01312023 NEWS AND SPORT

DAVIS: STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS

PM hits back at FNM leader over calls for reshuffle

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis insisted yesterday that he has no plans to shuffle his Cabinet at this time after calls from FNM leader Michael Pintard for him to do so, saying the opposition needs “to stay out of my business”.

Last week, Mr Pintard told The Tribune that it was quite evident that several ministers in the Davis administration are unsuitable for their portfolios

INSURANCE INCREASE ‘INEVITABLE’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune

Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday accused the government of being “penny wise and pound foolish” over the imminent change in VAT treatment of health insurance claims payments, saying it would inevitably lead to increases in rates.

IT’S SHOW TIME FOR CHISHOLM

and should be reassigned or replaced entirely.

He listed Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears and Housing and Transport Minister Jobeth ColebyDavis as the main ministers who need to be removed from their ministerial posts effective immediately and also called for Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey to be assigned a different role.

Yesterday, Mr Davis was asked by The Tribune to respond to the FNM leader’s calls.

PINTARD CALLS FOR REPORT ON COLEBY-DAVIS INVESTIGATION

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said the government is duty-bound to give a complete report into the police investigation of claims made against Housing and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis.

This comes after Police

Commissioner Clayton Fernander revealed on Friday that there is “insufficient evidence” to proceed with investigations into claims made against the Elizabeth MP.

Mrs Coleby-Davis has repeatedly denied claims that she assaulted a police officer with her vehicle at a Carnival event in May last year.

NEW AIRPORT AMONG INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED FOR CAT ISLAND

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

CONSTRUCTION for a new airport on Cat Island should begin no later than May, Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis revealed yesterday.

“The way it’s looking, we should be able to have shovels in the ground no later than May of this year,”

he said.

Mr Davis, who is also the MP for Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay, spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the opening ceremony for a new passport office on the island yesterday.

The new terminal will be located in New Bight, Cat Island.

As for the Arthur’s Town airport, Mr Davis said there

NEW AIRPORT AMONG INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED FOR CAT ISLAND

will be renovations to the airstrip and also the terminal in the coming months.

“I intend very shortly to renovate the airstrip in Arthur’s Town and the terminal. That’s going to be done as quickly as possible because we’re about to start major renovations within a few months for the extensive expansion of New Bight airport,” he said.

“All of the engineers and the architects and whatever is necessary to ensure that so that’s why we came down for the town meeting tonight to get that out of the way and the work can start within months.”

Mr Davis added. “And the work up here should be starting very soon to ensure that whilst that’s going on, we will have Arthur’s Town available for flights coming in. I also want to say that Arthur’s Town airport ain’t closing either.

“We will be renovating it to ensure that we’re able to accommodate persons who want to be here and to come to the north because of the cost coming from the north to the south and from the south to the north.”

Mr Davis also foreshadowed upcoming roadworks for Cat Island.

“We intend to — there’s about over 60 or 70 miles of road that needs paving, you’ll see today the hot mix plant because we’re going to have asphalt roads from north to south, about 60 to 70 miles of that and the asphalt plant arrived this morning. It’s going to be set up soon and work on that should be starting immediately on the fixing of the roads,” he told reporters yesterday.

Following yesterday’s

ceremony, Mr Davis and members of the media toured the site where a 130ton asphalt plant will be located.

The project has a twoyear timeline. Other sites that were toured by Mr Davis and his delegation yesterday included the island’s clinic and Cat Island community park, among others.

The park will be home to a 400m track, refurbished basketball, and new baseball field, while major upgrades are also scheduled for the island’s clinics.

PASSPORT OFFICE IS OPENED ON CAT ISLAND

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Phillip Davis returned to his constituency yesterday to open Cat Island’s first passport office in a move that was welcomed with open arms by residents there.

He was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell as well as other government officials.

Mr Davis, who brought keynote remarks at yesterday’s opening ceremony, hailed the event as a fulfilment of his government’s promise in ensuring that all Bahamians have equal access to important governmental services.

“It’s really good to be home and today, let me just say that we are opening a satellite office for the passport office, but this is more than just that,” Mr Davis said.

“It’s about a vision. It’s about fulfilling promises and it’s about ensuring that we move what I call the inequities of services that

plague our archipelago.

“It’s not because of (a lack) of will to get it done, but it’s quite frankly because of geographical makeup.”

Mr Davis added that The Bahamas was not Nassaucentric and noted that every Bahamian deserved to have access to the same services, while committing his administration to doing just that.

“We’re an archipelago having to duplicate services all around our country, particularly 29 population centres and all of them deserve the same access to the services that they get in the capital,” he added.

“That’s my commitment and that’s what we intend to do. It’s becoming more achievable because of technology. Technology is allowing us to do more for the delivery of services in our Family Islands as we would’ve done in the past.

“And so, we who are now here in this technological age have a duty to ensure that we do what is necessary

to remove all of the inequities that we who are on the family islands suffer.”

Mr Davis said he knew firsthand what it’s like to be disadvantaged and not have access to essential services like electricity.

He also admitted that while the office opening was “five years late, it’s better late than never.”

“In 2016, we implanted a system where residents on Cat Island could get their birth certificates and so the

next step was getting the passport office open. It’s about five years late, but better late than never,” the prime minister later told reporters.

Mr Mitchell also delivered similar remarks at Monday’s event and told Cat Islanders he was happy for them.

In his speech, the minister remembered the Progressive Liberal party’s mandate to ensure that all islands have equal economic development and said the Davis

administration was devoted to fulfilling those promises.

“When (Sir) Lynden Pindling and his colleagues became the government of The Bahamas in 1967, they made a pledge to the country that the country would be served by a government that provided services across the country for all of the population centres equal to another,” he said.

“So, the job was whatever happened in New Providence should be replicated

in all of the population centres in the country equally. There are 28 or so population centres across the Bahamas from north to south and we have had the job of trying to fulfil that promise.

“So that’s our job. We are in the second generation now and our job is to make sure that that promise is carried out.”

The island’s new passport office is located in Arthur’s Town.

SCENES from Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ visit to Cat Island yesterday.

Photo: BIS

Davis: Stay out of my business

from page one

He replied: “My response is that they should stay out of my business. Stay out of my business. It is my administration and I determine who is best fit and suited for the advancement of the vision that we have to achieve.

“We have a Blueprint for Change. We are on track to fulfilling those commitments and promises we made, and I would determine who will do that. Not them.”

When pressed by this newspaper on whether he was considering the matter, he said not at the moment.

“Even if I am, that’s not their business right, and at the moment, there is no consideration for this moment as I stand here, for the reshuffling of Cabinet,” Mr Davis said.

However, Mr Pintard does not agree. “There are several ministers that seem to be in conflict (with) their previous occupation and how that intersects with the ministry that they now oversee,” Mr Pintard told The Tribune last week.

“I believe that is a reflection on the effective management of the prime minister. He has been ineffective in managing various ministries. He has had to intervene in multiple ministries to hit the reset button for various ministers.”

With respect to Minister Sears, the opposition said he lacked “bold, honest and effective leadership”.

“He has (on) no less than eight occasions been untruthful to both the Parliament and to the general public when questioned and, therefore, he has a fundamental

credibility issue, and he has only confessed when the public was presented with unreachable evidence,” he claimed.

Mr Pintard was referring to controversy surrounding Mr Sears’ conflicting statements over the Bahamas Power and Light fuel hedging issue.

Mr Pintard noted that Mrs Coleby-Davis likewise needed to be fired for several reasons.

He claimed that in addition to her showing a “spirit” of arrogance since being elected, she has also not followed the law with regard to several processes.

This, the FNM leader said, was evident when she issued hundreds of taxi plates without gazetting the candidates among other things.

As for Ms Moxey, Mr Pintard said while the minister showed much promise, the party believed a more experienced person would do better in the role.

“We believe that obviously she has some promise, but certainly Grand Bahama is a very complex island and it requires a stature of leadership that presently is not there,” he added.

“...There is tremendous outcry in Grand Bahama at that moment.”

It is not unusual for a prime minister to reassign roles to ministers in their Cabinet after assuming office.

Back in 2018, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis reassigned four Cabinet portfolios just 14 months after being elected to government.

He said at the time that the decision did not mean that he had lost faith in any of his ministers, but rather to give them more exposure.

PINTARD CALLS FOR REPORT ON COLEBY-DAVIS INVESTIGATION

from page one

However, in the days following the alleged incident, the Police Staff Association released a statement saying the officer involved retained an attorney as he had to seek medical attention for injuries and was then discharged.

Mr Pintard has previously urged the Prime Minister to present the facts regarding what allegedly took place between the Cabinet minister and police officer.

“The government is duty bound to give a complete

and candid report on the nature of that investigation, on whether or not they have questioned the minister herself (JoBeth ColebyDavis), the officer who was (allegedly) assaulted, and the numerous witnesses that were present,” Mr Pintard said yesterday.

“Secondly, the government should release all of the videos that they have in their possession (of) the incident. As we are aware, that videos were in fact taken of some dimension of this incident,” Mr Pintard continued.

He noted that despite the

FALSE CLAIMS ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVER PERMITS

CLAIMS circulating on social media were dismissed yesterday by the Ministry of Labour and Immigration.

A message was circulating that claimed Minister Keith Bell had announced asylum for all Haitian migrants threatened by the current situation in that country, and that there would no longer be a need for work permits.

In a statement yesterday, the ministry said: “This information is false. In fact, on Friday past, 27 January, 2023, Minister Bell held a press conference in which he categorically stated the opposite.”

The statement continued to say that Mr Bell had declared that existing and new permit to reside applications for Haitian citizens would only be

considered on a case-bycase basis with approval only in exceptional circumstances - and that no new work permit applications for Haitian citizens would be processed until revised protocols are introduced to authenticate Haitian government and police documents. All existing permits, applications and renewals would be subject to vigorous scrutiny.

The statement added:

“The government of The Bahamas is resolute in its commitment to protect its borders and enforce its immigration laws... the minister also issued a stern warning to all undocumented migrants in The Bahamas to leave the country as soon as possible otherwise they will be deported.”

public’s “low” expectation of investigations, the police chief has a duty to share the specifics of the matter.

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis has previously defended Mrs Coleby-Davis, saying he was satisfied with her account of what happened that day.

“I’ve spoken with the minister and I’m satisfied of her explanation to me and to others,” Mr Davis said previously.

At a press conference at police headquarters on Friday, Commissioner Fernander revealed that

the officer in question is expected to return to work.

The Marco City MP, however, claimed that the police officer was under “tremendous pressure” to abandon his story.

He said: “We (the FNM) understand that the officer was under tremendous pressure to abandon his story, and the average citizen when in any conflict with persons in authority, particularly at a ministerial level, faces tremendous scrutiny and pressure.

“What is also true is that the very same minister (JoBeth Coleby-Davis) that

is involved in this incident has had a pattern of behaviour that suggests that not only is she above the law, but that she lacks supervision by the Prime Minister.”

He also said: “She (JoBeth Coleby-Davis) has been accused by no less than the taxi union who have had private conversations with her and she’s been accused of issuing in excess of some 600 taxi plates without following the proper procedures required by law without gazetting the issuance of those plates.

“And we are aware that the Prime Minister has

called for persons within her ministry, who work in close proximity to her, to be suspended. Yet we do not have any detailed report on what role she played in the saga that has affected a number of other persons surrounding her,” he said.

“Thirdly, she launched a subdivision without providing the appropriate documentation in Pine Crest. The very same documentation that was the basis for her and the Prime Minister cancelling a previous project started under the previous administration.”

Nurses chief hopes for end to PMH woes

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AFTER the Prime Minister toured Princess Margaret Hospital and admitted the facility was at a “crisis” point, Bahamas

Nurses Union president Amancha Williams said she hoped the walkabout will bring a quick resolution to the problems at the facility.

Several wards are currently being renovated at PMH.

“I hope that the Prime Minister’s walkabout will bring a quick resolution to our issues in the hospital because he has firsthand (view) of what is happening,” Ms Williams said. “I hope that the pressure will be placed on the architects, the builders, that the

timeframe of completion will be on an urgent scale and will be done quickly, no later than June or May.”

She said she has been calling attention to PMH’s structural issues for years.

The Progressive Liberal Party has been in government for almost two years.

I have been on numerous occasions speaking to various news (media), The Tribune and The Guardian, in reference to the condition of PMH. PMH is run right down to the ground,” Ms Williams said. “We can no longer do business in a facility like that,” she said. “In order for our patients to receive a standard of high level of care, until death or until delivery of birth we have to put our people in a better place.”

She also said: “When you

put people in the atmosphere to work and work in poor working conditions, what is your expectation?”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis gave a frank assessment of the hospital’s condition on Saturday, admitting PMH is in a state of “crisis,”.

“We were hearing about it. We were seeing the news about it, but to come and walk and experience it is truly heart wrenching to see what we have today but we will fix it — we are fixing it,” he told reporters.

PMH has seen an influx of patients recently, with Ms Williams recently telling this newspaper that the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department had no space to keep some patients. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael

Darville has asked the public to “please bear” with his ministry as officials seek to address bed shortages at PMH and also carry out repairs at the facility.

PMH also received negative headlines after the recent death of Kenise Darville. The mother-of-three went live on Facebook from her hospital bed complaining about negligence at the facility shortly before her death. The allegations are being investigated.

The news sparked public outcry and prompted others to share their allegations of poor treatment of the facility.

Asked if she thought the tour was for public relations after the complaints, Ms Williams said she did.

She said she hoped the “poor conditions” at the hospital will spur Mr Davis

into “quick action” to ensure the country has a new hospital by 2025. She also said she hopes the money that was

allocated years ago to refurbish deteriorating wards but was never utilised is now used to keep the facility up to standard.

BRASS AT ITS BEST

THE Bahama Brass Band held a live concert, titled “That Will Be Glory, Sounds of Harmony #9”, under the patronage of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and his wife, Ann Marie, on Sunday at Jubilee Cathedral. Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey was also present. Several residents were recognised and awarded for their outstanding contribution to the community. Many attended and supported the event. The Bahama Brass Band was founded in 1925 by four ministers of the Gospel, with its chief goal being to proclaim the Gospel of Christ via the medium of music.

‘NO SURPRISE’ AT INCREASE IN SEX CRIMES, SAY ACTIVISTS

it was a 15 percent increase over 2021.

When contacted for comment, Prodesta Moore, president and founder of Women United, said she was not surprised by the 2022 crime statistics on rape.

She said the number of rape cases in the country are possibly even higher noting some cases just haven’t been reported.

“The report that the commissioner recently released in my opinion, is not surprising. As a matter of fact, I’m under the assumption that the numbers might even be higher. Because we know that a lot of cases

are unreported. People are afraid to go and report sexual violence, offences, especially as it relates to violence,” she said.

Commissioner Fernander said eight of the victims were tourists, while 39 percent of the victims knew their assailant.

Ms Moore said many rape victims do not have access to resources when dealing with such traumatising situations, especially when the the assailant is known to them.

She described the increase in sex crimes as “alarming”, adding that so many young women are being negatively affected.

“It continues to alarm me and I know it’s going to continue to increase. And

the reason why it’s heartbreaking to me is because this continues to happen. When you damage women, when you damage our girls, you’re damaging a country. Women need to be protected, we are the bearers of children, we take care of the families. This needs to be a priority, women need to feel safe and be protected. And the laws need to be in place to ensure that happens.”

Asked what the government could do to address sexual violence against women, Ms Moore highlighted the gender-based violence bill that has yet to be implemented by the government.

She added: “We have had the gender-based violence

draft bill proposed since 2014/2015. It has all the recommendations for the government, they just need to take the recommendations and implement them. Table the gender-based violence bill. Get the bill activated and moving. There are so many solutions in that bill that the government can adopt.”

Additionally, police reported that there were 139 unlawful sexual intercourse cases - an 11 percent increase over 2021 numbers.

Commissioner Fernander called the sex crime numbers alarming during Friday’s press conference and pleaded with parents to keep a close eye on their children.

He added that the unlawful sexual intercourse victims were typically young women under the age of 16.

For her part, Equality Bahamas director Alicia Wallace said the increase of sex crimes was “predictable”, noting that reports of sexual violence were increasing throughout 2022 and the government failed to act with urgency.

Asked about the 11 percent increase in unlawful sexual intercourse cases, Ms Wallace stressed that children should not be blamed for sexual violence against them. She continued: “The language used in the reports of sexual violence is misleading. Using

‘unlawful sexual intercourse’ to describe rape is minimising and contributes to victim blaming. People under the age of 16 cannot consent to sexual activity, so it is sexual violence and, in the case of sexual intercourse, it is rape. We need to use appropriate terms and understand that children are not to blame for sexual violence against them. The men who prey on girls need to be specifically targeted and charged.

“Sexual violence against women is a part of the structural issue of genderbased violence that must be addressed through legislation, policy, programmes, and services that respond to the needs of the at-risk and impacted people.”

The focus has been on “punishment” too long rather than resources to prevent sexual violence, Ms Wallace said.

“Focus has long been on punishment, but resources must be allocated to the prevention of sexual violence. This includes comprehensive sexuality education in all schools at all grade levels, ensuring that young people understand consent and bodily autonomy, and that they know how they can safely make reports when they see signs of sexual violence.

“Parents and guardians need to be educated so they do not train their children to ignore their own instincts. Children need to know what is and is not appropriate, and to be assured that they will be believed and will receive assistance when they report. That a large proportion of rape is perpetrated by people known to the survivors is an indication that there is no safety in familiarity,” Ms Wallace said.

AMANCHA WILLIAMS, Nurses Union president.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Photos: Vandyke Hepburn

‘Focused police approach is right for domestic violence’

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe said he agrees with the police commissioner’s “aggressive and focused approach” to domestic violence.

He suggested the proposed buildings for the police force’s domestic violence unit and victim safe houses may encourage more victims to speak up.

Mr Wilchcombe told The Tribune yesterday: “We’re very pleased. We’re also pleased that the aggressive and focused approach of the commissioner and the Royal Bahamas Police Force in dealing with matters that have been long outstanding and have gotten the attention required.

“The commissioner of police and his team have

COOPER: 7 MILLION AND COUNTING AS TOURIST NUMBERS ON RISE

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

VISITOR arrivals to The Bahamas, which exceeded seven million last year, are expected to be even higher this year due to stronger branding for the country, according to Chester Cooper, Minister of Tourism, Aviation and Investments.

In a press release yesterday, he announced that The Bahamas saw a “total 7,000,706 visitors” in 2022, which he said was no accident.

“The fact that we have exceeded expectations and attracted more than seven million visitors to our country in 2022, something only done once before in a single year, was no accident,” he said.

“Countless stakeholders in the Bahamian tourism industry, including our international partners, worked tirelessly to achieve this. We sought to strengthen relationships to open new air routes. We sought to make travel to The Bahamas easier, more accessible, and affordable and took the message that we were open for business during our missions and provided insight on our wonderful offerings to the world,” Mr Cooper said.

“According to statistics the second half of 2022 outperformed the second half of 2019,” he said

Mr Cooper also said that the last six months were the

strongest The Bahamas has ever seen.

“What the Ministry of Tourism, Investments, and Aviation are forecasting so far and what forward bookings indicate, is that we are on track to break records in 2023. We don’t see this slowing down anytime soon,” Mr Cooper said.

Latia Duncombe, Director General of Tourism, added that tourism is critical to the economy, which affects all Bahamians.

“We are all in the tourism business in The Bahamas. And it’s a great business to be in. We want to keep our brand fresh and evergreen. And that’s everyone’s job, especially mine. I have a great, hardworking team at our ministry and we have some incredible things in store this year,” Mrs Duncombe said.

In 2022, 1,470,244 visitors travelled to the Bahamas by air, while another 5,530,462 visitors arrived by sea, the press release said.

“Nassau and Grand Bahama were most popular destinations by air, while Nassau and the Berry Islands were more popular destinations by sea. Foreign air and sea arrivals for 2022 were up by 233 percent over the same period in 2021 and just 3.4 percent shy of record arrivals in 2019.

“December 2022 saw total arrivals eclipse 900,000 visitors, more than any month in our history.

been incredible. From the day he took office, he immediately began the process, in fact met with me a week later and the process began to secure the right place, or should I say the right places, to provide assistance and shelter for cases of domestic violence,” he said.

“(It is) extremely important. I think what we have not paid attention to, and this is a difficulty I see, too many of these serious issues are not discussed. We cannot fix the problem sometimes, because we are not aware. We cannot get to the bottom of issues if no one is talking,” Mr Wilchcombe said. “We can’t cause for the country to have a greater understanding, if it’s not in the forefront. So we are raising these issues, because we have to deal

with it, if we want to better our country. Let’s cause people to walk away from and remove themselves from such incidents,” he said.

Mr Wilchcombe said those who will occupy the safe houses will be determined on a case-by-case basis by both police and Social Services.

“It is usually predicated upon collaboration with the police and Social Services. We look at the situations and the nature of the case. Every case is evaluated,” he said.

“You have to provide shelter for the individual that is being assailed, particularly if there is a case history... Predicated upon the state of the individual and, of course, the incidents,” Mr Wilchcombe said.

This follows Police

Commissioner Clayton Fernander’s comments on Friday at a press briefing, where he mentioned the progress of the domestic violence unit office.

“That will be coming. We have already identified a building. We have already drawn up the contract with the landlord,” Commissioner Fernander said.

“Social Services, the Crisis Centre has already visited and agreed for the building and for safe houses for victims all in one general area and that should be coming on stream within another week or two. We have already identified a building, just waiting for approval for that building,” he said.

Commissioner Fernander also mentioned that the soft opening of the building for the firearms task force will take place on Wednesday.

“Cruise arrivals in 2022 increased by nearly 400 percent over 2021 and were less than one percent below 2019 cruise arrivals,” the press release said.

“Air and cruise arrivals monthly from July to December 2022 surpassed the corresponding month in 2019. Occupancy rates for 2022 eclipsed occupancy rates for every corresponding month in 2021. The average daily room rate in 2022 outperformed that category for every corresponding month in 2021.

“The Bahamas carved out new ground with more than 55 percent of first-time arrivals to The Bahamas, with increases in the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East,” the press release said.

Photo: Moise Amisial

MINISTER of Social Services and Urban Development Obie Wilchcombe.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper pictured during his visit to Pelican Bay on Friday. Mr Cooper yesterday announced there were 7,000,706 visitors to The Bahamas last year.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

The Tribune Limited

Pintard puts Davis in quandary over reshuffle

THERE is something of a political game going on between the leaders of the two major parties in our country at present.

Uninvited, Opposition leader Michael Pintard suggested that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis reshuffle his Cabinet.

He named two ministers – Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears and Housing and Transport Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis – who he said should be removed immediately.

He also said Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey should be assigned elsewhere.

Mr Davis has said it is none of Mr Pintard’s business who he assigns where in the government. And he’s right – to the extent that it’s all of our business to some extent how the government manages the business of the people.

But by challenging Mr Davis to shuffle specific roles, it puts Mr Davis in something of a pickle.

Naturally, he would not want to be seen doing what Mr Pintard had suggested – doing the bidding of the Opposition is a political non-starter.

So if he had been wanting to reshuffle his Cabinet, does he now find himself stuck had those names been on his list of changes?

There is, it must be said, no indication that Mr Davis was planning such a move. He said yesterday: “Even if I am, that’s not their business, right, and at the moment, there is no consideration for this moment as I stand here, for the reshuffling of Cabinet.”

Whether he should be doing so is a different matter.

Question marks hang over Mr Sears over his handling of advice on fuel hedging at BPL which has ended up costing us all more in our pockets. It is also his misfortune that it is his department tasked with updates on the long-delayed Village Road roadworks project, though he will doubtless be cheered to have seen yesterday that the asphalt road covering is finally in place, albeit with large trenches still open off to the side of the road itself.

For Mrs Coleby-Davis, a declaration by Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander of insufficient evidence in the investigation over claims she assaulted a police officer with her vehicle at a Carnival event last May have not prevented Mr Pintard from demanding a full report on the matter yesterday. Mr Pintard cited videos that were reportedly taken at the time and the apparent medical attention sought by the officer.

Perhaps more pointedly in political terms, there is disquiet over the number of taxi plates issued by the Minister of Housing and Transport, with the taxi union unsettled and concerns of too many taxis on the road spreading too few fares between them.

As for Ms Moxey, Mr Pintard claims she lacks the experience needed in Grand Bahama. Ms Moxey herself acknowledged an early “misstep” over branded bags with her name on being handed out to children at a back-toschool event last year, but last week there were mixed feelings over her performance among residents spoken to by The Tribune. Some said she was doing an excellent job, some said otherwise.

There may be merits for relocating each of those involved – perhaps the most in peril being Mr Sears whose slow path to transparency over BPL mired him in claims he had misled Parliament, which should be a resigning offence let alone a reshuffle.

But if Mr Davis had been minded to shuffle his pack, he will not be inclined to be taking up Mr Pintard’s recommendations.

He likely does not care in the slightest what Mr Pintard thinks – but a time will come when a realignment might focus his government, and problems over taxi plates and slow-moving roadworks are hindrances rather than help.

As for the ministers themselves, they have to put such hurdles behind them – difficult to do when matters remain unresolved.

Whenever the time comes for Mr Davis to make changes, it will be interesting indeed to see where they might come.

Business Licences

EDITOR, The Tribune.

PLEASE allow me space in your daily to voice a concern.

Has there been an amendment to the Business Licence Act? This burning question is being asked because it has become very frustrating for the small man to receive a renewal of licence.

The previous administration made tremendous strides in helping small business owners obtain their Business Licence via the online portal. They went a step further and removed the fees for businesses with a yearly revenue of under $100,000.

All licenses expired December 31, 2022, and it appears that somewhere along the way things changed.

Renewal requirements have changed to a point that it is almost impossible to obtain a licence for a small business. Are we as a nation forcing the small man to conduct business illegally?

Who went to bed and woke up with this unrealistic spectrum of requirements?

Is it even legal for a Government Corporation to make such drastic changes without such changes being approved by Cabinet and Gazetted? Why is it necessary for a Profit and Loss statement, Real

Clinics should not go cashless

EDITOR, The Tribune.

KINDLY permit me to offer my comments in respect to remarks made by the Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville that the Public Health Clinics will be going cashless.

To say that I am disappointed is an understatement.

The last place I would have expected the government to implement a no cash policy is at a public health care facility. It would be a tragedy if such a policy is also implemented in the Family Islands.

The government ought to know full well that such a policy will present hardship for many indigents and further marginalise the elderly and the unbanked.

of policing or handling cash is no excuse to restrict the public choice of payment. If a department is having difficulty managing or accounting for cash transactions, the first remedy is to improve its internal controls and accounting and if there is evidence to support theft, then prosecute.

Because a particular payment method requires greater administrative effort and security does not in my view warrant the wholesale elimination of its use or acceptance.

The Health and Wellness Minister would have a difficult time convincing me that the non-acceptance of cash at government health care facilities is in the greater public interest.

In the creation of a reasonable public policy governing the provision of health care, it ought to be irrelevant whether an individual is going to pay with debit card or cash, especially if they have the means and the willingness to pay.

Let them pay with the legal instrument of their choosing and let them move on with their recovery.

Property Tax Assessment, Bank Statement and other such items to be presented before a licence for a nail technician, a hair braider, beautician, lawn maintenance/gardener, and other such entrepreneurs (many that were born out of the COVID-19 crisis), can be granted a renewal?

Many of these persons are barely making ends meet and need to continue operations within the scope of the law. Please do not allow these persons to become lawless. Come on - let us be real. Let it make sense.

VANESSA SCOTT, JP Nassau January 30, 2023

There should be no obstacles, economic or otherwise, placed in the way of citizens seeking access to services offered by a public facility, especially services at a public facility, providing publicly funded health care. If an individual wants to pay for services using cash or a debit or credit card, it should be the individual’s choice. And this should be the case at all government facilities.

An individual seeking medical attention at a health care facility should not be required to go to a private vending machine to convert cash into a voucher to receive medical attention. Health care is not a service to be accessed through a vending machine. This is just plain insensitive and wrong.

The fact that a government agency is incapable

And simply telling me that this is common practice (cashless facilities) around the world is not a good reason, nor should it guide public policy creation in The Bahamas.

As a matter of fact, department heads ought to be made to focus their attention on expanding the availability of public services and the means by which these services can be accessed through multiple means and methods. This should be the mandate given down by the government.

Administrators ought to also be reminded that while they may have the authority to implement policies and regulations to efficiently and effectively carry out their department mandate, the measures adopted ought to be reasonable and balanced, having primary regard to what serves the best interest of the public interest.

The primary concern of a health care administrator ought to be getting the individual on the road to recovery not the individual payment method.

While I am not opposed to the promotion of noncash transactions at public facilities, I am opposed to making it a policy that only non-cash transactions will be entertained at a public facility, especially at a public facility providing medical care.

The time has come for government to state its policy position on public facilities not accepting cash. After all it is the government that prints and circulates cash bills.

If the government remains silent on this issue then it will be taken that the recent announcement by the Health and Wellness Minister, represents the government’s position with respect to non-acceptance of cash at government facilities.

CLAUDE B HANNA

January 29, 2023

Lack of support

EDITOR, The Tribune.

TODAY I had the good fortune to attend the State Recognized Funeral of the Hon. Mr Justice Roger Keith Gomez, Sr (Ret) and was baffled with the lack of support from the clergy, some who personally told me of Bishop Gomez‘ assistance to them in Barbados where he served as Bishop, and particularly the absence of the hierarchy of the Anglican Church. Is there a vale animus towards Bishop Gomez in the boycotting of his brother’s funeral that was

so conspicuous from the Leadership in the Anglican Church? What can be so important on a Friday for such absence?

Bishop Gomez attained the highest rank as Archbishop of the West Indies in this region, and is one of the most revered theological scholars in these parts, that in my opinion no Bahamian would ever achieve in our lifetime, and to be treated so shabbily is a disgrace to our Church. Where is the love and togetherness we speak about? What can be expected from the membership when they see such

naked behaviour from our leaders?

Maybe they all need to once again prostrate themselves on the altar of sacrifice and ask for forgiveness for their unfailing faults. Gentlemen you need to practice what you preach. The Gomez family is a highly respected family in the Anglican communion and the Bahamas and a Pillar at St Agnes Church for decades. What is the issue?

A STUDENT from Lyford Cay International School taking part in a Junkanoo performance on Friday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

Sugar tax? Where’s the fiscal strategy first?

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement blasted the government’s upcoming plans to introduce tax on sugar and excess salt, adding a legally mandated Fiscal Strategy Report has yet to be provided by the government. In a press statement released on Sunday, East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson, who is also the shadow minister for finance, lambasted the Davis administration’s planned implementation of new taxes.

“The FNM has been clear and unwavering on the issue of tax reform. As we have said repeatedly, before this government

can even begin to discuss new revenue measures, it must put forward a proper fiscal and economic plan to the Bahamian people that explains the context of any revenue proposal and shows reduced wasteful and unnecessary spending.

“It is inconceivable that this government is even talking about new taxes and has failed to provide the legally mandated Fiscal Strategy Report due in November 2022,” Mr Thompson said in a statement.

Companies that supply food and drink have also questioned the government’s plan to implement new legislation that will create a tax for sugar and excess salt as well as try to eliminate trans fats being imported into the country.

AMBASSADOR VISITS GB AND ELEUTHERA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AMBASSADOR Cindy

McCain, the United States Representative to the United Nations Agencies in Rome, travelled to Grand Bahama on Monday and was taken on a tour of the eastern part of the island.

Along with Winston Pinnock, Ambassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Agriculture Minister Clay Sweeting and Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey, she first went to Coral Vita for a tour of the coral farm.

Ambassador McCain was also taken to East Grand Bahama to view the memorial site at High Rock, and the farmland there that was devastated during Hurricane Dorian.

Standing at the site where several High Rock residents went missing during Dorian, Mrs McCain said: “It is so hard, especially when this is the only place that a family can go to mourn the loss because there were no remains of anyone.”

“What a disaster, and my heart goes out to every person that has either suffered a loss or loss property,” she said.

She added: “It’s heart wrenching to see what occurred to this island, and heart-wrenching that we are not as far long as we should be in the help we should be supplying to this particular part of the Bahamas,” she said.

“From what I understand, a majority of farmland was lost here. That would be something we would take to FAO and other organisations within and outside the UN system. Also, a public private partnership to help rebuild the land and agriculture that was going on here - and to make these islands sustainable.”

She recalled working on the ground during Hurricane Andrew and seeing the devastation of that storm.

“I have seen it before and the devastation that a category five (storm) can do to the land. So, I think probably what we are going to see is where my ambassadorship can be more helpful. But also reminding people that The Bahamas is open for business, and that is probably the best thing that I can do in my capacity to help put the Bahamas back on track.

Ms McCain said climate change is responsible for

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville unveiled the plans last week, but could not give specifics on what is being proposed.

Mr Thompson argued the government should be providing relief to the Bahamian people rather than increasing tax burdens on them.

He also questioned if the government has a plan in place to decrease the cost of healthy food to aid in making it more accessible.

“While the increase in the cost of unhealthy food does decrease its consumption, price decreases have a larger effect on diet. Where are the government’s plans to decrease the cost of healthy foods and provide help to those less fortunate to obtain healthy foods?

The FNM calls on the government to first implement subsidies for healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables before it increases the tax burden on working Bahamians. The government is once again putting the cart before the horse,” Mr Thompson said.

Mr Thompson stressed any “sugar tax discussion” should be secondary, noting a plan is needed by the Davis administration to address more important issues. He continued: “We need proper policies to improve the school food environment. We need a national commitment to providing healthy breakfast and lunch meals to all school-aged children. We need to strengthen monitoring of the school tuck

shop guidelines. We need a public awareness campaign in collaboration with the private sector and civil society.”

The FNM will not support new revenue measures by the government, Mr Thompson said. He suggested these measures are being taken to support the “extravagance and indulgent spending of the PLP.”

“This administration has been on a wild spending spree. It is spending additional millions of dollars on travel and on consultancies and contracts to any number of persons. Just look at URCA’s proposed budget for conferences, training, and travel in 2023, from $96,521 to $627,500 — an increase of 566 percent.”

“It has refused to follow the law and provide the

details on who is getting these contracts. The FNM will not support new revenue measures to fund the extravagance and indulgent spending of the PLP.

At the “same time, this government has raised taxes on the poor by reintroducing VAT on breadbasket goods, medicine and baby care items,” he said.

The FNM is still calling upon the government to provide a fiscal report. He said: “And prepare a comprehensive white paper on tax and fiscal reform that lays out what you intend to do for revenue and expenditure management for the country. Have a full dialogue with all Bahamian stakeholders. Only then can reasonable Bahamians give consideration to any new measures.”

what has happened.

“I look forward to being of any kind of help that I can be,” she said. “I have already given a few ideas. The US is a good partner, and we want to work with The Bahamas to continue the successes and help alleviate some of the tragedies that has occurred.”

“If we can work together on climate change, hurricanes like Dorian that hit these islands and others that have been devastated around the world, we can perhaps even lighten the load. We probably will never stop them, but we can at least lighten to the point that we don’t have this - devastating storm, which is what this was, and climate change is a large part of that.”

Ambassador McCain summed up her trip to The Bahamas as “uplifting and remarkable.”

She also visited Eleuthera and was impressed with the Island School, and One Eleuthera, an innovative experimental farm on that island.

“It’s been wonderful,” she said. “I come here in my capacity as US Ambassador to the UN Agencies in Rome, and we concentrate primarily on Food, Food Security, Agriculture, Climate Change, and more. And this has been a remarkable day. It’s been uplifting in many ways because I have seen the schools and projects that are really moving forward, including young people,” she said.

Agriculture Minister Clay Sweeting said Ambassador McCain’s visit went well.

“We spoke about how both our countries are making agriculture one of its main priorities. And not just agriculture, but climate smart agriculture and finding ways to get young persons involved in that as well,” he said.

“She was able to see some progress we made at the Island School and at Symonette Farm, as well as One Eleuthera, where they are doing cooling houses, which is a new integrated way of farming instead of just a greenhouse or outdoor farming.”

Minister Sweeting said Ambassador McCain and Ambassador Pinnock at FOA have been talking of how The Bahamas can work together to find funding or grants that can help in that sector.

“So, we are sharing the same initiatives and thought processes of where we need to go,” he said.

BAHAMIAN ALANNAH VELLACOTT, coral restoration specialist at Coral Vita, shows Ambassador Cindy McCain coral that is being grown in tanks at Coral Vita, the first land-based coral farm in the world.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

A landmark and the pioneer who created it

BEVERLEY’s Kitchen is one of the pioneering businesses on Carmichael Road, keeping up a long tradition of food, family and friends - celebrating the special things in life.

Long before it became the bustling area once dubbed “City 2000” by father of the nation, Sir Lynden Pindling, Carmichael was home to Beverley’s.

Beverley Duncan-Moncur-Walkes was a woman with a vision and a knack for making people happy with good food and good vibes. Her insight - moving into Carmichael when it was nowhere nearly as populated as it is todayhas allowed her to leave a business of substance for her descendants. Back in 1997 when the business first opened, it was known as M&M Restaurant. But just a few years later, it became Beverley’s - the name synonymous with homestyle Jamaican cooking in the Carmichael community.

Today, even after Beverley’s passing (August 25, 2017), her children, including Marcia, Careen and Briah are proudly carrying on her legacy. The pandemic hit many businesses hard, and Beverley’s Kitchen was one of them. However, the company recently rebranded and

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

made some changes that have poised it to rebound and succeed in this new path along its journey.

The well loved establishment is now called “Beverley’s Cafe”. The building’s interior has undergone a facelift. When you step in the cafe, expect bright colours, warm smiles, and the great food that patrons of Beverley’s have come to know. There is seating for about six people in the cafe, casual style - a welcome change after the pandemic resulted in a long pause in indoor dining.

Marcia and the Beveley’s Cafe staff are keeping Beverley’s legacy alive with her beloved Jamaica recipes, including oxtail, ackee and codfish, curry chicken and more, with the popular Jamaican rice and peas with a host of traditional side orders. But Marcia, who has spent most of her life in The Bahamas, is also promoting some of the Bahamian favorites added to the menu, including stew

fish and a variety of souse dishes including chicken, turkey, sheep tongue and pigs feet.

Beverley came to The Bahamas in the early 1970s at the invitation of her older brother, Rolston (Bunny) Roach (now deceased), and they lived in Freeport, Grand Bahama. She later migrated to Nassau, where she worked as cashier for Audley Kemp & Sons for 25 years of her life. Here, she gained invaluable experience in how to run a business. Eventually, she married Kenneth Walkes and together, food became their passion. Kenneth loved to cook Bahamian food and Beverley always won people over with delicious Jamaican dishes that she grew up preparing. Marcia recalls: “Both of them love food and together, they made some great tasting food magic!”

In these early days, Beverley and Kenneth started cooking and selling food on the weekends. For Jamaicans in New Providence, or those who simply love to eat Jamaican food, they would have to go to Centerville Food Market, buy the ingredients, and go home and make them.

Since then, Kenneth has served as head chef for Beverley’s for two decades. For those who know him as “Sir K”, they know they are getting some of the best souse they ever tasted.

‘Beverley’s family is committed to preserving Beverley’s legacy while focusing on growth.’

For this reason, this loving couple decided to put their heads together, put their hearts into cooking, and come up with a service for the community - Jamaican food on the go. It became so popular that eventually, they started cooking on weekdays as well.

When they first moved to the Carmichael area, they were still selling food from home. But with perseverance

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But there’s something else new about Beverley’s. A grocery section now provides lots of raw ingredients to make Jamaican dishes at home. For those who love sea moss and making the traditional Jamaica Christmas drink Irish moss and sorrel, Beverley’s has all the ingredients. Items like bammy (which is like a cassava pancake), goat cheese, Jamaican buns, hard dough bread, natural drinks like peanut punch and sorrel, spices and much more are available in the grocery area. Most importantly, the new face of Beverley’s includes the introduction of Juici Patties. In Jamaica, they are the biggest name in patties, and Marcia hopes they will catch on here as well. You can buy them already warm individually, or purchase a box. Flavours include meat loaf, beef, soy, callaloo leaf, shrimp, vegetable and chicken. The frozen patties can be popped into the oven and enjoyed within minutes. This move represents an expansion and the new face of Beverley’s.

Beverley’s family is committed to preserving Beverley’s legacy while focusing on growth - listening to the needs of the community and meeting them. She has traveled the world; but somehow, she still finds her way back home to the Bahamas, and she sees why Beverley decided to call this country home.

“I have moved away a

few times, but for some reason, I always return because I love this place,” Marcia said of The Bahamas.

“I went to school here. Most of my friends and family are here. Our business is here, and I enjoy the fact that I live in a small country where I know and have access to our leaders. Yes, we have some issues - like the health system, crazy BPL bills and bad roads - I am hoping we can resolve these in my lifetime. But that said, I still believe this place is Paradise!”

Marcia was a young girl when Beverley started cooking and serving food from her two bedroom apartment on St Georges Park in Rolle Ave.

“She would cook weekdays and weekends and I would walk and catch the bus to deliver food to Audley Kemp & Sons on East and East Street South, and Trixies and Economy Bus company in Centerville, and elsewhere,” Marcia shared. “There were many famous patrons who would come and sit and eat all the good old curry goat, oxtail, soups and more. A few Prime Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers, attorneys, doctors, business people and neighbours all patronised us.”

What makes Beverley’s special is that as a company, they wanted to serve - and bring together - Bahamian and Jamaica culture.

“We were one of the first Jamaican restaurants in Nassau to sell authentic

alongside a full Bahamian menu,” she explained. “Everyone was selling one thing. We decided from early on that we wanted to serve both cultures, and people really gravitated to it.”

Once in their main establishment on Carmichael road, the business grew to host seating for 50 patrons at a time. They also ran a second location in the Astoria hotel for a time in the 2000s.

When Beverley died in 2017, her family came together and made a decision to work to keep the business alive the way she wanted, so the legacy would continue.

“Sir K is still the head cook; and I, along with my cousin Careen, daughter Briah, brother Pablo, sister Nat, and our wonderful staff - Benny, Ella, Monalisa, Paul and Simone all make it happen,” Marcia said.

“We didn’t disappoint her, the family stuck together and kept the business going because it’s what we knew. The restaurant business has been in our blood for generations, going back to our great grandmother who migrated from Cuba to Jamaica. She owned restaurants; and Beverley’s is family owned and operated. My brother and daughter are also involved here so we are three generations strong!”

Beverley’s Cafe and Caribbean Mart have hit it off well in the Carmichael community and nationwide, as patrons have dubbed it “Little Jamaica”. From the cooked food to grocery items, Marcia and her family put a little bit of Beverley flair in all they do, the key ingredient being “love”. Visit them at 259 Carmichael Road, Whatsapp or call (242) 448-9753.

Beverley’s is now closed on Sundays and open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. Food and groceries can be ordered ahead at www.beverleys242.com.

BEVERLEY DUNCANMONCUR-WALKES, top, founder of Beverley’s Kitchen, and Marcia Duncan, who is helping keep Beverley’s legacy alive.

MARCIA’s nephew Matthew enjoys a Juici Patty at Beverley’s Food Mart.

MARIE, a regular patron at Beverley’s Food Mart.

JAMAICA’s national dish, ackee and codfish, is a favourite at Beverley’s Cafe.

Could supply of tanks to Ukraine be a turning point?

AS the first anniversary approaches of the worst conflagration on European soil since the Second World War, there has been widespread reporting in the international media this past week of plans by Western countries to supply tanks to Ukraine. With differing numbers being bandied about, the latest information from Kyiv’s ambassador to France is that “numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver 321 tanks (to Ukraine)”.

The Peter Young column

Of these, the US pledged last week to provide 31 M1 Abrams tanks while the UK earlier agreed to send 14 of its Challenger 2s; and, after months of deliberation and negotiations with its NATO partners, Germany has also decided to

supply its Leopard 2 tanks. Other European countries, notably Poland but also France, Spain, Norway and the Netherlands – as well as Canada -- are also considering how to participate in this. The West appears to be seeking to bolster Ukraine’s Soviet-era tanks with more sophisticated and effective ones to increase its attacking options as it gears up for an early spring offensive.

To the layman, the big issue is how effective all this is likely to be in helping Ukraine to achieve its strategic objective of forcing Russian forces out of its territory entirely – including from Crimea and the Russian-occupied areas in the east - while the other main concern internationally will

WHAT MOTIVATES POLITICIANS?

IN WRITING last week about the sudden resignation of Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister of New Zealand, I suggested it might be interesting to look at what inspires people to seek political office.

It is the case, of course, that some are driven to participate in politics by ideas about a better way to organise society, by faith in certain values or ideals and an irresistible desire or even compulsion to fight for these and turn them in to reality. Often it can simply be a matter of being filled with benevolence towards one’s fellow human beings and a belief that one can do some good, with altruism and a desire to serve one’s community while helping to improve the lives of others and promoting some cause or interest. Or is it for reasons of status and vanity to exercise power over others and impose one’s will and ideas, and thereby make oneself feel important in accordance with the natural longing people have for what philosophers call self-affirmation and a need to remind others of the significance of one’s existence? Or, again, is it for cynical and practical reasons of greed to help one’s own business in some way and an opportunity to make some money?

Politics is invariably about a competition for power and resources in order to solve social problems for the common good, get things done on behalf of a community, protect the environment and encourage enterprise or improve public services. It means representing hundreds or thousands of constituents in a legislative body where you

contribute to the passing of laws that affect everyone else or in high government office where decisions are made about the running of the whole country; and above all it affirms the identity and existence of those exercising it who are thereby leaving a mark on the world around them. There are also the perks of high office which those concerned have every right to enjoy.

Some people want political power because they think they know best and want to dominate and establish maximum control over others. But that can develop into tyranny and dictatorship and often involves force – as China’s first communist leader, Chairman Mao Tse-tung, is reputed to have said, “political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”.

All political power gives the holders an opportunity to confirm, day in and day out, their own existence and this satisfies the desire to be important and appreciated which, as Dale Carnegie wrote in his seminal book “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, is the deepest urge in human nature. However, no politician will ever admit to running for office only because of a desire to assert their own importance. Instead, they will claim it is their sense of responsibility towards the community that compels them to take on the burden of high office. Of course, no one suggests that the need for selfaffirmation is essentially reprehensible since most human beings long for recognition and approbation. But the cynics maintain that that is invariably a stronger

motivation than a commitment to public service.

None of this is to belittle the genuine committed politician who has built a reputation as a caring and dedicated constituency “servant of the people”, committed to helping sort out the problems of individuals. But it is well understood in political circles that success requires a desire for power and influence and this in turn needs a ruthless approach to acting in one’s self-interest that may include excessive ambition.

It is said that the art of politics is to avoid making enemies and to recognize the importance of conciliating opponents on non-essential issues in order to get consent and cooperation on major ones.

In her book “The March of Folly” which I wrote about last month, the American author Barbara Tuchman commented that the lure of political office and power can far too often stultify a better performance of government because legislators always have an eye on re-election. People disagree about what is good for society, so politics involves conflict, and that requires compromise. Thus, all too often, their guiding principle is to please as many and offend as few as possible rather than formulate policy according to their best judgment after objective analysis of a particular issue. That lure of political power is all too real and few will leave high office prematurely unless they are forced out. In the case of Jacinda Ardern, who knows? But perhaps the “real” reasons for her

SUPREMACY OF PARLIAMENT

LAST Friday was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It commemorates the killing of six million Jews and millions of others by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945.

In the UK, January 27 is a national commemoration day dedicated to the same remembrance.

In reading reports about this, I found it interesting to discover that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has now promised a new law which will allow a Holocaust memorial centre to be built next to Parliament.

He told MPs that, after campaigners had won a legal battle in the High Court to overturn planning permission for this new

national memorial, the government would legislate to ensure it was built.

The campaigners had earlier challenged planning permission in the High Court on the grounds that, in accordance with legislation dating back to 1900, the land for the proposed memorial and learning centre must be used exclusively as a public park.

The UK government has said it is committed to building the memorial next to Parliament as a reflection of the project’s national significance.

In a huge and heavily populated city like London, it is important that the laws which stop public parks from being built on should

be whether this escalation by the West could bring about new retaliation from Russia including the use of nuclear weapons.

Military experts have said that tanks represent the most powerful offensive weapon provided so far to Ukraine. Heavy modern weaponry has been pouring into the country, but could tanks now be a game changer?

Germany was said to have refused initially to contribute weapons to Ukraine amid fears of retaliation and because of its dependence on Russian gas. But, as it has reduced substantially its use of this imported gas, it has increased its supply of arms to help Ukraine defend itself.

The answer by the experts seems to be ‘probably’ but not ‘instantly’, partly because the tanks themselves will be delivered at varying times. In the face of Russian military might and numerical advantage, the tenacity, bravery and patriotism of the Ukrainian armed forces – assisted by NATO weapons and military equipment, especially the American HIMARS rocket system which is said to have been vital - has enabled the country to survive so far; and, most importantly, the unity and resolve of the West in providing such support has not weakened. The general view of the analysts is that the supply of tanks could tip the balance in Ukraine’s favour.

Meanwhile, the received wisdom in some NATO capitals appears to be that Moscow’s constant threats to resort to nuclear weapons are designed to intimidate the Western alliance. But they are considered to be hollow and largely just rhetoric because of Putin’s fundamental fear of mutual destruction following massive retaliation by the West.

Some commentators suggest the public needs to see a detailed analysis of the official assessment of all this in light of statements like the one made recently by the Russian ambassador to Germany who warned that the “dangerous decision” about tanks “takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation”. There have also been reports of Russia warning that the supply of tanks is “evidence of growing direct involvement of US and Western allies in war”, and that instead of “pumping weapons” into Ukraine the US could be helping to work towards a ceasefire and peace negotiations – even though, of course, this ignores the fact that responsibility for the conflict lies directly with Russia because of its invasion in the first place.

Many believe that the public needs reassurance that the balance between the undoubted need for continuing military support and the danger of escalating the conflict by supplying tanks has been adequately considered and weighed – and that the dangers of this escalation will not, in the best judgment of Western leaders, lead to wider warfare.

Such has been the drive for NATO unity over the issue of tanks, it has been surprising how commentators in the media have apparently ignored the sensitivities of German involvement. They seem

to have been reluctant to examine properly the reasons why the country has been dragging its feet over agreeing to supply its own Leopard 2s for use in Ukraine while it has been pressed from all sides, not least by the US, to co-operate.

Germany was said to have refused initially to contribute weapons to Ukraine amid fears of retaliation and because of its dependence on Russian gas. But, as it has reduced substantially its use of this imported gas, it has increased its supply of arms to help Ukraine defend itself. Reportedly, a majority in Germany fear that military assistance to it risks provoking war with Russia that could include the use of nuclear weapons. But it is now clear that Russia is in effect not just fighting Ukraine but much of the civilised western world. In view of its role as Europe’s largest economy and, in effect, paymaster of the European Union and member of NATOas well as producing and exporting the vast majority of heavy tanks in Europe - Germany cannot now escape its responsibility to play a leading role in the Ukraine crisis. However, as other countries continue to press for further action, its concerns about escalation through supplying tanks are understandable given the weight of history involving war guilt that is felt particularly by modern-day German leaders. So surely nobody should be surprised at the German Chancellor’s refusal to go it alone or become the central facilitator in supplying such battle tanks.

This is an important subject which, depending on developments, might be worth examining further next week.

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be respected, and the courts provide protection for that through their interpretation of the law. But, in any dispute, the ultimate authority must rest with Parliament as the elected representatives of the people.

In this case, the overall balanced view of the project – taking into account all relevant considerations including its size – seems to be that it should proceed.

To my eye, this is another example of the supremacy of parliamentary sovereignty in Britain. The government is prepared to try to change the law to ensure this project should happen – and the courts cannot overrule legislation.

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THIS image from the Polish Defense Ministry shows Leopard 2A4 tanks at the military rest range in Zagan, Poland, in 2013 - of the kind being offered to Ukraine.

Pelican Bay Resort renovation is ‘good for Grand Bahama’

By DENISE MAYCOCK

TOURISM arrivals have reached seven million for 2022 in figures revealed so far, according to Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation Chester Cooper.

This figure comes close to the record setting year of 2019 when the country recorded 7.2 million visitor arrivals.

While in Grand Bahama on Friday, Mr Cooper said: “I am happy to say that yesterday we got our unofficial new numbers of tourism in The Bahamas. And even though we will be announcing on Monday (January 30), I am happy to give a sneak peek today and let you know that the year 2022 we recorded arrivals across the country of approximately 7.01m tourists.”

“And to put this in perspective, in 2019 it was 7.2m and that was a record setting year.”

Mr Cooper also said the tourism stats indicate that “Grand Bahama is on the move”. The minister attended the opening of $4m newly renovated suites at Pelican Bay Resort. Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey was also present.

He commended Magnus Alnebeck of Pelican Bay for his hope and confidence in Grand Bahama.

“I am delighted you have now renovated those 48 suites, and that 24 of those will be extended stays. I hope you do well with your revamped product,” Mr Cooper said.

“Your investment of $4m into your property is not just an investment, but it is a signal of hope in the economy and tourism industry here in GB, and I want you to know that the executives of Ministry of Tourism share that optimism when it comes to the future of tourism in GB.”

“They were around and about today, and the reports are very good. They all like what is here. There was a renewed or a new prospective of the product here on the island of GB. I think that is fair to say, and I see the deputy director general nodding and that should tell you the future really does look bright.”

He thanked Mr Alnebeck and his team for their support.

“This is a proud day for GB and a proud day for Pelican. I want to thank you and we hope in the very near term the signal you have given here with your new renovations will also happen with some of your neighbours,” he said, referring to the Grand Lucayan Resort, located just to the south, across the street.

Mr Cooper said they are about to relaunch the island of the GB as an innovation centre. He said they are expected to visit Canada to target technical personnel.

“I hope to be able to attract a lot of techies to GB who might decide to make GB their home for a couple

months at a time to enjoy the special environment we have. We hope to be able to begin this process next week as we visit Canada to talk about what I coin today as ‘Tech Tourism’.”

The minister said the new renovation at Pelican Bay is good for tourism on Grand Bahama.

“Thank you for building back better, for spending the money, and demonstrating with your cheque book that you are optimistic about the future. This rebuild and refresh is going to be good for tourism for the island of GB.

“We extend gratitude for the investment, gratitude for betting on GB, and for the confidence you displayed in future of tourism and future of GB. I can only say to you as competing properties that what is good for Pelican, is good for the neighbourhood.”

According to Mr Alnebeck, the 48 staterooms have been completely renovated. With this, the hotel property has now completed renovations to 75 percent of their rooms.

“We spent $4m for the 48 rooms. They are opened and most of them are occupied. We have 182 rooms in total and we have done 75 percent over the last five years.”

He said Pelican Bay never closes, even during the hurricanes.

“We stayed open in Matthew and Dorian, and we stayed open during COVID - that is what we are proud of.

“Not only do we not close down, neither do we run away with the insurance money. We actually spent it. Immediately after Dorian we had people sleeping in every room, we could possibly have opened even though we had a lot of damage. We started repairing and then gradually transitioned into more serious renovations,” Mr Alnebeck explained.

The hotelier said he used only Grand Bahama contractors to do the work and called on the government to consider doing the same with large projects on the island.

“Now as we all read in the papers these days there are all sorts of interest in GB, and we see the big boys from Nassau starting to be interested in construction, etc, here.

“So, since we have a lot of powerful people here, I want to remind them that we have some very good people in GB who can do this sort of work, don’t leave them out when the big things are happening here because there is no other stuff, and I highly recommend them.”

As for the Grand Lucayan Resort, Mr Alnebeck implored the minister to get the property sold and opened.

“Our minister of tourism is here which is fantastic, and we appreciate him being here. He is no stranger to

PB and stayed here very often. When I chatted to his wife, she reminded me that they like staying at PB, but lately ended up at another hotel in the vicinity. I said yes, I understand that your husband leads by example and that you should be staying in that hotel as long as he owns it, and that there is a very easy solution to that. Tell him to sell it as soon as possible and he could be back in PB. Minister, I hope you take that message and be back.”

Mr Alnebeck also noted that Pelican Bay does not receive any subsidy from the government.

“We are unable to borrow from our grandchildren and we still keep on going and going. And I don’t want to sound like (President) Reagan did in Berlin when - he said, “tear down that wall,” but it obviously worked. But I say the same thing, ‘please open that hotel for us Minister, we need it open’.”

Mr Alnebeck also called for the demolition of the old Arawak Hotel, which located on the Lucayan Waterway.

“I took some VIPs down the Lucayan Waterway and we went by the Arawak Hotel, and I got the question which hurricane closed that hotel down. I said it been closed for 30 years. And surely, we must find the owners and get them to tear down that place because it just does not look good with all the things that are going on here,” he said.

57-YEAR-OLD MAN ACCUSED OF RAPE OF 21-YEAR-OLD WOMAN REMANDED

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 57-year-old man was sent to prison yesterday after being accused of raping a 21-year-old woman earlier this month.

Gary Cooper faced Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain on a charge of rape stemming from

an alleged sexual assault against a woman in New Providence on January 14.

As this is an indictable offence, Cooper was not required to enter a plea yesterday.

He was told that his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

The accused was told that while the magistrate lacked the jurisdiction to grant him bail he had the right to apply for it in the Supreme Court. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until then.

Cooper is expected to receive his VBI on April 27.

ACCUSED GRANTED BAIL IN UNLICENCED FIREARM AND AMMUNITION CASE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted $7,500 bail in court yesterday after being accused of having a loaded pistol in New Providence last week.

Michael Johnson, Jr, 33, appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville on charges of possession of

an unlicenced firearm and possession of ammunition. Johnson also faced two counts of possession of dangerous drugs.

It is alleged that on January 26, police arrested the accused after he was found with a black G2C 9mm pistol with the serial number erased. He is also accused of having 12 unfired rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Johnson was also found with marijuana, police allege. In court the defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was granted bail, but ordered to sign in at Elizabeth Estates Police Station every Monday and Friday by 7pm. The trial in this matter is set to begin on March 27.

MAN FINED $2000 FOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO SUPPLY

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was fined $2,000 in court yesterday after admitting to having more than 10 ounces of marijuana.

Anthony Clarke, 38, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Police stopped Clarke in his car around 7.30pm on January 28 for suspicious behaviour.

When he got out of the car, the court heard Clarke was holding three plastic bags containing a grassy substance, which he attempted to eat before officers intervened.

In a subsequent police interview, the accused said he bought the drugs to

smoke. The marijuana had a street value of $840. In court Clarke pleaded guilty to the offence. The prosecution then revealed that the accused had a prior drug conviction from 2020 where he was fined $400. In view of this Magistrate McKinney sentenced Clarke to pay a $2,000 fine for his most recent offence or risk six months in custody.

PAIR WHO DENY VIOLATING BAIL ARE GRANTED BAIL BY COURT AGAIN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were granted bail in Magistrate’s Court yesterday after denying that they violated their bail conditions while on release for separate charges of attempted murder and armed robbery.

Samuel McCoy, 33, faced Magistrate Samuel McKinney on five counts of violation of bail conditions.

It is alleged that between

December 16, 2022, and

January 8 of this year McCoy was found in breach of his daily curfew five times. He was on bail for charges of attempted murder and attempted armed robbery at the time.

In court the accused pleaded not guilty to all charges and was granted $7,500 bail.

McCoy’s trial will begin on February 17.

The other man, Nathaniel Thurston, 20, also appeared before Magistrate

McKinney on three counts of violation of bail conditions.

It is alleged that between January 11 and 23, Thurston failed to charge his court imposed electronic monitoring device on three days. He was on bail for two armed robbery charges at the time.

In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted $5,000 bail.

Thurston’s trial is also set for February 17.

THE reopening ceremony for Pelican Bay Resort in Grand Bahama on Friday, at which Magnus Alneback, general manager, welcomed guests including Minister of Tourism, Aviation and Investments Chester Cooper, at the re-opening ceremony in Grand Bahama on Friday. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

59 killed and 150 wounded in Pakistan mosque bombing

PAKISTAN Associated Press

A SUICIDE bomber struck a crowded mosque inside a police compound in Pakistan on Monday, causing the roof to collapse and killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 150 others, officials said.

Most of the casualties were police officers. It was not clear how the bomber was able to slip into the walled compound, which houses the police headquarters in the northwestern city of Peshawar and is itself located in a high-security zone with other government buildings.

Sarbakaf Mohmand, a commander for the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on Twitter.

But hours later, TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani distanced the group from the bombing, saying it was not its policy to target mosques, seminaries and religious places, adding that those taking part in such acts could face punitive action under TTP’s policy. His statement did not address why a TTP commander had claimed responsibility for the bombing.

“The sheer scale of the human tragedy is unimaginable. This is no less than an attack on Pakistan,”

tweeted Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who visited the wounded in Peshawar and vowed “stern action” against those behind the bombing. He expressed his condolences to families of the victims, saying their pain “cannot be described in words.”

Pakistan, which is mostly Sunni Muslim, has seen a surge in militant attacks since November, when the Pakistani Taliban ended their cease-fire with government forces.

Earlier this month, the Pakistani Taliban claimed one of its members shot and killed two intelligence officers, including the director of the counterterrorism wing of the country’s military-based spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence.

Security officials said Monday the gunman was traced and killed in a shootout in the northwest near the Afghan border.

The TTP is separate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban. The TTP has waged an insurgency in Pakistan in the past 15 years, seeking stricter enforcement of Islamic laws, the release of its members in government custody and a reduction in the Pakistani military presence in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province it has long used as its base. Monday’s assault on a Sunni mosque inside the police facility was one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent years. More than 300

worshippers were praying in the mosque, with more approaching, when the bomber set off his explosives vest. Many were injured when the roof came down, according to Zafar Khan, a police officer, and rescuers had to remove mounds of debris to reach worshippers still trapped under the rubble.

Meena Gul, who was in the mosque when the bomb went off, said he doesn’t know how he survived unhurt. The 38-year-old police officer said he heard cries and screams after the blast.

Mohammad Asim, a spokesman at the main government hospital in Peshawar, put the death toll at 59, with 157 others wounded. Police official

Siddique Khan the bomber blew himself up while among the worshippers.

Senior police and government officials attended the funerals of 30 police officers and arrangements to bury the rest were being made. Coffins were wrapped in the Pakistani flag their bodies were later handed over to relatives for burials.

Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the Pakistani Taliban have a strong presence, and the city has been the scene of frequent militant attacks.

The Afghan Taliban seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO troops pulled out of the country after 20 years of war.

The Pakistani government’s truce with the TTP ended as the country was still contending with unprecedented flooding that killed 1,739 people, destroyed more than 2 million homes, and at one point submerged as much as a third of the country in 2022.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was “saddened to learn that numerous people lost their lives and many others were injured by an explosion at a mosque in Peshawar” and condemned attacks on worshippers as contrary to the teachings of Islam.

Condemnations also

came from the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad, as well as the US Embassy, adding that “The United States stands with Pakistan in condemning all forms of terrorism.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the bombing “particularly abhorrent” for targeting a place of worship, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Cash-strapped Pakistan faces a severe economic crisis and is seeking a crucial installment of $1.1 billion from the International Monetary Fund - part of its $6 billion bailout package - to avoid default. Talks with the IMF on reviving the bailout have stalled in the past months.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called the bombing a “terrorist suicide attack.” He tweeted: “My prayers & condolences go to victims families. It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering & properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism.”

Sharif’s government came to power in April after Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament. Khan has since campaigned for early elections, claiming his ouster was illegal and

a plot backed by the United States. Washington and Sharif dismiss Khan’s claims.

FISHERMAN AND DOLPHINS WORK TOGETHER IN AGE OLD TRADITION IN BRAZIL

BRAZIL Associated Press

A FISHING community in southern Brazil has an unusual ally: wild dolphins.

Accounts of people and dolphins working together to hunt fish go back millennia, from the time of the Roman Empire near what is now southern France to 19th century Queensland, Australia. But while historians and storytellers have recounted the human point of view, it’s been impossible to confirm how the dolphins have benefited - or if they’ve been taken advantage of - before sonar and underwater microphones could track them underwater.

In the seaside city of Laguna, scientists have, for the first time, used drones, underwater sound recordings and other tools to document how local people and dolphins coordinate actions and benefit from each other’s labour. The most successful humans and dolphins are skilled at reading each other’s body language.

The research was published on Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Laguna residents work with wild bottlenose dolphins to catch schools of migratory silver fish called mullet. It’s a locally famous alliance that has been recorded in newspaper records going back 150 years.

“This study clearly shows that both dolphins and humans are paying attention to each other’s behavior, and that dolphins provide a cue to when the nets should be cast,” said Stephanie King, a biologist who studies dolphin communication at the University of Bristol and was not involved in the research.

“This is really incredible cooperative behaviour,” she added. “By working with the dolphins,” the people catch more fish, “and the dolphins are more successful in foraging, too.”

Dolphins and humans are both highly intelligent and long-lived social animals. But when it comes to fishing, they have different abilities.

“The water is really murky here, so the people can’t see the schools of fish. But the dolphins use sounds to find them, by emitting small clicks,” much as bats use echolocation, said Mauricio Cantor, an Oregon State University marine biologist and study co-author.

As the dolphins herd the fish toward the coast, the

people run into the water holding hand nets.

“They wait for dolphins to signal exactly where fish are – the most common signal is what locals call ‘a jump,’ or a sudden deep dive,” said Cantor, who is also affiliated with the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Florianópolis, Brazil.

The researchers used sonar and underwater microphones to track the positions of the dolphins and fish, while drones recorded the interactions from above, and GPS devices attached to residents’ wrists recorded when they cast their nets.

The more closely the people synchronised their net-casting to the dolphins’ signals, the more likely they were to trap a large catch.

So what’s in it for the dolphins?

The descending nets startle the fish, which break into smaller schools that are easier for dolphins to hunt. “The dolphins may also take one or two fish from the net – sometimes fishers can feel dolphin tugging a little on the net,” said Cantor.

The Laguna residents categorise the individual dolphins as “good,” “bad,” or “lazy” — based on their skill in hunting and affinity for cooperating with humans, said Cantor. The people get most excited when they see a “good” dolphin approaching shore.

“These dolphins and humans have developed a joint foraging culture that allows them both to do better,” said Boris Worm, a marine ecologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, who was not involved in the research.

Still, the researchers in Brazil worry that the Laguna alliance, perhaps one of the last of its kind, may be in danger as well, as pollution threatens the dolphins and artisanal fishing gives way to industrial methods.

“Human-wildlife cooperation is disappearing because we’re decimating the wildlife populations,” said Janet Mann, a dolphin researcher at Georgetown University, who was not involved in the study.

Scientists hope that greater awareness of the unusual interspecies cooperation can help drive support to protect it. “It’s amazing that it’s lasted for over a century – can we keep this cultural tradition alive amid many changes?” said Damien Farine, a University of Zurich biologist and study co-author.

part of

SECURITY officials and rescue workers search bodies at the site of suicide bombing, in Peshawar, Pakistan. A suicide bomber struck yesterday inside a mosque in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing multiple people and wounding scores of worshippers, officials said.

Photo: Zubair Khan/AP

IN this 2013 photo provided by Oregon State University, in Laguna, at Praia da Tesoura, researchers have the opportunity to collect data where the dolphin-fishermen interaction takes place. In the seaside city of Laguna, Brazil, scientists have, for the first time, used drones, underwater sound recordings and other tools to document how people and dolphins coordinate actions and benefit from each other’s labour.

Bahamas Men’s Soccer League returns to action

THE Bahamas Men’s Soccer League returned to action after the Christmas break with the completion of the quarterfinal rounds of the Hummel Cup 2023 over the weekend at the Roscow AL Davies Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

Seventeen FC vs Future Stars FC

In the first match of a very exciting day, Seventeen FC took down the youthful squad of the Future Stars FC 3-1. Seventeen got a brace (2 goals) from Fleurimond St Franc and another from Das Markens, to close of the match. Shadlin Joseph scored on a penalty kick to score the lone goal for the stars.

Match 2: UB Mingoes vs Renegades FC

The UB Mingoes returned to winning form after suffering consecutive setbacks at the hands of the Dynamos FC. One just before the Christmas break and another resulting in an early exit from the Hummel

Cup via penalty shootout. The Mingoes coaches got to see their newest recruit in action as midseason transfer, Evelt Julmis, made his maiden appearance. In the end, the Mingoes got a brace of goals (2) from Ronaldo Greene and an extra goal from J Johnson to silence a testy Renegades squad. Tempers flared in this match at the 34’ after a bit of reckless play. Both squads got into a shoving match, but the referee cooled off the tempers with a flurry of yellow cards. UB won the match as well as the yellow cards battle 7-2.

Match 3: Baha Jr vs Dynamos FC

In the final match of the day, forward Brandon Adderley, returning to fitness, scored a hat trick (2 goals) and partnered with winger Adrian Douglas Rolle, to put away an ambitious Baha Jr Squad 4-0. Young goalkeeper, Ahmaad Smith was stellar in goal as he kept a clean sheet. Action returns on Wednesday.

MADRID LOOKS TO EXTEND ITS DOMINANCE AT CLUB WORLD CUP

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer

MADRID (AP) —

The Club World Cup has become the cherry on Real Madrid’s cake after winning a Champions League title.

The Spanish powerhouse will be looking for a recordextending eighth title at the tournament which begins this week in Morocco.

“It’s always a pleasure to play in this competition, because to be in it, you have to win the Champions League,” said former Madrid player Emilio Butragueño, the club’s director of institutional relations. “It means that the team had great success in the previous season.”

Madrid was successful the last five times it played for the club world title following triumphs in the Champions League. It did it in 2014 and from 2016-18 at the FIFA-organised Club World Cup, and also in 2002 in what was called the Intercontinental Cup — a

one-game final between the European and South American champions. Madrid last failed to win the world title in 2000, when it lost the Intercontinental Cup to Argentine club Boca Juniors.

European clubs don’t always give a lot of importance to the Club World Cup, partly because it often comes in the middle of their season. But Madrid was one of the first to take it more seriously, and it has been proudly promoting its recent triumphs at the competition.

“It’s important for our team to be well, to have all of our players available despite a very demanding calendar,” Butragueño said. “We know that if our team is at a high level, we can compete and succeed against anyone.”

Madrid won the Club World Cup the last time it was played in Morocco, in 2014. Playing in the neighbouring country makes for a shorter trip for the

Spanish club compared to when the competition was played in the Middle East. Madrid will only debut next week, and its opponent could be the Seattle Sounders from Major League Soccer, the CONCACAF

champion and the first United States team to qualify for the Club World Cup.

The Sounders will first play either Al Ahly of Egypt or Auckland City of New Zealand, which will meet in the earlier round.

The final will be on February 11, and Madrid’s most probable opponent will be Brazilian club Flamengo, the Copa Libertadores champion in South America. Madrid is not expected to travel to

Morocco until just before its debut because it still has two Spanish league games to play, at home against Valencia on Thursday and at Mallorca on Sunday.

Madrid got off to a good start to the season, winning 14 of its first 16 games, with no losses, but it hasn’t been at its best recently. It won only two of its last seven matches in a stint that included defeat against rival Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.

Madrid is coming off a 0-0 draw at home against Real Sociedad in the Spanish league on Sunday, a result that left the defending champions five points behind leader Barcelona. It was the first time the team was held scoreless this season in all competitions.

“January has been tough for us,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “But the team has been improving and it will get better. We will be competitive.”

REAL Madrid’s Luka Modric, centre, takes a shot on goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

BAHA Mar Juniors football club.

DYNAMOS football club.

RENEGADES football club.

Super Bowl 57: Chiefs, Eagles meet for title in Arizona

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

PATRICK Mahomes finally got the best of Joe Burrow.

All he needed was a little shove.

Harrison Butker made a 45-yard field goal with 3 seconds left — after Cincinnati’s Joseph Ossai was flagged for a 15-yard penalty for shoving Mahomes after he was out of bounds — and the Chiefs beat the Bengals 23-20 in the AFC championship game to make it back to the Super Bowl.

Kansas City will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl on February 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

The Eagles opened as a 1 1/2-point favourite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. There are no shortage of storylines: Kansas City coach Andy Reid goes against his old team — which he led to Super Bowl 39 — in a game that’s also the first matchup of Black starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl with Mahomes and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts.

On top of that, there’s a brother-against-brother showdown between Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Philadelphia centre Jason Kelce.

“Officially done being a Chiefs fan this season!!”

Jason Kelce tweeted immediately after the Chiefs won. The Chiefs have been making deep postseason runs on a regular basis ever since Mahomes came to town as the franchise quarterback.

This was their fifth straight trip to the AFC title game and will be their third Super Bowl appearance in that span. They beat the 49ers for the NFL title in the 2019 season, but lost to the Bucs the following season.

The Eagles clobbered the Niners 31-7 in the NFC title game earlier Sunday. They’ve looked dominant in the playoffs so far, also beating the New York Giants 38-7 in the divisional round.

Philadelphia is back in the Super Bowl five years after beating the New England Patriots 41-33 on February 4, 2018.

Now a mostly new generation of Eagles — led by coach Nick Sirianni and Hurts — will come to Arizona to try and win another title.

The Chiefs-Bengals game looked as if it was going to overtime before Ossai’s ill-advised play. Mahomes — who was playing on a badly sprained ankle — was running to get a first down in the final seconds as Ossai desperately tried to track him down.

Mahomes was out of bounds when Ossai gave

MCILROY

FROM PAGE 16

— featuring a logo of his 4 Aces team in the LIV Golf league — in the direction of McIlroy, one of the most vocal critics of the Saudi-run breakaway series.

Reed said it was “unfortunate” that McIlroy didn’t shake his hand and was quoted as describing McIlroy as “an immature little child.”

Hence McIlroy’s sense of satisfaction after making the title-clinching putt on the par-5 18th — a hole where he has encountered big problems over the past year.

“This is probably sweeter than it should be,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy started a year with a win for the first time in his career — he has come close numerous times in nearby Abu Dhabi, where he has typically chosen to play his year-opening tournament — and backed up victories at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2009 and 2015.

He decided to take extra time off around Christmas because, in his words, he

AP SOURCE: 49ERS’ PURDY HAS TORN LIGAMENT IN RIGHT ELBOW

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy tore a ligament in his throwing elbow, putting his status for the start of next season in question.

A person familiar with the injury confirmed the diagnosis of the injury Purdy sustained in the NFC title game. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not released details on the injury.

him a shove, sending both players tumbling to the turf. The ensuing 15-yard penalty was enough to push Butker into field-goal range and the kick split the uprights.

A distraught Ossai sat on the bench with his head in his hands, well after the game was over.

The Bengals and Chiefs were playing for the fourth time in less than 400 days and Cincinnati had won the previous three meetings — all by three points. This one was decided by a field goal, too, and all Burrow could do was watch.

The Bengals lost to the Rams in last year’s Super Bowl and they just missed another chance at returning to the title game.

NO DRAMA IN NFC

Oddsmakers thought fans were in for some close conference championship games.

They’ll have to settle for a 50% success rate.

The NFC title game was a blowout. Niners rookie quarterback Brock Purdy was injured in the first quarter when Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick drilled his right arm on a play that was ruled a fumble. The Eagles recovered that fumble and the injury proved to be a game-changer.

With Purdy hurt, San Francisco turned to 36-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson, who couldn’t do much before eventually leaving with a concussion. Purdy came back into the game, but could barely throw, and the Eagles cruised to the win.

The 49ers dealt with quarterback injuries all season, losing Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo before turning to Purdy, a seventh-round draft pick out of Iowa State. Purdy stepped into a starter’s role

was “mentally drained” by effectively being an antiLIV spokesman last year.

He couldn’t escape those issues during his time off, either. McIlroy said he was served a subpoena on Christmas Eve from Larry Klayman — an attorney who has filed a lawsuit against the PGA Tour and European tour for suspending players who have signed with LIV Golf. Reed is not involved in that lawsuit.

Klayman also represents Reed in lawsuits filed against a number of media outlets.

A final-day duel between McIlroy and Reed looked unlikely, with McIlroy starting Monday with a three-shot lead — and four ahead of American.

However, he was overtaken on the back nine by Reed, who picked up seven shots in his first 13 holes while McIlroy was playing safety-first golf. Reed bogeyed No. 16, could only make par at the drivable 17th after hitting his tee shot into a small bush but birdied No. 18 to put pressure on McIlroy, who had two-putted for birdie at No. 17 to move

in December and won his first seven games before Sunday’s injury.

• Here’s a few things to know about the upcoming Super Bowl: WHAT’S THE UPCOMING SCHEDULE?

FEBRUARY 5

Pro Bowl flag-football game, 3pm EST, ABC/ ESPN

FEBRUARY 12 Super Bowl LVII, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 6:30pm EST, Fox RIHANNA AT HALFTIME

Rihanna will take centre stage as the headline act for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show.

With sales of more than 250 million records worldwide, Rihanna ranks as one of the best-selling female artists ever. Her most recent album was 2016’s “Anti.” Rihanna last performed

publicly at the Grammy Awards in 2018.

The singer said she turned down a similar opportunity for the 2019 Super Bowl that was ultimately headlined by Maroon 5. At the time, many artists voiced support for Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who protested police brutality against Black people and minorities by kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.

Country music star Chris Stapleton will sing the national anthem, while R&B legend Babyface will perform “America the Beautiful.”

PRO BOWL MAKEOVER

The Pro Bowl is getting a major makeover this year after the NFL eliminated its full-contact all-star game and replaced it with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game.

The flag football contest is February 5 in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium, one week before the Super Bowl.

The Pro Bowl debuted in January 1951 in Los Angeles and stayed there for 21 seasons before the game moved to different cities from 1972-80. Hawaii hosted from 1980-2009, and the game has had several homes in the years since, including Miami, Phoenix, Orlando and Las Vegas.

“The game was kind of silly, I guess,” Saints two-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Ryan Ramczyk said back in September when the news was announced. “Guys weren’t out there playing true football. Hopefully, there’ll be a lot of interactions with the fans and guys will get their opportunity to go out there and show some skills. I could see that being a good change.”

I probably could have got to the green but with what happened yesterday and last year, I tried to give myself a wedge and get it up and down for the win.

“Ecstatic that I gave myself the opportunity the first week back out. I managed my game well.”

Reed was attempting to become the first LIV Golf player to win an event on the European tour. Players from the Saudi-run series that changed the face of golf in 2022 are still able to play on the tour ahead of the imminent ruling of a British arbiter, who is reviewing whether the tour has the right to issue bans to those members who joined LIV without clearance.

NFL Network first reported that Purdy tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and said he will seek a second opinion on whether he needs a repair or a reconstruction.

A repair of the elbow typically would lead to Purdy being sidelined for six months, which would mean he could return close to the start of training camp. A reconstruction would likely sidelined Purdy into the 2023 season.

The latest quarterback injury for San Francisco throws another wrench into their future plans at the position. Their Week 1 starter from this season, Trey Lance, went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 that required follow-up surgery last month.

Jimmy Garoppolo replaced Lance, but broke his foot in Week 13 and is eligible to be a free agent in March.

Purdy took over and won his first seven starts as a rookie before getting hurt on the first drive of the NFC championship game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

“My arm felt like it stretched out,” Purdy said after the game. “It felt like a lot of shocks all over from my elbow, down to my wrist. Front and back. Just pain all over.”

Purdy came back into the game in the second half after backup Josh Johnson left with a concussion and mostly was only able to hand the ball off. He attempted two passes with the injured elbow with neither going more than 1 yard beyond the line of scrimmage.

“I couldn’t throw anything over 5-10 yards,” he said. “That is why we just had some screens. That was our only option when I went back in.”

ATP FROM PAGE 16

September. Alcaraz missed the Australian Open because of a leg injury. Nadal, who hurt his left hip flexor during a second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald of the United States, dropped from No. 2 to No. 6.

back into a share of the lead.

McIlroy’s drive on No. 18 dribbled into the rough beside the water to the right of the fairway — he watched it all the way, clearly fearing the worst — and he decided to lay up. His third shot from 92 yards was close enough and, as Reed watched from the scorer’s hut, McIlroy made the putt.

McIlroy finished on 19 under overall. He wound

up winning with his B game and was particularly proud how he held up down the last, having hit shots into the water in front of the green on Sunday and also in the final round last year, costing him the title.

“It was a battle all day — honestly, it’s been a battle all week,” McIlroy. “I feel as if I haven’t had my best all week but just managed my game so well and played really smart. Even that second shot at the last.

Initial bans were lifted last year by the arbiter, pending a full legal review.

Ian Poulter, another LIV golfer, joined Reed in attempting to hunt down McIlroy but his challenge ended after making double-bogey at the last. He shot 70 and was tied for sixth, six shot off the lead.

Lucas Herbert of Australia shot 66 and placed third, three strokes behind McIlroy.

Tsitsipas went from No. 4 to No. 3 because of his run in Melbourne; he would have been No. 1 for the first time if he had managed to win the title. Casper Ruud, a two-time Grand Slam runner-up who lost in the second round to Jenson Brooksby of the United States, went from No. 3 to No. 4. Andrey Rublev is No. 5 after getting to the quarterfinals.

Cracking the top 20 for the first time is Tommy Paul, a 25-year-old American who reached his first Grand Slam semifinal before exiting against Djokovic.

Paul’s showing in Melbourne lifted him 16 spots from No. 35 to No. 19. He is one of 10 US men in the top 50, something that last happened in 1995.

CHIEFS quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, right, celebrate with the Lamar Hunt Trophy after the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 23-20. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

RORY MCILROY, of Northern Ireland, celebrates after he won the the Dubai Desert Classic, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

TERRY BRADSHAW, left, reacts as Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, second from left, hoists the George Halas Trophy as quarterback Jalen Hurts, centre, holds a microphone after the NFC Championship NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 31-7.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Ayton scores 22, Suns pull away late, beat Raptors

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) —

Mikal Bridges scored 29 points, Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 13 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns pulled away late to beat the Toronto Raptors 114-106 last night.

The Suns won for the sixth time in seven games despite missing All-Star guard Devin Booker for the entire stretch.

Neither team led by more than 10 points in a contest that featured 16 lead changes and five ties. The Raptors trailed by nine to start the second half but scored 12 straight points in the first 2 1/2 minutes of the third quarter to take a 65-62 lead. Toronto took an 84-82 advantage into the fourth.

The game stayed tight from that point forward until Phoenix pulled away in the final minutes.

Chris Paul hit a crucial 3-pointer to push the Suns ahead 106-102 with 1:30 left. Ayton added a tip-in with 51.4 seconds left to extend the advantage to 108-102. Paul finished with 19 points and nine assists. Bridges hit a pair of midrange jumpers late in the fourth to give the Suns a boost. He had one of his best games of the season, shooting 12 of 19 from the field, including 3 of 4 on 3-pointers. Toronto was

led by Fred VanVleet’s 24 points and nine assists. Gary Trent Jr added 21 points while Pascal Siakam had 19. Bridges scored 23 points on 9 of 12 shooting to push the Suns to a 62-53 halftime lead. Siakam led the Raptors with 12 before the break.

TIP-INS

Raptors: G O.G. Anunoby (wrist) and F Otto Porter Jr (foot) were out. Shot just 9 of 33 (27.3 percent) from 3-point range.

Suns: Guards Devin Booker (groin), Cameron Payne (foot) and Landry Shamet (foot) were out.

Hosted a 53rd straight sellout crowd. Paul hit a 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer to give the Suns a 32-28 lead. Dario Saric added 11 points over 14 minutes off the bench.

UP NEXT

Raptors: Travel to face Utah on Wednesday night.

Suns: Host Atlanta on Wednesday night.

IRVING LEADS NETS PAST LAKERS 121-104 AS JAMES, DAVIS SIT

NEW YORK (AP) —

Kyrie Irving had 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 121-104 victory last night over the Los Angeles Lakers, who played without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Patty Mills and Cam Thomas added 21 points apiece for the Nets, who won their second straight and are 4-6 since Kevin Durant sprained a ligament in his right knee.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said James was experiencing “really significant soreness” in his left foot and would be evaluated Tuesday to see if he could play at the New York Knicks that night.

It was a planned day off for Davis so he didn’t play both ends of a backto-back after returning last week from a 20-game absence due to a right foot injury,

Thomas Bryant had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, while Russell Westbrook finished with 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

WARRIORS 128,

THUNDER 120

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Stephen Curry had 38 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, and Golden State defeated Oklahoma City for its third straight win.

Curry made 8 of 14 3-pointers and 12 of 20 shots overall. Klay Thompson added 28 points and hit six 3s for the Warriors.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half for the Thunder. Josh

CARIFTA

FROM PAGE 16

the under-17 girls 100m. Dean also took the 400m hurdles in 1:01.45 with her team-mate Bayli Major getting second in 1:04.18 as they both did the qualifying standard.

Major also qualified in the triple jump with her winning leap of 11.59m.

Zoe Adderley of Fast Forward was the runnerup with 11.41m.

Ishmael Rolle of Swift Athletics won in 10.82 to dip under the qualifying time, but it was wind-aided.

His team-mate Rolinny Labranche was the runner-up in 10.97.

Andrew Brown, competing unattached, won in a time of 21.45 to go under the qualifying time.

Ishmael Rolle was the runner-up in 22.21.

Brown also did the standard in the 400m in 49.41 with Branden Mackey of Bahamas

Giddey had 21 points and

Jalen Williams added 19 for Oklahoma City, which missed out on a chance to even its season record.

MAGIC 119, 76ERS 109

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

— Paolo Banchero had 29 points and 10 rebounds as Orlando stormed back from a 21-point firstquarter deficit to beat Philadelphia.

Mo Wagner scored 22 points and younger brother

Franz Wagner added 19 for the Magic, who stopped a three-game skid and ended the Sixers’ seven-game winning streak.

Joel Embiid had 30 points and 11 rebounds for Philadelphia, his 27th game this season scoring 30 or more and his ninth in the past 10.

MAVERICKS 111,

PISTONS 105

DALLAS (AP) — Luka

Doncic had 53 points in his return to the lineup and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 10 of his 12 in the fourth quarter as Dallas rallied past Detroit.

Four of Doncic’s five career 50-point games have come this season. He scored a career-best 60 against the New York Knicks in a game that went to overtime on Dec. 27.

Doncic had 24 points in the first quarter and 18 in the third.

Second in the NBA going in with an average of 33 points per game, he returned after spraining his left ankle early in last Thursday’s game at Phoenix and then missing Saturday’s game at Utah.

Bojan Bogdanovic had 29

Speed Dynamics as the runner-up in 52.97. In the under-20 girls 100m, the top three finishers all would have qualified, but their times were also wind-aided.

They include Jamiah Nabbie of Fast Forward Athletics in 11.67, Shatalya Dorsett of Kenyan Knights in 11.73 and Amari Pratt of Star Elite Athletics in 11.76. Pratt also did the qualifying time in the 200m with her victory in 24.36.

Nya Wright of RedLine Athletics was the runner-up in 24.58.

The under-20 boys 100m also had the three top finishers - Carlos Brown Jr of Swift Athletics winning in 10.19, followed by Adam Musgrove of Bahamas Speed Dynamics in 10.21 and Jeremiah Adderley of DTSP Wolfpack in 10.54 - dip under the qualifying standards, but the times were also wind-aided.

Musgrove, however, came through in the 200m

points for the Pistons, who have lost six of seven.

KINGS 118, TIMBERWOLVES 111, Overtime

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— De’Aaron Fox had 32 points and Trey Lyles scored eight of his 11 in overtime as Sacramento outlasted Minnesota.

Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out for the Kings, and Keegan Murray added 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Lyles took over for Sabonis at center and started the extra period with a

in 21.23 for a qualifying time.

On the field, Terrell McCoy of Triple Threat, was a qualifier in the under-17 girls’ shot put with a heave of 12.93m.

Danielle Nixon of Blue Chips Athletics was the runner-up with 11.41m.

In the open division, Tamara Myers of Leap of Faith won the 100m in 11.80 and took the long jump with a leap of 6.41m.

Brenicko Nixon of Swift Athletics won the men’s 100m in 11.33; Auston Clarke of Bahamas Speed Dynamics took the 200m in 22.39 and the 400m in 50.83 with Kenzie Knowles of Swift Athletics taking the 800m in 1:59.88.

Jyles Etienne of Leap of Faith was the winner of the men’s high jump with 2.00m with team-mate Ryan Ingraham settling for second with 1.95m.

Rakem Sweeting of Red-Line Athletics won the long jump event with a leap of 6.53m.

3-pointer. He dunked on Rudy Gobert for a threepoint play and got wide open for another slam with 37.8 seconds left in overtime for a five-point lead to give the Kings a split of this two-game set after a 117110 loss Saturday night.

Anthony Edwards had 33 points and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves, hitting the 30-point mark for the fifth time in the last six games. Gobert added 19 points and 14 rebounds. WIZARDS 127, SPURS 106

SAN ANTONIO (AP)

— Deni Avdija scored

SWIM

FROM PAGE 16

the qualifying standard of 1:15.88 in the 100m butterfly. Alissa Ferguson won the girls 11-12 100m backstroke in 1:16.65 and Gibson was second in 1:18.85 as they both surpassed the standard of 1:19.01. Donald Saunders of LIT clocked 27.57 to win the boys 13-14 50m butterfly to surpass the standard of 28.35. Saunders also did it in the 50m backstroke in 30.84, surpassing the standard of 30.84.

Two competitors surpassed the standard of 35.35 in the girls 11-12 50m backstroke. Christin-Alyssa Clarke got another qualifying time in 34.93 with Alissa Ferguson of the Barracuda Swim Club did 35.11.

The top individual winners from the meet were as follows:

Girls’ 8-and-underKirsten Rolle of Blue Waves Swim Club was the winner with 36, followed by runner-up Astwood Hanna

EP Roberts 8-2; Albury Sayles pulled off a 7-4 decision over Garvin Tynes and Palmdale nipped Centreville 4-2. After the first day of competition, the majority of the players were pleased with their team’s performances, whether they won or loss.

“The tournament is going well for the girls,” said Palmdale’s coach Ashley Oembler. “We had some ups and downs, but for the most part, the girls tried their best. We just have to learn to execute our passes and we will be much better.”

Shirlene Moss, coach of Centreville Primary, said they are winless so far, but she’s looking for things to turn around today.

“The kids had fun and that’s the idea and it’s paramount to why we are playing mini-basketball,” Moss said. “We enjoyed the games. As we got into the second game, I saw some improvement and so that is encouraging because every game we play, we hope to get better.”

Kemsey Sylvestre, now a coach at Albury Sayles, said it’s a learning process for him and his players.

“I can’t look for much. I just want to have some fun,” he said. “I was sitting on the bench with them and encouraging them, Tomorrow (today), I’m expecting them to come back out and continue to enjoy themselves. I can’t put much pressure on them because some of them haven’t played since the start of COVID-19.”

Crystal Eneas, who coaches Garvin Tynes along with Janice Williams, said they will only get better before the tournament is done.

“I think the girls played very well considering that we are focusing on the fundamentals of the game that we took them through in practice,” Eneas said. “I told them to have confidence and go in there and have fun and everything else will flow.”

a career-high 25 points, Bradley Beal added 21 and Washington ended a 22-game losing streak in San Antonio.

Kristaps Porzingis had 17 points and nine rebounds after a fast start for the Wizards.

Washington hadn’t beaten the Spurs on the road since December 11, 1999. Washington has won six straight for its longest winning streak since a sixgame run in 2015.

Keldon Johnson had 26 points for the Spurs, who have lost six in a row to fall to 2-13 this month.

of Mako Aquatic Club with 31.

Boys 8-and-under - Cole Albury of Barracuda Swim Club was the winner with 59. Benjamin Cartwright of the Black Marlins Swim Club was the runner-up with 30.

Girls 9-10 - Kaleah Seymour of the Freeport Aquatic Club was the winner with 45. Morgan Simms of the Barracuda Swim Club was the runnerup with 35.

Boys 9-10 - Dexter Russell of Freeport Aquatic Club was the winner with 54. Kyle Murray of Black Marlins Swim Club was the runner-up with 35.

Girls 11-12 - Saleste Gibson of Barracuda Swim Club was the winner with 52. Jaylah Threadgill of Lyford Cay Club was the runner-up with 38.

Boys 11-12 - David Singh of Barracuda Swim Club was the winner with 59.

Alexander Murray of Black Marlins Swim Club was the runner-up with 50.

Girls 13-14 - Alanna Murray of Black Marlins

Today’s action will be a little more intense as teams start jostling for the final four spots in the playoffs.

The tournament was officially opened by Tim Munnings, the former director of sports in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. Munnings, now with the Ministry of Health, encouraged the players to go out there and follow the instructions of their coaches and give it their best shot.

A team from the Ministry of Health was on hand and will be there for the duration of the tournament, providing some medical assistance to the players.

Swim Club was the winner with 61. Runner-up was Seannae Norville-Smith of Mako Aquatics Club with 36.

Boys 13-14 - Malcolm Menzies of Black Marlins Swim Club was the winner with 55. Runner-up was Orison Moss of Black Marlins Swim Club with 41.

Girls 15-16 - Elina Fiaux of Lyford Swim Club was the winner with 44. Runner-up was Kyana Higgs of Barracuda Swim Club with 36.

Boys 15-16 - Cherkadin Wells of Mako Aquatics Club was the winner with 33. Runner-up was Nkume Ijeoma of Alpha Aquatics with 29.50.

Girls 17-and-over - Delaney Mizell of Lyford Swim Club was the winner with 54. Runner-up was Grace Farrington of Barracuda Swim Club with 30.

Boys 17-and-overAndrian Brown of Alpha Aquatics was the winner with 33. Runner-up was Hodari Prince of Barracuda’s Swim Club with 32.

RAPTORS forward Pascal Siakam, left, shoots over Suns forward Mikal Bridges (25) and centre Deandre Ayton during the first half last night in Phoenix.

(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

NETS guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives past Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) during the first half last night in New York.

(AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)

MLB THE SHOW ‘23 COVER ATHLETE IS MARLINS’ JAZZ CHISHOLM

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer

MIAMI (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr, the Miami Marlins’ euro-stepping, home-run blasting allstar, has goals beyond his impressive stats. With every stolen base and acrobatic catch, Chisholm hopes to have an impact on the next generation of players.

“I had Ken Griffey Jr, who was a real idol to a lot of guys all over,” Chisholm said in a video interview with The Associated Press. “Not just to baseball fans. He was an idol to basketball players, football players, guys in every sport, and that’s how I want to be too. Not just known as a baseball player but just known as an athlete that everybody can look up to.”

Chisholm, 24, is well on his way to having that kind of influence after he was revealed yesterday as the cover athlete for Sony’s MLB The Show 2023 video game. “As a kid, I always wanted to be on the cover of MLB the Show,” Chisholm said. “So it means almost just like winning the MVP in a sense. You get to live out your childhood dream.”

Chisholm, an avid video game player, has played

The Show since David Ortiz’s 2006 cover on the first edition. Chisholm is the first Marlins player to appear on a cover of the American version of the game, but he joins a host of athletes across Miami sports on major video game covers.

Shaquille O’Neal has appeared on two main NBA 2K covers for the Heat, joining LeBron James who appeared on one for Miami. O’Neal and Dwayne Wade each appeared on one legend edition cover as well. Wei-Yin Chen, who pitched for the Marlins from 2016-2019, was The Show’s cover athlete for the Taiwanese version in 2016 and 2017 with the Marlins. The NHL 97 video game cover featured goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, who played for the Panthers from 1993-1998.

Chisholm is known as much for his style — from his colourful hair to his chains and sunglasses — as his electric speed and powerful arm on the field. That combination has made him a fan favourite. “I’m sure the kids are gonna love it,” Chisholm said.

“Every time I look around seeing kids with blue hair, wearing the

jersey. I feel like this is gonna be good for the culture.”

Chisholm, entering his fourth MLB season, has a career .243 batting average and .449 slugging percentage. He was sidelined last

June with lower back problems, and tests later revealed that he had a stress fracture, which caused him to miss the rest of the 2022 season. Chisholm, who was voted to his first All-Star game,

was leading the team in home runs and RBIs before the injury, hitting .254 with 14 home runs, 45 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 60 games.

Only Jesus Aguilar finished the 2022 season with more homers for the

Marlins, hitting 15 in 113 games.

Born in Nassau, Bahamas, Chisholm became the seventh Bahamian players to reach the majors when he debuted in 2020.

“The power I bring to the game. The size that I am, the speed, the defence,” he said.

“I’ll watch my highlights and I just love and enjoy everything I do. And I’m gonna do it with a smile because I’m having so much fun.”

Chisholm said he’s excited to play a season fully healthy, adding that he thinks Miami could make a playoff push if everyone stays healthy.

Amid a series of offseason moves, Marlins general manager Kim Ng said the team plans to move Chisholm from middle infield, where he’s played his entire MLB career, to centre field after Miami acquired reigning American League batting champion Luis Arraez from Minnesota to play second base.

“Jazz is a very unique athlete. He’s very dynamic,” Ng said earlier this month. “He’s got great range, great speed. He’s got a lot of the things that you look for when you’re thinking about centre field.”

MIAMI Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr smiles during a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 13, 2022, in Philadelphia. Chisholm Jr has been revealed as the cover athlete for Sony’s MLB The Show 2023 video game.

(AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

SPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023

NFL, page 13

Athletes qualify for CARIFTA

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The third annual Red-Line Athletics Oaktree Sonja Knowles

Track Classic over the weekend at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium was termed a tremendous success with quite a number of athletes attaining the qualifying standards for the CARIFTA Games.

All of the qualifying performances, however, have to be ratified by the

NPPPSSA

MINI BASKETBALL TOURNEY UNDERWAY

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE New Providence Public Primary School

Sports Association’s 2023

Mini Basketball Tournament got underway yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium with some exciting games being played by the girls’ teams.

Those teams will be back in action today starting at 9am at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium as they vie for a chance to compete in the playoffs on Friday.

The boys’ teams will be in action on Wednesday and Thursday to determine who advances to the playoffs and final on Friday as well.

Carlton E Francis, whose past coach Sherman Smith is being honoured posthumously in the tournament after he passed away in 2020, routed Albury Sayles 20-6 in one of the games played. In their other game, they doubled up Thelma Gibson 10-5.

In other games, Garvin Tynes held off TG Glover 15-6; Thelma Gibson blanked Sadie Curtis 6-0; Garvin Tynes doubled up Sadie Curtis 6-3; Albury Sayles got by TG Glover 8-2; Albury Sayles held off Garvin Tynes 7-4; EP Roberts held off Uriah McPhee 7-3; CW Sawyer beat Centreville Primary 8-5; Eva Hilton shut out Palmdale 10-0; CW Sawyer prevailed 9-5 over Uriah McPhee; Eva Hilton got by

SEE PAGE 14

Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, but Red-Line Athletics’ head coach Tito Moss said they are just delighted that the athletes got to produce some of the outstanding performances at the twoday meet that ran from Saturday to Sunday.

Moss, who also serves as the vice president of operations for the BAAA, said the meet lived up to its advanced billing.

“We had excellent results in the short sprints,” Moss said. “We had a boy, Adam Musgrove, who qualified in

the under-20 boys 200m and in the under-20 girls, Amari Pratt.

“We probably would have had some qualifiers in the 100, save and a part from the wind on Saturday, but we also had three qualifiers in the under-17 girls 400m hurdles.

“We had some near qualifiers in the under-17 and under-20 girls 800m and we had a new qualifier in the under-17 girls shot put. So I think the meet produced about seven or eight new qualifiers. So we’re excited about the calibre

of the meet and what it produced.”

Named in honour of Knowles, the immediate past principal of St Augustine’s College and an advert track and field supporter, Moss said the meet continues to grow by leaps and bounds.

“It was challenging this year because of the LOC (Local Organising Committee) for CARIFTA sucked up all of the sponsorship money so to host the meet this year was the most difficult out of the three,” Moss revealed.

“I would have loved to see the LOC come together and partner with the five meet promoters and even if just providing some support, because we are producing the athletes that they will be showcasing at CARIFTA.

“So I would have loved to see the presence of the LOC at all of the club meets because there are only meets this year. All of us hosting one of these meets are finding it difficult to host because corporate money is going to the LOC for CARIFTA. But we took

Ayton posts double double in 114-106 win over Raptors

it on the chin and put everything in place to ensure that we still had a very successful meet.”

Despite what transpired this year in sponsorship, Moss said they were still able to provide more opportunities for the athletes to compete in, including the relays where just about every division had at least two events.

Shayann Demeritte of Swift Athletics clocked 12.07, followed by Darvinque Dean in 12.18 in

SEE PAGE 14

SWIMMERS MAKE THE MARK FOR CARIFTA

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE FAC first annual Bert Bell Memorial Swim Meet took place over the weekend with quite a few competitors attaining the qualifying standards for the 2023 CARIFTA Games in Curacao in April.

David Singh of the Barracuda Swim Club clocked 2:56.31 to win the boys 11-12 200m breaststroke, surpassing the CARIFTA standard of 3:05.01. He also did it in the 50m backstroke in 35.59 to surpass the standard of 33.92.

Trace Russell of Mako Swim Club clocked 1:19.52 to beat out Singh, who did 1:21.64 as they both surpassed the qualifying standard of 1:24.55. Singh also won the 50m freestyle in 28.53 to surpass the standard of 28.59.

Russell also beat out Singh in the 50m breaststroke as they surpassed the standard of 37.57. Russell won in 35.45 and Singh was second in 36.72.

Saleste Gibson led two other qualifiers in the girls 11-12 50m butterfly with her victory in 31.77. Team-mate Christin-Alyssa Clarke got second in 32.72 and Violet Saralegui of Lyford Cay Swim Club was third in 32.74. They all went under the standard of 32.80.

Gibson also did the standard of 29.60 in the 50m freestyle, surpassing the standard of 30.18. Gibson also did 1:13.93 to surpass

SEE PAGE 14

Novak Djokovic back at top of ATP rankings, Sabalenka No. 2 in WTA

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open championship returned him to a rather familiar spot yesterday: No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

His four-place rise from No. 5 to replace Carlos Alcaraz at No. 1 is the largest jump to the top spot in the 50-year history of the computerized rankings for men’s tennis.

“You never know how much more time you have left, so, of course, I nurture and celebrate these moments of becoming No. 1 again and Grand Slam champion,” the 35-yearold Djokovic said after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) in the final at Melbourne Park on

Sunday night, “even more than I have, maybe ever in my career. I don’t take it for granted.”

Aryna Sabalenka’s first major title moved her up from No. 5 to a careerbest-equalling No. 2 in the WTA rankings, behind only three-time major champion Iga Swiatek.

Ons Jabeur, twice a finalist at Slams in 2022, went from No. 2 to No. 3, followed by No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 5 Caroline Garcia and No. 6 Coco Gauff.

The player Sabalenka beat in Saturday’s Australian Open final, Elena Rybakina, makes her top 10 debut at No. 10, up from No. 25.

This marks Djokovic’s 374th week leading the ATP, adding to his record. He earned a 10th title at

the Australian Open and tied Rafael Nadal with 22 Grand Slam trophies. Alcaraz slid to No. 2. He had become the youngest

McIlroy overcomes

Reed, wins Dubai Classic by 1 shot

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy watched his 15-foot birdie putt roll into the cup, clenched his fist and let out a roar to celebrate a victory that felt bigger and sweeter than most.

Because of the guy he beat as much as the big title he won.

man to be No. 1 when he took over at age 19 after winning the US Open last

SEE PAGE 13

The top-ranked McIlroy overcame a final-round charge from Patrick Reed to win the Dubai Desert Classic for the third time yesterday after a tense duel between players who were involved in a pre-tournament spat.

McIlroy finished birdiebirdie to shoot 4-under 68 and win by a stroke

from Reed, who shot 65. “Mentally, today was probably one of the toughest rounds I have ever had to play because it would be really easy to let your emotions get in the way,” McIlroy said. “I just had to really focus on myself and forget who was up there on the leaderboard.”

McIlroy and Reed traded verbal blows Wednesday after an interaction — of sorts — at the practice range on Tuesday that saw McIlroy snub Reed, who had gone over to wish the Northern Irishman a happy new year. Reed walked away before lightly tossing a tee

NOVAK Djokovic poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in the gardens of Government House the morning after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship.

(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

centre Deandre Ayton (22) looks to pass as Mavericks centre Dwight Powell (7) defends during the first half January 26 in Phoenix. Last night, Ayton posted a double double - 22 points and 13 rebounds - in the Suns’ win over the Raptors.