. The Loyalists were a tight-knit bunch.

Lyford was in Cat Island when he died, and a year or so later, his widow, Esther (his second wife) published the following advertisement in the Colony’s only newspaper, The Bahamas Gazette, of January 8, 1795: “The airy pleasant and healthy plantation, about 13 miles west of Nassau, the property of the late Captain William Lyford’s estate, containing four hundred and fortyeight acres, more or less. Part of this tract is a Key, connected with the Main Land by a very narrow neck, on which excellent water is found everywhere, within four feet of the surface. The Key contains about sixty acres, twenty-five of which have been planted with corn. On it are some old buildings…” These 448 acres, plus much adjoining land, are what Edward Plunkett Taylor fell in love with and developed into today’s thriving Lyford Cay community. • For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com

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PET OF THE WEEK

Animal matters Kim Aranha

animals

ham, bam, thunk… what the heck? I found myself rolling on the ground. Thank goodness, at the Rainbow Bridge it’s not serious because we can’t get hurt but…..Err, what is going on here? I was trying to get back up when I suddenly see a blur of excited black fur. “Buddy”, I shout. “What are you doing here?” Wow, oh wow, his tail wagging a million miles a minute, he is rolling on his back, tongue lolling out of his mouth, smiling the best Buddy smile ever. “But what are you doing here, nobody warned me you were coming?” Normally we have forward information. They give us a special buzzer that sounds like a harp, and when an extra special arrival is on the way we are notified so we can go to the gate with Francis and Nimba to greet them. “Well, Chiefie, it was kind of sudden. I got really sick really quickly and there was nothing that could be done. You know what, my big friend? I was ready to come up here and join you. Mum is crying her heart out right now, and my Scotty misses me, but we all know when it is time, and I knew.” Before I could say another word, Buddy was running around sniffing everywhere, and barking and talking up a storm. “So, tell me, Chiefie, how are things in this amazing spot called Rainbow Bridge? I mean, I can’t believe it. I am young again and I can run and jump, and I can tumble you like I used to years ago! This is absolutely crazy wonderful.” And he laughed his wonderful Buddy laugh.” He rushes at me and rolls me over again. “Steady now, Bud, remember your strength now.” I get up and shake myself off.

PHOTO/LINDA GILL-ARANHA

An unexpected arrival at the Rainbow Bridge Have a dance with Salsa By The Bahamas Humane Society

I am not going to pretend, I missed my Buddy. He was always there for me and we had some of the coolest conversations together and experiences from being puppies. “But Buddy, my boy, my really good friend, how is it you are here so quickly?” I ask. “Chiefie, things have been catching up with me and I had slowed down considerably, but I was still a contented old man who enjoyed my walks around the garden, checking it twice. You remember we used to have that ‘check every leaf twice challenge’? Well, I still did that. Then on Christmas Day I didn’t feel so good and wouldn’t eat. I went to

The Bahamas Humane Society Thrift Shop is known for having a wide range of donated items, up to and including a kitchen sink! This past week, it was... a puppy.

Salsa settled right in and slept her first day happily at the shop and seems to be fitting in well, but she’s clearly used to being around people and is young and healthy and ready to learn. Salsa is about two and a half months old, full of puppy energy! She’s learning about cats (shop cat Whiskey is unimpressed) and eager to get

the vet (God bless him for seeing me on Christmas Day…thanks Dr Grant!). He gave me a shot and I felt better for a few days and then, worse. I had swelling in my face. It turned out I had a very aggressive and fast-moving cancer. Nothing could be done, and I was ready to come and join you, my biggest of friends.” “So here I am, show me around, please…. where is the swimming pool? Do you remember how much I liked to swim in the pool? I would jump in and fetch my toy over and over again, until their arms got tired of throwing….and sometimes I would make them chase me around BEST friends forever: Chief and Buddy

to know other dogs if they’re quiet. Have you been looking for a bundle of puppy love? Salsa might fit the bill. Please call 323-5138 for more information about Salsa or any of the other adoption animals. Salsa’s ready to step out with you! • The BHS Thrift Shop is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, from 11am to 3pm, and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Donations are always gratefully accepted. Thank you very much for your support!

the garden to get the toy back… Oh what happy days we had, huh, Chief?” Of course, a large group of angel dogs had gathered around us by now, old friends and new. Everyone wanted to meet Buddy. He was well known as I spoke about him often. He was and is a very special boy. Lots of sniffing and nose touching took place. Angel Archie immediately offered to take Buddy to his mud craters, which Archie has been building with great care for months. Buddy was a little quiet for a moment. “I worry about Bella, she is going to miss me, we were together all day every day all her life.” “Don’t worry Bud, Mum will make sure she is happy…You can go and check on her as soon as we get you fitted with those wings”. Scruffy comes up and Buddy and he embrace. Scruffy used to be a bit jealous of Bud on earth because Bud was Scott’s dog and so was Scruffy. Here there is no envy or jealousy, just love. “Actually Bud,” says Scruffy “I just checked and she has taken your place in dad’s study, on the carpet besides the desk. She is getting tons of love, she misses you, but she will be OK!” Buddy was still surprised to see that I had four legs again, and that chewies and treats grew on some of the tress… everywhere dogs play, some are learning to fly, and new wings are being adjusted just then Buddy’s name is called out. “What’s that for,” he asks me. “Your turn, Buddy, to get your wings fitted,” I told him, “you are going to make a terrific angel.”

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