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VOLUME:115 No.47, JANUARY 30TH, 2018

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

FACE TO FACE WITH FELICITY INGRAHAM - SEE PAGE EIGHT

Minnis: Shanty towns must end Heavy fines to punish landlords housing illegals

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Minnis administration intends to increase penalties for landlords who rent property to illegal immigrants, Attorney General Carl Bethel said yesterday.

“They are collecting rent from a shantytown,” he said. “The intention of

the law is to declare the seriousness of the government to address this problem and to cause landowners to make sure that whoever they rent to has legal status in the Bahamas.”

The government has not yet disclosed its overall shanty town policy, though a Cabinet sub-committee

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel yesterday discouraged ethnic profiling and sweeping apprehensions as he remarked on the government’s difficulty in defending its position in court on immigration matters.

Mr Bethel underscored the Minnis administration’s holistic approach to the “influx of undocumented migrants” as a guest on “Z

Live” with host Zhivargo Laing, noting “the government loves to make private sector lawyers rich.”

He flagged the importance of upcoming legislation regulating the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, and increasing penalties for persons who hire illegal immigrants.

“It’s a holistic approach,” he said, “we’re not simply knee-jerking and saying ‘oh increases in penalties, that’s it’ we feel good and pat ourselves on the back.

SEE PAGE TWO

$2BILLION GB RESORT PROPOSED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE government is reviewing an application for the Grand Palm Beach property in West End, Grand Bahama for a project that could result in more than $2bn being spent over a ten-year period, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said during his national address last night.

At the same time, he SEE PAGE THREE

LOW COST PLOTS FOR HOME BUYERS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEE PAGE TWO

‘RAKE AND SCRAPE’ DAYS ARE OVER

NATIONAL ADDRESS

DUMP FIRE: DON’T BLAME US

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net AS he defended the government’s work in reaching a long-term solution to blot out recurring fires at the New Providence Landfill, Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira placed blame on former dumpsite managers – Renew Bahamas – for the conditions at the site, which have caused three separate blazes in less than a year.

The most recent of these on Saturday left fire services officials scrambling for control as smoke blanketed surrounding areas. Up

to press time yesterday, head of the division Chief Superintendent Walter Evans said the dumpsite, which caught fire on Saturday, was still smoldering.

Noxious smoke billowed into surrounding communities in western New Providence and could be seen hovering over the luxury Baha Mar resort on West Bay Street yesterday afternoon.

Officials have been tending to this current fire by “teasing apart the hot spots as well and applying water and fill,” the minister said.

SEE PAGE FIVE

30 HELD IN US-BACKED RAIDS

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

POLICE arrested about 30 people during an early morning operation in southwest New Providence yesterday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said.

The operation, which some called “terrifying,” took many area residents by surprise.

Police, representatives

AN OFFICER pictured during yesterday’s operation. from Operation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) and a tactical unit from the United States’

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spread teams and resources across the sky and streets of several communities in the area.

The operation netted scores of suspects who police say are at the centre of a major firearm and drug ring.

During the operation, OPBAT helicopters hovered over homes for nearly two hours, directing search SEE PAGE SIX

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

IN a bid to boost access to affordable housing for Bahamians, the Minnis administration will “provide extremely low cost lots” to potential first-time home owners, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced.

He said the lots will be equipped with “necessary utilities” but buyers will be responsible for SEE PAGE THREE

JUMP START FOR NEW BUSINESSES

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE government will waive business licence fees for new businesses this year, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced last night.

He also said the business licence fee for businesses making less than $100,000 will be waived, though such operations will still be required to submit to the usual licencing process.

The moves are an effort “to encourage business development and small business,” Dr Minnis said.

SEE PAGE THREE

PAGE 2, Tuesday, January 30, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

MINNIS: SHANTY TOWNS MUST END

AN AERIAL view of The Mud during Sunday’s devastating fire.

PHOTO: Vado Bootle

FROM PAGE ONE

was established several weeks ago to examine the matter.

Following Sunday’s devastating fire at The Mudd in Abaco, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and a delegation of government officials travelled to the island yesterday to review the situation.

Dr Minnis emphasised during the visit that the shantytowns “break every regulation and law and safety standard in the country,” adding that his administration will finally be the one to address the problem.

Dr Minnis questioned why legal residents on the island would live in the area as opposed to in a proper subdivision.

“This cannot continue,” he told some residents.

“You’re breaking every safety regulation.

“You don’t have the infrastructure in place.

You have ignored it and allowed it to fester… Let them know we’re not

going to tolerate this. This is a thing of the past.”

One woman explained to Dr Minnis that many people in the area can’t afford to leave.

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, centre, leads a high level delegation of Cabinet Ministers and Government officials to Abaco for a full assessment on Sunday’s fire in the Mud settlement.

(BIS Photo/Yontalay Bowe, OPM Media Services)

“They want better,” she said.

“They want to see this place change as well.”

Dr Minnis also stressed that anyone born in the area is entitled to citizenship.

Such people, he said, should not fear seeking help from officials if they have been displaced by the fire.

Under the law, a person born in the Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents is entitled to apply for Bahamian citizenship once he or she turns 18.

Government officials said as many as 55 homes were destroyed in Sunday’s fire and approximately 150 people were displaced.

‘RAKE AND SCRAPE’ DAYS ARE OVER

THE CARMICHAEL Road Detention Centre.

FROM PAGE ONE “It’s combined also with trying to set up legal frameworks to avoid any abuses or potential abuses of entitlements, constitutional rights etc. I had reason to say recently that the government loves to make private sector lawyers rich because it seems that successive governments keep doing the same things, in the same way. They (private lawyers) take a judicial review matter and go and make millions off the government in freeing people who really ought never to have been detained, or if detained they ought to have been processed and released and this goes on all the time.

“So the idea is to have a holistic, sustainable, and we think because it will be consistent and persistent and cover a range of areas, we think it will be a successful programme.”

When asked by Mr Laing about societal expectations for tangible results, which were often equated to the volume of migrant apprehensions and deportations, Mr Bethel suggested it was time to move away from “crack-downs” in lieu of a more sustainable approach.

Mr Bethel said: “You can’t rake and scrape every person who sounds foreign, looks foreign, doesn’t have they’re papers and lock them away. You must just to avoid the legal problems that the government gets itself into, go through the process of properly analysing and screening and separating those who have some entitlement, those who have a work permit, from those who are plainly undocumented.”

He continued: “At the end of the day though the best defence we’re going to have against this continued onslaught of undocumented economic migrants is going to be if we are able to show the good faith of a government prepared to give right where it’s due.

“What we really have to do is get rid of the underground railroad, we have to get rid of the facilitators within the community, people

ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel. who facilitate the continued influx of the undocumented. To do that you have to build a consensus with those who are entitled to be here.”

Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hilton is expected to deliver his ruling today on more than a dozen habeas corpus applications brought against the government in recent months.

Notable cases include deportee Jean Rony Jean-Charles and the fate of a pregnant wife of a Bahamian man facing deportation.

Those persons are being defended by QCs Fred Smith and Damian Gomez, and their respective juniors Crispin Hall and Nicholas Mitchell Jr. Last year, Jamaican Matthew Sewell, who spent nine years in and out of prison and the Carmichael Road Detention Centre without trial, was awarded a $125,000 settlement in Supreme Court.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, PAGE 3

$2BILLION GB RESORT PROPOSED FROM PAGE ONE

announced negotiations relating to the Grand Lucayan Resort, one of the island’s most important tourism projects, are “far from completed,” but would be wrapped up this year.

He said Grand Palm Beach Acquisitions LTD has entered into a purchase and sale agreement to buy the large-scale resort known as ‘Ginn Sur Mer,’ noting the previous developer of the property went into foreclosure in 2008.

He said: “Grand Beach Acquisitions Ltd will construct, repair, revitalise, develop, and operate 246 rooms in three hotels, a banquet facility, 116 branded hotel residences, 1,000 other residences, a hotel/casino site, approximately 150,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, a spa and wellness retreat, two marinas, an 18-hole golf course including driving range, an IFR-rated airport, a resort hospitality training academy, and an organic farm. Grand Palm Beach Acquisitions Ltd intends to repair, revitalise, and develop the property to be known as ‘Bahama Bay’ in nine phases over a 10-year period with a projected expenditure of two billion, five hundred and sixty million dollars. The application is now

NATIONAL ADDRESS

before the National Economic Council to approve in principle, and to authorise the relevant government agencies to negotiate a heads of agreement on an expeditious basis.”

As for the Grand Lucayan resort, he said the transaction related to the acquisition and management of the resort is far from finished. The resort closed in October 2016 after Hurricane Matthew damaged the property, depriving the island of 59 per cent of its room inventory and at least 1,000 jobs.

Dr Minnis’ revelation that negotiations relating to the project are “far from completed” contrasts with the view he expressed in December after a letter of intent was signed between owners of the hotel strip and the Toronto-based Wynn Group.

He said at the time he expected discussions on the heads of agreement to be completed “within the next month to two months.”

He also said he hoped the strip could be reopened in early 2018.

“Although this transaction is far from completed, it would not

AN ARTIST’S impression of the original ‘Ginn Sur Mer’ resort the previous developer went into foreclosure in 2008. be an exaggeration to say that we will have accomplished in a few months what was not done in a decade,” Dr Minnis said last night.

“This year, we intend to complete the sale of the Grand Lucayan and Memories property.

After they are reopened, the economy of Grand Bahama will

improve significantly, including with a tremendous increase in employment and related business and economic opportunities.”

LOW COST PLOTS FOR HOME BUYERS FROM PAGE ONE

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis delivers his address.

JUMP START FOR NEW BUSINESSES FROM PAGE ONE Accordingly, he said the government will invest $25 million to help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

“This will amount to five million dollars a year, for the next five years,” he said. “It will be funded from the sale of shares from Aliv and BTC. “This ambitious initiative will help stimulate the economy, and boost growth and employment. The initiative has several objectives.

We want to enhance business development MSMEs through innovative programmes through joint ventures with the government, the private sector and the University of the Bahamas, to help provide training and capacity-building for new and existing entrepreneurs.

The initiative will provide specific support for entrepreneurship and MSMEs development within marginalised groups, especially poorer communities and youth organisations.”

Last year, the administration was criticised by the Progressive Liberal Party for

producing a budget that gave tax breaks to big businesses and not smaller ones. The Business Licence (Amendment) Act 2017 reduced taxes from 1.5 percent to 1.25 percent for businesses with a turnover exceeding $50m.

Dr Minnis also announced the anticipated launch of a Small Business Development Centre this year, approved by Cabinet.

He said: “It is an initiative spearheaded by the government in conjunction with the University of The Bahamas, and the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, with support from the Organisation of American States. This centre will provide a resource for all Bahamians to receive advisory and technical support when seeking to open a business or expand their operations.

“The centre will steer entrepreneurs to available funding opportunities through government or private means. It will also assist business owners in navigating through the regulatory and tax registration requirements for a new business.”

building their own homes.

“They may utilise their own architect or utilise pre-existing plans offered by the government,” he said.

“The potential homeowners will have two years to build their homes at duty-free concessionary rates. Because the lots will be inexpensive, we expect scores of firsttime homeowners to take advantage of this programme.

“The programme will be extended to Family Islands thus encouraging Family Island ownership, second home ownership, and entrepreneurship development of bed and breakfast properties.”

It has been a longstanding policy of the government to offer lowcost homes to Bahamians, with the Department of Housing tasked with facilitating the construction of affordable housing to low and middle income Bahamians.

In his address, Dr Minnis did not say what price the lots will be available for, nor did he say where in New Providence

“The potential homeowners will have two years to build their homes at duty-free concessionary rates.

Because the lots will be inexpensive, we expect scores of first-time homeowners to take advantage of this programme.”

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis the lots will be located.

Last year, Minister of Environment and Housing Romauld Ferreira announced the government planned to spend $2 million to complete 300 homes in the Carmichael

Village Subdivision during the fiscal year.

“For the past 10 years, the Department of Housing renovated and/ or repaired more than those that were newly built,” Mr Ferreira said previously.

“In the last five years, the Department of Housing renovated and/or repaired over 300 homes and rental units while only building 235 new homes.

Cycle “During this budget cycle, the Department of Housing will complete 300 homes in the Carmichael Village Subdivision, and $2 million will be expended to cover the cost of the development.

“This will be done under the government’s private venture initiative.

“Under the same initiative, 72 homes will be completed in the new Carmichael West Subdivision.”

PAGE 4, Tuesday, January 30, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

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PMH – Rx is painful medicine but it is all that will cure the patient LAST week’s front page shocker that Princess Margaret Hospital had such a critical bed shortage it was cancelling all elective surgery indefinitely should have come as no surprise. Nor should the following day’s story about a shortage of nurses, nor the ensuing social media posts and rants about shortage of care, equipment and attention to life-threatening cases piling into an overworked and overwhelmed accident and emergency (A&E) department. Everyone who has ever been to PMH, let alone sought treatment at the country’s largest and busiest hospital, is painfully aware of its broken infrastructure, its shortages and the crippling demands the public places on it. And anyone who has ever spent time wandering its halls where patients lie on cots outside rooms because wards are full will marvel at the kindness of some nurses and staff, recoil at the miserable attitude of others and wonder in awe and disbelief that the institution somehow works, people get treated, many get better.

Worst overall is A&E where we know of one case just last week of a patient sent with an Urgent notice from a doctor requiring immediate attention for a heart attack. Eleven hours later, the heart attack victim went home, unseen, probably saved by the heavy aspirin dose the original physician gave him.

If PMH were a patient, the diagnosis would be frightening. The institution suffers from nearly every poor condition that would reduce a patient’s chances for survival. PMH is bloated with patients and a system that is antiquated and cumbersome, yet it is starved for funding and unfit for the job it holds. And just like those patients, there is a cure but it is harsh medicine, hard to swallow.

The prescription to fix PMH is expensive and uncomfortable. It involves a serious shaking up of how it is managed with departments operating in silos, no reasonable and realistic vision for the facility as a whole and without funding needed to play catch up before advancing. Good health care is costly. Both Canada and Britain, often cited as examples of countries with excellent health care, spend about 10% of their GDP on health care. The Bahamas spends more but gets less return because we are already so far behind and the un-health of our population drives up incidence for care and for crises. And Director of Health Dr. Glen Beneby told a Tribune reporter that as much as $100 million or 25-30% of the funds allocated were wasted. Switzerland, which generally ranks between first and third worldwide for the quality and population coverage of its health care, has compulsory private health care insurance. Results are impressive. The population is among the healthiest in the world with an obesity rate of about 10% while obesity in The Bahamas hovers close to 80% and is linked to a myriad of diseases.

So none of what has made headlines and heads shake all week with health care should have caught us off guard.

As Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands

said, “For decades we have suffered from an inability to properly budget and allocate sufficient finances for medicine, medical and surgical supplies, equipment, staff and infrastructure upgrade and maintenance.”

Essential expenses go unfunded, many of them pertaining to something the patient never sees – maintenance of equipment. Preventative maintenance of Public Hospitals Authority equipment is estimated at $3 million, $460,000 for the Critical Care Block at PMH alone. But year after year, the funding falls short of the need. The glaring consequences are everywhere, from broken chairs in A&E at PMH to once expensive machines that sit idle, like a CT scan in radiology, in such poor condition that there is no sense trying to repair them.

Despite ongoing problems that can no longer be ignored or downplayed in the light of bold headlines prompting sudden outrage, there is some reason for hope. That optimism lies in the courage and determination of the current minister of health who has done something few Cabinet ministers have ever done.

He has stood up and said in a loud and clear voice, “Houston, we have a problem.” He acknowledged the shortages and shortcomings of a public healthcare system that has been overstressed and underfunded for years. He is not glossing over anything. In a 10-page epoch issued yesterday in response to a social media post, he was brutally and painfully honest. Some equipment at PMH is in such bad condition, he said, that 23 years ago he began using his own vascular equipment to treat cardiac cases.

Another doctor we know brought his own ophthalmology equipment. It is only through the hard work of the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and donors like this newspaper with the support of a generous public that prematurely born infants now have proper incubators instead of used, decrepit infant cribs.

You cannot save lives by holding a hospital together with duct tape, Bandaids and promises.

If you are serious about health care, you have to do one of two things. Either fund it adequately through public coffers, even if it requires an emergency tax, or allow an organized group of medical professionals to lease the facility in whole or in part, holding them accountable by mutually agreed measures. Examples of successful privately managed hospitals abound.

And the debate over public vs private is not likely to be solved in The Bahamas any time soon, though there is certainly cause to believe that the smaller clinics in islands like Exuma and Abaco would best be managed by private concerns.

There is also a third alternative, which involves private management with public funds to ensure that no one is left untreated because of financial incapability to pay.

Whatever we do, we have to move fast. The story has broken and it is not going away.

Pass marital rape law and move on EDITOR, The Tribune.

THIS is 2018. Women can run companies; they can be leaders of countries; they can be doctors or scientists.

Women are independent and have the same ability, worth and dignity as men.

Sensible people realise this. There are others who cling to the old ways of thinking. They cite sexist religious texts as justification of male dominance.

We see this playing out here in the Bahamas as the government talks about finally dealing with marital rape. Currently, if you are legally separated from a woman you could be charged with raping her. If you are in a normal marriage and are together you cannot be charged with raping her.

Our law not recognizing marital rape in ongoing relationships is foolishness.

If a man comes home, beats up his wife, tears off her clothes and has sex with her without her consent that is rape. Any person who thinks that is okay is a sick person.

I WAS pleased to read in The Tribune on Friday, January 26, that the environment minister plans to take to Cabinet a proposal to ban plastic bags in the Bahamas.

A recent study over four years of 125,000 corals in 150 reefs in Asia-Pacific revealed that the coral that was in contact with plastic debris had an 89 percent chance of having three diseases.

Others research has found plastic in the stomachs and bodies of sea creatures.

Plastic pollution is killing sea creatures and sea life and polluting our food.

Our biggest use of plastic bags in the Bahamas is at retail stores – especially grocery stores. This is very unnecessary.

Reusable bags should be how we carry things out of stores. If you just want one or two items, carry those out in your hands. If you are doing more shopping, bring reusable bags and transport your goods out of stores that way.

In grocery stores people sometimes leave with more than 20 plastic bags – we like to double them in The Bahamas – per trip. These bags end up in landfills causing contamination, or in our seas, again, causing contamination.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

TO my knowledge anyone wishing to develop property within the area

According to The Tribune story, the Bahamas Plastic Movement, an environmental non-governmental organisation, is pushing the proposed plastic bags ban. I’ve not heard of the group but I wish its members well in continuing to lobby for this important move by our government.

The food store companies should take a lead in this even before the government progresses to a ban. It costs these companies lots of money to buy all the plastic bags they do each year. If they would stop offering plastic bags and instead sell reusable bags and encourage customers to bring their own bags, they’d save money, boost profits and help the environment.

As consumers we too could do better. With or without a ban we could bring bags to stores to carry out the items we purchase. It’s simple and easy.

We live in a beautiful country surrounded by some of the world’s most beautiful waters. We have a responsibility to protect what we have. We should cut down on all this unnecessary plastic waste.

MARTHA S GREENE Nassau, January 26, 2018.

letters@tribunemedia.net This government has drafted a marital rape law.

I’m happy it has. What it next needs to do is have a brief consultation period with the community, bring it to Parliament after the views of Bahamians have been considered, pass it and then make it law.

We have talked about this issue too long. The people who have a problem with this have the views of a dying past. You can’t convince them.

Don’t waste your time trying to.

The government should only consult with people who want to offer suggestions to make the proposed law better.

The last time this law was proposed was during the Ingraham administration.

It backed down after some religious leaders raised concerns.

The Minnis administration should not

DARWIN R LUTHER Nassau, January 26, 2018.

‘Abomination’ will scar City of Nassau

Plastic bags harm environment EDITOR, The Tribune.

LETTERS

back down. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

Compassionate and caring people want women to have the same protection of the law in marriage as they have outside of it.

This issue is simple and not controversial.

Those who think a woman is owned by her husband and he could do with her as he likes once he marries her have perverted minds. There is no god who gives men ownership of women. In our secular society we do not believe in such things.

We are at the end of the second decade of the 21st century. We must move on from this issue. There is no reason why the government should not have the new martial rape law in place by the end of the second quarter of 2018.

Pass the law. Let those who think it okay to rape their wives complain on the sideline. They are on the wrong side of history.

between Church Street/ St Mathews and at least to the west of Nassau Street are subject to a Special Architectural Nassau City Committee over and above the usual Town Planning Board who are required under their mandate to ensure the preservation of the traditional design and vernacular of the City within its precincts.

The design of the proposed Point Hotel and adjacent condos published today is to me a rape of the City of Nassau and indicates that what we knew as the City of Nassau traditionally is gone especially with the pending water front development of Nassau Harbour.

The word ‘abomination’ is appropriate as this design will scar the City of Nassau for a life time.

It could not have a Bahamian Architect he/she would never design such ugliness.

The size of the project also has to be questioned.......Okay the

Chinese built the parking garage but if every owner of one of the condos has two cars no one else will be able to find a spot to park!

Traffic congestion on a difficult narrow corner....

Who cares seems to be the justification.

Shame on the previous Government Christie & Co and shame on the Minnis Government - if they had care to ensure that the once acknowledged ambiance of our City at heart they surely could have persuaded the Chinese - China State Construction to redesign this ugliness to match the colonial design of the City.

What will come on the Nassau Harbour water front is obvious ...... there is nothing holding back now ugly design so inappropriate to the City.

So much for caring for Bahamian Heritage!

ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau, January 23, 2018.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, PAGE 5

QUESTIONS OVER GOVT’S LANDFILL COMMITMENT WITH BAHA MAR

AN AERIAL view of Baha Mar yesterday with smoke from the landfill drifting towards the resort.

Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune staff

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net QUESTIONS have been raised about the implications of the government’s failure to honour a commitment made by the previous Christie administration to resolve the New Providence Landfill’s issues by December 31, 2017.

This commitment was part of the April 25, 2017 heads of agreement with Baha Mar’s new owner, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE).

It was reported that any failure by the government to resolve the landfill’s problems by that date would be treated as a “force majeure” event, meaning CTFE and its Baha Mar-owning affiliate could be released from performing their heads of agreement obligations for as long as it takes to remediate the landfill’s problems.

Deadline Gowon Bowe, president of the Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants, yesterday questioned the ramifications of the government not meeting the deadline. This aspect of the agreement has come up for discussion as the landfill continues to smoulder after a fire erupted there on Saturday.

“Certainly I think there needs to be prudence on the side of the government in terms of their selection of a strategy, their selection of a preferred service provider to carry it out and the ultimate pulling over the

trigger over what has to be done,” Mr Bowe said.

“But what it cannot be seen to be is being kicked down the road because we have had many, many years of that and it needs to be resolved in a timely manner.

“There will be financial consequences, I have no doubt, as it relates to heads of agreements and commitments for failure to do so not like any other contract or construction contract.

“So I think what is important is what are the implications and failing to meet the obligation?

“What are the remedies that have been offered or

are available in the heads of agreement as it relates to it and how we are making sure that we minimise those damages that we may incur as a result of failing to meet the obligation and the time frame that is agreed.”

He also said: “Whenever you have commitments there are going to be elements that may impact and delay what transpires and the most important aspect is firstly acknowledging those commitments.

“Secondly being able to articulate the plan as to given the delay how quickly it’ll be resolved.

“I think it’s always been appreciated the dump

DUMP FIRE: DON’T BLAME US

FROM PAGE ONE

country and the challenge with the New Providence Sanitary This latest incident has left Landfill is perhaps one of the many, including residents of biggest adding that along with Jubilee Gardens, questioning Clifton Pier and maybe some what Mr Ferreira has done since others and so we devised a long taking over the ministry to effect term and a short-term strategy long term change at the landfill. in order to be effective in this One of his critics is Raise regard.

Awareness about the Bahamas “The long-term strategy was to Landfill (RABL) spokesperson find private interests that would Heather Carey, who suggested deconstruct, remediate and take Mr Ferreira has been silent over the operations at the New and ineffective, as she called Providence Sanitary Landfill. on Prime Minister Dr Hubert Remember now when we came Minnis to remove him from the to office an exercise like that had post or transfer management of previously been done there were the dumpsite to the Ministry of two respondents and of course ENVIRONMENT Health. we made a decision as a governMinister Romauld She charged yesterday that ment that we would revisit the the prime minister promised Ferreira process. to remove nonperforming gov“In November of 2017 we ernment ministers, insisting Mr Ferreira issued the expressions of interest. They should be the first minister who should fall were issued into the newspaper and the into this category. closing date was the 15 of December 2017.

However, in the face of this percepThey were opened on January 3, 2018 and tion, Mr Ferreira, who was a guest on a we had 18 entities express interest in taking 96.9 FM radio show, said landfill issues over the operations and responding to have remained one of the priorities of the request for proposal that would come out government. later.

He said 18 entities have expressed “The evaluation of those expressions of interest in managing the landfill. The govinterest was completed actually last week, ernment anticipates having the new entity the week of the 22 to 26 of January 2018. take over management by May 2018.

“Unfortunately during the course of these events, even though we had already had a long-term solution in train a fire erupted at the New Providence Sanitary Landfill and that would have been In his national address last night, the Saturday. prime minister said once the government is “We propose and anticipate by the end of informed of the results, it will report which this week the persons that have been shortfirm was selected to enter into an agree- listed as a result of the evaluation, this is all ment to manage, deconstruct and operate in keeping with our long-term strategy. Our the landfill. long-term strategy is to end the fire inci“Prior to the Department of Environ- dents, to end it, nothing else is going to be mental Health Services managing the New acceptable to the Bahamian people and this Providence Sanitary Landfill it was being is what we have committed to do to end it.” managed by Renew Bahamas and that was For her part Ms Carey said she is a complete disaster and that was a private concerned and disappointed by the governentity,” Mr Ferreira said as a guest on “Z ment’s handling of the landfill, adding there Live” with host Zhivargo Laing. has been a failure to constantly cover and “The way they managed the landfill compact the site. contributed in large part to the size scope She said: “. . . This past week we knew intensity of the last blaze, the one before I these fires were coming we could tell, we think it was March 2017, which engulfed I could smell it, there was a change in temthink it was 90 per cent of the landfill. perature it was that time of year you could “This particular fire incident impacted see that they weren’t compacting and about 20 per cent of the new tipping area covering. that had the whole cone on fire and that “We had started to make a scene about was in large part due to the way they man- it and then I believe on Thursday they aged it. So if you compare what they did came in with a compactor, which was too to what the Department of Environmental little too late. So what this shows is that Health Services has done, because remem- even under a new minister no one seems ber they left and so it’s like night and day, to be taking this seriously enough because so that doesn’t mean anything unless we this could have been prevented. They can have a solution.” blame it on arson or whatever they want to Renew walked away from managing the blame it on, the bottom line is its not being dump site in October 2017. managed effectively because if there were He also said: “We have resolved to solve covering and compacting there wouldn’t be the big environmental challenges facing the anything to burn to this level.”

Address

resolution was never going to be a quick fix and the heads of agreement, if you think of it from the developer’s perspective, they certainly would be pressing for it as quickly as possible and government may have had great aspirations over how quickly it can be done.

Obligations “But I think what you have to bear in mind is the government is bound to the obligations of the previous administration and this administration really has to articulate how they

are going to meet the obligation in the shortest time frame.

“It doesn’t bode well when we fail to meet certain commitments and guidelines,” he said.

Before the deadline, Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira told The Nassau Guardian it was inconsequential and suggested the government would not meet it.

He told the newspaper in December: “The most important thing isn’t to meet the deadline. The most important thing is that this is done right and done successfully.

“Our internal deadline for the handover of operations…I think is in April.

“But this process of going through the bidding and receiving the expression of interest and handing out the RFP’s, that should be done by early next year.

“I don’t think that, that is going to cause any sort of major problems because at the end of the day every single player, they want it done right, so there is no point meeting a deadline if at the end of the day it’s not done right.

“This is something we have to get correct.”

PAGE 6, Tuesday, January 30, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

18-YEAR-OLD CHARGED WITH DECEMBER MURDER

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

AN 18-year-old male was charged in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday over allegations he murdered a man at his home two days after Christmas last year.

Andrew Ferguson, of East Street, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt faced with one count of murder stemming from the December 27 incident.

It is alleged that on the day in question, Ferguson murdered Omar Dorsette of Yellow Elder Gardens.

Firearms According to initial reports, shortly after 3pm on the day in question, Dorsette was in his home at Sixth Street, Coconut Grove when two men armed with firearms entered and shot him before fleeing in a Honda vehicle.

He was pronounced dead on the scene.

No one else in the home was injured, according to reports.

Ferguson was not required to enter a plea to the charge and the matter was adjourned to March 12 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in the interim.

Prior to being escorted out of the court room however, Ferguson’s attorney Alex Dorsett told the chief magistrate his client was beaten by police while in custody,

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and consequently suffered injuries to his chest, head and pelvic area, as well as abrasions on both hands and wrists.

Mr Dorsett also said his client was forced to give a statement against his will and requested his client be allowed to seek medical attention.

Protocol Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt noted Mr Dorsett’s submissions, and in response to his final request, said being seen by a medical professional is part of the protocol of being admitted to prison.

Ferguson was the second person this month to be arraigned in connection with Omar Dorsette’s murder.

On January 2, 24-year-old Charles Whyms was arraigned in connection with the murder.

Meanwhile, a 33-yearold man was arraigned yesterday over allegations he attempted to murder another individual last week.

Demeko Young, of Huyler Street, stood before the chief magistrate faced with one count of attempted murder stemming from the January 22 incident.

It is alleged that on the day in question, Young attempted to cause the death of Verneko Gibson.

He was not required to enter a plea and the matter was adjourned to March 6 for service of a VBI. He was remanded to the BDCS in the interim.

PICTURED above and below are scenes from the police operation. Photos: Terrel W Carey/Tribune staff

30 HELD IN US-BACKED RAIDS FROM PAGE ONE

lights to the ground while officers swept through communities acting on intelligence.

Officers were able to recover stolen property, a number of flare guns, shotgun shells and at least two vehicles believed to be stolen in the United States and transported to the Bahamas.

Police said those taken into custody were “targeted” by officers in a wider operation centred on firearms and illicit narcotics.

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Police also took several women into custody for questioning in relation to yesterday’s operation.

“What happened here this morning (Monday), it was an intelligence led operation with respect to firearms and drugs,” ACP Fernander said. “As we indicated, there is a number of firearms out there on our streets and getting into the hands of the criminals, resulting in a number of shootings and eventually people are killed.

“And where there is firearms, drugs are not far.

There was an area . . . we had zoned in the Allen Drive and some other areas we had targeted and a number of other targets in the general area.”

He continued: “And based on our intel, we were able to arrest between 25 to 30 young men who we want

to see for questioning in reference to firearms.”

Admitting the operation was out of the ordinary for local efforts, ACP Fernander did offer an apology to residents who may have been startled by the move, but insisted the operation was in line with what has been promised

by Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson.

Reflecting on crime statistics shared earlier this month, ACP Fernander said law enforcement officials are resolute in their goal of ridding communities of the “handful of prolific offenders who continue to offend.”

“The commissioner never indicated when and the timing of this operation, and this is just a series of operations that you and the Bahamian people will see,” ACP Fernander said.

He added Bahamians are fed up with the levels of crime in the country and are applauding the efforts being taken by police.

“Just moving through the southwestern area, there are a number of single parents, especially the females who are walking the strip around three, four o’clock in the morning, and they were so happy to see presence of the police in this general area.

“We want to continue this, and we talking about consistency at the end of the day.

“And this is just some of our resources that we have out this morning, we could go deeper, but this is just some of our resources and we will continue to serve the Bahamian people with integrity to ensure that everybody is safe in our community.”

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MAN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS FOR FIREARM CHARGES A 35-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday after pleading guilty to two firearm charges stemming from the seizure of a high-powered weapon over the weekend.

Gerald Forrester, of Gun Hill Road, received his sentence from Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt in connection with the seizure of an AK-47 assault rifle and almost 20 rounds of ammunition on Victoria Avenue on January 28.

Forrester, along with 30-year-old Loubens Moricette and 30-year-old Cathy Turnquest each faced one count of possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition.

However, the Crown withdrew the charges against Ms Turnquest, while Moricette, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, had his trial date set for June 18.

It is alleged that on January 18, being concerned together, the three were found in possession of a black AK-47 7.62 millimetre assault rifle, as well as 17 unfired rounds of ammunition.

According to initial police reports, shortly before 4am on the day in question, officers from the Anti-Gang and Firearms Unit along with officers from the Rapid Response Unit acting on information while at Victoria Avenue, conducted a search of a 2015 Kia Sportage and recovered a black AK-47 machine gun and 17 rounds of ammunition.

The three suspects were subsequently taken into custody.

Prior to sentencing Forrester, Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt noted that his possession of what she called a “very serious firearm” is “no light matter,” and that his sentence should this “send a very clear message” that his actions were “unacceptable”.

She said though there were several factors in his favour, that he is a young man who had never been in trouble with the law previously, and that he admitted the offene in court, a custodial sentence would be appropriate.

She said the maximum of seven years was not worthy in the circumstances, thus sentencing Forrester to three years on each count at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) to run concurrently.

THE TRIBUNE

INTERVENTION NEEDED IN LIVES OF AT-RISK YOUTH

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net

WITHOUT systemic intervention in the lives of at-risk youth, there will be more murders and acts of violence committed by teenagers and young women, according to noted psychiatrist Dr David Allen.

He spoke to The Tribune days after a young mother, 19-year-old Breanna Mackey was stabbed to death by a group of women.

According to Mackey’s family, the attackers were her friends and their dispute originated over a cracked cellphone screen and ended in murder.

Marion Bethel, attorney and United Nations expert, and Glenys Hanna Martin, Englerston MP, also spoke to The Tribune yesterday.

They offered condolences to the family of the victim and their perspectives on what led a group of women to carry out such an attack.

As founder of The Family: People Helping People organisation, Dr Allen runs a court ordered adolescent programme. Any adolescent in public schools, who is involved in major, violent trouble, gets referred to the programme.

Dr Allen said: “We’ve had now up to 120 young men and women… And let me tell you — some of the highest scores in that programme are the young ladies.

“Watch out the next few months— the women are coming along powerfully…

And they are tough.”

He added: “The average age of a murderer is between 16 and 25. So our view is this: a person who murders or is murdered in the teenage years is not an act— it’s a non-intervened event.

Destructive “What we’ve found is if you take the same child (between 10-14), you will see they were involved in destructive issues. The interesting thing which is really fascinating for us, is that we find these young people are deeply hurt. They have really socially deprived backgrounds, but more than that, on three tests— the first one is the depression test, they are depressed; the second one is on the anger test, they have a high rate of anger.”

Dr Allen continued: “But the sad thing is, on the post traumatic trauma test, 86 percent of them score in the danger realm. Which means that already, they are so deeply hurt in their hearts, they have murderous rage, they have poor impulse control. So when put together in a group, through the herd instinct, they could hurt people or kill.

“If we don’t intervene in these young lives, when they have problems, if they’re not

PSYCHIATRIST Dr David Allen.

Psychiatrist gives warning after young mother’s stabbing death

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REFLECTING on the death of Breanna Mackey (left) Member of Parliament for Englerston Glenys Hanna Martin (right) said: ‘I woke up this morning thinking of that child, whose mother, young mother, is not here anymore. And is going to have to be raised, I guess, by extended family members.’ addressed, watch out for the murders at 18. Either they get murdered or they murder.

This is happening in Atlanta, Detroit, and also Chicago.

“In fact it’s gotten so bad in Chicago, they have psychiatrists on the emergency floor to see the kids because they have such high scores with PTSD. But guess what? Our kids are scoring the same thing – 86 percent are occurring in the danger realm of PTSD. Which means what?

They’re pre-killers.”

Mrs Hanna Martin reached out to the family of Mackey shortly after the murder occurred. The teen was a resident of Mrs Hanna Martin’s constituency.

Mrs Hanna Martin told The Tribune: “There are a number of elements of that incident which leave you sort of speechless or startled.

The victim was a young lady, only 19. A teenager. She’s a mother. And the allegation is that she was attacked by other young ladies in the street. It’s just sort of another piece of the puzzle…of a social reality that’s unfolding, one in which there appears to be simmering anger.

“I don’t know the facts of this alleged offence, I don’t want to talk about that. I want to speak more generally on the violence in our country.

“I woke up this morning thinking of that child, whose mother, young mother, is not here anymore. And is going to have to be raised, I guess, by extended family members.

“Like I said, I’m not commenting on the facts of that (case), because I don’t know.

It’s a matter under investigation…. But I know in my constituency that there are a lot of pressures in the community. It’s people out of work, and the day-to-day living is difficult for many

people. And so I just think that when you look at solutions to crime and violence, that you have to look at it in a much broader way. And that the solutions have to be more broad-based.

“A lot of these incidents escalate, and they start from what appears to be very small things, but these take on huge proportions in people’s psyche. This is a tragedy that almost defies words, because of the elements of it... The thing that sticks out in my mind is the child whose mother has just been plucked away,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.

Action Mrs Bethel, who currently serves on the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEDAW), also called for preventative action targeted at both sexes.

“I think that this attack by young teenage women on another teenage woman is really alarming because (it sends) a signal that the perpetrators of violence are not just young men.

“But it really means again, as I’ve said before, that we need to target all of our young teenagers, whether they are young women or young men in terms of conflict management and anger management.

“Stabbing somebody (allegedly) for a cellphone — it’s out of control.

“And there’s no rhyme nor reason for that.

“I do think early intervention is one of the best ways that we can help young teenagers. And it is particularly alarming that this is a part of the culture that is also permeating that of young women,” she said.

MITCHELL SLAMS BRIDGE AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE DISMISSAL

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, PAGE 7

in democracy? How is it acceptable to essentially contract someone to work for the government for life?

It’s like they tried to contract people THE supposed dismissal of a for life,” Dr Minnis said last week. high-ranking Bridge Authority However, in a critique of the executive was yesterday condemned move not yet confirmed by the govby Progressive Liberal Party Chairernment, Mr Mitchell said: “This man Fred Mitchell. makes at least 2,503 people that are In a statement released yesterknown to have been dismissed by day afternoon, Mr Mitchell said the FNM administration from the he had received confirmation public sector since they came to the Minnis administration dismissed PLP Chairman power.” the managing director of the Bridge Fred Mitchell The former Fox Hill MP added: Authority.

“The number is almost certainly Mr Mitchell claimed the execumore but we know that the govtive received a “direct phone call” from ernment has admitted to firing 2,500 up Works Minister Desmond Bannister yesterday to November last year since they came to morning, informing the manager of the termi- power. nation forthwith and without explanation.

“Since that admission was made by When contacted by The Tribune for com- the FNM government, two have been fired in ment on the claim, Mr Bannister refused to Eleuthera and now this one this morning. comment.

“Another professional has been shabbily Last week, The Tribune reported Prime and summarily treated by the people’s time Minister Dr Hubert Minnis ordered a probe government. The law will have to take its into the contract of an unnamed executive at course. The government may cost taxpayers the agency. lots of money as a result of these actions.”

It is understood that days before the May 10 Mr Mitchell said the act adds to the “stogeneral election, the former Christie adminis- ries of deceits, lies and obfuscations” of tration added an addendum to the executive’s the Minnis administration. contractual agreement outlining no fixed ter“The PLP condemns this dismissal. We mination date and specifying there was to extend our sympathy to the former manbe no less than three years’ notice in the event ager. We stand with you,” Mr Mitchell’s of termination. statement concluded.

The contract is reportedly worth nearly Last Friday, the Department of Statis$100,000. tics revealed jobs in the government sector Dr Minnis, while speaking to The Trib- decreased by 2,555 people from 40,990 une on the revelation, said he was “deeply to 38,435, or by some 6.3 percent. This is disturbed and annoyed” by the practice and according to a labour force survey conducted hinted the government was seeking to cancel between October 30, 2017 and November 6, the contract, charging that anyone who feels 2017. the Minnis administration is wrong can “take The data also showed the country’s unemus to court. ployment number slightly increased from 9.9 “If any government is allowed to get away percent to 10.1 percent during the period in with something like this, where is the fairness question.

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PAGE 8, Tuesday, January 30, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Nursing came before everything.

I even took my dad to the prom I

SPENT hours on the top of Blue Hills in New Providence at the home of a sprightly and dainty Bahamian grandmother.

Nurse Linelle Thompson greeted me in her garden where she cut a few bananas from a bunch for our breakfast alongside freshg papaya and jujube fruit (known to Bahamians as juju). As she began to talk about her alkaline diet and healthy, natural lifestyle she made a sea moss smoothie for us. A great way to start a long and pleasant interview.

Nurse Thompson is now retired from nursing, putting her time into sewing, crotcheting, gardening and being the matriarch of her family. Her husband, Bob Thompson, is an epic veteran photographer, one of the first Bahamians to study photographic art and motion pictures in the United States.

The have been married for 45 years and are parents to three sons and two daughters. They are both spiritual and as nature lovers, they have built a humble hilltop sanctuary together.

Nursing though, which was her life, remains a passion.

Her parents, Dorcas Heastie-Burrows of Acklins and Leon Burrows of Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera were living in a home on McCartney Street right against the Collin’s wall where she was born. She was the last of their children to be born at home and in her life, she has become an advocate for the cause of increasing the awareness of the awesome possibilities of at home, midwife assisted births and for breastfeeding.

“When I was four years old I knew what I wanted to be,” She recalls, “A seamstress, an actress, and a nurse – and I have done all of those.”

Determined “I wanted to go to London to study nursing, but I was so tiny, my mother was afraid to let me go there to study by myself. She had lined up some work for me at the airport and told me that when I graduated, I would be going there to work. I knew I wasn’t going to go to the airport to work; I was determined to be a nurse. There was a careers fair happening at my school, The Government High, and there, representatives from the School of Nursing announced that a new programme was starting, which would allow nurses to gain the necessary international certification right at home.

It was my opportunity and I signed up. Eventually my mother was very supportive as I pursued my nursing studies. When I graduated from Government High, I didn’t carry a date to the prom like the other girls. I took my father. I didn’t know how he would react if I asked him to carry a date.”

She benefitted from having the love of her parents and her siblings. Her father was industrious and over the course of her childhood, he would purchase lots in better communities and build bigger homes three times.

Their first move was to ‘the five-pound lot’. Before 1966, The Bahamas used the UK currency the pound. Many Bahamian families got their start by purchasing a lot in

Face to Face

By FELICITY INGRAHAM

IN her nursing uniform at school at Princess Margaret Hospital. this community near Kemp Road.

1967 was a poignant year in Bahamian history – majority rule; Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling becomes the first black Premier as the Progressive Liberal Party assumed government; and so many other firsts happened for Bahamians.

Among them, Nurse Thompson and a group of young ladies with bright hopes for their careers would be the first to enter the School of Nursing and live in a dormitory at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

“It is my passion that our hospitals be established as baby friendly, that a human milk bank is formed, and that we have certified lactation counsellors to ensure that Bahamian children are breastfed, having the best possible start in life.”

Last October, this group of pioneering nurses celebrated “50 years of history in the making for nursing in The Bahamas” as they were the first internationally certified group of nurses who did not have to travel to London for training.

Five decades later, Nurse Thompson is still seeing the correlation between the dire need for improved healthcare for pregnant mothers

FIRST graduating class of the School of Nursing - 1970.

LINELLE and her dad attending prom.

A PHOTO of her taken by Bob when he was courting her. and babies and a sick, violent nation. She is calling on health officials to immediately consider the necessary steps to transform PMH into a “baby friendly hospital” as it would help “save the nation”.

“We (she and two other nurses) tried to address the need for a breast milk bank in The Bahamas,” she said.

“We met with Ministers of Health over the years and presented our proposal because we received training while at the University of London on how to establish a human milk bank. We were unsuccessful in our attempts due to other ‘important issues’ happening with with that Minister, and when the following Minister took over, there was something that took priority and hindered us. There are human milk banks in London and in America and when the earthquake struck Haiti, America sent human milk and not formula for the babies.

“It is my passion that our hospitals be established as baby friendly, that a human milk bank is formed, and that we have certified lactation counsellors to ensure that Bahamian children are

breastfed, having the best possible start in life.”

The connection established at birth with breastfeeding has been alluded to as an important link in decreasing violence.

Nurse Thompson believes that more connective and less violent practices at birth would leave a positive, longlasting effect on the citizens of this country.

Formula Her suggestions include completely revamping the maternity ward so that mothers and babies get to stay together after the delivery, rather than being separated for long periods. She wants to see hospital administration make the decision to stop giving free formula to babies at birth, prompting more mothers to take the time to learn to breastfeed.

During this time, she says, the babies’ number one form of immunization - colostrum - is coming from the mother’s breast.

She also wants to see a family-friendly ward, where extended family members have a lounge where they can stay around and be of more support to the mothers and babies during the first hours of life.

“Another important element is implementing skin to skin between mother and baby for the first hour after birth; but staffing support

BEING awarded by the then Minister of Health Dr Hubert Minnis. and resources are needed for this,” she said.

“Mothers are given black tea, which has caffeine, before they give birth. This hinders the flow of oxytocin in the body. Herbal tea should be given instead.

These are some of the key things we can do to totally change the experience of the child at birth.”

“While at the University College of London where I pursued a Master’s level course in breastfeeding policy and practice,” she says, “they showed me the guts of two babies (side by side). One with formula and one with breast milk. The gut is coil-shaped. When the breast milk went down, it lined it, coated it and sealed it, making it bacteria-proof.

When the formula went down, it stretched the gut.

The formula reduced the strength of the immune system, increasing allergies, rashes and runny noses for the babies.

As a nation, Nurse Thompson said “we are racing for cures for what we have caused to our nation instead of racing to prevention. We are so wired into having successful businesses and making millions that we forgot to take time out to build the foundation of the next generation and ignore the mountain of disease we are building through our lifestyles and choices.”

“It’s too late if we are waiting for a tsunami of national problems before

we do something positive like equipping the youth to embrace strong values, healthy living, fear of God and the necessity of honouring and respecting our parents and elders. Almost every prisoner is in prison because of this issue of disrespect.”

Loyalty Nurse Thompson practices what she preaches. As a nurse, she has shown by a life example that healthy living pays off, and preventative care is mandatory in medicine.

As a wife and mother, she has shown that devotion, loyalty and family unity brings the most fulfilling life.

Even though she is no longer a full-time nurse, she is still active in the Bahamas National Breastfeeding Association and will not give up her lifetime cause.

She has taken time out to look at some of her other passions, including art and poetry. She is currently preparing to soon publish her first book of poems: “From The Heart of The Owl” – so named because her parents called her night owl from she was six months old. She and her sons are illustrating the book.

One rendition reads in part: “The wisdom and strength she holds, deep into the night, will teach the willing student that will walk into the light”.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, PAGE 9

Termination of 2,500 from civil service a ‘breach of union agreements’

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net THE government’s unilateral decision to terminate over 2,500 people from the civil service is a “concern” and represents a breach of union agreements, Bahamas Public Services Union President Kimsley Ferguson said yesterday.

Mr Ferguson also called Attorney General Carl Bethel’s recent suggestion that these job cuts have saved the government $75 million, “hypocritical”. The union leader questioned why these workers could not have been redeployed to understaffed areas of the civil service, instead of the unemployment line.

Concern “Any time people lose jobs, it’s a concern for the union,” Mr Ferguson told The Tribune. “(However), we need to get an understanding first before we can make a definitive statement with regards to how many of those people are really public servants who (are) indeed a part of our bargaining unit, as opposed to persons who are contracted officers or persons who are hired based on a contract.

But in any event, we are very concerned about persons who lose their jobs.

“Our position is we are finding out about them when these people are terminated. When in actuality, there should be consultation with the union when persons from our bargaining unit are either disciplined or let go, not terminated.”

Mr Ferguson continued: “And so, the statement that we’d like to make is that the employer (the government) is having a disregard for the agreement that’s in place when they terminate persons.”

According to figures released by the Department of Statistics on Friday, unemployment has slightly increased from 9.9 percent to 10.1 percent. The latest numbers also show employment in the public sector decreased by 2,555 people during the survey period.

In a press statement released by Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip “Brave” Davis on Sunday, Mr Davis called the job cuts “shameful” and said he believes the figure of jobs lost in the public service will double once the complete picture is revealed.

“Our position is we are finding out about them when these people are terminated.

When in actuality, there should be consultation with the union when persons from our bargaining unit are either disciplined or let go, not terminated.”

Bahamas Public Services Union President Kimsley Ferguson When asked by The Tribune if he thinks the reported number of job cuts is accurate, Mr Ferguson replied: “I really can’t answer that accurately, because I’m not sure. And we really were trying to find a way as to how we could compile the amount of persons that were terminated.

“And again I’m going to go back to what I said earlier — the union for whatever reason is not being informed when these exercises are taking place.

There is no consultation whatsoever.”

Mr Ferguson added: “We are supposed to see the Minister of the Public Service (Brensil Rolle) … either this week or next week. We would’ve made application to meet with him. He hasn’t given us a definitive date yet, but we want to address these (concerns) so that we would be able to respond to matters.

“I’m hopeful we’re going to have some sort of resolve in that regard.”

When asked if the majority of people have been terminated from a specific area or across the board, Mr Ferguson said: “I know for a fact the Gaming Board so far. I’ve been given some speculation that something is supposed to happen at (Ministry of) Agriculture.

“There are some persons that would have been dealt with from In-land Revenue.

I can’t really comment on any other particular area because I don’t know of any at this time. And again, that is why we have this concern.”

However, Mr Ferguson is adamant the government is going about these terminations the wrong way.

He said: “They’re breaching the industrial agreement . . . if a person was going to be disciplined, it should be done in the presence of a shop steward representative.

Discovered “What we have also discovered as well is that the employer and their representatives are actually bringing in shop stewards, who really are not as versed as they should be, just to say that they have someone present while they are either disciplining or getting ready to terminate a person, just so that they could say on record that a union representative was present.

“There are certain things that transpire as it relates to people’s employment that you have to call an executive, the president or the secretary general, and let them know what you are about to do.”

Mr Ferguson also rebutted Mr Bethel’s recent comments on the job losses.

Mr Ferguson said: “My concern is, if we’re terminating people to save money, that’s not something that the union is supporting because if that is the case and we’re faced with unemployment then it’s basically a hypocritical statement.

“And we’re not in support of just terminating persons to save money.

We’re hearing comments like other government departments are in need of persons, they’re understaffed.

“Well if the public service is understaffed in some areas, then why not just redeploy individuals who they would have considered or who they would have terminated to these various areas and train them? Give them the first option.

“And for these persons who are saying that they’re overstaffed, and they’re making positions redundant, there is a policy in place to deal with redundancy. And if you’re overstaffed then redeploy them someplace else in the public service.”

CARIBBEAN NEWS

CUBA INAUGURATES US-SPONSORED STATUE HONOURING HERO HAVANA (AP) — President sculpture installed on the south Raul Castro and his expected end of New York’s Central Park in successor attended the formal 1965. unveiling of a U.S.-sponsored Sunday was the 165th anniversary statue of independence hero Jose of the birth of Marti, a renowned Marti on Sunday in a sign of Cuba’s poet, journalist and fighter for focus on maintaining ties with the Cuban independence who was United States despite a chill in fatally wounded in an 1895 battle relations under President Donald for independence from the Spanish.

Trump.

Marti, who spent years in exile Castro and Vice President in New York City, is almost uniMiguel Diaz-Canel sat in the front versally revered by Cubans on the row of the sunrise ceremony along A REPLICA of island and overseas despite their with Democratic members of Con- a New York political differences, making him a gress Barbara Lee and Karen Bass statue of Cuba’s potent symbol of attempts at recof California and Kansas Repub- independence onciliation between the U.S. and lic Roger Marshall, who were the hero Jose Marti Cuba. highest-ranking Americans at the in Havana, Cuba.

“I’m extraordinarily overjoyed ceremony. Castro makes relatively (AP) that we in Havana can on this day few public appearances, endowenjoy such a beautiful work of ing the ceremony with a stamp of poetic inspiration, “Havana City particular importance in a country where Historian Eusebio Leal said in an address the movements of high officials are closely to the crowd that was also broadcast on scrutinised for clues to government plans state-run media. and intentions.

Bronx Museum Chairman of the Board The bronze statue of Marti on a rear- Joseph Mizzi also addressed the audience ing horse was funded with $2.5 million and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio sent a raised in the United States in a project letter read aloud by an assistant. started by the Bronx Museum of the Arts, The statue has been placed in a promiwhich has longstanding ties with Cuban nent site in Havana, near the Museum of state cultural institutions. The 18.5-foot the Revolution and facing out toward the long, 8-ton work is an exact copy of a Florida Straits and the United States.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, January 30, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

ELECTIVE SURGERIES RESUME AT PMH

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net ELECTIVE surgeries at Princess Margaret Hospital resumed yesterday following last week’s bed shortage crisis, according to Health Minister Dr Duane Sands.

Health officials on Friday announced elective surgeries had to be suspended that day due to an unprecedented level of overcrowding at the public hospital.

PMH Administrator Mary Lightbourne-Walker said the hospital was grappling with an increased number of boarders compounded by shortages of beds and nurses, with staffing resources maxed out servicing virtual wards on an overtime basis.

She noted a 12-hour wait time in the Accident and Emergency Department that was exacerbated by the seasonal surge in the number of patients coming in with respiratory and other related illnesses.

Yesterday, Dr Sands said: “The situation in Accident and

Emergency on a good day is hectic, there are a lot of patients being seen.

“It doesn’t take a whole lot to push things beyond the point of breaking so if you happen to have more patients than usual and more difficulty in getting patients out of the hospital, back up with trolleys, then surgeries can’t get done and the ripple effect becomes cumulative.

Interventions “We hit that point (on Friday),” he continued, “thankfully we’re moving away with interventions put in place, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen again when you are running a hospital at more than 100 per cent capacity.”

On Friday, officials noted the A&E Department has seen an average of 100 people per shift for the past two weeks. He urged the public to consider going to community clinics for non-emergency care.

HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands and PMH Administrator Mary Lightbourne-Walker.

Mrs Lightbourn-Walker noted several projects currently underway to alleviate the overcrowding crisis; however, she said completion of those projects was still several months away.

“We won’t see those marginal improvements for about four months,” Mrs LightbourneWalker said.

“The ward projected to be completed at the end of April will only give 24 beds. If we can

move some of these boarders out we have beds right away, the additional projects are at a stage where they are confirming architectural drawings and funding. So they’re a bit further away, there are plans to increase our capacity.

“We’re listed as a 402-bed facility, we’re currently down 42 due to renovation projects. We are aggressively attempting to make those spaces available.”

On Friday, the public was directed to first call A&E at 3267014 if they are not sure about the emergent nature of their condition.

Clinic hours at the South Beach Health Centre, the Fleming Street Clinic, and the Flamingo Gardens Clinic have been extended from 8am to 9pm Monday through Friday and the Elizabeth Estates Clinic from 9am to 9pm Monday through Friday.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

FLOODS PEAK IN PARIS AS FRANCE SEES WORST RAINS IN 50 YEARS PARIS (AP) — Floodwaters peaked in Paris on Monday and were threatening towns downstream as the rain-engorged Seine River winds through Normandy toward the English Channel.

Rivers swollen by France’s heaviest rains in 50 years have engulfed romantic quays in Paris, swallowed up gardens and roads, halted riverboat cruises — and raised concerns about climate change.

The Meteo France weather service said January has seen nearly double normal rainfall nationwide, and the rains in the past two months are the highest measured for the period in 50 years.

“I’m amazed. I’ve come to Paris since 1965, most years,

and I’ve never seen the Seine as high,” said Terry Friberg, visiting from Boston. “I love Paris with all my heart but I’m very worried about the level of the river.”

Flood monitoring agency Vigicrues said the water levels in Paris hit a maximum height of 5.84 metres (19 feet, 2 inches) on the Austerlitz scale early Monday.

That’s below initial fears last week, and well below record levels of 8.62 meters in 1910, but still several meters above normal levels of about 1.5 metres on the Austerlitz scale.

And the waters are expected to stay unusually high for days or weeks.

That’s bad news for tourists hoping to cruise past Paris

sites on the famed “bateaux mouches” riverboats, or visit the bottom floor of the Louvre Museum, closed since last week as a precaution.

Riverside train stations along the line that serves Versailles are also closed, and will remain that way for several more days.

Water laps the underside of historic bridges, and treetops and lampposts poke out of the brown, swirling Seine.

South African tourist Michael Jelatis, visiting Notre Dame Cathedral on an island in central Paris, was among many people linking the floods to global warming, blamed for increasing instances of extreme weather.

“Around the world we’re all aware that things like this,

unusual weather, are happening. I mean back home we are in a serious drought at the moment as well,” he told The Associated Press.

Overall, Paris is better prepared than when it was last hit by heavy flooding in 2016, and Parisians have largely taken disruptions in stride this time.

Other towns on the surging Seine have seen it much worse.

The floods have caused damage in 242 towns along the river and tributaries already and more warnings are in place as the high waters move downstream.

In Lagny-sur-Marne south of Paris, Serge Pinon now has to walk on a makeshift

BOATS are lined up along the flooded river Seine in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) footbridge to reach his home and its flooded surroundings.

His basement is submerged in water, as are the plants he was trying to grow in a backyard greenhouse tent. He lost a freezer, a refrigerator, a washing machine and dryer to flood waters.

“We’re up to the maximum, maximum and now we’re just waiting for it to go down,” he said. “This

year the flood has risen more rapidly than usual. Here it usually rises in a regular fashion and we have the time to see it coming we can save things. But this time it rose too quickly.”

Elsewhere in the town, street signs stick out of the water and a lonely boat floats in the Marne River, once accessible from the riverbank but now unreachable on foot.

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, PAGE 11

DEPARTMENT STORE IN FREEPORT TO CLOSE AFTER 50 YEARS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net PARK and Shop is closing after nearly 50 years. Many persons flocked to the department store in downtown Freeport on Monday for its big closeout sale.

The closure comes amidst continuing economic hardship on the island that has affected many business owners, including store owner William Russell who opened the shop in 1970, some 48 years ago.

The establishment has been a leading shopping feature in the downtown area and is the second major business to cease operations there.

Some 12 persons will be out of work by the end of the first quarter of this year as a result.

Lisa Darville-Whylly, office manager, said that “it is a really sad time” for everyone at Park and Shop. She said unfortunately economic challenges have proven too much for the owner and a decision was made to cease operations.

She said Mr Russell had tried everything possible to keep the store open by cutting operational costs and improving the customer shopping experience to boost sales.

“Three years ago, despite the sluggish economy, Mr Russell had invested $65,000 in remodeling and upgrading Park and Shop,” Mrs Darville-Whylly said.

Mr Russell had hoped for a turnaround in the economy, she said.

“He has always been proud to operate Park and Shop,” said Mrs Darville-Whylly, who added that the store is 100 per cent Bahamian owned.

Mr Russell also operates Dollar Plus and the Athlete’s Foot, which are located in the same building in Freeport.

Those businesses will remain open.

Stores in the downtown area have been struggling since the closure of the City Market food store several years ago. The Grand Bahama Port Authority has tried to attract businesses and visitors to the area by initiating major turnaround projects in downtown Freeport.

Progressive Liberal Party Senator Michael Darville criticised the government for failing to put in place some immediate measures to stabilise the island’s economy.

“After months of public demonstrations and urging by the people of Grand

“After months of public demonstrations and urging by the people of Grand Bahama for the government to fix the economy of Grand Bahama, the Park and Shop business establishment is closing its doors after decades of service due to the poor economy. This closure adds to the unemployment woes of this island.”

PLP Senator Michael Darville Bahama for the government to fix the economy of Grand Bahama, the Park and Shop business establishment is closing its doors after decades of service due to the poor economy. This closure adds to the unemployment woes of this island,” he said in a statement.

PARK and Shop will be closing its doors by end of the first quarter of 2018 after nearly 50 years. Photo: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff “What is the prime minister’s message to the people of Grand Bahama in the face of this announced closure and the further deterioration of this island’s economy?

“He told the straw vendors to have faith, but faith without works is dead.

“The business community continues to cry out to the government to put some immediate short-term measures in place to stabilise the economy and save some of the small and medium-sized enterprises that are truly the engines that drive this local economy.

“To date, this plea has fallen on deaf ears.”

Senator Darville also raised concern about the recent increase in the unemployment rate and a reduction in VAT revenue.

“These key national performance indicators or metrics are the direct result of the government’s labour, fiscal and economic policies that have failed the people of Grand Bahama to date,” he said.

Mr Darville believes that the government is on the wrong track and must reverse and change course.

He stressed that Grand Bahama is in need of an immediate capital injection.

“The PLP has sounded this alarm multiple times over the last eight months, and we sound it yet again: put money

on the ground in Grand Bahama.

“After eight months of all talk and no action, the Minnis government has failed the people of Grand Bahama,” he claimed.

Last night, during a national address, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the restoration of Grand Bahama’s economy is critical to the Bahamas’ success.

He said the Grand Lucayan

resort property should be sold by the end of the year, spoke of plans to transform Freeport into an offshore technology hub, and referred to other planned investments for the island.

PAGE 12, Tuesday, January 30, 2018

HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE VOTES TO RELEASE CLASSIFIED MEMO WASHINGTON (AP) — Brushing aside opposition from the Department of Justice, Republicans on the House intelligence committee voted Monday to release a classified memo that purports to show improper use of surveillance by the FBI and the Justice Department in the Russia investigation.

The memo has become a political flashpoint, with President Donald Trump and many Republicans pushing for its release and suggesting that some in the Justice Department and FBI have conspired against the president.

Privately, Trump has been fuming over the Justice Department’s opposition to releasing the memo, according to an administration official not authorised to discuss private conversations and speaking on condition of anonymity.

At the behest of Trump, White House chief of staff John Kelly and other White House officials have been in contact with Justice Department officials in the past week to convey the president’s displeasure with the department’s leadership on the issue specifically, the official said. In a series of calls last week, Kelly urged the Justice officials to do more within the bounds of the law to get the memo out, the official said.

In the hours before Monday’s vote, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders underscored the administration’s position, saying Trump favours “full transparency.”

THE TRIBUNE

FBI’S MCCABE, A FREQUENT TRUMP TARGET, ABRUPTLY LEAVES POST

By ERIC TUCKER and SADIE GURMAN, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, a target of frequent and aggressive criticism by President Donald Trump, abruptly stepped down from his position Monday ahead of his planned retirement this spring.

A 22-year veteran of the FBI, McCabe has been publicly and repeatedly lambasted over the past year by Trump, who has accused him of bias because of his wife’s political connections and an FBI investigation that produced no criminal charges against Hillary Clinton.

McCabe, who has held a number of FBI leadership roles and been heavily involved in investigations into major crimes including the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, becomes eligible for retirement in a matter of weeks.

FBI staff learned Monday that McCabe was leaving the bureau’s No. 2 post effective immediately, according to people who spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal personnel move.

He is expected to retire with full pension benefits.

The departure comes as FBI Director Christopher Wray makes changes to his senior leadership team, replacing two other top aides last week. Such changes are not unusual when a new director takes charge, but they are notable amid Trump’s public pressure on Wray to get rid of officials who were

THEN-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe pictured during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in June 2017.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

confidants of James Comey, whom he fired as FBI director last May. In a message Monday to FBI employees, Wray said that McCabe would be retiring on March 18 and denied that the move stemmed from political pressure.

Pressure “I will not be swayed by political or other pressure in my decision-making,” Wray wrote.

The exit comes amid the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into whether the Trump campaign improperly coordinated with

Russia to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

That investigation includes a focus on whether Trump sought to obstruct the inquiry by, among other actions, firing Comey.

McCabe has been repeatedly assailed by Trump since the fall of 2016, when it was revealed that his wife had accepted campaign contributions from the political action committee of then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat and close Clinton ally, during a failed state Senate run.

That episode is among the decisions under review by the Justice Department’s inspector general, which Is examining how the FBI handled its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. That report is expected to be completed soon.

The FBI has said McCabe received the necessary ethics approval before his wife received the donations, and that at the time of the contributions, he was not in a supervisory role of the Clinton email investigation.

But that has not stopped Trump and Republican lawmakers in Congress from repeatedly asserting that McCabe, and other FBI officials, are partisan law enforcement officials harboring a bias against him.

Responding December news reports that McCabe would retire, the president wrote: “How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin’ James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife’s campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?”

Another of the president’s tweets from last year

said: “Why didn’t A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation,” referring to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Monday that Trump was not part of the decisionmaking process but that he stood by his criticism of McCabe.

Though McCabe has pushed back against White House narratives that Comey was not well-liked within the bureau, and that an ongoing FBI investigation into Trump campaign ties to Russia was not a significant matter. But he has not publicly discussed in detail his interactions with Trump or shared any personal observations of the president.

Departure That could change upon his departure from the FBI. Comey, for instance, authorised after his firing a close friend to share with reporters details of his own encounters with the president that he said troubled him.

And former CIA Director John Brennan and James Clapper, the retired national director of intelligence, have been outspoken about their own views of Trump.

McCabe became deputy director in 2016 following earlier jobs running the FBI’s Washington field office and serving as head of its national security branch. A Duke Universityeducated lawyer, he joined the FBI in 1996 and worked on organised crime in New York.

He took over as acting director following Trump’s May 9 firing of Comey, and was among the officials interviewed for the position, which ultimately went to Wray, a former Justice Department official.

The Washington Post reported last week that Trump asked McCabe whom he had voted for in the presidential election, but Trump has said he does not recall asking that question.

McCabe’s defenders inside and outside the FBI call him a thoughtful, intelligent and committed career agent.

“FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is, and has been, a dedicated public servant who has served this country well,” former Attorney General Eric Holder tweeted Monday.

“Bogus attacks on the FBI and DOJ to distract attention from a legitimate criminal inquiry does long term, unnecessary damage to these foundations of our government.”

Two days after Comey’s firing, McCabe appeared at a congressional hearing on worldwide intelligence threats and contradicted a White House assertion that Comey had lost the support of the FBI’s rank-and-file.

He declared, “I can tell you that the majority, the vast majority of FBI employees, enjoyed a deep and positive connection to Director Comey.”

In one of the more dramatic exchanges of the day, he was asked whether the Trump-Russia investigation was a small matter in relation to the other work the FBI is conducting.

“Sir,” he told Sen. Angus King of Maine, “we consider it to be a highly significant investigation.”