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The Tribune

Volume:115 No.45, JANUARY 26TH, 2018

Established 1903

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Friday, January 26, 2018 books entertainment celebr ity gardening film fashio n music history

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UB union demand - ‘treat us fairly’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Union of Tertiary Educators of the Bahamas has raised concern over the University of the Bahamas’ refusal to negotiate a new industrial agreement, insisting any further delay could lead to major unrest at the institution.

UTEB claims the current administrative body at UB appears determined to undermine not just the terms and conditions of the signed and registered industrial agreement, but also to undermine the role of faculty members, their

academic freedom and their ability to partner in the institution’s development.

In a statement the union also questioned an alleged decision to limit advertisements to members with doctorate degrees; place a faculty member on paid leave without just cause; violations in faculty overload payment; allegedly illegally stopping faculty salaries; changing the academic calendar’s dereliction of fiduciary duties and the undermining of the union through victimisation, discrimination and generally anti-union activities.

SEE PAGE SIX

‘WE WERE SACKED FOR BEING PLP’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

DANIELLE Gibson and Holly Barrett were fired as assistant managers of the North Eleuthera and Governor’s Harbour airports Tuesday, months after they warned Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis and former Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin that their jobs were under threat, allegedly because of their political leanings.

In their time as senior airport officials, neither woman ever received a verbal or written warning nor were they subjected to disciplinary action, they said. Both served as the top official at their respective airports with no manager ranked above them. As such, they were responsible for all airport operations, from managing the fire department to managing security and dealing with air traffic control.

SEE PAGE THREE

GALAXY QUEENS Page 8 & 9

Making waves

Art series spotlights musician s

GEORGIE TAKING ON THE WORLD

page 7

LAWYER ACCUSES POLICE OF BEATING

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE attorney for one of three men accused of murdering a 58-year-old man in the Rock Crusher area on Friday yesterday lashed out at the “criminal behaviour” of officers at the Central Detective Unit for beating his client “severely” and failing to notify him when his client was interviewed.

Allan Emmanuel, attorney for 19-year-old Elvardo Deveaux, called CDU officers “liars” for not calling him to be present for his client’s record of interview concerning the January 19 murder of Craig Trevor Smith on Maxwell Lane.

Mr Emmanuel said he was the one who took Deveaux to CDU for questioning in connection with the murder of Smith, who Mr Emmanuel said was the father of a CDU officer. He said he told officers to call him when they were prepared to interview his client, but that call never came, notwithstanding him calling them “repeatedly” on the matter.

SEE PAGE FIVE

BPL LANDS NEW $100M CREDIT LINE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN golfer Georgette Rolle at the Pure Silk Golf Tournament yesterday. See page two for more photographs and Sports for details.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

END OF PLASTIC BAG POLLUTION?

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

ENVIRONMENT and Housing Minister Romauld Ferreira plans to take a paper to Cabinet on the issue of banning plastic bags in the Bahamas, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold confirmed yesterday to The Tribune.

The proposed ban has recently been brought into focus through the efforts

of the Bahaplastic has mas Plastic on the enviMovement ronment.

(BPM), Accordan enviing to the ronmental Plastic non-govPollution ernmental Coalition organisation.

(PPC), Mr Youth rep- A PLASTIC bag choking the oceans. Ferreira resentatives announced from BPM travelled from proposed plans for a plastic Eleuthera to Nassau ear- bag ban to the BPM delegalier this month to advocate tion when he met with them for the ban and highlight during their trip. the detrimental effects SEE PAGE SEVEN

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

BAHAMAS Power & Light (BPL) has obtained a near-$100m credit line that will allow it to buy new equipment, and overhaul existing systems, before peak summer demand hits.

Desmond Bannister, minister of works, yesterday confirmed to Tribune Business that BPL had secured much-needed short-term financing from “one of the top finance houses”. “BPL has a obtained a credit line, and that relates to a number of factors,” he said.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Friday, January 26, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

GOLF TOURNAMENT RUNS AS SMOOTH AS PURE SILK

YOUNGSTERS, above, attending the Pure SIlk Golf Tournament at the One and Only Ocean Club, which also saw Cheyenne Woods, right, the niece of Tiger Woods, competing, and a group from the Sister Sister group attending, bottom. See Sports for a report from the event.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

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THE TRIBUNE

Friday, January 26, 2018, PAGE 3

‘We were sacked for being PLP’ from page one Their only crime, they said yesterday, appears to have been their unquestioned support of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

Since Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis vowed victimisation would not occur on his watch, both women said their experience proves the hollowness of his pledge.

Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar nor Airport Authority officials could be reached yesterday for a response to the women’s allegations, claims which were first expressed by Mrs Hanna Martin in the House of Assembly

Wednesday. Her remarks were stricken from the record after House Speaker Halson Moultrie determined she could not prove her claims.

The women’s stories and background are dissimilar in some key ways. Ms Gibson was appointed assistant manager of the airport in North Eleuthera in 2014 and said her contract was renewed for three more years in November 2016.

She said she has a bachelor’s degree from Oakwood University in biology and a minor in chemistry. Prior to her appointment at the airport, she spent nine years as a health inspector at the Department of Environmental Health before becoming director of government relations and

outreach at Cape Eleuthera Island School.

On the other hand, Ms Barrett applied for her job in 2015 and was appointed assistant manager of the Governor’s Harbour airport March last year. She said she does not have a college degree, adding she previously worked for five years in the human resources office and as an administrative assistant at Holland America Line. Her training for “handling hazardous cargo, aerodrome safety management systems and responding to unlawful interference,” among others, were all obtained on-the-job, she said.

The assistant manager positions were not publicly advertised to potential applicants, Ms Hanna

Martin confirmed yesterday. Ms Gibson and Ms Barrett were both “identified” for the jobs, she said.

In a “four minute” meeting between her and several officials on Tuesday, including ex-officio Airport Authority Director Milo Butler III, Ms Gibson was handed a letter. It read: “I am to advise that the Airport Authority will be ending your term of employment as assistant airport manager effective immediately. Please consider today your last day of work.

“Additionally, you are required to surrender to the director of security, or her designate your Airport Authority employee identification badge, the keys and other items. We would

like to thank you for your contribution to the Airport Authority and wish you all the best for the future.”

Ms Barrett didn’t ask for an explanation for her firing. “I felt I deserved the respect to be told why without having to ask,” she said.

Neither woman was surprised by their firing.

Both said rumours swirled for months that top Free National Movement (FNM) officials on the island wanted them gone. The women say they are vocal and longstanding PLP supporters. In fact, Ms Gibson recently became a national vice chairman in the party.

“I believe it was my political preference that cost me,” she said.

She said she is not interested in returning to the

Airport Authority, adding: “I don’t want to be where I’m not wanted.”

However, she is considering legal action against the government.

Without a job lined up, hardship is a concern for both women and their multiple children. They say jobs are hard to find in their respective communities. Ms Gibson said both women received severance pay, but she claimed her contract was not fully paid out.

In a statement to the press yesterday, PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell said their termination was “nothing more than a naked exercise of political power for no good reason against people who were perceived to be supporters of the PLP.”

POLICE IDENTIFY MURDER VICTIM

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net THE man fatally shot on Wednesday night while sitting in the doorway of his own home has been identified by police as Chamico Pheron Mackey.

Mackey was 35 years old. His death marked the eighth homicide of the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

While police are following no leads in this murder and have not taken anyone into custody, Superintendent Shanta Knowles made an appeal to anyone with information to come forward with information they might have to assist in solving this homicide.

At the scene of the incident on Wednesday night, Superintendent Knowles said: “A vehicle came through the corner. Two

A BODY is taken from the scene after the shooting on Wednesday night. men came from the vehicle, were at a local business on He was pronounced dead one was armed with a fire- Maxwell Lane off Light- at the scene. arm. They approached the bourne Avenue when four In another incident, man and shot him before men approached. shortly before 3am Saturgetting into their vehicle An argument erupted day, a man had just arrived and speeding off.” and a few minutes later, at a home on Sumner The shooting took place gunshots were heard, police Street, Nassau Village at Irish Spring Court and said. The men ran, and it when he was approached Plantol Street and comes was later discovered that by a man armed with a fireafter three killings on the one man was unresponsive. arm who shot him about weekend.

Paramedics were called on the body before speeding The first weekend scene, but were unable to away in a silver coloured murder occurred shortly revive the man, who suf- Honda. before 9pm on Friday. At fered gunshot injuries to his The victim was subsethe time, a group of men body. quently taken to hospital

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff and was listed in critical approached by another condition. However, Chief man armed with a firearm Superintendent Solomon who shot him about the Cash, officer-in-charge of body before fleeing on foot. the Central Detective Unit Paramedics were called to (CDU), said he died later the scene but were unable that morning. to revive the man. He too Later, he was identified was pronounced dead at the by police as Mychal Lord, scene. Chief Supt Cash said 28, of Adelaide Road. police are questioning one About two hours after suspect in connection with that shooting, shortly after that matter.

5am on Saturday, a man Investigations into was walking on Rupert all of these matters are Dean Lane when he was continuing.

‘GOVT BROKE LAW IN FIRING GAMING BOARD STAFF’

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY Wayne Munroe said yesterday the government should have been aware it was breaching the law when it fired 30 Gaming Board employees last year, citing an amendment to the Employment Act passed in 2017 by the Christie administration.

Mr Munroe is representing the former employees who are suing the government for wrongful dismissal.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mr Munroe detailed the charges the former employees are levying against the board, the damages they are seeking and the rights to which other unfairly terminated employees are entitled.

Mr Munroe said: “The first issue is that they were wrongfully dismissed… pursuant to the recent passage of the Employment Amendment Act 2017.

(This was one of) the last pieces of labour legislation the PLP passed, where all of the FNM people applauded but said that it came too late. It was said to be specifically in response to the Sandals issue, where Sandals had made persons redundant.

“What that provided was that you cannot make more than 20 people redundant.

If you intend to make more than 20 people redundant, you have to go through a

process. And that process involves notifying the union as to who you intend to make redundant (and) why you intend to make them redundant. “(It also requires) at least two weeks before you intend to make them redundant, meeting with the union to openly and honestly discuss whether you should be making people redundant, whether you can redeploy them to any other part of your organisation and if you really can’t do that, then suggestions of who can be made redundant and the proper basis for that.

“One of the standard basis of redundancy is ‘last in, first out.’ So the last person to be hired is the first person to go. And the reason for that is so you do not have an employer simply using redundancy to get rid of higher priced workers who have moved through the system in favour of cheap, starter people. Which, if you listen to what the Gaming Board says, is exactly why they chose senior people to dismiss.”

When asked by The Tribune about the lump sums these former employees received, Mr Munroe said: “Well when Sandals terminated their people, they paid everyone generously and Christmas bonuses, but there was still an outcry about that.

“Folks said no, the issue was you ought not

be able to make people saying is it’s admittedly redundant. breaking the law in order “And in the case of to save money.

Sandals, they made them “And how the law works redundant because (San- is if you admittedly break dals was) closing for two or the law to save money, the three months to renovate, court imposes damages and then they had a job fair to take your savings back where a lot of them were from you, as a means of hired back. So if anything encouraging you to obey (Sandals’) position is better the law.” than this government’s Mr Munroe was asked position because (the gov- if this case will pave the ernment is) not saying way for other people who they’re closing for renova- have been laid off by the tion and hiring anybody Minnis administration to back.” file similar cases against the Mr Munroe also speci- government. fied the areas of relief the He replied: “The Gaming former Gaming Board Board potentially, because employees are seeking. He they are a separate entity. said: “Wrongful dismissal, So you have places like the which is a classic ‘you Gaming Board, you have breach my employment (the Bahamas Agricultural contract’. Unfair dismissal, & Industrial Corporation), which is if you terminate and you have (the National someone contrary to the Insurance Board), they’re process. like free-standing “(Some of them) are corporations. seeking reinstatement and “So the rule as it applies they’re seeking exemplary to the government gendamages. (This is) what erally would be if they the Americans call puni- (wanted) to lay off more tive damages, Friday, because than 2018 20 people across the 26th January what the government is entire civil service, they’re

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not just from any particular department or ministry.

“And so if you stop and think about it, if they let go 10 people from education, 10 people from health, 10 people from environmental services; that’s more than 20, the government being their employer.

“And so they should have been in touch with the union or get employee representatives, and discuss the very same thing that they are doing, the Gaming Board.”

Mr Munroe continued: “It comes down to people… knowing their rights, and once they know their rights, taking steps to assert their rights. So this law was passed, maybe people don’t know about it, or if they know about it for one reason for another they aren’t coming forward to assert their rights.

“One aspect of it…might be that people think it’s terribly expensive to hire a

lawyer to go through litigation. But that would be a lack of knowledge that lawyers do take on matters on a legal aid basis.

“Because for myself, if somebody has a right that is being infringed, and I think that they would be discouraged from indicating it because they think I’m going to charge them a high retainer and all these charges, then I’m duty bound not to do that, not to discourage people from litigating. “[Additionally], the act doesn’t give any period.

So when this government came to power saying that it intended to downsize 10 percent across the board, from that moment it intended to terminate, to make redundant, 10 percent of its employees. From that moment, it should have been engaging the union or unions in discussions.

Which it didn’t, in any case.”

PAGE 4, Friday, January 26, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

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US shutdown and media insularity THE ongoing drama in Washington about making the passage of a government spending bill dependent on immigration policy is difficult for foreign observers to understand. Linking these unrelated matters in order to thwart legislation by the US Congress to fund government operations seems hard to justify. The consequent shutdown lasted for nearly three full days.

Although there have been a number of such shutdowns in the US in the past, it beggars belief that this has happened again in the world’s leading democracy that is supposed to be an exemplar and a beacon of freedom, good governance and efficiency as the leader of the free world. Objective commentators cannot see how a sophisticated governmental machine can be stymied by having its own operations closed down apparently on behalf of unauthorised immigrants whose longer term status remains to be determined. For the Democrats, in effect, to hold the government hostage on spending in order to obtain a deal on immigration is surely unacceptable in a modern democracy. It seems to indicate a dysfunctional system that ought to be reformed.

As an outsider, it is also interesting amid all this to observe the US media’s obsession with domestic and parochial matters, in particular political developments, at the expense of news about the rest of the world. Coverage of the shutdown has been practically wall-towall. For many Bahamians, who watch US television to keep informed about international affairs as well as deriving news from social media, it might be hard to think that anything is going on outside America. With the emphasis on the shutdown, it is as if -- to name just a few examples -- the nuclear threat from North Korea and Iran had disappeared, the problems of the Middle East had been resolved and that important developments in the European Union (EU) had been put on hold.

Here in The Bahamas we look to the US for our security and prosperity.

As a small island state off the coast of Florida, we see no reason to deny our dependence on our giant neighbour for so many of our needs. So it is particularly disturbing for us to watch when the US appears to go off track on a major issue like immigration. In the debate about DACA -- the system of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals which applied to the children of illegal immigrants -- it is difficult to argue reasonably that the more than 700,000 young people affected, who have spent their entire lives since childhood in America and already have work permits, should suddenly be subject to deportation to countries they do not even know.

Nonetheless, the discussion rages on between those Republicans who strictly oppose any form of amnesty which,

they argue, would open the floodgates to more illegals entering the country and Democrats who insist on fair and humane treatment of young people caught up in a situation for which they are not responsible.

While watching these developments which led to the shutdown, Bahamians wonder whether such an unsatisfactory outcome could happen here at home.

The answer is that in our Westminster system of parliamentary democracy if the budget proposed by the Prime Minister on behalf of his government is not approved by the House of Assembly that would signify a loss of confidence in the government and a snap election would follow, leading to new legislators taking over.

Whereas the Prime Minister is a Member of Parliament and would normally be forced to resign in the face of a vote of no confidence, a US President is directly elected by the people and is independent of the legislature and cannot be removed.

Meanwhile, issues elsewhere in the world of major concern and which could affect US interests continue to develop; for example, in Europe where Britain’s departure from the EU has been described as the most momentous event in the continent’s history. Events have taken on a new momentum as phase two of the Brexit negotiations – the United Kingdom’s future relationship with the EU including a trade deal – will begin in March. This has been agreed following completion of the first phase which included the so-called divorce bill covering the UK’s existing commitments, protection of the rights of EU citizens in Britain and vice versa, and the border arrangements between Northern Ireland as part of the UK and the Republic of Ireland as an EU member state.

Britain is hoping to retain influence in Europe by building new bilateral relations with leading nations like France whose President made an official visit to London this month to discuss enhanced co-operation postBrexit. But there are fears about the future of the EU with its faltering monetary policy, internal squabbles about immigration and growing “euroscepticism” as nationalist and populist leaders emerge in countries like Hungary, Poland and Austria.

Back in the USA, Congress has voted to reopen the federal government which is now funded until February 8.

The test will be whether agreement can be reached by then on immigration.

Whatever happens, outside observers wonder how long the flawed system under which a President can be faced with having to sign on to opposition policy demands in exchange for funding the government can be allowed to continue.

PM’s trip to Texas EDITOR, The Tribune.

PM to Texas: good try but the recent Trump massive Tax Bill probably killed that initiative.

President Trump in Davos, Switzerland, today hosted a dinner of some 20 top business leaders in the US and every one said they were so supportive of the Trump Tax breaks and confirmed they were investing millions and billions in new plant and expansions in the US. Wasn’t there a trip to MIT some weeks ago? We heard the same after that a rosy potentials but does not

seem anything came from that visit.

Did the PM take his top team to sell? This was the second if not the third team no experience in business and no representative of the business sector – he is pushing Grand Bahama so where was a rep of the GBPA partners and the GBPA Authority?

A lot of talk about announcements coming in GB ... East GB I hope that this is not the old Ken Russell project which never had any financing?

Immediately change the name of Freeport where it covers the City and the Tourist area ..... it sounds awful when you say ...

I’m going on vacation to Freeport!

Alternative -I’m going on vacation to Lucaya! Wow exotic, fascinating!

Change the name of the Airport - if anything ‘Grand Bahama International’ prefer ‘Lucaya International’. Only the industrial area should carry the name Freeport.

W THOMPSON Nassau, January 25, 2018.

Our nation needs real change EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Prime Minister is to be commended for his attempt to lure Foreign Direct Investment to the Bahamas, but I have one little problem with the approach.

I would think that before one invites guests to their home it might be wise to clean it first, then have a talk with your children, if they are unruly to help them understand what could happen if they do not behave. If your children were properly raised that talk might be quite brief.

When the appropriate things are in place, invite your guests and a mutually beneficial experience will be had by all.

It seems that our leaders do not want to acknowledge the state of this country or they are clueless as to how to go about trying to fix it. It is not in a condition that should motivate anyone to run and invite investors because of the many, many problems that currently exist on multiple levels. The ridiculous standard of living and cost of doing business, the lack of a motivated, teachable, skilled work force and other problems are a concern, but I am more burdened by the social issues.

We continue trying to

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net create jobs for people who do not understand what is expected of them when they agree to accept a job.

There are already complaints about customer experiences at Baha Mar, the “world class resort”.

We invite millions of tourists here annually as our guests and yet many of them return to their homes with negative reports about their experiences and interactions with our people. Somehow, we do not seem to understand that we are shooting ourselves in the foot by bringing people into our home who do not want to return because of the negative experiences they had there. That is not wise and it is certainly not good for business!

For those who thought the US advisory on Arawak Cay might have been politically motivated, Canada recently issued an advisory to its citizens as well. This is very telling. The social and moral decline evidenced by groping tourists, robbery and other criminal acts are the fruit of single parent homes and large scale illegal immigration.

Large numbers of illiterate, unskilled immigrants

may help you get elected, but they do not have a positive affect on national development. The gaping holes left in our broken social structure necessitates a government mediated system to bring this country back to normalcy.

What the prime minister should have been trying to implement is a national resocialisation programme of sorts. We are no longer at the point where we can trust society to naturally produce quality citizens.

We must find a way to train and re-train our people in the importance of their roles as adults, understanding boundaries, the value of work, the importance of the family to national development, critical thinking, the importance of saving and investing, anger management and how to deal with others with respect and courtesy. These are all things previously taught in the home. If this country fails to do this one simple thing, then all is lost.

This country will continue its rapid decline to become another one of the third world countries that no one wants to visit or live in.

President Trump purportedly used a more colourful term!

JB Nassau, January 25, 2018.

US crime alert EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WISH to give my feelings about that latest warning/advisory coming from the US State Dept by way of the US Embassy here in Nassau.

Listening to the response coming from the honourable Minister for Tourism about this warning, I recalled

that the honourable Minster did mentioned to some effect that The Bahamas (the Police) need to prove/ show that area - Arawak Cay Fish fry sector and elsewhere is safe, and, sir, that’s it!

Remember, the tourist industry is the Bahamas #1 means of survival; so I hasten to suggest all one need to do is bring the

security and protection of those areas, and The Bahamas in general to the level which the US State Dept can accept where its citizens will be safe. It’s simple.

Then maybe all this will eventually go away.

EZRA RAHMING Nassau, January 24, 2018.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, January 26, 2018, PAGE 5

FROM left, Ketih Stubbs, Stephan Clarke and Elvardo Deveaux outside court yesterday.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Lawyer accuses police of beating from page one Meanwhile, Deveaux’s co-accused Keith Stubbs tearfully requested Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt have them placed in the remand station for their safety, claiming he, Deveaux, as well as their co-accused Stephan Clarke received threats of death from

prisoners while in custody.

Devard Williams, Clarke’s attorney, told the chief magistrate that based on his instructions, his client should be a prosecution witness.

The chief magistrate took note of both Mr Emmanuel’s claims of his client being a victim of police brutality, Mr Williams’ submissions concerning his client, as well as Stubbs’

claims, before formally closing the arraignment.

Taking a seat in the court after being formally arraigned, Stubbs tearfully said from his seat: “Bey they know we ain’t kill no one, dog.”

Stubbs, Clarke and Deveaux each faced one count of murder in connection with Smith’s death.

According to initial police reports, shortly before 9pm

JOBS FOR FREEPORT AS OMNI UNVEILS EXPANSION

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

OMNI Financial Group is expanding its operations to Freeport next month, creating new jobs on the island and providing much needed service to residents and businesses on Grand Bahama.

The announcement comes as “great news,” Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson said Thursday at the Office of the Prime Minister in Freeport.

Mr Thompson met with Harvey Morris, director

of Omni Financial Group Limited, who announced they are opening two new locations on Grand Bahama and hiring 10 people.

Omni has operated in Grand Bahama for many years providing services such as money transfers and pay day loans. The locations will be at Abaco Markets Group of Companies and Cost Rite.

Mr Morris said that Omni also has locations in Abaco, Eleuthera, and New Providence. He has confidence that the Grand Bahama economy will be revived by the government, and plans

to open other locations when that happens.

Mr Thompson said Omni’s expansion is great news not only because it is providing new jobs.

He said Omni provides Grand Bahamians and local businesses with additional opportunities to access funds.

He commended Omni on its expansion, and encouraged other private sector companies to look at creating employment opportunities on Grand Bahama because the government is creating an environment for them to expand their businesses.

TRIAL DELAY AFTER ATTORNEY ILLNESS

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net FORMER College of the Bahamas employee Chimeka Gibbs’ trial over allegations she stole over $500,000 from the college was adjourned yesterday to next week due to her attorney being taken ill.

Justice Cheryl GrantThompson adjourned the matter to Monday after receiving news that Roger Gomez Jr was unable to attend yesterday’s proceedings.

Gibbs is charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2008 and October 2015 while employed at COB. She is facing eight counts of stealing by reason of employment and 16 counts of falsification of accounts.

It is alleged Gibbs stole over $500,000 from COB by reason of her employment at the institution. It is also alleged she falsified numerous COB direct deposit files, the result of which the purported to show she was entitled to over $200,000 in salary payments.

According to court documents, Gibbs served as both a senior clerk and a human resources assistant at the college. She was arraigned in June 2016. COB transitioned into a university

YOUR

later that year.

In addition to Mr Gomez, Al-Leecia Delancey and Antania Rolle-Taylor are the other attorneys on record, representing the Crown.

CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019

on Friday, a group of men were at a local business on Maxwell Lane off Lightbourne Avenue when four men approached.

An argument erupted and a few minutes later, gunshots were heard, police said. The men ran, and it was later discovered that one man was unresponsive. Paramedics were called to the scene, but were unable to revive the

man, who suffered gunshot injuries to his body. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

None of the men were required to enter a plea to the charge and the matter was adjourned for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). They were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) in the interim.

Deveaux was further arraigned on two counts of threats of death. It is alleged that on January 18, being concerned with others, he threatened Randol Armbrister and Claudeshia Ray. Deveaux pled not guilty to the charges. The matter was transferred to Magistrate Ambrose Ambrister for fixture and adjourned to February 19.

PAGE 6, Friday, January 26, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

UB union demand - ‘treat us fairly’ from page one UTEB said it has always encouraged UB to work in a collaborative and consultative fashion, towards common institutional and national goals.

The union also suggested that since the arrival of the new administrative body at UB, and more particularly the new provost, officials at the institution have allegedly decided to work in contravention of the industrial contract and opted for a more “heavy-handed” approach to management.

UTEB’s indicated it has become necessary to take various matters to the Department of Labour to seek resolution.

Those matters include delays in promotions; the erosion of academic freedom and the institution’s failure to negotiate a new agreement in good faith.

Of the lack of promotions, UTEB noted: “These delays have caused a backlog of nine years of faculty advancement. The most recent exercise for 20102011 promotions has taken nearly two years to complete and candidates from that exercise are still awaiting the results. UB refuses to work with UTEB to carry out these exercises in a timely manner or to even see this as an urgent matter.

It is now 2018 and the next exercise will be for the 2011-2012 academic year.

This is demoralising and detrimental to faculty, their lives and their careers.”

With respect to academic

UTEB president Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson. freedom, UTEB stated: truths without any infringe“The work of university ment on how or what we professor is a very impor- pursue. It is time-honoured tant one when looking and it is the hallmark of at the role we play in the any valued institution of development of knowledge higher learning. A part of building and truth-telling.” this is the right to teach UTEB said academic our classes as we feel best freedom is essential to the fits. It is beyond teaching work of its members and styles, it speaks to a right acts as the very principle and responsibility to ensure that underpins the work that what we teach and they do. how we teach it is done so “We are free to pursue intact and with integrity,”

Wednesday’s statement added.

“UB has failed to formally name a negotiating team, as per clause 8.1 of the memorandum of agreement as well as the normal action taken when there is a new agreement to be negotiated. The names of (the) UB negotiating team was not given to UTEB in a letter from the chairman of the board of trustees.

The president insisted on naming the team and, for legal reasons, it is important to know the difference. The union negotiates with the board of trustees, not the president of UB.” Other allegations raised

by UTEB included the failure to continue negotiations; the intimidation of union officers; the habitual failure to provide the union with agreed reports; suspension of meetings of the Professional Leave Committee; failure to convene Faculty Development Committee and the termination of faculty contracts without just cause.

UTEB also questioned the implementation of online student feedback forms; the inadequate remediation of the institution’s physical plant; the omission of the union’s representation on search committees and the institution’s decision not to consult the union on changes to infrastructure.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, UTEB President Jennifer IsaacsDotson said the union was at its wits-end and had no idea how it could proceed with the current administrative body of the university.

Mrs Isaacs-Dotson, now a senator, contended the university has shown no interest in doing what is considered right by the most recent industrial agreement, all while pretending that the union doesn’t exist.

“It’s shocking,” Mrs Isaacs-Dotson said. “They

know and have known for some time now how this process should unfold. They have intentionally worked around us and have refused to speak to us. We have tried repeatedly to communicate, they’ve seen my letters and they’ve seen my correspondents. Still no reply.”

Mrs Isaacs-Dotson said UTEB acted as professional and cordial as it could in this circumstance and has, on several occasions given the university and its administration opportunities to “get their stuff together”.

However, Mrs IsaacsDotson said nothing has changed and UB, for whatever reason, has opted not to negotiate.

She said a meeting is scheduled with Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd in a few weeks.

“If these matters aren’t resolved then, we will lay them before the feet of the minister. If they aren’t dealt with there, we will proceed to the Labour Board,” Mrs Isaacs-Dotson added.

When contacted for comment yesterday, Education Minister Jeffery Lloyd confirmed that reports of the longstanding issues had reached his office. He also indicated his office has scheduled a meeting with both parties in the coming weeks, where he said he hoped to broker some level of resolution between the two sides.

Attempts to contact the University of The Bahamas were unsuccessful up to press time.

LONG ISLANDERS ANGRY AFTER BEING ‘ABANDONED’ BY ROYAL BANK OF CANADA

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

BUSINESS owners in Long Island crticised the

Royal Bank of Canada in the aftermath of its decision to “abandon” them, telling The Tribune yesterday they are terrified of being open targets to robbers who will

capitalise on an economy absent of the security of a bank.

Some of the angry small business owners also castigated RBC for failing to

send any formal communication to its clients about the consolidation of several of its branches. RBC’s branch in Grey’s, Long Island and one in Andros Town, North Andros will be consolidated with the main bank at downtown Nassau.

Long Island MP Adrian Gibson is standing with the business owners. He made a plea for Bahamian owned banks to establish operations on the island.

He said businesses will suffer in a lacklustre economy which already needs a considerable boost. Mr Gibson said when Scotia Bank removed its branch from Long Island a while ago, leaving only an automated teller machine behind, many Long Islanders took their business to RBC. However, now that RBC has made the same decision, Mr Gibson appealed to the government to make haste in bringing an alternative to his constituency.

He further called on the government to bring better regulations to the web shop industry, insisting those gaming houses were saturating the island. He said there are 15 to 20 number houses on Long Island, far too many for its small

population.

With RBC pulling out of Long Island, Kathy Darville told The Tribune there is no way her department store can function as a fullservice business if she can’t make deposits to accounts.

She owns Under the Sun, a large store in Mangrove Bush.

For her, the most troubling part of this decision is the thought of being vulnerable to criminals who will use it as a window of opportunity to commit robberies.

What is more disheartening, Mrs Darville said, is that the bank did not at the very least inform business clients of what they had planned to do.

“It’s stagnating,” she said yesterday. “As a business for 25 years, if we can’t make a deposit to our account, how then can we make a wire transfer?

How can you pay your creditors if you can’t get change for the cash register? How do you cash out a customer?

“If you’re taking in daily sales of $1,000 or $2,000, your community knows this – are you going to put it in a safe or are you going to get robbed?

“This is a nightmare.”

Mrs Darville also said the time frame in which the change will take place is unfavourable.

RBC will officially leave the island effective April 13, it has been reported.

Dennis Fox, owner of Fox Auto in Salt Pond, Long Island, said he is upset and frustrated.

“I have been doing business with them ever since I’ve been in business and I’ve been operating going into 22 years now,” Mr Fox told this newspaper.

“How are we going to get out cheques, money and deposit it and everything?

“If no bank comes, we

will be forced to make frequent trips to Nassau. My business cannot sustain all that expense. They look like they abandoned us.”

Another business owner in the same settlement, Betty Miller, said the decision has left her confused.

“Right now, I am just disturbed,” she said. “When I first heard it, I was under the understanding that the ATM was going to still be here and we could still do our drop ins. But if no one is going to be here we have to find a way to make our deposits in Nassau.”

She said business owners were just hoping and praying that something is done.

If not, Ms Miller said Long Island will be “dangerous.”

However, Stanley Pinder, of Stan’s Car Rental in Miller’s, Long Island, said he understands why RBC will move. Mr Pinder said if a business can’t sustain itself or comfortably pay its workers, then it made no sense to remain open.

He said this was his understanding of why RBC chose to leave.

In Andros, Hyacinth Hanna said business without RBC will be difficult.

The owner of Dreams Electric and Shorrs Car Rental in Blanket Sounds questioned how she’ll function.

She said: “A lot of my business, I use credit card transactions, but sometimes persons bring cards what don’t work with the machine and so I have to send them to the ATM. If they can’t do any banking here how must I get paid?”

Ms Hanna also said she was only informed of RBC’s decision through “gossip” and later called the bank to verify.

They all agree that a Bahamian owned bank must set up shop to keep these island economies alive.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, January 26, 2018, PAGE 7

JEAN Rony Jean-Charles in the shack he shares with six others in a Haitian village.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

Court to consider applications

by Jean Rony and other migrants

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net MIGRANTS released from the Carmichael Road Detention Centre last month are expected to return to court today for judgement on their habeas corpus applications, including the case of former detainee Jean Rony Jean-Charles.

Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hilton granted bail to 11 detainees – eight adults and three children on December 19, and gave the government an additional 21 days to produce Mr Jean-Charles and also provide justification for his deportation.

According to former Immigration Director William Pratt, Mr JeanCharles was flown to Port au Prince, Haiti on November 24 after not being able to prove he was in the country legally.

However, representatives from the Haitian embassy later told The Tribune they had no record of Mr Jean-Charles being repatriated.

In court last month, the Crown, represented

by Gary Francis, submitted that Mr Smith’s writ of habeas corpus ought to be dismissed on the basis that no one bearing the name Jean Rony JeanCharles is in the custody of the state, and that an

individual bearing a name similar to the detainee was “returned” to Haiti days prior to Mr Smith’s filing of the writ of habeas corpus.

According to a return to the writ of habeas corpus filed by Acting Director of Immigration Keturah Ferguson, on behalf of former Immigration Director William Pratt and Peter Joseph, officer-in-charge of the detention centre, a Haitian man was interviewed by immigration officers during a “routine patrol” in the Fire Trail Road area.

According to the document, Jean Charles subsequently signed an immigration profile form confirming his identity and

other information he provided to the authorities as correct, in particular, the name he gave and his date of birth. He “duly signed” his name as Jean Charles, the return said.

That man, the document said, gave his name as Jean Charles, aged 31, date of birth December 1, 1985.

A subsequent check of birth records at the Bahamas Registrar General’s Department based on the information provided by Jean Charles yielded “negative results”.

The document further said there was “no record or any other evidence presented or subsequently uncovered” to show that Jean Charles was either

born in The Bahamas, entered The Bahamas legally, obtained leave to enter The Bahamas pursuant to the Immigration Act, nor had any status whatsoever which entitled him to remain in The Bahamas.

However, Mr Smith countered by saying while the return to writ purports to be referencing his client, Mr Jean-Charles and the “Jean Charles” taken into custody have different birth dates: Mr Jean Charles was born on December 5, 1982.

The Tribune interviewed Mr Jean-Charles in Haiti last Saturday, and he confirmed he had been deported by the Bahamas government.

He insisted his date of birth is December 5, 1982.

Justice Hilton is also expected to give a ruling on whether two others who were detained but later released were lawfully arrested, namely Jamaican national Ricardo Johnson who is married to a Bahamian citizen, and Reggionel Raymonvil, who was born in The Bahamas.

Mr Johnson, who is in possession of a resident spousal permit due to expire in October of 2018, was detained on December 1 and released on December 8. Mr Raymonvil was detained on November 29 and released on December 7, according to court documents.

END OF PLASTIC BAG POLLUTION?

from page one

“Minister Ferreira proposed to ban plastic bags completely in The Bahamas, followed by various types of single-use plastics such as polystyrene (Styrofoam),” the PPC website states.

Mr Ferreira also “explained that the Ministry of Environment has been working on formulating and pushing regulations with Parliament that address plastic use in the country and agreed that through laws and swift action, the problem of plastic pollution will be reversed in The Bahamas.”

The website continues: “Bahamas Plastic Movement founder, Kristal Ambrose, said plastic bags are used in abundance in The Bahamas, along with other single-use and disposable plastic items such as plastic bottles, straws, cups, and polystyrene (also known as Styrofoam) food containers.”

“Our goal is to see a reduction in plastic bag use and plastic bag litter in the country, however our ultimate goal is to have a complete ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam for the entire Bahamas by the year 2020,” said Ms Ambrose.

Representatives from Bahamas Plastic Movement said if the rate of

plastic pollution on beaches increases, it could cause up to US $8.5 million in

tourism losses annually for the country.

In the Free National

Movement’s 2017 manifesto, the party vowed that “an FNM government will

phase out the use of plastic bags by 2020.”

Mr Ferreira did not

respond to The Tribune’s numerous requests for comment up to press time.

PAGE 8, Friday, January 26, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

THE BAHAMAS Power and Light headquarters.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

Power to the people O

NCE again, the country’s main electricity provider is in the flickering spotlight. On one hand, an MP is “begging for a break” while on the other, the Minister responsible for Bahamas Power and Light is promising “the best summer ever”!

While reading one of the dailies this week, I came across a strange story.

According to The Nassau Guardian: “Mangrove Cay and South Andros MP Picewell Forbes yesterday petitioned for politicians to have protection from being disconnected by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) for nonpayment, saying those who serve, or served, should be given a ‘basic respect and courtesy.’”

After wiping off my Dunkin’ Donuts coffee stained newspaper (the result of an involuntary fit of laughter that sent a gulp of ‘morning joe’ flying everywhere), I read the words again to be sure I was ‘seeing straight.’

Lo and behold, the article went on in great detail about Mr Forbes’s griping about “light bills and how politicians are treated”. He also went on to talk about the elite persons who had “passed through these halls, senators, members of

Parliament” who, it seems, like ghosts are now seeking to haunt the Bahamian people with the burden of carrying their bills.

Forbes talked about “a basic benchmark or protocol for persons whose lights are going to be turned off” as if there wasn’t already a benchmark – pay your bill or get turned off.

Then he got to the heart of the matter, a spiel that was supposed to convince the public that somehow parliamentarians are different, somehow they are “special”.

Well allow me to enlighten you, Mr Forbes, and free of charge no less; parliamentarians are not more special than the mother of four who is working two jobs as “a janitor” and has to watch her children do homework by candlelight because she still can’t afford the high price of electricity.

You’re not more special than the hardworking father who has to brace himself to explain to his

wife why there’s a yellow sticker on the door and no “current” on in the house.

You’re not more special than, say, Grammy “Over da Hill” who has to “make do” with no light because her $200 payment didn’t cover her $300 bill so “tough luck”.

That’s the beauty of living in a country where everyone is equal and accountable to the same standard. To paraphrase Syndrome from The Incredibles, “when everybody is special, nobody is”.

I find it most remarkable and disturbing that at a time when all we hear out of our Parliament is woeful news concerning the country’s finances the very same persons charged with making the laws want to bend the rules for their personal benefit.

I find Mr Forbes’s contention “that parliamentarians have to sacrifice finances to serve”, and despite this, they give “their very last and their very best”’ to be hogwash.

If parliamentarians tried

their very best we wouldn’t Find a way to get their be in this mess, would we? power back on before you How many years have try to burden us with your we lost falling behind the “power” issues. Especially global curve under the those of you with two or watch of “parliamentar- three homes and “a few” ians” who lacked the vision apartments to boot. to move us toward more Serve (with compesustainable forms of energy tence) and then look to be like LNG or solar? served.

How much treasure has As for those who think this country lost while this is a good time to those self-same politicians address parliamentarians’ presided over a run-down paychecks again, please system at see my previBEC? ous column And now ‘How many years on that issue “yinne want have we lost because at us ta give falling behind this point I yinne a only have the global curve break”? three words: under the watch of Don’t do it.

Because you’re “parliamentarians” “special”?

The Dog To quote who lacked the Days of vision to move every Summer Grammy sit- us toward more Summerting in the time in the dark who sustainable forms Bahamas just doesn’t of energy like is a beauticare about LNG or solar?’ ful thing. your feelings, Long days “You best try of sunshine, hard!” beaching, and, er, curious I think I can comfort- fashion choices. We live in ably say the answer to your a serene sub-tropical pararequest for a formal “do not dise that truly is the gem of disconnect” list is a hard the Caribbean.

“No!” from the Bahamian That is, until night falls on electorate. the days that BPL strikes.

At one point there was That’s when the reality said to be over 8,000 homes of our clockwork “rolling in New Providence without blackouts” hits like a knockpower due to non-payment. out blow to an overworked, You want to be special? overheated populace to the

point of driving us crazy.

There are not enough portable fans, ice or Bud Light to “cool the passions” of angry Bahamians fed up with the state of our electricity affairs.

That’s why the latest word from our Minister of Works, Desmond Bannister, that this will be the “best summer ever” in terms of electricity supply is music to my ears.

Now there is a chance that the “best” that BPL has in mind is not the same “best” we have in mind.

Because if we’re talking about 499 blackouts instead of 500, well that’s not really good enough.

If, however, we are talking about not having to worry about our food spoiling in the fridge or our “spoiled” kids griping about how their electronics are dying then maybe we are onto something. And if Mr Bannister and crew can accomplish this then more power to them.

I am hoping for a great performance from BPL, but I’m not yet convinced.

After all, there is that old cliche that “a promise is a comfort to a fool.”

Do you know what would be a real comfort to this fool?

No scheduled blackouts.

We’re counting on you, BPL. Don’t let us down.

READERS RESPOND TO ROYAL BANK OF CANADA CHANGES AFTER the Royal Bank of Canada’s latest consolidation announcement,

Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest suggested these situations

are inevitable with the constant evolution of technology, which requires less

“brick and mortar locations and bodies”. Readers gave their reaction on tribune242.com.

Schemer18 said: “It is so sad in this country the way politicians ponders on critical matters facing the nation; and all they need to do is to let them old Canadian banks to go defunct.

The web shops are able to function as local Bahamian banks!”

Realfreethinker had this to say: “That’s what technology does. If you don’t adapt you will be left behind. What’s happening in the Bahamas is nothing unusual. The Internet has changed the world forever.”

Sickened was looking ahead: “I think RBC’s commercial banking will be gone in two years. They will have a presence but it won’t be for the general public.”

Proper242 offered this: “If they didn’t see this coming . . . Everyone uses technology as a scapegoat.

Shouldn’t the jobs lost be replaced with jobs that match the advancement in technology? Last time I checked I had to call Trinidad to have issues resolved in reference to my account.

We have a few issues in our country: 1. Mediocre customer service. 2.

On average an inefficient work force. 3. Mediocre government. 4. A lack of prophetic planning. Let’s see how those responsible encourage companies to continue to business in the Bahamas.”

ThisIsOurs had this take on the situation: “I understand that Mr Turnquest is a good man but I still believe he is the wrong person for this position.

Didn’t he just report that the government experienced a surplus a few months ago? So many unfounded contradictory statements out of the ministry. The banks did not close because Bahamians refused to use the proffered technology, the banks closed because the economy is bad, customers are losing jobs, can’t pay mortgages, can’t

hold savings accounts all this means losses for the bank. In an effort to court cost, the banks moved to place services on a digital platform. Saying it any other way is to be really blind. The banks did not close because Bahamisns are old fashioned, they closed because they’re not making as much money as they used to.”

And Sheeprunner12 said: “Peter Turnquest and Nathaniel Beneby and the others should come to Long Island and Andros and explain WHY they have pulled out of these communities so unceremoniously . . . but we should not hold our breath because these banks have already done the same in Abaco, Eleuthera, Bimini and Exuma without as much as an apology to their loyal clients for 50+ years.

It is hard to believe that the DPM/Minister of Finance has no knowledge of what these Canadian banks are about to do to unsuspecting Bahamian banking clients.”

• Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, January 26, 2018, PAGE 9

Trump ‘ordered special counsel Mueller fired’ WASHINGTON Associated Press PRESIDENT Donald Trump ordered the firing of special counsel Robert Mueller last June, but he backed off the order after White House lawyer Don McGahn threatened to resign, according to a report Thursday in The New York Times.

The newspaper reports that Trump demanded Mueller’s firing just weeks after the special counsel was first appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

McGahn said he would not deliver the order to the Justice Department, according to The Times, which cites four people familiar with the request by the president.

Trump argued at the time that Mueller could not be fair because of a dispute over golf club fees that he said Mueller owed at

a Trump golf club in Sterling, Va. The president also believed Mueller he had a conflict of interest because he worked for the same law firm that was representing Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday night. Ty Cobb, a White House lawyer working on the response to the Russia probe, declined comment Thursday night.

The response from Democrats was nearly immediate.

Sen Mark Warner, D-Va, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that if the report in The Times is true, Trump has crossed a “red line”.

“Any attempt to remove the Special Counsel, pardon key witnesses or otherwise interfere in the investigation would be a gross abuse of power, and all members

of Congress, from both parties, have a responsibility to our Constitution and to our country to make that clear immediately,” Warner said.

The report comes as Mueller moves ever closer to interviewing Trump himself. The president said Wednesday that he would gladly testify under oath — although a White House official quickly said afterward that Trump did not mean he was volunteering to testify.

Last June, when Trump was considering how to fire Mueller, the special counsel’s probe had not progressed far, at least not in public.

At that time he had yet to call on any major witnesses to testify and had not yet issued any charges or signed any plea deals.

But that would change just a few months later, when former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos was arrested.

NEW IMMIGRATION PROPOSALS UNVEILED WASHINGTON Associated Press THE White House unveiled a proposal yesterday that provides a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million young immigrants living in the country illegally, in exchange for new restrictions on legal immigration and $25 billion in border security. The plan was applauded by some in Congress, but blasted by conservative activists as “amnesty” and slammed by a slew of Democrats, who accused President Donald Trump of holding “Dreamers” hostage to

his hard-line immigration agenda.

Senior White House officials cast the plan as a centrist compromise that could win support from both parties and enough votes to pass the Senate.

But it comes with a long list of concessions that many Democrats, and also conservative Republicans, especially in the House, may find impossible to swallow.

The plan would provide a pathway to citizenship for the roughly 690,000 younger immigrants protected from deportation by the Obama-era Deferred

Action for Childhood Arrivals program — as well as hundreds of thousands of others who independent estimates say qualify for the program, but never applied.

The plan would not allow parents of those immigrants to seek lawful status, the officials said.

In exchange, Trump’s plan would dramatically overhaul the legal immigration system. Immigrants would only be allowed to sponsor their spouses and underage children to join them in the US, and not their parents, adult children or siblings.

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FIREFIGHTERS work as smoke billows from a hospital in Miryang, South Korea.

Photo: National Fire Agency/Yonhap via AP

HOSPITAL FIRE KILLS 39 IN S KOREA SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA Associated Press

A FIRE that started on Friday morning in a hospital emergency room in South Korea killed nearly 40 people, mainly from inhaling smoke, and injured dozens more in one of the country’s deadliest blazes in recent years.

Several injured are in critical condition and the toll is feared to increase, fire officials said.

Sejong Hospital in the southeastern city of Miryang had a total of 194 patients before the fire at its general medical ward and its nursing ward for the elderly. The

blaze began at the general ward’s first-floor emergency room and most of the dead were from the first and second floors, the National Fire Agency official said.

The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately determined.

Miryang fire officials put out the blaze at 10:26am, nearly three hours after it started and preventing it from reaching the upper floors. The hospital’s operations were suspended after the fire.

Most of the 39 deaths appeared to be due to suffocation, with only one suffering burns, said an agency official who spoke on condition of anonymity

because he wasn’t authorised to speak to media.

The identification of the dead was underway, he said.

Agency official earlier said many of the deaths were confirmed after the victims were taken to other hospitals while being put on artificial ventilators.

President Moon Jae-in convened an emergency meeting with senior advisers and expressed regret over the blaze. He ordered officials to provide necessary medical supports to those rescued, find the exact cause of the fire and work out measures to prevent future fires, according to his spokesman Park Su-hyun.

PAGE 10, Friday, January 26, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Davis says Forbes BPL comments out of context

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Progressive Liberal Party does not believe utility companies should treat politicians differently from ordinary citizens, PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday, adding the comments of South Andros MP Picewell Forbes in Parliament on Wednesday were “inelegantly articulated” and “taken out of context”.

Mr Forbes drew criticism for suggesting politicians be protected and extended certain “courtesies” in the way companies like Bahamas Power & Light (PLP) treat them in the face of nonpayment.

Last year, The Tribune revealed Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ decision to clamp down on a longstanding, secret policy involving a “special list” of politicians whose water and electricity services are never disconnected despite their lack of payment, a privilege not extended to other Bahamians.

On Wednesday, Mr Forbes said in Parliament a conversation about how politicians are treated with respect to their light bills is needed.

“That is the reality,” Mr Forbes said. “It’s a small amount of persons who would have passed through these halls, senators, members of Parliament. I think there must be a basic benchmark or protocol for persons whose lights are going to be turned off, people who serve in public offices or those who have served.”

Contacted yesterday, Mr Davis distanced himself from Mr Forbes’ comments

and emphasised that the official position of the PLP is for all Bahamians to be treated equally, regardless of status or profession. He claimed Mr Forbes did not say politicians should have their lights remain on, but that they should be notified before an impending disconnection.

“If I’m receiving a service and you are going to terminate that service, there should be a courtesy to let me know you’re going to terminate that if I don’t pay it in a day or two, that’s the point he was making,” Mr Davis said adding that Mr Forbes was referring to “one or two colleagues that have had that happen to them, causing embarrassment recently, and he wasn’t referring to himself.”

Asked why Mr Forbes singled out politicians as worthy of this courtesy, Mr Davis said: “That’s why I said it was inelegantly articulated. This is a courtesy that should be extended across the board to everyone, not just politicians.

Before you cut anyone’s light off, give some notice that you are doing so and make some effort to ensure you let them know you’re going to do that and if the customer does not do certain things within a day or two there will be termination.”

It is not currently the protocol of BPL to inform customers ahead of an impending disconnection, The Tribune was told by a high-ranking official yesterday.

Mr Davis added: “They also have to make sure customers receive their bill. I didn’t receive my bills for two or three months but I made payments on the

PICEWELL Forbes MP. account because I don’t want to get cut off. Whether my account is current now I don’t know because I don’t know if my wife received the bill for the month. Why cut me off when you don’t know if I received the bill?”

Mr Forbes also said Wednesday that disconnecting service of some

politicians is used to “settle political scores.” Mr Davis backed him up on this point yesterday, pointing to last year’s leaks to The Tribune of outstanding light and water bills of politicians, and saying the leaks were focused mostly on PLP politicians.

Minister of Works with

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff responsibility for BPL Des- about discrimination that is mond Bannister hit out a concern because I think yesterday at what he saw as the allegation is that somean insidious accusation. how, we put people into “I’m the minister with utilities who are going to responsibility for BPL and discriminate against someif I don’t pay they’ll cut one for political reasons. me off,” he said. “I think We are not going to do that. everybody looked at (Mr That’s the kind of thing I Forbes’) comments on the believe the PLP will do. We face of it but when he spoke don’t get involved.”

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THE TRIBUNE

Friday, January 26, 2018, PAGE 11

SPELLING CONTEST A TENSE BATTLE THE 51st annual Archdiocesan Spelling Contest was a close-run affair, with a spell-off between the two final contestants.

Ultimately, Rafaella Thompson, of Xavier’s Lower School triumphed, pictured at far right during the spell-off against Lauren Scriven, of St Francis and Joseph School.

Both will now go on to represent the Catholic Board of Education at the 2018

Bahamas National Spelling Bee. Rafaella is pictured above receiving her award at the contest on Wednesday at Seton Hall at Xavier’s Lower School.

Pictured from left: Jacintha Goffe, principal, Xavier’s Lower School; Claudette Rolle, director of Catholic education; and Leslie Hutchinson, vice-principal along with Rafaella, winner of the spelling contest.

PAGE 12, Friday, January 26, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

‘The Bahamas’ own street philosopher’

MICHAEL WRIGHT, Data Protection Commissioner, left, and Brendon Watson.

Bahamas Cycling Club Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise. - The Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise will be holding a neon evening walk and danceathon on Friday, February 2, at 7pm.

The route will start at St Matthew’s Chruch, proceed

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north over New Paradise Island Bridge, east to the Ocean Club roundabout, back over the old bridge, south along Mackey Street, west on Shirley Street to St Matthew’s Church Hall.

Registration costs $25 per participant and all who take part will receive a free T-shirt and goodie bag filled by event sponsors, including a neon hand band that allows free entry to the dance.

Non-walkers must pay $15 to enter the dance.

There will be an awards presentation and a cash bar at the dance. Presentation will begin at 10pm. Application and pledge forms must be submitted by January 31.

Bahamas Cycling Club Rotary Club of West

Nassau. - On Thursday, January 18, Data Protection Commissioner Michael Wright addressed the Rotary Club of West Nassau. The topic was ‘Protection In a Modern Society’.

Mr Wright is also a member of the Rotary Club of West Nassau.

The West Clubs meets for lunchtime meeting each Thursday at the Poop Deck at Sandy Port. The Rotary Club of West Nassau is a member of Rotary International. RI is the largest service organisation in the world with over 1.2 million members from various professions.

For the first time in the history of the Rotary movement in The Bahamas, a Bahamian, Barry Rassin, will be elected President of Rotary International in June at its convention in Canada.

In keeping with its commitment to human resource and leadership development and its digital transformation, Patrick Ward, Group President & CEO, is pleased to announce the following appointments within the Bahamas First Group.

APPOINTMENTS RICHENDA KING

GROUP VICE PRESIDENT HR & TRAINING/ CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

Bahamas First Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Richenda King as its Group Vice President HR & Training/Chief Human Resources Officer.

Mrs. Richenda King has been employed as an executive level human resource professional for over 25 years. She has had extensive training and experience in all aspects of human resource management in private and public-sector organizations including strategic planning, training & development and labour relations.

As the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Bahamas First Group, Mrs. King’s responsibilities will encompass efforts to ensure the strategic alignment of human resources and training to the current and future needs of all business segments throughout the group, in each of its operating territories. The position will also focus primarily on talent management and workforce planning.

Mrs. King holds an MBA from the University of Miami and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute, with specialties in Human Resources and Information Technology. She has completed paralegal and Advanced Labour Law studies as well as Executive Management programs in decision making, change management and negotiation from Harvard School of Business and Columbia University. She holds designations from the Society of Human Resources Management, Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and the Senior Professional in Human Resources International (SPHRi). She has been certified to facilitate leadership and management development programs from Organizational Dynamics Inc. and the John Maxwell Company.

Mrs. King is the past President of the Bahamas Human Resources Association (2014-2015). She is the founding chair of the Red Ribbon Ball and currently co-chairs the Cancer Society of The Bahamas’ Ball Committee. She is married to Kendal King and they have three children, RiKendra, Khadeem and Dr. Kelson King.

NICOLE LEARY

MANAGER, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Bahamas First Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Leary as Manager, Compensation & Benefits.

In her expanded role, Ms. Leary will continue her work on compensation, benefits and health and safety programs.

She will take the leadership role in the management and ongoing development of the Human Resource Information System. She will continue to manage the concierge functions at head office and serve as the Executive Director for its Junior Achievement Company. Additionally, she will serve as chair of the company’s Corporate Culture Committee.

Ms. Leary joined Bahamas First in March 2010 as Human Resource Officer. Over the years, she made significant contributions to the company and was previously promoted to the Assistant Human Resource Manager. She has a strong background in Human Resources, having worked in the industry for 17 years.

She is the President elect of the Bahamas Human Resources Association, the local HR association and a member of the Cancer Society of The Bahamas’ Ball Committee since 2013.

Ms. Leary is an active community volunteer, in particular with Junior Achievement and enjoys life and strives to create opportunities for others to do the same.

Nicole has a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the Nova Southeastern. She is a proud mother of two sons, Natario and Tristan.

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