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VOLUME:118 No.38, JANUARY 19, 2021

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

WOMAN: BAHAMIANS FALL FOR BRIDGERTON DUKE

‘CRIME’S DOWN - NOT BY COVID’

Police chief insists lockdowns not key to reduced offences

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle yesterday credited a 16 percent fall in overall crime to the efforts of his force and not a windfall from the months of lockdown enforced on the nation.

In presenting his annual crime report the Commissioner said crime statistics had been falling for a number of years and last year’s reduction was a continuation of that trend – and not solely down to COVID restrictions.

Commissioner Rolle revealed that murder figures had dropped to 23 percent, representing the lowest numbers recorded in the last 15 years.

“Our most notable highlight for 2020 was the overall reduction in crime,” Commissioner Rolle told reporters.

“The men and women of the force performed at an exceptional level and were able to accomplish this feat in a number of ways. They are to be commended.”

He said since reaching a peak in 2015, murders SEE PAGE THREE

action was taken against two officers while suspects were charged in the other matters.

Regarding complaints against police last year, he said there was a two percent decline — 149 complaints in 2020 compared with 152 complaints in 2019.

“This is the lowest amount of complaints against police in five years,” the police chief said. “We peaked in 2018 with 213 complaints.”

SEE PAGE THREE

SEE PAGE EIGHT

BASEBALL MAJORS FOR YOUNG BAHAMIAN

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama native Adari Grant has joined the baseball majors - becoming the newest member of the St Louis Cardinals.

Grant signed his contract to join the club among family and well wishers at the Pelican Bay Resort in Grand Bahama yesterday.

The 17-year-old 5ft 11in 163lb shortstop headlined the group of 15 free agents signed by the Cardinals.

FULL STORY - SEE SPORTS

POLICE SHOOTINGS LEFT ELEVEN DEAD ELEVEN people were killed last year in police involved shootings, Police Commissioner Paul Rolle said.

Overall, there were 20 incidents of police involved shootings last year, resulting in 11 deaths and 11 non-fatal injuries.

Commissioner Rolle said 10 of the fatal injuries are before the Coroner’s Court and a police sergeant was charged in Magistrate’s Court in one case.

In two of the non-fatal incidents, disciplinary

KAMALA FOLLOWS WOMEN BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

CAR FIRMS CONFIDENT SALES WILL 01/18/2021 RISE 30% - BAHAMAS MURDER VICTIM 7

THE BODY of a woman is taken from a murder scene off Marshall Road yesterday after being found with blunt force injuries to her head. For the full story, see page two.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A TOP auto dealer yesterday predicted new car sales could increase by over 25 percent this year “subject to no lockdowns” as the industry targets the 2022 second half for a full COVID-19 rebound.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

MILLER INSISTS HE’LL BE ON BALLOT

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller said he is still seeking the Progressive Liberal Party’s nomination for the next general election and plans to be a thorn in the party’s side if he is denied.

“I expect when they give ‘Brave’ the nomination that night, I will get mine the same time,” he said

FORMER Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller. yesterday.

The PLP has been

moving to finalise its list of candidates, with the party’s Candidates Committee conducting interviews.

Who the party chooses as its standard bearer in the Tall Pines constituency will be one of its most closely watched decisions of the campaign cycle.

“If I’m not one of the candidates selected then I will run as an independent candidate,” Mr Miller said.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

TRADITION AND TECHNOLOGY IN JUSTICE SYSTEM

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

A BODY is removed from the scene off Marshall Road yesterday and, below, Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters speaks to the media at the scene.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

Woman found dead with head injuries

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN was found dead in an area off Marshall Road yesterday with blunt force trauma to the head.

Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters told reporters on the scene the victim appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties and was in the early stage of rigor mortis, suggesting she had only been dead for a few hours.

He said police were

following leads.

He added: “There’s significant information that is leading us to another direction and it seems to be very promising.”

ASP Peters said police received reports shortly after 4pm that the body of a female was found unresponsive on a vacant property situated at South Creek Close off Marshall Road.

He said initial information suggests a vehicle was driving through the area and as a result of people

walking on the property they discovered the body of the victim and called police.

“The officers… they were directed to the northwestern portion of the property where they found a body of a female lying on the ground with blunt force trauma injuries sustained to the head. Investigators were called in,” he said.

He said there was a partly abandoned residence near the property.

Police appealed to the public who may have

information in respect to the incident.

ASP Peters said: “Our success really depends upon our cooperation with members of the community who have found themselves courageous enough to call in the information and return that intelligence into evidence and put the persons who we believe to be responsible for these heinous acts before the court.”

This marks the seventh homicide for the year, according to this newspaper’s records.

COMMISSIONER: WE’VE STEPPED UP OUR GAME IN ABACO

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE COMMISSIONER Paul Rolle insisted yesterday that overall crime remains down in Abaco, adding police officers “have stepped up their game” to address crime concerns in the community.

“I made a statement about the crime figures in Abaco at the time and when you ask me about it improving, I stand by what I said then,” the police chief told reporters yesterday when asked for an update on the crime statistics for Abaco.

“We have seen an

overall improvement on the situation on the ground in Abaco. The issue for Abaco is lack of housing for police officers so we couldn’t put officers on the ground like that but I could tell we have increased the number of officers. The crime situation on Abaco....I think the numbers have levelled off.”

In September, Commissioner Rolle said crime on the island had decreased by 39 percent compared with the statistics in 2019.

His remarks were criticised by the locals who declared that his statistics were “false”, “misleading” and not an actual representation of

what’s happening on the ground.

Some observers have even claimed incidents of theft and housebreaking to be an almost daily occurrence for the island and its surrounding cays.

Yesterday, Commissioner Rolle defended the statistics, insisting police reports do not show crime is on the rise in the community.

Asked if he believed the low figures merely reflected that many Abaconians had given up reporting such incidents, he replied: “Listen, I just give you the crime figures of the crime reports and we deal with what I report and that’s the crime

reports. I have mandated the officers on every island, including Abaco… but I can assure you that the members of the Royal Bahamas police force have stepped up their game in Abaco.

“The Commissioner has said that and if anybody wants to challenge me with that then let them bring it on. We have worked and we want to continue to work with the residents of Abaco to continue to ensure that everybody in Abaco is safe.”

He continued: “I’ve said that there have been some incidents in Abaco, but you see you’re talking about increase and remember that is the key word. I’m

not denying the fact that there were incidents, but when you said ‘increase’.

Where did you get that from, because I gave you the facts?

“I cannot say whether or not persons reported crime or not reported, because that’s really not my specialty but I can tell you that if you look, you’re going to get a package shortly and, in that package... Abaco is going to be placed.

“I have the highest respect of the people and the people of Abaco have just as much rights to have police presence on their island as Nassau. A lot of them told me they wanted

to see roadblocks and road checks just like how we’re doing in Nassau so, I did that, and, of course, they complained after, but the fact of the matter is I’m satisfied that things have improved overall on the island.”

Yesterday, the Commissioner also issued an appeal to locals living in the community with illegal firearms.

“I still believe that we have some guns on Abaco and I would ask the persons with them to turn them in.

Help us with that. Tell the people in Abaco to bring the guns so we can get some of those illegal guns out of Abaco,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 3

Rolle attributes some suicides to ‘weak’ men as numbers rise

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net SUICIDES increased by 38 percent in 2020, according to data released by the Royal Bahamas Police Force yesterday.

Police Commissioner Paul Rolle attributed some of the suicides to “weak” men embroiled in domestic disputes who killed themselves because they were having problems with their partners.

While some may point to the hardship sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic as a contributing factor, Commissioner Rolle said there was no evidence to suggest that 2020’s lockdowns were to blame.

There were 11 suicides in 2020, compared with eight recorded in 2019.

There were also 45 attempted suicides last year, a 20 percent reduction from the 56 attempted suicides in 2019, according to RBPF data.

“I have not done a scientific research, the police force has not done a scientific research on suicides,” the police chief said when asked if police believed the increased suicides were the result of lockdowns.

“We have heard reasons for suicides. The most I can say to you though in answering your question is if you look at the number of suicides for 2019, I believe

that was eight or nine and last year 2020 it was 11. When you look at the attempted suicides for 2019 it was 54 or there about and in 2020 it was 40. So, there was actually a reduction.

“If you were to count the 11 and 40 that’s 51. That’s still less than what we had last year in the attempt in 2019. We did not have the pandemic in 2019 but the numbers were higher so without a scientific research on it I can almost tell you that I don’t know.”

He continued: “One or two of them might have been related to the stress that persons were feeling, but then you have to go look at why the persons committed suicide in 2019 and in 2018 I believe the numbers were higher.

“We are at a disadvantage though because the people are dead so they don’t tell us quite why they commit suicide and, in some cases, they may leave a note or family members will say.

“What I can tell you is that we had a few of those that we know were domestic related where the fellas are weak and they killed themselves because they were having issues with their females.

“I could leave that right there because to go further than that would require more research.”

Of the 11 suicides recorded last year, six of the victims were New

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle speaking to the media yesterday.

Providence residents while five were from Grand Bahama.

More men killed themselves than women last year; 10 of the victims were male while one was female.

In 2019, five men killed themselves while three women committed suicide, according to police.

When it comes to attempted suicides, however, women outweigh men.

Police said 29 women tried to kill themselves in 2020

SUICIDE FIGURES AS REPORTED BY POLICE

Photo: Terrell W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

compared to 16 men. Most of the victims — 36 percent — in the attempted suicide category are between the ages of 18-30.

At the end of December, police said they were investigating a suspected suicide in New Providence. This incident occurred just days after a man was discovered hanged from a ceiling in Grand Bahama.

According to police, the New Providence man’s unresponsive body was found in a home on Victoria Avenue on December 28.

At the time, police said: “Preliminary reports stated that shortly before 11pm, police received reports of an unresponsive body of a male that was found with a cord around his neck. The officers on their arrival, were directed to a stairwell where they found the body of a male as reported.

Days earlier, a man in Grand Bahama was

suspected of having committed suicide on Christmas Day. Police said shortly after 1pm on Friday, December 25, officers were called to a residence on Raleigh Drive where the body of a 43-year-old man was found hanging from the ceiling.

He was last seen on Thursday, December 24, shortly after 5am. Foul play was not suspected at that time.

In early December, the teenage son of Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira died of suspected suicide at his family’s home, according to police.

The month before, a woman died after attempting suicide at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre on Sunday, November 8.

The Public Hospitals Authority confirmed the news in a press statement.

Officials did not reveal the woman’s identity, but said she was 52 years old.

The patient, according to PHA, tried to kill herself at the rehabilitation centre and was subsequently taken to Princess Margaret Hospital.

However, officials said she was pronounced dead at the hospital upon arrival.

On September 19, 2020, a Grand Bahama woman was saved from taking her own life after she was found in the sea.

That incident came less than a week after police said a 29-year-old Grand Bahama man was in hospital following a suspected attempted suicide incident at Eight Mile Rock.

And nearly two weeks earlier, police in Nassau said a concerned citizen rescued a man from his car after he drove off Montagu ramp into the waters below in an attempted suicide.

If you are in distress, you can contact the Red Cross’ hotline at 828-4121.

robberies.

Armed robberies also saw a decrease by 41 percent, with 313 incidents reported for 2020 compared with 531 in 2019.

In relation to crimes against the property, there was a 15 percent decrease with 3,519 incidents recorded for 2020 compared to 4,128 in 2019.

Stolen vehicles and housebreaking in 2020 decreased by 19 percent

and 13 percent respectively compared to 2019. However, there was an uptick in several categories, including burglaries and shop breaking.

As it relates to breaches of the COVID-19 emergency orders, the police chief said there were 4,275 violations.

“The figure includes 2,370 curfew violations. The (police) force also responded to 126

COVID-19 calls for assistance,” he said.

The police chief said officers seized 279 illegal firearms and 4,044 rounds of ammunition in 2020 while 178 people were charged in connection with possession of illegal firearms.

Illegal drugs confiscated included 4,301 pounds of marijuana and 165 pounds of cocaine. Police charged 1,120 people for possession of dangerous drugs.

‘CRIME’S DOWN - NOT BY COVID’ from page one

have steadily declined in the country over the last several years, with just 73 recorded incidents for 2020 compared with 95 in 2019.

“This is the least amount of persons killed in a year in 15 years,” Commissioner Rolle said. “We have recorded a constant decline in homicides since we peaked in 2015 when we recorded 145 murders.

“There were 59 murders in New Providence, nine in Grand Bahama and five in the Family Islands. Victims between the ages of 18 and 35 represent 62 percent of all homicides.”

In spite of the reduced figures, there was a spate of killings at the end of 2020, which the police chief said could be attributed to several factors.

“These could be related to the seasonal impacts, loosening of restrictions, on lockdown and changes in police activities as more emphasis was placed on social distancing,” he said.

According to Commissioner Rolle, retaliation and conflict continues to be leading motives behind the killings. He said police have solved more than 85 percent of the murders that occurred last year.

In his presentation the

Commissioner credited the efforts of the RBPF as the source of the overall decrease in crime.

Responding to critics who point to COVID restrictions that kept people off the streets for long periods, the Commissioner said: “I could answer that with one word… nonsense. That’s why I provided the figures for the last ten years and if you look at those figures for the last ten years from what you’ve seen, we had a decline in crime.

“Even therein – and I acknowledge the fact that we had this pandemic last year – but the work that officers did as far as I’m concerned contributed to the overall reduction…Y’all have to give us the credit because we have done a whole lot and when crime goes up, we take responsibility.

“So, the least that people could do is credit us when we get a reduction, so I mean I commend our officers for the work that they’ve done and continue to do. That has nothing to do with COVID. I never saw COVID gone out and lock nobody up and I ain’t see COVID on patrol. We were out there.”

The 2020 statistics also show crimes against the person declined by 21 percent.

There were 19 attempted

POLICE SHOOTINGS LEFT ELEVEN DEAD from page one Thirty-seven disciplinary cases last year ended with conviction resulting in terminations, resignations, reductions in rank, reduction in seniority and fines, he said.

Officers in ranks from constable to superintendent were affected.

Forty-four complaints for 2020 are currently under investigation, while 21 cases were withdrawn, 30 cases were unfounded, and 17 cases are pending trial, the police chief said.

murders, four incidents of manslaughter, 50 recorded rapes, 14 attempted rapes, 158 acts of unlawful sexual intercourse, 91 robberies and 11 attempted robberies reported in 2020.

In 2019, there were 19 attempted murders, two incidents of manslaughter, 43 reports of rape, eight attempted rapes, 108 reports of unlawful sexual intercourse, 95 robberies and 13 attempted

PAGE 4, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Pinder hopes for travel rise to ease need for unemployment aid

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

WITH the government’s unemployment assistance for tourism workers affected by the pandemic expected to end later this month, Labour director John Pinder hopes travel from the US will increase in the coming months to offset this problem.

Mr Pinder estimated the country’s unemployment rate to be between 38 to 42 percent.

If an extension is not put in place in the next two weeks, unemployed Bahamians, who worked in the tourist sector mainly as entrepreneurs, will no longer receive government assistance as it expires on January 28.

Mr Pinder said he is hopeful things will be different at the end of the first quarter of this year.

“We are hoping that the cruise lines will start coming back to the port and then we will start seeing more bookings,” he said. “If the ships are not sailing, then the hair braiders and taxi drivers and straw vendors will not be working.

“So we are hoping by the end of the first quarter the cruise lines will begin to come back in port so that the hair braiders, taxi drivers, straw vendors, beach vendors, tour operators and

LABOUR director John Pinder. surrey drivers will be back to work. So the cruise lines will bring us back to some level of normalcy and we will see our economy starting to rebound by the first quarter.”

Asked if he would make a recommendation that the government extends the assistance at this time, he said he didn’t want to commit to an answer as

tourism numbers might pick up.

He said: “The government assistance for those employed in the tourism sector will expire when the Emergency Orders expire at the end of this month on the 28th of January. I can’t say I would make a recommendation to extend it now. Again, if we see signs of the airlines

and cruise lines making a comeback, then there will be no need for it to be extended.

“That all depends on how quickly the United States can give vaccinations to five, ten, 50 million people.

So a lot of things are hinging on that, so I don’t want to state a position on that.

We have to see what the trends are like.

“With the vaccination in process now and the new president trying to vaccinate millions of persons within a short period of time, then I believe the people will start travelling.”

Many unemployed Bahamians find themselves in dire straits, even while receiving the government assistance. The Tribune asked Mr. Pinder how many people are employed in The Bahamas, especially now that COVID-19 restrictions have wrought havoc on businesses and sectors world-wide.

He responded: “. . .We can only estimate, based on the number of persons receiving benefits from NIB and the amount of requests we have for persons who are registered, trying to find jobs. I would estimate that our unemployment stands between 38 and 42 percent.”

The Atlantis resort on Paradise Island had an enthusiastic reopening last month, offering a “vacation in place” system that depended heavily on COVID-19 negative tests.

However, due to lagging tourists arrivals, Atlantis has since re-furloughed some of its staff until guest numbers pick up.

Weighing in on the sad state of the tourism sector that directly affects the straw market industry, Rev Esther Thompson,

president of the Straw Market Association, said she feels like nobody cares about straw vendors.

She said: “The answer to how straw vendors are doing is a no brainer. We are struggling and it is not easy. No one is checking for us and it’s like no one cares about us. The prime minister said our assistance will continue until the end of January. What happens after that? They do not talk to us. We have to listen out for things they say.

“The vendors are definitely hurting. They are getting put out of their houses, left, right and centre and nobody seems to care. Nobody seems to care about straw vendors.

“It is very frustrating.

I feel that no Bahamian should be left in this situation to fend for themselves.

I feel the government needs to stop all of its projects and concentrate on the welfare of the people. Why are you still going to be building roads etcetera when people are in hardship?”

Rev Thompson said without a freeze on rent and electricity payments, her members, although not making a living, have to pay those bills every month.

She expressed concern over what she feels is poor treatment and lack of empathy towards straw vendors who she said contribute to bringing in US dollars and new money into the economy.

THE PRESENTATION by AML of food vouchers in Nassau with, from left, Renea Bastian, AML VP of marketing; Shelagh Pritchard, director of Lend A Hand Bahamas; and Elvano Johnson, manager.

AML PROVIDES $43,000 IN VOUCHERS FOR THOSE IN NEED AML FOODS has helped Bahamians out by providing $43,000 in food vouchers to those in need.

The company, through its brands Solomon’s, Cost Right, Fresh Market and Domino’s Pizza presented representatives from the National Food Distribution Task Force in New Providence and Grand Bahama with the vouchers to help those on the national feeding programme.

Vouchers were received on behalf of the taskforce

by Lend A Hand Bahamas in New Providence and the Feed Grand Bahama Food Assistance Programme in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Through its annual Feed 5000 programme, AML Foods has donated almost half a million dollars since launching in 2016.

“We are proud to once again be able to assist those in need in our community.

COVID has affected us all, some more than others, and we want the Bahamian people to know that we will continue to do our best to help them in any way that we can,” said Renea Bastian, VP of marketing and communications.

Raquel Beneby-Hart, administrator at the Feed Grand Bahama Food Assistance Programme: “We are delighted that AML Foods

continues to strengthen this relationship. The Feed Grand Bahama Food Assistance Programme has distributed over 61,000 vouchers to the vulnerable in our community and 1500 turkeys during the Christmas to churches throughout the island.”

AML donated $30,000 of the overall proceeds and $13,000 was donated by customers in both Nassau and Freeport.

“We want to send a heartfelt thank you to all who donated to the program,” Ms Bastian added. “We are humbled and grateful for the support we always receive from our customers and partners.”

THE PRESENTATION in Grand Bahama with, from left, Trevor Edgecombe, manager of Cost Right Freeport; and Greg Laroda, president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 5

Miller insists he’ll be on ballot from page one

“I already put in my letter just like everyone else. I don’t see why senior people like me had to put in a letter. I see it as a trivial little children game, but we put it in. I don’t see why (party leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis) wouldn’t choose many of his former colleagues who have the experience and expertise to lead the country.”

He continued: “I expect Alfred Sears to get a nomination. The likelihood is

that Damian Gomez will not be a candidate, but I would have expected him to get it. He was seeking a nomination and is still interested, but that’s not his call.

Alfred Gray should’ve been a candidate, but isn’t seeking it after how they treated him. Obie Wilchcombe should be a candidate, but that’s not Leslie Miller’s decision to make. I was thinking if I was not running in Tall Pines, Michael Darville could take my seat.

He’s looking for a seat in New Providence.”

Mr Miller also weighed in

on another closely watched nomination fight, the battle for the Golden Gates nomination. Leading candidates for that constituency are said to include former Bamboo Town nominee Greg Burrows and Obie Roberts, the son of now deceased PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts.

“Given all Bradley Roberts did for this country, out of reverence to the contribution his father made, some preference should be given to his son if his son is worthy of getting a nomination,” Mr Miller said.

“I see no reason why Mr Roberts’ son shouldn’t get a nomination. I know he has good support down there.

Greg Burrows is a fella, he ran already in a couple constituencies.”

Earlier this month, PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell said the party’s full slate should be confirmed by February.

The Tribune previously reported that PLP officials want to run mostly new candidates in 2022, a desire that may collide with the ambitions of past candidates and MPs.

LESLIE MILLER MP

KIWANIS CLUB FEEDS FAMILIES THE Kiwanis Club of Nassau AM fed 65 families during the Christmas holidays through Feed the Family project.

The project’s aim is to provide grocery parcels to families of five or more who are in need. Three senior citizens’ homes also received grocery parcels.

Valued at $150 per family, the parcels included non-perishable items and canned goods such as soups, canned fruit and vegetables, tuna, corned beef, grits, oats, pasta, rice, bread, sugar, Kool-Aid mix, peanut butter, jam, evaporated milk and water.

“Our goal will be to ensure that these families have access to nutritious meals each day for at least three weeks,” the club said in a statement.

“Additionally, we intend to include the homeless in this food campaign by giving them a ‘Blessings Care Package’ valued at $50 containing socks, a blanket, basic toiletry items, healthy snacks and drinking water.”

To date, nearly 500 families have been fed through the Feed the Family initiative.

MEMBERS of the Kiwanis group packing parcels to help families over the Christmas period.

COMMITTEE SET UP TO ADVISE ON UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT SEARCH THE board of trustees of University of The Bahamas has appointed a Presidential Search Committee to establish the process by which the new institution’s president will be selected and hired.

Appointed in November 2020, the PSC has secured the services of the firm AGB Search as the search consultant. AGB Search

has conducted over 200 searches for presidents and chancellors of colleges, universities, university systems, and related associations and foundations.

The PSC will ultimately search for and evaluate the most qualified candidates for leadership and refer a shortlist of suitable prospects to the board of trustees. The board will

make the final decision as to which candidate is offered the position of president, a press release from the university noted. Since its formation in November 2020, the PSC has met three times.

“To achieve full stakeholder participation, listening sessions will be scheduled in short order,” UB said. “The feedback

received will shape the completion of a pre-search study and position profile document.

“The approved profile document outlining relevant information about the university, the desired qualities and qualifications of the new president and the search process will then be advertised by February 2021.”

The PSC members are K Jonathan Rodgers, Brian Jones, Calpurnia Campbell, Mackenson Charles, Phillipa Moss-Collie, Rhonda Eldridge, Ed Fields, Barry Rassin, Antoinette Russell, Troy Strachan, Daniel Thompson and Alessandra Holowesko.

UB President Dr Rodney Smith has advised the university that he will not seek

renewal of his contract when it expires on July 31, 2022. Dr Smith has given his assurance that he remains committed to fulfilling his mandate at UB and ensuring a smooth, collaborative transition in leadership, UB said.

Queries about the presidential search may be directed to presidentialsearch@ub.edu.bs.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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Curfews really had no effect on crime, Commissioner?

Nonsense. That’s the word Police Commissioner Paul Rolle uses to describe suggestions that perhaps, just perhaps, the decline in crime last year was influenced by the fact that the streets were locked down in curfew each night for a large chunk of the year.

He says it’s all down to the work of his officers. Apparently, having blockades on the streets at night and people not being allowed out of their home at night or at weekends didn’t have a thing to do with it.

He said: “Y’all have to give us the credit because we have done a whole lot and when crime goes up, we take responsibility. So, the least that people could do is credit us when we get a reduction, so I mean I commend our officers for the work that they’ve done and continue to do.

“This has nothing to do with COVID. I never saw COVID gone out and lock nobody up and I ain’t see COVID on patrol. We were out there.”

We appreciate the reduction in crime figures most sincerely. Commissioner Rolle is right to say we are a long way from the peak of 145 murders in 2015. Last year, the police say there were 73 murders in total. That is welcome.

But let’s not pretend that the clampdown had nothing to do with it. We would happily credit the police for their work if they were realistic about it and noted the lockdowns were a factor.

Which criminals were out driving around streets that were empty of everyone but police officers? Which criminals were walking down the road with a gun in their pocket knowing they could get stopped just for being outside their door before they could commit their crime? Which robbers were out late at night with all the businesses closed and nowhere to rob?

Come on, Commissioner – don’t be so quick to boast that you don’t acknowledge how we got here.

At some point, the COVID restrictions will lift – and if there is no increase

in crime, then take the plaudits then.

Until then, admit it played a part. Or else it sounds like you’re the one talking nonsense.

Also, we might note, the commissioner’s handling of the announcement of figures relating to suicides shows appalling misjudgment.

He attributes some of the suicides to “weak” men in domestic disputes who killed themselves because they were having problems with their partners.

He said: “What I can tell you is that we had a few of those that we know were domestic related where the fellas are weak and they killed themselves because they were having issues with their females.

“I could leave that right there because to go further than that would require more research.”

He also said he had “not done a scientific research”. With language like that, clearly he hasn’t. Perhaps before he opens his mouth about the topic of suicide, he might like to avail himself of the huge amount of research that has been done into the subject.

Commissioner Rolle’s words only add to the stigma that surrounds suicide – a stigma that sees it treated as a weakness and not a need for help, a stigma that sees a suicide hotline ignored as a national priority as has been detailed in this newspaper previously.

As a society, we continue to stigmatise people with suicidal thoughts.

Branding them as weak makes it less likely that they reach out for help in case they are dismissed as simply not being strong enough. It makes it less likely that resources are devoted to help people at risk of suicide, because people are treated as if they can get through it just by being “strong”. It diminishes the impact of depression, which is not a choice but a disorder that many wrestle with, even those seemingly successful in other ways.

People who commit suicide are not weak, Commissioner Rolle, they are in need of help. And by your words, you make it clear that they will not find it from you.

Open letter to Bar Association EDITOR, The Tribune.

FIRSTLY, I would like to make a qualified statement to the effect that there may be extenuating circumstances or unknown, but relevant, reasons of which I am ignorant, with regards to the contents of this letter. If so, please disregard the contents, if not please enlighten the puzzled public.

As of late, there have been quite a few celebrated cases brought before the courts that involved the government of The Bahamas.

In most of these matters the government retained the services of foreign Queen’s Counsels, even to prosecute. This comes on the heels of recently appointed Bahamian QCs, by both governments. Is this an

indication that these two appointments were mere window dressings or that the government has no confidence in them? I realise that they reserved the right to retain their attorney of choice, but does this not concern the association?

ARNOLD F BAIN Jr Nassau, January 18, 2021.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

Behold the swingers EDITOR, The Tribune.

THERE is a famous song by a Bahamian entertainer par excellence, my favorite living sibling, Kirkland ‘KB’ Bodie, titled: ‘Boy Ya Got Swing’. We all know that song was always relevant, but it will become even more so as we approach yet another electoral cycle.

It would seem to me that each time we come to the proverbial silly season that the entrenched and want to be politicians come out of the woodwork with precision and a dray load of patently bogus promises. It is unfortunate that a large number of overtly gullible Bahamians fall, like dominoes, time and time again for these grab bags.

The Minnis administration has been in power now for almost four years with very little to show in the way of concrete accomplishments. I am sure that it did do something of value, but I am hard pressed to say what it would have been with all charity. The FNM and its erstwhile interim leader made multiple promises leading up to the 2017 general elections while bellowing: “It is the People’s time.” A more humble group of politicians could not be found. Once assuming office, however, Doctor Jekyll came out big time while Mr Hyde did what he does best, he went into hiding and to this very day, he remains in the closet. His name, however, has changed to: ‘The Hidden Hand’.

In recent times a handful of activists led by Adrian Francis and Reverend Lincoln Bain have come out to agitate for natural resources to be “shared” between eligible Bahamians. They have been talking about aragonite and the yet undiscovered oil bonanza in particular. Some amongst them opine without a single piece of scientific data that there are untold multiple millions of dollars of natural resources just waiting to be tapped and the proceeds distributed, annually, to all and sundry without lifting a finger.

This is a dangerous and simplistic posture. Where are the detailed studies to support their contentions?

How will these natural resources be mined? What is the value of the same on the local and international markets? Who will put up

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net the huge sums of money to actual commence mining operations? Will the activist and their misguided partisans play a financial and/or technical role therein?

They held a “rally” the other day and a few hundreds turned out. One of the organizers, a very socially media savvy individual, has opined, publicly, if he should run in the next general elections! While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this ambition, it is so sad that the fringes only come out a year or so before general elections.

We all are able to recall that now senator Henfield and his crew used to make all sorts of noise about the necessity of local government for New Providence.

Most of the rallies led by him were well attended and very vocal. They got the attention of the media and, eventually the traditional political forces.

Henfield demanded that local government for New Providence must be achieved within the first (possibly last) term of a Minnis led administration.

I assume that he, et al, had a chat with the power brokers in the FNM for lo and behold they went dead quiet and next thing we knew, following the FNM’s blow out of the Christie led old PLP, Henfield was appointed to the Senate where he remains as quiet as a mouse. Local government is yet an unfulfilled campaign promise.

Minnis, obviously as Minister of Finance, is grasping at straws and chasing massive apparent personal delusions as he seeks to get it right. The economy is in absolute shambles and will not recover anytime soon.

Governmental revenues are down to the very bone and getting worse by the minute while Minnis (a/k/a Nero) fiddles and eats his favored stewed fish.

It is clear that the PM is seeking to piggy-back on the agitation being brewed by the activists. He has adopted their battle cry for a Sovereign Wealth Fund hook; line and sinker. I would not be surprised if at least one of the activists is not copped out and recruited by either the FNM or the PLP in short

order. We have heard loose talk about this pie in the sky Sovereign Wealth Fund for decades. We did not do anything, however, even when the economy was ticking like a clock, to establish this elusive fund.

Now that the economy has tanked and the average Bahamian is reduced to picking peas out of shaving cream the same man who as the Competent Authority in large measure caused us to be where we are is singing the Sovereign Wealth Fund song! How will this fund be established and who all will actually administer the same? Nobody knows and if they do nobody is talking about it publicly. Nurses and Reservist Police Officers allegedly are owed big bucks, but the government has yet to pay them.

Infrastructure work is being cut back drastically here in New Providence and the major Family Islands due to budgetary constraints. The Minister of State for Finance, not known to be an economic or financial guru has stated bluntly that user fees and possibly taxes will be going up.

The Minister with responsibility for NIB suggested that contributions may have to go up as well.

If you are unable to service your BPL account/s dog eat your lunch in the dark or by candle light. Water & Sewerage is right behind.

The promise of a Sovereign Wealth Fund sounds dead good and looks even better on paper. The people who should know better are playing a deadly game that only a piper knows how to play.

I have absolutely no faith in the average politician, especially those in office today. The political swingers, if there are any left in The Bahamas, are emerging from out of the wood works and the mushy swamps. My fellow Bahamians, Santa comes but once per year.

Do not look to see him again before the launch of the general electoral campaign. Whenever he comes, however, beware of the Sovereign Wealth Fund boon-dangle. If it walks like a duck and sounds like one it is a duck. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

Jr

ORTLAND H BODIE Nassau, January 17, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 7

Tourists failed to declare $80,000 in casino winnings

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO tourists who failed to declare nearly $80,000 worth of casino winnings to American airport border officials were yesterday fined $1,500.

Travis Vaujin, 28, and Joshua Casabona, 26, were arrested on January 16 after they made a false declaration to a US officer and failed to declare they

were trying to carry over $10,000 into American territory.

The Florida and Arizona natives admitted to the offences during a hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

The court was told that the accused entered Lynden Pindling International Airport’s pre-clearance area at 12.23pm on the day of their arrests. When a US border patrol officer asked

them how much money they had in their custody, they both said they had under $10,000. The prosecution said at the time, Vaujin and Casabona both claimed they were carrying less than $5,000 each.

However, after US officials noticed the men were acting suspiciously, they conducted a secondary check. It was at this time they discovered both accused had a collective sum of $79,343

on them. The court was told Vaujin was carrying $30,000 worth of casino winnings, while Casabona was carrying $40,000 worth of prize money in addition to some $9,000 of his personal cash. Both men were subsequently arrested and taken to the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit.

In an interview with officers there, Casabona said all the money belonged to him and he got it from gambling at a casino at

Baha Mar. He also said he gave Vaujin $30,000 to “keep” for him.

During the hearing both men were represented by attorney Ian Cargill.

He told the magistrate Casabona was a sports consultant, while Vaujin was a marketing agent.

He said Vaujin entered the country with $20,000 but lost $10,000 at the casino. He also said Casabona came to the country with the same amount

of money, but won some $50,000 from gambling.

He noted that both men were frequent visitors who travelled to the country to gamble. He also asked the magistrate to let them go with a warning since they had already been detained for two days.

After listening to his plea in mitigation, McKinney fined Vaujin $1,000 or three months in prison. He also fined Casabona $500 or one month behind bars.

BROTHER CHARGED WITH NEW YEAR’S DAY KILLING

RAFAEL Valdez outside court yesterday. He is accused of murder.

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was yesterday charged with murder in connection with the shooting of a teacher whose body was found lying in a pool of

blood at a local school on New Year’s Day. Rafael Valdez, 41, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt, after he was accused of causing the death of his brother Andrew Valdez sometime

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff between December 31 and January 1.

According to initial police reports, on the day in question a Stapledon school employee was found dead in one of the northwestern classrooms of the institution

$7,000 FINE OVER MARIJUANA

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SPANISH Wells man who last week imported a quantity of marijuana and cannabis oil into the country was yesterday fined $7,000.

Police arrested Dickson Sweeting, 26, after they found one ounce of loose Indian hemp and 65 cannabis oil vapours in his possession on January 14.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of importing

dangerous drugs during a hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

The prosecution said around 1:30pm that day, North Eleuthera officers, acting on information, embarked on the “Comfort Zone” vessel and told the captain they would like to search the boat.

During their investigation, they found Sweeting in one of the cruise vessel’s cabins with the drugs. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the North Eleuthera police station

where he admitted to the offences.

During the hearing, Sweeting’s attorney, Ian Cargill, told the magistrate his client was a fisherman who had “legitimately purchased” the items in the States. He said the accused admitted his wrongdoing, because he understands that marijuana is still illegal in the country.

As a result, Magistrate McKinney accepted Sweeting’s guilty pleas and fined him $7,000 or six months behind bars.

18-YEAR-OLD GETS 18 MONTHS IN PRISON

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGER who broke into a man’s house was yesterday sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Sidney Melidor, 18, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after he was accused of breaking into Troy Gardiner’s Nassau Street home and stealing his MacBook

Pro Air and iPad on January 14.

The prosecution said Mr Gardiner told police that some unknown person had broken into his residence between 7.45am and 4.45pm on the day in question. After he requested police action, the accused was arrested.

When Melidor was questioned in custody, he admitted to the offence and told officers he gained entry

to the residence through a window.

Yesterday, Melidor pleaded guilty to one count each of housebreaking and stealing. He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Magistrate McKinney also ordered him to compensate the complainant for his stolen items and warned him if he failed to do so, he would spend an additional month behind bars.

with apparent gunshot wounds.

During the hearing, the accused was not required to enter a plea to the murder charge and the case was adjourned to March 30 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Yesterday, Valdez was also accused of assaulting and threatening to kill Jeffery Morley. He denied three counts of threats of death, assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm with the intent to put another in fear and that

matter was adjourned to September 16 for trial.

In the interim, the accused was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Kamala follows in the footsteps of women breaking down barriers W

HEN Kamala Harris is sworn in as Vice President of the United States of America tomorrow, people all over the world will be watching the Inauguration ceremony to witness history in the making. What a proud moment it will be to see a woman of colour take the second highest leadership position in one of the greatest countries in the world!

As she is sworn in next to incoming President Joe Biden, the world also will be watching and praying that civil unrest does not arise amid complaints and threats from the supporters of President Donald Trump.

Women will be clutching their pearls and beaming with pride once Harris takes the stage at the White House in Washington. I remember reporting live from the American capital on January 20, 2009 for the first Inauguration of Barack Obama.

Thanks to Debbie Bartlett, I was able to attend with a Bahamian delegation and report to Bahamians live on Gems 105.9fm. It was an unforgettable milestone in my career. The pride I felt watching Obama and his family become “the First Family” comes back to life as I prepare to watch another historic inauguration.

Bahamian women continue to make a history of their own in politics. They have risen to the occasion and stood boldly on the political forefront to make a

difference in our elections.

Many a successful campaign has been won due to the women architects who drew out the political plans, knocked on doors, gave speeches, inspired, nurtured and supported men along the way.

On January 19, 1959, 61 years ago, women suffragists in The Bahamas were denied the opportunity to present a petition to the members of the House of Assembly, demanding that women have the right to vote. Two years earlier, the first Women’s Suffrage movement meeting had taken place. Three thousand signatures were garnered for their first proposition to Parliament. These women fought not only for the right to vote for themselves, but also the right for all Bahamian men over the age of 21, property owners or not, to be able to vote. Despite the initial rejection, Suffragist Doris Johnson was able to make her appeal heard in the Magistrate’s Court. On February 23, 1961 a Bill to enable women to vote was enacted with effect from June 30, 1962. Bahamian women voted for the first time on November 26, 1962.

Outstanding women such as Doris Johnson, Mary Ingraham, Eugenia Lockhart, Mabel Walker Georgianna Symonette, Althea Mortimer and Albertha Isaacs stood at the forefront of activism for women and for equal rights for all during a time known as the “Quiet Revolution” of Bahamian politics.

VICE President-elect Kamala Harris.

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

THE FIRST ever Women in Parliament session was held in December.

Doris Johnson, became the first woman ever to contest a seat in the Bahamas House of Assembly. Even though she did not win her seat, she was appointed as the President of the Senate in 1968, making her the first woman Senator and the first woman President of the Senate. She worked with the Progressive Liberal Party for Independence, which occurred on July 10, 1973.

Janet Bostwick became the first female Member of Parliament in 1982 with the Free National Movement. In 1997, FNM MP Rome Italia Johnson became the first Speaker of the House.

On May 3, 2002, another great day for Bahamian women went down in the history books when Cynthia “Mother” Pratt was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security for the Progressive Liberal Party.

Another monumental day for Bahamian women in politics happened on December 11, 2020.

The first ever Women in Parliament session was held and two very important Resolutions were tabled on the floor of the House of Assembly.

One Resolution focused on the need to increase the quota of women in Parliament and political leadership. The other focused on

MARISA MASON SMITH, national campaign to End Violence Against Women and Girls chair, at the Women in Parliament event. the elimination of genderbased violence. Women in Parliament commemorated the 58th anniversary of the Enactment of the Right for Women to Vote, as well as the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

The 1995 Beijing Declaration was a Resolution adopted by the United Nations at the Fourth World Conference on Women to promulgate a set of principles concerning the equality of men and women.

Women NGOs from across Bahamian society came together to present these resolutions. Speaker of the House of Assembly

GN-2495

MARION Bethel takes the podium to speak on gender based violence and the United Nations CEDAW objectives.

ALI MCINTOSH, leader of the Bahamas Constitution Party, speaks at the inaugural Women in Parliament session.

Halson Moultrie first contacted Marisa Mason-Smith with the vision for the firstever Women in Parliament.

Indeed, Youth in Parliament now holds successful mock sessions in the House of Assembly each year. Mason Smith, as national campaign coordinator for the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls (November 25 - December 10) had been leading the charge of advocacy and activism in this regard for the past eight years.

Zonta Clubs of New Providence and Nassau have been working together to promote the “Orange the World” campaign each year and have progressively moved from bringing awareness to actual activism for policy changes.

Mason Smith invited strategic partners to come together with Zonta to create the first Woman in Parliament Session. Those partners were the Department of Gender and Family Affairs (DGFA) the Caribbean Institute of Women in Leadership (CIWiL) and was held under the theme: “One Voice, One Purpose, Our Future” and supported by the UN theme: “Orange the World – Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!”

President of the Senate, Dr. Mildred Hall-Watson served as Speaker of the House of Assembly for the Women in Parliament session.

Senator Jasmin Dareus served as Deputy Speaker.

The session was called to order by Monique Sands, President of Zonta Club of Nassau.

Former Senator and DGFA Director Dr Jacinta Higgs brought remarks, along with Marion Bethel, UN CEDAW Committee Member and Anessah Abdullah of the Office of the Prime Minister Sustainable Development Goals unit. Senator Dareus read the Resolution, and it was seconded by Charlene Paul, CIWiL chair.

A myriad of topics were covered, including the protection of women in frontline politics; women in education and training;

women in poverty, housing and social security; women representation in the Family Islands; women’s leadership in times of disaster; and women’s access to justice.

Women from a cross section of society were able to make presentations on these topics, including women educators, activists, NGO leaders, farmers and women with disabilities.

Senator Lisa Bostwick Dean spoke on Violence against Women, and Dr Theresa Adderley Smith, President of Zonta Club of New Providence spoke on Women and health. Leader of the Bahamas Constitution Party, Ali McIntosh spoke on women and human rights, and Brenda Pinder of Women United spoke on the economic empowerment of women.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ismella Davis Delancey spoke on women in research laws and gender based violence data and statistics.

Senator Jennifer Dotson spoke on human trafficking, and Sharon Martin of the National Congress of Trade Unions pushed the Say No! to Workplace Harassment campaign.

The session ended with endorsements from Patricia Minnis, Office of the Spouse; Ann Marie Davis, spouse of the Opposition Leader; Dr Sanda Dean Patterson, Bahamas Crisis Centre; the late Terrence Bethel, International Men’s Day committee; Allison Maynard Gibson, Links Inc; Member of Parliament for Englerston Glenys Hanna Martin, and Lanisha T Rolle, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture and Sea Breeze MP. Currently, there are 34 men MPs and just five women: Miriam Emmanuel, Lanisha Rolle, Shonnel Ferguson, Glenys Hanna Martin and Pakeisha Parker.

Only one woman represented in Cabinet, representing just 13 per cent of the total holding the Government’s portfolio.

With 51 per cent of women voters in the country, the aim is to balance the statistics in Parliament.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 9

Silence in court - hit the mute button: tradition and technology in the justice system The Peter Young column

IT was a pleasure to receive again this year an invitation to the ceremony to mark the opening of the new Legal Year. This time, because of coronavirus restrictions there was no traditional service at Christ Church Cathedral nor the usual crowded gathering in the Supreme Court to hear addresses by the Attorney General, the Chief Justice and the President of the Bar Association. Instead, there was a “virtual ceremony” held last week out-of-doors in Rawson Square with limited attendance and live television coverage.

The formality, order and solemnity of last year’s ceremony was noteworthy. But, to my eye, this year’s three-hour event was equally good in its different way. With attendance by the robed and bewigged Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff justices and the presence of THE OPENING of the new legal year last week. the excellent Royal Bahamas Police Force Band and These addresses were then is the mother of invention’. and there could be more general autonomy and could be implemented a Guard of Honour, there followed by an informative, So, in a way, the new con- so-called ‘judge alone’ financial independence of effectively. Such doubts was appropriate pomp comprehensive and inter- straints arising from social criminal trials. The Chief the judiciary were perhaps may have been reinforced requirements Justice has made clear that the most telling of his whole by the huge challenges preand pageantry and it was esting one by the Attorney distancing served to speed up the the key is greater digitali- address. Indeed, as far as cipitated by coronavirus. a worthy, dignified and General.

In the Chief Justice’s reform and modernisation sation across-the-board I could hear, he suggested So, in unprecedentedly difimpeccably well organised much-anticipated main process because there could that should result in better the drive for greater auton- ficult circumstances, the occasion.

There seemed to me to be speech, it would surely not be no question of simply administration of court omy and control of the successful continuation and an unusual sense of expec- have surprised anyone if standing still with the exist- procedures and greater all- judiciary’s own resources consolidation of the reform round efficiency. for the administration of and modernisation protation as people wanted he had claimed that the ing procedures.

This is not the time He has announced intro- justice – rather than such cess has been all the more to hear from Chief Jus- enormous difficulties of the past year had or place to describe the duction of an integrated financing being dictated remarkable and impressive. tice Sir Brian set back his reforms in detail and they case management system to by politicians – was one of It is now certain that Moree what ‘The Chief Justice reform efforts. have anyway been covered be installed and completed the most important pro- this process will continue progress had he already in the press. But, within 12 months. This jects of his tenure. Thus, he apace under the expert and been achieved has made clear that Instead, explained that in summary, it has become would transform the con- welcomed the Court Ser- vigorous direction of the in the face of the key is greater at the start apparent that in the modern duct of cases – to include, vices Bill, tabled recently Chief Justice and that such the unprec- digitalisation of 2020 the world access to justice may for example, automated in the House of Assembly, reforms will serve the counedented across-the-board nation was not necessarily mean access dates and timings of hear- which was ‘transformative’ try well as it recovers from challenges recovering to courts in the traditional ings and of payments in the because it would give the the pandemic and regains posed by the that should from Hurri- manner, though the delivery Family Court and for bail judiciary a higher level of its strength and equilibrium virus pan- result in better cane Dorian of justice should remain fair applications together with financial, administrative after the worst year in living demic – in but the subse- and available to everybody. improved access to digital- and operational autonomy. memory. Those who watched implementing administration of quent months As a result of technological ised data and information, This time last year, last week’s ceremony and the ambitious court procedures were the most advance, more use can be much of which was previ- although many people listened to the various presreform and and greater alldifficult in made of remote hearings ously contained in paper surely welcomed the then entations must surely have modernisation round efficiency.’ modern times conducted by live video link records that were too often newly-appointed Chief Jus- been reassured that the programme and he and and using virtual platforms, hard to access. tice’s innovative ideas, there administration of justice in he had Overall, however, Sir were equally those who The Bahamas is currently in announced this time last his colleagues had had to leading to a reduction of year. But, first, in what rethink how justice should physical court appearances; Brian’s remarks about the wondered whether reforms the best possible hands. looked to be a fine ini- be delivered. But he was tiative, we heard from his determined to overhaul the counterparts in five differ- machinery of justice and ent Caribbean countries create a more effective and who, at his invitation, had independent judiciary conpre-recorded messages sistent with The Bahamas’ about their own administra- standing in the world as, IT IS said that some historians partition and the creation of the Irish disproportionately here in The Bahation of justice. These were historically, a strong and regard the 1920s as the most explosive Free State; the BBC was formed; mas. Thus, the future actions of a parliamentary decade of the last century, though this penicillin was discovered; Prohibition Biden administration matter to us. in a spirit of regional co- successful operation and collaboration democracy. is perhaps not the most apt description resulted in the growth of organised On the basis of what we know so far, It had been a period of with, at that time, the seeds of another crime with the notorious Al Capone in world affairs he will move back to that might be beneficial to all, particularly in dealing change and consolidation world war already taking root. It is and the Saint Valentine’s Day mas- multilateralism and the US is almost with cross-border disputes. and, as he said, ‘necessity famed as the ‘Roaring Twenties’ as sacre; Charles Lindbergh made the certain to rejoin the Paris Climate

So will our 20s roar?

MONDAY BLUES DESPITE the unfavourable prospects described in my separate piece today, there should surely always be room for some measure of hope at the general level. I happened to spot in the UK press the other day an item about what has been termed in Britain “Blue Monday”. Reportedly, the third Monday of January is considered the gloomiest day of the year – Christmas is over, payday seems a long way off, the days are still short and New Year resolutions have already been ditched.

Such labelling of a day in January is hardly surprising since in the Northern Hemisphere this month is on average the coldest and most dismal of the year.

Moreover, during a continued lockdown in Britain the challenges faced by many people in the middle of a cheerless winter seem worse than ever. All that said, however, people here at home will no doubt have noticed that, with some two months to go before the clocks go forward, the days are already getting slightly longer. This, of course, happens every year. But, when it becomes noticeable, it gladdens the spirit and tends to put people in a more hopeful frame of mind.

What is more, with a COVID-19 vaccination programme perhaps becoming a reality at last, and the Prime Minister’s comment in last week’s national address about the crisis that the ‘end is in sight’, many will say there are now grounds for some genuine optimism. But first we have to get through January – though at least “Blue Monday” has come and gone!

the world recovered from the Spanish flu pandemic that lasted for two years, infecting about two thirds of the global population and killing some 50 million. Does that sound eerily familiar a hundred years on?

In 1920, the world looked a very different place. The First World War, which up to then had been the deadliest conflict in human history, had recently ended. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles imposed such harsh conditions on the defeated Germany that many believed another global war would become inevitable.

In the US, the decade was an unprecedented period of dramatic social and political change together with economic growth, affluence and prosperity – though not for all – thanks to major technological advances and inventions and the mass production of consumer goods. There was also an outpouring of relief after four long years of war followed by an increase of personal freedom – and a hedonistic life style developed, with the Jazz age and dancing the ‘Charleston’ becoming all the rage.

As for major events, the decade saw – to cite a few examples – the establishment of the League of Nations (the forerunner of the UN), creation of the Soviet Union and the founding of China’s Communist Party. Women gained the right to vote; the Irish Revolution resulted in

first solo non-stop trans-Atlantic flight from New York to Paris; writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and T S Eliot emerged; John Logie Baird in Britain developed the first TV transmitter; and in 1929 the first Academy Awards or Oscars for film-making and film actors were held in Los Angeles.

As the decade ended, however, there was the Stock Market crash of 1929 that led to the Great Depression. The reduction of world trade in the 1930s seriously affected production in Germany whose economy collapsed with hyperinflation and this contributed to the rise of fascism and ultimately the Second World War. In light of this complicated and varied history and because the conditions of life are now so different, I believe it makes little sense to try to draw parallels with events of a century ago other than to hope that our political leaders and budding statesmen at least study the past and learn lessons from it in order to avoid making similar mistakes. Life has changed so radically and, rather than look for indicators from the past, it is likely to be more productive to look at what is facing us now.

Such is the influence and economic power of the US that its tentacles reach far and wide. Closely linked as we are to our giant neighbour, its fortunes and its policies affect us

Accord, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the UN Human Rights Council and the WHO. He is also likely to consolidate his predecessor’s work in brokering the normalisation of relations between Israel and various Sunni Arab states as well as rejuvenating the Iran nuclear deal. But the US and China could clash over Taiwan and the pundits are warning of a world food crisis, since the pandemic has disrupted food supply chains, while global debt from increased spending on the virus could explode.

It seems that on the domestic front the deepening political division, tribalism and polarisation in the US is beginning to scare people as the scope of it is becoming more apparent.

Many have been particularly shaken by the assault on the Capitol Building and are now concerned to see large numbers of the National Guard on security duty in Washington to protect the symbolic core of American democracy on inauguration day against its own citizens. Is it any surprise that people now ask how all this fits with Thomas Jefferson’s reputed claim that his own state of Virginia was the ‘cradle of democracy’?

After the hell of 2020, perhaps a spirit of optimism for the new decade will gradually emerge but the portents are not good. The sad fact is that in modern times the future has seldom looked so bleak.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

‘BILLIONS IN AID NEEDED TO SAVE AFGHAN KIDS FROM STARVING’ KABUL, Afghanistan Associated Press SOME ten million children in war-ravaged Afghanistan are at risk of not having enough food to eat in 2021, a humanitarian organisation said yesterday, and called for billions in new funds for aid.

Just over 18 million Afghans, including 9.7 million children, are badly in

BIDEN PATH TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP

PRESIDENT-elect Joe Biden plans to unveil a sweeping immigration bill on day one of his administration, hoping to provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the US without legal status, a massive reversal from the Trump administration.

The legislation puts Biden on track to deliver on a major campaign promise to Latino voters and other immigrant communities after four years of President Donald Trump’s restrictive policies and mass deportations.

It provides one of the fastest pathways to citizenship for those living without legal status of any measure in recent years, but it fails to include the traditional trade-off of enhanced border security favoured by many Republicans, making passage in a narrowly divided Congress in doubt.

PUTIN FOE NAVALNY IS JAILED A RUSSIAN judge on Monday ordered opposition leader Alexei Navalny jailed for 30 days, after the leading Kremlin critic returned to Russia from Germany where he was recovering from nerve agent poisoning that he blames on President Vladimir Putin’s government.

The ruling followed a hastily set up court hearing at a police precinct where Navalny was being held since his arrest at a Moscow airport on Sunday.

A crowd of Navalny supporters outside the precinct shouted “Shame!” as the judge announced the ruling and Navalny’s allies immediately called for protests. His arrest had already prompted a wave of criticism from US and European officials, adding to existing tensions between Russia and the West.

need of lifesaving support, including food, Save the Children said in a statement. The group called for $3bn in donations to pay for assistance in 2021.

Chris Nyamandi, the organisation’s Afghanistan country director, said Afghans are suffering under a combination of violent conflict, poverty and the virus pandemic.

“It’s a desperately bad situation that needs urgent

attention from the international community,” he said.

The latest round of peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators that began earlier this month in Qatar has been slow to produce results as concerns grow over a recent spike in violence across Afghanistan.

The pandemic has also had a disastrous impact on

AN INTERNALLY displaced girl outside her temporary home in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, yesterday. Half of war-ravaged Afghanistan’s population is at risk of not having enough food to eat, including around ten million children, Save the Children said.

PHOTO: Rahmat Gul/AP

millions of Afghan families. In 2020, the World Bank estimated that the pandemic had hugely disrupted imports, including vital household items, which in turn led to rapid inflation. The added health and economic strains of the pandemic have deepened the humanitarian impact across the country.

Many Afghans also blame runaway government corruption and

lawlessness for the country’s poor economy.

The UN and its humanitarian partners will seek $1.3bn in aid for 16 million Afghans in need this year, UN secretary-general spokesman Stephane Dujarric, said this month.

That’s up from an estimated 2.3 million people last year who needed lifesaving assistance. “It’s a huge increase in people who need aid,” he said.

Nyamandi said that with no immediate end in sight to the decades-long conflict, millions of people will continue to suffer.

“It’s especially hard on children, many of whom have known nothing but violence,” he said.

According to the UN, nearly 6,000 people — a third children — were killed or wounded in fighting in Afghanistan between January and September last year.

Coronavirus deaths still rising in the US NEW YORK Associated Press

CORONAVIRUS deaths are rising in nearly two-thirds of American states as a winter surge pushes the overall toll toward 400,000 amid warnings that a new, highly contagious variant is taking hold.

As Americans observed a national holiday Monday, New York Gov Andrew Cuomo pleaded with federal authorities to curtail travel from countries where new variants are spreading.

Referring to new versions detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil, Cuomo said: “Stop those people from coming here....

Why are you allowing people to fly into this country and then it’s too late?”

The US government has already curbed travel from some of the places where the new variants are spreading — such as Britain and Brazil — and recently it announced that it would require proof of a negative COVID-19 test for anyone flying into the country.

But the new variant seen in Britain is already spreading in the US, and the Centers for Disease Control and Protection has warned that it will probably become the dominant version in the country by March. The CDC said the variant is about 50% more contagious than the virus that is causing the bulk of cases in the US. While the variant does not cause more severe illness, it can cause more hospitalizations and deaths simply because it spreads more easily. In Britain, it has aggravated a severe outbreak that has swamped hospitals, and it has been blamed for sharp leaps in cases in some other European countries.

As things stand, many US states are already under tremendous strain. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths is rising in 30 states and the District of Columbia, and on Monday the US death toll surpassed 398,000, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University — by far the highest recorded death toll of any country in the world.

Ellie Murray, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health, said cases have proliferated in part because of gatherings for Christmas

POLICE salute as a hearse carrying colleague Det Sgt Stephen Desfosses briefly stops in front of the police station. Desfosses, 52, a local police officer for 32 years, died of the coronavirus on Wednesday in Boston.

Photo: Mark Stockwell/The Sun Chronicle via AP and New Year — and compounded to hospitals in Phoenix when they reduce a high rate of infection that previous surges from Thanksgiv- don’t have enough staff. The county has led to record numbers of hospiing and the return of students to has lagged on coronavirus testing in talisations and deaths. heavily Hispanic neighbourhoods schools and universities in the fall.

Although the state last week said The pace of any further spread and just ran out of vaccines. anyone age 65 and older can start But some support is coming from receiving the vaccine, Los Angeles will depend on whether those who did gather with family and friends military nurses and a new wave of County and some others have said quarantined afterward or went free tests for farmworkers and the they don’t have enough to immuback to school or work in person, elderly in Yuma County. nize so many people. They are Amid the rise in cases, a vast concentrating on protecting health she said.

One of the states hardest hit effort is underway to get Americans care workers and the most vulnerduring the recent surge is Arizona, vaccinated — what Cuomo called able elderly in care homes first. where the rolling average has risen “a footrace” between the vaccinaOn Monday, the superintendent over the past two weeks from about tion rate and the infection rate. But of the Los Angeles Unified School 90 deaths per day to about 160 per the campaign is off to an uneven District sent a letter asking for start. According to the latest fed- state and county authorisation to day on Jan 17.

“It’s kind of hard to imagine it eral data, about 31.2 million doses provide vaccinations at schools for getting a lot faster than it is right of vaccine have been distributed, staff, local community members — now, because it is transmitting really but only about 10.6 million people and for students once a vaccine for fast right now,” said Dr Joshua have received at least one dose. children has been approved.

In some cases, vaccine supplies LaBaer, director of the Biodesign The death rate from COVIDInstitute research centre at Arizona thus far do not meet demand. More 19 in Los Angeles County works State University. “But there is some than 172,000 people in Missouri’s out to about one person every six evidence that Thanksgiving didn’t St Louis County have registered minutes. for the vaccine, but the local health help things.”

On Sunday, the South Coast Air Rural Yuma County — known department so far has only received Quality Management District susas the winter lettuce capital of the 975 doses, said County Executive pended some pollution-control US — is now one of the state’s hot Sam Page. limits on the number of cremations In California, the most populous for at least 10 days in order to deal spots. Exhausted nurses there are now regularly sending COVID-19 state, counties are pleading for with a backlog of bodies at hospipatients on a long helicopter ride more vaccine as the state tries to tals and funeral homes.

PAGE 11

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021

The importance of fathers in the home

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net Dominique Forbes is an evolved woman. We were first introduced to her as Junior Prodigy, or “JP” for short - a young gospel rapper and mother-of-one seeking to spread her message through music.

Dominique has since dropped the title of Junior Prodigy, has developed her singing voice so she no longer raps, is a wife, a mother-of-five, and is now focusing on what she sees as her call in life: to guide people through marriage and family life.

“I have been building a nation,” said Dominique about her being lowkey over the past few years.

“I’m also married now. In February of this year, Sir Sidney and I will be celebrating six wonderful years of marriage. In essence, I engrossed myself in marriage and family life. I have been heavily devoting my time to marriage and family life ministry. I believe in studying to show myself improved, so prior to marriage and throughout the past five years. I have dedicated my time to becoming a student of it. I am far from obtaining my degree in this area, however, I am confident enough to expand my reach,” she said.

Marriage is the platform from which all of Dominique’s current and future work will stem.

Apart from her music venture, Dominique is seeking to breathe new life into Bahamian families with her first book, “Where is Daddy? The Stay Put Series”.

The book addresses marriage, the importance of a father’s presence within the home and consequently speaks to dire effects of a single-parent home.

She said it was inspired by a conversation she had with a

SINGER, author and marriage proponent Dominique Forbes

THE COVER are for _Where is Daddy family member about the presence of fathers.

“During a conversation with my cousin Derenika in Bain Town she asked me if I noticed the excitement that the children have

when their father arrives at home.

Her words opened my eyes. Then the series was born,” she said.

“Her words shine the light on a globally grim view. For a long time, fathers have been

described as a ‘killjoy’ when they walk into the home. Clearly that is not the case for neither of our households. So I decided to write about it. We cannot be the only ones witnessing said joy.”

Dominique grew up in a singleparent home, a home with both a mother and father figure and a divorced home. Throughout each phase of life, her biological father was the man caught behind “enemy lines”, she said.

Having this perspective to draw from, Dominique said understood the importance of showing fathers in a good light.

“I consider it a blessing to watch the glee on my children’s faces on a daily basis when their father walks through the door.

Our family photo can be found on the book cover. I want the readers

to pay special attention to the fact that (our son) Samuel is looking up at his father and that was not planned; it was natural,” she said.

She hopes that after finishing her book, readers will understand the need for fathers to be present in every Bahamian home.

“Fathers are needed within the home. I received (tremendous) support when I was a strong – bitter; independent – untrusting; single – unforgiving - mother. The moment I got married and started promoting marriage, that fanbase dissolved faster than salt in hot water.

I, Dominique Forbes, remain unmoved, however,” she said.

Dominique’s passion for long-lasting love and stable relationships is also reflected in her love song, “You A Keeper,” which she released in late 2010 after winning The Guinness Talent Search in 2011.

“Marriage was designed by God. Invite Him into the picture.

He’s got the recipe to keep marriages together.”

The “Where Is Daddy?

– Stay Put Series” is now available on Kindle and soon also in paperback.

For more information, contact dlforbes2015@gmail.com.

REGÉ-Jean Page as the Duke of Hastings and Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton

Bahamian women fall in love with sweeping Regency romance

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

creator of “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder”) follows the Bridgerton and Featherington families as their daughters are presented to society in hopes they will make suitable marriage matches.

But it is the rakish yet charming Duke of Hastings who has made the show one of the most-watched shows on Netflix in the country, and indeed around the world.

(There are even rumours the young Zimbabwean-English actor could be the next James Bond.)

So just what is the appeal of a period drama set in 1813 to viewers in the year 2021, we asked our Tribune readers. This is what they had to say: “Honestly, this show is the best COVID distraction ever,” Mimi told Tribune Woman.

Who wants a prince when you can have a duke?

That’s the sentiment shared by women all over the Bahamas right now after having been swept off their feet by the gorgeous and stunning Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, played by RegéJean Page in Netflix’s new period drama “Bridgerton”.

The show, based on the novels

by Julia Quinn, takes a look at all the scandalous goings-on of English high society during the Regency era as told through the eyes of gossip columnist Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews).

The series, produced by TV mogul Shonda Rhimes (the

GOLDA Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte

See PG A12

PAGE 12, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Bahamian women fall in love with sweeping Regency romance

From pg A11 “It was great to just turn it on and get a break from the problems COVID has caused. And I mean, it has a leading man who is sooo attractive and that accent makes him even more appealing.”

Tina added that she’s always found movies and TV shows to be fascinating entertainment.

“One of my favourite books is ‘The Age of Innocence’ and I absolutely adored ‘Downton Abbey’…that show was tame compared to ‘Bridgerton’ though.

‘Bridgerton’ is like all those Victorian romances I used to sneak to read come to life. It’s just so much fun to watch. I have two more episodes and I am hooked,” she said.

“Let’s be real,” said Krissy,” “who doesn’t love a good old romance with all those hot, sexy scenes. There is something so raunchy yet innocent about the show and I loved it. ‘Bridgeton’ is that show you watch at the end of a day, cleaning your house, struggling with homeschooling and the kids, and you have your glass of wine and think why can’t a duke fall in love with me, why couldn’t I be a society girl and only have

to dress up in beautiful gowns to dance the night away and have servants at my beck and call. It’s so far away from my life. That’s the appeal; it’s a fantasy life and it’s so juicy. It’s been a while that

I have seen like a good juicy romantic show.”

The diverse cast of the show, while a point of criticism for some, is the appeal for April.

“I love that the show has Black people in it. I just enjoy seeing

diversity in such a good show. I would have enjoyed it regardless, but it’s nice to see,” she said.

Caroline said it is about time streaming platforms catered more to women.

THE TRIBUNE

“You’ve got all these Marvel and Star Wars shows coming up, which I’m looking forward to as well, but it’s nice to have something specifically for us girls to enjoy,” she said.

Growing up reading all the “bodice-ripper” novels she could get her hands on, Caroline said it’s fantastic to see this genre brought out of the shadows and into the mainstream with such a highquality production.

“I hope Netflix realises there is a huge market for this kind of thing out there and starts adapting more fun, raunchy, escapist romance novels,” she said.

Season one of “Bridgerton” told the story of Julia Quinn’s “The Duke and I”, the first novel a romance series about the Bridgerton siblings. Like “The Duke and I”, it focuses on Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings.

Season two is already in the works – although COVID-19 has stalled the production – and while it will feature some of the same cast, the focus will most likely be on Anthony Bridgerton, who is also the main protagonist in the second book, “The Viscount Who Loved Me”.

A growing community seeks to teach Bahamian women how to overcome trauma and reach their full potential

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net THE AUTHENTIC Woman - a faith based, female-focused community is seeking to help millennial women effectively navigate womanhood and gain the perspective, tools, and support they need to live confidently and find their purpose.

Founded by entrepreneur Katherine Coakley, the community is geared towards empowering, encouraging and equipping women to live intentionally, enhance their diverse capabilities, connect with likeminded individuals, and grow in their relationship with God. “We currently do this through social media, emails, and the exclusive ‘Win from Within’ coaching programme that challenges women to confront areas within themselves that have historically hindered their development,” said Ms Coakley.

The coaching programme, she said, has become a beacon of hope and restoration for women both here in the Bahamas and abroad.

“Women gain the opportunity to heal and grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and professionally. They can engage in complimentary live video discussions on topics that will give them the footing to grow consistently,” she said.

Ms Coakley said the organisation was officially launched in 2017 with a conference of 75 women, and it later evolved into weekly small group sessions called “ Moments of Truth” led

by Katherine and Daniah Miller of Daniah Writes. These sessions, she said, allowed women from diverse backgrounds to meet other women in a safe space to learn and grow together. The goal was to create a sisterhood of women who were dedicated to wholeness, purpose, success, and faith.

Each week, they all realised that women needed more support, as the sessions were only an introduction to the issues so many of them needed help addressing.

As a result, the need for a more intimate and direct approach was necessary, which led to the founding of The Authentic Woman Academy with a signature coaching programme focused on helping women to build themselves from within.

“The Authentic Woman community has now become a haven, resource, classroom, and accountability movement that is genuinely invested in seeing every woman succeed internally and externally.

My goal is to help more women understand the power of identity,” said Ms Coakley.

“After coaching dozens of women, I have realised that life

“After coaching dozens of women, I have realised that life has stripped many women of clarity concerning who they are. Their experiences robbed them of self-esteem, aspirations, faith and community.” has stripped many women of clarity concerning who they are.

Their experiences robbed them of self-esteem, aspirations, faith and community. I want women to know that there is more available to them. I want them to know that they don’t have to settle, that they can be and have everything that Yahweh intended. I want women to know that they are enough to change the trajectory of their life and family. I want women to understand their unique power and the authority that is hidden within them simply embracing their call, story, and purpose. I desire to help develop a generation of women who are so committed to becoming, that the world at large feels the imprint of every woman who dared to pursue more.”

She explained that the “Win from Within” consists of an intensive six-week coaching

KATHERINE COAKLEY, founder of The Authentic Woman community

PREVIOUS meetings by Authenic Woman participants seeking to find their true purpose in life programme where they confront the stigmas, dysfunction, trauma, and damaging cycles that Bahamian culture and tradition have exposed women to, and they dig into the formulas that awaken character and relationship-building, inner healing, mind renewal, emotional intelligence, wealth strategies, and greater dimensions of purpose.

The Authentic Woman Academy programme initially began

with face-to-face meetings last February.

“However, as COVID-19 became more of a threat, I transitioned to a virtual coaching format for safety reasons. As a result, it allowed women to join in locally and abroad to invest in their personal development during quarantine and beyond,” said Ms Coakley.

“Since we began I have coached over 25 women who are applying

the lessons garnered from the experience on a daily basis and are experiencing breakthroughs in areas where they were previously stunted or stopped.”

Asked why it is so important to her to create a platform like this for women, Ms Coakley said she believes when a woman is whole, aware and confident, households, businesses, communities, and the world at large benefit.

She said there are many decisions people can make that only serve them, but women create a domino effect, as they are powerful beyond measure, both when broken and when whole.

“I believe platforms like the academy and its community are important because they cultivate a greater awareness of the limiting emotional, mental and relational factors that threaten our ability to function well. I also believe that safe spaces provide a haven for women to decompress and connect with other women who can add value to their experiences,” she said.

One the programme’s participants, Dwaneisha Mcgregor, said: “When God lead me to join The Authenic Woman in 2020 I was going through a really tough time emotionally and mentally. God said to me before I joined the programme that this was a time for me to ‘become’. I had a family member who had gone through the Authentic Woman journey with Katherine (Coakley) before, so I asked for her thoughts on the programme and she encouraged me to sign up because it was worth every penny…The tools that Katherine has given me to not just be self-aware, but to also see how I can practically address the roots of trauma, I still use today. Katherine’s words of truth and wisdom have stayed with me even after I have completed the programme and it’s a bonus that I can always refer to the work booklet for reminders of doing the soul work.

I am grateful for the role this programme has played and continues to play in my becoming.”

Ms Coakley said there are several other events and programmes she would like to introduce that speak to helping women to overcome very specific areas of struggle. Currently, she is preparing to launch the first self-paced programme in March that allows women to be able to engage in an experience that is unique to their “pain point”.

She is also also in the planning stages of an empowerment event for women to learn how to grow and connect with like-minded individuals.

For more information, visit www.theauthenticwoman.onlin

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 13

BODY AND MIND

Bahamians find new ways to define self-care

Exploring meditation, social media breaks and ‘self-dating’

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net The topic of self-care and mental health awareness has never been more in the spotlight than it is now, when the entire world has lived through nearly a year of challenging and extraordinary circumstances.

Celebrities and influencers are coming to the forefront to share their stories, unashamed to speak of their personal struggles in an effort to inspire others who may be having a hard time coping with the new normal.

Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, for exampled, advised people to write a book, learn an instrument or a language, or learn to code online, draw or paint. Reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian offered self-care tips to her followers that included working out, calming techniques and sexual health advice. Singer Camila Cabello said mediation has changed her life in the last few months, helping with relieving stress as well as anxiety.

Tribune Woman asked a number of Bahamian women to share their personal self-care tips that have helped them take better care of their mental well-being.

“I cannot say this enough, but it is so important to pamper yourself. There is nothing shallow about it either,” said Shandra Bethel.

“As moms, we are taking care of our homes, making sure we are on time for our jobs and our duties, and we cannot afford to fall off in anyway. But what we don’t realise is, as we are doing all of theses things – you know, making sure everyone is good

– who is making sure we are? You have to find something that you enjoy and make it a habit of putting it into practice on a regular basis. I get my hair and nails done and I have just recently got into getting my lashes done. Seeing

myself all fixed up makes me feel good and all bubbly inside, and that is how I want to feel. Apart from this, something as simple as lighting a candle, turning on your iPad, dimming the lights and sitting in the bathtub is pampering

yourself; it feels good and it is important.”

Vanessa Simon said her “me time” tip is to take social media breaks often.

“I can’t be the only one who found myself waking up and the first thing I am picking up is my phone, and the same before going to bed…on my phone.”

She said while the internet offers a lot information you need in daily life, and social media can keep you abreast of what’s happening in your vicinity and around the world, like with all things we consume, too much of a anything comes with its own problems.

“My friend invited me over to spend Thanksgiving dinner with her and her family last year. It was about five of us, and what got me was when she had to repeatedly tell me ‘to be present’. Yes, I was there with her, but on my phone 24/7. We took photos, but as soon as that was done, here I was trying to decide which photo to upload via Instagram or what caption to think of. As we are on a curfew, I was obviously only there for a short time. But in the end I realised how much time I wasted on my phone, something I was taking home with me. I didn’t really get to spend much time with my friends due to restrictions, but I realised how much social media consumed my time. I am not saying never go on social media, but I encourage people to set boundaries and limits when it comes to your time and your phone; I encourage people to be present,” said Vanessa.

For Anastasia, self-care takes on the form of “dating herself.”

She said there was once a time when being single made her feel depressed and alone. So typically when one relationship ended, she

found herself in another shortly after.

“Boy, was I doing it wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to be wined and dined. I love a shoulder to lean on, but most of all, I love me. My friends would laugh when they would call and find out I am in the movie theatre catching a show all by myself, or at a bar enjoying a mojito by my lonesome; sitting up at Starbucks at any time of the day. I want and enjoy my own company. I even have some of my friends trying it, and I love to see it,” said Anastasia.

“I am now comfortable with it and it doesn’t bother me at all.

There are many lessons in dating yourself, but one that stands out to me right now is: you are not going to give yourself less than what you deserve. And once you are familiar and comfortable with what you deserve, you won’t settle for less. I thank God for giving me the provisions to be able to treat myself in this way, I am truly grateful.”

Michelle Duncombe said her number one tip is to pray and meditate.

“Just recently...my fiancé and little sister, we all went to the beach where we enjoyed some time in the water. I said to my fiancé, take some stress off of your shoulders and get in the water.

Before he could respond, my sister, she is six by the way, she sat with her legs crossed, closed her eyes and put her fingers together.

She said, ‘Come on, you can do it like this.’ Mind you, I had no idea she was even aware of this. I was blown away and so touched by it, that a child knew how to practice quieting her mind and letting it all flow. So there you have it, I offer you advice from my six-year-old sister,” said Michelle.

More health inequality: Black people are three times more likely to experience pulse oximeter errors

By THOMAS VALLEY Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have purchased small devices called pulse oximeters for use in their home – based on well-intentioned recommendations from health care providers and the media. Pulse oximeters are devices, usually placed on a person’s finger, used to noninvasively measure oxygen levels in the blood. Clinics and hospitals, for example, use them regularly to screen newborns for heart defects after birth.

Yet pulse oximeter measurements are imperfect, particularly for Black patients. Our recent paper demonstrated that Black patients were three times more likely than white patients to have low oxygen levels that were missed by pulse oximeters. That could translate into as many as 1 in 10 inaccurate readings among Blacks.

We are ICU physicians and internists with expertise in health care research and policy. Our findings were guided by our personal experiences engaging with communities of color during the pandemic and seeing firsthand how easy it is for racial bias to affect health care.

Of oxygen and oximetry Low blood oxygen levels are harmful to patients and can indicate that they are seriously ill.

Clinicians frequently use pulse oximetry measurements to decide whether a patient should receive oxygen therapy and how much oxygen a patient should receive.

Health care workers may also use this information when deciding what type of care a patient needs, such as admission to a hospital, transfer to an intensive care unit or need for a ventilator.

By MICHAEL SJODING Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School

Pulse oximeters came on the market in the late 1970s and seemed to meet the need for an accurate measure of oxygen levels.

Pulse oximeters use light that passes through the skin to measure oxygen levels. Blood with higher oxygen levels absorbs light differently than blood with lower oxygen levels. However, anything that slows the passage of this light, like nail polish or skin tone, can cause inaccuracies. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic we started to recognize that these measurements seemed to be inaccurate for Black patients.

Our study confirmed those suspicions, for example finding that sometimes when a pulse oximeter read 94 percent, the actual blood level of oxygen was much lower.

A normal oxygen saturation is above 92 percent. Oxygen therapy is typically started when oxygen levels are consistently below 89 percent. In our study, we identified patients who had normal oxygen levels by pulse oximetry (between 92 percent and 96 percent) but low oxygen levels by blood oxygen testing (less than 89 percent).

If low oxygen levels in Black patients are missed because of inaccurate pulse oximeter readings, Black patients may be less likely to receive appropriate oxygen therapy or other medical care when they need it. Some people with COVID-19 infection were encouraged to purchase pulse oximeters to monitor their oxygen levels at home as a tool to decide whether hospitalisation was needed. These inexpensive home pulse oximeters [%22http] may be even less accurate than the hospital pulse oximeters used in our study.

The extent to which biased pulse oximeters may have delayed appropriate treatment for Black patients is unknown. It is also unclear just how these inaccuracies might affect other medical conditions where racial disparities in medical care have been previously identified.

The importance of accurate oxygen measurements The first pulse oximeter was developed in 1974. However, because early designers did not use a diverse group of test subjects, sources of error, like skin tone, were underrecognised.

Today’s pulse oximeters might be better than the ones from the 1970s – the FDA requires all medical technology to be tested on a diverse population of patients, based on age, gender and skin tone. However, the agency defines skin tone diversity by having at least two “darkly pigmented” individuals in the entire testing sample. Our study shows today’s pulse oximeters are still not good

By SUSAN DORR GOOLD Professor of Internal Medicine and Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan Medical School

enough and that the agency’s guidelines for diverse testing remain insufficient.

A study from the late 1980s began to show that pulse oximeters might be inaccurate based on skin tone, and a series of publications in the 1990s seemed to confirm these findings. Yet 40 years later, these findings have not been widely publicized, were not thoroughly investigated with additional clinical studies and are not routinely a part of medical school curricula at this time.

How to close the gap Pulse oximetry will remain an important tool for clinicians, and our findings highlight the need to consider pulse oximetry data in the context of other information related to the patient.

However, there are no other straightforward and noninvasive ways to estimate oxygen levels.

Feeling short of breath poorly correlates with oxygen levels; skin findings, such as cyanosis, may be more difficult to identify in individuals with darker skin tones; and using other locations

of the body to measure oxygen levels noninvasively (like the ear) may not produce more accurate results than the finger.

An alternative strategy might be to perform more invasive measurements of oxygen level, such as sampling arterial blood.

However, arterial blood draws are painful and can lead to complications. They are also inconvenient and require specialised training. Requiring arterial blood for accurate measurements in Black patients but not white patients simply propagates a different form of racial bias.

Medical technology developers should increase the number and diversity of test subjects, with device performance compared across groups to ensure the equity of their accuracy. In addition, prior testing was conducted only among healthy subjects, and our study suggests inaccuracies may be more prominent as oxygen levels decrease. Diversity, in this case, should include a range of patients, based on age, gender, skin tone, and disability.

Our recent conversations with device manufacturers suggest that engineering solutions may already be available. However, once new technologies are available, replacing legacy pulse oximeters with more accurate devices will be difficult, given the ubiquity of existing pulse oximeters and the expense associated with purchasing new devices. Health care providers and patient advocacy groups will need to demand updated technology when it becomes available.

Recognising this now may lead to improvements in medical technology, better medical care for Black patients, and greater recognition of [%22ht]structural racism within medicine.

PAGE 14, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

What to do if your PSA level is high Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a type of protein released by the prostate gland. Screening for possible prostate cancer involves taking a PSA blood test, which is recommended annually starting at the age of 40 years old.

Men with strong risk factors for developing prostate cancer should start annual prostate cancer screening at the age of 35 years old. High risk factors for developing prostate cancer include a first degree relative being diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 50 years old or a genetic predisposition such as being BRCA (breast cancer gene) mutation positive. Men and women can have a BRCA mutation and it puts these individuals at greater risk of developing several cancers, including breast and pancreatic cancer and for men.

There is also an associated greater risk for being afflicted with prostate cancer.

You have gone for your annual physical and your physician has informed you that your PSA blood test is abnormal. What is the next step?

Firstly, keep calm.

The PSA blood test is an important screening tool for prostate cancer but it is not a very specific indicator of prostate cancer. There are many conditions other than prostate cancer that can lead to an elevated PSA value. However, a PSA value of greater than 100 ng/ ml has a very high likelihood of indicating prostate cancer.

Repeat the PSA value immediately if the PSA value is significantly elevated or repeat more than one month later if the value is marginally elevated. Your urologist will assess whether you have an infection of your prostate, prostatitis or clinically significant incomplete bladder emptying that could have contributed to an elevated PSA value. Medications would be prescribed if necessary for treating prostate gland infections or to assist in fully emptying the bladder. Ejaculation within three days of taking a PSA blood test could also lead to elevation of PSA values.

Repeating the value right away, only rules out the very unlikely and almost never seen scenario of lab error. Repeating the PSA value assessment four to six weeks later allows for resolution of possible natural fluctuations in PSA and allows for the treatment of possible infection of the prostate or confirmed significant incomplete emptying of the bladder. It is, however, possible to have confirmed infection of the prostate and incomplete bladder emptying and still have prostate cancer.

If the first PSA value was between 4 to 10 ng/ml then your urologist will request the free PSA value along with your repeat PSA assessment. The lower the free PSA value, the greater the statistical probability that there is prostate cancer present.

It is fundamentally important to review the history of PSA values and not just consider a PSA number in isolation. A PSA might be in the age specific normal range but there may be a large increase in the value from one year to the next; which indicates a high PSA velocity. Approximately 15 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer have a PSA value in a normal range.

THE UROLOGY DOCTOR IS IN...

PSA density

Dr Greggory Pinto

The repeat PSA value is still elevated. What’s next?

If the clinical exam reveals a malignant feeling prostate and the PSA value is strongly supportive of advanced prostate cancer then your urologist might opt for immediate ultrasound guided prostate biopsies. The biopsy of the prostate can be done under local anesthesia, conscious sedation or general anesthesia.

Most urologists would strongly recommend imaging of the prostate in the form of a 3T MRI or a PSA PET/CAT scan. These forms of state of the art imaging will reveal any areas within the prostate that are suspicious for prostate cancer, as well as provide a scoring system indicating the statistical probability of any prostate lesions being prostate cancer.

Your urologist will then use this information to determine whether a prostate biopsy is warranted.

grade and low-grade prostate cancer.

A highly specific and sensitive biomarker blood test must be both tissue specific and cancer specific; both these requirements are fulfilled by the IsoPSA blood test. PSA is only tissue specific and it can be elevated for conditions other than prostate cancer.

The advanced imaging of the prostate allows this information to be used to allow for image directed, more accurate prostate biopsies if that is indicated.

Prostate cancer diagnosis requires a prostate biopsy with a pathology confirmed tissue diagnosis.

There are several biomarker tests available that can be also be requested for prostate cancer screening.

IsoPSA blood test A relatively new blood test IsoPSA has been found to be more accurate in predicting prostate cancer than the standard PSA blood test. The IsoPSA is effective at diagnosing prostate cancer and discriminating between high

PSA density is more accurate than routine PSA alone for predicting prostate cancer, if the PSA value is elevated above 4 ng/ml and less than 20 ng/ml.

PSA density is calculated by dividing the total PSA by the prostate volume. PSA values are influenced by the volume of the prostate.

Noncancerous prostate cells contribute to PSA values; thus a patient with a very large noncancerous prostate can have an elevated PSA value without prostate cancer being present. PSA density removes the influence of a large prostate on the PSA value.

4K score 4K score is a blood test that combines four prostate specific biomarkers with clinical information such as age; to predict the likelihood of clinically significant prostate cancer being present.

The use of MRI prostate and 4K score provides a strong indicator for detecting high risk prostate cancer that requires treatment There are several other prostate cancer biomarkers available including PCA3, which is a urine

test, and Prostate Health Index (PHI) which is a biomarker based mathematical determined test.

African ancestry and advancing age are strong risk factors for prostate cancer.

Bahamians and residents should be diligent in having annual prostate cancer screening every year starting at the age of 40 years old.

Commonly prescribed medications such as Avodart or Finasteride will artificially halve a PSA value if taken for longer than five months. These medications are often prescribed for men with an enlarged obstructive prostate to aid them in reducing their urinary symptoms. Patients taking these medications long term, should double their PSA value to get a accurate value during prostate cancer screening.

Early detection is key for successfully curing prostate cancer.

The 10-year survival for early prostate cancer is 98 percent at ten years.

Prostate cancer is a very curable disease.

• Dr Greggory Pinto is a board certified Bahamian urologist and laparoscopic surgeon. He has trained in Germany, South Africa and France, and is a member of the European Association of Urology. He can be contacted at OakTree Medical Center, #2 Fifth Terrace & Mount Royal Avenue. Telephone: (242) 322-1145 (6) (7); e-mail: welcome@urologycarebahamas.com, or visit the website:www.urologycarebahamas.com.

WHO chief lambasts vaccine profits, demands elderly go first

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organisation chief on Monday lambasted drugmakers’ profits and vaccine inequalities, saying it’s “not right” that younger, healthier adults in wealthy countries get vaccinated against COVID-19 before older people or health care workers in poorer countries and charging that most vaccine makers have targeted locations where “profits are highest.”

Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus kicked off the WHO’s week-long executive board meeting — virtually from its headquarters in Geneva — by lamenting that one poor country received a mere 25 vaccine doses while over 39 million doses have been administered in nearly 50 richer nations.

“Just 25 doses have been given in one lowest income country – not 25 million, not 25,000 – just 25. I need to be blunt: The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure,” Tedros said. He did not specify the country, but a WHO spokeswoman identified it as Guinea.

“It’s right that all governments want to prioritise vaccinating their own health workers and older people first,” he said. “But it’s not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries.

There will be enough vaccine for everyone.”

Tedros, an Ethiopian who goes by his first name, nonetheless hailed the scientific achievement behind rolling out coronavirus vaccines less than a year after the pandemic erupted in China, where a WHO-backed team has now been deployed to look into origins of the coronavirus.

“Vaccines are the shot in the arm we all need, literally and figuratively,” Tedros said. “But we now face the real danger that even as vaccines bring hope to

The WHO has approved PfzierBioNTech for emergency use against coronavirus and could approve Moderna this week.

some, they become another brick in the wall of inequality between the worlds of the world’s haves and have-nots.”

He noted the WHO-backed COVAX programme, which aims to get vaccines out to all countries, rich or poor, based on need, has so far secured two billion vaccine doses from five producers and options on a billion doses more.

“We aim to start deliveries in February,” he said. “COVAX is ready to deliver what it was created for.”

That target date could be a tall order, because a key producer of vaccines for the developing world — the Serum Institute of India — has not confirmed a date and predicted that its rollout might not happen before March or April.

In his opening remarks, Tedros aired some of his toughest public words yet toward vaccine makers, criticizing “bilateral deals” between them and countries that the WHO says can deplete the effectiveness of the COVAX

facility — and went further to raise the issue of profits.

“The situation is compounded by the fact that most manufacturers have prioritised regulatory approval in rich countries, where the profits are highest, rather than submitting full dossiers to WHO,” he said.

That appeared to allude to a shortage of data the UN health agency says it has received from vaccine makers so that the WHO can approve their shots for wider emergency use.

Dr Clement Martin Auer, a board member from Austria, had sharp words and questions for GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, that also with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations is leading the effort on COVAX. While calling its principles of equal access to vaccines a “fantastic idea,” Auer faulted COVAX as being “slow” and unable to close “crucial numbers” of contracts. He defended the European Union, which counts among its 27 members many of the world’s richest countries, for getting

A MEMBER of staff at the university hospital injects the Moderna vaccine against COVID-19 into a patient in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP) vaccines for its 450 million citizens and being “the single largest donor” in supporting COVAX. “We were, in the European Union, skeptical that GAVICOVAX had the means and the capabilities to fulfill its tasks and negotiate the necessary contracts and to secure the needs of our citizens,” Auer said, adding that COVAX management had “rejected” proposals negotiated

by GAVI and the EU. He said GAVI-COVAX early last year had not included mRNA vaccines like those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna in the COVAX portfolio.

“This was a major mistake, taking into account that the mRNAs are the early ones on the market and the gold standards when it comes to COVID vaccines,” Auer said.

Dr Bruce Aylward, a special adviser to Tedros, said that the WHO was in “detailed discussions with Pfizer. We believe very soon we will have access to that product.” He said the mRNA vaccines are “important” but are “extremely difficult” — alluding to cold-chain requirements, among other things, and are “extremely expensive.”

“What we are gunning for is to get 20 percent of the world, at least, vaccinated this year, and more ideally,” Aylward said.

“We are in a strong position to move out with vaccines globally.

We just need the assistance of our member states in particular to make sure that becomes the reality.”

In related vaccine news, Israel has struck a deal with Pfizer, promising to share vast troves of medical data with the international drug giant in exchange for the continued flow of its hard-toget vaccine.

Proponents say the deal could allow Israel to become the first country to vaccinate most of its population, while providing valuable research that could help the rest of the world. But critics say the deal raises major ethical concerns, including possible privacy violations and a deepening of the global divide in access to coronavirus vaccines.

Due to the ultra-cold storage needed for the Pfizer vaccine, it is more expensive and harder to use than some rivals, including the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, but studies show it is very effective. Israeli media have reported that Israel paid at least 50 percent more than other countries for the Pfizer vaccine.

Ashok Sharma in Delhi and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

SPORTS PAGE 15

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021

AYTON, PAGE 17

It’s official: Adari Grant joins St Louis Cardinals

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A

dari Grant returned to Grand Bahama to celebrate the next chapter of his baseball career as he officially became the newest member of the St Louis Cardinals organisation.

Grant signed his contract to join the club among family and well-wishers at the Pelican Bay Resort in Grand Bahama yesterday.

The 17-year-old 5’11” 163-pound shortstop, out of the International Elite Sports Academy, headlined the group of 15 free agents signed by the Cardinals to open Major League Baseball’s 2021 International Signing Period.

“I don’t know how to express my feelings, it’s surreal. I feel excitement, but I’m also anxious to start my professional career and I know I’m going to make everyone proud and represent The Bahamas very well,” Grant said following the ceremony.

“My mindset and attitude will be the same as always.

Although I signed, nothing has changed, I’m going to keep the same underdog attitude, the same work ethic, go at it 24/7 and never let up. That’s how it is and how it always will be. I have to turn it up, I have to go harder, I have to stay committed and once I do that I know I’ll make it.”

With his signing, Grant became the first Bahamian player to join the Cardinals organisation.

“The Cardinals have many great players in their history like Ozzie Smith, Albert Pujols and others,” he said. “To know that they took a chance on a Bahamian kid, and they never took a chance on a Bahamian kid before, but they thought enough of me to make me the main prospect and it meant alot to me because these are the great Cardinals.”

Grant spent his early years at Sunland Baptist before he left Grand Bahama for Georgia Premier Academy in Statesboro, Georgia.

Georgia Premier alumni also includes Chavez Young, Chavez Fernander and Shameko Smith - all Grand Bahama natives who have gone on to play professional baseball.

He eventually made the transition to I-Elite where he completed his high school education and took his final steps toward professional baseball development.

His mother, Philcher Grant, said each decision was made with a singular goal in mind - to achieve the dream Adari spoke about as a pre-teen.

“There’s no words a mother can use except proud. Proud that he took a chance to gamble on his dreams at such a young age.

Adari told me at the age of 12 ‘I want to be a professional player’ and he gave everything to it. He sacrificed a normal childhood, going out with friends and having fun. He had to do two years in one to graduate because that was my deal - ‘you don’t sign until you graduate’ - so he finished a half-a-year early to do this and he never once wavered,” she said.

“He sacrificed, he put in the work and I’m so proud of him.”

I-Elite was founded by directors Geron Sands and Albert Cartwright. It provides an avenue for players between the ages of 11 and 17 years an opportunity to hone their skills with the view of playing at the professional level.

“I-Elite is one of the first academies of its kind in The Bahamas. We use customised and professional training to develop and assist aspiring professional and collegiate athletes to reach their goals,” Sands said.

“Over the past six years, we have been a part of helping over 20 young men fulfil their goals of making it to professional baseball with eight different organisations. While doing that we were able to secure college or high school scholarships for another 15 young men.

We believe that kids are the future of The Bahamas and investing in them is the only

ADARI GRANT, of the Bahamas, officially became the newest member of the St Louis Cardinals organisation. He signed his contract to join the club among family and well wishers at the Pelican Bay Resort in Grand Bahama yesterday.

Photos courtesy of 10th Year Seniors

ADARI GRANT, in action left, with I-Elite director Geron Sands (above). way to make our country a better place.”

Sands said he saw the signs of a professional player early in Grant’s days with the programme.

“Adari came to I-Elite as a kid that only wanted to play in the big leagues.

From he got to Nassau he had one goal in mind, he was determined to prove everyone wrong that thought he wasn’t good enough. Adari knew he had to put in multiple hours of work more than anyone else to get him where he

needed to be. He never complained one day about being tired, his only focus was being the best player he can be,” he said.

“He dedicated himself to becoming a better all around student athlete.

Many kids today want to become a professional athlete but not a professional student. One without the other usually doesn’t end well because there is always life after sports. Today we are here to celebrate his first step toward his ultimate goal.”

Cartwright added: “It’s always a unique situation when you have a guy from Grand Bahama uproot his home to come to Nassau and go to work everyday not knowing what the outcome will be. He said: “So we thank the Grant family for trusting in us to allow us to help make Adari a better baseball player and a better man.”

Luis Morales, Cardinals’ Director of International Operations, said Grant’s strong support system will be vital as he looks to progress in his pro career.

“It is impressive how everybody came together today. It makes us happy about the support system he has in this very difficult sport. He already knows because he went through it when he moved to Nassau and when he had to travel to the Dominican Republic or in the United States to play for different teams - this foundation and his family is going to help him throughout his career,” Morales said. “This is a market that has been growing alot in the last couple years and we are very interested in finding players in this country. We were happy to find Adari, to get to know him and now finally to sign him and now he’s becoming a part of the St Louis Cardinals family.

This is just the beginning, the goal is to make it to St Louis.”

The Cardinals free agent signing group also included players from the Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela. The group included five outfielders, one catcher, six infielders and three right-handed pitchers.

INAUGURAL NATIONAL INTERSCHOOLS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS MARCH 22-25

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WITH all of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology are collaborating their efforts to reintroduce golf into the schools’ curriculum.

The two ministries, which are housed in the same building and at one point were under the same umbrella, are working with the Bahamas Golf Federation and Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy to stage the inaugural National Interschools Golf Championships.

In a joint press conference on Friday at the Courtyard Marriot Hotel, the four bodies revealed plans for the event scheduled for March 22-25 at the BFG’s nine-hole driving range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

MINISTRY of Education and Sports, BGF and junior golfers pose for a photo by Ulric Woodside_.jpg Sarah Scheidecker, a six-year-old member of the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy, an affiliated club of the BGF, kicked off the event by declaring “thanks for bringing golf to our schools.”

But while the Nassau Christian Academy student set the stage, it was the

comments by Zion Taylor, dubbed the young ‘Tiger Woods’ and one of the top junior golfers in the country, who said these championships will give him and the other junior golfers in the country the opportunity to showcase their skills.

“As a young golfer, I came with the passion and

love for the game,” said Taylor, a 16-year-old student of the Albany Golf Academy. “I spent countless hours of hitting the golf ball until I couldn’t, putting until my back felt so stiff and chipping until there is no more sunshine because I knew what I wanted to accomplish in life.”

As a walking proof of what one can achieve by playing the sport, Taylor encouraged more Bahamian student-athletes to pursue the sport. The former student of Tambearly International School advised them to just believe in themselves that they can do and they can achieve it.

Georgette Rolle, the director of the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy, revealed that each school is invited to submit a team of five golfers per team per category, which include boys and girls.

“If everyone competes, we are definitely looking up to about 800 students competing in the first golf championships,” she said.

“With five players per team, we will take the low four scores to get the accumulated scores for the team.”

Rolle indicated that there will be an individual junior boy and girl champion crowned as well and the overall tournament low score for the championships.

Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco and Exuma are the first four schools from the Family Islands, who will stage their own championships this year before they participate in the national

SEE PAGE 18

SPORTS

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 17

Ayton has double double, Suns fall to the Grizzlies

By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 17 points and 10 assists and took a key charge late as the Memphis Grizzlies won their fifth straight, beating the Phoenix Suns 108-104 yesterday.

Morant assisted on Grayson Allen’s 3-pointer with 1:06 left to give Memphis a 101-98 lead, then scored on a drive with 30.8 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Morant took a charge against Chris Paul to help maintain the Memphis lead.

“Ja has a crazy good feel for the game,” said Brandon Clarke, who matched Morant’s 17 points. “I feel like those first three quarters, he’s just kind of like watching the defence, watching us, seeing what the defence gives him.

“By the fourth quarter, he’s just kind of like already figured out everything with that, and he’s able to get in the paint, get his shot off, get his teammates shots.”

Allen, who finished with 16 points, converted four free throws down the stretch to preserve the win.

“We didn’t get stops. We didn’t execute,” said Paul, who finished with 16 points and seven assists. “I had six turnovers. This ain’t it. This ain’t it. ... We shouldn’t be losing this many close games like that.”

Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 18 points and tied a season high with 16 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges had 17 points.

Devin Booker added 12 points but struggled from the field, converting only five of his 21 shots.

Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said the Grizzlies tried to share the load of defending Booker.

MEMPHIS Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots ahead of Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton (22) in the first half yesterday in Memphis, Tenn. Ayton posted a double double - 18 points and season high 16 rebounds - with three assists and a block in 35 minutes. He also had three turnovers.

(AP Photo/Brandon Dill) “I thought Grayson, Dario Saric. The Grizzlies the low post for the Suns. So, I was kind of prepared in particular, did a really, had Jaren Jackson Jr and “I’m just grateful to have for it.”... Memphis shot 13 really nice job,” Jen- Justise Winslow out with those two guys,” Williams of 18 in the second quarter, kins said. “We had a lot injuries and starting centre said. ... The Suns have including missing on one of of guys switching on to Jonas Valanciunas entered played in two other MLK six 3-pointers.

(Booker) throughout the the health and safety pro- Jr Day games in Memphis COVID CHAOS game. That’s just discipline tocols after Saturday’s win — 2007 and 2010. ... CamWith the cancellations team-wise.” over Philadelphia. eron Johnson moved into around the league because The game — part of In the end, the Suns were the starting lineup for Jae of health and safety protoMemphis’ 19th annual not able to hold the advan- Crowder, who started the cols, every game seems up Martin Luther King tage in the final 2:39. After first 11 Phoenix games. in the air until tipoff.

Jr Day celebration — taking a 98-94 lead, Phoe- ... Cameron Payne, who “For us, we just kind of marked the first time nix was outscored 14-6. missed the previous two take it moment by moment, Phoenix had played in a Suns coach Monty games with a sprained right day by day, not trying to week after having three Williams called Allen’s ankle, returned to action. look too far ahead,” Jengames cancelled under the 3-pointer “a microcosm of Grizzlies: With Valan- kins said. league’s health and safety the whole night,” adding: ciunas unavailable, rookie “We always prepare that guidelines.

“Down the stretch, we had Xavier Tillman made his we’re playing a game until Monday’s game was some shots, we just missed first NBA start. “Me and we’re not.” a matchup of pieced- them.” my wife (Sunday) were in UP NEXT together lineups as both TIP-INS the car geeked and screamSuns: Face the Rockets teams were dealing with Suns: With the absence ing (thinking) ‘No way this in Houston on Wednesday. injuries and the league’s of Saric, Damian Jones is happening,’” Tillman Grizzlies: Play the first of health and safety protocols. and rookie big man Jalen said. “When coach told me, two games against the Trail Three players didn’t travel Smith, that left only Ayton I was kind of ready for it, Blazers in Portland starting with the Suns, including and Frank Kaminsky in hoping it’s going to happen. Wednesday.

SPURS GET THE WIN OVER TRAIL BLAZERS 125-104

By ERIK GARCÍA GUNDERSEN Associated Press

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points, DeMar DeRozan had 20 points and 11 assists and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 125-104 yesterday.

Rudy Gay and Patty Mills came off the bench for 21 points apiece as the Spurs reserves outscored Portland backups 59-24.

Reserve centre Jakob Poeltl added 11 points and seven rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass.

“Their bench hurt us,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “The shooting off the bench, the second-chance opportunities. They really hurt us. They had 10 second-chance points in the fourth quarter.”

Aldridge, playing against the team he spent nine years with, got things rolling for the Spurs.

“He set the tone early,” Gay said. “He got to his spots and he knocked down his shots. Him knocking down shots and pulling out the big men kind of opens things up. It opens up cracks and DeMar slips through those cracks.”

Aldridge scored eight points in the first quarter.

“He didn’t catch and think about it,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He was just determined to let it fly.”

Between DeRozan and point guard Dejounte Murray, the Spurs also had two players with 11 assists apiece while the Blazers had just 20 total assists as a team. “They’re unselfish guys and they don’t really care who scores,” Popovich said of his two offensive conductors. “They just play the game the right way.”

Nets edge Bucks 125-123 in matchup of Eastern powers NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds left, James Harden had 34 points and 12 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets edged the Milwaukee Bucks 125123 last night.

Durant finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists to give the Nets their fourth straight victory in a game in which two of the East’s best went toe-totoe right down to a tense finish that ended when Khris Middleton missed a potential winning 3-pointer from the corner.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee, which had its four-game winning streak stopped. Middleton added 25 points and Jrue Holiday had 22.

HAWKS 108, TIMBERWOLVES 97 ATLANTA (AP) — Clint Capela had 23 points and 15 rebounds, De’Andre Hunter scored 25 and Atlanta beat Minnesota.

The Hawks, wearing black, tan and white uniforms with “MLK” sewn across the chest to

commemorate the national holiday honouring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, snapped a two-game skid. They had dropped six of seven.

Trae Young had 20 points and 13 assists for Atlanta.

D’Angelo Russell finished with 31 points for Minnesota, which has lost nine of 10.

HEAT 113, PISTONS 107 MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo had 28 points and 11 rebounds and the short-handed Heat got their biggest comeback win of the season, rallying from 19 down to beat Detroit and snap a threegame slide.

Goran Dragic scored 22 points for the Heat, who got 18 apiece from Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn. Miami was again without Jimmy Butler and Avery Bradley (virus protocols), Tyler Herro (neck) and Meyers Leonard (shoulder).

Jerami Grant had 27 points for Detroit, but his layup that could have gotten the Pistons within three was blocked by Adebayo with 31 seconds left. Wayne

NETS guard James Harden passes over Bucks guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) during the first half yesterday in New York.

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger) Ellington made seven 3-pointers and scored 24 for the Pistons, who got 21 from Derrick Rose and 15 from Mason Plumlee.

KNICKS 91, MAGIC 84 NEW YORK (AP) — RJ Barrett had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Julius Randle added 21 points and 17 rebounds

to lead New York past Orlando.

Elfrid Payton chipped in with 12 points and rookie guard Immanuel Quickley added 11 for the Knicks, who won their second straight.

Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando, which lost its sixth in a row.

Aaron Gordon had 18 points and 17 rebounds while Terrence Ross added 19 points for the Magic.

RAPTORS 116, MAVERICKS 93 TAMPA, Florida (AP) — Kyle Lowry scored 23 points and Pascal Siakam had a big second half, leading Toronto over Dallas.

Siakam scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half as the Raptors pulled away for their third straight victory.

Chris Boucher added 21 points and OG Anunoby contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds and much of the defensive work against Dallas star Luka Doncic.

Doncic, who was coming off a triple-double in Sunday’s 117-101 loss to Chicago, scored 15 points on 4-for-11 shooting and added seven rebounds and nine assists.

Kristaps Porzingis led Dallas with 23 points and nine rebounds.

The Mavericks shot 37.8 percent with 23 turnovers and lost their third straight.

BULLS 125, ROCKETS 120 CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 33 points, and Chicago overcame a strong effort by Victor Oladipo in his Houston debut, beating the Rockets.

The Bulls made enough shots down the stretch to win for the second time in as many days after losing four straight by four points or fewer.

Lauri Markkanen finished with 18 points.

Oladipo looked good in his first game for Houston, pouring in 32 points. The two-time All-Star was acquired from Indiana as part of the four-team trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn last week. Christian Wood scored 30 and grabbed nine rebounds.

Eric Gordon added 21 points after missing back-to-back games because of tightness in his lower left leg. The Rockets lost for the fourth time in five games.

WIZARDS SEE 5TH CONSECUTIVE GAME POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19 ISSUES

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

MIAMI (AP) — The Washington Wizards are now assured of going at least 11 days between games, after yet another postponement while the team deals with COVID-19 issues.

The Wizards’ game that was scheduled to be played Wednesday in Charlotte is now off, the NBA said yesterday. That is the 14th postponement since January 10 — and no team has had more games called off than the Wizards.

Washington has seen five consecutive games pushed back, and the earliest the Wizards will play again is Friday at Milwaukee.

The Wizards revealed late last week that six players were positive for

COVID-19 and three others were ruled out because contact tracing said they may have been exposed to the virus.

Pushing the Wizards’ return back appears to make sense for multiple reasons, including the fact that the team has been unable to even practice.

Some players returned to the team facility this weekend for 1-on-0 work, but what would have been a five-game, eight-day road trip — had the Charlotte game been played as planned — seemed highly problematic given the lack of practice time.

Also yesterday, the game in Miami between the Heat and the Detroit Pistons was pushed back five hours, with the league and teams making that decision so additional COVID-19

testing could be processed.

The game was scheduled to begin at 3pm EST and was pushed back to 8pm.

The 14 postponements in a little over a week have now involved 19 of the league’s 30 teams. One of those matchups was to have taken place on Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr Day game schedule — Cleveland at Washington.

The NBA has added more testing and stiffened protocols in recent days with the hopes of getting as many games in as possible.

Phoenix was scheduled to play yesterday in Memphis, ending a weeklong unplanned break for the Suns. Phoenix had three games delayed because of virus-related issues, which can include players dealing with positive COVID-19 tests, inconclusive tests

or having to quarantine because contact tracing indicated they could have been exposed to someone who tested positive. There have been a total of 15 games called this season for coronavirus-related reasons so far.

In addition to the 14 in recent days, the other was a planned December 23 matchup between Oklahoma City and Houston that was pushed back because the Rockets did

not have enough eligible players. Delaying the Heat-Pistons start time did not affect Detroit’s travel schedule. The team was already planning to remain in Miami until today.

Postponed games, when possible, will be made up in the second half of the season, which will take place from March 11 — the one-year anniversary of last season shutting down because of the pandemic — through May 16. The

league has not yet released that half of the schedule and isn’t expected to do so until late February at the earliest.

Players who test positive have to undergo a battery of exams before being cleared to return to play, such as cardiac tests. Those ruled out by contact tracing have been able, in most circumstances, to return after a quarantine period provided that they continue to test negative for COVID-19.

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SPORTS

PAGE 18, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Davante Carey in the win column

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net DAVANTE Carey finished the weekend with individual wins in consecutive meets for the McKendree Bearcats as they continued competition in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The Bearcats lost a dual meet to the Lindenwood Lions on January 16 but Carey continued his stellar sophomore season thus far with three top three finishes.

Carey won the 100 yard backstroke in 49.93 seconds.

He was also a member of both the second place 400 yard freestyle relay team (3:03.18) and the second

DAVANTE CAREY, left, in action above. place 400-yard medley relay team (3:26.06).

On Friday, January 15, McKendree lost a dual meet to University of Indianapolis, but Carey was again a top finisher in his signature event.

He finished first in the 100 yard back with a time of 51.39. He was also a member of the 200 yard medley relay team that finished first in 1:31.11.

Since October, the Bearcats have had three meets

postponed due to COVID19 protocols.

Carey comes off a freshman season where he earned Academic AllGLVC accolades.

He won silver at the GLVC Championships and

earned three All-American honours at the NCAA Championships.

In Division I’s Atlantic Coast Conference, Lilly Higgs and the No.18 North Carolina Tar Heels lost to No.4 North Carolina State.

Higgs’ best finish was a third place in the 100 yard breast in 1:03.61.

She also finished fourth in the 200 yard breast in 2:18.02. And Higgs placed sixth in the 200 yard IM in 2:09.69.

ENGLAND BEATS SRI LANKA BY SEVEN WICKETS IN 1ST TEST GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Jonny Bairstow and Dan Lawrence held their nerve in a 62-run unbroken stand to guide England to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka yesterday on the fifth and final morning of the series-opening test.

England ensured it didn’t have any more hiccups in erasing the remaining 36 required on the last day after Sri Lanka had set up a tricky 74-run target on a turning wicket.

England had slumped to 14-3 late on the fourth evening, included a crucial run-out of its captain Joe Root for just 1, before Bairstow and Lawrence combined to usher the tourists to 76-3.

Bairstow remained unbeaten on 35 off 65 balls and Lawrence,

who hit a gritty half century in the first innings of debut, finished 21 not out.

Sri Lanka had the chance of a breakthrough after England resumed on 38-3. Bairstow may have been out lbw off Dilruwarn Perera’s off-spin in the third over, but stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal didn’t go for the television referral.

Bairstow eventually sealed the victory with a boundary when he swept Perera to square leg.

“To come with little prep and play in the manner we have, has been really impressive,” Root said after receiving his man-ofthe-match award.

Root’s 228 in the first innings -- his fourth test double century -provided England a hefty lead of

286 runs as the visitors posted 421 runs in the first innings.

“The thing that pleased me the most was my mindset,” Root said of his innings. I “felt I got into a good place, managed to get my feet apart, get forward and back well … people have been critical of my conversion, so nice to go up and make a big one.”

The England captain also praised the effort of his two spinners -- Dom Bess and Jack Leach -- who snared 14 wickets between them, each bagging a five-wicket haul.

“Brilliant effort, particularly with the little cricket they’ve played,” recently, Root said.

“Series like these are always tough but without the prep it’s testament to their characters.”

In the absence of its injured captain Dimuth Karunaratne, who was ruled out with a hand injury sustained during the tour of South Africa, Sri Lanka was rattled for 135 in the first innings but rallied with a 359-run effort in the second innings.

Lahiru Thirimanne scored his first test century in almost eight years while Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera scored half centuries in the second innings which gave the home team a 73-run lead on a wicket where Bairstow felt it was difficult to bat on.

“I think it was a crucial toss to win, but the first innings cost us the game,” Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain Chandimal said.

“Credit to Thirimanne, Angelo, Kusal … everyone did their bit

as a batting unit in the second innings, and another 70-80 runs, it could have been a different story.”

The relatively small target didn’t diminish the challenge in the fourth-innings chase.

“Pretty tough (to bat), saw a lot more balls were raising off a length, some chunks coming out and it was tricky,” Bairstow said.

“Needed to be precise in your movements, bouncing more going forward so playing as much off the back foot in the second innings.”

The second test of the twomatch series will also be played at Galle, starting Friday.

England swept the series 3-0 when it last toured Sri Lanka in 2018.

SCHOOL GOLF from PAGE 15

championships next year.

Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, the chairman of the Junior Division of the BGF, said they just want to show the world that what they are doing is not in vain.

“With the strain of COVID-19, everyone has been and is still facing their own personal issues,” she declared.

“Thinking about the old norm, seemed like a dream.

Everyone is now pointing to the new norm. Everyone says the new norm.

“Even in these desperate times, it’s difficult for people to change or better yet they don’t want anything new.”

Gonzalez-Rolle thanked the ministries for believing in the BGF and partnering with them to put on the tournament in what is the first step of great things to come as they prepare to train at least five boys and girls to make up their various high school teams.

She emphasized that it’s their intention to dispel the myth that the sport is an elitist one and that they will not only be lobbying for more scholarships for student-athletes, but to make it the national sport of the Bahamas.

Evon Wisdom, the senior education officer for the Sports Unit in the Ministry of Education, said they got to watch the future of the sport in Scheidecker and Taylor, who will be among the many golfers they hope to showcase during the tournament.

“This event marks the continuation of a planned event,” said Wisdom, whose division at the Ministry of Education were responsible for national high school championships in basketball, soccer and volleyball before the pandemic struck last March. “This is something where we have a planned initiative where we are looking forward and you would not see the fruits of our initiatives, not right now, but in the future.”

WITH all of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology are collaborating their efforts to reintroduce golf into the schools’ curriculum. The two ministries, which are housed in the same building and at one point were under the same umbrella, are working with the Bahamas Golf Federation and Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy to stage the inaugural National Interschools Golf Championships.

He noted that COVID19 may have disrupted their plans for a number of initiatives in the schools, including the continuation of track and field at the federation level with interhouse activities taking place with COVID-19 protocols in place and skills events being conducted with the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture.

Wisdom, however, said they realised that the national inter school golf championships could easily take place under the social distance guidelines and they are also looking at the possibility of hosting national interschool championships in swimming and tennis.

Additionally, Wisdom revealed that their ministry has been approached by a major entity with regards to beginning discussion on the formation of an elite track and field athletics academy at the school level from primary to high schools

with about 10-20 athletes involved.

Marcellus Taylor, the Director of Education in the Ministry of Education, said as a former basketball player, he learned a lot of lessons about life in general, as only sports can do.

“When sports is conducted properly, it teaches people teamwork, it teaches people discipline, it teaches people to obey rules and it also creates this desire and thirst for excellence,” he pointed out. “You know what it is to persevere, what it is to bounce back from defeat.”

Taylor illustrated his ability to strive with a basketball team that went from winless in their first season to turn around and produce a winning season the next year.

He noted that the lessons that people do get from sport, they can be carried over to their education, which should work hand in

hand in producing a wellrounded individual in life.

In working with the other entities, Taylor said they are pleased to provide this opportunity for the studentathletes to participate in yet another sport from the traditional ones like basketball, baseball/softball, volleyball and track and field.

“I am happy that we are at this point where we can expose opportunities,” he said.

“We have organised these championships to demonstrate that golf is a sport that the students can participate in, in an organised environment.”

Tim Munnings, the Director of Sports in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, said this is really a great time to be a student.

“You don’t have to be a runner or swimmer to take advantage of the sports that are presented to you,” he said.

He thanked persons like Georgette Rolle and Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, who have dedicated their time to assist these student-athletes.

“Some people will look at people as they succeed as being lucky, but it’s not about luck.

“It’s about putting in the hard work,” said Mullings, who went on to represent the Bahamas as an Olympic athlete and a member of the men’s 4 x 400m relay team.

“Luck happens when preparation meets the opportunity. So you have to prepare. So once you’ve done the preparation and you advance to the finals, you there and you win. You have to prepare and put in the work.”

He said their mandate in the Ministry of Sports is to ensure that there is growth and development in sports and so they are happy to collaborate with

the Ministry of Education and the BFA to make this a successful venture And Clara Storr, the education officer for physical education at the Ministry of Education, revealed that while her introduction in 2019 to what seemed to be a “complicated sport,” once she got started, she got to know why golfers were so dedicated and passionate about the sport.

While she indicated that during a professional course for the high school teachers, some of whom were a bit apprehensive at first, at the end of the day, they didn’t want to leave even though it was around 5pm in the afternoon.

Storr said she then realised that golf was a unique sport and the teachers enjoyed it.

She’s hoping that as it will be reintroduced to the schools it will be something worth doing in this COVID-19 environment.

PAGE 20, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Oil explorer blasts ‘baseless’ claims over its insurance FROM PAGE 24

in their latest verbal sparring on the margins of the Judicial Review action that is now before the Supreme Court.

Casuarina McKinneyLambert, the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation’s (BREEF) executive director, said: “It is essential to have an environmental bond or equivalent financial guarantee, and adequate insurance to cover the cost of clean-up in the event of spill that might impact The Bahamas and also affect our neighbouring countries.

We haven’t seen evidence of either of these things.”

However, Mr Potter said Lloyd’s executives would

not possess details on every insurance contract underwritten by the syndicates it facilitates via the structure of a formalised market.

“As has previously been disclosed publicly by BPC, in accordance with its strict legal requirements the company has secured all insurances to be procured by a prudent operator for the Perseverance One well operations, and as stipulated by the Government of The Bahamas,” the BPC chief responded.

“Therefore, the statement from Our Islands, Our Future in relation to BPC’s insurance policies is baseless and entirely incorrect.

As with all insurance contracts, there exists normal business confidentiality provisions, and whilst the

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, DIANA EUGENE, of Johnson Road, Nassau, Bahamas intend to change my name to DIANA . If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that DEANA YASMINE SOUFFRANT, of Amity Road, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 12th day of January, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

details of BPC’s specific contracts have been provided to the Government of The Bahamas, they are otherwise subject to commercial confidentiality obligations.”

Mr Potter continued: “I would note further that Lloyd’s of London is the world’s leading insurance market, comprised of multiple risk-writing syndicates.

It is not a company or similar such organisation where any one individual can attest to speak for Lloyd’s as a whole, but is rather a facilitator of insurance transactions on behalf of individual Lloyd’s syndicates.

“As such, the corporation of Lloyd’s does not have details of individual contracts underwritten by its syndicates. Thus choosing to represent an individual as speaking for the whole of the Lloyd’[s syndication market is yet another deliberate and gross misrepresentation of basic facts

by Our Islands, Our Future, evidencing a near complete lack of understanding and continued naivety as to how businesses operating in The Bahamas (and internationally) actually operate.”

Mr Potter added that BPC, as a public company listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM), has an obligation to provide accurate disclosures to its shareholders

and the market based on its obligations as a listed company.

“This is in direct contrast to Our Islands, Our Future that have no such obligation of truthfulness. Any public statements made

by BPC are monitored by a nominated advisor (NOMAD) which acts as a regulator under authority from the London Stock Exchange so as to ensure BPC abides by its legal disclosure requirements,” he said.

The issue of BPC’s insurance coverage has attracted

Oriental Pacific Enterprises S.A. Company No. 1993596 (In Voluntary Liquidation) NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 204 (1)(b) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 that Oriental Pacific Enterprises S.A. is in voluntary liquidation. The voluntary liquidation commenced on 13th January, 2021 and Mrs. Querube C. De Nuñez of MMG Tower, Paseo del Mar Avenue, Costa del Este, Panama City, Republic of Panama been appointed as the Sole Liquidator.

Dated this 14th day of January, 2021 Sgd. Mrs. Querube C. De Nuñez Voluntary Liquidator

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

MONDAY, 18 JANUARY 2021

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX:

CLOSE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

2095.76

-0.09

0.00

3.30

0.16

(242) 323-2330 (242) 323-2320

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.15 33.05 2.00 2.02 2.10 6.00 6.75 4.10 6.49 4.45 6.16 12.77 3.64 6.85 10.88 8.44 15.08 4.25 9.26 15.21

52WK LOW 3.13 22.65 0.67 1.62 1.66 5.00 6.00 2.70 4.50 3.50 5.90 11.06 2.10 4.75 9.60 7.50 13.00 3.25 8.15 14.00

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 0.90

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Bahamas Limited Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ

LAST CLOSE 4.15 32.12 1.62 2.02 1.67 6.00 6.61 2.99 4.75 3.59 5.90 11.26 2.62 6.85 10.20 8.40 13.75 3.94 8.50 15.20

CLOSE 4.15 32.12 1.62 2.02 1.67 6.00 6.61 2.99 4.74 3.59 5.90 11.26 2.62 6.85 10.26 8.40 13.75 3.94 8.50 15.20

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407 BSBGRS760240 BSBGR120371 BSBGRS790262

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 97.04 100.72

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 97.04 100.72

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Bahamas Class A Focol Class B

BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.00 100.50 97.72 100.70

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 94.40 100.70

SECURITY Fidelity Bank (Note 22 Series B+) Bahamas First Holdings Limited

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y BGRS FL BSBGRS760240 BGRS FX BSBGR120371 BGRS FL BSBGRS790262

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.01) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

VOLUME

575

2,000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.110 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.030 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

P/E 17.4 34.5 N/M N/M N/M N/M 17.9 -6.8 33.9 19.5 13.1 15.6 25.7 14.7 15.9 11.5 16.9 19.4 9.1 24.1

YIELD 4.10% 3.92% 1.23% 1.49% 0.00% 0.00% 3.93% 0.00% 0.00% 3.34% 3.73% 6.39% 16.56% 0.88% 3.20% 2.86% 3.93% 3.05% 2.35% 4.01%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25%

19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025

MATURITY

6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25% 4.50% 5.22% 4.53%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022 18-Jan-2024 15-Dec-2037 28-Mar-2026

significant attention from environmental activists, who have demanded that the details be disclosed publicly. BPC has said the policy was placed through Aon UK, a major insurance broker.

Roberta Quant, BPC’s environmental scientist, previously told Tribune Business that the insurance coverage for the Perseverance One well will fully cover any tourism or fisheries losses “in the highly unlikely event” of any spill or environmental impact.

She added that the company had obtained protection “considerably in excess of the minimum levels of cover required by the government” for the well that is currently being drilled in waters some 91 miles to the west of Andros near the maritime boundary with Cuba.

All necessary insurance cover had been secured through Aon UK, with insurers from Lloyd’s of London and other international markets underwriting it, Ms Quant said. “This policy provides cover for the costs of halting and remediating any incident during drilling, including the costs of redrill, the costs of drilling a relief well, and the costs of any remedial or clean-up operations,” she said.

“The insurance policy also provides third-party liability cover losses that might be suffered in the

highly unlikely event of such an incident – for example, losses that a fisherman or hotel might suffer - although, as mentioned, this is considered to be an extremely remote and highly unlikely possibility.

“The level of insurance cover obtained is considerably in excess of the minimum levels of cover required by the government, as well as commensurate with or in excess of cover in place for similar wells being drilled in other locations in the world,” Ms Quant continued.

“It is also worth noting that the insurance companies – who will be financially exposed to the costs of responding to any incidents – required BPC’s drilling plan, Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Authorisation and Environmental Management Plan to be submitted to a third-party technical review.

“This review assessed all BPC plans, policies and procedures to be of global standard, with risks appropriately identified and planned for, such that the project was able to secure insurances as required.

Furthermore, all of our main well contractors, being Stena, Halliburton and Schlumberger, again global names and industry leaders, have extensive insurance policies of their own in place.”

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394 ANGSANA EQUITIES LTD Company No. 421151 (In Voluntary Liquidation) NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 204 (1)(b) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 that ANGSANA EQUITIES LTD. is in voluntary liquidation. The voluntary liquidation commenced on 14th January, 2021 and Dr. Oliver Nesensohn of Landstrasse 33, 9490 Vaduz, Principality of Liechtenstein been appointed as the Sole Liquidator.

Dated this 15th day of January, 2021 Sgd. Dr. Oliver Nesensohn Voluntary Liquidator

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.38 4.43 2.14 198.39 176.73 1.69 1.85 1.77 1.24 8.39 10.26 7.23 12.80 12.81 10.81 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.65 1.79 1.75 1.05 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.38 4.43 2.14 198.36 173.98 1.69 1.79 1.77 1.05 8.39 9.88 7.23 12.33 12.80 10.20 N/A 9.28 11.86

YTD% 12 MTH% 4.14% 4.49% 1.47% 2.97% 2.33% 2.57% 1.65% 2.39% 4.34% 9.82% 1.65% 1.95% -3.06% -2.22% 0.80% 1.17% -12.30% -11.81% 0.64% 0.98% 1.19% -3.63% 4.20% 5.04% 2.63% 7.68% 3.68% 3.93% -4.89% -4.62% N/A N/A -0.50% 3.70% -3.80% 4.10%

NAV Date

30-Nov-2020 30-Nov-2020 27-Nov-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 31-Oct-2020 31-Oct-2020 31-Oct-2020 31-Oct-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020

MARKET TERMS

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price

52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks

Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity

52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks

Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity

Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume

Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price

Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume

Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week

Change - Change in closing price from day to day

EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths

Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today

NAV - Net Asset Value

DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months

N/M - Not Meaningful

P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CAROLISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

LINDEN COMMERCE LIMITED Company No. 298742 (In Voluntary Liquidation) NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 204 (1)(b) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 that LINDEN COMMERCE LIMITED is in voluntary liquidation. The voluntary liquidation commenced on 15th January, 2021 and Hwa Lian TAN of 5 Rosyth Road, #02-02 Rosyth Lodge, Singapore 546143 been appointed as the Sole Liquidator.

Dated this 15th day of January, 2021 Sgd. Hwa Lian TAN Voluntary Liquidator

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 21

Don’t ‘besiege’ courts with trade union election fights COVID travel FROM PAGE 24 procedures to be followed before, prompting POWER measures ‘won’t on nominations, balloting to initiate its Judicial Review proceedings on November 9, ease in any way’ Unravelling these devel- and voting processes.

He added that this could 2020. opments, Justice Klein nevertheless rejected the POWER candidates’ bid to overturn the election outcome despite Mr Pinder’s u-turn. Given the frequent challenges to trade union election results, he called for Parliament to upgrade the laws and “eclectic mix of rules” that govern such polls to prevent the courts from becoming overwhelmed.

Justice Klein also called for Parliament (and the government) to consider laws permitting “a more direct method of challenging union elections” than Judicial Review. He argued that the latter’s narrow focus on the registrar’s decision to certify the results could magnify “minor irregularities or breaches” to such an extent that results are declared invalid even though the outcome has not been affected.

“It is also fitting, in the circumstances of the frequent challenges to union elections which besiege the courts, to append to this judgment a few observations which may have a bearing on these matters,” Justice Klein wrote.

“The first is that the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act have clearly not kept pace with the developments in international law dealing with the rights of unions and their members, nor has it evolved to keep pace with the burgeoning governance requirements of unions in the active labour and industrial law context of The Bahamas.

“As illustrated by this case, and the referenced authorities, it seems that union elections are conducted according to an eclectic mix of rules derived from the unions’ constitutions, principles interposed from the Parliamentary Elections Act, common law principles, and sometimes the edicts of the Registrar.”

Justice Klein said “much litigation and dissension” could be avoided if trade unions developed their own elections rules in compliance with the Industrial Relations Act, setting out the

be benchmarked against international laws such as the UK’s Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, or treaties that The Bahamas has signed such as the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Convention 87.

The judge also described Judicial Review as “a rather blunt instrument” for challenging election results because it does not scrutinise votes to determine if there are irregularities. As a result, Justice Klein warned that small breaches could result in an election result being overturned even if they have no material impact on the outcome.

“It might therefore be appropriate for Parliament to give consideration to providing for a more direct method of challenging union elections, which allows the court to uphold the results unless the irregularities or omissions would affect the outcome or overall fairness of the election, and not be straitjacketed into nullifying elections for procedural errors which do not have this effect,” he wrote.

Detailing the BPSU dispute’s background, and acknowledging its status as one of The Bahamas’ largest unions representing public sector workers, Justice Klein said the election “was not uneventful” both before and after the poll.

Just three days prior to the vote, Mr Burrows and POWER voiced concerns to Mr Pinder about the symbol being used by Mr Ferguson and his “Workers Team”.

And, two days after the poll, they urged Mr Pinder not to certify the results on various grounds including “that several persons who ran as candidates were ineligible”.

The trade union registrar, who is also director of labour, replied in an October 7, 2020, letter that he had investigated the concerns and felt they did not compromise the election’s integrity. The certification had been issued two days’

“It seems the applicants were intent on including in their grounds every possible fault or recrimination they could attach to the conduct of the election,” Justice Klein wrote. However, the POWER team and their attorney, focused their attack on the ground involving the BPSU election’s non-compliance with the Industrial Relations Act’s section 20.

This requires that union elections be held by secret ballot, and that Mr Pinder as registrar of trade unions supervise the vote himself of via “designated officers”.

Fears of non-compliance in this area also resulted in Mr Pinder’s change of heart, as some ballots used in Grand Bahama were not signed by the “designated officer” but another Department of Labour official who oversaw the poll.

But, given the absence of a statutory or legal requirement, Justice Klein ruled: “I am unpersuaded that the failure of the designated officer to sign the ballots amounts to a failure to supervise within the context of section 20....

“I must indicate that this particular aspect of the case has caused me considerable difficulty, not only because it involves the construction of a problematic bit of legislation but because, in coming to my decision, I have had to reject the position contended for by the registrar.

I do not do so lightly, and I have paid the highest regard to the views expressed by the registrar.

“But I bear in mind that although the registrar is not to be reduced to ‘a cipher’ with respect to the performance of his statutory functions vis-à-vis unions, neither does section 20 constitute him a mini-Parliamentary commissioner or presiding officer armed with coercive powers to conduct union elections pursuant to the statutory code for parliamentary elections, or according to rules imposed at his whim.”

Auto chief: 25% sales jump ‘if no lockdown’

Business. “The pickings are one/one; here and there. The first half of the year is going to be a rough ride, and hopefully in the second half we will start to see a kick up with more hotels opening and more encouraging news here.

“We’ve been doing OK with fleet business, and because the government put a timeline on the duty and VAT-free vehicles related to Abaco and Grand Bahama there was a mad rush of people seeking vehicles for those locations.

“I think we did maybe 16 to 18 vehicles in December because of that. Our BMW operation has been very strong for the month. We did ten sales, of which nine were cash deals and only one was financed. The high-end stuff is still moving, and we’re having high-end clients building houses at Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay and Ocean Club Estates that are buying stuff like this,” Mr Albury continued.

“We’ve had some sales from some companies, and some high-end clients in Eleuthera

that have taken on orders.

It’s the low end and middle class that have been greatly impacted.”

Emphasising that The Bahamas must keep control of its COVID-19 infection rates, and ensure that it keeps out the so-called “mutant” strains that have emerged in the likes of the US, UK and Brazil, Mr Albury voiced optimism that all auto dealers have sufficient financial strength to survive the pandemic although he predicted there may be mergers and consolidations.

“You might see some consolidations, but with the money that is behind the operations we’ll all survive,” he added. “Sanpin, Bahamas Bus and Truck and Friendly Ford, that’s basically the same shareholders.

“At some point in time you might find it easier to consolidate some aspects of the business. Quality, Executive and Omega at the Auto Mall have only one service and parts department for all three companies.”

FROM PAGE 24 that. The government is getting more out of the business than the business. You still have to pay the taxes. It ain’t fun. When you’re sitting on a ton of inventory, it ain’t fun. A lot of cash flow, a lot of bond money is tied up. It is what it is.”

Mr Albury, who disclosed that Auto Mall’s new vehicle sales were down 55 percent year-over-year for 2020, echoed Mr Lowe by confirming that dealers were “sitting” on a lot of auto inventory they had been unable to shift during the pandemic’s height. He estimated that many will not have placed orders for six to seven months, and are unlikely to make fresh ones until five to six months into 2021.

“My prediction is that the first half of the year is going to be on the slow/slow side,” the BMDA chief told Tribune

FROM PAGE 24

“One has to decide where one wants to be,” Mr D’Aguilar told Tribune Business. “We have a relatively good balance in that we have, touch wood, managed to keep our COVID-19 numbers at a respectable level since November 1 but that has come at a cost to a certain degree...

“We are not minded in any way to relax our health protocols for fear of returning to August and September, when we had massive community spread, even though it is probably depressing demand.

After what happened in July, if we heed the advice of persons saying we’ve reached a good spot and should open up a bit more, you run the risk of tipping the balance too far and having community spread.

“I think we have to keep our protocols exactly where they are right now; maybe with some very minor tweaks. Certainly the requirements at the border shouldn’t be changed given what is going on. The Bahamas has reached a fairly decent period of stability.

The emergency orders have rarely changed, and there’s some calm and consistency in the destination.”

US deaths from COVID19 are now approaching 400,000, with infection numbers over 24m, with the incoming Biden administration warning it plans to strengthen border and travel protocols in a belated attempt to get the surging virus under control.

The UK, too, has unveiled border measures similar to those used by The Bahamas, including quarantines for international travellers.

Mr D’Aguilar said The Bahamas had, in some respects, been out of step from a timing perspective as this nation’s COVID-19 “second wave” had occurred at a time when rival destinations were re-opening with relatively low case numbers.

And, now that The Bahamas has its internal issues under control, the virus is surging in its core markets.

“This is going back and forth until the vaccine gets traction in source markets like the US and brings the numbers down to respectable levels, but they have a way to go,” the minister added.

Asked how The Bahamas had performed since its tourism return, Mr D’Aguilar replied: “The jury’s still out. We’ve got to give it six months. I’m sure a number of hotels are closing down now because demand does not meet supply. The owners of those hotels have decided to delay until the situation improves.

“They probably did not

have sufficient time to ramp up once we opened on November 1. There probably wasn’t sufficient time to get the word out there that The Bahamas was open for business in terms of the tourism sector. Our opening also coincided with a massive uptick in cases in the US. With the virus as prevalent and widespread as it is now, there’s these roadblocks to overcome.”

Voicing hope that The Bahamas may be able to start modest easing of its travel restrictions around mid-year, Mr D’Aguilar backed the assessment by John Rolle, the Central Bank’s governor, that tourism may only fully rebound to pre-COVID levels by late 2022 and/or early 2023.

“The Ministry of Tourism and Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board were of the view there was sufficient airlift available,” he added.

“It wasn’t as if all the flights coming here were full. The frequency might not be what it once was, and there was certainly adequate lift based on the load factors we were looking at. It’s not the case that they were up in the 80 and 90 percents.

“We’re relatively happy with the high-end market. We’re capturing a healthy amount of yachts coming into the country, and a number of properties that are catering to the very high-end customer were generally quite happy with the state of affairs on the ground.”

PAGE 22, Tuesday, January 19, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

GOVT TOLD: PRESS ON WITH $150M AIRPORT UPGRADES

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net FAMILY Island resort operators yesterday urged the government to push ahead with its planned $150m Family Island airport upgrades given the potential to boost visitor arrivals post-COVID-19.

Julian Lockhart, general manager of Eleuthera’s La Bougainvillea resort, told Tribune Business: “Any time you have upgrades on the airport, it allows the government to go in and negotiate for larger aircraft to come into the airport.

“With the larger aircraft

it would allow us to bring more tourists to come in from further away, so I can get flights in from Atlanta. I can also now go and target US Airways from the north; from around the Charlotte and Washington DC area.

We can go further north and try to get Jet Blue to come in from New York or from the Boston area, and even as far as Canada now for direct flights into Eleuthera.”

A $65m enhancement to North Eleuthera’s airport is among the improvements being eyed, and Mr Lockhart said this presented an opportunity - when

completed - to target more direct flights and remove the burden for guests of having to transit through Miami or Nassau.

He added: “A lot of my guests do fly into the North Eleuthera airport because the direct flights are American Airlines as well as Silver Airways into Florida.” He did, though, voice concerns about the new US rules that require all American citizens to have COVID-19 tests done within three days of travel to re-enter the US. “No one is saying anything about how this vaccination is going to affect tourists coming into

us and leaving us, because right now we don’t even know. Tourism is not telling us anything, government is not telling us anything, so we don’t know how our bookings will be impacted within the next 12 months,” Mr Lockhart said.

“I’ve already lost a couple of reservations in February because of the new US rule saying that three days before their flight, persons returning to America must have a COVID-19 test. I’ve lost four of them.

Three of them have pushed their bookings to late in the year.”

Chris Morris, the Cape

Eleuthera Resort and Marina’s general manager, said “upgrades anywhere in The Bahamas are good, but I think people will come to The Bahamas no matter what state the airport is in.

I don’t think it will necessarily drive more tourists on to the island. It would just make for more pleasing amenities”.

Veronica Marshall, owner/ operator of Marshall’s Guest House in Exuma, where a similar $65m upgrade was planned, said: “I am pleased that they’re doing something like that right now because I have witnessed certain things at the airport.

“Right now we have an increase in flights coming from the US and Canada, and all sorts of other places, and by the time those flights come in the people don’t have anywhere to stand or sit, so I don’t think what we have now is adequate.”

Tyrone Anderson, general manager of Valentines Resort & Marina on Harbour Island, said: “This will definitely drive more tourists to Eleuthera.

Without a doubt. I hope we can get an increase from all areas in the United States and Canada, but Florida is our primary market, so we hope to get a big boost of people coming out of Florida.”

Tin Ferl vendor transitions to commercial restaurant A POP-UP vendor at the Tin Ferl market has signed a long-term lease to become the restaurant partner for a Village Road-based wellness and entertainment facility.

Vell Monkey Foot Grill is making the transition from food truck to commercial restaurant after agreeing the deal with the Bahamian investor group behind the Four Walls Squash and Social Club.

The venue, when it held its October soft opening, partnered with the former Tin Ferl vendor to open a restaurant and bar on the outdoor patio. With the official lease signing, Vell Monkey Foot Grill now has the exclusive rights to operate a full-scale commercial restaurant at the Club.

The move is designed to complement Four Walls’

plans to expand its bar, social activities and squash and fitness programme in the New Year, in line with the gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

“This is a major milestone for Four Walls as it brings the club back into the restaurant arena. The property had a two-year hiatus during the sale and renovation, and COVID-19 conditions made it even more difficult to lease the restaurant space,” said Noelle Nicolls, Four Walls’ vice-president.

“Vell Monkey Foot Grill saw an opportunity to partner with us on the patio with their recently purchased food truck, and our temporary arrangement took off quickly. We’ve found that the eastern part of the island has been craving a new contemporary casual restaurant

ENJOY outdoor dining with Vell Moneky Foot at Four Walls.

RACQUEL MARTIN-JONES, chef and owner of Vell Monkey Foot Grill, and Noelle Nicolls, vice-president of Four Walls Squash and Social Club, sign a lease agreement to formalise restaurant operations at Four Walls. Also pictured are Antone Jones, owner, Vell Monkey Foot Grill, and Michael Fields, president, Four Walls. that caters to professionals, and our comfy and spacious patio, with its rustic style, combines flawlessly with the sophisticated comfort food that Vell Monkey Foot Grill offers.”

To signal the lease signing, Vell Monkey Foot Grill @ Four Walls, the name of the restaurant location, will

launch its weekly brunch on Saturday, June 23, featuring live Bahamian music and a menu of guava pancakes, creole shrimp with cheesy grits, and steam snapper with peas and grits. As COVID-19 restrictions lift, the restaurant will expand to indoor dining.

“We first started sharing

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that SARAH LOU MITCHELL MCQUEEN, of #4 Cadney Drive Freeport, Grand Bahama,, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 12th day of January 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that CHINER SAINT-NATUS, of #11 Bailou Hill Heights, P.O.Box SS6360 Nassau, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 19th day of January 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

our passion for cooking around six years ago at events such as the Wine & Art Festival and the Bahamas Rum Festival, where we would serve under a tent at pop-up events. Customers loved our fusion approach to Caribbean and international cuisine. We started doing more pop-up events and finally purchased a food truck to expand our reach,” said Chef Racquel Jones, head chef and founder of Vell Monkey Foot Grill.

Chef Kelly, as she is affectionately called, has been in the food and beverage industry for over 20 years and specialises in international cuisine. She owns the restaurant with her husband, Antone Jones, and they operate it as a family business.

The restaurant’s opening hours are between 12 noon to 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and from noon to 9pm between Thursday

and Saturdays. The daily menu includes specialty lobster, calamari and jerk chicken tacos, burgers, conch spring rolls and a top-selling loaded lobster flatbread.

“We always had a plan to move into a restaurant, but never imagined it would happen so quickly. It is even crazier that we were able to expand amidst a health pandemic and economic crisis. It has not been an easy road, but we are so grateful for the opportunity to bring our vision to life,” said Chef Kelly.

Four Walls is open for squash, fitness, food and spirits. Although membership is not mandatory, the club has a programme for squash and social membership with family, corporate and individual options. Customers can book courts, classes and take-out from the restaurant on the website: www.fourwallsbahamas. com.

Request For Bids A cement company is requesting bids for trucking services for its two locations in New Providence.

Interested parties are invited to send an email to (truckbids242@gmail.com).

Bids will be received until February 9th, 2021 JOB VACANCY CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT, CPA. Audit Manager

required for small professional practice

The applicant must be a member in good standing of a recognized International Accounting Institute and have had at least five years post graduate professional experience.

Must have exceptional skills in the comprehension of IFRS and its application to financial entities.

Must have ability to develop and present new ideas and conceptualize new approaches and solutions.

Proven analytical skills and systematic problem solving.

Must have expertise in company management inclusive of due diligence procedures and a working knowledge of VAT and computer applications to support accounting for VAT. Excellent computer skills in accounting programs including QuickBooks, Peachtree and AccPac as well as in Microsoft Office applications.

Superior verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal relations and demonstrates ability to work with others effectively in teams.

Written applications only and resumes should be addressed in confidence to: The Principal, P.O. Box N-201, Nassau, Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, PAGE 23

‘ROTATION’ MEANS NO BAKER’S BAY MEXICAN INCREASE

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamian Contractors Association’s (BCA) chief yesterday said the latest Mexican construction workers arriving at Abaco’s Baker’s Bay project will not increase its foreign labour component.

Michael Pratt, the BCA’s president, told Tribune Business he had been made to understand that the latest arrivals - who were flown in via a Bahamasair charter on Saturday - are working on a “six-month rotation” where

they replace rather than increase the number of Mexicans already working on the upscale development’s post-Hurricane Dorian reconstruction.

He said: “My understanding is that the ones they are bringing in are on a sixmonth rotation. There are no new work permits; they are just rotating them. It may be new faces, but they are only hiring them on a six-month basis.”

Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club declined to comment yesterday, but said it will issue a statement within the next few days after this newspaper was informed that it flew Mexican construction workers to Abaco at the weekend.

Tommy Turnquest, Bahamasair’s chairman, confirmed the charter was executed,

as he said: “That’s another good bit of change we got.”

He added that the national flag carrier had taken a group of Mexican construction workers at Baker’s Bay home before Christmas, with the latest journey marking its third round-trip and the second group it has brought to The Bahamas.

“I hope we get that business to get them back. I think they’ve guaranteed us the business to take them back,” Mr Turnquest said of Baker’s Bay’s developer, Discovery Land Company.

Baker’s Bay’s decision to contract more than 100 Mexican construction workers to kickstart its post-Dorian rebuild aroused controversy in some quarters when the first “rotation” arrived last summer, given that thousands of Bahamians had

been terminated or furloughed due to COVID-19 and were in desperate need of work.

Dr Livingston Marshall, Baker’s Bay’s senior vicepresident for environmental and community affairs, at the time defended the move as critical to enabling the highend development to rapidly bounce back from Dorian’s devastation. He explained that the Mexicans had helped other hurricane-hit Discovery Land Company properties to rebound speedily.

However, Leonard Sands, the BCA’s immediate past president, said at the time that “it vexes my soul” to see so many foreign workers imported when thousands of Bahamians were unemployed due to the combination of Hurricane

Dorian and COVID-19.

Pointing out that neither Baker’s Bay nor the government had ever justified the need for so many work permits, Mr Sands argued that 90 percent of the wages received by the Mexicans will immediately be remitted home and never circulate in the Bahamian economy.

Tribune Business understands that Baker’s Bay had originally applied for as many as 500 work permits, but the Minnis Cabinet via the National Economic Council - approved only 300, and directed the Ministry of Labour and Immigration Department to complete the process of issuing them.

Given that Baker’s Bay acts as the so-called “anchor project” for north Abaco, businesses and residents in the area argued it was vital

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 69° F/21° C Low: 45° F/7° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Clouds and sun, breezy and pleasant

Partly cloudy

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Partly sunny and pleasant

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Mostly sunny and pleasant

High: 75°

Low: 66°

High: 75° Low: 66°

High: 75° Low: 66°

High: 77° Low: 66°

High: 81° Low: 64°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

73° F

63° F

76°-63° F

78°-65° F

82°-67° F

85°-65° F

High: 68° F/20° C Low: 46° F/8° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 71° F/22° C Low: 61° F/16° C

7-14 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 72° F/22° C Low: 55° F/13° C

7-14 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 74° F/23° C Low: 61° F/16° C

N

S

E

W

High: 71° F/22° C Low: 62° F/17° C

MIAMI

High: 73° F/23° C Low: 60° F/16° C

7-14 knots

KEY WEST

High: 71° F/22° C Low: 64° F/18° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 75° F/24° C Low: 66° F/19° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021

High: 76° F/24° C Low: 65° F/18° C

N

uV inDex toDay

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

12:03 a.m.

12:13 p.m.

2.3 2.3

6:12 a.m.

6:38 p.m.

0.3 0.1

Wednesday 12:54 a.m.

1:01 p.m.

2.2 2.1

7:06 a.m.

7:23 p.m.

0.5 0.2

Thursday

1:46 a.m.

1:52 p.m.

2.2 1.9

8:04 a.m.

8:11 p.m.

0.6 0.2

Friday

2:40 a.m.

2:47 p.m.

2.2 1.8

9:04 a.m.

9:00 p.m.

0.6 0.2

Saturday

3:33 a.m.

3:42 p.m.

2.3 1.8

10:01 a.m. 0.5 9:51 p.m. 0.1

Sunday

4:24 a.m.

4:34 p.m.

2.4 1.8

10:55 a.m. 0.4 10:40 p.m. 0.0

Monday

5:12 a.m.

5:24 p.m.

2.6 1.9

11:43 a.m. 0.2 11:27 p.m. -0.1

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:56 a.m.

5:45 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

11:18 a.m.

11:51 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Jan. 20

Jan. 28

Feb. 4

Feb. 11

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 67° F/19° C

N

S

E

W

8-16 knots

S

8-16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 73° F/23° C Low .................................................... 59° F/15° C Normal high ....................................... 77° F/25° C Normal low ........................................ 65° F/18° C Last year’s high ................................. 77° F/25° C Last year’s low ................................... 64° F/18° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................. 1.23” Normal year to date ..................................... 0.80”

to the island’s overall economic health and revival that the development get back on track as quickly as possible and overcome any challenges posed by Bahamian labour and skills shortages.

Mr Pratt yesterday said he did not know how many Mexican workers are presently at Baker’s Bay, but said he has been informed that qualified Bahamians who are available and willing to work will be given jobs on the reconstruction.

He added: “I am alarmed at any time we have to bring in foreigners for work that Bahamians can do. That’s a national alarm. But, at the same time, it’s a unique situation that I can’t really honestly speak to until I see their contract that they have with the homeowners.”

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 68° F/20° C

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 71° F/22° C

N

High: 76° F/24° C Low: 66° F/19° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C

8-16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 80° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 79° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

H

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 72° F/22° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 80° F/27° C Low: 73° F/23° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

10-20 knots

10-20 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS NE at 7-14 Knots N at 6-12 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NNE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots NE at 6-12 Knots E at 4-8 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 10-20 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 6-12 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots

WAVES 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 4-7 Feet 4-7 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 4-8 Feet 4-7 Feet 2-4 Feet 2-4 Feet 5-9 Feet 5-9 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 76° F 76° F 71° F 70° F 79° F 79° F 77° F 77° F 77° F 77° F 75° F 73° F 76° F 76° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 78° F 76° F 76° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 78° F

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021

$3.90

SIMON POTTER

Oil explorer blasts ‘baseless’ claims over its insurance

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) yesterday blasted its opponents for “deliberate and gross misrepresentation” over suggestions its exploratory well lacks adequate insurance coverage.

Simon Potter, the oil explorer’s chief executive, in a statement to Tribune Business accused environmental activists of making “baseless” allegations that expose “a near complete lack of understanding and continued naivety” over how business in The Bahamas and internationally is conducted.

He hit out after the Our Islands, Our Future coalition, which includes the two groups behind the Judicial Review challenge to the permits issued for BPC’s Perseverance One well, said its checks with the Lloyds of London insurance market produced no evidence that the oil explorer possesses sufficient insurance to cover the cost associated with oil pollution clean-up should an accident occur.

The group said it had contacted a senior Lloyds executive, who it named as Michaele Hawkins, its head of responsible business, who responded on behalf of the insurance market’s chief executive, John Neal, by saying in regard to BPC: “At present we don’t have any record that this risk is being underwritten in the Lloyd’s market.”

Our Islands, Our Future said it subsequently wrote again to Lloyd’s executives, submitting BPC’s public statements on the issue and requesting clarification, only to receive a January 14 reply that said: “Thanks for your follow up e-mail.

We won’t be making any further comment on this particular project.”

The coalition seized on the responses to argue that serious questions have been raised over whether BPC has sufficient insurance coverage to finance oil spill remediation and protect the Bahamian environment, as it engaged the oil explorer

SEE PAGE 20

$3.91

$4.02

Auto chief: 25% sales jump ‘if no lockdown’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A

TOP auto dealer yesterday predicted new car sales could increase by over 25 percent this year “subject to no lockdowns” as the industry targets the 2022 second half for a full COVID-19 rebound.

Fred Albury, the Bahamas Motor Dealers Association’s (BMDA) president, forecast to Tribune Business that sector-wide sales could increase by up to 300 vehicles yearover-year if The Bahamas avoids imposing the drastic measures that forced its closure for three to four months in 2020.

Conceding that he and other auto dealers face “a rough ride” during the 2021 first half, due to a depressed tourism industry and wider economy still struggling to emerge from the pandemic’s devastation, Mr Albury said there were “bright spots” for the sector amid the general gloom.

With service and parts sales remaining relatively strong as customers opt to keep their existing vehicles

A SUPREME Court judge has urged Parliament to modernise The Bahamas’ industrial relations laws to prevent the judicial system from becoming “besieged” by trade union election battles.

Justice Loren Klein spoke out in a January 15, 2021, ruling on the “somewhat unusual” situation surrounding the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) election in which the Government’s top labour official performed a total u-turn on the poll’s validity.

John Pinder, acting in his capacity as registrar of trade unions, had rejected complaints from a rival slate of candidates in certifying that the September 28, 2020, vote that returned incumbent president, Kimsley Ferguson, to office had been “properly conducted”.

That certification was issued on October 5

KWASI THOMPSON

Canada exports enjoy $17m duty access boost • BMDA president targets 300 increase for 2021 free

By NEIL HARTNELL • Sector will be ‘100% back, or close’, by late 2022 • Optimistic all dealerships will survive COVID-19

on the road, the BMDA chief said December auto sales had been boosted by the year-end deadline imposed by the government for Dorian-ravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama residents to import/purchase cars duty-free. That deadline was subsequently extended to end-January 2021.

He added that the highend market remained strong, with his Auto Mall’s BMW brand generating ten sales in January - nine of which were all-cash deals, with only one financed. Mr Albury attributed this to new arrivals in gated communities such as Lyford Cay and Old Fort Bay establishing themselves in The Bahamas, but acknowledged that it also highlighted the widening gulf with middle and lower class buyers.

“All I can say to that is: Is your crystal ball as good as mine? It depends on no more lockdowns,” Mr Albury replied, when quizzed about the strength of the new auto

market’s likely rebound in 2021. “We did 1,114 units last year, and my forecast for the market would be 1,400 units subject to no lockdowns.”

That would represent a 25.7 percent year-over-year increase for new vehicle sales among BMDA members if the BMDA’s prediction comes true. However, Mr Albury’s forecast would sill be more than 400 units or 22.6 percent short of the 1,809 vehicles that the industry collectively sold in 2019.

It would, though, put a sector that the government relies upon to generate significant VAT, import duty and other taxes back in line with 2018, when total vehicle sales equalled 1,379. Mr Albury, though, voiced optimism that the new vehicle industry would return, or be close, to pre-COVID sales levels by the 2022 second half depending on the COVID vaccine roll-out and strength of tourism’s recovery.

“Next year, 2022, is an election year so the Government

will try and pull everything out of their hat to get the economy going before an election,” he told Tribune Business. “The second half of 2022 should be back, if not at 100 percent of preCOVID, then close to.”

Rick Lowe, the BMDA’s secretary, and Nassau Motor Company’s (NMC) director/operations manager, was “not as optimistic” as Mr Albury, suggesting that the industry would perform satisfactorily if it matched 2020’s figures.

He added that the sector was effectively in “a vortex”, as it is still subject to price controls and has to pay the upcoming annual business licence fee based on gross turnover rather than net profits. As a result, Mr Lowe said the government was getting more from auto dealers than their own investors and shareholders.

“You’re in a vortex,” he explained. “You have to pay

SEE PAGE 21

Don’t ‘besiege’ courts with trade union election fights

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

$4.01

• Judge to Parliament: ‘Modernise industrial relations’ • Upholds Bahamas Public Service Union poll results • After registrar performed 11th hour certifying u-turn

JOHN PINDER

KIMSLEY FERGUSON

but, after the so-called POWER team of rival candidates launched their Judicial Review challenge on November 9, Mr Pinder said he had “made a mistake” because new information had raised doubts on whether the vote was properly supervised.

This “somewhat remarkably” resulted in the Attorney General’s Office,

representing Mr Pinder, requesting a Supreme Court order that the election was “void” and a new poll should be held when the parties appeared before Justice Klein on December 4, 2020.

This was opposed by Khalil Parker, the Bahamas Bar Association’s president who was representing the BPSU, on the grounds that

Mr Pinder and the POWER team were involved in “collusion”. Justice Klein, agreeing that the call to “void” the election results was akin “to putting the cart before the horse”, declined to grant the submission by the Attorney General’s Office.

Mr Pinder’s u-turn on the election’s certification effectively meant he had sided with the POWER candidates’ team, headed by Alexander Burrows Jnr. This was despite the group, as one of its grounds for Judicial Review, accusing the director of labour of being “conflicted and biased” because their opponent, Mr Ferguson, had been Mr Pinder’s vice-president when the latter headed the BPSU.

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Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ALMOST 90 percent of The Bahamas’ exports to Canada benefited from dutyfree access via the Caribbean’s free trade agreement, a Cabinet minister has revealed.

Senator Kwasi Thompson, newly-appointed minister of state for finance, said some $17m out of a total $19m in Bahamian exports entered Canada via the CARIBCAN trade agreement in 2019 despite The Bahamas largely remaining outside rules-based trading regimes.

With the latest World Trade Organisation (WTO) accession bid having already stalled pre-COVID, and the pandemic’s fall-out likely pushing this further down the government’s priority list, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) as well as one-way preferences obtained from the US mark The Bahamas’ few other forays into trading relationships.

Mr Thompson, addressing the recent Canadian trade mission to The Bahamas, added that Disney Cruise Line’s partnership with the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) to further boost that island’s business start-ups was just getting off the ground.

The cruise line, as part of the agreement for the Lighthouse Point destination that has attracted strong opposition from environmental groups, agreed to inject $1m into the effort as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its two partner entities.

“The new Business Hub just had a soft opening a few days ago,” Mr Thompson said. “It will be staffed with advisors and house a number of resources to support entrepreneurs. These are the types of collaborations that drive high returns for investors and for our communities.”

He echoed the prime minister’s recent national address by touting $1bn worth of investments in downtown Nassau, including the $200m Pointe project that is nearing completion as well as the $250m cruise port redevelopment. Other projects include the new $318m US embassy and the Central Bank’s planned head office at Royal Victoria Gardens.

COVID travel measures ‘won’t ease in any way’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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A CABINET minister last night said the government is “not minded in any way to relax the health travel protocols” despite conceding that have likely helped to “depress demand” and tourism’s revival.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, told Tribune Business that The Bahamas “will not risk tipping the balance” it has presently struck between preventing the importation of COVID-19 from abroad and facilitating travel to drive the rebound of its largest industry and wider economy.

He argued that the country, which requires visitors to produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test within five days of travel; complete an approved Health Travel Visa; and take a

• Despite ‘depressing tourism demand’ • Govt ‘won’t risk tipping the balance’ • Minister: Bahamas has got it right

DIONISIO D’AGUILAR rapid antigen test if in The Bahamas for more than four nights, “has to keep our protocols exactly where they are right now” given the skyrocketing infection rates in the US and other major visitor source markets.

Acknowledging that tourism’s re-opening will likely

have to endure a rocky 2021 first half, Mr D’Aguilar said decisions such as RIU Paradise Island’s decision to close for at least two months, and Sandals’ move to further postpone the return of its two Bahamian properties, reflected current low demand and uncertainty over the strength and timing of the hospitality sector’s rebound.

With the “jury still out” on The Bahamas’ tourism performance since the November 1 border reopening, the minister added that some resort properties may “not have had sufficient time to ramp up” their marketing operations to get the message out that they and the wider country were once

again accepting visitors.

Mr D’Aguilar, while agreeing that The Bahamas’ COVID-19 testing regime and associated measures were impediments to travel, told this nation it was critical to strike the right balance between “community spread” prevention and enabling tourism’s rebound.

Both the Dominican Republic and Mexico have enjoyed the region’s highest visitor numbers amid COVID-19, but this has been achieved by taking greater health-related risks through the absence of many of the restrictions imposed by The Bahamas and other destinations.

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