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VOLUME:114 No.48, JANUARY 31, 2017

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Christie hits back after FNM leader’s ‘drowning men’ jibe

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday castigated Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr Hubert Minnis for likening the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to a group of “drowning men,� calling the Killarney MP a “minor player� in the House of Assembly who should “try his best to keep quiet� after having his job as leader of the Official Opposition “taken� from him

by Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner.

Mr Christie, in a scathing rebuke of Dr Minnis, suggested that the FNM leader has no right to speak ill of

‘FIRE THEM AND HIRE US’

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday denied that he recently gained the public support of a group of Free National Movement (FNM) turncoats in exchange for them to receive employment or favourable treatment, adding that to assert otherwise was “demeaning�.

Mr Christie added that if any of them were unemployed he “would love to give them jobs�.

The Prime Minister went

on to admit that “there was no question� about his authorisation of employment for Ivoine Ingraham, a once staunch FNM member who in recent times supported Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner in her first failed attempt at winning the leadership of the FNM. Mr Ingraham confirmed to The Tribune yesterday that he is now attached to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

Mr Ingraham was among a group of FNMs including former Cabinet ministers SEE PAGE SIX

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net AN email revealing that Official Opposition Leader Loretta Butler-Turner was canvassing support for an “organic grassroots movement� came as a shock to fellow dissident Free National Movement (FNM) members, according to one of the MPs, who expressed anger over the move.

The FNM MP, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, accused Mrs Butler-Turner of repeatedly making premature political statements, and speaking on behalf of the other six members without prior consultation.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

TORCHBEARERS TV SNUB SAID TO BE ‘POLITICALLY MOTIVATED’

the PLP while experiencing “real difficulty� in coping with being stripped of his post as well as having lost the support of most of his members in the House.

Mr Christie said he expected better from the Killarney MP, but said a “naĂŻveâ€? Dr Minnis now finds himself “in an impossible position of trying to strike out at people who are sitting and smiling at himâ€?.

And, striking a condescending tone towards Dr Minnis, Mr Christie cautioned the FNM leader not to cause him or members of his administration to highlight his shortcomings and “inadequacies�.

SEE PAGE SIX

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net THE decision by the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB) not to broadcast the Free National Movement’s (FNM) upcoming Torchbearers Youth Association’s convention was yesterday blasted as “hypocritical� and “politically motivated� by party Chairman Sidney Collie.

In a strong rebuke of the national broadcaster’s decision, Mr Collie asserted that the BCB was allowing the ZNS television network to be operated as a “political tool in the midst of a heightened political climate,� claiming that the corporation has opted to hide behind a rule it refused to acknowledge when granting air-time to the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) earlier this month.

SEE PAGE FIVE

FNMS WHO SUPPORTED PLP ‘WERE NOT OFFERED JOBS’

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

BUTLER-TURNER’S GRASSROOTS BID A SHOCK TO REBEL SEVEN MP

FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis last night urged voters to “fire them and hire us� as he named a list of PLP failures during the ratification of the latest round of FNM candidates for this year’s election.

See page five for the full story.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

HALKITIS DEFENDS COMMENTS ON VAT SPENDING DESPITE PREVIOUS LOANS

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of State for Finance Michael Halkitis yesterday denied that he was being “disingenuous� when he stated, during a speech at the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) national convention last week,

that millions of dollars generated from Value Added Tax (VAT) was being spent on projects for which the government already borrowed money.

While appearing as a guest on ‘The Revolution’ with host Juan McCartney, Mr Halkitis maintained that VAT money is being used to pay down the na-

tional debt as well as defray other government expenses.

He also insisted that there can “never be a true� account of what the VAT money is spent on, because the money “goes into the consolidated fund with all other government revenue�.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

POLICE HUNT FOR TWO ARSONISTS AFTER FIREBOMB THROWN AT COURT

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net POLICE are on the hunt for two men they suspect threw an explosive device into the South Street Magistrate’s Court complex early yesterday morning “in an attempt to burn it down�.

The incident took place shortly after 6am off Nassau Street.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean said officers were called to the scene after concerned persons alerted police to the blaze. When officers arrived at the court complex, SEE PAGE THREE

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PAGE 2, Tuesday, January 31, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

KHYLA JONES, winner of the 50th Archdioscean Spelling Competition, receives her trophy from Claudette Rolle, director of Catholic education.

BUZZING AT WINNING SPELLING BEE CONTEST KHYLA Jones, a sixth grade student at St Cecilia’s School, emerged as the winner of the 50th Archdiocesan Spelling Competition.

The competition lasted 50 rounds.

In the end, after a 30-round face off with her fellow schoolmate Craig

Simmons, Khyla won the spelling bee with the word “durability”. The competition is the oldest formal spelling bee in the Bahamas.

The event was held last Thursday at Seton Hall at Xavier’s Lower School.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 31, 2017, PAGE 3

POLICE HUNT FOR TWO ARSONISTS AFTER FIREBOMB THROWN AT COURT from page one

they found the front of the building engulfed in flames.

The building sustained extensive damage to the entrance and a portion of the interior, but none of the courtrooms were damaged during the fire. ACP Dean said police are actively investigating the incident and urged the persons responsible to turn themselves in or be brought in by officers.

“Since the incident police have launched an investigation and what we can tell you is this was a deliberate attempt to cause massive destruction to this court complex,” ACP Dean said.

“It was an attempt to pervert the course of justice but we are following significant leads and we believe that we can bring this matter to resolution but the key is the members of this neighbouring community.

“We are appealing to members of the community who may have seen someone in the wee hours of

the morning, walking in the area, anything that looks suspicious come forward with that information. We want to send a message out to the persons responsible for this act, come forward or we will find you. We have an idea who you are, so we are giving you the first opportunity to turn yourself in and surrender so that justice can be served. We cannot allow a situation like this to be happening in our country, the police will not allow this to happen. We will continue with this investigation.”

ACP Dean said business was “as usual in the courts” despite the incident and repairs to the building have already started.

“This act did not stop the running of the court. If those persons were determined to cause the court not to run today, they have failed in their attempts. I can tell you, because of the dedicated men and women of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, we immediately put a work crew here. What you see now is far in contrast to what you saw this morning. What we have done so far, we made it

friendly for persons to come without fear of being injured.”

ACP Dean said because of the nature of the investigation, police do not want to reveal what type of device was used in the incident.

Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson said in a statement last night that her office would work with the authorities to increase security measures of the Magistrates Court and related justice buildings. “This act will not succeed in deterring the hard working men and women in the justice system from carrying out their duties,” she said.

“Due to the swift police action Magistrate’s Court business continued. I am confident that the investigation will lead to the apprehension of the persons responsible - who will be swiftly brought to justice.”

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

THE AFTERMATH of the fire at Nassau Street Court Complex.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

PM shocked by TV guest’s claim of terrorism link to The Bahamas

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday denounced a claim made by a reported American expert in security and terrorism that The Bahamas has terrorism links, suggesting that this country’s “tremendous collaboration” with US law enforcement would have provided ample forewarning of such a threat had the claims been true.

The Prime Minister also referenced US President Donald Trump’s temporary ban on persons from seven predominantly Muslim countries, saying as a nation so close to the US and a transit point, The Bahamas had to be on alert.

On Saturday, while

speaking in opposition to Mr Trump’s recent ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US for 90 days on an MSNBC show hosted by Joy-Ann Reid, guest Malcolm Nance said: “We (the United States) have not banned terrorists from Brazil. ISIS has dozens of members from Brazil or Trinidad or the Bahamas who have more terrorists members than any of those other countries.”

Mr Nance has since apologised on Twitter for his remark and admitted the statement was erroneous. Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell subsequently hit out at the claims, telling ZNS news on Saturday that the remarks were “rubbish”. Mr Mitchell also

indicated that the Bahamas Mission to the United States has been asked to reach out to US counterparts, to MSNBC and Mr Nance himself to find out what the source of the allegation was.

When asked for his take on the matter yesterday by The Tribune, Mr Christie said: “I was astonished by it. In the region, we have heard from time to time of the people going to the Middle East in connection with the fighting going on there, but never have Bahamians been named as being a part of that. And so I was astonished to hear the claims, and I was very pleased to see that it is being reversed. Because it is not true.

“We would have known, and I’m sure our law en-

forcement officers would have been made aware of it, because there is tremendous collaboration between the law enforcement agencies in the United States of America and The Bahamas, and there would have been a great sharing of intelligence in that regard, and we would have known.

“So I’m relieved that it is not true, and therefore every effort be made to convince the people that Bahamians are not that kind of grouping who have been attracted to do those sorts of things.”

Mr Christie went on to say that though Mr Nance’s statements were incorrect, The Bahamas “has to be mindful of the fact that we are the closest offshore country to the United States

of America”, particularly when dealing with matters of national security.

“Therefore any policies promulgated by the president of the United States of America, like the temporary ban that he’s put in place for seven countries, The Bahamas has to be mindful of the fact that people could be looking to The Bahamas as a different route into the United States,” Mr Christie added.

“We are a stepping stone into the United States, one of those countries that has always been traditionally seen as that, and therefore we must be vigilant ourselves, with respect to ensuring that we take all the steps necessary to not have ourselves subjected to people coming in trying to get

into the United States of America.”

In March 2016, Interpol listed that Khalid elBakraoui, one of two Belgium suicide bombers, had dual Belgian and Bahamian nationality and had been wanted in Belgium on charges of terrorism. The Bahamian reference was later removed. Bahamian government officials later said that the matter was an error.

“The Belgians have come back to us and said that the matter was done in error,” Mr Mitchell said last March. “And that it appears … both persons were Moroccan citizens at birth and assumed Belgian nationality. They have no explanation as to why is ended up being (reported as) The Bahamas.”

US EMBASSY: BAHAMIANS NOT AFFECTED BY NEW TRAVEL BAN

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

AS CONCERNS mount worldwide over the United States’ new travel ban affecting seven Middle Eastern countries, US Embassy Chargé d’affaires Lisa Johnson yesterday insisted that the changes will not impact Bahamian passport holders or US pre-clearance at Bahamian airports.

Mrs Johnson, who heads the Nassau embassy, confirmed that American President Donald Trump’s executive order has been implemented in Bahamian airports with respect to non-immigrant and immigrant visas.

She added that the transition to the Trump administration has not resulted in a change in the bilateral relationship of The Bahamas and the US. “There is no change in the US-Bahamas bilateral relationship,” Mrs Johnson said, “and we’re continuing to work on the same issues here that we have always worked on, on security, on commerce, on travel and tourism the one change is the executive order that was released on Friday does apply worldwide with respect to non-immigrant and immigrant visas and so that is being implemented at the airport here as it is around the world.”

Last Friday, President Trump signed an executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days and suspending all refugee admission for 120 days.

The surprise order caused

mass confusion and led to many from those countries who had legal authorisation to travel to the US being detained.

One of these people was Syrian-born Dr Tarek Alasil, who according to a report from the Connecticut Post, was detained while trying to travel from The Bahamas back to Boston on Saturday.

The article said Dr Alasil “cut short a medical mission treating indigent cataract patients” in The Bahamas on Saturday “on the advice of Yale colleagues and immigration lawyers who urged him to return to Connecticut immediately”.

After being detained for hours, Dr Alasil, said to be a US green card holder, was later allowed to travel to Boston.

When asked yesterday what impact the executive order will have on the country, particularly its Muslim community, Mrs Johnson said: “No impact on Bahamians, there is no change in the travel status and opportunities for Bahamians either with visas or through pre-clearance in Nassau and Freeport, there is no change.”

She added: “It will not have an impact on any Bahamian passport holders, no.”

Mrs Johnson responded to questions placed by The Tribune after signing a bilateral agreement renewing the five-year lease of the AUTEC facility at Andros to the United States.

At that briefing, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell underscored that the testing undertaken at the facility

was critical to the defence arrangements of the Western Hemisphere.

The Bahamas was thrust into the international spotlight over the weekend during commentary on the travel ban by an MSNBC correspondent, who claimed the neighbouring archipelago had terrorist links to ISIS. The unsubstantiated claim by Malcolm Nance, a contributor with reportedly 35 years of experience in US intelligence, on Saturday was immediately refuted by officials, and later

by Mr Nance himself, amid

viral outrage from Bahamians on social media.

Appearing as a guest on MSNBC’s AM Joy, hosted by Joy-Ann Reid, Mr Nance pointed out that “terrorists” from Brazil, Trinidad, and the Bahamas had not been blocked, suggesting that these countries had higher numbers of “terrorist members.”

Concerns over ISIS recruits from Trinidad were highlighted in 2015 and 2016.

Responding to demands for an apology on Twitter, Mr Nance conceded and referred to an Interpol report

last year that falsely identified one of the brothers believed to be responsible for the terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium as having Bahamian citizenship.

In a follow up tweet, Mr Nance suggested that persons “might want to keep focus on how the Bahamas is viewed by a Trump administration.”

Yesterday, Mr Mitchell said: “The United States has indicated that they have no information which supports what that individual has said and I understand that he retracted what he said in any event. Our law-

yers are dealing with the matter in the US and I think I’ll have more to say once that’s been done.” He continued: “There is no evidence that that is correct and true and the person himself has backed off the statement. We believe that MSNBC ought to formerly back off the statement because it was said in a offhand manner, the tweet which was the response was not sufficient in our view, because it’s dismissive and he also goes on in another point to make some other allegations which were irrelevant to this point.”

PAGE 4, Tuesday, January 31, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

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Four key points for true freedom of information FIVE YEARS after we were promised that legislation would be enacted giving the Bahamian people the right to information about how our money was being spent, how contracts were being awarded, the status of our applications for Crown Land, we still have no Freedom of Information legislation.

However, at last, we are getting closer.

On December 14, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald, under whose portfolio the drafting of the legislation rested, tabled the Freedom of Information Bill 2016 in the House of Assembly. Sources say the Bill may be debated as early as tomorrow.

That would maintain the timing the Minister pledged when in his early days in office, stating that the Progressive Liberal Party government would pass a Freedom of Information Act during the latter part of its term.

The fact that we are drawing closer to transparency is a plus though we doubt that the culture shift that will have to occur for true transparency will happen overnight. For decades, this has been a country that valued - and even legally protected - confidentiality. We enjoyed it in our banking laws and in our daily lives, free from prying eyes. What was fair for us as individuals and those whose assets we managed was acceptable for governments as well. It was only as we began to question how a development that would destroy fragile coral reefs got approval without consultation, or how nearly a billion dollars of Value Added Tax money was being spent or what kind of incentives were granted to re-start Baha Mar that the demand for information became louder and more widespread.

Where hush-hush handshakes and secrecy were once sacrosanct, public outcry blew the lid off closed-door deals, demanding an end to contracts that gave away the people’s land, Crown Land, and offered other incentives that the people of the Bahamas had no right to see. The age of transparency had dawned.

The demand for information - even questioning a Cabinet minister’s assertions - was a new phenomenon. If the people found their voice, they also began scrutinising what they were being offered as Freedom of Information.

Despite Minister Fitzgerald’s assertions that there was a disappointing contribution to public debate, we can only believe he was referring to presence at town hall meetings as the groups that submitted specific recommendations represented what has been estimated at more than 100,000.

Now is the moment to get the Freedom of Information Act right. Experts who have studied it thoroughly and compared it to legislation in other open democracies say the new 2016 version is an improvement over the 2015 Bill. Yet, there are three serious flaws and one outstanding matter.

The first recommendation agreed by 21 business, civil society and environmental organisations that was not included and should be amended is the existence of an independent Information Commissioner.

This individual, who has ultimate authority over what can or cannot be released after requests go in to various departments, should in no way be beholden to the governing party. Freedom of Information legislation is only as good as those who administer it and their hands must not be tied nor their decisions quieted by those seeking their own political fortune or future.

Secondly, the Bill in its present form excludes non-statutory bodies, a vast arena of entities including public-private partnerships, joint ventures that do business with government and consulting bodies whose decisions impact granting of permits or right to conduct business.

As it stands, the current Bill eliminates the right to information from BTC, BPL, NAD, APD and even the BEST Commission.

Thirdly, the length of time for both answering a request and for declassification of information must be shortened. The current Bill allows for up to 104 days in certain circumstances to advise whether information will be provided. One of the experts said that when he sought information in a remote area of Georgia (in the former Soviet Union) for a project he was working on, he had not just the answer but the information itself in less than one week. The experts also suggest 15 years rather than 30 years for declassification of sensitive information.

There will be times that information cannot and should not be revealed because of national security but we also know that the words ‘national security’ can be abused.

The fourth matter is a date for enactment. If the Bill passes without a date for enactment, it is merely another promise, a pile of papers occupying space but not history.

This is a great opportunity to ensure that the Bill that becomes an Act carries procedures and regulations, not just policy platitudes and contains the salient points that make it a true freedom of information act.

Halkitis and VAT money EDITOR, The Tribune.

YOU hear it often in the US.... someone has used a fact check as to accuracy of a statement well we certainly need it to respond to the speech of the Minister of State for Finance at the PLP Convention.

1) How VAT money is being used?

PMH Emergency wing was started under the FNM with a loan.

RBDF new Patrol boats from Damen - a loan Bahamas air new planes from ATR/France - a Loan,

not Citi Bank?

These total in excess of $400m - Minister doesn’t know?

2) The VAT rate for calculation is 7.5% but the Minister knows full well there is not just a single charge of 7.5% there is a 7.5% charge on every step, every handler till it gets to the consumer so in the case of food probably as high as 35%. The Minister should say ... the rate that VAT is charged is 7.5% not imply one single charge of 7.5% big difference.

Crowd pleaser, but you

were talking to those who did not understand or more so probably did not remember or know.

The Minister seems to forget also after Matthew they borrowed/loan $165m that certainly did not come from VAT. As Minister of State except for PMH Emergency it was the same Minister who stood and tabled the proposal to loan these monies.

Truth don’t lie, Editor.

have voted to make sure that Trump was not their President didn’t because they didn’t like their choices.

Who is it impacting now?

Not Clinton, and definitely not Trump. Bahamians, the writing is on the wall for you too. This is not time to be emotional.

I would recommend that you register to vote and vote for the one that you would prefer to be stuck with, because at the end of the day, you will be stuck with one – whether you vote or not.

W THOMPSON Nassau, January 26, 20l7.

Register and vote!

EDITOR, The Tribune.

AMERICANS are protesting. They are angry with Trump’s decisions.

In November of last year, they had a choice. Trump or Clinton. They were going to be stuck with one.

Despite the writing on the wall, many who could

MARK A. HUMES Nassau, January 29, 2017.

The Haiti migration experience EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT was disappointing in the extreme to see The Nassau Guardian (in its editorial of the 30th January) repeat the erroneous characterisation of The Bahamas’ experience with Haitian migration as a mere by-product of Haitian immigration to the United States.

This lazy narrative is commonly pushed by officials of the United States, who find it convenient, firstly because it fits with the country’s self-aggrandising national mythology and, secondly, because it shifts Bahamians’ own role from that of being victims of our relative national success (and a target of migration in our own right) to being merely a corridor (and possible accomplices) in the transportation of human contraband into their country.

Sadly, this narrative is too

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net easily accepted by Bahamians with a sense of colonial inferiority (reflected in the Guardian’s absurd statement that we are a country of “little wealth”), who are eager to buy whatever nonsense American newsmen report.

Whatever its origins, this narrative does not survive even the most casual scrutiny. In fact, the evidence (anecdotal or otherwise) squarely refutes it.

Firstly, a glance at a map of The Bahamas demonstrates clearly that neither the Exuma Cays, nor the banks immediately north of them are on the natural sailing route to Florida.

They are, however, on the route to New Providence, which is the chosen destination of a majority of the Haitians entering Ba-

hamian territorial waters.

Secondly, if The Bahamas is merely an incidental highway on the part of Haitians wanting to get to the US, how do you explain that, once here and working, Haitians can obtain US visas easily, do so by the thousands annually and daily return to The Bahamas after shopping and visiting relatives in Florida?

Lastly, the last figures for remittances of funds from The Bahamas to Haiti showed that some $145m is sent home annually by Haitians working in the Bahamas (and that is only the funds remitted by official channels!).

Try as you may, you will not find a part of the Unites States with as high a rate of remittance per capita to Haiti, or maybe to anywhere.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, January 30, 2017.

The Black Hole Bank EDITOR, The Tribune.

Monday morning Tribune Business 30th January - BOB warns Preference Shareholders - No dividend!

Preference shareholders, if I am not mistaken, are very likely the Government of The Bahamas and the National Insurance Board.

In both cases, that boils down to the Bahamian people.

If I might use the medium of your editorial columns to beseech her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition Leader and Public Accounts Committee Chairlady, to immediately launch an official and vig-

orous enquiry into exactly how much of the Bahamian people’s (and other Pensioned Workers in the Bahamas) money has been lost forever in this Bank.

And, if Madam Chairman could push the envelope just a tad further, and find out, AND NAME, those persons who have benefitted from the soft lending practices of the Bank under both FNM and PLP Watches, the Bahamian people will be very well served, going into the next General Election.

Social media is awash in horror stories of loans and mortgages in the hundreds of millions of dollars having been mandated by politicians of both parties,

to politicians of both parties. And, of course, no one wants to spill the beans because the beans are going to fall right on top of them.

But this is no way beyond ridiculous and the Bahamian people are simply being, “screwed blued and tattooed”.

And as one definition of this slang phrase, found in Dictionary.Com, says “thoroughly cheated, victimised, maltreated”.

And if anyone is interested, there is a much richer version of the meaning, that is not fit to be printed in a leading daily.

MONKEEDOO Nassau, January 30, 2017.

The errors of our ways EDITOR, The Tribune, I was delighted to see that the Bahamas National Trust is spearheading a new Tourism product in Bird Tourism.

We will certainly need

something to replace the Flats Fishing Tourism that has just been laid to rest.

It would have been more beneficial to Bahamians to have both Fish and a Fowl tourism products in my view.

Hopefully the Fowl Tourism won’t require paid guides or government licenses.

BRUCE G. RAINE Nassau, January 30, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 31, 2017, PAGE 5

Pintard a candidate again as FNM unveils latest ratifications

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE FREE National Movement (FNM) announced the ratification of six more candidates for the upcoming general elections last night with leader Dr Hubert Minnis revealing that the full slate of 39 candidates will be announced at the end of the week.

Scores of party supporters gathered at the Mackey Street headquarters for the conclusion of a Central Council meeting following which FNM Chairman Sidney Collie announced Navarro Bowe, Howard ‘Ricky’ Mackey, Hank Johnson, Darren Henfield, former FNM chairman Michael Pintard and FNM Deputy leader K Peter Turnquest as the candidates who would respectively contest Exuma and Ragged Island, North Eleuthera, Central and South Eleuthera, North Abaco, Marco City and East Grand Bahama.

Dr Minnis hailed them as excellent candidates and assured the crowd that the FNM team “was growing stronger day by day”.

He also confirmed that their ratifications will be completed at the Torchbearers Conference on Thursday and Friday at the SuperClubs Breezes Resort where the new government of the Bahamas will be revealed.

“I am so pleased tonight to properly introduce five candidates for the upcom-

FROM left, Howard “Ricky” Mackey, Navarro Bowe, Hank Johnson, Michael Pintard, Darren Henfield, and FNM deputy leader K Peter Turnquest.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff ing general elections and five new members of parliament,” the Killarney MP said. “You have just listened and heard the voice of your next deputy prime minister. He’s presently acting as the Shadow Minister of Finance. Darren Henfield, from Abaco, is our standard bearer for North Abaco and Darren brings with him experience in the field of national security having served in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force for many years.

“His experience will be very important as we fight illegal migration, and better protect our borders from illicit drugs, poaching, gun smugglings and human trafficking. Darren, my fellow Bahamians, is also an attor-

ney and served in the Office of the Attorney General.

“Michael Pintard needs no introduction. Hank Johnson, the next MP for (Central) and South Eleuthera, is an Eleutheran and he’s an electrician. We need him especially with all of these blackouts.”

Mr Mackey, Dr Minnis noted, is a Harbour Island native “who knows about doing business and he will assist us making the ease of doing business really easy”.

“Let me also say a brief word about Navarro Bowe, our candidate for Exuma (and Ragged Island). Navarro has considerable experience in the engineering field. He’s an engineer and the kind of talent we need to bring focus to an area

like building the capacity of young people in science, technology, engineering and math.”

Dr Minnis said two major areas of investment for his FNM government will be education and youth development with a focus on “STEM education which stands for science, technology, engineering and math”.

Prior to Dr Minnis taking the stage, the supporters heard the candidates make passionate pleas for why they should ensure that they registered and voted in the upcoming elections. Mr Turnquest said “more now than ever, the risk is too great to return governance to the PLP”.

“They’re unfit to govern after derailing economic

gains following the global economic recession which started to rebound in 2010,” he said.

“With poorly conceptualised, planned and controlled programmes, after overseeing a national debt of almost $7 billion, over $2 billion added in just the last four years and all of this despite Valued Added Tax which netted revenue of over $1 billion, a devastating sovereign credit rating and downgrade to junk status, something which has never happened in the history of our commonwealth.

Yes Mr (Michael) Halkitis, we still want to know where the VAT money gone because the story you gave both at convention and on the radio today just is not

adding up.”

Mr Pintard, who was made to resign from the Senate last year following his involvement to uncover a murder-for-hire plot which led to a lawsuit against Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, thanked the Marco City FNM Association, his family and all who have stood with him since March, 2016.

“I’m still here standing with freedom fighters and we are still committed to the original mission of ushering in good governance,” Mr Pintard said.

The former chairman however cautioned that they will not be victorious in the upcoming elections “if we don’t turn to each other instead of against each other”.

TORCHBEARERS TV SNUB SAID TO BE ‘POLITICALLY MOTIVATED’ from page one

According to Mr Collie, the party’s youth convention secretary received a written response from BCB on January 11, which notified the FNM that the corporation could not grant the party a live broadcast.

In that letter of response, BCB General Manager Diana Swann wrote: “We confirm receipt of your letter dater January 6, 2017, in relation to the captioned matter. Please note that the corporation is unable to accommodate your request.”

Mr Collie said the party, upon receiving this information, launched an inquiry to determine why such a decision was made.

He said the party was told that it had exceeded its allowed time slots for this year with past broadcasts.

He said he was referred to Section 19 and 20 of the Bahamas Broadcasting Act, which govern how political broadcasts through ZNS are to be handled in and out of election years, providing clear guidelines

that any party, governing or opposition, in an election year is only allotted one political broadcast.

“To quote this act in this case is hypocritical because it comes as the PLP just held its three-day convention, with all three days live on that station, a week after it ran the PLP’s three-hour ratification celebration a week before that,” stated Mr Collie.

The PLP’s 51st National Convention ran live on ZNS TV and radio from January 24 to 26. Those broadcasts followed a lengthy PLP ratification exercise which was broadcast to the country via ZNS on January 19.

“That’s hypocrisy by definition,” Mr Collie added.

“To tell us we had our convention last year, and thus can’t have another event broadcast makes no sense.

We were prepared to pay, but that option was shot down as fast as it was suggested. It is now clear; the political bias of those running ZNS are clear. This entire move, in my opinion, is clearly politically motivated. It is a crying shame that we’re in 2017 and

still fighting for broadcast rights. The biggest tragedy is that the youth of our party can’t speak to their peers via means that they can all access.”

The FNM has, in response to ZNS’ decision, agreed to broadcast its youth convention via Cable Bahamas’ Rev TV station.

ZNS, unlike the Rev TV station, is broadcast across the entire Bahamas.

When contacted by The Tribune for comment on the matter, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said the decision must be viewed as overt victimisation, adding that the station was denying the young people the opportunity to be seen on ZNS. “It’s concerning that a government entity is refusing to air the upcoming youth convention being hosted this week by the Torchbearers Youth Association,” said the Killarney MP. “This gathering of young dynamic minds should be applauded and seen as an opportunity for our youth to engage in the political dialogue of our country. For ZNS

HUMES URGES VOTERS TO PICK THE SIDE THEY WOULD RATHER BE STUCK WITH

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

AS voter registration numbers continue to climb slowly, Free National Movement (FNM) Fort Charlotte candidate Mark Humes has implored potential voters who may not be enthused about participating in the upcoming general election to view current issues in the United States as an indicator of what could transpire locally if they do not vote.

In an email blast on Sunday, Mr Humes categorised the ongoing crisis in the US as an avoidable ordeal, contending that many of the decisions executed by President Donald Trump could have been avoided if voters had taken advantage of their right of choice.

In a week since being sworn in as the 45th president of the US, President Trump has signed 13 executive orders - legislation signed off on by the US leader without consideration given to Congress.

Of those, the most controversial has been President Trump’s decision on

Saturday to bar citizens of seven Muslim countries from travelling to the US in a self-described effort to address potential terrorism.

This has led to mass protests around the US and has been condemned by several human rights groups. There were also massive protests in the US and other parts of the world on January 21, the day after President Trump’s inauguration, to voice displeasure in the new president.

“Americans are protesting,” wrote Mr Humes, referencing the civil unrest seen across America in the days since President Trump’s inauguration. “They are angry with Trump’s decisions. In November of last year they had a choice. (President) Trump or (Secretary of State Hillary) Clinton. They were going to be stuck with one.

Despite the writing on the wall, many who could have voted to make sure that (President) Trump was not their president didn’t because they didn’t like their choices. Who is it impacting now?

“Not (Mrs) Clinton, and definitely not (President)

Trump. Bahamians, the writing is on the wall for you too. This is not time to be emotional.”

Mr Humes further recommended that eligible voters take advantage of their right to vote and “vote for the one that you would prefer to be stuck with”.

He added: “At the end of the day, you will be stuck with one - whether you vote or not.”

Political pundits throughout the country have speculated that low voter registration numbers to date could be attributed to a lack of interest in, and support for, many of the political candidates ratified to this point.

Last November, Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall asserted that there was some level of voter apathy throughout the country. Since then members of the government and opposition factions have made it a point to encourage voters to get registered.

A Nassau Guardian report this week pegged registration numbers at around 88,000; roughly 50 per cent of voters who participated in the 2012 general election.

to refuse payment for this historic event raises the alarm about the continued political interference of this cash-strapped corporation.

“We remind this govern-

ment that ZNS belongs to all Bahamians, not just the PLP, and the youth of this country have a right to have their voices heard. This election is about the people.

It’s the people’s time, and

the government would do well to remember that.”

Officials at ZNS referred comment on the matter to Ms Swann, who could not be reached for comment up to press time.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, January 31, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

PM: Minnis is a minor player from page one Last week, Dr Minnis criticised the final night of the PLP’s national convention, suggesting that events such as the publicly declared support for Mr Christie by several former FNM members shows that the PLP was desperate and acting “like drowning men, reaching for straws to survive”.

Dr Minnis especially criticised the support for Mr Christie by the former FNM members, which included Algernon Allen, Byron Woodside, Lester Turnquest, Ivoine Ingraham and Anthony Miller, calling the gesture a “replay of 1992 when the PLP was on the verge of defeat”.

“Minnis speaks about desperation on my part,” Mr Christie said in response. “You cannot be a Progressive Liberal Party leader in today’s Bahamas and evidence desperation.

We’re the government. We are the governing party now. Minnis has lost his position as leader of the opposition. Minnis has lost the membership in the House of Assembly. He is a minor player in the House of Assembly.”

The Prime Minister spoke on the sidelines of an event at D W Davis Junior High School yesterday.

“He should try his best to keep quiet so that we do not highlight the levels of inadequacies and ineffectiveness that is plaguing him. We have tried our best to allow our democracy to flourish. We have not spoken ill of him, even though from a factual point of view, we can. I want Dr Minnis to have a good career, but I will do my best not to have that career flourish at this stage in our country.

“And so I don’t want to be able to say what (Dr Minnis’) real difficulty is,

because Loretta ButlerTurner has taken his job from him. He ought to have seen it coming. I knew it was coming. I even warned him that they’ve made an effort to go to Government House. But he’s so innocent and naive that he allows these things to happen and then he finds himself in an impossible position of trying to strike out at people, who are sitting and smiling at him, and that’s what I’m doing. I’m sitting and smiling at him.”

Mr Christie went on to suggest that Dr Minnis’ comments regarding the former FNM members that now support the PLP were ill-advised, as he argued that what took place during the final night of the convention was something to be expected in a democracy, particularly leading up to a general election.

“A party with the heritage of the Progressive Liberal Party ought to attract a wiser comment from the leader of the FNM,” Mr Christie said. “The leader of the FNM, he’s actually speaking about people who were members of his organisation and supporters of his organisation, people who have given much to the country. And so when I speak of Hubert Ingraham or even Hubert Minnis, I have to allow for that fact, that they have made sacrifices. Algernon Allen is no different.

“Those who were not elected members, they were party mechanics.

They worked hard for their party. Lester Turnquest and Woodside, those people who I really respect.

They’ve made a choice to come and support Perry Christie and/or the PLP. I support that, that’s what our democracy is about.

“There are people who would leave us and go to the other side. It happens that way, and we have to ac-

PERRY G. CHRISTIE, Prime Minister of The Bahamas and Mnister of Finance is pictured giving remarks at D. W. Davis Junior school Honor’s Assembly under the theme ‘Conquer the Odds - Let’s Celebrate Excellence’. Photos Shawn Hanna cord them respect for their tion is called, adding that thinks the country is not get them registered and givviews. We are disappointed the party is of the view “that only prepared for it, but ing them further notice that sometimes when they leave people are going to make a when he is prepared for it they must do so. And then us, but we most certainly good choice that there is and his political organisa- there comes a time when he have to respect their right compelling evidence for tion,” he said. “They (citi- will give a final notice. Then them to support the Pro- zens) must not take the dog eat your lunch, that’s to do that.” chance of not being regis- the time.

Mr Christie added: gressive Liberal Party”.

Mr Christie also said he tered. So I think the safest “There are others who we “And you know it’s now have not yet announced feels that the success of the bet for our democracy is for a limited time between now their names, who are in fact PLP’s national convention me to continue to encour- and when elections are conjoining us, and we are grati- “will cause more people to age people to go and get stitutionally due by which registered and not leave it time. So I think people fied for that. They are mak- get registered”.

Although insisting that for the last moments when must see to it … and The ing a wise choice I believe, and most certainly they are there is no “magic number” they know that something is Bahamas has been an exmaking a choice that they of persons the government about to happen.” traordinary place in terms He added: “I think every of the number of people feel is the right choice for wants to see registered to vote before calling the next leader who has the respon- participating in our dethem.” general election, he said the sibility of calling for elec- mocracy. And you know party would focus on ensur- tions would want to know I’ve won and I’ve lost, and General election Mr Christie also suggest- ing that persons register to that he has given the people so you get used to that, of the country full oppor- and that happens to be the ed that the governing party vote.

“The Prime Minister of tunity to register and sat- working of democracy.” will be ready to launch a very effective campaign the country has the right isfy to himself that he has The next election must be whenever the general elec- to call an election when he made additional efforts to held by May.

FNMS WHO SUPPORTED PLP ‘WERE NOT OFFERED JOBS’ from page one

Byron Woodside and Algernon Allen along with former members Lester Turnquest and Anthony Miller, who on the final night of the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) convention took to the stage to pledge support for Mr Christie. The group, last Thursday, at one point described Mr Christie as the “greatest leader” that this country has ever seen.

When he was contacted yesterday, Mr Allen said he was responsible for facilitating the move. He told The Tribune that there were also about 30 other “opposition activists” waiting in a suite at the Melia Nassau Beach Hotel. The remaining people, Mr Allen said, were not seen on stage because there was no seating available for them in the convention hall.

“If they are unemployed I would love to give them jobs,” Mr Christie said on the sidelines of a ceremony at D W Davis Junior High.

“But Lester Turnquest and all those MPs, I think Anthony Miller is working for

us. Algernon Allen is the co-chair of Urban Renewal, but he’s been with us for two elections or three for that matter. He’s not just come.”

He also said: “I don’t know that Lester Turnquest has never asked me for a job. He’s never asked me for anything for that matter.”

Mr Turnquest is the deputy chairman on the board of the Water and Sewerage Corporation.

“Ivoine Ingraham, I would be delighted to give him a job,” Mr Christie added. “He was such a major critic of mine. He’s a talented writer. I think most certainly I have authorised his employment. No question about that.

“But if you’re saying that people joined me because of a job, no. I think you are demeaning them by saying that.

They’re too strong for that.

People make a choice. Listen to me; our job is to prepare the country for a general election and to win the election. If you’re going to try to demean people, you’re only going to motivate them to do more to defeat you.”

Not long after the turncoats’ public show of support for Mr Christie, speculation swirled that there were strings attached to their actions.

It has angered seasoned PLPs, with one party insider telling The Tribune it was “a shame that PLPs can’t get anything, while FNMs are being taken care of. Every last one of them got something out of the deal.”

It has been alleged that one of the former FNMs recently landed a post overseeing construction at Baha Mar, another of them a senior position in the Ministry of Works and one of them was appointed to the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC). These allegations have not been confirmed.

No excuses Yesterday, Mr Ingraham was on the defensive, but admitted that he recently began working in the OPM, but would not confirm when he began there. He denied that this had anything to do with his new support for the

Prime Minister, adding that as a Bahamian he is entitled to work wherever he pleases and does not need approval from anyone to do this.

Mr Ingraham said: “I didn’t get anything from him (Mr Christie). I gave him my support because of what he is doing for the country. Let me just say something. I am a Bahamian. I don’t have to make an excuse for me benefitting from anything that’s happening in The Bahamas.

I’m a Bahamian 100 per cent and I make no excuses for it.

“Now I would like to add though, what is all of this talk and this questioning?

Renward Wells and Rollins just left the PLP and went to the FNM. It didn’t cause all of this right? Hubert Ingraham went from the PLP to the FNM and saved them from not ever winning an election.”

Asked if he recently got a job in Mr Christie’s office, he replied: “I am working out of the Office of the PM, yes.”

He was then pressed further and asked if he acquired the job before his

pledge of support, Mr Ingraham said: “No.” He added: “I won’t go into detail with that. I just told you I am working in the Office of the PM right?

I said I did and I didn’t deny that right?

“Now let me ask you, as a Bahamian am I deserving to have a job? Should I have to ask anyone’s opinion (on) what I am doing with my personal life? Or should I get their approval? I don’t care what people say.”

For his part, when he was contacted yesterday, Mr Allen said his relationship with Mr Christie spanned the last 50 years.

He said: “I have found that he is a man of compassion and I believe that he is a man who exhibits the type of leadership I admire in the Kendal Isaacs, the Cecil Wallace Whitfields and that which I admire in (former Prime Minister) Hubert Ingraham. I find that he is a man with the abilities to make people feel welcomed and make people feel a significant part of the national effort to build this country and that is why I support him.

“I have nothing that I need from him because God has been good to me and mine.”

Mr Allen, Urban Renewal co-chair, added:

“Certainly there is nothing that I have ever requested from him. I have never had that type of need. I live a very simple life. When we re-established our relationship in 2002 I have been able to assist people across the board irrespective of the political divide and I’ve done so without anything because I have been a proponent of the philosophy of one Bahamas.”

“So that is essentially what it is all about. Insofar as the people supporting one party in one period of their lives and then supporting another at another period in their lives, I was a PLP in 1969, in 1967, in 1968. I became an FNM and I’ve now returned to the support of Mr Christie and the PLP and I see nothing exceptional about it,” Mr Allen said.

On Sunday, former PLP Cabinet minister George Smith told The Tribune the group should move quickly to prove the reasoning behind the move in order to avoid being branded “political parasites and opportunists”.

He said if it is seen as them “singing for their supper” or gratitude for favourable treatment, then it would not be perceived as a genuine belief in the PLP or Mr Christie.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 31, 2017, PAGE 7

Legal argument over call for justice to be recused in Nygard court case

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net LEGAL parties in an ongoing judicial review into allegations that Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard illegally increased the size of his property were at odds over whether the presiding judge can be perceived to be impartial in hearing the matter during her application to extend her tenure as a Supreme Court judge.

Attorneys for Prime Minister Perry Christie filed a motion in the Supreme Court last week asking that Justice Rhonda Bain recuse herself from the judicial review - or any other cases in which he is a party - on the basis that she is set to attain the legal age for retirement in April.

She has an application for extension that would have to be authorised by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister in consultation with the leader of the Official Opposition.

The motion was filed by Mr Christie in his capacity as minister responsible for Crown land. Wayne Munroe, QC, who argued the motion on Mr Christie’s behalf yesterday, said there is “no substantial dispute of the facts”.

“Your ladyship was appointed on August 14, 2009, and is due to reach first

PETER NYGARD retirement age sometime issues. in April 2017,” Mr Mun“In effect, the proposiroe said. “Your ladyship tion in law is whether a reahas sought an extension of sonable bystander can be your tenure and the mecha- reasonably informed that nism for that is through the there is a real possibility Governor General, acting of bias in the tribunal,” he on the advice of the Prime argued, adding that the LoMinister after consulting cabail test “must be applied the leader of the Opposi- to all the circumstances of tion.” the case”.

Mr Munroe said there “Unfortunately, because was a “difference in pay of our constitutional conand benefits between sit- struct, your ladyship enjoys ting Supreme Court judges tenure up to an age. Howand retired Supreme Court ever, the extension is given judges”. “As to the law, it by the Governor General is not an application based on the advice of the Prime on actual bias but of poten- Minister, moving from the tially perceived bias,” the approval/advice of the Julawyer clarified. dicial Legal Commission The attorney said that to the Governor General/ the case of Locabail (UK) Prime Minister.

Ltd Regina v Bayfield es“It is also a fact that retablished the test for how muneration differs between judges are to deal with such a serving Supreme Court

judge and a retired judge.

Personally (speaking) that is unsatisfactory but that is our present constitutional state.”

Mr Munroe said that the court’s extension application to the Prime Minister “creates a great awkwardness”, regardless of whether the court ruled against or/ in favour of the respondent. However, he stressed that the motion “is not because of anything the judge has done but because of the constitutional construct”.

Fred Smith, QC, lead counsel for Save The Bays, responded that the judge has been “actively managing, for years, a plethora of applications that have devoured a huge amount of judicial time”. Mr Smith said that despite the assurance that the Prime Minister was not seeking automatic recusal in the matter, the case being relied on calls for it.

“The entire basis of the Prime Minister’s application is that there is an appearance of bias. The basis is that there is a remuneration the court stands to gain or lose and the only basis upon which the court can be asked to recuse itself is on apparent bias. We submit that the Prime Minister is asking the court to automatically recuse itself based on the appearance of bias,” Mr Smith said.

The STB counsel stressed that the case of Porter v

Magill has dealt with this issue as well as that of Dimes v Proprietors of Grand Junction Canal, where in the latter instance, the Lord Chancellor had forgotten that he had had shares in the company that was a part of the litigation.

“Our position is that your ladyship has no pecuniary interests in this and should continue hearing the matter. The fact that you’ve applied for an extension pursuant to Article 91(1) is not relevant. There must be a direct interest in the outcome of the proceedings,” Mr Smith said.

“The facts in this case do not give rise to bias. The executive’s involvement in the extension of a judge’s tenure does not necessarily affect a judge’s independence or impartiality. If there is any potential bias, it would be in the favour of the respondent (Prime Minister) which is why Save The Bays has waived its right to challenge any perception of the same.”

Mr Smith said based on the argument made on behalf of the motion, “the Prime Minister does not make the claim that this court has a direct pecuniary interest, he’s inviting the court to broaden that test”.

Mr Smith stressed that the current action is not a claim against the Prime Minister personally but as the holder of the office,

“the office is the subject of the proceedings”.

The Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, now called Save the Bays, has waged a long running court battle with Mr Nygard over the construction/development activities at his Lyford Cay home, which stem from allegations that the activities have led to substantial growth of the property.

The group claims that the Lyford Cay resident has almost doubled the size of his property, from 3.25 acres to 6.1 acres, since he acquired it in 1984, by allegedly reclaiming Crown land from the sea. The advocacy group has alleged that Mr Nygard achieved this without the necessary permits and approvals, claims that have been denied by the fashion designer.

In 2015, Justice Bain was asked to recuse herself from committal proceedings involving Mr Nygard through a notice of motion filed in the Supreme Court by his former lawyer, Keod Smith, on the grounds of bias. However Justice Bain later ruled that Mr Nygard had not proved there was evidence of bias or apparent bias towards him and found the accusations to be “scandalous”.

The Court of Appeal has affirmed Justice Bain’s rejection of the application in an appeal of the decision by the Lyford Cay resident.

BUTLER-TURNER’S GRASSROOTS BID A SHOCK TO REBEL SEVEN MP from page one

The MP said yesterday: “Loretta Butler-Turner is operating as though she is speaking on behalf of the seven of us. She’s not; she’s doing things and has been doing things for some time without consultation of the group and giving the impression that we don’t know what the hell we’re doing.

“I don’t know what she’s is talking about, and I’m

very concerned that she’s creating the perception that there is a consensus among the group of seven to do certain things or make alliances with certain groupings and we have absolutely no foreknowledge of these things before we read about them in the press. It’s becoming extremely disheartening, because it is not my intention to cause any lack of confidence in her, but at this juncture her utterances are really causing conclusions to be drawn not just

about her but the entire group.”

The MP continued: “It’s unfair for us to be portrayed as though we are participants in her discussion and we know absolutely nothing of which she speaks.”

The Tribune began canvassing the seven MPs after this newspaper obtained a confidential email that was sent out by the Long Island MP over the weekend. Two who could be reached yesterday declined comment on the

HALKITIS DEFENDS COMMENTS ON VAT SPENDING DESPITE PREVIOUS LOANS from page one

Last Tuesday, while addressing PLP supporters on the first night of the convention, Mr Halkitis suggested that the revenue collected from VAT was spent on various state initiatives under the Christie administration.

He said the government spent “millions of dollars” on roads, facilitated a new fleet of aircraft at a cost of $100m, invested in a new fleet for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force at a cost of $232m and several million was spent to fund repairs after both Hurricane Matthew and Joaquin. “That’s where the VAT money gone,” he said repeatedly.

However, yesterday Mr Halkitis admitted that VAT money was not actually spent on those projects but rather he said the money would be used to “service those loans”.

“Theoretically for every $100 in the consolidated fund, $30 of that is VAT

money but we do not have anything specific to say ‘this is what the VAT money is spent on’ or ‘we are using the VAT money for this.’

All government revenue goes into the consolidated fund and that money is spent where needed,” Mr Halkitis said.

“I was not being disingenuous. Yes, we borrowed the money for the new Bahamasair fleet but we negotiated that loan and had to advance $44m to Bahamasair before the loan came through and until the loan is paid off we will be using VAT money on that.

“I think I was very clear: loans are being serviced from the VAT money. The loan has to be repaid and it will be repaid through VAT money. My intention was not to mislead anyone; it was to say to the people when we implemented VAT it would put us in a position to better service the country. The system we had was inadequate and because we added VAT, we can now provide. I had ten minutes speaking to a convention, I

could not explain it fully but the intention of VAT was to better provide services and I said here are some of the things we are now able to do.”

Last week, Mr Halkitis also said money from VAT is being spent on building new schools. When pressed on the accuracy of this, he said yesterday: “We are building new schools, we are currently building in West End Grand Bahama, Lowe Sound and San Salvador Primary. Those are the three new ones that come to mind immediately. They started work at A F Adderley so we have to spend about $12m to build a new classroom block in A F Adderley but we have to gradually replace the whole school. So the government spent money to start construction (on) new schools and, if they have not started the construction, they started clearing and groundbreaking.”

Nearly $1 billion has been collected since the implementation of VAT in January 2015.

CASE OF $31,000 THEFT FROM CARNIVAL TO BE HEARD BEFORE NEW MAGISTRATE

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE trial into the alleged theft of $31,000 by former employees of the Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC) will now be re-heard before another magistrate in March.

Benjamin Lightbourne, 26, and Kendyce Ferguson, 34, were due to return to Magistrate’s Court no 10 for the continuation of their case before Magistrate Carol Misiewicz concerning allegations of stealing the occurred between March 16 and 23, 2015.

The matter had been adjourned from November due to the magistrate’s absence.

When the matter was called last Wednesday, Magistrate Constance Delancy revealed to the pair that the initial magistrate is no longer in that capacity and as a result the case would have to be re-heard on March 17.

It is alleged that Lightbourne and Ferguson on March 16 stole $24,404.43 belonging to the BNFC, situated on Collins Avenue, to which they had access at the time as a messenger and an accountant respectively.

They are further accused of stealing $6,852 a week later.

The total amount $31,256.43 - was reportedly stolen through cheques that were drawn in the name of one of the employees who cashed them at a local bank.

Lightbourne and Ferguson, who are on $15,000 bail, maintain that they did not commit the offences, for which they can face a fine and/or up to five years in prison if convicted.

The accused have retained Ian Cargill and Terrel Butler to defend them.

Police prosecutor ASP Clifford Daxon is prosecuting the case.

matter. Mrs Butler-Turner did not return calls placed up to press time.

The confidential email read: “We, the magnificent seven need your assistance.” In the email, Mrs Butler-Turner forecasts an independent movement of election candidates to rid the country of the status quo in governance. She also solicited the help of social

media experts, graphic artists, thinkers, innovators, change agents, musicians, and volunteers.

Noting that there was still work to be done, the email outlines a symbol, the goatskin drum; a signature colour, blue; and a brand message, “a new evolution for our people, for our people”.

“If you don’t have anything concrete or firm to

communicate,” the MP continued yesterday, “just don’t say anything at all.

If you have not consulted your peers do not pretend to be speaking on their behalf. Ultimately we are seen as party to the confusion that is being created in the minds of the public, who are wondering what the hell we’re doing and we don’t know anything about it.”

PAGE 8, Tuesday, January 31, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Lost messages amid the sound and fury I

WATCHED bits and pieces of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) convention because I have to see and hear things for myself but that was pretty much all I could stomach.

It’s no wonder why every five years we end up with guinea pigs in government posts, when our approach to politics is what it is.

The mindless chants; the loud, sometimes lewd music; the screaming and wheezing because if your “leader” isn’t re-elected you’ll just lose the rest of your mind; the laughing like wild idiots; the pre-recorded “My God” and other audio inserts ... it’s just all too much for an actual progressive person to absorb.

A political party convention is meant to discuss serious business. It’s not a carnival. It’s not road fever.

When will you people realise that? You’re supposed to be joining together to make decisions that determine the fate of your country, primary to the celebratory carryings-on. But all I can see on my television are clowns on the stage and clowns in the audience.

I see people who look like they would die if they weren’t allowed to touch the hem of some deified politician’s garment, others who live to be gofers, and others who are as numb as a novocained lip not even sure what they’re doing there. You want to sit up in big time convention, being televised, then hide from the camera? I’m not saying you can’t enjoy what you think is an enjoyable occasion, but can you exercise whatever etiquette someone sensible would have once-upon-a-time instilled in you and be serious about

By NICOLE BURROWS

what’s at hand?

I can’t believe an intelligent man like Michael Halkitis would let himself be dragged into the madness of the moment, giving into a chant of “Das where da VAT money gone!” When you can get an upstanding man to play the part of a stand-up fool, maybe there’s something to be said for your coercion skills.

Nevertheless, in the words of young(er) Bahamians ... ‘Y’all tink dis a game, ey?”

Clearly.

Which of you can really afford to spend your time engrossed in these shenanigans? To those two captured on news audio hyperventilating for Perry Christie not to be unseated as leader of the PLP, what in the hell has he done for you?

Look around you. How are you living? How much education have you had?

How much money can you earn? How healthy are your meals? How regularly are your bills paid ... in full?

How are your children doing in school?

What opportunities do you have to build a better, more respectable future in which you and your offspring can take immense pride?

If you can’t answer all of these questions favourably, why you prancing around losing your mind over people who cannot elevate you, particularly on your own

Death Notice

JEFFERSON WILLIAM “BILL” PINDER, 85

Of Winton Estates, Nassau, died peacefully at his home on Sunday evening January 29th, 2017 after a long illness.

Bill is survived by his two sons, William Craig Pinder and Richard Perry Pinder and numerous relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.

you sing on the way out of the church and into the graveyard. They are right about one thing; the PLP, or more aptly, “the death of the PLP” is the only way to get to that place. Maybe I shouldn’t bother to make the distinction. Maybe merit? they’ll continue singing it In case you have political right up to Election Day amnesia or political cata- 2017, and it’ll be a selfracts, Christie and whoever fulfilling prophecy ... the else you’ve sworn your mis- last rites and the end of all placed allegiance to ain’t things for the PLP. doing much for you at all, But I know who isn’t certainly nowhere as much trying to meet the end. I as they should be. couldn’t help but notice But you continue to sit that in the speech Christie on the sidelines of life and gave at the ritual PLP conrant and chant like a crazed vention prayer breakfast, he person. You better be sat- made reference to his might isfied with the and endurance. thrill of that ‘Ingraham had “We have creminute because his signature ated since we that buzz and came to power, the $200-filled scribbled on notwithstandt-shirt is all you Atlantis, so ing a challenggetting out of you needed ing economy, the deal. over 31 thouThe only your signature sand jobs ...” positive I can scribbled on Power? Powattribute to er, Mr Chrissomething, too. the PLP is that tie? A less they are slightly Your legacy. power-hungry more organised Well congrats. and more inin their chaos nately humble Your name will than the Free leader would National Move- forevermore be have chosen ment (FNM). attached to the the more apAnd if they are propriate word up to no good, negativity people “office” inthey’re all up to think of when stead of power. no good togeth- they hear the “Power” may er. They didn’t make you feel words Baha Mar.’ have a leadermighty and acship meltdown complished and rile up your because they know they supporters, but the rest of best maintain the status quo us only hear the real you. if they want to continue to And there I go again, eat at the table of ill-gotten expecting the leopard to gains. change his spots. I must reAnd while I’m discussing ally be crazy to think any the ridiculousness of party leader of mine could have politics, at convention, let humility and be above reme add the ridiculousness proach, mustn’t I? Whatevof party politics at rallies er am I thinking? That’s not and ratifications. what they’re there for, is it?

The PLP is aware that the They’re there to wield City of Gold is a funeral- power over us ... and to type hymn, right? Specifi- tie another bloody anchor cally, it is favoured as what project to our feet, as if we

already couldn’t get out of our own way as a country.

Mr Christie, that anchor project idea was the most ill-considered decision you could ever have made for the successful development of this country. And no, “successful” does not include an unfinished, unopened resort. A smarter man would have recognised early in his illustrious 40plus years in public life that you need to diversify your income streams.

All your anchor projects have done is added an unbearable, unmanageable mental and economic weight to our country and our people, submerging them in a mindset that cuts off the circulation to their innovation and ability to see the world beyond the hotel, the tourism and the foreigner, as their main source of income.

And we can’t get out from under it now because in all of your illustrious 40-plus years in public life, you have assisted in providing us with nowhere else to go to be fruitful. By focusing on this obsession of yours to put one anchor project on every island, you’ve disregarded the utility, rather, the necessity, of multiple thriving industries.

But wait. I forgot. That’s exactly how this whole Baha Mar thing started wasn’t it?

Ingraham had his signature scribbled on Atlantis, so you needed your signature scribbled on something, too. Your legacy. Well congrats. Your name will forevermore be attached to the negativity people think of when they hear the words Baha Mar, whether or not it opens when you say it will. Just like your anchor projects plan hangs heavily on the ankle of your country, so too will the stigma of Baha Mar hang heavy on your ankle. And sadly, that is not all that will hang

heavy there.

At this juncture, in your illustrious 40-plus years in public life, you should be begging for someone else to take the reins of leadership in the PLP and set it on a new, more promising course. But you insist on staying seated in the chair of leadership until you can’t stand up anymore. What a sad day that will be.

Every sensible Bahamian of this era will remember the chokehold you and your cohorts have put on this country, over the last 40-plus years of public life which you have convinced yourself were given to the people for their good.

Hopefully, there will be enough of them with sense at the polls this year to outnumber the loud, lewd, screaming, chanting, misguided, die-hard supporters of the PLP. On that note, I have a multipart question for Alfred Sears, who some regarded as a light at the end of the dark democracy tunnel in the Bahamas.

Mr Sears, how will you remain “a PLP” when the leadership you took effort and time to oppose still maintain the same corruptibilities and old politics you spoke out against and used as a part of your platform in your bid for leadership?

How will you continue to be a part of that? How can you continue to be a part of that?

And if you stay on with the PLP, does it say more about your loyalty to that party, or your inability to part with it on the basis of what you might stand to lose in political and other opportunity, if you walked away? Is that the effect of the Christie and the PLP “power”?

Comments and responses to nburrows@ tribunemedia.net

Media must act honestly and responsibly for good of the country YOUR SAY

By ROCHELLE R DEAN MASS communications in The Bahamas has become one of the most lucrative professions. In a world where everything is so desensitised, the country must hold its journalists and media personnel responsible for its woes and successes.

According to the World Economic Forum, in the past ten years the media has become the second most dishonest industry next to politics.

The Bahamas can longer be held hostage to media personnel who seek to mislead, misguide and misinform the Bahamian people because of their personal perspectives, political aspirations, activism and entrepreneurial pursuits. The media must - once again report facts that will assist in promoting fairness, truth and objective thinking.

This allows our politicians, entrepreneurs, busi-

ROCHELLE Dean ness professionals and the Bahamian people at large to be well informed, productive members of a developing nation on its way to prosperity.

The Bahamian people must demand media personnel employ professionalism in their field and not use information privy to them to advance their own agendas. This promotes unethical work practices and a style of reporting that is not only dubious but also very damaging to the development of the country.

The Bahamas must begin to channel a means to

a sustainable future - and it’s the responsibility of the media to aid in removing the “derivative” by simply stating the facts. This will allow transparency, accountability, openness and the opportunity for political leaders, community activists, entrepreneurs and a working class citizenry to promote and derive better socio-economic standards of living for the nation at large.

This also gives researchers access to accurate data, which aids in proper development strategies that impact the country’s National Development Plan.

The Bahamas must encourage expert journalism and not honour induced social climbing and celebrity.

The Bahamian people must be led to appreciate concentrated knowledge and fieldwork which will progress the nation. The country can no longer sit back and allow the media to distract its people or deter local and

international investors from investing in it.

The Bahamas must expect the media to foster good relationships with the people to allow trust to be established, making it easier for information to be disclosed that can assist in the implementation of effective policies, the legislating and amending of its laws and the economic development of the country.

Poverty alleviation begins with media responsibility.

• Rochelle R Dean is a Bahamian scholar, research fellow and peer-reviewer and a theory writer of economics presently completing a Bachelors of Science dual degree in economics and public administration with Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia. She is an Empower Women Global Champion for Change with UN Women. Comments to dean_rochelle@ yahoo.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 31, 2017, PAGE 9

Minnis dismisses claims of purge of members of Ingraham administration

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis on Friday brushed off claims by former FNM Cabinet minister Phenton Neymour of an attempt to purge the party of those individuals who served during the previous Ingraham administration.

Dr Minnis, in an interview with The Tribune, said he will not be “sidetracked”, and is more inter-

ested in “purging The Bahamas of (Prime Minister Perry Christie) and his PLP government”.

Dr Minnis was responding to claims made by Mr Neymour on Thursday following the FNM’s selection of Navarro Bowe as the party’s candidate for Exuma, despite him reportedly receiving significantly fewer votes than Mr Neymour during a vote of the executive council in Exuma.

On Thursday, Mr Neymour, who served as min-

ister of state for the environment and South Beach MP in the last Ingraham administration, said he was not surprised that Mr Bowe has been chosen to be the party’s candidate for the Exuma constituency. He added that he figured the “writing was on the wall” given the small number of “Ingrahamites” who have been nominated candidates and/or executive committee members under Dr Minnis’ leadership.

To validate his claims, Mr Neymour said that out

of the current 32-member executive committee of the FNM, which selects the candidates, just five served under Mr Ingraham.

Additionally, only a few politicians who served in an Ingraham administration have been nominated by the FNM for the next election, such as former Education Minister Desmond Bannister and former Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Housing Brensil Rolle.

When asked to respond to the claims yesterday, Dr

Minnis said: “At this particular time I am focusing on purging The Bahamas of Christie and his PLP, purging The Bahamas of victimisation, and bringing transparency, honesty and integrity back into this country. That’s what I’m focused on. I’m not going to be sidetracked by anything.”

“I see the finish line, and I’m running for the tape,” he added.

According to party insiders, Dr Minnis received a signed petition

by over 300 FNM voters last year stating that they wanted Mr Neymour to be their representative. The Tribune understands that three candidates, Mr Neymour, Mr Bowe and Joshua Sears were presented to the Exuma constituency association for the vote, with the understanding that whoever the association chose, Dr Minnis would ratify as the Exuma candidate.

Sources claimed that Mr Neymour received 67 per cent of the vote.

FIVE-YEAR LEASE RENEWED FOR AUTEC FACILITY IN ANDROS

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE government yesterday renewed its five-year lease agreement with the United States for use of the AUTEC facility in Andros.

The new agreement is valued at $11.28m per annum, a four per cent increase over the previous lease, according to Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell.

“This is an agreement between the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the government of the United States concerning the US defence facilities in The Bahamas and it was originally signed in 1981,” Mr Mitchell said.

“In 2000, an implementing arrangement was signed between our two countries and it has been renewed subsequently every five years. The present agreement ended on the 26th of January 2017 and this new agreement will last until January 25, 2022.

He added: “This is very important not only for the defence arrangements of the Western world and the testing which goes on there,

THE SIGNING of the AUTEC lease renewal yesterday, as the signed leases are exchanged between Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and US Chargé d’Affaires Lisa Johnson of the US Embassy.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff importance of the facilthe new commander there ity as well as supplying fuel but I think also for the local TEC facilities which I had Andros community which ity, particularly noting the who arrived just the week to the health clinics and to not heard about previously AUTEC supports and we role it played in assisting before Hurricane Matthew. emergency vehicles so that but was over $50m worth look forward to continued with post-hurricane efforts. I heard from him firsthand they could response in the of damage from Hurricane co-operation from the two The facility sustained more how during the hurricane aftermath of the hurricane. Matthew. They are doing a than $50m worth of damage they supported the local “I also heard about the good job in the rebuilding, countries.”

US Embassy Charge from Hurricane Matthew, a community in Andros is- nearly 200 Bahamian em- and I’m happy to sign the land by providing fresh ployees who are employed agreement for AUTEC to d’affaires Lisa Johnson category four storm.

“I visited AUTEC last drinking water that was at AUTEC and saw the stay on Andros for another yesterday supported Mr Mitchell’s emphasis on the week,” she said. “I met with made on the AUTEC facil- damage firsthand to AU- five years.”

LIBRARY NAMED AFTER PASTOR

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A MEMORIAL has been held in honour of the late Pastor Wilbur Outten, who was laid to rest last week in Freeport.

Prime Minister Perry Christie attended the dedication and naming of the Wilbur Outten Public Library and Community Centre at the Eight Mile Rock gym over the weekend.

Pastor Outten, 62, of Freeport Bible Church, was a well known religious leader in the community who was instrumental in establishing the Pastors’ Forum.

Mourners attended the funeral service of Pastor Outten on January 21. He was described as a visionary for spearheading and setting up the Pastors’ Forum, which is comprised of a group of church leaders and pastors, that sought to address social issues in Grand

Funeral Service

Lori (Eleonore) Whitehead 93, née Wallner of Camperdown Heights, died peacefully at her home on January 23, 2017.

At 8:30 a.m.

FROM left, Cecil Thompson, retired undersecretary in the Ministry of Grand Bahama; Pastor Lindy Russell, pastor of Zion Baptist Church, EMR; Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville, Tanya Outten, Pastor Outten’s daughter; Prime Minister Perry Christie, and Barbara Outten, wife of Pastor Outten.

Funeral Service will be held at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Shirley Street, Nassau on Thursday, 2nd February, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.

Bahama and the country.

Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville described Pastor Outten as a great religious leader who helped displaced individuals. “His community service through Freeport Bible Church has always been a hallmark for other minis-

Father Anselm Russell will officiate.

tries to follow,” he said.

Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest also paid tribute to Pastor Outten who was a mentor to him. “We lost a very fine visionary in Pastor Outten, and his contributions will be missed,” he said at the service.

SWISS COLLEGES VISIT TO ATTRACT STUDENTS BAHAMIAN teachers, residents and students will have an opportunity to meet some of the world’s most respected educators when a contingent representing the finest schools and colleges in Switzerland visits Nassau this week.

Representatives of The Swiss Learning group will offer three levels - boarding school for high school and preparatory students, hospitality schools of higher education and gap year programmes and summer camps with multiple language learning choices.

“We are very excited to have educators of the calibre of those representing the Swiss Learning group, visit the Bahamas,” said Tanya Espinosa Feuz, who is helping to co-ordinate the highly-anticipated visit.

“Swiss Learning symbolises the highest standards of excellence in education is a group of 11 high schools which are endorsed because they have met specific criteria. Each member

THOMAS SCHÄDLER, director of the Collège du Léman and former principal of Lyford Cay International School. school must meet the highest standards for the learning process and experience, ranging from low student to teacher ratio to a multilingual education in a safe and secure international environment that engenders fresh ideas and critical thinking.”

Summer camps are open to those aged seven and older and all offer a choice

of languages as part of the curriculum, with Italian, French and German among the choices available. Activities such as sports, horse riding, arts and music, photography, fashion and design, leadership academy are also proposed. Students can also enjoy excursions in Europe and Switzerland which are also included in the summer camp offer. Among the visiting educators will be a familiar face - Thomas Schädler, director of the Collège du Léman, who was formerly principal of Lyford Cay International School.

A busy schedule for the three-day visit has been arranged, including assemblies and meetings at several junior high and high schools, official courtesy calls and a presentation and social hour at Old Fort Bay Club on February 2, where Christian Coquoz, honorary consul of Switzerland, will be guest of honour.

For more information contact bahamas@swisslearning.com.

She was pre-deceased by her father, Erwin and mother, Eleonore and is survived by her two sons, Peter and Thomas, two daughters-in-law, Judith & Analia, grandchildren, Sandra, Peter, Phillip, Sofia, Rory, Alannah and Tessa, great grandchildren, Finn, Harrison, Toby, Oliver, Maria-Exuma, Alexia, Matias and Frankie, her brother , Adolf Wallner, numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

Lori was born Mar. 5, 1923, in Zceliz, Slovakia, (Hungary) and in her early teen years moved to Salzburg, Austria to the little village of Niederalm with her entire family . She lived through the war in Salzburg Austria, which had been annexed by the Germans during World War II. She worked in a “Forced Labour Camp” during the war where they manufactured ammunitions. Her three brothers were enlisted and went to war and got as far as the Russian Front. She met John Whitehead after the war, fell in love and married him three months later.

They then moved to England where they settled and a year later moved to Nassau Bahamas in 1948. They lived in Gambier (New Providence )for many years.

Her grandchildren and daughters-in-law called her “Mima”. She was a wonderful, kind, loving woman. She was an avid rider and started a riding school with Lady Greta Oakes and then ran the riding school herself for many years in Nassau and then finally on Paradise Island for the then owner of Paradise Island Mr. Huntington Hartford. She taught many kids to ride and always had kids surround her. She took care of them all. She taught Harry Belafonte as well as Sidney Poitier to ride.

She was the first lady to win the “Ladies Race “ in a Photo Finish on the horse named “Bahamian Gal” which at the time was a sensation at Hobby Horse Hall race-track. She taught all of us how to sail, snorkel, spearfish and encouraged us to play music.

Mima had a very strong faith and was a devoted Catholic throughout her life. She will be remembered by all those that she came in contact with.

We will all miss her very much.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Ranfurly Home for Children, P.O. Box N. 1413, Nassau, in memory of Lori (Eleonore) Whitehead.

Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited, 19 Palmdale Avenue, Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, January 31, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Samaritan’s Purse aims to help 20,000 children this year

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SAMARITAN’S Purse Operation Christmas Child Bahamas has touched hundreds of children’s lives with shoebox gifts and their goal is to reach 20,000 children throughout The Bahamas this year.

OCC is one of the largest projects of Samaritan’s Purse, which is an international relief organisation headed by Franklin Graham. The programme provides free gift boxes and

educational booklets to children ages 2-14 throughout the world during Christmas time or shortly thereafter.

OCC Bahamas was launched six years ago. So far, the project has been held in Grand Bahama, Nassau, Abaco, Exuma, Andros, Long Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, and a small percentage in Cat Island.

“We are still reaching out to children who have not received a shoebox gift throughout the Bahama Islands. This year, our goal

is to reach 20,000 children, adding the islands of Bimini, Cat Island and Inagua, while completing the coverage in islands we have already started,” said a local spokesperson.

In addition to distributing shoebox gifts, OCC conducts a 12-week discipleship course called The Greatest Journey (TGJ) to help the children become better, productive citizens.

Over the weekend, over 160 individuals from churches throughout Grand Bahama participated in

Ministry Partner and The Greatest Journey (TGJ) training at the Access Training Centre on East Sunrise and Coral Road on January 27, and at A Social Affair Convention Centre on January 28 from 9am – 2pm.

The spokesperson said the mission of OCC is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world.

“Operation Christmas Child Bahamas is pleased to be a part of this worldwide programme and believe that this partnership

would only help us to be better citizens in caring for and disciplining the youth of our nation,” the spokesperson added.

The National Leadership Team is comprised of National Coordinator for the Bahamas Karen Armbrister, National Discipleship Coordinator Charlene Wright; National Church Mobilisation Coordinator Shervin Green; National Prayer Coordinator Mervin Henfield; National Logistics Coordinator Raymond Simozne, and National Resource Coordinator Har-

veyann Newbold.

There are also regional leadership teams on the various islands, consisting of four to six members, reflecting the NLT positions.

Ministry Partner and The Greatest Journey Discipleship trainings will continue through March and distribution events will be held in February and March.

Churches interested in participating in the programme can make contact at info@karazim.com or on Facebook: Operation Christmas Child Bahamas.

Celebration of excellence

at D.W.Davis

JEROME FITZGERALD, Minister of Education, Science and Technology taking a “selfie” with students of D.W.Davis Junior school.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

YOUNGSTERS at the assembly at D.W.Davis Junior School yesterday.

PRIME Minister Perry Christie pictured taking the first seat on D.W.Davis Junior School’s new bus.

D. W.Davis Junior School Honours Assembly under the theme ‘Conquer the Odds - Let’s Celebrate Excellence’.

PRIME Minister Perry Christie with D.W.Davis principal Nicolette Brown as they cut the ribbon of the school’s new bus.

STUDENT GIVES GIFTS TO KIDS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE

A KIND-hearted sixth grade student from Andros has brought joy to displaced children from Lowe Sound Primary School in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew by presenting gifts at a special assembly at the North Andros school.

Cognisant that these are tough times and that children are hurting and may not know where to turn or how to ask for help, the founder of Dolls and Trucks for Tots in Andros, Hannah Edomwonyi, head girl of Nicholls Town Primary School, set up the charity in December to solicit donations of toys.

The occasion brought joy and hope to the school population after Hurricane Matthew led to many of the children losing their homes, pets, cherished personal items and toys. They saw firsthand collapsed and damaged buildings, including their school and familiar surroundings.

Ms Edomwonyi told the children who had lost their homes she could not understand how they felt because in Nicholls Town she was not affected as much.

“Only you can tell me what it feels like,” she said. “So I would like to encourage you all to stay strong and never give up.

And finally, enjoy the

HANNAH EDOMWONYI, head girl, Nicholls Town Primary School and a displaced student of Lowe Sound Primary School, Andros. (2nd line from left) Cardinal Woods, Principal, Nicholl’s Town Primary School and; Ta’Rah Neymour, Principal for Lowe Sound Primary School, North Andros toys and Merry Christmas from Dolls and Trucks for Tots.”

She also thanked Roberts Furniture in Nassau for agreeing to be a collection point for the charity, Jack Moree of Sandy’s Ltd for his donation of toys, Terrice Curry of the Ministry of Education for her assistance in the drive, Nicolette Archer and the students of St Anne’s School for their donations and others who supported the cause.

In attendance at the assembly were Leonard

Dames Jr, assistant administrator for North Andros; Michelle Bowleg, chief district education officer for North Andros, Central Andros and the Berry Islands; Gabrielle Romer, chief district social worker for North Andros, Central Andros and the Berry Islands; Ta’Rah Neymour, principal for Lowe Sound Primary School, North Andros; Cardinal Woods, principal for Nicholls Town Primary School; and Rev Fr Jude Edomwonyi and April Edomwonyi, parents of Hannah.