01162023 NEWS AND SPORT

IN POLLUTION FINES

FNM leader says the govt failing to act on environmental laws

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said the country stands “to lose up to $60 million in uncollected fines” because the Davis administration has failed to act on environmental laws and punish polluters.

He was speaking in reference to the recent sinking of cargo ship Onega Traveller in waters off Abaco and last summer’s spill of more than 30,000 gallons of fuel in Exuma waters.

“We demand that the

government enforce the environmental laws of The Bahamas, which they met in place,” Mr Pintard said in a statement yesterday.

He referred to the Environmental Planning & Protection Act 2019 and the Ministry of Environment Act 2019, which he said empowers the Attorney General and the Minister of Environment to act when environmental incidents happen.

‘MINISTER MUST RESIGN’ OVER TAXI PLATES ISSUE

THE head of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union is calling for Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis to resign, claiming that her decisions since assuming office have caused utter “chaos” and “turmoil” in the industry.

The union’s grievances stem from the minister’s decision to issue hundreds of taxi plates last year which the union says has caused the market to become oversaturated.

Wesley Ferguson,

BTCU’s president, told The Tribune yesterday that drivers are still fed up from the move and now just want the minister gone as she has refused to meet with them to address their concerns.

However, Mrs ColebyDavis has denied this, saying she has always left a line of communication open to the union.

“When the minister gave out more than 800 plates in the space of two to three months, that put the taxi

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who was known to police in connection with a previous murder was shot dead yesterday in the Flamingo Gardens area.

Shortly after 3pm yesterday police received information about gunshots being fired near Flamingo Gardens Park, Police Inspector Mckell Pinder said at the scene of the incident yesterday on Bahama Boulevard.

the front of his residence.

EMS (Emergency Medical Services) were contacted, where they examined the body and at that time they saw no signs of life,” Inspector Pinder said.

“So far we know that the deceased is known to the police and what we can say is that based on our preliminary investigation so far, the deceased was with two females when

WORKERS’ HOURS CUT BACK AT SOME GAS STATIONS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

GAS station operators say they remain in “wait and see” mode over their requested margin increase and are hoping that the government will make a decision within the first quarter of this year before the sector is forced to cut staff.

Vasco Bastian, vice president of the Bahamas Petroleum Dealers Association, said while most retailers have not laid off any staff yet, they have had to reduce employee hours to keep business afloat.

“We are adjusting our models to reflect the rising costs,” he said when contacted by The Tribune yesterday.

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A PROMINENT Bahamian developer is taking his “Passion” to Love Beach with plans to construct two seven-storey condo buildings with 61 three-bedroom units.

Jason Kinsale, Aristo Development’s principal, is seeking site plan and other approvals for his Passion Point development, due to be scrutinised at a Department of Physical Planning public consultation tonight at the agency’s offices.

The developer, responsible for projects such as Balmoral on Sandford Drive; Thirty|Six on Paradise Island; and ONE Cable Beach, has sought to reassure that Passion Point’s visual impact will be mitigated by the slope from West Bay Street to the sea.

“Upon the officers’ arrival to the scene, they met the body of a male lying in

THE SCENE of the murder in Flamingo Gardens yesterday.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

New judge promised as Grand Bahama starts legal year

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER Supreme Court judge is expected to start serving on the bench in Grand Bahama on May 1, Chief Justice Ian Winder announced in Freeport on Friday.

The appointment brings the number of full-time judges to three in Grand Bahama to help address the backlog of civil and criminal matters before the Supreme Court here.

Chief Justice Winder attended the annual church service with members of the Judiciary in Grand Bahama at the Pro-Cathedral of Christ the King, marking the opening of the 2023 Legal Year in Grand Bahama.

He noted that Grand Bahama requires an additional judge to assist Supreme Court judges Andrew Forbes on the criminal side and Petra Hanna-Adderley on the civil side.

“The need for a third judge will help us with the backlog situation,” Mr Winder explained.

“We will place a new judge in GB in May that would be responsible for not only civil and criminal matters. We are extending the ability for Grand Bahamians to get access to justice more readily, with

a third judge to hear their matters.”

Asked whether Grand Bahama attorney Gregory Moss was among the five new judge appointments this year, Mr Winder would not say, but indicated that the names would soon be disclosed.

“We will make an official statement of who the five judges are, including the one for GB. That process will come shortly, and that judge will take office on May 1,” he said.

“I am glad to have the new year marked as open in GB and look forward to a productive year throughout the bench, the Bar, and for the citizens of GB,” he said.

Additionally, Mr Winder said residents of West Grand Bahama can expect the reopening of the Eight Mile Rock Magistrate’s Court.

“EMR court is near completion and is just awaiting furniture so we can place the magistrate back in there. The residents of WGB have had to come all the way to Freeport to have matters heard and be dealt with. That will alleviate that stress for those residents,” said the chief justice.

During his sermon, Canon Norman Lightbourne noted that as the country celebrates its 50th year of independence, it deserves a competent, efficient, and independent

judiciary.

He added that the judiciary must be provided the necessary tools it needs to execute its duties. He noted that recent reports by the chief justice about the condition of buildings “is a crying shame.”

“Despite the inconveniences and handicaps, I encourage you to remain focus to your call to serve,” he said.

“Remember you are supposed to be honourable men and women, belonging to an honourable profession - do so with integrity.

“You must have strong moral principles and convictions. Remember, honesty is still the best policy. You must be able to hold your heads high always. Serve without fear or favour. Every person that comes before you deserves to be treated without prejudice. Be impartial, be merciful,” said the Anglican clergyman.

He told the attorneys: “It can’t always be about money. There are many in society who see lawyers as crooks. I know because they come to me and complain.”

Canon Lightbourne also noted that politicians think they are above the law. It is a serious issue, he said.

“We live in a country where politicians believe that because they are in the House of Assembly, they have authority to do almost

anything. It is a fact. We are talking about 50 years, and it is a serious continuous act, he said.

He stressed that none of them is above the law and are governed by the same rules and regulations of the country, and the Constitution, as are all Bahamians.

The clergyman said there is a lack of confidence in the judicial system that is driving persons to take the law into their own hands.

“Many Bahamians have a lot of questions about the system of justice in our Bahamaland, where the level of confidence in the system is extremely low,” he said.

“As you begin the new legal year, you have a humongous task (ahead). Hundreds of Bahamians are anxiously awaiting on you to hear their complaints

and settle their disputes. They are waiting with bated breath for justice to be served. Many have been waiting a very long time and they are tired of waiting. Many are running out of patience. Some are frustrated; some are angry; and some are disappointed in the system of justice.”

“Some feel that justice is far-fetched, that it seems elusive. Some have gotten so fed up that they are ready to take the law into their own hands. We simply say to our citizens, you have no right whatsoever to take the law in your own hands, despite the fact that you been waiting and wondering so long.”

The clergyman said that young men in poor communities feel disenfranchised and disadvantaged.

“They feel the young man

in Lyford Cay and Johnson Road stands a better chance of being acquitted or having his case heard than he does,” he added.

He stressed that too many young men are being lost to untimely deaths and are being put in prison.

Canon Lightbourne said that this must end. “We cannot continue as a country going down this road. It is frightening, it’s staggering.”

Something must be done to help our young men, said the clergyman, who believes that dysfunctional homes are the root cause of the problem.

“There are simply too many fathers out of our homes, leaving mothers to raise the children alone,” he said.

“I appeal to the women of our country. There are just too many young ladies who are being impregnated and far too many are not able to raise these children.”

Canon Lightbourne warned: “We have to arrest this situation. I don’t care how much money is allocated to the Judiciary, I don’t care how many police we have on our streets, I don’t care how many police cars we have on streets, until we are able to arrest this situation and deal with the root cause, the problem in our homes, we will be dealing with this for years to come.”

MOSS REMAINS UNCONSCIOUS

THE REV CB Moss remains in a medically induced coma after collapsing during the Majority Rule Day church service at St Agnes Anglican Church on Tuesday.

In a statement on Friday, his family gave an update on the prominent pastor’s medical condition.

“The family of Rev CB Moss continues to stand in faith for his full recovery as he remains in hospital having fallen ill while attending the Majority Rule church service on Tuesday at St Agnes Church.

“Rev Moss’ family had an opportunity to consult with the medical professionals charged with his care.

According to a senior and accomplished physician on Rev Moss’ medical team, ‘Remarkably by the Grace of God he is soldiering on.’ Rev Moss is showing positive response to tests and treatments given,” the statement said.

Rev Moss is still critically ill; however, his family is “confident” that healthcare workers will provide him with the necessary care.

The statement continued:

“Currently, he remains in a medically-induced coma as a comprehensive plan of action has been established and is being executed. Although Rev Moss is critically ill, the family is confident that the healthcare professionals assigned to him will provide the necessary care to achieve the best outcome.

“Rev Moss’ wife and family appreciate the outpouring of love and support thus far and ask those who know the virtue of prayer to continue to stand in the gap for Rev Moss.”

MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN VEHICLE COLLISION

A 34-YEAR-OLD motorcyclist died after a traffic accident in Dundas Town, Abaco, on Friday.

The incident took place after 4pm.

Police said a man was driving a 2005 Dodge Dakota north on George Albury Boulevard and the motorcyclist was driving west along Grace Avenue

when they collided.

The motorcyclist, a Marsh Harbour resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation is ongoing.

THE OPENING of the legal year in Grand Bahama on Friday. Photos: Vandyke Hepburn

$60m ‘lost’ in pollution fines

“Additionally, they provide for up to $30m to be levied in fines for each incident. These laws are based on the legal principle ‘the polluter pays.’ The sinking of mv Onego off the coast of South Abaco is the second such environmental incident where this administration so far has refused to enforce the country’s environmental laws and impose fines. The first incident occurred in Exuma when 30,000 gallons of toxic diesel fuel oil was released directly into the sea, by MT Arabian, a Sun Oil/FOCOL contractor.

“To date, it appears that the government stubbornly refuses to enforce our laws and impose the fines commensurate with the environmental damage caused. Just like in the first incident, mv Onego is spilling chemicals directly into the waters of South Abaco. This time instead of diesel, heavy fuel oil and ferix are being released. Ferix is used as a fertiliser and for water treatment. “Both chemicals are potentially deadly to marine life and shoreline birds. What makes this situation so worrisome is that in addition to spilling chemicals, the vessel itself will cause physical damage and severe breakage to any stony corals in its wake. The

government continues to follow the abysmal environmental track record established by previous PLP administrations,” Mr Pintard said.

He said the FNM demands that Attorney General Ryan Pinder “explain if he has or why he has not instructed legal action be commenced against the owners of the MT Arabian and MV Onego for environmental damage”.

He also said: “The country now stands to lose up to $60m in uncollected fines because of this

administration’s failure to act. A repeated pattern has emerged; environmental offenders get off free to the detriment of the Public Treasury. We remind Prime Minister Davis that environmental responsibility goes beyond speeches and travel opportunities.”

Last week the Transport and Housing Ministry said remediation efforts of the Onego Traveller are continuing, adding 3,119 tons of steel coils and 4,505 tons of Ferix in bulk remained submerged.

The ministry said that steps to address the sunken cargo ship were still active. On December 29, 2022, Onego Traveller sank with heavy fuel onboard.

The Bahamas National Trust has also expressed concern about the sunken ship and its effect on the marine environment.

In July, 35,000 gallons of diesel spilled into waters off an Exuma bay as a vessel contracted by Sun Oil was offloading fuel to Bahamas Power and Light at George Town.

‘MINISTER MUST RESIGN’ OVER TAXI PLATES ISSUE

industry in a tailspin,” Mr Ferguson told this newspaper, noting that the move has also negatively affected taxi drivers.

He said the union also gave the minister “a golden opportunity” to set guidelines on taxi fares, but claimed she refused to take advantage of the opportunity.

“What she did was... letting taxi drivers have their own interpretation of what a fare should be and now it’s out of control,” he added.

“Because now you have new taxi drivers who just entered the industry who knows nothing about taxi driving, who doesn’t care about the industry and don’t care about tourists nor the government, all they want to do is make that money so the taxi industry is now in turmoil because of the minister being so

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE shot a woman during a car chase that ended in an accident in Grand Bahama yesterday.

The 22-year-old woman from Jones Town, Eight Mile Rock was taken to hospital after the incident. Police did not release any details on her condition.

However, The Tribune understands that she was not the intended target.

Police said the incident unfolded in the Mall Drive area shortly before 2am Sunday when officers on routine patrol near a local club spotted a red Nissan Sentra with four occupants, including three women and a man.

The male driver, who was known to officers and out on bail for attempted murder, was reportedly ordered from the car.

However, he refused to comply,

reckless in her behaviour.”

The union president said some taxi drivers are now charging customers whatever they see fit.

“This is not only happening in Nassau, but it’s in Abaco, in Freeport, Exuma and Long Island is having the same situation where the resort owners do not know what the taxi fare is from point A and point B,” Mr Ferguson continued.

“That is why we wanted to meet with the minister before November to alleviate these grey areas when it comes to taxi fares, but the minister took it upon herself to do her own thing, thinking she was doing such a tremendous job with consultation and that’s why she is in hot water that she’s in now.”

Mr Ferguson also claimed that despite his many attempts to get into contact with Minister Coleby-Davis, she has refused to answer his calls.

“The minister has blocked me

from all of her media outlets like WhatsApp,” he continued. “She has blocked my telephone calls - so there is no way I can set up a meeting with the minister because she has blocked all avenues for the union to meet with her and she decided that she’s going to do what she feels like doing so she is union busting so she needs to go.”

Responding to these claims, Mrs Coleby-Davis said when she tried to set up a meeting with the union in November, she was told by union executives that they were unable to meet at that time.

“There was a communication and I think that was maybe November, early November, and they advised that they weren’t available to meet at that date we had given them and we told them, well advise us when they return from Abaco when they’re available and I don’t think I have seen any communications

since then,” she told reporters in a recent interview.

“I could be wrong. I checked my phones. I checked my emails, and I didn’t leave anyone on read.”

The minister said she has no problems meeting with taxi drivers to help resolve their issues, but was adamant that she would not tolerate the “continued disrespect that comes every time the union speaks to the press”.

She also said: “That’s not how I think we should run the business of the country. It should be with respect. I’ve respected everyone. I have treated everyone fairly and that’s how I expect to be treated as the minister.”

Mr Ferguson shot back at these assertions yesterday, saying “she was the one who disrespected the union by giving out taxi plates without union consultations and that’s a grave concern for the union because this equates to union busting”.

MAN HELD AFTER RAPE ATTACK

A 24-YEAR-OLD man is in police custody after he reportedly abducted and sexually assaulted a 29-year-old woman on Thursday.

According to initial reports from police, the victim was leaving her job when she was forced into the suspect’s car. The suspect, who the victim knows, then drove to the area of Stokes Cabana where he reportedly assaulted and raped her.

Officers attached to operation Ceasefire arrested the suspect while in the area of Clement Maynard Estates shortly after 9pm on Thursday.

POLICE are investigating three armed robberies that took place last week.

In the first incident, around 11.30pm on Thursday, the victim, while using the ATM machine in the area of Poinciana Drive, was approached by two men – one armed with a firearm. The suspects, masked and dressed in dark clothing, robbed the victim of an undisclosed amount of cash and his vehicle, before heading east on Poinciana Drive.

Then, around 12am on Friday, a man in the area of St James Road was approached by two male occupants of a dark Honda Civic - one allegedly armed with a firearm. The suspects robbed him of a cell phone and other personal items.

In the third incident, shortly after 12.40am on Friday, a man arriving at his home in the Marshall Road area found two masked men inside. They held the victim at knifepoint before robbing him of personal effects from the home. The victim was forced back into his vehicle –a 2013 silver Honda Accord – now driven by one of the suspects, who proceeded to drive to an ATM. However, at the intersection of Cowpen Road and Faith Avenue, the victim jumped out of the vehicle. The suspects left heading north on Faith Avenue followed by another small Japanese vehicle. Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 502-9991/2/3.

police said, and tried to knock officers down to evade them.

“Hence, officers being in fear for their lives opened fire on the driver who sped off at a high rate of speed,” police said in a statement.

“It is reported that while attempting to evade police, the driver lost control of the vehicle causing it to overturn at the junction of East Sunrise Highway and East Atlantic Drive.

“The vehicle was extensively damaged.”

Police said another female occupant, a 27-year resident of Pinedale, was left injured from the accident and was taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital.

She is expected to be airlifted to Nassau for further medical assistance.

The third female occupant was also taken to the Rand and later discharged, police added.

Meanwhile, the male driver, a

27-year-old resident of Frobisher Drive, was arrested shortly after his escape.

Police said he had breached his bail conditions.

This incident is the first policeinvolved shooting for the year, according to this newspaper’s records.

While it is not clear how many police-involved shootings were recorded last year, there were 21 reported in 2021.

Thirteen of those were fatal.

To date, many relatives of victims are still seeking answers as there has not been an inquest into policeinvolved shootings since 2020.

Justice Sir Ian Winder addressed the issue last week during a ceremony to mark the opening of the legal year, when he urged the director of public prosecutions to have the matter addressed.

He maintained that proper functioning of the Coroner’s Court

continues to be a challenge and said while the acting coroner is doing a commendable job, she is hampered by the absence of a marshal to lead the evidence before the court.

“While inquests, other than police-involved deaths, are being carried out, the court is unable to properly fulfil its mandate in respect of all debts. Discussions with the learned director of public prosecutions had initially identified an officer to perform the function,” Sir Ian added.

“That option has since fallen through and the search continues, I’m advised, to locate a replacement marshall. I implore the director of public prosecutions once again to bring the conclusion to this matter.”

The Tribune has previously reported that the country recorded 11 police-involved killings in 2017, 2018 and 2020 and has one of the highest per capita rates of policeinvolved killings in the world.

• Police are investigating a stabbing that has left a 32-year-old man in hospital. The incident occurred shortly after 6pm on Thursday in the Sea Breeze Lane area. The victim was involved in a physical altercation with an unknown male, when he was stabbed multiple times about the body. He was taken to hospital via private vehicle where he is in critical condition.

• A 22-year-old man was left with injuries to the leg after he was shot on Friday morning, shortly before 9am. The victim was walking in the area of Prison Lane off East Street, when he heard gunshots and realised he had been shot. He was taken to hospital via EMS personnel where he remains in stable condition.

THE SCENE of the sinking, in this image provided to The Tribune.

That takes the cake - egg prices soaring

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL local bakeries have expressed frustration over the “incredible” rise

in the price of eggs, among other items, in grocery stores on the island.

Some say they have no choice but to pass the costs on to their customers.

A new strain of the bird flu

has led to an egg shortage in various countries. The cost of fuel and other things has also added to the increase in price.

Kimani Smith, Purity Bakery’s general manager, told The Tribune on Friday that

due to egg prices as well as other financial burdens faced by local bakers, Purity Bakery will need to adjust and possibly, raise their prices.

“Just like everything else. This is nothing new. Commodity prices are continuously increasing, obviously it’s going to affect us, affect our bottom line, and affect our profitability. This is nothing that is new. Eggs are just one of many price increases that have been going on for the past three years,” Mr Smith said.

“You talk about eggs, you should also be asking about flour, about sugar and shortening, about utilities. You should also ask about the labour component and real property taxes, all of these things have gone up,” he said.

Mr Smith added: “Nothing you can do about it, but move on and do your best and try to control your cost wherever possible. And unfortunately in certain instances you will have to pass those costs on.”

Responding to whether the bakery will use egg alternatives, Mr Smith said: “No, we’re not going to do anything radical. Unfortunately, it is what it is. There’s another strain of the Avian flu (or bird flu) that’s

affecting chickens worldwide and this is just some of the realities that everyone has to contend with.”

Tessa Lightbourne, who is the owner and head pastry chef at Bourne Sweet, a bakery based on High Vista Drive, said the recent hike in egg prices has put her in a tough spot after having offered a special discount on an egg-based dessert.

“Right now we’re running a macaron special, which we already had planned, because we had bought a lot of almond flour to do so. But then the eggs went sky high. So now we have to absorb that, because we’re already running the special. We’re already giving you a discount and macarons are egg whites,” Ms Lightbourne said.

“But I mean, we have to make it work. So if we have to add a few dollars on to every custom design then that’s what we have to do. In our bakery, we make everything from scratch. We don’t buy any canned goods, any of those like plastic fillings. We don’t do any of that, so we make all our pastry creams, which is a base from scratch. All our fillings, all our butter creams and we use brushes also of egg

white, so we just can’t get around it,” she said.

“A lot of people were saying ‘oh everyone’s going to be a vegan bakery now.’ That is an option. It is January, people are looking for healthier alternatives. We may play around with something like that too. But on our standard items, there’s really not much we can do. Cake is now a luxury,” Ms Lightbourne said.

Meanwhile, Anthony Allen, owner and head chef at Allen’s Fine Cuisines, said he has no choice but to increase the price of most of his goods.

“It has affected us tremendously. I have no choice but to raise prices because for the products we produce, there is basically no other alternative to use. You have to use eggs.

“...The last case I bought was $245 for a case of 30 dozen eggs and that was a month ago. I’m so afraid to try and purchase another case now. I just go and buy it retail now. There’s no discount rate for purchasing a whole case of eggs,” Mr Allen said.

“It’s incredible. What can you do, take cakes off the menu?”

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

YOU should keep your blankets and warm clothes handy as weather officials said the cool weather from a passing cold front will last for another few days.

Patricia Weeks, a weather forecaster from the Department of Meteorology, yesterday told The Tribune the winds from a cold front that passed through The Bahamas on Saturday from Florida will last into this week.

“We had a cold front that passed through yesterday, so usually when you have a strong cold front that will usher in cool weather, depending on how strong the cold front is and high

pressure usually builds behind it,” Ms Weeks said.

“Before it hit us, it would pass across the Florida area and then pass through our area. You get northerly winds behind the front, so that will pull polar air, air from the north down toward us,” she said.

“So our temperature we got after the front was 14 degrees (Celsius), the low was 14 degrees (Celsius) or 57 (Fahrenheit) and we expect for that to dip to about 13 (Celsius) or 55 degrees (Fahrenheit) and that should continue for the next few days,” she said.

“For another few more days, you could keep the blankets and all that good stuff handy,” Ms Weeks said.

This follows a week of cooler temperatures for The Bahamas due to a continued high-pressure system bringing a slight breeze as well as a pre-frontal trough that came before the cold front, according to reports from the Department of Meteorology last week.

Last January, a strong cold front brought low temperatures as well.

“Winter Storm Kenan” caused The Bahamas to experience dips in temperature as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit on the Family Islands and 50 degrees Fahrenheit in New Providence in January 2022.

At the time, Kenan brought strong winds and coastal flooding to the east coast of Florida.

‘MENTALLY ILL’ PRISONER DIES AFTER FIGHT IN CELL

A “MENTALLY ill”

prisoner died after complaining of chest pains following a fight at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services on Friday.

Acting Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare said yesterday that while he is concerned about the incident, he expects fewer altercations in a few days pending government approval for psychiatrists to work at the facility.

A 44-year-old man held

at the facility died on Friday. On Thursday, the man had been sharing a cell with another mentally ill inmate when the two men got into a fight, Commissioner Cleare said.

Following the fight, the 44-year-old complained of chest pains and breathing issues and was later taken to the hospital where he died.

Police said in a report: “An autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.”

About this latest incident, Mr Cleare said he is “very much concerned”, but

hopes for fewer altercations with the addition of trained psychiatrists to the facility’s staff.

“I am very much concerned and that is why the government has acceded to my request in hiring four psychiatrists. Cabinet has to approve it and we hope to have them start working in a few days,” Mr Cleare said.

“You know Sandilands is not taking anyone from us pretty much and we have close to over 150 mental inmates and due to the lack of spacing we have to put them in cells with each

other. So hence is the problem,” he said.

“So now that we’ll have four full time psychiatrists, they (mentally ill inmates) could now start to be treated, with the proper medication, because before that we were only a warehouse for Sandilands,” Mr Cleare said.

“Additionally, the government has also approved for eight of the correctional officers to be trained in mental observation to assess the inmates, because you know we were not trained,” he said.

“So hopefully within

a few months, all should settle down in terms of trying to lessen the amount of altercations between these inmates,” Mr Cleare said.

This latest incident involving an inmate at the correctional facility follows several others in the last several months.

On October 25, inmate Kensey Cooper died in hospital from head injuries after having been in a fight at the facility on October 10. He was being held on a stealing charge.

The Grand Bahama native, who was in his 40s,

was housed in a mental block in the remand centre, Mr Cleare said at the time.

On October 6, another 43-year-old was found unresponsive at the facility just after midnight. The man was on remand for causing damage and police said at the time that no foul play was suspected.

In June, yet another inmate was found unresponsive in his cell in the medium security dormitory of the facility.

Prison officials said at the time that no foul play was suspected.

Murder victim ‘known to police’

from page one

he was approached by two gunmen, who shot him about the body and fled the scene,” she said.

Inspector Pinder confirmed that the victim was not being electronically monitored, and despite being known to police with reference to a murder, police did not say if it was a retaliation killing.

“He was not being electronically monitored. However he is known to

police with reference to a few matters, if I can say, with reference to murder and that’s what we know so far,” she said.

When asked if the victim’s death may have been in retaliation, Inspector Pinder said: “We cannot say at this time.”

Police also could not confirm the age of the victim.

This is the country’s fifth murder for the year according to The Tribune’s records.

Last night, police said another man had been shot through Rupert Dean Lane and Dunmore Avenue. He was taken to hospital, however his condition was not known up to press time.

On January 6, two men, including one who was on bail for murder, died after separate shooting incidents.

The first incident occurred around 2.30am that day.

According to police, a male victim was at a bar on Washington Street and Robinson Road when he was approached and subsequently shot multiple times by an unknown man.

The suspect, who was wearing dark clothing and a

ski mask, fled on foot.

Police said the victim died on the scene.

A few hours later, police were investigating a shooting incident in Nassau Village.

Police said a 29-year-old man was at his residence on Lawson Street, Nassau

Village, after 1pm, when he was approached and subsequently shot multiple times by two men who got out of a small Japanese-type vehicle.

The victim was taken to hospital by EMS personnel, but later died, police said.

Police said they arrested

a 30-year-old Nassau Village resident shortly after the shooting who is currently on bail for murder and is being monitored electronically.

The deceased was also being monitored electronically and on bail for murder, police said.

On January 2, a couple was shot dead as they slept. The incident took place in a home in Montell Heights. Police arrested two suspects shortly after the incident.

Investigations into the latest murder are continuing.

WORKERS’ HOURS CUT BACK AT SOME GAS STATIONS

from page one

“I personally haven’t laid off staff but I have reduced their hours significantly to try and stay afloat. You have to work with what you have and I guess we are basically just working with what we have and that’s how I see it.

“Hopefully going forward, we can bring more people on or increase the hours back once the government works with us, but for now, we have had to adjust in the background so we can stay operable.

“And persons whom I’m in contact with — and I’m in contact with most of them — it’s a wait and see and we’re really hopeful that the government will try and adjust this within the first quarter of this year

so that option is no longer on the table but for the most part, everyone is on standstill.”

Margins for petroleum dealers have not been increased since 2011, when the last Hubert Ingraham-led Free National Movement administration was in office.

Last year, petroleum dealers called for a 50 percent increase in their gasoline retail margin after oil prices started to spike in global markets.

The association said the change in margins was necessary for their businesses’ survival given rising costs and the increase in the national minimum wage, which came into effect for the private sector this month.

“For some dealers, that’s a $1,500 to $2,000 a week

increase in salary,” Mr Bastian said of the minimum wage hike.

“Where do you get that extra $1,500 to $2,000 a week from? And if you do, $1,500 a week that’s like $6,000 a month if my math is correct now because remember we pay our staff weekly so right now, it’s a numbers game to be honest with you – to try and keep it operable.

“Light bill will be going up as predicted by the general manager of BPL within the next couple of months so you have that increase and then you have the NIB contribution because that is a reflection of your wages and then all of the other costs so right now, you playing checkers with your resources.”

However, despite their numerous requests, the

Davis administration has yet to grant them a margin increase.

Mr Bastian said retailers remain hopeful that the government will enact the changes soon so staff can remain employed.

“I know that the discussions with the government are continuing,” Mr Bastian continued.

“We haven’t had an official meeting with the

government since we wrote him a letter I think in December, but we have had impromptu discussions with one or two members of Cabinet.”

“Just impromptu - you know casually see them and we run into each other and address our concerns like that, but we have had no official meeting with the government since the letter was submitted in late

December.”

He added: “At the end of the day, if you can’t pay people, you will have to let them go but we are hoping and praying that we don’t have to.”

In December, Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis told The Nassau Guardian the government was reviewing a proposal on the table from the fuel dealers.

• Ensure that all internal areas are cleaned and maintained daily in preparation for office staff.

• Ensure that the external area is cleaned, and that the lawn and trees in the courtyard and surrounding step and entrance areas are cleaned and maintained daily to accommodate clients.

• Must have strong physical stamina and endurance.

• Must be able to respond to incidents that require immediate attention and be able to assist with company events when required.

• Must be honest.

• Must be a team player

• Must be able to perform basic maintenance tasks

POLICE Inspector Mckell Pinder at the murder scene.

THE BODY at the scene of yesterday’s murder.

Photos: Austin Fernander

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Antigua and Barbuda move opens up CARICOM future

WHAT does CARICOM mean to you?

The question is particularly relevant at the moment, with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis assuming the role of chair of CARICOM, taking over from President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, of Suriname.

On assuming the role, Mr Davis has spoken of the need to expand collaboration with member countries – but what does that really mean?

He pointed to countries working together ahead of the last international climate conference and said nations “were able to get a lot of things done at COP27, like loss and damage”.

Indeed, in his statement as incoming chairman, he spoke of how “we also continue to work closely and vigorously with other Small Island and Low-lying Coastal Developing States to continue our advocacy on the many issues relating to climate change, which impact us all”.

He also pointed to the need to help Haiti resolve its challenges – though those challenges seem to be ever-escalating with no stable political structure.

But are there other issues that can draw CARICOM nations closer together?

In today’s column by Sir Ronald Sanders, who is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States, he details an eye-catching move that could bring opportunities to Bahamians.

The two main political parties in Antigua and Barbuda have decided to abolish work permits for nationals of CARICOM countries and the Dominican Republic.

The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and the United Progressive Party (UPP) decided to liberalise the system by which CARICOM nationals migrate to, and work in, Antigua and Barbuda.

The basis for the decision harks back to the Revised CARICOM Treaty signed in 2001, in which all signatory governments were committed “to the goal of free movement of their nationals within the community”.

The idea was that there would be free movement within the community, with one currency, with no duties or tariffs on goods moving from one country to another – a single market for CARICOM members.

There was one exception – and that

is us. The Bahamas does not participate in single market and economic arrangements.

But now, Antigua and Barbuda has opened its doors – the question is, will any other countries offer the same in return?

There are concerns – there have been for a long time. In Jamaica, for example, there were concerns that the country “would be overrun by the small islanders”, but as Sir Ronald notes, today it is Jamaicans that are heading in the other direction.

It is probably an intellectual exercise as no one here seems to be proposing such a move, but what would The Bahamas look like if it opened itself to greater movement from CARICOM countries?

There is certainly demand here for workers – the blossoming of shanty towns is evidence enough that people will come to work even if there is nowhere for them to live, and with many not having the appropriate documentation.

What if the doors were opened instead to workers from partner countries?

Could workers with proper documentation fill the roles we need, reducing the amount of human smuggling that brings people to our shores? Could an influx of people revive areas such as Grand Bahama with investment in properly built accommodation and extra customers for local businesses to go with it?

Antigua and Barbuda’s move may not open the doors across CARICOM, but it has certainly opened the door to a conversation about how member states interact with one another – and whether some of the solutions we seek to our nations’ problems can be found within the Caribbean region rather than elsewhere.

For both The Bahamas and CARICOM, it is a landmark year, with both celebrating 50th anniversaries.

Next month, The Bahamas is to host a CARICOM meeting from February 16-18, bringing leaders to our doorstep to discuss issues such as Haiti, debt relief, climate change, financial reform and so on.

But Antigua and Barbuda’s move, going to the heart of the CARICOM treaty itself, gives the chance to ask the question what do we want CARICOM to be?

It is an opportunity to be seized – and Mr Davis, as chair, is in prime position to do so.

Yet more pain for businesses

EDITOR, The Tribune.

DESPITE the compulsory pain Bahamas Customs put small businesses through just a few short years ago with “Click to Clear” (which was anything but clear by the way. Months of training and numerous glitches, repetition, etc. in which finally most small business got “use”), here we go again with mass increase in business expense.

The Ministry of Pain and Finance announced a few months ago, after all of that work, expense and time, they are implementing and pushing yet another programme which is forcing business

to use one of two software companies at another considerable expense. The question has to arise at this point is Why?

Answer - Follow the money! Who in customs, Ministry of Finance or which MP might be in bed, or has shares in these software companies? Is it an MP, high up government official whose spouse got an airport contract, eliminating the legit one already in place?

It is alleged the airport employees got their notice last month (and over the Christmas season which, in my opinion, is disgusting). In my view it can be no other reason why they are pushing this on small

business. Or are they in bed with the brokerages to yet force yet another expense on the “small man (person)”?

If journalism wasn’t dead and pushing Bolshevik agendas, perhaps The Tribune can start doing some real investigative journalism and expose this and other critical stories that hurt Bahamians, such as the banks and their coercion to stop cash and cheques probably to gain access into your everyday personal life, the ridiculous fees, or lack of counter service to force you to use ATM’s that work as well as BPL.

Of course, the government has been in bed with them for years. But again, It’s a New Day!

CHRISTOPHER ARMALY Nassau, January 13, 2023.

Requests for repairs unanswered

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THERE is something that having the environment around you, especially the derelict and rundown state of anything can and does to the human psychic, which in the least is not encouraging and even Father God has a major problem with this kind of tolerance.

There is no question that the politicians down through the years have had, and do have a problem with the maintenance of Bahamas Government buildings to the point that we have seen, before they repair something, they would demolished it completely and then go out and lease the space from privately owned building concerns, why?

A case in point, the General Post Office building, East Hill Street, undertaken by Sir Lynden Pindling, while Hon Doris Johnson had had oversight for the Ministry of Works, I think it was, back in 1971-72? At the time, this building’s architecture was quite a feat then and even during the early 1980’s when my sibling transferred the only postal rental the family had to me. Because of this, I made bi-weekly visits there to clear my mailbox, etc. I believed that Sir Lynden Pindling is still turning over in his grave, in disbelief that politicians

would actually demolish the main Post Office that he fought so hard to establish, one of his many accomplishments - even the Clarence A Bain building was demolished.

You wouldn’t mind so much if the people signing on the dotted lines to do it, had themselves built something in the name of the Bahamian people, nothing that they can point to - mere destroyers of the good, I think?

Now, what I also find revolting is when complaints were made concerning either structure, leaking roofs, moulds and/ or mildew, the levels of the nonchalant way that they dismissed those requests for help is atrocious, deficiencies in government buildings.

Surfing The Tribune for today, I was taken aback and wondered how can a Court system operate effectively under the conditions depicted by the sitting Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder – and especially of concern how many Justices complained to politicians and to date, nothing has been done. Why?

Yet, when the New Commissioner of Police was installed, the powers that be wanted to know what were

members of the public, re-offending, how come? I cannot help as a consequence of the horrible state of courtroom buildings, who would want to go for extended periods to have daily trials lasting often beyond eight hours, exposing their health to conditions that potentially could end in death.

Editor, something is very wrong with the way we prioritise, this Progressive Liberal Party Government, rather than try to carry out remedial work on Court buildings, have assigned north of thirty million dollars of Taxpayers money to go on these elaborate and unnecessary global trips, why?

To the Powers that be Father God said stop. He sees the advantages - if you don’t heed, “I the Lord Thy God, will move in death among you, Haters of The People,” said God. “The Mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.” Lord your words are already settled in the Heavens, Amen.

FRANK GILBERT

Nassau, January 12, 2023.

Spin, spin, spin

EDITOR, The Tribune.

ONE thing with the Davis Administration they are good at spinning events and so-called political interventions – the redundancies at Freeport Container, a perfect example.

Seems local management of Container Port did not consult the HOA, which seems to indicate in case of redundancies they are required to give notice to the Labour Office, etc -simple mistake… no big deal. This was an incident which at the max should have been handled by the Ministry of Labour at the Freeport office… highest maybe the Minister. No, what did the Davis Government do? They ran it up the pole to involve

the Prime Minister as if the Minister of Labour was totally impotent and zero consideration that the Minister is constitutionally ultimately legally responsible did we hear from the Minister of Labour?

The poppy-cock so-called reasoning that the shipping Companies over the past two years had made large profits is so much mumbo-jumbo.

Editor, a container ship is not a Container Port. Any observer will know global shipping has cut back, especially transglobal China to the west, and that is the business of Freeport Container Port as well as from the Americas.

Over kill to gain

political hay… And lord the media swallows it all up! Since September, 2021 have you observed the seemingly recruitment of media journalists who have been critical of Government into Government service or into some Government agencies? Ms Black… Wendell Jones… Clint Watson… some other names, which I forget, but people who now re-employed in Government and quasi-Government jobsjournalists are the worst paid professionals and now Juan McCartney to spokesperson for URCA. Coincidence?

his plans to battle crimes within the Commonwealth of the Bahamas? Which was an unfair expectation, given the continued methods of operation, arrests were made of offenders of the law by the police, but in a day or two these criminals were back among

LETTERS

letters@tribunemedia.net

YOUNGSTERS get a close-up chance to meet the judiciary during the launch of the legal year in Grand Bahama on Friday.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

Talks stall over BTVI salaries

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

CONTRACT negotiations between the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB) and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) reached an impasse when both parties were unable to reach

an agreement on workers’ salaries, UTEB President Daniel Thompson said Friday.

Mr Thompson said the union, which represents some 30 BTVI faculty members, has now referred the matter to government officials for redress and is hoping that all issues will be resolved in a few weeks’ time.

BAIL GRANTED FOR SUSPECT IN HOTEL ROOM THEFT CASE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted $7,500 bail in court on Friday after he was accused of entering a tourist’s hotel room and stealing over $1,000 in cash.

T’ray Forbes, 24, represented by attorney Alphonso Lewis, faced Magistrate Shaka Serville on charges of unlawful entry, stealing and receiving.

It is alleged that on January 9, Forbes unlawfully entered the room of Weonsik Sung at the Holiday Inn on Bay Street. While there, it is said the accused stole an estimated $1,888.58 in US, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yuan, and Indonesian bank notes.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutor Sergeant Deon Barr objected to the accused being granted bail on the basis that he has past charges of a similar nature. He further said that Forbes is a habitual offender and that he has a pending stealing charge in the Magistrate’s Court. Sergeant Barr then asked that if the

magistrate does grant bail that strict conditions be attached.

In response, Mr Lewis said that his client is a fit candidate for bail and that Forbes would do his best to abide by any bail conditions imposed.

Sgt Barr reiterated that Forbes has a history of offending and suggested that the court consider public safety.

When asked by the judge about his prior convictions, Forbes said that he only had one conviction for fraud in 2018. For this charge he said he served eight months in prison with some time taken off once in remand.

Magistrate Serville granted the accused $7,500 bail with one or two sureties on condition that he be fitted with an electronic monitoring device (EMD).

Acknowledging the recent rise in EMD issues for persons on bail, the magistrate told Forbes that if he should encounter such issues, he is to inform the court so it can investigate the functionality of the device.

Forbes’s trial will begin on July 3.

US VISITOR GUILTY OVER DRUGS

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN American cruise visitor was fined in court on Friday after admitting to bringing recreational marijuana into the country.

Idris Aliyu, 25, of New York, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs.

After entering New Providence aboard the Carnival Conquest, Aliyu was arrested after being found with 1¼ oz of Indian hemp

in four blue packages.

In a subsequent police interview, he admitted to buying the drugs in the US for his recreational use and further said that he was unaware that weed was illegal here.

He pleaded guilty and received a fine of $350 or one month in prison.

After requesting to have the fine lowered over concerns of the cost to return home, the magistrate told the defendant that the US Embassy should assist with his repatriation.

ANGER MANAGEMENT ORDER AFTER BREAK-IN TO HOME

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to six months of anger management classes after admitting to unlawfully entering a home and assaulting a man and woman there.

Charles Deveaux appeared before Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, on charges of unlawful entry,

assault and causing harm. Between midnight and 1.30am on November 30, Deveaux entered a residence on Wulff Road without permission. There he assaulted a woman and injured a man.

In court, Deveaux pleaded guilty to the charges. He was ordered to attend six months of anger management classes after which period he is to return to court for a report.

MAN ACCUSED OF THREAT TO COP

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail in Magistrate’s Court on Friday after allegedly threatening to kill a police officer.

John Hanna, 28, appeared before Magistrate

Shaka Serville on a charge of threats of death.

It is alleged that around 11.50pm on January 9 Hanna threatened PC 4359 Ingraham with death.

In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was granted $1,500 bail and his trial was set for July 3.

163 MIGRANTS REPATRIATED

A TOTAL of 163 migrants were repatriated in two exercises by the Department of Immigration on Friday.

Around 7.52am, a Bahamasair chartered flight departed New Providence for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with 122 Haitians onboard. The group included 94 men, 27 women and one minor.

Additionally, at 12.15pm, a Bahamasair flight left New Providence for Havana,

Cuba, with 41 Cubans onboard: 37 men and four women.

The department also said that a group of Haitian migrants were apprehended in Inagua on Thursday.

The group of 18 migrants — 14 men and four women — were taken into custody around 3pm. The migrants were medically assessed by local health officials and will be sent to Nassau for further processing.

While both parties were able to agree on most articles in the proposed agreement, they have failed to see eye to eye as it relates to staff remuneration packages.

The union believes the current salary structure presented by BTVI is inadequate and as such, is pushing for staff members’ salaries to be made similar to that of staff at University of The Bahamas or other quasi-government agencies.

“There are issues that must be addressed relating to the remuneration packages of our workers and until those matters are addressed, we are going to be faced with a challenge,” Mr Thompson said during a press conference on BTVI campus on Friday.

“Because unless our members are appropriately remunerated and respected then we cannot guarantee a successful tertiary and technical institute. That only happens when there’s respect for workers and we look forward to this administration ensuring that there is respect for the workers here who are very qualified.”

Concluding contract negotiations would bring

workers one step closer to signing its first industrial agreement with the institution.

“We started (negotiations) in September of last year,” Mr Thompson added, “so we are hoping that we would’ve completed in October or November notwithstanding that we have completed most of the articles, but, of course, when you reach the money talk, that’s where you reach an impasse.

“But, this is not really bad because this is the first IA (industrial agreement) so it’s not like we’re revising or changing an existing industrial agreement. This is the first one and so that salary structure, it’s not an issue of where you get a certain percentage increase on what exists. What we’re saying is what exists is garbage.”

He said UTEB has already been in contact with senior government officials and labour consultants, with meetings planned as early as next week to discuss the way forward.

“In the spirit of our memorandum of understanding, the union is confident that this matter would be resolved because if you

use what has been happening throughout the country, and I’ve been involved with some of those industrial agreements, there has been a serious commitment to bring resolution,” he continued.

“That’s why every other month there’s another IA that is being signed and I am hoping that before Easter, way before the resurrection, I hope that we would be able to invite you back here to celebrate with us.”

Kerima Smith, a faculty member at BTVI, echoed similar sentiments at Friday’s press conference, saying workers demand respect and should be given what they deserve.

“We trust that this new

administration from their track record thus far will bring a speedy resolve and a favourable resolve to the issues,” she said.

“As my colleague said, we are tertiary educators - we play a major role. We are not rejects. We want you to put some respect on TVET.”

Meanwhile, Sherry Benjamin, of the National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB), added: “The NCTUB stands in solidarity with UTEB in its fight for rights and benefits for their members.

“And we want to challenge BTVI and all other employers out there to appreciate your human resource and try and do what is best for them.”

DANIEL THOMPSON, president of UTEB.

Questions remain unanswered over Bermuda PLP trip

By TYLER MCKENZIE

THE curious tale of the Progressive Liberal Party’s trip to Bermuda resurfaced in public this week – and despite it being several months on from the event, the official line has still failed to nail down all the answers.

Still, press secretary Clint Watson boldly declared: “That’s behind us.”

I’m sure he’d love the issue to be behind them – but it really cannot be as long as there remains a failure to answer several outstanding questions.

But first let’s look at this week’s update. Mr Watson declared that the PLP has fully reimbursed the Public Treasury for the party’s trip to Bermuda.

That trip was in October – with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and a delegation, including former Prime Minister Perry Christie and a number of PLP representatives – travelling on October 19 and returning the next day.

However, despite saying that the PLP has fully reimbursed the cost to the Treasury, Mr Watson was unable to give a precise sum.

“We’re trying to finalise the total amount,” he said.

If you’re trying to finalise something, how can you know that the full amount has been paid?

For that matter, we know how long the public service can take – but just how much time could possibly be needed to know how much a trip taken in October cost?

The government paid the bills – the flights, the hotel rooms and whatever else it promised to pay on behalf

of the PLP – so how much did it spend? That shouldn’t be a very difficult question to answer.

Mr Watson added: “I think it’s close – from the records I have received –it’s just under $60,000 in total for the entire thing.”

What was not provided –and really should be made public – are receipts for the entire endeavour. And for good measure, let’s see the cheque provided by the PLP and evidence it has been deposited in the Treasury.

There should be a line by line accounting for how much the government spent on behalf of a private politi cal organisation.

The Bermuda trip, of course, has caused ques tions from the start.

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell – or was it PLP chairman Fred Mitch ell, it’s hard to tell which hat he was wearing in this instance – said there was nothing unusual about the trip when questions were asked back in October.

He said: “It was a standard foreign affairs goodwill trip, not a political trip.

“The Prime Minister spoke at the convention of the PLP in Bermuda. The Prime Minister met with the premier and members of his Cabinet in Hamilton and exchanged views on housing, transport and our relationship within CARICOM.

“The Prime Minister met with the Governor of Bermuda and pledged to appoint an honorary consul in Bermuda for The Bahamas.

“The visit was a success on all levels. He was able to solidify relations on a party to party basis with the next generation of leaders of The Bahamas and Bermuda. He

was able to visit the grave of Dame Lois. He promised that there will be further governmental exchanges on public transport and housing and disaster relief.

“There was nothing unusual about the trip whether in its financing or otherwise. There was a one hour delay on departure to fulfil a requirement of air traffic control, but this was resolved by the airline. The flight departed without incident and landed safely in Nassau two hours and some later.

“The standard procedure is for most if not all flights of the Prime Minister to be arranged through the Office of the Prime Minister. When settlement of expenses are done there is a reckoning as between

personal expenses and public expenses. That procedure was followed in this case and there is nothing unusual about it.”

However, while Mr Mitchell sang one song about the trip, communications director in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming sang another, who said that travel costs were covered by the PLP and any further questions should be directed there.

Mr Mitchell meanwhile fell back on his old tactic of always going on the attack rather than being defensive – accusing the FNM of failure on foreign policy, criticising expenditure on The Bahamas’ Embassy in Brussels and calling FNMs “trolls”. All of which are

entirely irrelevant to the point at hand and which Mr Mitchell has not mentioned particularly since.

However, it is clear that there were two different answers about what kind of trip this is – and the fact that days later a cheque was produced from the PLP to cover the cost of the expedition shows that it seemed Mr Rahming was more correct than Mr Mitchell.

That cheque was for $24,000 – just over a third of what the final total cost has been according to the figures suggested by Mr Watson. Mr Watson did suggest that the decision for the money to be paid from the party rather than the government came from the Prime Minister.

As for the Free National Movement, first there was a call for all the documents pertaining to the trip to be released, then leader Michael Pintard accused the government of breaking the law by using public money to fund the trip, naming Section 30 (1) of the Public Finance Act. That says “no public officer nor public office holder shall commit the government to a financial liability or contingent liability unless specifically authorised to do so under this or any other Act.”

expenditure or makes commitments for expenditure of public money.’ Clearly, advancing money for a trip by a political or any other non-government entity is not public expenditure as defined in the Constitution or any statute law of The Bahamas.”

He added: “Parliament has not appropriated any sums of money to advance to outside entities for travel purposes. Indeed, Parliament could not do such a thing. Given that this is unauthorised public expenditure, it qualifies under the PFM act as expenditure ‘without lawful authority’ and as such it constitutes an offence under Bahamian law.”

‘Essentially, if we are to believe what has unfolded, the government did not know what the final cost would be – and still doesn’t – but offered a blank cheque to the PLP. The decision for that to be a loan rather than outright payment appears to have been made after the fact by Mr Davis. Is this service also available to the FNM? To the Democratic National Alliance or the Coalition of Independents?’

Essentially, if we are to believe what has unfolded, the government did not know what the final cost would be – and still doesn’t – but offered a blank cheque to the PLP. The decision for that to be a loan rather than outright payment appears to have been made after the fact by Mr Davis. Is this service also available to the FNM? To the Democratic National Alliance or the Coalition of Independents?

He said: “Finally, we make him (Mr Watson) aware that Section 111 (1) (a) of the PFM Act states that ‘a public officer, or other person with responsibility for public resources commits an offence of financial misconduct if, without lawful authority, that person willfully or recklessly (a) incurs

So while the government would clearly like this to be behind them, it absolutely should not be – not until all the receipts are shown, the documents asking for the funding are published, and it made clear why this trip was allowed on public money, and whether laws were broken in doing so. If that isn’t done, the only people being taken for a ride are the Bahamian people.

PRESS secretary Clint Watson.

In fairytales we dream

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

MANY beloved fairy tales were morbidly gruesome in their original connotation. Sleeping Beauty, for example, was unconscious when she was savagely raped by the king. Then, to add to the heinous nature of the act, he murdered his wife hoping to be with the woman he assaulted when she awoke. Soldiers were told to cut out Snow White’s liver and lungs to feed to the evil queen. In retribution, she was forced to dance at Snow White’s wedding in burning hot iron shoes until she died.

The wolf, in the tragic story of Little Red Riding Hood, chopped up the grandmother before putting her flesh in the pantry and draining her blood into a wine bottle.

In an equally sadistic tale, Cinderella’s stepsisters mutilated themselves by cutting off their toes and heel, in a deceitful attempt to force their feet into a glass slipper, only to have their eyes eventually gouged out by doves.

Those European folk stories were fortunately altered over the centuries, namely by The Brothers Grimm, to the happier, comforting variations that we’ve grown to love.

My patient, like many people all over the world, cherished the more analgesic version of these stories as a child. But adulthood soon taught her, in more ways than one, that life is not a fairytale. At the age of 22, she narrowly escaped a physically and verbally abusive relationship so for the purpose of this report, we’ll refer to her as Tina.

Tina grew up in Nassau in a loving home with both her parents and sister. She loved to read romance novels and spend time with her cousin, dreaming of the day when she’d become a published author. She fell in love and got married at the age of 21 but the relationship quickly soured. She hoped that having a baby would help, but it made things worse. One day when her husband pushed her to the ground while she was holding their young daughter, amidst endless yelling and cursing, a fire inside of her was lit. Her daughter cried out, inconsolably shaking and clutching to her bosom. The man she loved so much when they married only two years before had become a monster. Afraid that he would kill them both, she escaped during the cold and dark veil of night, seeking safety, and moving back into her childhood home with her parents.

Recognising that human beings are only ever as sick as their secrets, she confessed what happened to her family and the loss she felt from the breakdown of her marriage was counterbalanced by their overwhelming support. But there was a natural shame of failure that she sought to suppress with alcohol as she begrudgingly embraced her newfound freedom.

Not long after her divorce, nearly ten years ago on a fateful Sunday evening in May, Tina received a call from a friend inviting her to join her and her friend’s cousin at a sporting lounge later that night. She eagerly accepted and got dressed but her friend also needed a ride. Once they got to the lounge, Tina began drinking beers and dancing. She took shots of rum, one after another and danced on the pool table without a care of who was looking, pointing and laughing. She was having fun and for just that moment in time, she didn’t have to think about anything else.

But the exhilarating feeling of being footloose and free faded as the alcohol turned against her. Tina searched for her friend who was off somewhere else in the club and told her she felt dizzy and nauseous. She knew she was drunk and needed to leave but she also knew she was in no condition to drive. Her supposed friend was unsympathetic, told her she was staying and could get another ride home. At 2am, Tina left the sports lounge alone and stumbled to her car. Driving home, she smashed into a guard rail at such intense speed that the car flipped over and was crushed in half. She was 23. Everything happened within seconds. Tina wasn’t wearing a seat belt and when her head slammed into the windshield, it did so with such force that she was thrown out of the car through the passenger window. When her body crashed onto the cold pavement littered with glass shards, it was like an unbroken egg being dropped into a frying pan. Several bones in her body exploded. She suffered severe injuries, fracturing her skull, her pelvis and multiple bones in her neck. The contusion to her head was so severe that her face and brain swelled immediately. Her stomach, small intestines and liver perforated her diaphragm, rupturing it during the impact, and most of her organs were pushed into her chest cavity. Emergency medical technicians treating her at the scene of the accident had no hope of her survival.

Tina underwent immediate surgery once she arrived at the hospital. The primary objective was to stabilise her fractures, put her organs back into place and immediately decrease the pressure in her brain.

Because she didn’t have any form of identification on her, family members weren’t notified of the accident until later that day. As fate would have it, she purchased her car from a police officer and when another officer at the scene of the accident recognised the mangled vehicle, he called him and got Tina’s home number.

For one month, she remained in intensive care in a medically induced

coma. The next month she spent on the surgical ward, able to open her eyes but non-verbal and non-communicative the entire time.

Except for slow, limited movement in her right leg, Tina’s body was paralysed.

Tina’s physicians advised her family that to have a fighting chance of a full recovery, she required intense rehabilitation at a hospital in the US involving speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, adaptive equipment training and counselling.

Without insurance, the cost would be $250,000. But a praying family can move mountains. Together, with their church community and an extensive network of co-workers, friends, neighbours and colleagues they raised the funds.

Tina spent two months at the rehabilitative centre in Florida and continued with outpatient therapy here in Nassau for several more months afterwards. Today with the help of her neurology team, she is a walking miracle. Outside of shortterm memory deficits, she is healthy and deeply grateful to be alive. Throughout the entire process, she admits that her sole motivation was getting back home to her daughter.

Her take-home message to readers is multifaceted. She’s now less trusting of people, thinking that a better friend would not have let her drive home in the state that she was in. She advises others to choose their friends carefully but at the same time she takes responsibility for her actions and implores others to never drink and drive. She recommends always travelling with some form of identification, wearing a seat belt and, before going out, choosing a designated driver who you can trust with your life.

In the aftermath of this ordeal, Tina has been afforded the opportunity to do some self-examination. She feels like she wasn’t spending enough time with her daughter so now she cherishes their time together, watching television, helping her try new recipes and playing board games. Moments like that, once upon a time, didn’t seem important but today she appreciates the significance.

Tina understands that the reason fairytales were palliated from their original grisly adaptations is because children and adults need something to believe in and aspire towards. In fairytales, we dream of a better life where good things happen to good people, Prince Charming rescues the damsel in distress, love conquers all and good always triumphs over evil. But given everything that’s happened to her, Tina no longer believes in fairytales choosing, for the first time in a long time, to believe in herself instead.

This is the KDK Report.

Distortion of Martin Luther King Jr’s words brings more division, not less

By HAJAR YAZDIHA USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

US REP Chip Roy of Texas is just the latest conservative lawmaker to misuse the words of the Rev Martin Luther King Jr to judge a person on character and not race.

In the protracted battle to elect Rep Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House, Roy, a Republican, nominated a black man, Byron Donalds, a two-term representative from Florida who had little chance of winning the seat. Considered a rising star in the GOP, Donalds has opposed the very things that King fought for and ultimately was assassinated for – non-violent demonstrations and voting rights protections.

Calling Donalds a “dear friend”, Roy noted the selection by Democrats of another black man, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, and invoked King’s words.

“For the first time in history, there have been two black Americans placed into nomination for speaker of the House,” Roy said. “However, we do not seek to judge people by the colour of their skin, but rather, the content of their character.”

As a scholar who researches social movements, racial politics and democracy, I have seen the consequences of the misuse of King’s words play out everywhere from the halls of Congress to corporate diversity training sessions to local school board meetings.

In Roy’s case, the invocation of King’s legacy was an attempt to hide Donalds’ outspoken right-wing political views, including his vote with 146 others to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Roy’s speech also omits Donalds’ support for voting reform laws in Florida that many Black civil rights leaders understood as efforts to disenfranchise minority voters.

As scholars, civil rights activists and King’s own children have long pointed out, uses of King’s words, especially by right-wing conservatives, are too often attempts to weaponise his memory against the multicultural democracy of which King could only dream.

A SANITIZED MLK

As every Martin Luther King Jr Day nears on the third Monday in January, politicians across the

political spectrum – including those who opposed establishing the national holiday in 1983 – issue their heartfelt dedications to King or quote him in their own speeches.

Yet January is also a month that commemorates a darker, more recent memory of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by right-wing extremists.

The two issues – misuses of King’s memory and the January 6 attacks – may seem like unrelated phenomena.

Yet in my book, “The Struggle for the People’s King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement,” I show how there is a direct line from distortions of King’s words and legacy to right-wing attacks on multicultural democracy and contemporary politics.

THE MISUSES OF KING ARE NOT ACCIDENTAL.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a sanitised version of King was part of a conservative political strategy for swaying white moderates to support President Ronald Reagan’s reelection by making King’s birthday a national holiday.

Even after Reagan finally signed the King holiday into law in 1983, he would write letters of assurance to angry political allies that only a selective version of King would be commemorated.

That version was free of not only the racial politics that shaped the civil rights movement but also of the vision of systemic change that King envisioned. In addition, Reagan’s version left out the views that King held against the Vietnam War.

Instead, the GOP’s sanitised version only comprises King’s vision of a colorblind society – at the expense of the deep, systemic change that King believed was needed to achieve a society in which character was more important than race.

WEAPONISING AMERICA’S RACIST PAST

This interpretation of King’s memory would become a powerful political tool.

Increasingly through the 1980s, right-wing social movements – from the gun rights and family values coalitions to nativists and white supremacists

– deployed King’s memory to claim they were the new minorities fighting for their own rights.

These groups claimed that white Christians were the real victims of multicultural democracy and in fact were “the new blacks”.

This false version of social reality eventually evolved into the “great replacement theory,” the far-right conspiracy theory, espoused by public figures like Tucker Carlson on Fox News, that white people are being demographically and culturally replaced with nonwhite peoples and that white existence is under threat.

In these distortions, gun rights activists called themselves the new Rosa Parks, anti-abortion activists declared themselves freedom riders and anti-gay groups claimed themselves protectors of King’s Christian vision.

These distortions of the past were not just rhetorical.

Over time, these political strategies had powerful effects and generated what appears in my view as an alternative social reality that, for many white Americans, began to feel like the only reality.

MISINFORMATION THREATENS DEMOCRACY

Through the making of these alternative histories, right-wing strategists such as Steve Bannon could stir up white right-wing voters to “reclaim” and “take back” America.

Such was the politics that led to Donald Trump’s 2016 election and shaped a presidential administration that rolled back civil rights, emboldened white supremacists and banned anti-racism training.

Through the misrepresentation of the racial past, this alternate social reality hardened.

Ultimately, these revisionist narratives have fractured the collective understanding of who we are, how we got here and where we go next. In my view, moving forward means honestly confronting the often ugly past and the deep roots of white supremacy that shaped it then and now.

It is only by facing, rather than ignoring, the complexity of America’s history that the “beloved community” that King once envisioned can be realised.

Abolition of work permits: an example for regional integration

IT HAS been interesting to read the responses in Editorials and Opinions in some regional media, concerning the decision by the two main political parties in Antigua and Barbuda to abolish work permits for nationals of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries and the Dominican Republic.

The significant thing in the Editorials and Opinions, is that while they have freely expressed opinions on the decision made by the two main political parties in Antigua and Barbuda to deal with this long contentious issue in CARICOM, they have been silent on the attitude of governments and opposition political parties in other CARICOM countries. The exception to this has been the Editorials in the Jamaica Gleaner.

There is no question that the two political parties in Antigua and Barbuda have now put the cat among the pigeons in CARICOM. The decision of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and the United Progressive Party (UPP) to liberalise the system by which CARICOM nationals migrate to, and work in, Antigua and Barbuda, raises questions about how far other members of the Caribbean Community are prepared to go to realise the purposes of the CARCOM Treaty.

The Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda allows its nationals to bestow citizenship on their grandchildren wherever they are born.

Many of those grandchildren from the Dominican Republic took advantage of this Constitutional right to migrate to Antigua and Barbuda. This situation - unique to Antigua and Barbuda – is not relevant to CARICOM. Therefore, it is not discussed here.

When the Revised CARICOM Treaty was signed in 2001, it committed all the Governments who were its ultimate signatories “to the goal of free movement of their nationals within the Community”. The governments raised the expectation that their people would be able to travel to each country freely; that they would have a single currency; and that there would be no duties and tariffs on goods moving from one country to the other. That was why the notion of a CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) was born – the nations of CARICOM would become one community and one market.

The exception was The Bahamas, which does not participate in the group’s single market and economy arrangements.

Throughout the existence of CARICOM, preceding the signing of the Revised Treaty in 2001, its member states have had a chequered history regarding the acceptance of the movement of people between them. The exemplary

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

country, during its previous economic heyday up to 1973, was Guyana, which welcomed Caribbean migrants from the region – a welcome that was taken up by many from Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent who, among other things, became farmers in Guyana’s productive agricultural hinterland.

Now with its wealth in oil and gas, Guyana has once again become a magnet for Caribbean migrants and businessmen. This time it is nationals of Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago who are flocking to Guyana - not only ordinary people, looking for work but businessmen seeking to profit from selling goods and services.

But in the lean economic times of Guyana, when imports had to be restricted to preserve scarce foreign exchange, and the value of its currency slumped dramatically, Guyanese had a forbidding experience when they migrated to other CARICOM countries to find work. There were special benches for Guyanese immigrants at the Airports in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago on which they endured confined circumstances before being deported.

Let it be said that the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, the late Barbados Prime Minister, Owen Arthur, and the present Prime Minister, Mia Mottley were the three leaders who constantly stood up for the principles of movement of nationals within the Caribbean community.

However, Antigua and Barbuda was one of the few countries in CARICOM where Caribbean migration, while not without its restrictions, was far more tolerant. The reason was consistent commitment to Caribbean integration by its leadership, particularly Sir Vere Cornwall Bird, Sir Lester Bird and now Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

Sir Vere was one of the founders of the West Indian labour movement for independence from Britain, dating back to 1947. He conceived of West Indian independence from Britain in the context of a West Indian Federation with all the freedoms and rights for the people that such a federation offered. He saw the West Indian people as one, and was deeply disappointed at its collapse, triggered by a referendum in Jamaica. In the referendum campaign, ironically, one of the arguments used against the Federation was

that “Jamaica would be overrun by the small islanders”. Today, it is Jamaicans that are heading to the small islands.

For his part, Sir Lester, while upholding the objectives of CARICOM, was a founder of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and was a strong and influential voice for the maintenance by its six independent member states of one currency, one central bank, one judiciary, one civil aviation authority and one economic space. The complete freedom of movement of nationals within the OECS today is due, in large part, to the leadership given by Antigua and Barbuda. Sir Lester saw the OECS as a successful model of regional integration that CARICOM should emulate.

For all these reasons, Antigua and Barbuda, opened its doors to migration from CARICOM countries. Today it hosts people in relatively large numbers from Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Many of those people have become nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and their children are born Antiguan and Barbudan.

One of the lessons for the rest of CARICOM, is that migrants have brought value to development. Caribbean migrants in Antigua and Barbuda have contributed towards the transfer of skills and knowledge, and they endeavoured alongside native Antiguans and Barbudans to achieve development from which all benefitted. This is reflected in Antigua and Barbuda’s steady economic growth which reached 8.3% in 2022, second only to Guyana with its new wealth in oil and gas.

The decision by the political parties in Antigua and Barbuda gives testimony to the part that freedom of movement of CARICOM nationals can and does play in attaining regional and national development objectives. It is a big leap forward, and an example to the region.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto)

CHOLERA OUTBREAK KILLS 750 IN MALAWI

THE worst cholera outbreak to affect Malawi in two decades has now claimed 750 lives, a government minister said, while the World Health Organization chief described the country as among the

68 dead, four missing after plane crashes in Nepal

POKHARA, Nepal Associated Press

A PLANE making a 27-minute flight to a Nepal tourist town crashed into a gorge yesterday while attempting to land at a newly opened airport, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard. At least one witness reported hearing cries for help from within the fiery wreck, the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades.

Hours after dark, scores of onlookers crowded around the crash site near the airport in the resort town of Pokhara as rescue workers combed the wreckage on the edge of the cliff and in the ravine below. Officials suspended the search for the four missing people overnight and planned to resume looking today.

Local resident Bishnu Tiwari, who rushed to the crash site near the Seti River to help search for bodies, said the rescue efforts were hampered by thick smoke and a raging fire.

“The flames were so hot that we couldn’t go near the wreckage. I heard a man crying for help, but because of the flames and smoke we couldn’t help him,” Tiwari said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said.

A witness said he saw the

aircraft spinning violently in the air after it began descending to land, watching from the terrace of his house. Finally, Gaurav Gurung said, the plane fell nose-first towards its left and crashed into the gorge.

The aviation authority said the aircraft last made contact with the airport from near Seti Gorge at 10.50am before crashing.

The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft, operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, was flying from the capital, Kathmandu, to Pokhara, located 125 miles west. It was carrying 68 passengers including 15 foreign nationals, as well as four crew members, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. The foreigners included five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.

Images and videos shared on Twitter showed plumes of smoke billowing from the crash site, nearly a mile away from Pokhara International Airport. The aircraft’s fuselage was split into multiple parts that were scattered down the gorge.

Firefighters carried bodies, some burned beyond recognition, to hospitals where grief-stricken relatives had assembled. At Kathmandu airport, family members appeared distraught as they were escorted in and at times

exchanged heated words with officials as they waited for information.

Tek Bahadur KC, a senior administrative officer in the Kaski district, said he expected rescue workers to find more bodies at the bottom of the gorge.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who rushed to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu after the crash, set up a panel to investigate the accident.

“The incident was tragic. The full force of the Nepali army, police has been deployed for rescue,” he said.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it’s still trying to confirm the fate of two South Korean passengers and has sent staff to the scene. The Russian Ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed the death of four Russian citizens who were on board the plane.

Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit, a popular hiking trail in the Himalayas. The city’s new international airport began operations only two weeks ago.

The type of plane involved, the ATR 72, has been used by airlines around the world for short regional flights. Introduced in the late 1980s by a French and Italian partnership, the aircraft model has been involved in several deadly accidents over the years.

CAREERS

hardest-hit amid ongoing global epidemics that are “more widespread and deadly than normal”.

Malawi’s Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda on Thursday

ordered the closure of many businesses that lack safe water, toilets and hygienic refuse disposal facilities, and announced restrictions on the sale of pre-cooked food.

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NEPALESE rescue workers and civilians gather around the wreckage of a passenger plane that crashed in Pokhara, Nepal, yesterday.

Photo: Krishna Mani Baral/AP

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INVESTED IN YOU, INVESTED IN US ALL

Athletes shine in the USA

As the collegiate indoor track and field season officially got underway over the weekend around the United States, a number of athletes - coming off injuries and making their debut for their respective schools - shined in their individual events.

Charlton shines in Lexington

In her return to action after an injury last year, University of Kentucky’s sophomore Anthaya Charlton took the spotlight from her older sister Devynne Charlton at the Rod McQuary Memorial at the Nutter Field House in Lexington, Kentucky.

Charlton, in her sophomore year, soared 20-feet, 3 ½-inches or 6.18 metres to win the women’s long jump. Her nearest rival was Taylor Hampton, a

sophomore at Kennesaw State, with 19-1 ½ (5.83m).

Charlton also competed in the 60m, placing eighth in the final in 7.56.

Devynne Charlton, who is coming off a long season that saw her pick up a pair of international medals, made the final, but opted not to compete. She ran 7.45 for third in the semifinal.

Charlton, winner of the World Athletics’ World Indoor Championships’ silver medal in the 60m hurdles and silver at the

Commonwealth Games, had to settle for second in the women’s 60m hurdles in 7.98. The winning time was 7.88 by Kentucky senior Masai Russell.

Megan Moss, a junior at Kentucky, got sixth in the women’s 400m in 54.85.

Her former team-mate Abby Steiner, now competing for Puma, won the event in 52.70. Steiner was the top American 200m sprinter last year in her senior year at Kentucky.

And Adrian Curry, a senior at Ohio State, was

seventh in the semifinal of the men’s 60m in 6.90, but he opted not to participate in the final.

Taylor and Walcourt take the spotlight

At the Clemson Invitational, Charisma Taylor picked up a third place finish in the women’s 60 metres hurdles as she got her indoor season started on the right track in her senior year at the University of Tennessee.

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net SEE

Coming off an injury that prevented her from completing her outdoor season

last year, Taylor clocked 8.20 seconds to trail winner Anna Hall of Adidas in 8.18 and Jayla Hollis, of Florida, who did 8.19.

Taylor was also featured in the women’s 200m with Wendira Moss. Taylor got 13th in 24.46, while Moss, competing for Northern Colorado, was 17th in 24.87.

Also at the meet, Javonya Walcourt, a freshman at Tennessee, came through for second place

PAGE 16

THE New Providence Basketball Association continued its regular season action at the AF Adderley Gymnasium over the weekend with a pair of games played on Friday and Saturday night.

On Saturday night in the division one feature contest, the Tucker Boys nipped the TMT Giants 57-56, while the RC Liquors Eagles got by the Rebels 76-60 in the division II opener.

On Friday night, the Caro Contractors Shockers def. The University of the Bahamas Mingoes 67-53 in the division one feature contest. Your Essential Store Giants pulled off a 89-84 win over Cyber Tech.

Shockers 57, Mingoes 53: Dominique Fernander scored 17 points with 11 rebounds Friday to lead Caro Contractors to victory.

William Rigby also scored 16 points with five rebounds and four steals and Jeron Smith added 12 points with three rebounds and as many steals.

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AT least four athletes attained the qualifying standards for the 50th CARIFTA Golden Jubilee here over the Easter holiday weekend, while there were several recordbreaking performances as the T-Bird Flyers concluded its two-day meet at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium on Saturday.

It was the first meet for the year on the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ 2023 calendar and T-Bird Flyers’ head coach Foster Dorsett said they can’t complain because everything went according to plan.

“Despite the cold wind and the weather, I think the kids performed well,” said Dorsett of the meet that got started on Friday night and honoured the memories of the late Bahamas Association of Certified Officials, Courtney Wallace, the immediate past president and Ivy Campbell, a senior member.

“We had a few qualifiers for CARIFTA, so the coaches got a good

opportunity to see where their kids are at and so did the athletes. We also had some record-breaking performances, so overall I think it was a good meet.”

Dorsett, the first vice president of the BAAA, thanked meet director Bernard Newbold for pulling it all together, the Tek team, led by Trevor Moss, for keeping accurate records of the stats, the BACO officials, now headed by Val Kemp, for officiating and the clubs, coaches, athletes and spectators who all showed up in great numbers.

“We had close to 600 athletes participating,” Dorsett said. “We expected more, but we know that Queen’s College just had their inter-house meet on Thursday and St Augustine’s College’s was on Friday, so many of their athletes didn’t compete because it was so close to their meets.

“We also want to thank the Andros Heats and the Grand Bahama Heats track clubs and coach John Ingraham for coming in and participating as well. I think they performed well. But on the whole, I think all of the athletes

performed well with this being the first meet of the year.”

One of the highlights of the meet came from University of Miami bound Calea Jackson tossed the under-20 girls discus 45.35 metres to surpass the qualifying standard for the Carifta Games, scheduled for April 7-11 and erased

Shelby Knowles’ meet record of 41.23m, set in 2021.

Finishing second was Cailyn Johnson of Triple Threat with 34.83m. Jackson’s Blue Chips Athletics’ team-mate Annae Mackey was third with 28.02m.

Terrell McCoy, who doubles up as a basketball player, also made her

Arsenal eight points clear, commanding EPL title race

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

EIGHT points clear in the Premier League, playing the most free-flowing soccer in England, and now humbling its fiercest rivals in front of their own fans.

For Arsenal, this season can hardly get any better.

A 2-0 win over Tottenham yesterday left no doubt over who the dominant force is in north London.

And it’s becoming increasingly hard to dispute that Arsenal is the best team in the country, having claimed 47 points from a possible 54 and surged into the best position the club has been in all season in its bid for a first league title since the unbeaten “Invincibles” of 2003-2004.

Arsenal had an eightpoint lead for a couple of days at the start of the month but second-place Manchester City had a game in hand then.

Now they’ve both played the same number of matches — 18 of a possible 38 — and City is struggling to keep pace with the leaders.

The first-half display of Mikel Arteta’s team was irrepressible, with Bukayo Saka running amok down the right and playing a part in both of the goals.

It was a deflected cross from the England winger that was bundled into his own net by Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at the near post in the 14th minute. Then Saka led a break forward in the 36th and slipped a ball inside to captain Martin Odegaard, who lashed home a low shot from 25 metres.

British bookmakers are now making Arsenal odds-on favourites for the title, which brings its own pressure heading into the second half of the season.

City is likely to improve and has previously gone on

long, unbeaten runs down the stretch.

Third-place Newcastle, which beat Fulham 1-0 yesterday, and fourth-place Manchester United, whose derby win over City on Saturday extended its winning run to nine games, are both nine points off Arsenal.

So the candidates are lined up behind Arsenal.

It just needs the leaders to falter.

There is no sign of that just yet.

“We have to stay humble,” Odegaard said. “We know we can improve.”

FAN ATTACK

A spectator climbed onto an advertising board and appeared to kick Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale after the game.

The incident took place as Ramsdale retrieved his water bottle from behind one of the goals.

The spectator leaped over the railing, mounted the hoarding and aimed a kick at Ramsdale’s back before getting back into the crowd in the South Stand. Ramsdale didn’t seem hurt and was dragged away from the area by teammates before celebrating in front of Arsenal’s supporters at the other end of the stadium.

presence felt when she threw the under-17 girls’ discus 12.85m to not only break Danielle Nixon’s meet record of 10.07m, but also hurled past the Carifta standard of 12.56m.

Nixon, who competed in the event for Blue Chips Athletics, had to settle for

SEE PAGE 17

The University of the Bahamas got 17 points with two steals from Delano Armbrister and Glenderson Black helped out with 10 points and three rebounds.

Tucker Boys 57, Giants 56: Leon Bain scored 18 points with five rebounds to lead the Tuckers Boys to victory. Clayton Tucker had 12 points and three rebounds and Jaden Stubbs also had 12 points with seven rebounds.

Randy Miller paced TMT with 16 points, 14 rebounds, three block shots and a pair of assists and steals. D’Angelo Mackey had 12 points, six assists, four steals and two rebounds and Donovan Dean added 10 points.

Eagles 76, Rebels 60: Alexio Francis scored 26 points with 14 points and four steals to lead RC Liquors to victory. Cornelius Rigby had 10 points with nine rebounds, three assists and two steals, Elexion Morley added nine points and 12 rebounds.

In a losing effort, Giano Francis had a game high 20 points with six rebounds and three steals, Kristan Munroe had 16 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and

NADAL IN RUT, DJOKOVIC ON ROLL AS AUSTRALIAN OPEN APPROACHES

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic own the two largest collections of Grand Slam trophies in the history of men’s tennis. They are their sport’s two most prominent active figures; no one else is even close. Both are in their mid-30s; no one knows how much longer they’ll be at the top of the game.

For all that the longtime rivals have in common, Nadal and Djokovic could hardly be entering this Australian Open, which begins Monday (Sunday EST), under more contrasting circumstances.

Nadal, of course, is the defending champion at Melbourne Park — thanks to a comeback

from two sets down in last year’s final, which he called “one of the most emotional victories of my tennis career” — but he also is mired in about as bad a stretch as he’s ever experienced: 0-2 so far in 2023 and having won just one of his past seven matches dating to the end of last season.

Djokovic, of course, is making his return to Australia after being banished a year ago because he wasn’t vaccinated against COVID-19, but he also began this trip with a tuneup title in Adelaide and has won 30 of his past 31 tournament contests dating to the end of last season.

“He’s still got it,” said Stefanos Tsitsipas, the runner-up to Djokovic at the 2021 French Open and seeded No. 3 in

ARSENAL’s manager Mikel Arteta gives instructions from the side line yesterday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

ANTHAYA CHARLTON

MEGAN MOSS

ADRIAN CURRY

CHARISMA TAYLOR

AN athlete competes in the T-Bird Flyers two-day meet at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium on Saturday.

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

Jokic hits winning 3, has tripledouble as Nuggets top Magic

DENVER (AP) —

Nikola Jokic hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining, capping his 12th triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets won their 13th in a row at home by beating the Orlando Magic 119-116 last night.

Jokic connected from the top of the key, stepping back to get the shot away over Franz Wagner to finish with 17 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. It was his 88th career triple-double.

Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 25 points, including a pair of free throws that gave the Nuggets a 116-115 lead with 16 seconds remaining. Jamal Murray added 18 points.

Markelle Fultz had 20 points for the Magic and made one of two free throws with 14 seconds left to play to tie it at 116, setting the stage for Jokic’s shot. Wagner added 19 points and Paolo Banchero had 18.

76ERS 113, LAKERS 112

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James became the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points, but Joel Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds while Philadelphia held off Los Angeles for its seventh win in nine games.

Russell Westbrook failed to get off a clean shot or a pass in the final second under defence from Embiid, allowing the 76ers to hold on for their fourth straight road win.

James Harden added 24 points and 13 assists for Philadelphia, which swept the season series and beat Los Angeles for the sixth straight time.

James put up 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost three straight after a five-game winning streak.

James surpassed 38,000 points with a jumper that was part of his 8-for-9 start with 16 points in the first quarter. The Lakers crowd gave him an ovation

NPBA

FROM PAGE 14

and two assists, Marcian Pickstock had 16 points and two rebounds and Brandon Hall had eight points and three rebounds.

Giants 89, Cyber Tech 84: Brandson Strachan

when the milestone was announced in the next timeout break, and Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers laughingly hugged James in celebration.

BULLS 132, WARRIORS 118

CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Vucevic matched a career high with 43 points and Chicago snapped an 11-game losing streak against Golden State.

Vucevic last scored 43 points on February 2, 2021, against the Bulls as a member of the Orlando Magic.

Chicago beat Golden State for the first time since March 2, 2017.

Zach LaVine added 27 points despite shooting 1 for 8 from 3-point range as the Bulls (20-24) snapped a three-game losing streak. They won without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan, who missed his third consecutive game due to a right quad strain.

Klay Thompson scored 26 points and Stephen Curry added 20 for Golden State (21-22), which has dropped four of its last five games. The Warriors committed 23 turnovers that led to 31 points.

TRAIL BLAZERS 140, MAVERICKS 123

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 40 points and Portland beat Dallas to earn consecutive wins for the first time since mid-December.

It was the second game of a back-to-back between the teams. Portland snapped a five-game losing streak with a 136-119 victory on Saturday in the first game. The Mavericks rested star Luka Doncic, who had a season-low 15 points in 35 minutes in Saturday night’s loss. But it came after a double-overtime win against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Thursday, when he played 53 minutes and had 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists.

Doncic has missed five games this season, all second games of back-to-backs.

connected on a game high 26 points with 11 rebounds and three assists to lead the YES Giants to victory.

Touretue Cartwright had 21 points, nine rebounds and three assists while Kirklyn Farrington had 15 points and four assists.

Cormardo Seymour had 11 points and 11 rebounds

CLIPPERS 121, ROCKETS 100

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— Terance Mann scored a career-high 31 points, Kawhi Leonard added 30, and Los Angeles extended Houston’s season-worst skid to 10 straight games.

Both teams were shorthanded. Houston starters Jalen Green and Jae’Sean Tate served one-game suspensions for leaving the bench area during an oncourt altercation in Friday’s loss at Sacramento.

The Clippers were missing starters Paul George (right hamstring soreness) and Marcus Morris (left knee contusion). They had lost eight of nine.

Eric Gordon led the Rockets with 24 points. Kenyon Martin Jr had 22 points and nine rebounds and Alperen Sengun had 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

The Clippers broke open a close game in the fourth when they outscored the Rockets 30-10.

and Edward Williams added 10 points with 14 rebounds asnd three assists.

Tyrese Porter had five assists and three rebounds while Steve Schurton had 17 points and six rebounds.

Daniel Bethel had 14 points and seven rebounds, Devon Bonaby Jr also had

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)

— Ja Morant had 23 points, 10 assists and another ferocious dunk, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Indiana Pacers 130-112 on Saturday night to extend the NBA’s longest current winning streak to nine games.

Desmond Bane scored 25 points to lead the Grizzlies, who tied Denver for the Western Conference’s best record at 29-13.

Neither Bane nor Morant was needed in the fourth quarter. Morant’s soaring slam over Jalen Smith made it a 20-point game with 4:20 left in the third, and Memphis led by as much as 34 in the fourth.

Santi Aldama added 17 points and Ziaire Williams 13 for the Grizzlies.

Reserve guard Chris Duarte scored 25 points for the Pacers. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin had 16 and T.J. McConnell 13.

CELTICS 122, HORNETS 106

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 17 of his 33 points in a pivotal third quarter, Malcolm Brogdon added 30 points and Boston beat Charlotte to push its winning streak to six.

Al Horford had 16 points and Marcus Smart added 13 points and 12 assists for the Celtics, who made 19 3-pointers and erased a 16-point, first-half deficit.

LaMelo Ball finished with 31 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for Charlotte. Terry Rozier had 21 points for the Hornets, who have lost seven of their last eight games.

Tatum, who had 35 points in a 140-105 rout of the Hornets on November 28, shook off a slow start and an early technical foul and finished 12 of 27 from the field.

76ERS 118, JAZZ 117

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Joel Embiid made a jumper with 5.7 seconds left to lift Philadelphia to a victory over Utah.

James Harden had 31 points and 11 assists to lead Philadelphia. Embiid chipped in 30 points and seven rebounds. Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points and Shake Milton added 17.

Jordan Clarkson scored 38 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Utah. Talen Horton-Tucker chipped in a season-high 20 points off the bench. Mike Conley added 14 points and eight assists, while Walker Kessler finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

HEAT 111, BUCKS 95

MIAMI (AP) — Gabe Vincent scored 27 points, Bam Adebayo had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Miami beat Milwaukee.

Victor Oladipo added 20 points and Jimmy Butler

had 16 for the Heat. Miami won its second straight against the Bucks after a 108-102 home victory on Thursday. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the two games against Miami because of left knee soreness.

The Heat also were shorthanded as guards Tyler Herro (Achilles soreness) Kyle Lowry (knee discomfort) sat out.

Bobby Portis scored 15 points, Pat Connaughton had 14 points and Brook Lopez finished with 13 for the Bucks, who finished 2-2 on their road trip.

ROCKETS, KINGS PLAYERS FINED, SUSPENDED

NEW YORK (AP)

— Houston’s Garrison Mathews and Tari Eason and Sacramento’s Malik Monk have been fined for an on-court altercation during Friday’s game, and Jalen Green and Jae’Sean Tate with the Rockets were suspended one game without pay for leaving the bench area. The NBA announced the discipline yesterday. Mathews was fined $35,000 for initiating the altercation after pursuing a loose ball and taunting Monk.

Monk was fined $25,000 for continuing the altercation and taunting Mathews.

Eason’s $30,000 fine involved escalating the situation and making inadvertent contact with a referee during the fourth quarter of the Kings’ 139-114 win over the Rockets.

KNICKS

117, PISTONS 104

DETROIT (AP) — Julius Randle had 42 points and 15 rebounds as New York extended its winning streak against Detroit to 11 games. Detroit hasn’t beat the Knicks since Nov. 6, 2019, the end of its eightgame winning streak over New York.

Jalen Brunson added 27 points for the Knicks and Immanuel Quickley added 17. Jaden Ivey had 21 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Pistons and Saddiq Bey added 21 points.

THUNDER 112, NETS 102 NEW YORK (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey each scored 28 points to lead Oklahoma City over Brooklyn.

Lu Dort added 22 points for the Thunder, who earned a three straight win to wrap up a road trip to the East and improved to 21-23.

14 points and five rebounds and Jermaine Mackey had nine points and nine rebounds.

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Brooklyn dropped its second straight loss since losing Kevin Durant to a sprained knee ligament.

Seth Curry scored 23 points and Nic Claxton recorded his team-best 12th double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Claxton also had four blocks, which stretched his streak of games with at least three to eight.

KINGS 132, SPURS 119

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Harrison Barnes scored 29 points, Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 18 rebounds, and Sacramento extended its winning streak to four games with a victory over San Antonio.

De’Aaron Fox added 23 points and Davion Mitchell had 19 points for Sacramento.

The Kings remain atop the Pacific Division, having won seven of 10. San Antonio, which has lost four straight, was led by Jakob Poeltl’s 23 points.

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Saturday 8pm - TMT Giants vs Caro Contractors Shockers (D1)

Mathews, Monk and Eason were given technical fouls and ejected.

XAVIER’S STREAK AT 11 WITH WIN VS NO. 25 MARQUETTE

CINCINNATI (AP) — Souley Boum and Jack Nunge each scored 16 points and No. 12 Xavier won its 11th straight game with a 80-76 victory over No. 25 Marquette yesterday.

The final few seconds were close, with OlivierMaxence Prosper making a jumper to cut Xavier’s lead to 78-76 with 8 seconds left. Boum then hit two free throws to seal the victory as the Musketeers went 6 for 6 from the line in the final 28 seconds.

Six players scored in double figures for Xavier (15-3, 7-0 Big East), which is off to its best start ever in Big East play.

The Musketeers’ winning streak is their longest since starting the 2015-16 season 12-0. Nunge had 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double this season and second straight.

losing five of their previous six. Atlanta won at Indiana on Friday on a last-second basket by John Collins.

Ninth-place Atlanta came in one game ahead of 10th-place Toronto in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Hawks won the third and final regular-season meeting between the teams to take the series 2-1.

Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Pascal Siakam scored 15 points before fouling out.

TIMBERWOLVES 110,

CAVALIERS 102

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and Minnesota got a huge boost from its bench in a victory over Cleveland.

TRAIL BLAZERS 136, MAVERICKS 119

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — Damian Lillard had 36 points and 10 assists, and Portland snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Dallas.

Jusuf Nurkic added 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers.

Spencer Dinwiddie led Dallas with 25 points. Luka Doncic was held to a season-low 15 points before Mavericks coach Jason Kidd pulled him with seven minutes to go.

Portland led by as many as 20 points early in the

second half and went into the fourth quarter up 106-90.

The teams complete their four-game season series Sunday night in Portland.

HAWKS 114, RAPTORS 103

TORONTO (AP) — Trae Young scored 29 points, Dejounte Murray had 27 and Atlanta never trailed in a victory over Toronto.

Onyeka Okongwu had 10 points and 13 rebounds, and AJ Griffin came off the bench to score 13 as the Hawks won for the third time in four games after

Naz Reid scored 17 of Minnesota’s 56 bench points, while Jalen Nowell had 16. Luka Garza added nine for the short-handed Wolves.

Minnesota was without Rudy Gobert for the second half due to right groin soreness, and Jaden McDaniels picked up his fifth foul just 2:37 into the second half.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen both scored 19 points for Cleveland, and Darius Garland added 15.

Donovan Mitchell, who was questionable for Saturday’s game with an illness, finished with 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting.

GRIZZLIES guard Ja Morant (12) brings the ball upcourt in front of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, left, during the first half in Indianapolis on Saturday night. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

LOS Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) shoots during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Los Angeles yesterday.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Swiatek’s perfectionism and more to know at the Australian Open

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — As well as everything is going so far for Iga Swiatek — the No. 1 ranking; three Grand Slam titles overall; a tourhigh eight trophies and a 37-match winning streak in 2022 — the 21-yearold from Poland is always looking to improve.

One aspect she is striving to change at the moment? Being less tough on herself.

“I’m always going to have this part of me that is a perfectionist. When I’m not feeling comfortable on court, it’s kind of hard to not be harsh,” Swiatek said at Melbourne Park, where she is the top-seeded woman for the Australian Open and scheduled to play Jule Niemeier in Rod Laver Arena as the tournament gets started Monday.

“On the other hand, the most important thing is kind of to find this balance that, on court, for sure I want to get better and better,” Swiatek continued, “but off the court, the things that happen on the practice day don’t have to influence my whole day and my whole mood.”

A year ago, Swiatek reached the Australian Open semifinals for the first time.

“We care so much and we give ourselves to this sport, that it’s sometimes tough to find this balance” between pushing oneself

NADAL

FROM PAGE 14

Melbourne. “He can still play.” Asked at a pre-tournament news conference Saturday whether he feels vulnerable, Nadal did not try to hide a thing.

“Yeah. Without a doubt,” replied the 36-year-old from Spain, whose 2022 was littered with health concerns that included chronic pain in his left foot, damaged rib cartilage and a torn abdominal muscle.

“I have been losing more than usual. ... I need to live with it and just fight for the victories.”

Looking ahead to his upcoming encounter in Rod Laver Arena against Jack Draper, a fellow lefthander who is a 21-year-old

and easing up, Swiatek said. “But I’m getting better at it, for sure.”

She has won two of the past three major championships -- at the French Open in June, then the US Open in September, when she needed three sets to come back and beat Niemeier in the fourth round.

Niemeier, a 23-year-old from Germany currently ranked 69th, has made only three Grand Slam appearances, but those include a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon in July.

• Here are some other things to know about the Australian Open:

RETIREMENTS

There are plenty of storylines worth following over the next two weeks, but one underlying theme in the run-up to the tournament is who is no longer playing tennis — and who will be joining them in retirement soon.

Sam Stosur, the 2011 US Open singles champion and owner of four other Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles, already had stopped playing singles but says she will quit doubles after this Australian Open.

Sania Mirza, who has won three Grand Slam titles apiece in women’s doubles and mixed doubles, said this event will mark the end of the road for her, too. Their departures follow more high-profile ones in 2022 from Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Ash Barty, who won

from England ranked 40th, Nadal said: “I think I’m prepared to play well. We’ll see Monday if I’m prepared to win.”

As for his assessment of Djokovic’s form, Nadal offered this: “He ended last year well, and he started this year well.”

Sure did. None of which matters to Djokovic as much as another Grand Slam title would. Win what would be a 10th Australian Open championship in two weeks’ time, and the 35-year-old from Serbia would increase his haul to 22 majors and pull even with Nadal (both surpassed the 20 for the now-retired Roger Federer). “I mean, that’s why I keep on playing professional tennis, (competitive) tennis, because I want to be the best. I want

the Australian Open last January and stepped away in March at age 25. Others who retired last season included Andrea Petkovic, Monica Puig, Kirsten Flipkens, CiCi Bellis, Christina McHale, Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kevin Anderson, Sam Querrey and Gilles Simon.

NETFLIX SERIES

The release of the first five episodes of the Netflix docuseries “Break Point” — the tennis equivalent to “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” — came right before the start of the Australian Open. It seems to be made more for the non-fan or casual fan than serious fans of the sport, but it is going to be a talking point, for sure. Some players have been watching it, such as two-time major finalist Ons Jabeur, who said: “I skipped to my episode. ...

to win the biggest tournaments in the world.

“There is no secret about it,” Djokovic said three days before he’ll open with a matchup in Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night against the 75th-ranked Roberto Carballes Baena, whose résumé contains exactly one match win in Melbourne.

“It doesn’t get bigger than this. You have four Slams that historically have been the biggest events in our sport,” Djokovic said.

“It’s also one of the biggest reasons why I was really looking forward to come back to Australia: because of my record here.”

He’s been pleased by the greetings he’s received from spectators in Adelaide and Melbourne, where he played an exhibition match

AUGUSTUS 1ST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH STATUE ON LSU CAMPUS

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Seimone Augustus gazed up at the bronze likeness of her in front of LSU’s basketball training centre and began wiping away tears.

Augustus, who led the Tigers to three women’s Final Four appearances before starring in the WNBA and in international play, became LSU’s first female student-athlete to be immortalised with a statue on campus yesterday.

Hers stands alongside those of former LSU

basketball stars Bob Pettit, Shaquille O’Neal and Pete Maravich in a plaza that was packed with applauding fans during the unveiling.

“I’m still trying to process this,” Augustus said as she addressed the crowd shortly before fifth-ranked LSU hosted Auburn in the nearby Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“It looks like the whole of Baton Rouge is out here. But this feels good.

“I used to have a teammate that said, ‘I didn’t do this by myself,’” Augustus continued. “And clearly, with everyone that’s here, I didn’t. “I needed everyone

one’s support and love and protection ... and I just wanted to say thank you,” she said.

“Thank you for everything that you’ve done. Thank you to Baton Rouge, thank you to LSU, thank you to Louisiana. You’ve always been my motivation, my driving force in making sure that I excelled.”

Augustus, a Baton Rouge native, emerged before the crowd wearing a brown suit and carrying a purple and gold parasol that she bobbed up and down to the beat of a “second line” brass band trailing behind her.

I hope they can show more of inside the locker rooms and what people want to see.” But not everyone is offering a review: Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is a central figure in Episode 5, said he hasn’t seen any of the show yet.

PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION

Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), formed by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020, recently announced its first executive committee, which includes that duo plus these six others: Paula Badosa, Hubert Hurkacz, John Isner, Ons Jabeur, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Zheng Saisai. The group also put forth what it called its five “guiding principles,” including taking collective action, getting players’ their fair share of the business, protecting

players’ rights, protecting players from abuse, and advocating for the best structure of the sport.

COVID For the first time since 2020, the Australian Open is not expected to have any sort of COVID-19 restrictions in place. Testing, vaccines, masks and quarantines will not be required for spectators or players. Arenas can be filled to capacity after there were limits — and sometimes even no fans allowed at all — in 2021 and 2022 amid the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tournament director Craig Tiley said players will be encouraged to stay away from Melbourne Park if a test shows they have COVID-19 but will not be required to check for the illness or report positive results.

BENCIC DEFEATS KASATKINA IN ADELAIDE INT. FINAL

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Belinda Bencic beat Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 6-2 on Saturday to win the Adelaide International women’s title, her sixth on the WTA Tour.

The 13th-ranked Swiss player took barely an hour to beat the eighth-ranked Kasatkina.

Bencic converted five of her seven break points and won almost double the amount of points than the Russian, who had been impressive in reaching the semifinals before both women had walkovers to advance to the final.

It was the first tournament win for the reigning Olympic champion with new coach Dmitry Tursunov.

“It’s our first title together, sure it’s not the last one, I feel like we’re just starting so thanks a lot,” Bencic said.

In the men’s title match, Soonwoo Kwon, who lost in qualifying but was a late call-up to the main draw due to an injury withdrawal, beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4).

The South Korean player was down 2-0 in the final set and had two break points against him before he recovered for the victory.

“So many people are watching in TV in Korea, thanks to the fans in here, supporting me,” Kwon said.

around: ‘What do you guys think of me coming back here?’ The ones I spoke to have been really supportive. No one has yet been negative on my return.”

Since arriving in Australia, Djokovic has frequently mentioned that he doesn’t hold a grudge over being kicked out of the country in 2022 for failing to follow its coronavirus rules — which have since been relaxed — and said Saturday: “Probably, if I’m not able to move on, I wouldn’t be here.”

very grateful for the kind

As for the way other players have greeted him, Djokovic said: “Well, I have not really been asking

He is, though. And while he’s been dealing with a tweaked hamstring he picked up in Adelaide, Djokovic looked just fine physically against Kyrgios. “I like my chances,” Djokovic said. “I always like my chances.”

ATHLETES

FROM PAGE 14

in the women’s 400m in 54.24. Moss was sixth in 66.44. Arianna Sharpe of Auburn won the event in 53.01.

Cooper in fine form

After sitting out the last half of the season because of an injury, St Augustine’s College graduate Lacarthea Cooper got in her first action in her new school at New Mexico Junior College.

At the Texas Tech University Corky Classic at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas, Cooper earned a third place finish in the women’s 400m in 54.91. The winning time was 53.51 by Iimacbong Nse Uka, a sophomore at Baylor, while Nayanna Dubarry-Gay, a

junior at Texas Tech, was second in 54.63.

Cooper also anchored New Mexico women’s 4 x 400m relay team to a second place finish in 3:42.39. Baylor took the tape in 3:37.22.

Karon Dean, competing for UTEP, was fourth in the final of the men’s 60m

in 6.66. The race was won by JT Smith of Tamu-Commence in 6.60.

Rutherford in top five

At the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Texas A&M sophomore Camille Rutherford was fifth in the women’s 200m in 24.01 seconds.

POLAND’s Iga Swiatek plays a backhand return to United States’ Jessica Pegula during their semifinal match at the United Cup tennis event in Sydney, Australia, on January 6. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

at Rod Laver Arena on Friday with Nick Kyrgios — the man Djokovic beat in the Wimbledon final last July. “I didn’t know how that’s going to go like, after the events of last year,” Djokovic said. “I’m

of energy and reception, love and support I got last night.”

SPAIN’s Rafael Nadal plays a forehand return to during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday. (AP Photo/ Ng Han Guan)

LACARTHEA COOPER DEVYNNE CHARLTON

Barcelona wins Super Cup for 1st trophy with Xavi, no Messi

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer

MADRID (AP) — Barcelona’s title drought with coach Xavi — and without Lionel Messi — is finally over.

Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 yesterday to win the Spanish Super Cup at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and give its fans reasons to celebrate again after a revamping process that began following Messi’s departure for Paris SaintGermain and the arrival of former player Xavi as coach in 2021.

“We’ve been through some tough years, with financial difficulties, Messi’s departure,” Xavi said. “It was not easy to bring back a positive dynamic. This will help give us some tranquility. We’ve been working hard from the beginning despite all the criticism, and we have to keep working.”

Barcelona had not lifted a trophy since the 2021 Copa del Rey under former coach Ronald Koeman. That was Messi’s 35th and final title with Barcelona before leaving amid the club’s financial struggles.

Robert Lewandowski, Gavi and Pedri scored a goal each in the final at King Fahd Stadium to give Barcelona its first Super Cup trophy since 2018 — and its 14th overall — and the first since the tournament began being played in a Final Four format in 2020 in a lucrative deal for the Spanish soccer federation.

T-BIRD

second with her best of 9.79m, while Kenyce Scavella of Ags Athletics was third with 9.37.

In the under-17 girls javelin, Taysha Stubbs of Air Assault threw 36.09m to break the meet record of 28.81m, set in 2021 by G’Shan Brown and surpassed the CARIFTA standard of 35.35m.

Her team-mate Chea’Lesa Knowles was second with 14.37m and Taj Ellis of Ags Athletics was third with 7.69m. “It feels good to win it and to qualify for CARIFTA,” said Stubbs, a grade 10 student at Nassau Christian Academy. ”It was not my best, but it was still a really good throw and I’m happy that I qualified. I want to give thanks to God for it.”

Stubbs, 15, said she will now get back into training and work a lot more on her technique so that she can be better prepared for CARIFTA once she is selected to the team.

Kamera Strachan, the little sister of strongman Keyshawn Strachan, won the under-20 girls javelin with a heave of 38.34m to wipe out Carmitra Mackey’s meet record of 37.17m that she established in 2021 and she also qualified for the Penn Relays in April where she will get to travel as a member of St Augustine’s College team.

The 14-year-old Strachan had moved up to the under-20 division, according to coach Corrington

Gavi opened the scoring in the 33rd minute from close range after a pass by Lewandowski, who doubled the lead after an assist by Gavi in a breakaway just before the end of the first half. Gavi also set up Pedri’s close-range goal in another breakaway in the 69th.

Karim Benzema scored for Madrid late in stoppage time.

“We knew we couldn’t miss this opportunity,” Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets said. “We’ve been going through changes at the club and I think this triumph will make us stronger and allow us to keep competing, keep growing and keep fighting for titles.

“It’s clear that at Barça you always have to win,” Busquets said. “We knew it was going to be like that after Xavi arrived, and now we finally have been able to do it.”

Madrid was trying to win its second consecutive Super Cup title in Saudi Arabia, and equal Barcelona’s record of 13 Super Cup trophies.

“It’s a tough loss and we have to learn from it,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We will improve and bounce back from it.”

Madrid eliminated Barcelona in last season’s semifinals, but the Spanish powerhouses had never met in the final of the revamped competition.

Both teams needed penalty shootouts to edge their opponents in the

Maycock, to achieve the latter feat. But the ninth grader also attained the CARIFTA standard in the under-17 division where she will get to compete with Stubbs in April.

“I am happy that I qualified for CARIFTA because I want to represent my country,” said Strachan, who qualified twice last year, but was unable to travel with the team because she was too young.

“It was good. I’m really happy that I qualified for the Penn Relays as well.”

Grand Bahama’s Erin Barr turned in one of the most impressive performances on the track when she captured the combined under-17 and under-20 women’s 800 metres in a time of 2:28.24 to replace Breyanna Kemp’s meet record of 2:40.92. However, she fell short of the CARIFTA standard of 2:19.22.

“The wind was crazy, but I tried to rely on my strength training like my coach (John Ingraham) told me to do,” said Barr, a 10th grader at Tabernacle Baptist. “I think I executed the race the way I should.”

Under the right conditions, 16-year-old Barr said she intends to qualify for both the 800 and 1,500m for CARIFTA.

And in the boys’ under20 division, Hurry Murray’s Raywind Winder clocked 2:04.35 to replace Creswell Farrington’s previous meet record of 2:05.91 from 2021, but he too fell short of the CARIFTA standard of 1:54.12. “I went out with the open man and tried to run at least 1:55, but in

semifinals. Madrid beat Valencia and Barcelona defeated Real Betis.

Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 at home in the first “clásico” of the season at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the Spanish league in October. It trails Barcelona by three points in the league this season.

The Super Cup used to be played between the Spanish league champion and the Copa del Rey winner. Now the runnersup in both competitions also participate.

Madrid played as the league champion and Barcelona as the league runner-up. Betis won the Copa title over Valencia last season.

The current contract to play the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia runs through the 2024-25 season despite criticism over the country’s human rights record.

ATLÉTICO HELD IN LEAGUE

Atlético Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw at Almería in the Spanish league, staying in fourth place and tied on points with fifth-place Villarreal and sixth-place Real Betis.

Ángel Correa put Atlético ahead in the 18th but El Bilal Touré equalised for the hosts in the 37th.

Atlético defender Sergio Reguilón entered the match as a substitute in the 67th but was sent off with consecutive yellow

cards in the 89th. Atlético was coming off a 1-0 home loss to leader Barcelona, which is 13 points ahead of Atlético.

Almería, winless in three straight league games, stayed in 13th place.

Earlier Sunday, Espanyol moved further from the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at Getafe, with Joselu scoring the opening goal for the hosts with a shot from near the halfway line as the Getafe goalkeeper got caught out of position.

Defending league champion Madrid is in second place and Real Sociedad, which beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the Basque Country derby on Saturday, is in third.

MUDRYK SIGNS FOR CHELSEA IN $108M DEAL

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

UKRAINE winger

Mykhailo Mudryk became the latest big-money signing for Chelsea under the club’s new American ownership, joining from Shakhtar Donetsk yesterday in a deal worth 100 million euros ($108 million) and on a remarkable 8 1/2-year deal.

The 22-year-old Mudryk, who was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, was pictured holding up a Ukraine flag inside Chelsea’s stadium before the Premier League game against Crystal Palace and posing for photos.

About 20 minutes into the match, Chelsea announced his signing and described him as “one of the most dangerous attacking players in Europe in one-vs-one situations.”

“This is a huge club, in a fantastic league and it is a very attractive project for me at this stage of my career,” Mudryk said.

“I’m excited to meet my new teammates and I’m looking forward to working and learning under Graham Potter and his staff.”

Britain’s Press Association reported that while Chelsea and Arsenal were believed to have offered a similar amount, the Blues have structured a deal which would see Shakhtar receive more money up front and with more favourable add-ons than those being negotiated with Arsenal.

Chelsea didn’t disclose the fee, but Shakhtar said in a statement it will receive 70 million euros ($75 million) and another 30 million euros “as a bonus payment.”

“I am sure that Mykhailo will win respect, sympathy and love of all connoisseurs of world football with his speed, his technique, his impressive and beautiful play,” Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov said.

Mudryk, who has played just 65 club games across his career to date, had posted several Instagram messages seemingly suggesting he was keen on a move to Arsenal.

Chelsea moved quickly, though, to add him to the signings of Benoit Badiashile, David Fofana and Andrey Santos for a reported $70 million in the January window. Joao Felix has also joined on loan from Atletico Madrid.

the second lap, I had him until the final 200m when my knees just clipped and I couldn’t go with him,” said Winder, a 16-year-old 11th grader at Doris Johnson Secondary High.

He said he will continue to work on his maintenance and stay hydrated during competition in order to achieve his goal.

Sharan Roker, of the T-Bird Flyers, was second in 2:04.57 and Kristofer Wong of the Phoenix Track Club was third in 2:04.64. Jackson Ozias, of

the University of Bahamas, won the open men’s 800m in 2:01.34 and Auston Clarke, of Speed Dynamics was second in 2:03.29.

Emma Johnson, running unattached, also produced an outstanding performance in running away from the field in the final lap to take the under15 girls 800m in 2:56.20.

Hurry Murray’s Breytesiha Kemp (2:41.95) and Ramonique McLennon (2:41.11) had to settle for second and third. On Friday night, the top two

from close range from Callum Wilson’s poked cross, added to Mitrovic’s woe.

finished in that same order in the 1,500m as Johnson took the tape in 5:32.99 over Kemp, who did 5:39.93.

Kemp’s sister Breynice was third in 5:48.57. Breynice was fourth in the 800m in 2:41.36.

Jayden Cooper of Speed Capacity took the under-17 boys’ 800m in the fastest heat time of 2:13.75.

Quincy Rolle of the Red Line Athletics was second in 2:13.83 and Breck Kemp of Hurry Murray was third in 2:16.38.

Bringing in Mudryk is another bold move from the ownership, fronted by Todd Boehly, who oversaw the spending of around $300 million on new players — a record amount by an English team — in the summer transfer window.

“He’s a hugely exciting talent who we believe will be a terrific addition to our squad both now and in the years to come,” said Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, Chelsea’s co-controlling owner.

“He will add further depth to our attack and we know he’ll get a very warm welcome to London.”

Chelsea is 10th in the Premier League after winning just one of its previous nine league games before the visit of Palace.

“It’s a shame because it’s only a game of football at the end of the day,” Ramsdale said.

MITROVIC

WOE Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was looking to make an impression at St James’ Park against Newcastle, where he spent 2 1/2 years and had to leave to make a name for himself in English soccer.

It ended up being a game to forget.

Not only did Mitrovic end up on the losing team, he had a goal ruled out for a double touch when attempting a penalty kick.

Mitrovic slipped as he struck his penalty, kicking

the ball against his standing foot and into the net.

The Serbia international wheeled away in

celebration but the referee gave a foul and a free kick. Alexander Isak’s 89thminute goal, converted

Joelinton played the whole game for Newcastle three days after his midweek arrest for alleged drunk-driving.

Another of the team’s Brazilian midfielders, Bruno Guimaraes, walked off in tears after the halftime whistle having played with an ankle injury for some of the first half.

He didn’t play the second half and left the stadium on crutches and wearing a protective boot.

RELIEF FOR POTTER

Graham Potter hasn’t had this good a day for some time at Chelsea.

Firstly, his club announced the signing

of one of Europe’s most sought-after young players in Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who was paraded on the field at halftime at Stamford Bridge.

Then Chelsea held on to beat Crystal Palace 1-0 and win in the league for just the second time since October, with Hakim Ziyech crossing for Kai Havertz to head home in the 64th minute.

Chelsea stayed in 10th place but trimmed the gap to fifth-place Tottenham to five points.

There was a clean sheet for another January signing, France defender Benoît Badiashile, on his first start for Chelsea and a string of impressive saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga, who has been at fault for crucial goals in recent weeks.

“You have to understand the context of the situation we are in,” Potter said.

“So it isn’t going to be sensational football all the time.”

With Mudryk signed up in a deal worth $108 million, the under-pressure Potter is hoping for better times ahead.

“He is very fast and direct,” Potter said, “and I think the crowd will like him.”

BARCELONA players celebrate after they won the final of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, yesterday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

TOTTENHAM’S HARRY KANE, centre, heads the ball during the English Premier League soccer match against Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, yestrerday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

AN athlete competes in the T-Bird Flyers two-day meet at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

Bills hang on for 34-31 wild-card win over Dolphins

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen shrugged off a three-turnover outing by throwing two touchdown passes 3:11 apart in the third quarter, and rallying the Buffalo Bills to a 34-31 win over the injury-depleted Miami Dolphins in an AFC wildcard matchup yesterday.

Cole Beasley scored the go-ahead touchdown with a 6-yard catch, and Gabe Davis extended the lead to 34-24 with a 23-yard TD reception in a game where Buffalo squandered an early 17-0 lead.

“Doesn’t matter how we win, it’s if we win, and I’m proud of our guys for playing the way they did,” Allen said.

The Bills defence, which forced six punts and two turnovers, then held on to secure the win when Miami turned the ball over on downs on its final possession.

Rookie Skylar Thompson’s pass on fourth-and-6 went just off the fingertips of tight end Mike Gesicki with 2:22 remaining.

Buffalo was able to run out the clock when Devin Singletary bulled his way for a 7-yard gain to convert a third-and-7.

It was a sloppy game played between two division rivals, and the outcome fitting after Miami and Buffalo split their regular-season series in games decided by a combined five points. The Dolphins beat Buffalo 21-19 at Miami in September, with the Bills rallying to beat Miami 32-29 last month.

Allen finished 23 of 39 for 352 yards and three TDs, but also threw two interceptions, which resulted in the Dolphins scoring 10 points. He also lost a fumble while being sacked by Eric Rowe, with Zach Sieler recovering the ball and returning it 5 yards for a touchdown to put Miami ahead 24-20, just 61 seconds into the third quarter.

“It’s a one-week season, that’s it,” Allen said. “All that matters is surviving and advancing.”

As the AFC’s second seed, Buffalo advances to host either the third-seeded Cincinnati Bengals or fourth-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round. Their matchup was determined after the Bengals hosted Baltimore last night.

A potential Bills-Bengals matchup would come three weeks after their game was cancelled when Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field.

The Dolphins played tough in a game they entered as 13 1/2-point underdogs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. They were down numerous starters and trailed 17-0 with 12:46 left in the second quarter when Tyler Bass hit a 33-yard field goal.

The Dolphins defence and special teams made up for an offence that was down to its third-string quarterback in Thompson. Miami rallied to tie the game by taking advantage of two interceptions and Cedric Wilson’s 50-yard punt return. Thompson, a

seventh-round pick out of Kansas State, finished 18 of 45 for 220 yards with a touchdown pass to Gesicki, and two interceptions. He was making his third career start in place of Tua Tagovailoa, who is still in the concussion protocol and with backup Teddy Bridgewater dealing with a dislocated pinky finger.

The Dolphins were also missing running back Raheem Mostert (broken thumb), and featured a patchwork offensive line missing starting left guard Liam Eichenberg (hand) and starting right tackle Brandon Shell (knee/ ankle). Starting left tackle Terron Armstead, meantime, played despite missing two of three practices because of injuries to his toe, pectoral muscle, knee and hip.

Thompson took the blame saying, “I feel like

our operation in general was troubled at times, and I take full responsibility for that.”

And yet, to his credit, he and the Dolphins — making their first postseason appearance since 2016 — came within a score of knocking off the three-time defending AFC East champs.

“Heartbroken for the guys because they didn’t want their season to end, and they did everything they could,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said.

The Dolphins extended their run of playoff loses to five. The Dolphins’ most recent playoff win was a 23-17 overtime victory over Indianapolis on December 30, 2000 in the wild-card round.

Buffalo didn’t resemble a team that closed the season reeling off seven straight victories.

Instead, the Bills looked as if they were running out of adrenalin after an emotionally draining week, and a season full of disruptions.

Hamlin was with the team in spirit, while livetweeting during the game from home, where he continues to recover.

A message Hamlin posted on his Twitter account about an hour before kickoff read: “My heart is with my guys as they compete today! ... Nothing I want more than to be out there with them.”

The 24-year-old Hamlin was released from a Buffalo hospital on Wednesday and visited with his teammates at the Bills facility on Saturday.

Cornerback Tre’Davious White said Hamlin’s visit “gave us a lot of juice” for this game.

“It lifted our spirits for sure,” he added.

Sam Hubbard’s 98-yard fumble return lifts Bengals over Ravens

By JAY COHEN AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Sam Hubbard returned Tyler Huntley’s fumble 98 yards for a tiebreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens 24-17 in an AFC wild-card game last night.

Facing third-and-goal at the 1 with about 12 minutes left, Huntley tried to go over the top of the line for the go-ahead score. But he was stood up by Germaine Pratt and stripped by fellow linebacker Logan Wilson.

The ball went right to Hubbard at the 2, and the defensive end took off down the field for the

longest fumble return for a touchdown in NFL postseason history. It also was the longest go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter in the postseason.

Moments after the play by the Cincinnati native, with the Paycor Stadium crowd of 66,399 still buzzing, Hubbard sucked on oxygen as he sat on the bench on the sideline.

“Just a credit to whoever punched that ball out. I was in the right place at the right time,” Hubbard said. Baltimore drove down to the Cincinnati 17 in the final minute, but Kevin Zeitler was flagged for holding and Huntley threw incomplete to the end zone on the final play.

Playing behind a patchwork offensive line,

Burrow passed for 209 yards and a touchdown for the AFC North champions. He also had a 1-yard touchdown run a week after the Bengals beat the Ravens 27-16 in the regular-season finale.

Next up for Cincinnati (13-4) is a trip to Buffalo for a rematch of their Week 17 game that was cancelled after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field.

With Hamlin watching from home, Buffalo advanced with a 34-31 victory over Miami yesterday.

Playing without Lamar Jackson once again because of the quarterback’s knee injury, Baltimore (10-8) managed two offensive touchdowns for the first time since

November 27. Huntley passed for 226 yards and two TDs, but he also had a costly interception.

Hubbard’s dramatic trip to the end zone sent the Ravens into a uncertain offseason centred around the future of Jackson, who is eligible for free agency.

The 2019 MVP got hurt during a 10-9 win against Denver on December 4, and he did not travel with the team to Cincinnati for the playoff game.

Huntley was intercepted by Cincinnati linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither on the second attempt of his first postseason start.

The Bengals turned the miscue into Burrow’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase early in the second quarter, but they

had to settle for a 9-0 lead after Evan McPherson missed the extra point.

Huntley stepped up after the early trouble, leading the Ravens on a 17-play, 75-yard drive that lasted more than 10 minutes. J.K.

Dobbins got Baltimore on the board when he stretched the ball over the goal line for a 2-yard touchdown reception.

A fumble by former Baltimore tight end Hayden Hurst set up Justin Tucker’s 22-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half, giving the Ravens a 10-9 lead at the break.

The biggest play of the scoring drive was a 19-yard reception by Josh Oliver after Huntley had to run back to recover a high snap that went off his hands.

GIANTS OUTLAST VIKINGS 31-24 FOR 1ST PLAYOFF WIN IN 11 YEARS

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —

Daniel Jones passed for 301 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 78 yards in his first career playoff game for the New York Giants, a 31-24 victory over Minnesota in the wild-card round that gave the Vikings their first loss in 12 one-score games this season.

Saquon Barkley rushed for two scores, including the tiebreaker midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants’ defense finished off the franchise’s first playoff win since the Super Bowl 11 years ago by swarming tight end T.J. Hockenson after a 3-yard catch on a pass from Kirk Cousins at midfield on fourth-and-8. The Vikings turned the ball over on downs with 1:44 to go and no timeouts left.

Jones became the first quarterback in NFL history with 300-plus passing yards, two-plus passing touchdowns and 70-plus rushing yards in a postseason game as first-year head coach Brian Daboll’s Giants advanced to play No. 1 seed and NFC East rival Philadelphia in the divisional round next weekend.

“We did what we wanted to do, come out with a win,” Barkley said. “Celebrate on the way back, watch film, learn from it and get ready for Philly.”

Isaiah Hodgins and Daniel Bellinger had touchdown receptions for New York.

Cousins went 31 for 39 for 273 yards and two scores and a rushing touchdown to cap the game’s opening possession, the too-short throw to Hockenson his one glaring mistake.

Justin Jefferson, the NFL’s leading receiver, had only one catch after halftime and finished with 47 yards.

The Vikings stayed on brand by facing 10-point deficits late in the second quarter and again early in the third quarter.

Cousins, who delivered all kinds of on-target throws as he was knocked to the turf by the blitz-fuelled Giants defence, hit Irv Smith Jr for a short touchdown pass that brought the Vikings within three at 24-21. Then a funny thing happened — the defence got a stop.

Danielle Hunter’s sack forced the first Giants punt, and the Vikings went the other way for the tying field goal. They left behind some crucial points, though, when Cousins ran successful sneak on fourth-and-1 at the 15 that was negated by a false start on left tackle Christian Darrisaw.

JAGUARS RALLY FROM 27 DOWN, SHOCK CHARGERS 31-30

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

(AP) — Trevor Lawrence followed four interceptions with four touchdown passes — one of the most improbable turnarounds in NFL postseason history — and rallied the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night.

Lawrence engineered the winning drive, highlighted by Travis Etienne’s 25-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play, and put the Jaguars in position for Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal on the final play. It capped a 27-point comeback, the third largest in playoff history.

Patterson’s kick barely stayed inside the right upright and set off a raucous celebration for a franchise that had won just four games the previous

two years. This one was mostly a credit to Lawrence. He completed 28 of 47 passes for 288 yards, a shocker considering he the way he started.

Lawrence was downright dreadful to begin Jacksonville’s first playoff game since losing in the 2017 AFC title game.

He became the third quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw four interceptions in the first half of a playoff game, joining Detroit’s Gary Danielson and Denver’s Craig Morton.

The Jaguars (10-8) became the first team in the Super Bowl era to win a playoff game with a turnover differential of minus-5 or worse.

Lawrence threw TD passes to Evan Engram, Marvin Jones, Zay Jones

and Christian Kirk, and he added one of the biggest plays when he jumped for a 2-point conversion with 5:25 to play that made it 30-28.

Justin Herbert threw for 273 yards and a touchdown without an interception, but the Chargers’ offence was

largely ineffective after a 62-yard TD drive that made it 24-0 midway through the second quarter. Los Angeles (10-8) finished with 320 yards of offence and 18 first downs, and it produced only three points on four second-half possessions.

Purdy picked up where he left off in the regular season for the 49ers (14-4) and showed few signs of playoff jitters by winning his sixth straight start since replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo early in a Week 13 win over Miami.

The Niners advanced to the divisional round where they will host either Minnesota, Tampa Bay or Dallas next weekend.

Purdy connected on a 3-yard pass to Christian McCaffrey in the first quarter, converted a 1-yard sneak in the third quarter and a 7-yard TD pass to

The

The Seahawks (9-9) kept it close for most of three quarters before a strip sack by Charles Omenihu late in the third quarter spoiled a red zone drive.

Geno kept it close for a while thanks to a 50-yard TD pass to DK Metcalf in the first half.

He finished 25 for 35 for 253 yards, two TDs and one interception.

49ERS 41, SEAHAWKS 23

SANTA CLARA, Calif.

(AP) — Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth score in his playoff debut, leading San Francisco past Seattle.

Elijah Mitchell early in the fourth to make it 31-17.

Niners broke it open when Deebo Samuel took a short pass from Purdy and raced in for a 74-yard score. Purdy threw for 332 yards — the second most ever for a rookie in the playoffs to Russell Wilson’s 385 in a loss to Atlanta 10 years ago — and he became the first rookie QB ever to account for four TDs in a playoff game.

JAGS quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) walks off the field after an NFL wild-card football game against the Chargers on Saturday. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

BILLS linebacker Matt Milano (58) celebrates during the first half against the Dolphins yesterday. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T Barnes)