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Volume: 121 No.44, January 25, 2024

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UNION STRIKE TO BLOCK PI BRIDGE Workers ‘will do whatever it takes’ in pay rise battle

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net MEMBERS of the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) plan to hold a potentially disruptive protest at the Sidney Poitier Bridge this morning.

Their failed efforts to get an eight per cent increase

in their salary is prompting the protest.

Other trade unions, including the Bahamas National Alliance of Trade Union Congress (BNATUC) and the Bahamas Taxicab Union (BTU), plan to stand in solidarity with the hotel union this morning, The Tribune was

Grandmother haunted by tragedy

SEE PAGE TWO

TEEN PUMP ATTENDENT SHOT IN THE FACE AT GAS STATION

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE teenager shot in the face at a gas station on Tuesday night was disoriented but talkative after the attack, which has left him with a fractured skull and caused sales at the station to plummet.

Demetrio Forbes, a

17-year-old pump attendant at Esso On The Run, was working the late shift at the East Street South gas station when a gunman shot him in the face and ran.

Widely shared footage of the shooting at the station, which is just across from the South Beach Police Station, disturbed residents.

GRANDMOTHER Stella Gray while at the FNM-led protest on murder told The Tribune she is haunted by the death of her granddaughter Davinique Gray and fears no one will be arrested for the killing. See PAGE 4 for story.

Photo: Moise Amisial

SEE PAGE FOUR

Not so fast - lawyers say Parliament can’t scrap bail

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net DEFENCE lawyers said the amendments to the Bail Act Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis announced in the House of Assembly yesterday in response to the soaring murder rate will not significantly change the status quo or affect Supreme Court judges’ discretion to grant people bail.

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis Mr Davis said the amendment would ensure bail is automatically revoked for

people who violate their bail conditions.

His announcement came less than two weeks after Attorney General Ryan Pinder told reporters the Bail Act did not need to be amended.

“There’s adequate protection and adequate ability for the judiciary to deny bail in certain instances,” Mr Pinder told reporters earlier

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

TWO GB DEATHS WITH FENTANYL IN THEIR SYSTEM

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama has already recorded two deaths of people found with fentanyl in their system in 2024, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police SEE PAGE THREE

PAGE 2, Thursday, January 25, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

Bahamian fashion designer to create outfits for Mickey and Minnie Mouse

THEODORE Elyett (middle) poses with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

DISNEY Cruise Line (DCL) revealed yesterday that acclaimed Bahamian fashion designer Theodore Elyett is collaborating with its team of artists to create all new outfits for Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their pals.

The characters will wear their exclusive styles at the cruise line’s new island destination, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, when it opens to guests in June.

Disney selected Mr Elyett to design the new looks for the iconic characters due to his unique approach to creative, authentic storytelling through fashion and design.

“The Bahamian community has played a special role in this project since the beginning, and Theodore Elyett is the perfect collaborator on these distinctly Bahamian styles for our beloved Disney characters,” said Janet Spidell, costuming producer for Disney Live Entertainment.

“He has taught us so much about the history and traditions of Junkanoo and is helping us tell the story of Bahamian culture through his creative designs.”

Like the overall concept for DCL’s newest island destination in Eleuthera, the Disney characters’ looks are inspired by the

natural environment and celebrate the culture and spirit of The Bahamas.

The collection will have a distinct Bahamian flair and depict the bright, colourful spirit of Junkanoo –– which Elyett has named ‘Junkanoo Fun in the Sun!’ Among other nods to Bahamian culture, Mickey

making dresses at an early age. His designs first hit the runway when he was 13 years old, and he went on to design for Miss Bahamas and Miss Bahamas Universe contestants, in addition to celebrities, government officials and more.

Mr Elyett is among the several talented local art-

CONCEPT art of the design for Mickey and Minnie’s outfits.

Mouse’s style is adorned with graphic, pop art conch shells in bright, bold colours. Minnie Mouse’s look is inspired by a Junkanoo straw doll, complete with a straw bag embellished with the symbol of Eleuthera: a golden pineapple. Mr Elyett will also design special styles for Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale –– all taking inspiration from Junkanoo while matching the distinct personalities of each character.

“I envisioned creating a collection that highlights Bahamian culture, celebrates the beauty of The Bahamas and is beautifully tailored to each character,” Mr Elyett said. “I remember visiting Disney early in my design journey as a child, and now seeing my favourite Disney characters wearing my designs feels like a full circle moment.”

Mr Elyett grew up in New Providence, where he was surrounded by art and fashion, and started

ists and cultural advisors who are helping Disney shape Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point into an experience that celebrates the natural beauty, traditions and artistry of The Bahamas. The island destination will create sustainable economic opportunities for Bahamians, protect and sustain the natural beauty of the site, celebrate culture, and help strengthen the community in Eleuthera.

Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point has created more than 600 construction-related roles –– more than quadrupling the number of jobs DCL committed to in its Heads of Agreement –– and will create at least 150 wellpaying operation jobs with benefits in a range of disciplines and with opportunities for advancement.

DCL is also committed to providing space for Bahamian vendors for the sale of authentic, high-quality Bahamian retail goods, services, souvenirs, arts, crafts and more.

Union strike to block PI bridge from page one told.

Asked if the hotel union planned to block off the Sidney Poitier Bridge, one hotel member who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to speak on behalf of the union said it “will do whatever it takes.”

The disruption follows earlier threats of action from the taxi union, which pledged a battle against Atlantis over their concerns.

Wesley Ferguson, the union’s president, told Tribune Business that his members are “not having

it in 2024” as he asserted that Atlantis’ track record of having “lost all” previous confrontations with the taxi drivers will continue.

“It seems as if all they want to do is re-group and come back at it at a different angle, but whatever angle Atlantis chooses to come with, the BTCU is not having it in 2024,” he declared. “Because in this day and time it is barbaric when you are going to inconvenience tourists who come from the cruise ship.”

Last July, the BHCAWU protested in front of the Department of Labour after Atlantis fired one of its shop stewards.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 25, 2024, PAGE 3

Not so fast - lawyers say Parliament can’t scrap bail from page one this year.

Magistrates can currently punish people who violate their bail conditions by fining them, as they often do, even when those people are accused of serious crimes such as like murder.

The amendment would remove this option and force magistrates to remand the accused.

However, lawyers say this may merely delay bail grants because it won’t stop accused people from applying to the Supreme Court, where the judges can use their discretion to release them.

“The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to admit persons to bail derives from its common law jurisdiction, and since its power was not given by Parliament, it cannot be taken away

by Parliament,” attorney David Cash said yesterday.

“When it comes to committing offences whilst on bail, this must mean convictions and not mere charges as the presumption of innocence must apply to each new charge.”

Debate about bail always intensifies during high

murder periods such as the current one; 17 people have been murdered in 2024.

Ministry of National Security consultant Carlos Reid said last year that through November, 42 per cent of murder victims were men on bail for serious crimes. The issue has vexed successive police commissioners and stumped legislators, but judges have repeatedly noted that in a constitutional system where people are presumed innocent, there is no prohibition on bail.

Attorney Christina Galanos told The Tribune yesterday that the legislature cannot amend judges’ unfettered right to grant bail. She noted that the significant backlog of cases increases the likelihood that people will get bail.

“It’s not for politicians to tell judges to decide how or what manner to exercise their judicial discretion,” she said.

“In order for it to be determined that someone commits an offence while on bail, a jury has to come back and say that, because under our constitution, you’re innocent until proven guilty.

“Where we are with the backlog, there are some cases where alleged offences were committed all the way back in 2015, 2014, and 2013. We haven’t heard those cases yet.

“As long as the presumption of innocence until proven guilty is in play, you cannot get a court to establish that someone committed an offence while on bail until you have a trial and good luck making that happen within the next three, four, five, or even six years. It sounds good. It sounds like something that is like a talking point, but really and truly, it makes no sense.”

Attorney Romona Farquharson Seymour similarly noted that being charged does not mean guilty.

“The police are saying, I suspect this person, I believe that we have sufficient evidence that they have committed the offence, but again, a jury of your peers, depending on the charge, must make that decision,” she said.

“We have to be very careful that we’re not having some sort of knee-jerk reaction to the increase in crime.

ATTORNEY CHRISTINA GALANOS “The court should look at every circumstance. Every case is unique.”

A representative of the Bahamas Bar Association said the organisation will

call a press conference to respond to the proposed amendments.

Davis rebukes PintarD for calling commissioner of Police ‘a liar’ in Johnson attack case

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis rebuked opposition leader Michael Pintard for saying Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander did not tell the truth when he said someone was in custody as police investigated an alleged physical attack on Free National Movement’s vice-chairman Richard Johnson.

Mr Davis said: “As was

widely broadcast in the media, the leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition accused the commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force of being, and I quote, “a liar.”

“What made the attack even more egregious, was the fact that it stemmed from the fact that the honourable gentleman was merely ignorant of the details concerning a police investigation, an investigation in which the honourable member

may likely be a person of interest, given the public utterances of the complainant.”

Mr Davis scolded the FNM leader and urged him to apologize.

Mr Pintard later accused him of trying to deflect from the crime issue.

At an FNM press conference earlier this month, Mr Pintard claimed that Commissioner Fernander did not tell the truth about the status of the investigation into an alleged attack

against FNM Vice Chairman Richard Johnson.

“Quite frankly, we believe that it’s a lie, but that’s just us,” Mr Pintard said. “If the police are making progress, we welcome that news, and we ask them to let us know.”

Mr Johnson was allegedly attacked outside an FNM meeting on November 30.

He said he was talking to FNM members outside when someone came out of nowhere and hit him across his head, prompting him to

Fentanyl is cause of two deaths in Grand Bahama from page one Shanta Knowles, who said the drug was found in one person who died on the island last year.

She said investigations are continuing into the death of Robin Jeantil, also known as “Tubby” from Hope Town, a 23-year-old man who died on January 7 after he reportedly ingested an unknown pill while at a nightclub in Grand Bahama.

“I cannot say that the young man overdosed on fentanyl, but what I can say is that the presence of fentanyl was in his system,” she said on Wednesday following a town hall meeting to discuss the presence of dangerous drugs in the Grand Bahama community.

“We are talking to people who were in his presence for a period of time and hoping they can give us information that can lead to the persons who would have given him pills to take which got into his system,” ACP Knowles said.

“This is the second death where fentanyl was present in Grand Bahama for the year 2024, but we know there was another case last year.”

ACP Knowles said police do not know exactly how or where people are getting the drug from.

“We are searching all avenues so we can identify those in possession of it,”

CORRECTION AN article in yesterday’s Tribune on Adrian Gibson’s criminal trial incorrectly named Mr Gibson as the person who asked Mynez Cargill-Sherman to leave Water and Sewerage’s safety department.

In fact, Mrs CargillSherman testified that Elwood Donaldson did this. We apologise for the error.

she said. “We have been searching persons around nightclubs, homes, and hopefully we will get some information from the public that can lead us to find those responsible.”

“The importance of this meeting is to get the message out to the public here in GB and the northern Bahamas and the wider

country that we do have some dangerous drugs that are on our streets that are in the hands of people whose hands they should not be in.

“And so it is important for us to educate and garner the information from public so we can find these drugs and take them off our streets.

“We will educate, but also

get the community to partner with us so we can find those persons who are in possession of these drugs and take them off the streets.”

Dr David Allen was one of several panel speakers yesterday. He noted the potency of illicit fentanyl. A very small amount — about 2mg — can kill a person in three minutes, he said.

defend himself.

FNM leaders later filed a police complaint against him, saying he falsely accused them of orchestrating the attack he experienced.

Mr Johnson sued the FNM in 2022 after executives unanimously barred him from council meetings. He seeks $500,000 in damages, claiming that neither leader Michael Pintard nor chairman Dr Duane Sands had the authority to suspend his membership rights and reassign his vice-chair duties. He wants $250,000 for “loss and unlawful interference” of his membership, $250,000

for “mental distress concerning the matter”, and interest on damages.

Last year, Justice Deborah Fraser instituted an injunction preventing the party’s leaders from barring him from council meetings until she had addressed the substantive matter. She also ordered them not to personally attack each other or other FNM members in public until she had ruled on the lawsuit.

After the controversy over the attack against Mr Johnson, the judge banned Mr Johnson from attending the party’s meetings or visiting its headquarters or precincts until a further court order.

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Teen pump attendent shot in the face at gas station PAGE 4, Thursday, January 25, 2024

from page one

The incident also shocked employees who quickly helped Mr Forbes, who had been a worker there for two years.

Trevor Brown, the manager of the gas station, said he was in his office when the teen was shot.

When he went outside, Forbes was bleeding on the ground.

“I was hoping he didn’t

(die),” Mr Brown said yesterday.

Mr Forbes’ aunt, Tunyia Rolle, also works at the station and witnessed the attack.

She said she had one goal: keeping her nephew alive and alert.

“The only thing I coulda do is remain calm because I’m a nurse as well, so I decided to remain calm and try to do my best to keep him talking and keep

THE TRIBUNE

him alert,” she told The Tribune yesterday. “He wasn’t aware of what was going on. He didn’t even know he got shot.”

“I keep him talking and letting him ask God for forgiveness.”

Ms Rolle said the family does not know the motive behind the attack but heard rumours that he was not the intended target.

She said it is unlikely Forbes will return to the

station.

“He never been in trouble, and just Friday he messaged me, and he was like, “I want to go to BTVI to do mechanic, so I told him Wednesday I’m off, and we could see and get the forms and stuff,” she said.

She said although Mr Forbes is in stable condition, he has a long road to recovery.

“I know they say they

may have to transfer him to ICU and give him like some medication for the swelling of the brain because the brain isn’t really damaged,” she added. “It’s just a bruise, and they don’t even want to do surgery to do damage to the brain.

“So they’re just watching it for a little while to see how the brain is going to heal on its own.”

Mr Brown said

employees are shaken and will get counselling.

He said business operations will continue as normal and encouraged customers to patronise the store, noting the incident was unprecedented.

“You could see already that sales dropped,” he said. “It’s less traffic. But they don’t have to get scared or afraid. They can still come because we’re still here to serve them.”

ENVIRONMENT MINISTER TAKES A TOUR OF THE NEW PROVIDENCE ECOLOGY PARK VAUGHN Miller, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Zane Lightbourne, State Minister for the Environment and Launa Williams, acting director, Department of Environmental Health Services led the list of government officials who recently toured New Providence Ecology Park (NPEP).

As NPEP moves toward more sustainable environmental waste management practices, Chairman Felix Stubbs gave the officials a “closer look” on the guided bus tour and provided information about the management and maintenance of the landfill.

The tour included a view of the Green Waste section which houses a $1.2 million

machine where heavy duty items for e.g. pallets, old tires are crushed and shredded; and a view of how the mull from this process is reused environmentally for construction, road works, etc.

The officials also viewed the area where chemicals are stored and informed of how they are used to protect and enhance the site.

NPEP has transformed what was once an “open waste” dumping ground into a clean, safe, and organized park, 100 percent compacted, capped, and contained. Day-to-day activity on the site includes: composting, construction debris & recycling, waste management, petroleum contaminated soils management, and used oil removal.

PICTURED from left at the New Providence Ecology Park: Larry Wilson, CO; Virginia McKinney, director; Sally Chisolm, DEHS; Jaime Strachan, HR administration manager; Ken Kerr; Vaughn Miller, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources; Zane Lightbourne, State Minister for the Environment; Launa Williams, acting director, DEHS; Ken Meronard, senior superintendent, DEHS; director; Felix Stubbs, chairman; Terrance Lord, operations manager.

Photo: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources

Tel: 1.242.325.6633 | sales@stormframewindows.com #55 Airport Industrial Park

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Grandmother says she is haunted by tragedy THE TRIBUNE

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE grandmother of 16-year-old Davinique Gray, who was murdered in her Nassau Village home on January 6, is haunted by the tragedy and fears no one will be arrested for the killing.

“There is nothing being done to say they are looking for the fugitive that shot and killed my granddaughter,” Stella Gray told reporters outside the House of Assembly yesterday.

“So that means that case is closed. I need some active investigation on my granddaughter’s death, okay? I need some closure on that.”

Davinique was the

Thursday, January 25, 2024, PAGE 5

country’s 8th murder victim.

Shinikia Johnson, the girl’s mother, was charged with harbouring a fugitive, a man police believe was the intended target of her daughter’s killer.

The fugitive, Gamaliel Gray, was a suspect wanted in connection with the death of Gerrad Coakley, who was shot and killed at his residence on January 2.

Gray was at the Nassau Village residence at the time of the incident.

Stella Gray said she is hurting because there has been so much death surrounding her. Her grandaughter’s father was also murdered.

She said: “Who is responsible for her death? He is

locked up... but who shot my granddaughter? No conclusion come to her death yet. I would like to know who shot my grandchild because there’s no conclusion to that yet.”

“A 16-year-old, and that’s what I want to find out.”

Ms Johnson’s trial is expected to begin on Monday, January 29.

Ms Gray’s comments came as Free National Movement leaders led a protest on Rawson Square yesterday over the murder rate.

“We encourage all

Bahamians to send a clear message to the government that what we require is a sense of urgency,” FNM leader Michael Pintard said. “Every minister in the House of Assembly, the leader of opposition, have a security detail. But our ordinary citizens are left to fend for themselves because we have a small segment of this population that is determined not to follow the law, or others are misguided because they do not benefit from programmes that can be life-changing.”

PEOPLE gathered outside the House of Assembly yesterday in FNMled crime protest. Inset above: Shanendon Cartwright, FNM deputy leader, shakes the hand of a protestor. Left: Stella Gray speaks to reporters calling for justice for her grandaughter Davinique Gray who was killed at home on January 2.

Photos: Moise Amisial

PM say he does not believe US crime warning will have an effect on country’s tourism product

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE US Embassy of Nassau warned American citizens about this country’s murder rate yesterday, encouraging them to exercise extreme caution in the eastern part of New Providence.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis later said he doesn’t believe the crime advisory will affect this nation’s tourism product.

He said the American government has a right to warn its citizens “of what they perceive to be the dangers to their life.”

National Security

Minister Wayne Munroe was also unconcerned about the advisory, saying The Bahamas issues similar notices to Bahamians travelling abroad.

“They feel they’re doing their duty and we’ll continue to do our duty and seek to do our best to support the police, defence force, customs and

immigration as they seek to make the country safe,” he said.

The US Embassy noted retaliatory gang violence as the primary motive for murders this year.

“Murders have occurred at all hours, including in broad daylight on the streets,” the Embassy said.

PAGE 6, Thursday, January 25, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

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Japan is now the fifth country to land on the Moon – the technology used will lend itself to future lunar missions (This article is by Mariel Borowitz, Georgia Institute of Technology, for THE CONVERSATION) JAPAN landed its Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon, or SLIM, craft on the surface of the Moon on Jan. 20, 2024. Despite a power issue with the lander, the event holds both political and technical importance. It’s Japan’s first lunar landing – making it only the fifth country in the world to successfully land on the Moon. This is a significant achievement and solidifies Japan’s position as a leader in space technology.

While the craft landed successfully on the lunar surface and deployed its rovers, SLIM’s solar cells were not functioning properly – meaning that the craft could likely only operate for a few hours.

I’m a scholar of international affairs who studies space. Like NASA and other space agencies, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, wants to advance research and technology by demonstrating new techniques and collecting scientific data. The landing is also a part of something bigger – a growing global interest in lunar activity.

Precision technology Japan’s achievement isn’t only symbolic – Japan is demonstrating a number of new technologies with the lander. The name, Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon, refers to the spacecraft’s new precision-landing technology.

This technology could assist future landings by allowing spacecraft to land in relatively small areas amid rocky or uneven terrain, rather than having to find large clearings. This ability will be particularly important in the future as countries focus on very specific areas of interest at the lunar south pole.

The lander also carried two small rovers, each of which will demonstrate a new technology for moving on the Moon.

Lunar Excursion Vehicle 1 includes a camera, as well as scientific equipment, and uses a hopping mechanism to maneuver on the Moon.

Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2, developed in a partnership among government, industry, and academia, is a sphere small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Once on the surface, its two halves separate slightly, allowing it to roll around.

SLIM is designed to land within a 328-foot (100-metre) zone, far smaller than previous lunar landers which have had landing zones spanning multiple kilometres.

SLIM used a vision-based navigation system that took images of the lunar surface. Its system rapidly compared these images to crater patterns on lunar maps that JAXA developed with data from previous missions.

As countries identify areas that are most likely to hold useful resources, such as water in the form of ice, precision landing technology will allow agencies to avoid nearby hazards and reach these areas without incident.

International relations back on Earth There is a geopolitical element to these activities. China, India and Japan – the three nations that have successfully landed on the Moon since 2000 – engage in regional competition across a number of areas, including space.

In addition to regional considerations, these accomplishments help to establish nations as leaders on a global scale – capable of something that few nations have ever done.

Japan’s launch comes only six months after India’s Moon landing and just weeks after a failed attempt by a U.S. company, Astrobotic.

Both Russia and the private company iSpace made unsuccessful landing attempts in 2023. Japan’s success in landing on the Moon – even with solar panel issues shortening the timeline for the mission – demonstrates that JAXA is a major player in this global endeavour.

Despite recent setbacks, such as NASA announcing delays to its next Artemis mission, the U.S. is still a clear leader in space and lunar exploration. NASA has multiple spacecraft orbiting the Moon right now, and it’s already successfully launched the SLS rocket, which is capable of taking humans back to the Moon.

NASA is developing very large and complex systems internally – like the Gateway space station, planned to orbit near the Moon, and the infrastructure for the Artemis human Moon missions. It’s not uncommon for these large and complex efforts to experience some delays.

NASA has also turned many smaller-scale efforts over to commercial entities lately – like in the Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme that supported Astrobotic’s attempt. This is a new approach that involves some risk, but provides the opportunity for commercial innovation and growth of the lunar economy while giving NASA the ability to focus on big, complex aspects of the mission.

With regard to the Moon, JAXA has partnered with the U.S. and taken on a very important component of the Artemis missions – the development of a pressurized lunar rover. This is a new and complex technology that will be critical to human missions on the Moon in coming years.

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

BOATS float on the bay in Tongoy, Chile, Monday. (AP Photo/Matias Basualdo)

France should lead in helping Haiti, not The Bahamas and CARICOM EDITOR, The Tribune.

I READ carefully the words of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis at the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Africa regarding the welldocumented plight of Haiti.

From a practical standpoint, it makes good sense for The Bahamas to become proactive in finding a solution to Haiti. However, the reality on the ground is that The Bahamas and CARICOM both lack the financial and human resources to make any meaningful headway in addressing the myriad of issues impacting the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Seeing that he has an international platform, Davis should use his clout to lobby the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union to persuade France to take the lead in fixing Haiti.

Haiti was once a French colony. After gaining its independence in 1804 after a bloody war with France, Haiti was coerced by threat of war by French King Charles X in 1825 to pay for its freedom. The amount King Charles X demanded was 150 million francs. This would amount to approximately $28 billion in US dollars today. Between 1825 and 1947, Haiti paid its debt to France in what one academic described as the greatest heist in human

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net history. In fact, it has been observed by an NPR article that the sum King Charles X demanded was ten times the amount the United States paid France in the Louisiana Purchase.

Compounding matters for France was US President Thomas Jefferson putting in place policies to isolate the first independent Black nation in the Western Hemisphere. The irony of Jefferson’s involvement in frustrating Haiti’s economic and social development is that he was the main author of the 1776 Declaration of Independence. Haiti was viewed as a threat to the industrialised world that trafficked in human slavery. Jefferson was wary of a slave uprising in the plantations of North America.

For what it’s worth, France has a moral obligation to reimburse Haiti.

This is a matter CARICOM and Davis must harp on. Also worth noting is that France, since the ending of World War II, is considered a superpower.

France is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO); the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Organisation for Economic

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WOULD say I am a casual observer of Bahamian politics, but even I can’t deny that Pintard has really come into his own as a leader in our political landscape as of late.

He is bringing a completely different level of energy and passion to the table, particularly as the country battles a wave of violent crime and public angst.

If the barbershop and lunchtime conversations are anything to go by, he seems to finally be resonating with the average

man on the ground. I did not know prior to a recent interview on national news that he grew up in Yellow Elder, or that he could lose the fancy political jargon depending on the subject. He would be well advised to keep “keeping it real.”

I will be watching to see if this translates into momentum as the machinery for the next election ratches up. But for now, colour me surprised and impressed.

ALEX ROLLE Nassau, January 24, 2024.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama January 23, 2024.

Israel is deserving of our support EDITOR, The Tribune.

Surprised and impressed

by Michael Pintard

Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Bahamian financial services sector, since the second Free National Movement administration of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, has been virtually gutted out by the FATF and the OECD -- obviously with France being complicit. Additionally, France is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and is a G8 country with a GDP in 2021 that was nearly $2.10 trillion. The Bahamas, by way of comparison, had a GDP of $11.21 billion.

Each member state of CARICOM can legitimately be labeled a developing country. Consequently, it comes as no surprise that CARICOM has severe limitations in fixing Haiti. In my opinion, the coercion of $28 billion from Haiti by the French is a huge reason why we have this lingering mess in the Caribbean.

It is high time that CARICOM channel its energy in fighting climate change towards getting France to reimburse its impoverished ally.

Until Haiti is fixed, The Bahamas will continue to suffer the consequences of France’s blackmail of the Haitian people.

NOW that Alicia Wallace has produced a long column on the grievances of Palestinians we shall look forward to another column on the problems which Israel has experienced for decades with hostile neighbours.

When pleas for a ceasefire are made by various groups and organisations little thought is given to the fact that the recent conflicts were started by the Hamas authorities in Gaza when on October 7, they invaded nearby Israeli settlements and killed the largest number of Jewish people since Hitler’s Holocaust of World War Two. Israel had no other option but to immediately begin military operations to try to find the many hostages which the Hamas forces captured during their invasion. Hamas is an internationally recognised terrorist organisation. They do not want peace with Israel nor a two-state solution which is talked about by many countries. They want the

destruction of Israel and the elimination of all Jews in the area. They are not partners for peace.

Various attempts by American presidents to bring peace to the area brought the hope of a resolution, but the Palestinian authorities always in the end refused to sign a peace treaty. Israel has successfully made peace treaties with neighbours Egypt, and Jordan, and three years ago with other countries in the region. Until responsible leadership is in charge there is little hope of the Palestinians enjoying peace and prosperity.

Israel has a right to exist as it is their biblical homeland out of which the Jewish and Christian religions developed. We need a more balanced viewpoint of the problems in that region. Israel is deserving of our support.

RICHARD JOHNSON Nassau January 24, 2024.

Rolle denies he strangled elderly American woman in Cat Island THE TRIBUNE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

RODRIGO Rolle denied strangling an elderly American woman during a 2017 home invasion in Cat Island as his murder trial resumed yesterday.

Rolle, 33, is accused of killing Janice Kessinger, 74, during a home invasion in Orange Creek, Cat Island, on September 29, 2017. Kessinger had been living on the island for 17 years. Rolle allegedly stole a 2006 Ford Explorer and a $500 safe containing a $5,000 Rolex belonging to Frank and Gabbi Wolf.

Rolle has pleaded not guilty to murder, stealing from a dwelling house and stealing.

Prosecutor Eucal Bonamy cross-examined Rolle yesterday and put it to him that he entered the deceased’s residence through a sliding door.

He suggested that the accused attacked Ms Kessinger and strangled her with an extension chord. He insinuated that the accused received scratches to his arm as the deceased tried to fight him off.

The defendant vehemently denied these allegations, saying: “No, sir, I didn’t do that. That never happened.”

Mr Bonamy then put it to

Thursday, January 25, 2024, PAGE 7

Rolle that he wrapped the deceased in a red blanket and carried her body to a beach in Port Royal so he could bury her in a shallow grave.

He said after Rolle hastily buried the body, he lit and smoked a cigarette in celebration and dropped the butt on the sand.

Rolle denied these allegations. He said he was unaware a body was there when police carried him to the location.

Although the defendant denied asking Marcelo “Scar” Hepburn for help in opening the safe and later burning both the safe and stolen jeep, he admitted to running away from police before his arrest.

However, he disagreed that he ran barefoot through his grandmother’s backyard, injuring his foot. He also denied falling during this chase.

He further disagreed with the suggestion that he fled because he knew he murdered someone and claimed that he ran because he had a “joint” in his pocket.

Despite the prosecution’s claim that he received injuries to his wrist and legs from violently resisting arrest, Rolle maintained that police beat him and kicked him in the head.

He also claimed that he was tasered during his arrest and again in jail.

Meanwhile, Dr Hastings

Washington Johnson testified that he treated the defendant for abrasions and lacerations to his right knee and an open wound on his foot on October 6, 2017.

He also noted that the defendant had handcuff injuries on his wrist. He said he x-rayed his foot to ensure there were no fractures or foreign bodies inside.

He said someone could injure themselves with handcuffs due to intense pressure.

According to his notes from that day, Dr Hastings had no record of the defendant having a head injury, complaining of a headache or saying he was suffocated with a plastic bag by police.

While claiming the defendant never told him how he injured his foot and knee, Dr Johnson told the prosecutor Rolle might have injured his foot in a fall. He agreed with Mr Bonamy’s suggestion that fingernails could cause abrasions to the shoulder.

During questioning from Geoffrey Farquharson, the defendant’s attorney, Dr Johnson said Rolle told him police beat him on October 1, 2017.

In addition to Mr Bonamy, Janet Munnings also serves as a prosecutor in the case.

Justice Gregory Hilton is the presiding judge.

RODRIGO Nigel Rolle outside court in 2017.

OMBUDSMAN BILL WILL EMPOWER BAHAMIANS AND BOOST TRUST IN GOVT, SAYS CAMPBELL

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell said the Ombudsman Bill, which passed the House of Assembly last night, will empower Bahamians and boost trust in the government.

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard, however, said while he supports the bill, he does not expect the Davis administration to fully implement it, likening the legislation to the Freedom of Information Act, the full implementation of which Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said is not a priority

for the administration.

Parliamentarians argued that the bill would ensure the rights of Bahamians are upheld while also holding the government accountable for its actions.

The Office of the Ombudsman could investigate the administrative operations of public authorities to see if there’s any maladministration. It could investigate allegations by Bahamians that there has been a “breach of fundamental rights and freedoms” in how a government body has dealt with them. It could also make recommendations to the government about obeying international human rights law.

“The Office which this

bill establishes has the potential to become one of the most important in the entire government,” Mr Campbell said. “Its functions, as laid out in the bill, serve to protect citizens who make legitimate complaints while simultaneously doing the same for the holders of public offices by conducting impartial investigations and making relevant recommendations.”

“The word Ombudsman is of Swedish origin and is said to mean ‘representative of the people’. This is exactly the role that the holder of this office will take. The Ombudsman will be tasked with ensuring that the rights of the Bahamian people

interacting with their government are upheld.

He or she will be asked to conduct themselves in a way that is not only impartial but patriotic as their only loyalty in carrying out their duties should be to our country,

its laws, and its citizens.”

East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson said when the Office of the Ombudsman is established, its staff will be overwhelmed with legitimate complaints because the Davis administration

will ignore the law when convenient.

Mr Pintard said he lacks confidence that the government will follow its obligations under laws related to transparency and accountability.

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We need long-term thinking on crime and violence issue PAGE 8, Thursday, January 25, 2024

AROUND the world, governments, driven by the politics and exigencies of the moment, often respond with immediate or shortterm measures designed to appease a public outcry and media reports demanding action on a given public policy issue.

Creating workable or credible public policy is a difficult or complex task even in the best of or more placid times. Policy needs to be constructed on a foundation of proper research and as comprehensive analysis as possible. Neither of the aforementioned is an easy task, and sometimes both remain unrealized.

Policymakers often have to make decisions based on seemingly conflicting information and advice. Raw information is one thing.

Such data has to be analyzed. Then judgements, based on differing values, have to be rendered.

In The Bahamas, it is often difficult to get adequate data. Go to certain international websites and look for data on the country. One often finds the note: not available. We do not have the best culture of data collection or analysis. It is often seen as unimportant.

Despite its statistical gaps, the Royal Bahamas Police Force has a better culture of data collection than many government entities.

Policy-making is often quite involved because parliamentarians and cabinet members have a diversity

of viewpoints based on an array of values, temperaments, life experience, religious backgrounds, education, familiarity with an issue, etc. This is sometimes a good thing, allowing for multiple views.

There are also competing stakeholders and interested parties whose views must be considered. Such input is sometimes more based on self-interest than the common good.

Take for example the implementation of a minimum wage. There are varied ideological positions and economic considerations that go into deciding the policy and politics of a wage increase.

During the COVID-19 pandemic there were raging debates and conflicts on which measures to use to address the contagion.

Clearly, there is a need

THE TRIBUNE

to review the decisions that were made globally. But the breezy hindsight that does not take into account the realities, fears and limited knowledge of the trajectory of the virus in the moment, is simplistic and unconvincing.

When one listens to talk radio or visits certain social media chat groups, it is amusing and amazing to listen to the often harebrained, simplistic and unrealistic suggestions by some as to how governments should respond to a certain issue.

There are often policy suggestions that are ridiculous, or based on faulty information or no information at all.

But even if policymakers have reasonably good analysis and information, getting the bureaucracy to implement a policy, is often like redirecting the proverbial aircraft carrier speeding in one direction but now requiring new instructions and a change of course.

The often glacial, sometimes indifferent, chaotic and unresponsive bureaucracy that constitutes much of the Bahama public service is sometimes a study in inertia and incompetence.

One American president was asked about the power of the presidency. His retort was that he was able to get things done – after the fifth time asking. One imagines a similar reality here at home.

Public officers at multiple levels can continuously

frustrate the implementation of a given policy because they may not agree with it or they are lethargic or a combination of reasons. Just because a minister or permanent secretary issues a directive does means that

prosecution.

The Laboratory is a prime example of governmental inertia. It has been known for umpteen years that such a facility is needed. Yet, successive governments have failed to fund the Laboratory despite

Those who are now engaged in killing do not believe that the state is credible in trying them in a timely manner. something will be done in a timely or effective manner.

Our government and policy culture affects our responses or non-responses to crime and violence. There may be an extraordinary dearth of knowledge and lack of understanding about the culture of violence in The Bahamas.

With another deadly frenzy of violence and killings, there is a rush of mostly unhelpful ideas from some quarters on crime. There is the ritual calling for more hangings and longer prison sentences, neither of which has repeatedly been shown to be a credible deterrence strategy.

Those who are now engaged in killing do not believe that the state is credible in trying them in a timely manner.

As noted before, responses to crime and its causes are multiple and at times complex. But there are often clear responses that have proven excessively difficult for our overburdened, often terribly incompetent and frustrating criminal justice system, inclusive of the police, the Office of the Attorney General and the courts.

One response would be, at long last, establishing the National Forensics Laboratory with the necessary technology and personnel. Such a lab could speed some trials and reduce the need to send certain tests and samples overseas, often delaying detection and

repeated recommendations.

Intelligence gathering, good policing, various crime detection technologies, youth programmes and other measures are critical in preventing, disrupting and addressing the behaviour of gangs and criminals.

But when many individuals perceive, many times correctly, that their trials will not be heard in a timely manner and that they will be granted bail in due course, they scoff at the justice system, creating a wider ripple and sociological effect and mindset of lawlessness and contempt for authority at all levels.

We have lost much of the plot in our criminal justice system. Parents and teachers who deal with discipline can attest to author Mark Kleiman’s claim: timeliness and certainty of punishment often tend to be more effective than severity.

Alec MacGillis echoes Kleiman: “When the speed of repercussions drops, society loses a key deterrent against unlawful behaviour.”

Kleiman, who utilized insights from psychology, behavioral economics and organizational analysis, also appreciated the need for timely intervention through probationary, parole and other measures, including drug and alcohol treatment.

He once said in an interview with The New York Times: “When politicians say, ‘Let’s hire 5,000 more

police!’ everybody cheers.

Say, ‘Let’s hire 5,000 probation officers and create cost-effective alternatives to prison!’ and everybody yawns.”

Further, despite some progress, one area of potential crime prevention that we have failed to understand and comprehensively fund is prison reform and the redirection and rehabilitation of offenders.

In his book, Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic, written in 1997, psychiatrist Dr. James Gilligan, who once directed the Centre for the Study of Violence at Harvard Medical School, wrote of some of the offenders he worked with in prison: “Some have told me that they feel like robots or zombies, that they feel their bodies are empty or filled with straw, not flesh and blood, that instead of having veins and nerves they have ropes or cords. One inmate told me that he feels like ‘food decomposing.’”

“Gilligan was brought in as the medical director of the Massachusetts prison mental hospital in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, because of the high suicide and murder rates within their prisons. When he left ten years later the rates of both had dropped to nearly zero.”

We live in a highly retributive and fundamentalist society. Many of us are harsh in our views when it comes to beating and berating children.

We believe that prisoners should be incarcerated in crude and merciless circumstances, and that they are in prison almost solely for punishment.

Dr Gilligan describes prisons as a “universe of violence”. If the Corrections Center in Fox Hill is similarly a “universe of violence”, we are failing miserably in lessening the capacity for violence and criminality in those who will eventually be released.

Being tough on crime is not the same as dehumanising or brutalising offenders. If we want to reduce criminal violence it is imperative that we at long last become serious about reforming and humanising our prison system.

Our general failure to do so over many decades has contributed considerably to the whirlwind of violence we continue to reap even as we remain puzzled and shocked by a failure for which we share collective responsibility as a government and a citizenry.

Little suspense as Trump holds strong lead in GOP primaries PAGE 10, Thursday, January 25, 2024

IT would be more fun and more interesting if the Iowa Republican caucuses and the New Hampshire GOP primary “race” had produced more suspense.

The press would love that, because a real contest would get more people interested in their stories.

But honestly, not too much has happened or changed after two states made known their Republican presidential preferences.

Except for the departure of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, that is. The Sunshine State chief executive, whose closely-aligned Never Back Down political action committee reportedly splashed nearly $150m on his presidential primary campaign, proved to be a decidedly uninspiring national political figure and faded rather quickly once actual voting began.

Of all the insults Donald Trump has hurled at political opponents over the past decade, one of the most telling was his consistent charge that he had “made Ron DeSantis” as a prominent political figure. To most observers, this was simply true.

DeSantis, well-educated and with military service in his background, was still a fairly obscure Central Florida congressman

THE TRIBUNE

STATESIDE with Charlie Harper until Trump bestowed upon him his endorsement for governor prior to the 2018 race. Even with that advantage and Florida’s strongly red-trending electorate, DeSantis was lucky to defeat former Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum by less than one-half of one percent of the vote.

As mayor, Gillum was dogged by allegations of malfeasance and even indicted for some of his actions, but he was found innocent of one charge and others were later dismissed.

He proved to be a formidable foe for DeSantis, and the narrowness of the Republican’s 2018 win might have foretold future electoral problems.

Then DeSantis got lucky.

Democrats nominated Charlie Crist to oppose DeSantis’ re-election bid two years ago. Crist had actually already been Florida’s governor – elected as a Republican in 2007! He then

ran for the GOP nomination for the US Senate in 2010 while serving as governor but was defeated in the primary by Marco Rubio, who won the general election and is still in the Senate.

But Crist wasn’t done maneuvering. He left the Republican Party later in 2010 to run in the general election as an independent, losing again to Rubio in a three-way race. Crist’s term as governor, meantime, ended in January 2011.

In December 2012, Crist then joined the Democratic Party, having endorsed President Barack Obama for re-election earlier that year. Then less than a year after that, in November 2013, he announced that he was running for governor in the 2014 election. Crist lost to Republican governor Rick Scott, his successor, by a one percent margin. Scott now serves as Florida’s other senator in Washington.

Undaunted, in 2016, Crist

was impressively elected to Congress as a Democrat from his home district in St Petersburg. He defeated incumbent Republican David Jolly and became the first Democrat to represent this district since 1955.

To sum up, Charlie Crist was elected governor and used that to run for the US Senate. Then, after a few defeats, he was elected to Congress and used that to run for governor again. All while changing political party affiliations. Whew.

That’s a lot of maneuvering. Floridians apparently became either confused by it all or simply weary of Charlie Crist. Or both. DeSantis found Charlie Crist an easy foe and crushed him two years ago.

That 2022 triumph was supposed to catapult DeSantis to national prominence as the relatively palatable alternative to Trump’s persistent bombast.

It didn’t happen.

DeSantis’ withdrawal left only former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley standing in opposition to the Trump

MAGA GOP juggernaut.

Haley has managed to appeal to more voters than any of her primary opponents except Trump, and has gained some traction among those Republicans who are either turned off by Trump and his many issues or feel they will be left out of a second Trump administration should he prevail in November.

Like former Wyoming congresswoman and top GOP House leader Liz Cheney, Haley is a thorough conservative representing most traditional Republican views on issues ranging from social welfare to foreign affairs and a strong military. Neither woman is a moderate.

Among neverTrumpers each has nonetheless enjoyed more than a moment of notoriety and support. But it’s been just a moment in the greater arc of this year’s momentous presidential election campaign.

Like many before her, Haley has suffered from Trump’s sharp wit and rarely-erring penchant for identifying and stressing vulnerabilities in his opponents.

Recently, for example, he has begun referring to her by her given first name of Nimarata and suggested incorrectly, as he did with Barack Obama, that as the child of immigrants she is ineligible to run for president.

It is almost unimaginable

that Trump would offer a vice presidential nod to someone who has consistently questioned his fitness for office. If Haley has the integrity she claims, she wouldn’t accept any offer from Trump anyhow.

Trump’s 11-point victory Tuesday in New Hampshire is meaningful because that may have been Haley’s best chance to upset him.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary in New Hampshire was a muddle.

This state’s primary races have traditionally kicked off American presidential campaigns. However, the Democrats decided last year that they would move the New Hampshire party primary to February and give their “first in the nation” honour to South Carolina this year.

This week in New Hampshire 21 Democrats have filed for president and appeared on Tuesday’s ballot. Biden, the certain nominee, declined to be listed among them.

There were numerous explanations given for this change, but it is likely that South Carolina was so honoured because it was in that state’s primary election four years ago that third-ranking Democratic House leader Jim Clyburn threw his strong support behind Biden’s slumping campaign. Biden won a shock victory in South Carolina and the rest is history.

NFL CONFERENCE FINALS ARE SET WINNERS HEAD TO THE SUPER BOWL THE NFL’s conference championship games are all set for this Sunday. The two top conference seeds who each enjoyed a week off on the first playoff weekend are the hosts. Both the Baltimore Ravens (3.5 points) and the San Francisco 49ers (7 points) are strong betting favourites to advance as expected to the Super Bowl.

But the host Ravens must first get past the Kansas City Chiefs, who are appearing in their sixth successive conference championship game and are the defending NFL champions. The Chiefs whipped Miami and squeaked past the disappointing Buffalo Bills to reach this point. Baltimore

had an easy game against an overachieving Houston Texans team led by a rookie quarterback.

The Ravens’ talisman is quarterback Lamar Jackson, who will likely win his second league most valuable player trophy this season. In fact, in a stunning change from recent history, the Ravens occupy their lofty perch more because of their offense than their defense.

The Ravens’ defence has been inconsistent, particularly in the secondary.

That might open a door for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, also a former league MVP. But the Chiefs, like the Ravens,

have broken with recent form and reached this game not due to their offence but a surprisingly resilient defence. The Chiefs are accustomed to playing at home in the postseason.

This game, however, will be in Baltimore and the Ravens should prevail.

The host 49ers are favoured in a game that seems much less suspenseful. Except for a surprising mid-season slump, San Francisco has been tough and resilient all year and merits its big betting edge.

The Detroit Lions will line up Sunday against the 49ers, but the visitors’ Cinderella season should end with this game.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 25, 2024, PAGE 11

MAN ADMITS TO FOUR BAIL BREACHES, FINED $2,000

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 20-YEAR-OLD man was fined $2,000 after admitting to breaching his curfew while on release for a pending murder charge.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged Lanado Thompson with four counts of violation of bail conditions.

While on release, the defendant breached his nightly residential curfew four times between December 12, 2023, and January 21 in New Providence.

After pleading guilty to the charge and expressing remorse for his actions, the defendant was fined $2,000 and risks eight months in prison if he fails to pay.

MAN CHARGED WITH HOUSEBREAKING WHILE ON BAIL FOR MURDER CHARGE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net ASSISTANT Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt Evans charged Samuel McCoy, 34, with housebreaking, stealing and receiving.

McCoy and Deangelo Culmer, 34, were also charged with conveying a restricted article into lockup.

McCoy and his accomplices allegedly broke into the residence of Jermicko Collymore on Ocean Street on January 18. The accused reportedly stole $3,500 worth of property, including TVs, jewellery, appliances and game consoles.

McCoy and Culmer are accused of smuggling a TCL 6165A cellphone into lockup at the Nassau Street Police Station on January 19.

The men pleaded not guilty to the charges.

While Culmer was granted bail for the offence, the prosecutor, Superintendent Claudette McKenzieLewis, objected to McCoy getting bail, citing the potential risk to the public as this defendant was already on bail for attempted murder and a string of armed robberies.

McCoy will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his trial begins on April 3.

AMERICAN MAN FINED $500 FOR HAVING METHAMPHETAMINES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net AN American tourist was fined yesterday after admitting to having drugs in New Providence earlier this week.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney charged Eli Arakanchi, 52, of Hallandale Beach, Florida, with

possession of dangerous drugs.

Ian Cargill represented the accused.

The defendant was found with seven grams of methamphetamines on January 22 in New Providence.

Following his guilty plea, the defendant was fined $500 or risk a onemonth prison term.

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PAGE 12, Thursday, January 25, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

US hits Iraq militia sites and antiship missiles in Yemen as fight with Iranian proxies intensifies WASHINGTON Associated Press THE US military struck three facilities in Iraq and two anti-ship missiles in Yemen operated by Iranian-backed militias that have attacked US personnel and ships in the region as the United States tries to keep the Israel-Hamas war from spilling over into a wider conflict.

Both the strikes in Iraq and Yemen late on Tuesday targeted sites that the US has said are involved in the attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria and were threatening US military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the strikes in Iraq were at the direction of President Joe Biden and targeted facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq.

“These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against US and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria

by Iranian-sponsored militias,” Austin said. Those strikes hit militia facilities in Jurf al-Sakhar, which is south of Baghdad, al-Qaim and another unnamed site in western Iraq, two US officials said.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said the strikes “blatantly

violate Iraq’s sovereignty” and contribute to an “irresponsible escalation,” according to a statement from his office. The statement, signed by military spokesman Yahya Rasool, said Iraq considers the strikes “hostile acts” and is taking measures to protect the lives of Iraqis.

The Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, a coalition of armed mostly Shiite groups only nominally under Iraqi military authority, said the strike near the Syrian border killed one of its fighters and wounded two, while the strike south of Baghdad caused material damage.

The US Central Command announced it had also struck two anti-ship missiles belonging to the Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels that were being prepared for launch and were aimed at the southern part of the Red Sea. “US forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region,” Central Command said.

Both fronts — land attacks in Iraq and Syria, and sea attacks originating from Yemen — have seen a significant uptick in launches and counterstrikes over the last few days.

The US strikes on the Kataib Hezbollah sites in Iraq came hours after the US said militiamen fired two one-way attack drones at al-Asad Air Base, injuring US service members and damaging infrastructure. And they followed the militia’s most serious attack this year on the air base, when it launched multiple ballistic missiles on Saturday.

US Central Command said it targeted Kataib Hezbollah headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack drone capabilities.

In the drone attacks against al-Asad earlier Tuesday, US defences were able to intercept the first drone but it crashed on base while the second drone hit the base, US officials said.

Injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and smoke inhalation, were reported to be minor. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly.

The strikes on the Houthi missile launch sites in Yemen followed a joint operation on Monday night where the US and Britain used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites, drones and launchers.

On both fronts, the

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Offering textbook assistance to all primary and secondary schools and partial financial aid for colleges and trade schools.

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Persons are encouraged to visit The Urisemae Farrington Foundation, www.theurisemaefarringtonfoundation.com and complete the application.

IN this image provided by the UK Ministry of Defence, a Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 is prepared to take off to carry out air strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen, from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, Monday. The US and British militaries bombed eight locations used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels’ missile-launching capabilities.

Photo: AS1 Leah Jones/Ministry of Defence/AP Iranian-backed militias have employed ballistic missiles to target US bases and ships, which marks an escalation, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who specializes in Iran.

The militias have typically used drones and rockets to attack. Tehran supplied Shiite militias in Iraq with short-range and close-range ballistic missiles in 2019, Taleblu said, but they had not been used until November’s attacks.

During Saturday’s largerscale attack, multiple ballistic missiles and rockets launched by Iranian-backed militias targeted al-Asad, but most were intercepted by air defence systems there, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters on Monday. She said other munitions hit the base.

Al-Asad is a large air base in western Iraq where US troops have trained Iraqi security forces and

now coordinate operations to counter the militant Islamic State group.

Singh said Saturday’s attack was a “barrage” — the first time since Nov. 20 that Iranian proxy forces in Iraq had fired ballistic missiles at US bases there.

A coalition of militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has taken credit for a number of the attacks on US forces.

Kataib Hezbollah is one of the groups within that umbrella organization.

Iran has also supplied the Houthis with ballistic missiles, and that group is the first Iranian proxy to fire medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles, Taleblu said.

“With Yemen, think of it as an intensification of the problem.”

Saturday’s ballistic missile attack on al-Asad injured four US service members, all of whom have returned to duty. One member of the Iraqi security forces was also injured.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began in early October, there have been more than 151 attacks on US facilities in Syria and Iraq.

According to the Pentagon, two attacks took place on Monday and included multiple rockets fired at US and coalition troops at Mission Support Site Euphrates in Syria and a single rocket fired at the Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria. Neither attack resulted in casualties or damage.

The US struck back at the militia groups late last month, ordering a round of retaliatory strikes after three US service members were injured in a drone attack in northern Iraq.

Kataib Hezbollah claimed credit for the attack, carried out by a one-way attack drone.

The US, in response, hit three sites, destroying facilities and likely killing a number of the militia, the White House said at the time.

SPORTS PAGE 15

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

NFL Picks, Page 18

Rising hoops star VJ named to McDonald’s All-American roster

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

B

imini native Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe can now add being named to the 2024 boys McDonald’s All-American roster to his already long list of impressive accolades.

The announcement of the respective East and West All-Star rosters came on Tuesday with the event scheduled to take place on April 2 in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. Edgecombe joins a short list of Bahamians to be selected to a team, including the likes of the 2018 no.1 pick of the NBA draft Deandre Ayton and Harbour Island native Lashann Higgs, who was the first Bahamian to be recognised as McDonald’s All-American.

The five-star prospect will be a part of the West team and is the only Baylor University commit to be selected to the boys’ roster.

The newest addition to the Bears Nation will play alongside Airious Bailey (McEachern High School/ Rutgers), Flory Bidunga (Kokomo High School/ Kansas), Carter Bryant (Centennial High School/ Arizona), Vazoumana Diallo (Prolific Prep of Napa Christian/Washington), Donavan Freeman (IMG Academy/Syracuse), Dylan Harper (Don Bosco Preparatory High School/ Rutgers), Richard Johnson (Link Academy/Texas), Karter Knox (Overtime Elite Academy), Trent Perry (Harvard-Westlake School/Southern California), Derrion Reid (Prolific Prep of Napa Christian/ Alabama) and Aiden Sherrell (Prolific Prep of Napa Christian/Alabama).

The team will be coached by Tommy Brakel of the North Crowley High School in Texas. James Manthe and Ethan Anderson, both from the same school, will serve as assistant coaches on the West team.

The East team members are Jalil Bethea (Archbishop Wood High School/Miami), John Bol (Overtime Elite Academy/Ole Miss), Isaiah Evans (North Mecklenburg High School/Duke), Cooper Flagg (Montverde Academy/Duke), Johnuel Fland (Archbishop Stepinac High School/ Kentucky), Ian Jackson (Our Saviour Lutheran School/North Carolina), Liam McNeely (Montverde Academy/Indiana), Tahaad Pettiford (Hudson Catholic Regional High School/Auburn), Drake Powell (Northwood High School/North Carolina), Jayden Quaintance (Word of God Christian Academy/Kentucky), Derik Queen (Montverde Academy), and Bryson Tucker (Bishop O’ Connell High School).

Sharman White, representing Pace Academy, will coach the East team and will be assisted by Johathan Robinson, of Pace Academy as well, and James Hartry from Tucker High School in Georgia.

The 6-foot-5 guard currently averages 18.2 points per game with the Long Island Lutheran High School. He was recently recruited by a plethora of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 teams, including Duke and Kentucky but made a decision to commit to Baylor.

His signing, complemented by the addition of

SEE PAGE 19

RISING STAR: Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe has been named to the 2024 boys McDonald’s AllAmerican roster.

SPORTS CALENDAR

Jan. 2024

www.bahamasfeedingnetwork.org. For more information, persons can also contact 242-605-9559, 242-395-9559 or 242-676-2676.

TENNIS Inaugural Valentine’s Doubles Classic Open Invite THIS February, during the season of love, Insurance Management and The Gym Tennis Club of Winton invite tennis players in the country to experience the “love of the game” with their inaugural Valentine’s Doubles Classic Tennis Open Invitational.

The tournament will begin on February 10 and tennis players from all around the island will converge at the Gym Tennis Club in Winton to battle it out in a “doubles” only tournament featuring four categories, including: Men’s, Ladies, Over 55, and the always

SEE PAGE 18

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE fourth edition of the Sonja Knowles Track Classic returns to the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium this Saturday and Sunday with a new timing system to facilitate a quicker and more efficient track meet.

Over 750 athletes hailing from local clubs, Grand Bahama, Andros, Texas and Atlanta are set to compete on the track and field at the two-day event hosted

by Red-Line Athletics.

According to Tito Moss, club president and head coach of Red-Line Athletics, they intend to pull out all the stops to raise the standard of their track meet.

“It is our fourth annual Sonja Knowles Track Classic and this year we are pulling out all the stops.

We are lifting the profile of the meet. We are changing the timing system that we have been using in the past which will aid in the flow of the meet. We are also having a new check-in system for athletes when they check into events which will be by the scanning of the bib which is the first time it is being used in a club meet,” Moss said.

The age divisions will range from under seven to open on the track. Saturday’s track events will include the 75-metre hurdles, 100mh, 110mh, 75m, 100m, 200m (heptathlon), 300m, 400m, 1500m, 4x50m shuttle (under 7 and 9 girls and boys), 4x800m, 4x100m (parents and coaches) and 4x100m (other divisions).

Day one field events will be the discus throw, javelin, high jump, long jump, shot put (heptathlon and octathlon).

On Sunday will be the 300mh, 400mh, 150m, 200m, 800m, 3000m, 4x200m mixed relays, and sprint medley events for the under 15, 17 and 20 age groups. Field events to be

SEE PAGE 19

SPECIAL OLYMPICS BAHAMAS LAYS OUT AGENDA FOR YEAR

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE THE Bahamas Youth Flag Football League (BYFFL) will be hosting a free offensive camp this Saturday, Feb 3 and Feb 10 @ the multipurpose field at the Sports Center.

Kids ages 6 - 17 are invited to attend and can sign up by email byffl242@ gmail.com This is the first official event for the BYFFL in 2024 and this will be followed by the 2nd Annual High School Tournament which is planned for April 13, 2024.

5K RUN/WALK Bahamas Feeding Network THE Bahamas Feeding Network will hold its 5K Fun Run/Walk & He4alth Fair on Saturday, February 3.

The registration fee is $20. Interested persons can register online at www.facebook.com/qcpharmacypi or

SONJA KNOWLES TRACK CLASSIC ON SATURDAY

SPECIAL Olympics Bahamas experienced tremendous success in 2023 and now the non-profit organisation is looking to double down on their accomplishments in 2024.

The Special Olympics athletes competed at the 50th Oaktree Medical Center CARIFTA Games on home soil and had a grand showing at the 2023 Special Olympics Summer World Games in Berlin, Germany.

Gilbert Williams, director of Special Olympics Bahamas, is hopeful to have athletes partake in more international opportunities, receive more funding to help with their initiatives, and grow their programme in 2024.

GILBERT WILLIAMS “My expectations for Special Olympics Bahamas in 2024 are fairly simple.

We want to continue to grow our programme involving more athletes and volunteers. We want to give our current group of athletes a great sporting

and socialising experience, helping them to grow as individuals. Also, by growing our athlete base we will poise ourselves for more international opportunities with a deeper pool selection,” Williams said.

Last year, the programme made great strides at various sporting events starting with the Bahamas’ ninth hosting of the CARIFTA Games.

The Bahamas’ Special Olympics team competed in the 100m and 200m sprint events and they were the only ones to do so in the Caribbean region.

Six athletes competed with two hailing from Grand Bahama, one from Abaco and the others from New Providence.

Additionally, the Special Olympics team amassed

SEE PAGE 19

PAGE 16, Thursday, January 25, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

James, Embiid, Curry and Durant are in the US player pool for the Paris Olympics

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer THERE are few surprises in USA Basketball’s men’s player pool for the Paris Olympics that was announced Tuesday, with most of the big names like LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant on the list.

The surprise may have been who was missing.

Draymond Green, who helped the U.S. win gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and then another title at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021, was not among the 41 names released by USA Basketball as candidates for the team that will compete in Paris this summer in search of a fifth consecutive gold medal.

The naming of the pool is the first official phase in the process of assembling a 12-player Olympic roster that will be coached by Golden State’s Steve Kerr and assisted by Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga’s Mark Few. Team selection will be finalised this spring, with many of those decisions likely hinging upon player health and how deep their respective teams go in the NBA playoffs.

“The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game’s superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games,” men’s national team managing director Grant Hill said. “It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity.”

The pool, which is subject to change, includes 13 players who already have Olympic gold medals — Durant has three, James and Chris Paul each have two, while Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, James

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, centre, drives between Memphis Grizzlies forward Xavier Tillman (2) and guard Jacob Gilyard (0) in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Monday, January 15, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn.

(AP Photo/ Brandon Dill)

SUNS forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates a basket against the Chicago Bulls on Monday, January 22 in Phoenix.

(AP Photo/Matt York)

LAKERS forward LeBron James gestures after scoring against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 21 in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Harden, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving and Paul George each have one.

If he plays and the U.S. wins, Durant would be the first men’s player with four basketball golds.

“I will play in the Olympics,” Durant adamantly said last fall at Phoenix’s media day.

The other 28 players on the list are headlined by a pair who may make their Olympic debuts — Embiid and Curry among them.

Both said last year that they would like to play on the Paris-bound U.S. team, though again, nothing will be finalised until their NBA seasons end.

“Definitely want to be there,” Curry said last fall.

“Definitely want to be on the team.”

Embiid — the reigning NBA MVP, two-time scoring champion and

“We get to go to Paris.

We get to go do something special,” said Adebayo, who got his first gold in 2021 and is expected to be part of the 2024 team.

“I reflect on it and I get excited because I get an opportunity to do something special — twice.”

Green had expressed some interest last year in being part of the Parisbound team.

But the Golden State forward missed 16 games spanning mid-December to mid-January while serving what was originally called an indefinite suspension for striking Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. Green said he considered retiring and sought counselling before he was reinstated.

Players not in the pool aren’t exactly ineligible to make the Olympic team; while it is a long shot, it

Philadelphia star who scored 70 points Monday night — could have decided to play for France (he has dual citizenship) or even Cameroon, his birthplace, if it qualifies. He chose to play for the U.S. last fall instead.

“When he gets motivated … anything can happen,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said.

Also picked for the pool: Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Alex Caruso, Anthony Edwards, De’Aaron Fox, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Derrick White and Trae Young.

has happened before. San Antonio’s Keldon Johnson was not one of the 57 players USA Basketball announced in March 2021 as a pool member, but he was eventually selected for the Tokyo Games team and won a gold medal under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. That said, it took an extraordinary set of circumstances for Johnson to be in that position.

He was on the U.S. Select Team that practiced against the Olympic team to help it prepare for the Tokyo Games, got promoted to the national team in part because some players were still taking part in the NBA Finals, then got added to the Olympic roster (along with JaVale McGee) when Bradley Beal and Kevin Love — both of whom had been picked for the team — had to drop out late in the process.

Grant Hill explains the decision surrounding Draymond Green’s omission from the Olympic pool

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer USA Basketball says it wants the best for Draymond Green, which is why the federation does not have him in its plans for the Paris Olympics.

Green’s omission from the pool of 41 players who are now candidates to play for the United States at the Paris Games was explained yesterday by men’s national team managing director Grant Hill, who spoke highly of the Golden State

forward’s history with the national team and how he helped the Americans win Olympic gold in 2016 and 2021.

But it was Green’s recent history — two suspensions for on-court conduct this season — that Hill and USA Basketball couldn’t ignore. “We all understand and certainly have great respect and sensitivity to this particular period in his career and he’s working through some things both on and off the court,” Hill said. “We at USA Basketball, we want to support him on his journey. We just didn’t feel that playing over the summer gives him the best opportunity to do what he needs to do.”

Green appeared in 16 of Golden State’s first 40 games this season, his absences primarily because of the two suspensions — five games for grabbing Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert around the neck during an on-court incident in November, then an indefinite banning after he struck Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkic in the face in December.

Green wound up missing 12 games before being

WARRIORS forward Draymond Green (23) handles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, January 15.

(AP Photo/Brandon Dill) reinstated and four more games while ramping up to return to play.

Green is one of four current NBA players with more than one Olympic gold medal. The others — three-time gold medallist Kevin Durant and two-time gold medallists LeBron James and Chris Paul — are among the 41-player list that was released Tuesday.

But Green was hardly the only previous gold medallist that didn’t make the initial list for this summer; of the 26 active NBA players with gold medals, 13 are

in the pool, 13 aren’t. “His contributions have been significant, and he is a real part of the legacy of this organisation for his excellence,” Hill said. “But in lieu of what’s transpired this year, we made a decision to not have him on this list.”

It was the first of many tough decisions awaiting Hill, men’s national team director Sean Ford, national team coach Steve Kerr and others in the coming months as a list of 41 players has to get pared down to a 12-person Olympic team.

There are a slew of players

DOC RIVERS FINALISING DEAL TO TAKE OVER AS THE BUCKS COACH

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer MILWAUKEE (AP) — Doc Rivers is finalising a deal to take over as the Milwaukee Bucks coach a day after the firing of Adrian Griffin, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press yesterday.

Rivers and the Bucks were still negotiating yesterday, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no contract had been completed.

ESPN, where Rivers has worked this season an analyst, reported that Rivers has agreed to a deal in principle.

ESPN’s public relations department released a statement on social media from head of event and studio production David Roberts saying, “We wish Doc well and we look forward to documenting the next chapter of his coaching career.”

Interim coach Joe Prunty coached the Bucks last night when they hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bucks general manager Jon Horst held a news conference before the game to discuss Griffin’s dismissal but declined to discuss the coach’s potential successor.

“We’re not going to talk about Doc tonight,” Horst said. “That’s not part of this. There will be at some point hopefully a time where we can do that, but this is a chance for us to kind of dive into the Adrian Griffin piece.”

The Bucks fired Griffin on Tuesday despite having a 30-13 record that matches the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves for the second-best mark in the league. Milwaukee is 3 1/2 games behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference standings.

“We believe that this is a good team right now, and with improvements, we have a chance to be great,” said Horst, who indicated he didn’t consult players before making this decision.

“We’re looking for a way to really make this a great team.”

Griffin had never been a head coach until the Bucks hired him last summer, though he had spent 16 years as an assistant. The Bucks would be replacing him with someone who has nearly a quarter-century of head coaching experience.

in line to potentially make their first Olympic team, including reigning MVP Joel Embiid and four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry.

There won’t be tryouts and Hill’s hope is to have the roster picked at some point during the NBA playoffs, which makes sometime in May a logical target for a team unveiling. All 41 players on the current list have expressed interest in playing; 24 have been AllStars, with a combined 131 selections.

That means, at minimum, 12 past All-Stars won’t graduate from the pool to the actual Olympic team this summer. The team will convene in Las Vegas for camp in early July and play its first exhibition game to start tuning up for Paris on July 10 when Canada visits.

“I’ll be honest: I didn’t think we’d be at 41. I thought we would have fewer names, I thought maybe 30,” Hill said. “And so, it was really hard to get to 41. And I imagine it’ll be very difficult to get to 12.

If history is a guide here, a lot can and will happen between now and July.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, January 25, 2024, PAGE 17

Zverev ousts Alcaraz to move into the Australian Open semis against Medvedev. Zheng into 1st semifinal

By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — After backhanding the ball into the crowd when Carlos Alcaraz sent his service return too long, Alexander Zverev screamed. He shook both arms in a victory celebration and again he screamed, a mix of triumph and relief.

Any self-doubt that he could contend for major titles again were expunged in a 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-4 quarterfinal win yesterday over the brightest rising star in tennis, earning Zverev a spot in the Australian Open semifinals against Daniil Medvedev.

He’d missed a chance to serve it out in straight sets but didn’t waste his second opportunity.

A serious ankle injury at the 2022 French Open and the ensuing layoff made him wonder if he really was good enough to win a Grand Slam title.

A pending trial in a German court over an assault allegation dating back to 2020 has had critics questioning his status on the tour. He has denied the accusations and declined comment on the judicial proceedings scheduled for May. Alcaraz won Wimbledon last year and was the only player to beat 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam match in 2023.

Zverev went through Alcaraz’s credentials as he digested yesterday’s win: No. 1 or No. 2 in the world, two major titles, etc, etc.

“Look, I’m playing one of the best players in the world,” Zverev said. “Then when you start winning, obviously your brain starts going. It’s not always helpful but I’m happy I got it at the end.”

Speaking in a news conference at almost 3am local time, Zverev considered the win over Alcaraz as his most important since the ankle surgery.

“I was on top of my game before the injury happened,” he said.

“I’m extremely happy to be back where I am and winning these kind of matches, giving myself the chance again. Because last year ... I wasn’t a Slam contender.”

Alcaraz missed the 2023 Australian Open with

ALEXANDER ZVEREV, left, is congratulated by Carlos Alcaraz following their quarterfinal match early today at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia.

(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) injury and was into the quarterfinals here for the first time, completing a Grand Slam set.

He had dropped only one set and spent five fewer hours on court than Zverev in the four previous rounds.

“I’m sad with my level today, because I have been playing good tennis,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously quarterfinal of a Grand Slam is a good run. It’s not what I’m looking for, but is not bad.”

Medvedev, a two-time finalist in Australia, outlasted ninth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to make it to the semifinals here for the third time in four years.

“I’m so destroyed right now,” No. 3-ranked Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open winner, said of his tough run in Melbourne that included a nearly 4 1/2hour, five-set second-round win that finished at 3:39 a.m.

In the other semifinal Djokovic, on a 33-match winning streak at the Australian Open, will play Jannik Sinner, who beat him twice in three matches at the end of last year.

Zverev was on top of Alcaraz early, winning all but two points on serve in a 29-minute first set.

Two service breaks in the second gave the Olympic

ZHENG Qinwen reacts after defeating Anna Kalinskaya yesterday.

(AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

gold medallist a surprisingly comfortable lead.

Just after midnight, Zverev was serving for a straight sets win at 5-3 when Alcaraz broke for the first time. Alcaraz got back to 5-5 when he chased a shot into the doubles alley and knocked a backhand down the line, beaming a big smile and shaking his racket in a gesture that suggested: “Hello, still here.”

He won the last seven points of the tiebreaker to make it 2-1.

But after an exchange of service breaks to open the

fourth and some energysapping rallies that had both players sprinting sideto-side to make incredible shots, Zverev got another chance to close out after breaking in the ninth game.

He clinched it about 1:20 a.m. local time.

The women’s semifinal lineup was completed when No. 12 Zheng Qinwen won 10 of the last 11 games to fend off Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 yesterday and Dayana Yastremska beat Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and U.S.

Open winner Coco Gauff will meet in the other semifinal.

Zheng, a U.S. Open quarterfinalist last year, regained control after Kalinskaya won six of the last seven points to take the first in a tiebreaker.

“Really excited.

First time for me,” Zheng said. “Of course I’m proud of myself. But this is just the beginning — I still need to play tomorrow.”

No. 93-ranked Yastremska won three matches in the qualifying tournament and became only the second qualifier to reach the women’s singles semis in Australia in the Open era.

“It’s nice to make history because at that time I was not born,” she said. “I’m super happy (but) very tired.”

Noskova beat topranked Iga Swiatek on her way to her first Slam quarterfinal but struggled against Yastremska.

After the match, Yastremska wrote a message on a TV camera lens and later explained it was “about the Ukrainian fighters, that I’m very proud of them. They really deserve a huge respect.”

She said she’s inspired by representing her country, which has been at war for nearly two years since the Russian invasion.

WHO IS PLAYING ON DAY 12?

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The women’s Australian Open semifinals will be played today with the winners earning a place in Saturday’s final. Stay upto-date with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about how to watch the year’s first Grand Slam tennis tournament, what the schedule is, what the betting odds are, and more: WHO IS PLAYING ON DAY 12?

Defending champion ArynaSabalenka meets U.S. Open champion Coco GAUFF Gauff for a place in the final of the Australian Open. They’re the only major winners left in the women’s draw and the last two of the 32 seeds. No. 4 Gauff leads No. 2 Sabalenka 4-2 in their career head-to-heads, including in the final in New York last September. Sabalenka won her breakthrough major title here last year and reached the semifinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and the U.S. Open final. She is on a 12-match winning streak at Melbourne Park.

Gauff is on a 12-match winning streak at majors. No. 12-seeded Zheng Qinwen will play Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska in the other semifinal. Neither Zheng nor Yastremska has been past the quarterfinals at a major before.

BETTING FAVOURITES FanDuel Sportsbook lists defending champion Aryna Sabalenka as a narrow favourite over U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff.

Sabalenka is minus-210 to reach Saturday’s women’s final. Gauff is on offer at plus-176. A plus figure represents longer odds, in which case you’ll win more for your wager, while a minus figure means you’re betting on a more likely outcome — as deemed by FanDuel.

THE SINGLES SCHEDULE Melbourne’s time zone is 16 hours ahead of the East Coast of the United States, so when the women’s semifinals on Day 12 begin at 7:30pm local time, it’ll be 3:30am ET. This is the first time the tournament is a 15-day event.

Here is the remaining singles schedule in Australia: —Thursday: Women’s Semifinals —Friday: Men’s Semifinals —Saturday: Women’s Final —Sunday: Men’s Final

GIANNIS RECORDS TRIPLE-DOUBLE, BUCKS BEAT CAVS IN CENTRAL SHOWDOWN MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had his third triple-double in his last four games and the Milwaukee Bucks responded to the firing of coach Adrian Griffin with a 126-116 victory last night that snapped the Cleveland Cavaliers’ eight-game winning streak.

Antetokounmpo had 35 points, matched a season high with 18 rebounds and had 10 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season.

Damian Lillard scored 28 points and Khris Middleton added 24 for the Bucks.

Griffin was fired Tuesday despite being 30-13 in his lone season as coach. Joe Prunty, an assistant on Griffin’s staff, served as interim head coach Wednesday while the Bucks were finalizing negotiations with Doc Rivers to eventually take over.

Donovan Mitchell had 23 points and Jarrett Allen added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavs, second in the Central Division at 26-16.

SUNS 132, MAVERICKS 109 DALLAS (AP) — Devin Booker scored 22 of his 46 points in a decisive third quarter and Phoenix

matched its longest winning streak of the season at seven games with a win over Dallas.

Kevin Durant had 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Suns opened a sevengame trip, their longest this season, by turning a 16-point deficit in the second quarter into a 22-point lead after outscoring Dallas 43-20 in the third.

Luka Doncic had 34 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, but didn’t have much help from his Dallas teammates. The Suns got 20 points from Bradley Beal and 15 from Grayson Allen.

GRIZZLIES 105, HEAT 96 MIAMI (AP) — Vince Williams Jr. scored 25 points, GG Jackson added 17 off the bench and shorthanded Memphis spoiled Terry Rozier’s debut in Miami.

Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaren Jackson Jr. each scored 15 for Memphis, which led for the entire second half. John Konchar had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies.

Tyler Herro scored 18 for Miami, which has dropped four straight for the second time this season. Bam Adebayo finished with 15

MILWAUKEE Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks over Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dean Wade during the second half last night in Milwaukee. The Bucks won 126-116.

(AP Photo/Morry Gash) points, 15 rebounds, six assists and six blocks for the Heat.

Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin also scored 15 apiece, and Rozier — acquired Tuesday in a trade with Charlotte — had nine on 3-for-11 shooting.

TIMBERWOLVES 118, WIZARDS 107 WASHINGTON (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 38 points and Western Conference-leading Minnesota avoided its first three-game

skid of the season, beating Washington.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and Rudy Gobert added 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Wolves.

Minnesota was coming off a home loss to lowly Charlotte in which Towns scored 62 points. Deni Avdija scored a season-high 24 points for the Wizards, who dropped their fifth straight, the fourth skid of at least that many games for the league’s second-worst team.

Washington has only one win this season over a team that came in with a winning record. Marvin Bagley III had 17 points and a seasonhigh 15 rebounds for the Wizards, and Kyle Kuzma added 17 points, 14 boards and eight assists.

TRAIL BLAZERS 137, ROCKETS 131 (Overtime) HOUSTON (AP) — Anfernee Simons scored 33 points and Jerami Grant added 21 as Portland rallied

to beat Houston. Portland opened overtime with a 9-2 run, with five points from Malcolm Brogdon, to take a 133-126 lead and held on for the victory. Brogdon had 19 points and Deandre Ayton added 18 points and 17 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who snapped a two-game skid.

Alperen Sengun had 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Jalen Green scored 29 as the Rockets dropped a second straight game.

PISTONS 113, HORNETS 106 DETROIT (AP) — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 34 points and Jalen Duren’s dunk in the final minute punctuated a late 10-2 run, helping Detroit beat Charlotte.

Bogdanovic hit a gametying 3-pointer with 1:46 left. Duren finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, and Alec Burks scored 15 for Detroit, which snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the third time in 41 games. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 23 points, and Nick Richards added 21 points and 10 rebounds. LaMelo Ball scored 17 points on 6-for-21 shooting and 1-for-8 sniping from 3-point range.

PAGE 18, Thursday, January 25, 2024

THE TRIBUNE

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer

LIVERPOOL OUSTS FULHAM TO SET UP ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP FINAL VS CHELSEA

THE underdog role has worked out for the Kansas City Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes. The San Francisco 49ers have odds in their favour.

Two of the four teams facing off Sunday are quite familiar with these stakes.

The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs are in the AFC championship game for the sixth straight season, but going on the road for the first time in that span.

They’ll take on the No. 1 seed Ravens, who are here for the first time in 11 years. The city of Baltimore is hosting an AFC title game for the first time since the Colts beat the Oakland Raiders in 1971.

The Ravens are 3 1/2point favourites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

However, the Chiefs are 8-3 as an underdog in Mahomes’ career.

The No. 1 seed 49ers are making their third consecutive appearance in the NFC championship game and fourth in five years. They host the Detroit Lions, who haven’t reached this point in 32 years and have never played in a Super Bowl.

The 49ers are 7-point favorites.

The Ravens and 49ers have history on their side.

No. 1 seeds are 34-14 in conference championship games, including 2-0 last season when the Chiefs went on to beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Home teams are 35-18 in the NFC title game, 36-17 in the AFC. If the 49ers and Chiefs advance, it’ll set up a Super Bowl rematch. Kansas City won that one four years ago.

KANSAS CITY (13-6) at BALTIMORE (14-4) Line: Ravens minus 3 1/2 Mahomes led the Chiefs to a comeback win over Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round in his first career playoff game on the road aside from Super Bowls.

The two-time NFL and Super Bowl MVP has embraced the challenge and now faces the league’s stingiest defence. The Ravens gave up an NFLlow 16.5 points per game and the sixth-fewest yards at 301.4 per game. They have standouts at every level of defence, including defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen and safety Kyle Hamilton.

All-Pro QB Lamar Jackson also has a tough task going against a Chiefs

LONDON (AP) — It’s Liverpool vs. Chelsea again.

After playing each other in back-to-back domestic finals in 2022, the rivalry will be renewed at Wembley Stadium on February 25 with the English League Cup title on the line.

Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Fulham yesterday secured a 3-2 aggregate win in the semifinals and another showdown with Chelsea.

“We had the experience before, we know what to expect. Again Chelsea, wow what a story that is,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. “Wembley is a special place and I am really happy for everyone involved they can have that experience.”

Carrying a 2-1 first leg lead over Fulham, Liverpool completed the job at Craven Cottage.

Luis Diaz’s 11th-minute strike proved decisive in the tie as Fulham evened the score on the night through Issa Diop’s goal in the 76th.

Chelsea booked its place in the final after routing second-division Middlesbrough 6-1 on Tuesday to complete a 6-2 aggregate win.

Liverpool won the League Cup two years ago by beating Chelsea on penalties following a goal-less draw in the final.

It completed a trophy double over the Londoners that season when it won on penalties again in the FA Cup final following another 0-0 draw.

But Klopp’s hopes of winning a quadruple in 2022 ended when it lost the Premier League title on the final day of the season and going on to be beaten by Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Now his team is back in trophy contention after ending last season emptyhanded and missing out on qualification for the Champions League.

“You should never take for granted if you are part of the team who can qualify for trophies,” Klopp said.

After enduring a slump last season, Klopp has rebuilt his team and is on another four-pronged trophy hunt and could win a record-extending 10th League Cup title.

Liverpool took control against Fulham after 11 minutes when Diaz collected Jarell Quansah’s long, diagonal pass, drove into the box and fired low past goalkeeper Bernd Leno. But a commanding position was put under pressure as Fulham mounted a determined response in the second half.

Pro Picks: Chiefs and 49ers will win to set up a Super Bowl rematch

SPORTS NOTES

FROM PAGE 15 entertaining Mixed Doubles category. Interested players should e-mail “gtctourbah@gmail.com” to get their registration

SAN Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, right, celebrates his rushing touchdown with teammates during the second half of an NFL football NFC divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on January 20, 2024, in Santa Clara, California.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

defence that gave up 17.3 points per game in the regular season and held the high-octane Dolphins to only seven points in the wild-card round. Led by All-Pro edge Chris Jones and All-Pro slot cornerback Trent McDuffie, Kansas City was No. 2 in yards, holding opponents to 289.8 per game. But the Chiefs were 18th against the run and the Ravens have the league’s top rushing offence led by Jackson, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.

Jackson is 1-3 against Mahomes. But he has led the Ravens to 11 wins over winning teams with nine of those by at least 14 points, including last week’s 34-10 victory over Houston. The past five home teams in a conference championship

coming off a victory of at least 20 points all won.

But the Chiefs are 9-1-1 against the spread as an underdog with Mahomes, including eight outright wins.

Something has to give.

Maybe Taylor Swift and Jason Kelce will be the good luck charms for the Chiefs. Travis Kelce caught two touchdown passes last week with his pop star girlfriend and All-Pro brother watching in a suite.

Pro Picks likes an upset.

CHIEFS, 23-22 DETROIT (14-5) at SAN FRANCISCO (13-5) Line: 49ers minus 7 Jared Goff and the Lions are one win away from the franchise’s first trip to the Super Bowl. If the 49ers play the way they did last week against Green Bay,

Dan Campbell’s team will be going to Las Vegas.

Brock Purdy and the 49ers weren’t sharp on a rainy night against the Packers, but their QB delivered in the clutch to lead a comeback win and bring them back to being a win away from the Super Bowl.

Purdy should get his chance to throw against the Lions, who had the NFL’s second-best run defence but were 27th against the pass. He’ll need Deebo Samuel, who is uncertain to play because of a shoulder injury.

All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey had a big game last week and is also dangerous as a passcatcher so the Lions can’t simply focus on stopping the run.

forms. Insurance Management and the Gym Tennis Club encourages fans and those who want to discover the love of tennis, to come come out, cheer, enjoy and even hit a ball or two.”

WALK/RUN RACE NIB Road to 50 The National Insurance Board will hold its Road to

50 Fun Run/Walk Race on Saturday, starting at 6:05am from the NIB headquarters on Baillou Hill Road.

The event will start at the headquarters on Baillou Hill Road and travel onto Cumberland Street, onto Marlborough Street, onto West Bay Street, onto Nassau Street, onto Thompson Boulevard, onto University Drive onto the Big Pond Highway and back to the finish line.

Registration and package collection will begin at 5:15am and a warm-up session with Macumbia ‘Comby’ Smith will begin from 5:30am until 6am when the competitors will assemble for the start of the event. Free application forms are available at nibfunrunwalk@nib-bahamas. com SOCCER BFA ACTION The Bahamas Football Association will continue its regular season action Sunday at Roscoe Davies Developmental Centre with the following games on tap: 3pm - Western Warriors vs United Football Club.

3:30pm - Cavaliers vs IM Bears.

5pm - Dynamos vs Inter Island.

5:30pm - Baha Jrs vs Futures Stars BASKETBALL GSSSA ACTION THE Government Secondary Schools Sports Association will be back in action with their basketball regular season this week with the following games on tap: Thursday No games - Junior Junkanoo.

Friday CI Gibson Gymnasium, starting at 4 pm CH Reeves vs SC McPherson junior girls and boys.

DW Davis Gymnasium, starting at 4 pm CV Bethel vs CR Walker senior girls and boys.

BASKETBALL BAISS ACTION The Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools will continue their regular season action this week with the following games on tap: Thursday Senior boys, starting at 4pm St Augustine’s College at Jordan Prince Williams; Bahamas Academy at Temple Christian School;

Goff led the league’s No. 2 passing offence, throwing to All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and standout rookie tight end Sam LaPorta. He’s got David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield, too.

But the Lions averaged five fewer points per game on the road and the field in San Francisco is a slower track.

Plus, they’re facing one of the league’s best defences led by All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and star rusher Nick Bosa.

Pro Picks expects the 49ers to bring their best after getting routed in Philadelphia in last year’s NFC title game when Purdy suffered a significant elbow injury.

49ERS, 30-20 Aquinas College at St Andrew’s School.

NPVA ACTION The New Providence Volleyball Association will continue their regular season action this week at the DW Davis Gymnasium with the following games on tap: Friday 7:30pm - Lady Techs vs Set-Sy Poppers (L) 9 pm Defenders vs Technicians (M) Sunday 3:30pm - Warhawks vs Intruders (M) 5pm - Panthers vs University of the Bahamas Mingoes.

BASKETBALL TEAM RANKINGS OSSIE ‘The Sports Insider’ Simmons released his long-awaited National High School Top 10 basketball rankings for the senior boys and top five for the senior girls for 2024.

Senior girls 1. CV Bethel. 2. CI Gibson. 3. St Augustine’s College. 4. St George’s (Grand Bahama). 5. CR Walker.

Senior boys Sunland (Grand Bahama). 2. CI Gibson, 3.

Tabernacle Baptist (Grand

Bahama). 4. St George’s (Grand Bahama). 5. Anatol Rodgers. 6. CC Sweeting. 7.

Charles W. Saunders. 8. CR Walker. 9. CV Bethel. 10.

Kingsway Academy.

WALK/RUN RACE Bain & Grants Town The Bain & Grants Town Constituency will hold its fourth annual Dr Bernard Nottage 5K Fun Run/Walk Race on Saturday, starting at 6am from the Southern Recreation Grounds.

The dual event is free of charge. The first three finishers in each category will get trophies and each participant to cross the finish line will get a medal.

Portia Nottage, the wife of the late Dr. Nottage, will be on hand to distribute the awards.

Competitors will travel from the Southern Recreation Grounds and head onto Cockburn Street, west onto Blue Hill Road, north to Dillet Street, west onto Meeting Street onto Nassau Street to West Bay Street, east onto Market Street and south back to the South Recreation Grounds.

Wayde Watson is the Member of Parliament for Bain & Grants Town and Sean Bastian is the race coordinator.

THE TRIBUNE

TRACK CLASSIC

FROM PAGE 15 competed in on Sunday are the baseball throw, shot put and triple jump.

Although the meet consists of an extensive list of track and field events for the two days scheduled, coach Moss emphasised that the new timing system will alleviate some of the time constraints usually associated with club meets.

“The system is similar to the one used at the Speed Capital meet last

Thursday, Janaury 25, 2024, PAGE 19 year. Instead of waiting for a signal from the Tek Team or BACO to start the next race, basically losing 5-7 minutes per heat, this timing system will make it where once that heat is finished the next one is ready to go.

We are also gonna have a backup clock to make sure we do not miss any times or events to ensure accuracy,” he said.

Team Bahamas rolled out an historic 80-member contingent for last year’s 50th CARIFTA Games and Red-Line Athletics saw 10 of their athletes selected to represent the

country. Currently, the list of CARIFTA qualifiers is approaching double digits with only one track athlete unofficially qualifying and two provisional qualifiers in the mix for the junior regional meet.

Coach Moss is confident that more track athletes will join the list of qualifiers after this weekend.

“Red-Line is the only meet where we have heats and finals in the 100m, 200m, and the 400m and because of that you really get the best versus the best which leads to potential qualifiers. We suspect

that after this meet we will have multiple qualifiers. A number of my hurdlers are opening up in the hurdles event this weekend, Darvinique Dean, Bayli Major, Madison Moss, all who have made national teams last year. We expect that they will be pretty close to qualifying or literally qualify at the meet this weekend,” he said.

He added that coaches from other clubs have indicated that they intend to allow their athletes to open up in the sprint events this weekend as well.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS FROM PAGE 15

four medals at the 2023 Special Olympics Summer World Games.

Caitlin Romer earned a silver and bronze medal in the 100m and 200m finals.

Austin Green and Bronson Aranha were awarded the silver medals in the bowling doubles. Green also took home a silver medal in the men’s bowling singles.

Romer and Green were also recognised as the Male and Female Athlete of the Year with a Disability at the National Sports Awards.

Williams said there is more competition in the near future for the Special Olympics athletes.

“This is a relatively easy paced year but there are still a few potential exciting initiatives. We are hoping to be included in CARIFTA this year and are waiting for the final decision from authorities. “We are planning to stage our National Bocce Championships in April and would like to take this to Grand Bahama, if we can get the level of funding needed, otherwise it is less costly to host in New Providence.

“We then have the Caribbean Bocce Tournament in the Cayman Islands at the end of May and our annual Raffle and Grill event in August,” he said.

Funding is a major necessity for the non-profit organisation to ensure that their ventures materalise in 2024.

The director said they have already sent out letters to various companies appealing for their assistance with the 2024 initiatives and encouraged them to make an invaluable contribution for a worthy cause. “Our appeal to corporate Bahamas is to

step out of the ordinary and make a difference in the world of Special Olympics.

Sponsor an event either in full or partially.

It costs less than one would think and the reward is unbelievable,” he explained.

Interested individuals can keep up with Special Olympics Bahamas via their social media platforms or donate via www.specialolympicsbahamas.org.

The 4th Sonja Knowles Track Classic begins at 10am on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. Tickets for both days are priced at $20 and $10 in general admission for adults and kids respectively.

The two-day VIP pass is $36 for adults and $14 for kids. General admission for one day is priced at $12 for adults and $5 for kids. The one-day VIP pass is $19 for adults and $8 for kids.

Event organisers are anticipating great weather and expect to host one of the biggest and most efficient meets of the season.

VJ, FROM PAGE 15 top prospects Robert Wright III and Jason Asemota, immediately pushed the Bears into the Big 12 conference title conversation for next fall.

As for the McDonald’s AllAmerican game, the top 48 players for the East vs West format were selected from a pool of 700+ nominees. The All-Star basketball game is for American and Canadian boys and girls high school basketball graduates.

The participants also compete in a slam dunk and three-point shooting competition. The exhibition event debuted in 1977 with just a boys’ contest but girls were added in 2002.